Hey there special peeps. I know it has been a while! Let me start you off with this picture of this shrine to Sri Narayana Guru. Our road goes off beside him on the left. You can just see it going past him and curving left to go to our house. It is one of three roads at this small junction called Ambalathunada. We walk by here everytime we leave our street. If you zoom in on the picture you can see a good deal in the reflection of the glass. Here is a close up.
That motorcycle is heading toward St. Thomas School and Mukkolakkal junction. We walk there to pick up an autorickshaw into town or to go to one of the few stores there. Our post office is there, but it is not equipped to mail to the U.S., so we use one of the main post offices in town for that.
We went to the beach for a few days and had a blast. Here is a nice picture of a little hotel on the way to Kovalam. These thatched roofs are common here. It looks to me like they are made from the palm leaves. The highlight of this trip was bodysurfing, which was so much fun I can't tell you. Far out there together with the huge waves crashing over us, waiting to get the right timing on a big one. And when you get it just right you are just smooth as silk, riding the top of it all the way back in with plenty of time to look around and enjoy the view. It was so great and very easy to learn. We can't wait to do it again even though we came home with slight sunburns and bellies full of fiberglass. Ouch. Turns out it is a good idea to wear a t-shirt. I even have a big bruise on my arm. It feels so good to have little bumps and scrapes from such a tranquil and exilerating bit of sport. Since getting back we have both been very busy. I got a little sick, too, but am getting better now. I want to at least give you a little something pretty to look at until I get to leave a real post soon.
Mark took these pictures from a bridge overlooking part of the Kerala backwaters. I'll go to
Wikipedia to provide a description of this incredible feature of Kerala's landscape, so picture house boats and school bus boats, and get ready to learn something really cool:
The Kerala Backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. The network includes five large lakes (including Ashtamudi Kayal and Vembanad Kayal) linked by 1500 km of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually the entire length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.
Here is a picture of a woman breaking rocks. Trust me, it's hot out there.
Here are some cats at a standoff in our backyard. I got a great video of this unfolding, a la Todd.
This is a photo of me sick, but look at the close-up. Do you see my mom's face in there? It really stood out to me, despite the fact that I'm clearly in a bit of pain.
O.K., well, I don't have many pictures or much time just now, but I will give you a proper treat as soon as I get the chance. Until then, love and blessings to you! -Asenath
