Traversing the length of the Indian state of Kerala for 15 days during our Kerala Blog Express Season 4 was quite a feat. To see all the beauty of this state that is regarded as “God’s Own Country” in such a short span of time was a challenge, especially for one who is taking her …
From Kerala’s northernmost district of Kasaragod (READ Kannur and Kasaragod: Of Forts and History) we traversed the whole length of the state of Kerala, India for a 14-hour train ride to the southwestern tip of the country, Thiruvananthapuram, commonly referred to as Trivandrum. This is Kerala’s capital and biggest city. The Kerala Blog Express Season 4 …
Heading up to the tip of the state of Kerala in India, our Kerala Blog Express Season 4 brought us to the northernmost districts of Kannur and Kasaragod. Coming from the mountainous district of Wayanad (READ Wayanad: Highland Adventure) at the Western Ghats, it was a refreshing change of scenery as we went towards the …
While at Kozhikode (READ Kozhikode: Fun Under the Sun), we traversed the Thamarassery Ghat, which is one of the entry points to the upland district of Wayanad. Thamarassery Ghat has winding roads and nine hairpin bends! We had to hold on at every turn as we went up to our next destination for the Kerala Blog Express …
After experiencing the cultural heritage of Kerala, India in Thrissur (READ Thrissur: Art, Culture and Heritage) through the responsible tourism activities prepared by The Blue Yonder, we proceeded to the district of Kozhikode. History shows that the Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama, landed on this part of India’s Malabar Coast. The town proper of Kozhikode …
Cultural performances, heritage tours, and shadow puppet plays. Thrissur is the cultural hub of Kerala, India; our sixth destination during our Kerala Blog Express Season 4. After our Munnar adventures in the upland (READ: Munnar: Chilling in the Mountains), we went back for a day at Kochi before we headed northward to Thrissur. Our heritage …
In terms of weather and breathtaking mountain views, Munnar is probably the runaway winner in my charts. It was the only destination during our 15-day Kerala Blog Express Season 4 trip where I had to wear my jacket and sleep for two nights in non-air conditioned rooms, a welcome respite from the scorching heat and …
A white blanket of fog covers the surroundings, like clouds floating over still, quiet waters. Filling the landscape are uneven and leafless black tree trunks protruding from the water, while great cormorants (one of the bird species found in the area) are perched on their branches. We made our way slowly through the lake, avoiding …
The kids were intently watching our group — mostly foreigners — wandering in one of the backyards in their village. One shyly peeked through the plants and smiled as I eyed her. This was one of the scenes when we went for a responsible tourism visit in a local community in Kumarakom. It is located at …
The calm waters along the canals that open to a lake, the lovely birds flying over us, the picturesque coconut trees and other greens that fill the landscape, and the smiles and waves from the people at the river banks as we sailed through. These are the scenes we saw in Alappuzha, often called Alleppey …
Kochi, the city where I spent my first few days during the Kerala Blog Express Season 4, was my initiation to India. The movies that were set in this country and the stories I have heard of this place somehow provided me with a picture of what was to come, something that would overwhelm my …
Living in an archipelago of 7,107 islands can be quite daunting. Ever since I moved back to my province of Negros Occidental, flying out of the Philippines entailed one additional flight to an international airport, whether it is Manila, Cebu or another city. And for my Kerala Blog Express adventure, getting to Kochi in Kerala, …
Kerala Blog Express Season 4, The Trip of A Lifetime, Kicks Off The past weeks, I was mostly on the road, riding a colorful bus that was shared with 28 other bloggers from across the globe, along with the organizers and crew behind this trip. This is the 4th season of Kerala Blog Express. After …