A Fragrance to remember

It was a sudden decision like many of our trips and we decided on Kochi; Fort Kochi to be precise. Kerala in Monsoon; officially "off season". Got out tickets booked, applied for a day's off and reached the airport. A quick search in the ever dependable tripadvisor showed so many options of bed and breakfast in Fort Kochi. We zeroed upon Walton's homestay. There was something about the place which clicked. Yes even in the small screen of the phone. P made a call to the place to check availability and also to ask was it ok if we took a pre paid taxi from airport to Fort Kochi. A very cordial but firm voice said, rooms were available and advised us to opt for the AC bus from Airport to Fort Kochi rather than paying Rs.800 to the taxi.The voice also informed that since he didn't have commission paying policy to autowalas and cabbies, they would not know his place. If you ask us honestly, that made us confident of our choice as it showed the owners faith on what he offers to his visitors.
We landed in Kochi at 1pm. There it was, the AC bus waiting to carry passengers to Fort Kochi through the city of Ernakulam. Fare - Rs.70 per head.The bus takes about an hour to reach Fort Kochi from Kochi International airport which is about 45 KM. The Bus dropped us at the Kochi bus stand which is merely 5minutes walking distance from Princess Street.It is on Princess Street, Walton's homestay is located.
At the reception we were greeted by the man behind the voice we spoke in the morning ; Mr. Walton himself. He assured us that he was giving us the best room. Out of the 9 rooms, only 2 - 3 rooms were occupied as it was not the Tourist season.We got a room on ground floor which opened directly to a very well kept garden. Because of the rains, everything around was green and fresh. We entered the room and a very striking and sweet aroma of Lemon grass welcomed us. It was such a pleasant surprise! In our previous experiences, we had been to Inn or hotel rooms with all sorts of smells; mostly the strong room freshner and sometimes even the damp smell of carpets and walls.The room's flooring was wooden and the house keeper informed that they used Lemon grass oil while mopping the floor to keep the mosquitoes at bay.The room was big, airy and very very well kept. We stayed there for 3 nights. Every day they would clean with the same oil.
The town of Fort Kochi was under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule in different points of time. The whole town still has the remnants all over. We decided to discover the city on foot.Heard that during tourist period, one can hire bicycles too. One day we went to see the Jew Town and Mattancherry palace. Mattancherry palace or the Dutch palace. The Dutch palace was originally built by the Portuguese and was gifted to ruler of Kerala. Later it fell into the hands of the Dutch and they revamped it. The walls inside the palace are adorned by some superb murals. in the Jew town, there is the Jewish Synagogue which is now considered to be the oldest among all the synagogues in the commonwealth of nations.

Chinese Fishing Nets

We never wanted to hurry and go everywhere the tourism brochure mentions just to strike off the place. We walked, sat in the cafes, sat by the beach,enjoyed the fishing sessions in the evenings and mornings. After 3 wonderful days, we took the bus to airport again.

It remains one of our memorable trips. That sweet aroma of Lemon grass still lingers whenever we remember this lovely little unplanned trip. Some memories are forever. This is one of them.

A quiet sojourn at Vasundhara Resort - Vayalar

I love Kerala and never get tired of going back again and again. As luck would have it, all my 3 trips to Kerala, I have only been to Cochin. Twice to Fort Cochin next to the sea and in my last and third visit, I stayed right at the backwaters but still away from the touristy hustle and bustle.I stayed at Vasundhara, Sarovar Premiere a beautiful resort at Vayalar in Alleppey district.

Located around 63 km away from the Cochin Airport, it takes about an hour and half to reach the resort. The resort also has the option for taking the guests by motor boat through the backwaters from a point. I would recommend this to anyone planning to stay at Vasundhara. The first glimpse of the resort from the motorboat is a sight to behold. Nestled amidst coconut grooves, the resort has managed a perfect blend between traditional Kerala homes with all modern amenities. What strike me most as a guest at the resort is the amount of waterbodies around. This sure gives a sense of serenity and calmness.

The lobby of the resort is designed like a Traditional Kerala temple. There are 2 big lamp stands outside and inside the lobby. The Lobby has rows of the headgear or Nettipattam worn by Elephants during any temple festival.The murals on the walls give the glimpse of the villagers waiting to greet the Tuskers in their full decor during a temple festival.

The main wing offers very spacious rooms with balconies overlooking the rest of the resort, including the swimming pool and the backwaters.

The Resort room my room in the Main Wing

They have a Heritage Wing which has rooms housed in a hundred year old Kovilakam ( Prince's Palace) and a Nalukettu ( traditional Kerala home). In this wing, though the rooms are much smaller in comparison to the main wing, one can enjoy the slice of history inside these quarters. One is welcomed to the Kovilakam by a Tulsi plant right in the outside courtyard / garden just like most traditional Hindu households of the country.

Apart from that, they have some floating cottages which offer the most luxurious experience in the resort. Each of the rooms in the floating cottage have private Jacuzzi overlooking the backwaters. For honeymooners, these rooms offer the finest experience with complete privacy in the resort.

There is a Chayakada which is a Tea Shop. Chayakada plays a very important role Kerala. This is the place to gather and discuss over cups and cups of Tea,various topics from politics to a news of the neighborhood.

Chayakada

The Chayakada at Vasundhara opens in the evening for 2 hours and resort guests can enjoy a cup of chai with snacks while the sun slowly sets across this part of the great Vambanad lake.

The Resort can organise a trip visit to a local Toddy Shop on a charge. This is a not to be missed experience in Kerala. Like Chaya Kadas, Toddy Shops are also an integral part of Kerala. Toddy is a mildly alcoholic drink produced from Date palms and Coconut palms. It is served with lot of local Kerala spicy dishes like crab fry, fish fry, Kadala curry etc. However the main dish which is served along with a glass of Toddy is tapioca with red fish curry. All foods are super spicy and very tasty. Well, if someone is not used to so much spices, he/she will surely find them hot!

Glasses of Toddy with the spicy dishes. 

The city centers of Cochin or Alleppey are slightly far off from the resort. One would need a vehicle to reach these places. But donot let that deter you from choosing to spend a night here. I suggest once you are done with your Kerala itinerary, on your way back home from Cochin, spend a day here. Get yourself pampered at the Spa, enjoy the cool breeze in the evening as the sun sets beyond the backwaters and the delicious spread the Chef Abhijeet and his team prepare every time. I am sure this will rejuvenate you to get back to your daily life again once you are back at your base till the time you plan your next trip!