Friday, April 27, 2012

Southern India

 Indian cooking class (this is paneer). It was an excellent class- we learned how to make loads of Indian dishes from scratch!
 Candolim beach (Goa)

 Wild elephant


 Kerala Beach
 Our friend Biju and his family
Delicious seafood extravaganza in Mumbai
 Market in Goa
 Palaces galore!
 A sari. All the women wear these all the time- even when herding cattle and such. Although you can't expose your legs or upper arms, exposure of the stomach is ok.
 Portuguese churches in Goa

 Pearls in Hyderabad


 Hindu Temple (the most common religion in India)
 Jungle safari (sloth bears, deer, elephants and even a leopard!)



 Kerala Backwater cruise
 Varkala beach town (we loved this town!)


 Deer walking through the resort in the national park
 Ooty- It was much cooler in the highlands (but still warm!)
 Spice plantation- it was very interesting to see where the different spices come from

We had a crazy time in India. It was extremely hot- and we feared for our lives every time we stepped into a moving vehicle. Road rules don't exist! We were a little put off by the corruption and poverty that we read about in books and the newspaper and could see the results of everywhere- but overall people were extremely kind. We loved the "wilderness" areas and there were some great sights to be seen in the hills, jungles and beaches. Due to the pollution and super dense population (especially in the big cities- which are most cities) have a new-found appreciation for life in New Zealand and Canada!