I had some problem with my results and had to pay a not so anticipated visit to my university .the mahatma Gandhi university in kottayam. So me and kichu decided to go there on the 6th of July. We started from cochin at about 10.00 am and had a quick breakfast of masala dosa from aryas at thripoonithura.( the breakfast menu and place seldom change. Its always masala dosa and its always aryas). Now for the not so good part. We reached the university in an hour cleared all the formalities there and returned in less than half and hour with me in the worst of my mood.
So to cheer me up kichu decided to go back with a small visit to kumarakom. it wasn’t far from the university. kumarakom is a small place who make their living by tourism mostly. They either had boats or owned restaurants or home stays or sold fresh water fish. We could see all these on either side as we travelled through the narrow road but not a bit of the backwaters we were hoping for . every inch of land near the back waters where occupied by resorts and private groups making it impossible to see the natural beauty unless u pay for it. Kichu even drove some 10 kms into a side road guessing the direction but all we could see small fishermen’s houses lining the tiny branches of the back waters.
Losing hope we drove to kottaym. It was almost noon. On the way pay a visit to the ktdc resort and a bird sanctuary which was closed due to the rains and even boating was not there unless of course you choose to take a house boat. So hungry we left the place and on the way crossed a bridge that lay across one of by channels of the lagoon. There where house boats parked near the banks where small houses stood. There were about a 100 ducks in the channel and i made him stop the car to have a look at them.
After a few minutes we left kumarakom to kottayam. I was just about planning to drown in a stupor when kichu shook me awake. We were in water. i couldn’t see anything except water around us.i blinked and realised that we were on a road that ran right through the middle of a huge ..i mean HUGE lagoon. The road was almost in level with the water with no place to park or walk in the sides and one side a huge metallic structure rose to about 25-30 feet. Kichu was telling something about the salt water mixing with fresh water and also bout tides but i wasn’t listening. In the slight drizzle (it was quite a rainy day) the scene was mesmerising. I told him to stop but there was no place to park .so he stopped at the place where the road entered land .i got out and stared at the sheet of water that spread in front of me flanked by coconut trees in the far and touching the horizon. I could make out shadows house boats in the far end and then knew why people pay so much for a house boat ride. It takes you to the very heart of gods own country. I stood there for a while and we rode back to find a place to eat.
That was an adventure all by itself. We crossed kottayam without looking for places to eat cause we weren’t hungry and then after we got into the national highway and drove to cherthala we started restaurant hunting. It was a disaster. There were either tiny patched up places or huge resorts. I wouldn’t got to crowded places neither can i tolerate filth and kichu was adamant that he wouldn’t go to a high class place. We hunted for over 2 hours and travelled up to alleppy. Hunger was getting the better of me and i threw tantrums. Kichu abided and we went to the ktdc restaurant but it was past 3 and it was closed.
I was close to tears and we went to the alleppy price hotel kichu promising me that they will have round the clock service. Alleppy prince was good.it was a hotel. A 3 star one by the look of it.it had a separate bar and a family restaurant. A swimming pool faced the restaurant which was full of polished wood furniture and panelling.
But even they had their lunch orders closed. Seeing the desperation in my face, probably, the waiter said we could order anything other than Chinese or thandoori. It cut my favourite –soup from the list but i was happy that i got something to eat. I odered a batura and kichu ,chappatis with chicken roast.
He smirked at my choice. I was just happy to be there. When the food was brought i was happy with my choice. batura was huge and totally worth the price.and the chiken was great. It was a happy meal after a long day.when the bill came it was my turn to smirk. My tummy filling batura had cost only 25 bucks but 3 chapattis cost him 60 bucks!.
We drove back paying a short visit at mararikulam beach at cherthala.And on the way i bought pomegranates from a roadside vendor . i spend the rest of my journey getting the jellies apart and kichu, eating them.:)
This is my first food review ever and i might be a little bit biased cause i had to limit myself to veggie. well the day was the 16th of July. i remember is so clearly cause me and kichu were at q cinemas in gold souk mall,vytilla,cochin to watch the grand finale of the harry potter series. both of being potter maniacs(dunno how much of the maniac is left in kichu) we booked the tickets for the first show that day which was the day after the release.the movie was awesome.and got out beaming and stuffed with cheese popcorn. i didn't ask for the tub and we kept pushing it to each others lap asking the later to finish it.:D:D.so not very hungry i suggested our star of the day-the 24 carat!!!
