Paradise

Linda strolling along the beach

We stayed a week in Kunnar.  Wow.  Not much to say only one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in the world. What makes it remarkable is that life around the “Home-stays” goes on as before. No touts or honking or “what can I do for you mister” or “where you from” only an authentic curiosity from the locals who are fisherman, school children, and local villagers.

Paul pushing fishing boat into sea, the boats and fishermen

This cannot last. Ten more years at most.  An airport is being built nearby that should change things and then all the land along the shore will be bought up and hotels and guesthouses will spring up.  Roads will be pushed into the area (we had to walk down a steep hill and follow a 5 minute foot path) then another magical spot will be gone or at best shared. Although, this inevitability will be seen as development and progress.

But as a Canadian to spend a February looking out the window of my beach hut onto the ocean, in a bathing suite, 30 degrees, no clouds, swimming every 20 minutes, Frisbee, great food, sun-burnt, long walks along the beach or following footpaths through villages, this is paradise.

the beach

(Fun facts: Kerala has the highest literacy of any state in India. Kerala voted in the first Communist Government in the world and then voted them back out again. That the Muslims, Hindus, and Christians live in relative harmony with each other, there is no religious conflict.)

Morning Yoga for Linda (for Paul the 30 min Shavasana was like a long torture)
view from cabin window

Our cabin had a mosque right behind it ... so 5 times a day we heard this...