'A wonderful way to relax' is what I'd say of our recent houseboat cruise in the Vembanad lake, Kerala's biggest lake. We had gone to our hometown almost seven months after our last trip to meet V's brother and family who had come down from the UAE. As usual, all trips to our native place are hectic and this one was no less so.
The first day was relatively free save for a short trip to Kottayam in the evening. We had to be fresh and early for next day's cruise starting from palluruthy, Alleppey. We - 10 adults including three senior citizens and 7 children - reached our destination at around 10.30 a.m. We had opted for a day cruise arranged by Lakelands Cruise, one of the numerous houseboat operators, in the area. Apparently there are about 1000 houseboats plying in the waters, reaping profits out of tourists' fasincation with God's own country and its waters and greenery that we Malayalis take for granted.
Houseboat Daniela was a perfect 2-bed house complete with a kitchen and 'verandah'. I was told that it was a good investment at Rs. 40 lakh or more, and the owner seemed to hail from a place as far away as Pattambi, Palakkad. Though being off-season until September, there were many boats lying idle in the jetty. Which was one reason we got the boat for a day's sojourn at slightly reduced rates - Rs. 9000 food included.
And food seemed to be the best part of the deal. We were welcomed with a (cool) drink but since we hadnt intimated our desire for a kappa-fish curry session, we had to wait until 2 pm for the next big meal. We munched on banana chips - brought from home - as the boat glided past women washing clothes and vessels or taking bath almost fully clad in the murky waters, or men making houseboats for the future. Reportedly water in the lake is polluted by sewage and domestic waste from the boats. Our thoughtless citizens also throw plastic and other waste into the water. There were hastily constructed resorts as well as sprawling, well-designed resorts on the route. Water hyacinths did not block our boat's path much, which was not surprising as weeding was underway. Migrant birds made a pretty picture in the water.
The children were least interested in the scenic ride, and invented games to play in the two rooms.
I met the cook Ravi and his assistant in the full-fledged kitchen. Ravi claimed to have worked even for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Everything would be prepared fresh after guests arrived in the boat. The duo and the boat driver lived in the boat (but not in the bedrooms) and were entitled to four days off in a month. Salaries had improved of late after a strike for the same, the boat driver told me later.
Lunch was delayed, as the karimeen that was to be the main attraction of our menu, was not as fresh as the cook would have liked. Which meant that the boat had to anchor on the way to buy fish from a small shop. They had dared not take that risk for health department officials were clamping down on restaurants and small eateries that did not adhere to safe food practices; the death of a youth and the food poisoning of some others after eating
shawarma from a fastfood joint in the capital city has made hotels and een houseboat operators cautious. Anyway the wait was worth it - apart from the karimeen fry, there was delicious chicken curry and the usual Kerala meal fare - cabbage thoren, beans fry, pappad, sambar, rasam, buttermilk etc with vermicelli payasam to boost. The only person who stoically kept away from the food was our cab driver, observing the Ramzan fast.
Tea came along with banana fritters/ethakka appam and later pineapple cut artistically. By then it was almost time to call it a day - at 5.30 pm.
Apart from us, those out on houseboat cruises included many from the north of the Vindhyas and some Westerners out to experience the Venice of the East.
The best part of the cruise was that we could relax doing nothing - not even the TV and the DVDs interested us. Talk we did, idle talk and of course with someone with a good sense of humour as my mil and hubby around, it was a fun trip. (And I had a good nap before lunch time, not having to worry about what the kids were up to.) And for once, it felt like old times before the advent of TV when people looked at each other's faces and chatted at meal time instead of at the faces of the serial actors on TV.
