Madurai

Well, it's been a wonderful couple of weeks. We enjoyed Cochin so much. A great place to enjoy, get away from the frantic, chaotic India and a good place to start or put into a holiday in India. From biking down the quiet streets, seeing the Chinese fishing nets in the bay, some Western food, a great cafe, cultural dances, and cultural plays - toned down and explained to the Westerner, great little guest houses, and of course yoga for me regularly made this all a stop in paradise.
From there it continued as we boated in the backwaters (canals back from the sea that are small rivers) with lots of people living on the land near them fishing, washing laundry, making rope from coconuts, crushing mussel shells for calcium tablets, and general daily living. They wash and crap all near or in the same water - rather polluted (I smiled as someone European was demanding to be taken to the middle of a lake portion for a swim - obviously he did not have the information that we did). We enjoyed several trips in the backwaters - a day trip for tourists and a couple of days actually travelling to a new destination.
We stopped at an ashram for a night - the hugging Amma - extremely revered by most who visit her - a living goddess who hugs people for many hours each day. I got my hug - Clive gave it a miss. I don't feel any different! ,,,and neither does Clive....but it was interesting to see so many people moved by her and loving her and everything about her. The ashram (a place for religious pursuit as dictated by each individual ashram - in this case through service) was a hectic place consisting of several high rise apartments and lots of activity trying to have people live in a communal setting.
From there up to the plantations and the ever elusive national park. Finally made it to a park - went trekking and on a boat and managed to see a few deer. It was very peaceful and the air pleasantly cool . However, guess we'll save the big game for Africa! We have seen nearly every spice growing here as well as tea, coffee and rubber plantations.
Tonight we returned to the 'real India' - busy dirty streets, lots of noise, and the usual garbage but we are looking forward to exploring beautiful temples tomorrow and possibly a festival on Sunday if we time if right. 10,000 pilgrims on any given day here!