A few pics from Varkala

The train to Varkala

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From Cochin we took a car to Kumily, a hill station in the Cardamom Hills. A few pics..

Got a flat tyre in the middle of a rubber tree forest

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I’m desperately and so far without success looking for a bottle of Thums Up here in Cochin! All the shopkeepers are just pitifully shaking their heads. I was so looking forward to finally drink a Thums Up again. I admit, I’m a helpless addict. Please, if anyone can give me a hint where I can get one, write a comment, thanks!

We have now spent two days in Cochin but we still need to get acclimatised. It feels really hot, almost like sauna. After all we observed a temperature jump of almost 40 degrees between Switzerland and Kerala! Luckily we did choose a room with an A/C, otherwise it would be difficult to get a good sleep in the heat. And we can also use the A/C to get our Swiss Chocolate back to a solid state In the picture on the right you see the view from our room.

Yesterday we went shopping in the city of Ernakulam on the mainland opposite to Cochin. Today we saw the old portuguese St. Francis Church, the oldest european build church where Vasco da Gama was buried, and some more shipping. Next we will try to visit the Paradesi Synagogue, on which I missed out last time when I was here with David.

At last we managed to book a houseboat trip in spite of the high season But before the boat trip we are going first to the cooler hills (we still have to decide between Munnar and Periyar) and to the beach at Varkala.

The bags are packed and we are ready to leave. Just one more night of sleep, then we will take the flight to Cochin, Kerala.
We will spend our Christmas holidays and the New Year somewhere between the beaches and the teagrower hills, the Nilgiri mountains.
I’m looking forward to the warm weather. The meteo says, today it was around 35°C, I guess no chance for white Christmas over there

Recently I have put up my own personal minaret:

If you want to build one for yourself: DIY minaret
But beware, if you are located in Switzerland then you are officially not allowed to build minarets anymore! You have been warned..