Kerala. A Blog's Eye View by Kerala Tourism

KERALA. A BLOGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

EYE VIEW.

27 of the world's most popular travel bloggers take on Kerala, God's Own Country.

KERALA. A BLOG’S EYE VIEW.

www.keralablogexpress.com

CONTENT Human Dina @DuaRansel

Getting my hands dirty eating a Sadya Shawn Coomer

Namaskaaram! (Indonesian) Taufan Gio

Elephant hugs Michelle Rasmussen

Moustaches, coconuts and other interesting facts Anita Bora

Indien: Namasté und der Glaube daran, dass jeder Mensch schön ist (German) Caroline Lohrmann

Kerala is a little bit of India on the light side Nelson Carvalheiro

17 reasons why Kerala is the real India for beginners Daniel Nunes Gonçalves

The Party Delia Harrington

Kerala: ponto de partida para conhecer a Índia (Portuguese) Gaia Passarelli

The Kerala Blog Expressions Inma Gregorio

Ten good reasons for Filipinos to visit Kerala Ivan Henares

Tea-time in Kerala Ola Wysocka

Mortal hearts Immortal souls. Tarun Gaur

Making the most of Kochi Emanuele Siracusa

Taking Kerala home Prasad NP

A slice of Kalari and a mouthful of Sadya Roxanne Bamboat

Fort Kochi: Art on the street Vijay Nambiar

Schrijven en beschadigen is strafbaar (Dutch) Stefania van Lieshout

Through the magic eye Meruschka Govender

Department of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala. Park View Trivandrum

Kerala smiles Edin Chavez

Wild about Wayanad Gael Hilotin

CONCEPT AND DESIGN

Getting intimate with Kumarakom Edgar Alan Zeta Yap

The colours of Kerala Eva Abal

Sadya, el arte de comer con los dedos (Spanish) Elsie Mendez

KERALA. A BLOG’S EYE VIEW A magazine from Department of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala. PUBLISHED BY

Stark Communications Pvt. Ltd. PICTURE COURTESY Participants of KBE and Kerala Tourism

It was a journey like no other. One that saw 27 bloggers from 14 countries coming together for a two-week long road trip across Kerala. To discover God's Own Country like never before.

"It is not the destination, but the journey that matters". Kerala Tourism strongly believes in this axiom. And with the Kerala Blog Express, we have proved it right yet again. It has opened up new horizons for us and has strengthened our belief in ourselves. We hope to embark on more such journeys in the future." AP Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala

"Kerala Tourism has always taken the road less travelled. The Kerala Blog Express was one such initiative. We literally blazed a new trail with this road trip. And while 27 bloggers discovered Kerala, we rediscovered ourselves." Suman Billa IAS, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala

"Every journey gains meaning only when you step out of the comfort zone and venture into the unknown. With KBE, we did just that. And like for the bloggers onboard, it turned out to be an extremely rewarding experience for us as well. One that has inspired us to push the boundaries even further." PI Sheikh Pareeth IAS, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala

Human Dina @DuaRansel, Indonesia

A row of wiry men haul a rough, thick rope out from the waves that batter the beach, their skin dark from the sun. Their eyes are set with determination at the blue ocean stretching into the distance. They wear only a “lungi sarong” cloth wrapped around their waists to make shorts so they can move freely. The sun peeks out above the horizon. The men pull in unison, their bodies angled back, faces expressionless. Pulling, pulling, like a passionless tug of war, with an endless rope and no opponent. More and more rope emerges from the ocean, and behind the men the coil snakes higher and higher. I don't know how long they have been pulling or how long they will continue.

I approach and noticed that some distance down the beach, another row of men straining against another rope.

lands on the sand, and several men hop out; they are the scouts of a fishing group.

Later, I learned that these are fishermen, fishing with a net. What they are pulling is a giant fishing net, and the second row of men are pulling in the other side of the same huge fishing net.

I daydream as I watch them, feeling submerged in the daily routine of the fishermen of Kollam beach in Kerala. The boat is heavy and the men struggle to haul it up onto the sandy beach.

They cast the giant net last night, after the sun went down. The net is perhaps dozens of metres wide, and they let it drift out far into the ocean. The right and left corners of the net are connected to the beach with very long ropes, that they pull up in the morning, scooping up the fish in between.

But a man’s shout breaks my reverie. "Hey, don't just stare, help! It's heavy!" Of course this is spoken in the local language that I don't understand. That’s just what I understood from their expectant gestures and pantomime.

Then I hear shouts as a wooden boat

It was such a privilege to observe this daily ritual, but to actually jump in the middle of it all and pitch in was

such a blessing. I grab hold of the boat and push with all the strength I can muster to move it across the sand. God, it’s heavy! I'm not sure if I’m really helping, or just slowing them down. Their sinewy arms are all muscle, while I break a sweat as if going up two flights of stairs. Then a thought comes to my mind, followed by a moment of enlightenment. As visitors, we’re often too cautious to disturb the routine of the people we see. We don’t want to be perceived as meddling tourists.

Everything is so exotic for us as outsiders. But these fishermen taught me an important lesson: they are not performers, objects to be watched and photographed. They’re humans living their lives, and so am I. There isn't any boundary between us, and I should do my part to help them, just as they would for me or any other fellow human being. And as I struggle with the boat, I feel a warmth spreading through my soul, as the sand below my feet warms from the rising sun.

Dina and Ryan, an Indonesian-Canadian married couple, left everything behind in 2009 to explore the world. Since then, they've been homeless and travelling around the world with just their backpacks and each other.

Getting my hands dirty eating a Sadya Shawn Coomer, USA

The Sadya â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Traditional food done right.

Shawn Coomer is obsessed with travel and has spent nearly a decade travelling around the world. He is a self proclaimed foodie and never misses an opportunity to try out new dishes. He is one of the main contributors and the managing director of the website milestomemories.com.

One of the greatest things about travel is that we get the opportunity to try out new foods and learn about other cultures and their traditions. We got the chance to do this on the Kerala Blog Express, but nothing was quite as exciting for me as eating the traditional Kerala meal known as a Sadya. Served on a banana leaf, Sadya consists of numerous small dishes arranged in a specific way around the leaf. During our trip, we had the chance to eat a Sadya twice. It was quite a lot of fun. Our first Sadya came after a long day of hiking and visiting local villages. Our host for the meal was Pranavam Homestay near Wayanad. During the meal, they deployed what seemed like a small army to carefully arrange our dishes. Each new dish came with

a description of its own. As each small piece of the meal was served, it was as if they were creating a work of art. My messy hand after eating my first Sadya. A Sadya is traditionally eaten only with oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right hand. Our hosts had said that we could opt out of eating with our hand, but what fun would that be? After all, I was in a foreign country, eating a traditional meal. Ought I not eat it the traditional way? At first I was a little lost, but after seeing me struggle, Vijay, who is originally from Kerala, taught me the proper hand technique. Using my right hand, I scooped up the food with my four fingers and then used my thumb to push it into my mouth. The technique is quite simple; however it takes some time to master.

While Vijay and the other two Indians, Prasad and Tarun neatly ate their meals, I struggled to keep everything tidy. It took me quite a long time to finish and when all was said and done, my area looked like the aftermath of a small storm. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care though, because the food was absolutely delicious. Our second Sadya came a few days later at the Kadappuram Beach Resort during what was one of the hottest days of our entire trip! The outdoor restaurant felt more like a sauna; the food was decent, but served in more rigid, industrial manner. For some reason it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the same comfortable feeling that the homestay had provided. Despite the suffocating atmosphere and blistering heat, I did manage to do better during the second Sadya. I finished much quicker this time and with less debris scattered around.

When the meal is completed, you are to fold the banana leaf in order to signal to the hosts that you are finished. That part I knew, but I learned during the second Sadya that the direction of folding the leaf makes a difference. If satisfied, folding the banana leaf away from you pays compliments to the chef. If not satisfied, folding it inwards signals to the chef that perhaps they have some work to do! (I am not sure which way I folded it during our first Sadya.) While I am by no means an expert on Sadya, it is almost always a vegetarian meal. The dishes vary in scope and texture, but almost all of them are rich in spices and rely heavily on local ingredients. Coconut, lentils and jackfruit were used in abundance for our meals, but a variety of fruits, vegetables and spices were served to ensure that every part of our palate was touched in some way.

I truly enjoyed eating and learning about this traditional meal, and feel that it is an experience everyone should have at least once while visiting Kerala. Not only is it fun to eat with your hand, but the entire experience is stimulating on so many levels. For me, the atmosphere of the first Sadya, at a homestay in the middle of a beautiful countryside near Wayanad, was perfect. It certainly was one of my favorite experiences while on the Kerala Blog Express and one that I will long remember.

6 5

3 4

1 7

23 22

11 9

Pazham

Moru

Rasam

Puli Inchi

Naaranga Achaar

Pulisseri

Avial

Cabbage Thoran

Beans Thoran

10. Beetroot Pachadi 11. Paavakka Kichadi 12. Sambar 13. Parippu 14. Paalada Pradhaman 15. Parippu Paayasam 16. Semiya Paayasam 17. Choru 18. Pappadam 19. Manga Achaar 20. Upperi 21. Sharkara Upperi 22. Uppu 23. Kappa Upperi

14 15

Namaskaar Taufan Gio, Indonesia

This blog post is about Kerala seen through the eyes of Taufan Gio, an Indonesian traveller. While Kerala’s landscapes and language reminds him of home, he also discovers the uniqueness of the land–ten of which have been listed in this article.

Namaskaaram! Tiga purnama terakhir ini bisa dibilang semesta saya tengah berkelana seputar Kerala, sebuah negara bagian di selatan Republik India. Bayangan saya sebelumnya tentang India yang rustic and chaotic (which I desire more) ternyata tidak sepenuhnya terwujud. Kerala lebih mirip negara tersendiri: beriklim tropis, bertanah subur, berlimpah air, berpenduduk ramah, berpemandangan elok. Tak heran Kerala punya julukan God’s Own Country, negeri kepunyaan dewa. Berikut 10 fakta Kerala berdasarkan perjalanan saya:

Malayalam 33 juta penduduk Kerala berbicara bahasa Malayalam, dengan huruf yang mirip dengan aksara Jawa. Pengucapan beberapa kosakata Malayalam membutuhkan keahlian khusus (lidah ditarik ke atas rongga mulut bagai mengucap huruf ‘T’ ala Bali). Kecepatan bicara mereka di atas rata-rata. Jadi jangan bayangkan mereka berbahasa Inggris dalam logat Malayalam. Jangan. But I love these Malayali, they’re very nice and sweet.

am!

Taufan describes himself as a beach person, who enjoys nature, culture and human interest. Besides travelling, Taufan Gio is now currently writing his own novel.

Rayuan pohon kelapa

Plesir Pesisir

Backwater and rumah perahu

Pohon kelapa mendominasi hampir seluruh wilayah Kerala bagai pohon kelapa sawit menjajah tanah Indonesia. Konon, nama Kerala sendiri diambil dari kata ‘kera’ (bukan kera yang doyan pisang, tapi ‘kera’ yang huruf ‘e’-nya dibaca seperti pada kata ‘beda’). ‘Kera’ dalam bahasa Malayalam berarti ‘pohon kelapa’.

Pesisir Kerala menghadap laut Arabia dengan pasir bersemu jingga. Posisinya paling ideal menyaksikan surya tenggelam. Sepanjang pantai dapat ditemui sekumpulan nelayan tengah menarik jaring dari tengah laut. Jaring ini punya tali yang panjangnya mungkin bisa mencapai ratusan meter. Selain itu ada pula jaring nelayan ala Cina yang kerap menjadi pemandangan khas dan wisata andalan Kerala. Teknik jaring nelayan ini konon dibawa oleh penjelajah Cina, Zheng He, ratusan tahun silam ke India.

Tiada padanan kata yang tepat dalam bahasa Indonesia untuk istilah backwater alias ‘air yang dibendung’. Kondisi sungai yang sejajar dengan permukaan laut menyebabkan arus stabil sehingga terciptalah muara dan danau-danau besar di hampir sepanjang pesisir Kerala. Rumah-perahu tradisional (kettuvallam) menjadi ikon wisata backwater ini, selain lomba perahu naga yang diadakan setahun sekali.

Tak heran kapanpun dimanapun kau pasti akan disuguhi kelapa, biasanya kelapa muda utuh dengan batoknya. Jangan lupakan pula aneka olahan kelapa macam kari, puding, dan es krim (untungnya yang terakhir saya doyan).

paling suka theyyam karena pertunjukan ini melibatkan gerak dinamis, api berkobar, dan teriakan sang penari yang mungkin setengah kerasukan.

12 besar sudah berpindah ke meja prasmanan. Hidangan khas Kerala adalah beef fry (semacam rendang kering), namun sayangnya saya malah tak berkesempatan mencicipinya.

Ayurveda and toko obat Ayurveda adalah tradisi ribuan tahun berupa terapi pemeliharaan kesehatan dan pengobatan. Salah satu metodenya hampir mirip dengan pijat tradisional ala Jawa/Bali dengan menggunakan ramuan herbal. Selain itu Kerala terkenal akan khasiat pengobatannya sehingga tak heran terdapat banyak toko obat di sepanjang jalan.

Mundu and lungi Hidupan liar Cagar alam and suaka margasatwa paling banyak ditemui di dataran tinggi Western Ghats, yang bisa dibilang mengisolasi Kerala dengan negara bagian tetangga. Populasi gajah dan harimau liar berpusat di sini. Belum pernah saya melihat penampakan gajah liar sebanyak dan sedekat ini. Sayang, saya tidak melihat penampakan harimau kecuali jejaknya (atau seharusnya saya bersyukur karena apa jadinya jika bertemu harimau liar lapar sungguhan di tengah trekking).

Ini bukan nama bocah comel macam Upin and Ipin, tapi nama sejenis kain tradisional yang banyak dikenakan di Kerala (atau India selatan lainnya). Mundu adalah sehelai kain tak berjahit, sementara lungi tak ubahnya kain sarung berjahit, dimana pemakaian keduanya sama-sama dililitkan di pinggang. Masih banyak penduduk Kerala yang mengenakan mundu/lungi ini dalam kegiatan sehari-hari.

Hammer and sickle

Seni pertunjukan Beruntung bisa menyaksikan seni pertunjukan tradisional seperti Kathakali, Thullal, Theyyam (ketiganya punya ciri khas berupa riasan wajah yang rumit dan penuh warna), hingga seni bela diri klasik kalaripayattu (dipercaya sebagai ilmu bela diri tertua). Tapi di antara semuanya, saya

Lupakan sapi yang berkeliaran di jalan Kerala adalah pengonsumsi daging sapi terbesar di India. Itulah kenapa cita-cita saya melihat sapi melenggang kangkung sepanjang jalan pupus sudah. Nyaris tiada sapi berkeliaran di sini, mungkin sebagian

Ini juga bukan nama tokoh kartun, melainkan lambang partai komunis yang kebetulan punya pengaruh kuat di Kerala. Menjelang pemilu kemarin, lambang palu arit bertebaran dimana-mana. Tapi jangan bayangkan komunis di sini seperti doktrin orba. Kerala termasuk salah satu negara bagian termakmur di India, dengan mayoritas penduduk berada di kelas menengah, tingkat harapan hidup tertinggi, dan kemampuan baca tulis yang mendekati 100%. Disgiovery yours!

Elephant hugs Michelle Rasmussen, Denmark Michelle has a great passion for travelling and seeing the world with her own eyes. She focuses on documentation through photography, telling small stories and collecting memories while travelling.

During my journey on the Kerala Blog Express, I was fortunate to have a close encounter with the gentle giants at the Elephant Park on Anavilasom Road at Murukkady in Thekkady. It was one of my favourite moments during the entire trip in Kerala.

Moustaches, coconuts and other interesting facts. Anita Bora, India

Meandering through Kerala on a 15 day trip with Kerala Tourism on the “Kerala Blog Express”, I discovered some interesting aspects of the state. While the rest of the gang were in the thick of action somewhere in Wayanad, I decided to sit back and relax at the peaceful Vythiri Resort and do some fact finding.

Density and number of moustaches More often than not, Malayali men sport moustaches. Most of the celebrities and politicians (seen on hoardings – haven’t seen that many in real life) all have large moustaches. Watch any South Indian movie and most probably, you'll have a hero curling his large moustache. It's a style statement and possibly makes them more attractive; though only a woman can vouch if that's really true! The reason for this particular growth befuddles me and I haven’t gotten a reasonable explanation for it as of

now. It’s also a fact that it’s not in vogue in the North.

Coconut here, coconut there, coconut everywhere Has anyone taken a census of how many coconut trees are there in Kerala? Imagine if everyone had to submit the number of coconut trees in their backyard. It’s a survey that would take a lifetime. The state probably boasts of the highest density of this particular kind of tree in the world. And how many people have been injured (or even worse, died) from coconut related incidents, I wonder. Surely, someone walking down the village path would have had a coconut falling on his head. At least once, I imagine. You'd be surprised to know that there are actually no coconut related deaths reported, in Kerala or anywhere in the world. A friend tells me that his dad often told him, “thengu chathikilla” which translates to, “the coconut tree will

Anita Bora is an avid traveller and photographer who gets restless when stuck in one place for a long time. Kerala is like a second home and she loves every aspect of it; beaches, mountains, culture, heritage and especially the mouth-watering food. You can find her travels and (mis) adventures on www.anitabora.com

not betray you – the coconut never falls on your head”. Now there's an interesting fact for you! But I was rather alarmed when I read about the decline in the number of coconut trees. Then I realised it was a slightly outdated article. On the contrary, a more recent one indicates that the price is rising. A steady increase in coconut prices has given a new twist to the coconut sector which had been marked by low profitability for long. The retail price of coconuts has gone upto Rs. 20 per nut. The widespread availability of coconut also means that you get to experience it in your food, drink and hair. Basically everywhere! No part of the coconut is wasted.

Gold’s own country? How much gold is “really” there in Kerala is anybody’s guess. Combined with all the gold in the Padmanabhaswamy temple and every Kerala household (and I'm also

counting all those homes in the Middle East), I think it might possibly be the richest state in the country, if not the world. To support the fact, a New York Times feature reports: “Kerala gobbles up 20 percent of the country’s gold every year, and the World Gold Council estimates that India, the largest consumer of gold in the world, consumes 30 percent of the global supply.” Brides in Kerala apparently wear so much gold on their wedding day, that they could potentially wipe off the debt of a small 3rd world country. I am not making this up. You can Google ‘Kerala brides’ and there's proof right before you.

Land of heavy drinkers Somewhere en route our trip, a few of us were talking outside the bus in the morning and we noticed a seemingly inebriated guy who was barely able to stand, hanging around our bus. Now, I’m not about to disapprove drinking. But at 8 am? Fully drunk? What time

would he have started? Maybe he had a family who was desperately trying to find him. It's a well-known fact that drinking is an integral part of life in Kerala. (I have no idea about the women, since I never see them in those long serpentine queues outside wine shops). Someone else has pondered on this heavy issue and I came across this BBC article with facts and personal accounts that might give you an insight. “Kerala is India’s tippler country. It has the highest per capita consumption–over eight liters (1.76 gallons) per person a year–in the nation, overtaking traditionally hard-drinking states like Punjab and Haryana”. Another interesting trivia, again contributed by the same friend : “Kerala is the only state where the wine shops (KSBCs) are closed on the 1st of every month.” I can't even imagine what the rush must be like on the 2nd of the month.

And the heaviest readers too! In case you thought drinking and reading don’t go together, you’re mistaken. Kerala also reportedly has the highest literacy rate among Indian states, followed by Mizoram in the North East. It’s a common sight to see people read the local language newspapers on the streets, on footpaths, lounging around in their kaili mundus. People are also generally very informed. Ernakulam became the first district to attain 100% literacy. And programs like Literacy Mission and the State Government’s education efforts helped reach this figure. However, I also read that recently the state from my part of the world, Tripura, has actually beaten Kerala in 2013. This is what I’d call healthy competition. So there you go–one state, but so many flavours, aspects and interesting things to discover. Doesn't this make you want to visit the state?

Indien: Namasté und der Glaube daran, dass jeder Mensch schön ist Caroline Lohrmann, Germany

Namasté! So werde ich in Indien begrüßt. “It means saying hello to the beautiful side of you” erklärt unser Guide. Wow. Ich grüße das Schöne in dir. Denn jeder Mensch hat ja seine eigene Schönheit. Man muss sie nur sehen lernen. Manchmal glaube ich, dass die Inder das Leben irgendwie besser verstanden haben als wir. Vielleicht sehen sie deshalb so zufrieden aus? Sie sitzen vor ihren Hütten und lächeln selig in die Welt. Keiner strampelt sich für Geld ab, niemand ist gehetzt. Niemand hat Komplexe. Wenn ich durch Kerala laufe, scheint die Welt um mich zu rufen: “Sei unbesorgt. Du bist okay. Nicht zu dick, nicht hässlich und es muss irgendwas geben, was du gut kannst.” Wenn ich in Deutschland bin, werde ich regelmäßig darauf aufmerksam gemacht, was ich noch an mir verbessern kann, was ich noch brauche, um glücklich zu werden. In Indien scheint die Antwort: Nichts. Eine Hütte reicht, eine Zeitung, ein Bindi auf der Stirn, ein Chaitee mit den Nachbarn. Manchmal sieht die Welt hier aus, als gäbe es keine Probleme. Aber es wird nur anders damit umgegangen. Ich erinner mich an meine erste

Yogastunde in Indien vor 4 Jahren und an die Worte meines Lehrers: “If there is pain, try to enjoy the pain.” Wenn du Schmerz fühlst, versuch, ihn zu genießen. Alles, was passiert, wird schon irgendwie richtig sein, man muss nur lernen, es zu akzeptieren. Ich hab mich ziemlich in diese Philosophie verliebt, auch wenn es oft so schwer ist, sie umzusetzen (z.B. zwei Wochen später im indischen Krankenhaus, mit Schläuchen im Arm und Ameisenstraßen unterm Bett). Positives Denken ist ansteckend. Selbst Babys und Kleinkinder strahlen hier Ruhe aus, ich höre sie viel seltener brüllen als anderswo (und hier gibt es viele Babys). Ich entspanne mich hier manchmal so sehr, dass ich auf die Straße laufe, ohne mich umzugucken und um ein Haar von einem Tuk Tuk erfasst werde. Ich gewöhne mich langsam an den Gedanken, dass Zeit keine Rolle spielt. Busse und Züge fahren sowieso, wann sie lustig sind, wozu also hetzen? Wie viel einfacher wäre das Leben, wenn ich ein bisschen Genügsamkeit von hier mitnehmen könnte? Ich weiß zwar inzwischen, dass mich Besitz sicher nicht glücklicher macht, aber ich überlege in letzter Zeit oft, warum

ich keine Ruhe finde, bevor ich nicht jedes Land dieser Erde gesehen habe. Warum kann ich mich nicht auch irgendwo hinsetzen, Zeitung lesen und mit dem zufrieden sein, was ich habe? Warum kann ich nicht aufhören, mich mit anderen zu vergleichen und darüber unglücklich werden? Vielleicht ist Glück ja gar nicht so schwer zu erreichen, wenn man seine Ziele nicht so hoch steckt…. Und dann, in anderen Momenten zweifel ich wieder, ob die indische Unbesorgtheit nicht doch zu weit geht. Wer Müll hat, schmeißt ihn dorthin, wo er gerade steht und wer mal muss, hockt sich einfach auf die Straße (auch wenn ich das hier in Kerala viel seltener sehe als im Norden). An manchen Orten erstickt das Land an Müll und Dreck, sollte man nicht wenigstens versuchen, irgendwas dagegen zu tun? Und die Ungerechtigkeit, das Kastensystem, ist es richtig, das alles zu ertragen? Oder ist es so aussichtslos, sich dagegen zu wehren, dass man lieber gleich vor seiner Hütte sitzen bleibt und nur das sieht, was man sehen möchte? Das Schöne. Vielleicht ist das die einzige Möglichkeit, nicht zu verzweifeln. Und wie glücklich es macht, könnt ihr in den Gesichtern auf den Fotos sehen….

The article describes the Indian way of seeing life, their way of not being concerned about things, their happiness and smiles. It speaks about how a NamastĂŠ says hello to a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful side, to the beauty in every human being.

Caroline studied journalism, but always felt she was learning more on her travels than at a university. She decided to make the world her classroom and started working and travelling in the countries she loved. She opened her blog a year ago and for now, sheÂ´s not planning to stop moving around ever.

Nelson Carvalheiro, Portugal Nelson dedicates his writing and photography to the soul of the places he visits, the people he meets and the food he tastes. He believes that the best way to get to know a city is through locals, an insider, who can share feelings and emotions about those places, food and people as passionately as he does.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kerala is a little bit of India on the light sideâ&#x20AC;?.

17 reasons why Kerala is the real India for beginners Daniel Nunes GonĂ§alves, Brazil

After 17 days of exploring Kerala by road from Thiruvananthapuram in the South to Kochi in the North, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve listed 17 of my favourite experiences.

1 Travelling in a private boathouse through the peaceful backwaters in Lake Vembanad, gazing at the rice plantations and the colourful sunset.

2 Eating the Sadya using bare hands. The dish mainly included rice, curry, sambar, pappadam etc. served on a banana leaf.

3 Taking a ride in a tuk-tuk or autorickshaws as they are called in Kerala - even though the drivers are not as crazy as the ones in Delhi and Mumbai.

4 Watching dance, percussion and make-up classes at the Kerala Kalamandalam - where Indian students practice traditional art forms.

5 Visiting the magnificent Christian churches and the serene Hindu temples.

6 Understanding the mechanics behind Chinese fishing nets and helping fishermen pull up the nets.

7 Cheering for my favorite snake boat while watching a race on the backwaters - each long canoe needs around 30 paddlers.

8 Admiring the impressive Kalaripayattu, a martial art older than Kung-Fu. It was created in Kerala in the 12th century.

9 Taking pictures of monkeys. I found out that these bold mammals are not afraid of you and love stealing your food.

10 Enjoying beaches like Poovar, where the fishermen invited me to push the boat into the sea, and Varkala, where the priests charge a price to bless you. 11 Getting your forehead smeared with vermillion every time you check into a luxury hotel. 12 Buying authentic handcrafts at

Daniel Nunes GonĂ§alves is an experienced travel writer from Brazil, with more than a hundred stories published in magazines like National Geographic, Discovery and GQ over the last 20 years. After travelling to more than 40 countries, he has published Nine books and Six travel guides.

Sargaalaya Handicraft Centre, Kottakkal, where you can see artists working on beautiful pieces.

13 Seeing elephants every single day. These big animals are on the streets, by the river, in the middle of the forest and they even transport tourists. 14 Discovering the complex, but beautiful art of Kathakali. It is another traditional art form of Kerala which has been in existence since the 2nd century. 15 Wearing traditional Indian clothes. Lungis and saris were worn by some of the bloggers in our group. 16 Drinking tea, walking in tea plantations, visiting tea factories. As a tea lover, it was amazing to visit Munnar and Wayanad, situated along the Western Ghats. 17 Getting as many massages as one can. Kerala is the place where Ayurveda originated.

The Party Delia Harrington, USA

After I had made all the arrangements to go to Kerala, I found out something fantastic: that Kerala has an active communist party (or two)! Does communism find me or am I chasing communism? Either way, I find it very fascinating, especially after I got to see how it works in a unicameral parliamentary democracy. Kerala prides itself on being the first place where communism came into power via peaceful elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which leads the Left Democratic Front is still very active, generally winning elections on an alternating 5-year term. The Kerala Land Reform Act (which originated in 1963 with several notable amendments) gave land rights to tenants, ending the feudal system (except for cash crops) and giving thousands a home of their own for the first time. The reform completely altered the state and set it on a trajectory for relatively little economic stratification. Redistribution of wealth (and land in particular) is a hallmark of communism, often lamented by wealthy landowners, and loved by hardworking farmers freed of their

Delia is not a full time traveller but a passionate writer and a lifelong student. Interested in social justice, human rights law, international politics, micro-finance and social enterprise, Delia believes that we must understand people first if we are to help them, and that people never fail to surprise and humble her.

peasant status. People commonly referred to Kerala as a state made entirely of the middle class, and I think the land reforms were a key factor in this.

human rights, efficacy, corruption, and common sense, having communist leaders in China and the USSR say you don’t make the grade is a bit of a compliment.

Communism in Kerala hit a turning point in 1967 with the Naxalite uprising, and other ensuing violent acts. Elements within the party wanted a more anarchic stance, and used violence to that end, which drastically changed public opinion. The communists, who at the time were one party, were forced out of government and had to clean the house. The Naxalites and other destabilising elements split from the party, and the purged CPI(M) returned to the national discourse. Naxalites are still active (and violent) in India, although deaths have decreased in the last few years.

Another manifestation of communism is the bureaucracy in Kerala, though to be honest I think that’s a hallmark of governance. The Nazis had bureaucracy and they were fascists, on the completely opposite political pole. Both liberal and conservative politicians in the US have put forth bills that embellish our already strong bureaucratic tradition. Basically, bureaucracy equals government jobs, so it’s in the government’s best interest to keep itself (and its friends) in business. While several Indians blamed the bureaucracy in Kerala on communism throughout the trip, I was not sold. Convince me with your comments, guys!

The acceptance of religion and ignoring class differences are major departures from classical communism that did not go unnoticed. Eventually, the powers that be in Moscow and Beijing decided that Kerala communism wasn’t communist enough, and turned their backs. Honestly, from the standpoint of

What did make me think of communism was the state-run liquor distribution. Obviously nationalising industries is a hallmark of communism, but so is standing in line for basically no reason. If it were a sport, people in communist countries

would win the world cup for queueing up every time, and their governments would be champions for creating high numbers of needless lines, usually in inconvenient locations. Stay tuned for a post on alcohol in Kerala because it’s fascinating there, and delicious. Just kidding, Indian wine is terrible, but the beer and whiskey are passable. I think it’s interesting how many pockets of communism there really are left. The American view is that it’s all gone-except for our own president, of course. All jokes apart, people do seem incredulous that Sweden’s Third Way exists, or that Cuba is not actually a barren wasteland. Which leads many people to argue that all of this isn’t really communism. In some cases that’s true–Kerala isn’t a purely communist state, more like a liberal welfare state with an extra dose of paternalism and solidarnosc–but I’d also argue many capitalist countries aren’t purely capitalist anymore, including the US. And thank god for that, the Gilded Age was the worst. Kerala certainly embodies an overall egalitarian quality, with strong

workers rights, high levels of education and healthcare, less prominent caste system (it’s still there though, more on that later), overall religious tolerance, and a high sex ratio (that is, XX fetuses aren’t being selectively aborted as they are in much of the world, including other parts of India). It is also quite developed compared to the rest of India, with the highest life expectancy, lowest homicide rate and the lowest corruption in the whole of India. Kerala also has a strong focus on environmentalism and recycling, which we saw in hotels and public campaigns everywhere we went to, in the state. Globally, Kerala does quite well with regard to development, with an HDI of 0.79, which translates to “High Development” (the only Indian state to do so) compared to India as a whole, which scored 0.554, or “Medium Development”. (I cannot tell you how excited I was when our tour guide, Manoj, brought up the Human Development Index!) Basically, Kerala is my kind of communism: take away all the censorship (newspapers for days!), corruption, and human rights violations, and add religious tolerance

and a high standard of living. Of course, do the same thing to capitalist countries and I’m all in as well. These successes are not purely a credit to the CPI(M), but also to the United Democratic Front (the opposition, led by the Indian National Congress), the virtues of coalition governance, Kerala’s matrilineal history, the educational and cosmopolitan influences of outsiders, including the church, and the people of Kerala in voting for progressive parties and measures, and holding their government accountable. There’s certainly still a lot of to be done in Kerala, especially in terms of sewage and water treatment, waste management, a high reliance on remittances, and lingering class and gender issues. It really depends on what you compare Kerala with, the rest of India, other parts of the Global South, or the Global North. Sewage, water treatment and remittances are major issues in the Global South, whereas waste management, class and gender issues need work worldwide.

Gaia is a Brazilian thirty-something music geek with a penchant for spending long hours on the road. She is a writer published by several outlets such as Folha de São Paulo (Brazil's biggest daily), Matador Network and local travel glossy Viagem and Turismo. MTV VJ is also on her curriculum and she talks about music (and cats!) on her youtube channel GatoGata77.

Kerala: ponto de partida para conhecer a India Gaia Passarelli, Brazil Você já pensou em ir pra Índia? Até janeiro desse ano, nunca tinha pensado. Minha bucket list sempre foi bem ocidental: Canadá, Escócia, Patagônia, Málaga, Évora. Mas a Índia chegou chutando portas, via um convite para viajar ao Kerala, um estado costeiro do extremo sul do país. A ação, um concurso criado pelo Departamento de Turismo do Kerala, visava para divulgar essa fértil, verde e agradabilíssima região do sul da Índia como destino turístico bacana. A Índia é um país enorme e variado. Pense em como é impossível definir o Brasil pelas montanhas do sudeste, pelas praias da Bahia, pela Floresta Amazônica ou pelo Pantanal. Não dá. E por isso não posso escrever sobre viajar para a Índia quando o que eu conheci é apenas uma pequena parte de um país tão vasto. O que posso dizer com segurança é: voltarei. A primeira coisa para explicar sobre o Kerala é que o estado não faz parte do imaginário imediato que temos do sub-continente indiano. Não tem as paisagens áridas do Rajastão, os templos ancestrais de Tamil Nadu ou os sadhus de Varanassi. Megalópoles mundialmente conhecidas como Delhi e Mumbai também não ficam no Kerala. Tampouco o pólo tecnológico de Bangalore, os ashrams das montanhas himalaias ou o Taj Mahal. O que há no Kerala então? Bom, coqueiros!

Arrisco dizer que o Kerala tem mais coqueiros per capta do que qualquer lugar do mundo. E também remansos calmos de águas verdes, montanhas de chá que a cada doze anos são cobertas por flores azuis, antigas cidades produtoras de ervas aromáticas, resorts de tratamento ayurveda, praias de mar morno, igrejas católicas construídas por europeus e uma comida farta, singular e deliciosa, que não precisa ser vegetariana ou apimentada. Como venho repetindo desde que voltei ao Brasil, o Kerala é um dos estados mais desenvolvido da Índia em matéria de índices sociais. É o estado com menor taxa de mortalidade infantil, de desemprego e de violência contra a mulher. Também foi a primeira região a atingir 100% de taxa de alfabetização. Isso afasta a idéia de cidades super-populosas e miséria onipresente que as pessoas ligam com a Índia tanto quanto turbantes e encantadores de serpentes. Outro aspecto torna o Kerala uma região interessante é sua história. Cidades como Kochi, Kollam ou Thiruvananthapuram (carinhosamente chamada de Trivandrum, por motivos óbvios) conhecem estrangeiros há muito, muito tempo. É por onde Marco Polo chegou na Ásia, porta da rota das especiarias, uma região acostumada ao choque cultural e religioso, explorada ao longo da história por portugueses, holandeses e ingleses,

onde convivem hindus, católicos, judeus e muçulmanos. Apesar ou por causa disso, o Kerala tem clima tranquilo, mais lento do que em outras partes da Índia. Pelo menos foi assim que meus recém-amigos indianos me explicaram a cada comparação que eu tentava fazer com o restante do país. Mas esse cosmopolitismo tranquilo não diminuiu o choque cultural/estético/olfativo que todo ocidental sofre ao pisar na Índia pela primeira vez. O Kerala pode até ser uma experiência de “India for beginners” (como bem definiu meu colega de viagem Oscar Risch, dos blogs MauOscar e Viajoteca) mas ainda é um lugar exótico, misterioso e impressionante para nós, westerners. Pra começar, a língua é outra: o mayalayam, da qual não consegui aprender uma só palavra. É um dos 21 idiomas diferentes usados no sub-continente indiano e é a língua oficial do Kerala, com seu alfabeto formado por letras redondinhas. Mas não se assuste: em toda a minha viagem encontrei lojistas, garçonetes, guias de templos e recepcionistas de hotéis falando inglês. O Kerala é uma região turística, acostumada a receber e tratar com turistas ocidentais. O que me leva ao próximo item: banheiros. É possível achar banheiros western style em todo lugar. Ou quase. Restaurantes grandes e hotéis terão banheiros como os que estamos

This post is about how Gaia Passarelli ended up in Kerala, a place she hadn’t even heard about before. It speaks about her previous ignorance about Indian culture and how she fell in love with the food, places and people she met during a trip to Kerala.

acostumados na América e Europa. Mas quem sair do beaten track vai se deparar com toaletes que são um buraco no chão com suporte para os pés aos lados e um chuveirinho (opa, que sorte!) ou uma torneira com um balde e uma caneca. Junte dois mais dois e vai saber como proceder e, sim, você vai encontrar isso em hotéis de menor categoria. Aprender a se virar com isso faz parte da viagem. Afinal, adaptação é importante quando se viaja. O que me leva ao próximo assunto: roupas. É importante saber se vestir para a ocasião e a Índia não foge dessa regra. Nenhum dos recentes casos indefensáveis de estupros de turistas na Índia aconteceu no Kerala e eu jamais levantaria a voz para dizer que qualquer um desses acontecimentos lamentáveis pode ser justificado por roupas ou modos das mulheres ocidentais. A violência sexual acontece em todo o mundo, com mulheres de todas as idades, costumes e comportamentos e não é por que “ah, ela estava usando regata num país onde mulheres não mostram os ombros”. Violência é violência e a culpa é de quem a pratica. Ponto. Quando você fizer a mala para ir para a Índia, precisa considerar o seguinte: assim como você se adapta à comida, ao uso do banheiro diferente, aoIndian head shake e às peculiaridades dos templos hindus, você também vai mostrar respeito ao se adaptar suas roupas aos costumes locais. O povo do Kerala, homens e mulheres, se veste com modéstia e ao fazer o mesmo você mostra que entende onde está. E as roupas de algodão folgadas cobrindo a pele são um bom jeito de lidar com o constante calor e o sol forte Eu levei uma mala vazia e comprei uma porção de roupas baratas, lindas, práticas e confortáveis assim que cheguei e a longo do mês entendi que manter os ombros cobertos e comprimento sempre abaixo dos

joelhos são suficientes para criar simpatia ou puxar assunto com os indianos. E quero aproveitar aqui para dizer que fui tratada com respeito e gentileza por absolutamente todo mundo, fosse nos resorts, nas lojinhas de temperos nas montanhas de Tekkadhi ou dentro do ônibus de linha Kovallam-Trivandrum City. O que me leva ao próximo assunto: transporte. Pegar trem na Índia é fantasia de muitos, incluindo leitores do Paul Theroux e fãs do Wes Anderson. Mas é um processo tão complicado que nem vou tentar explicar: HHá sites que já fazem isso com mais conhecimento de causa. Depois do trem, a grande experiência indiana enquanto transporte, claro, é o tuk-tuk, nome carinhoso do auto-rickshaw. É aquele híbrido barulhento de carrinho-motoca com três rodas e um banco para duas pessoas (ou três, ou uma família, ou um carregamento de arroz) atrás, sempre preto e amarelo e às vezes decorado com divindades e fotografias. E tuk-tuks, carros, ônibus e até algumas motos trazem o obrigatório “please honk” pintado na traseira porque a buzina é o item mais importante de qualquer veículo na Índia De todos os lugares que visitei no Kerala durante o Kerala Blog Express, dois ficaram no meu coração: Munnar e Fort Kochi. As praias de Kovalam e Varkala são muito bonitas, mas como fã do litoral brasileiro não vejo em sentido atravessar metade do planeta para ir à praia em outro país. Além disso, sou uma pessoa das montanhas. Por isso me apaixonei por Munnar e suas organizadas plantações de chá nas “montanhas azuis” , assim chamadas por causa de uma flor que as cobre a cada doze anos. A pequena cidade é um bom exemplo de vida indiana, com mesquita, igreja católica e templo hindu ao lado de um movimentado mercado onde é possível comprar

especiarias, chás, peixe seco, vegetais, quinquilharias chinesas, pós para tingir tecido, roupas ou hot chips, as moedas de banana fritas em óleo de coco, meu novo snack favorito no mundo Já Cochi é o principal ponto comercial do estado e a cidade ideal para terminar uma longa viagem pelo sul da Índia. Tudo que você pode pensar em comprar pelo caminho, vai achar igual em seus bazares: tecidos, jóias, temperos, chás, cafés, roupas, estátuas de divindades, pinturas. É formada por várias ilhas e seu centro histórico é Fort Kochi, que guarda a cidade judia de Mattancherry, uma antiga igreja portuguesa, um museu dedicado à herança holandesa e uma praia imunda de onde se vê o pôr-do-sol mais bonito do mundo, batizada em homenagem ao Mahatmma Gandhi. O melhor jeito de explorar os cafés, grafittis, galerias de arte e personagens de Fort Kochi é de bicicleta, e a maior parte dos hotéis e homestays vai te arrumar uma se você pedir. Também é o ponto ideal para usar como base e fazer pequenas excursões para o ashram da Amma (a santa indiana que abraça as pessoas, sabe?) e outras atrações da região. O que me leva ao próximo, e último, item: os backwaters. Esses enormes remansos povoados por pássaros e lar de ribeirinhos são a principal e imbatível atração turística do Kerala e lembram de leve nossa Amazônia, com mil tons de verdes, o ritmo lento dos rios. Nenhuma viagem ao Kerala estará completa sem uns dois (ou mais) dias dedicados a contemplar as tranquilas margens à bordo de um houseboat, casas-barco adaptadas das antigas embarcações que levavam o arroz, especiarias e chá do interior do estado para os portos de Kochi, Kumarakam e Kollam, séculos atrás. Hoje, os houseboats tem tripulação (que dorme com você no barco), refeições caseiras, quartos com ar-condicionado e até televisão.

The Kerala Blog Expressions Inma Gregorio, Spain

I can’t say enough thanks to the 208 people who took the time and clicked through a Facebook app to help me jump on the Kerala Blog Express tour last winter – you guys rock! So I went to Kerala paying for just half of my flight tickets, my medical shots and my Indian visa and I had an outstanding time with other 26 travel bloggers from 14 different countries. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I had such a blast that at some point after coming back, I started to wonder how everybody else on board the KBE bus had experienced it. And so I asked them. Please, let me introduce my fellow blogger friends to you through their own words. From luxury hoteliers to foodies, from architects to journalists, from dedicated travel writers to professional photographers, from Brazil to Italy, Poland to India, these bloggers have a wide array of different experiences to share with you. Because everyone tends to understand and perceive things depending on their cultural background, you might find this as interesting as I did. Enjoy the diversity!

ANITA BORA I saw Kerala from a different perspective this time-through the eyes of 20 people from different parts of the world, most of whom had never experienced Kerala or India. I think that, as Indians, we develop a certain amount of cynicism, having seen many of the sights before. And yet, when someone else found beauty in seemingly mundane objects, gushed over elephants and was charmed by the always smiling people, I realised that sometimes we’re guilty of taking our own country for granted. It was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. One that I will cherish for a long time. CAROLINE LOHRMANN Kerala Blog Express, for me, was 16 days of happiness. I mean, imagine yourself on a boat, flowers around your neck, a bindi on your forehead, a beer in your hand, while you are cruising the backwaters, palm trees are passing by, your private cook is cooking fish for you, people are smiling and waving at you and kids are feeling excited to see you. All these little things happening around

Snowboarding, music festivals and unique events, photography and the great outdoors make Inma happy. She is an active blogger and loves the perks of being a blogger.

you, the light, the raspberry ice-cream coloured sunset. It all feels unreal, as if the world started singing for you and all you can do is stand there, amazed, with your mouth wide open and feel so splendidly happy. DANIEL NUNEZ It was my second time in India-ten years after the first one. I have a better impression of Kerala than I have of northern India as experienced on my previous trip. The best experience for me was taking part in a blog tour with a group of travel bloggers. Even after being a professional travel writer for 20 years, I felt like I was doing an internship, learning the first steps of blogging with such fun experts from 14 countries. DELIA HARRINGTON One of my favorite things was learning from other bloggers. I not only learned about the business of blogging, but gathered differing perspectives from everyone-understanding for instance, how a foodie or a backpacker saw Kerala compared to a photographer or

luxury hotelier. I loved that there were five Indian bloggers on the trip; they were able to shed a lot of light on how Kerala compares to other parts of India and their perception of a domestic Kerala. DINA ROSITA I enjoyed watching Ottamthullal dance so very much! The dancer’s green face captured my attention right away. But more than that, I was drawn in by his energy and dynamism. The involvement with the audience was so intense. I couldn’t take my eyes off him from beginning to end. Energetic, powerful body language, and most of all, the way he wiggled his face like a madman. It’s crazy, and probably hard to imagine, so you’ll just have to come to Kerala and watch it yourself! EDIN CHAVEZ Hanging out with 27 bloggers from around the world, in a bus exploring Kerala, was an incredible and unforgettable experience. From learning about everybody involved in the program to hanging out with the locals and learning about their beautiful culture, it was fascinating. I

fell in love with all the writers as well as the locals, but most importantly I fell in love with their smiles. EMANUELE SIRACUSA I had visited Kerala once before, a few years ago. On this second visit, I particularly enjoyed watching and photographing the fishermen tugging at their nets and gathering their catch. Equally memorable was the overnight cruise on a houseboat and the visit to Kochi, one of my favourite cities in India. What can I say about the food? Those fish curries in coconut sauces were unforgettable. It has to be said that the Kerala Tourism staff worked really hard to make sure we had a great travel experience. EVA ABAL I was really impressed by the beauty of Kerala, its colours, people and landscapes. But what I enjoyed most was seeing how tourism there is focused to be a responsible, ecofriendly and respectful of the environment. If you love adventure and natural experiences, this is definitely your place!

GAIA PASSARELLI The KBE experience was not only about discovering a marvellous place, but also about discovering a way of travelling as well as sharing stories and laughter. And, of course, sharing endless cups of steaming chai. For me, personally, it was the start of discovering India, a country that was not in my bucket list (can’t really remember why!), now a place I’m sure to come back to soon. IVAN HENARES The Kerala Blog Express gave us the opportunity to experience so much of the God’s Own Country, in the two weeks that the group drove through the beautiful Indian state. I will always cherish experiences like staying overnight on a houseboat, exploring the backwaters, and seeing animals in the wild. The culture and heritage were colourful and exciting! MICHELLE RASMUSSEN I’ve never considered going to India before, but my visit to Kerala has certainly changed that. The beautiful sceneries, the friendly and curious

locals, the spicy food (though I missed the taste of a cheese burger) and everyone on the tour bus filled my backpack with happy memories of Kerala. One of my most memorable moments from the tour was the full-day houseboat cruise down the backwaters. NELSON CARVALHEIRO They say lovers feel more bonded and connected during a sunset than any other time of the day. If this is true then Kerala has to be the next place you take your better half to. Kerala has more beautiful, mesmerizing, thought-provoking, tear jerking, perfect golden light sunsets than all the other exotic lands in the world put together. I recommend leaving your camera at home, as you will want to keep these sunset moments just for yourself. OLA WYSOCKA I am very happy I decided to join KBE. Kerala turned out to be the perfect destination: it was sunny, it was warm, it was beautiful, people were

nice, the food was divine and I just loved the backwaters of Kerala. I know I will be back.

ones–there were an action packed two weeks, exploring the state. An eye opener in many ways!

PRASAD NP

SHAWN COOMER

The best part about KBE was meeting passionate travellers from around the world, and understanding how different cultures look at travel. It made discovering Kerala even more interesting and we could see different aspects of the state, which I may have missed otherwise. I was also impressed by how the local community, tourism and nature are intertwined in Kerala-peacefully co-existing with each other.

The Kerala Blog Express was an amazing experience that opened my eyes to a part of India that I previously had not heard of. I loved how you could be on top of the mountains in the morning and swim in the ocean just a few hours later. For me though, the amazing backwaters and the people who live and work near them were the highlight of the entire trip.

ROXANNE BAMBOAT Apart from understanding Kerala’s culture and cuisine (which is extremely interesting to me as I write about food) it’s the people I met on this trip, both local as well as the other bloggers that made it special. From beaches, backwaters, houseboat expeditions and luxury resort pampering to trekking, traditional arts, crafts and dances even religious

STEFANIA VAN LIESHOUT I enjoyed everything in Kerala, but the three highlights were: 1. The wonderful nature at the Thekkady Tiger and Elephant Reserve. 2. The mesmerizing music and dance at the Kerala Kalamandalam University for art and culture. 3. Watching the villages and the avian life during the overnight trip on a houseboat.

33 TARUN GAUR

VIJAY NAMBIAR

My whole perception was that Kerala is sought after only as a honeymoon destination which vanished when I landed in Kerala. It is much more than that. My dream of printing a postcard of my own with Chinese Fishing nets in front is now a reality. Eating with my hands, from a banana leaf, watching an elephant family pass in front of me, spending whole day on a houseboat watching fishermen catch fish during the early hours of morning. It‘s hard to jot down the best moments.

Being the only Malayali (native of Kerala) amongst the bloggers in KBE, this was my first real homecoming. Sharing, learning and forging friendships with inspiring travel bloggers, falling in love with the people of Kerala and their honest smiles, experiencing mesmerizing sunsets… every moment was magical. Most importantly, the one thing that I have, been gifted by this unique road trip is a sense of pride in belonging to a land so aptly known as God’s Own Country.

TAUFAN GIO Kerala Blog Express was the ultimate travel experience for me. Visiting Kerala makes me feel like going back to my grandparents’ village where everything was so green, calm, beautiful, and friendly. Of course Kerala has so many unique things to offer, such as the backwater experience and the tiger reserve. What I remember the most though is our bus ride. We were like a bunch of kindergarten kids and didn’t lose a chance to have fun.

Ivan describes himself as a traveller, heritage advocate and a tourism educator. He is visiting the world one country at a time and savors cultural experiences. He dreams of visiting as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites as possible.

Ten good reasons for Filipinos to visit Kerala Ivan Henares, Philippines

Namaskaram! Kerala is without a doubt, a beautiful destination. But many Filipinos overlook Kerala as a vacation spot simply because it is unfamiliar or maybe because there is an impression that getting to India costs a lot. I'm listing down ten good reasons why Filipinos should visit Kerala. I got to experience this beautiful Indian state for two weeks. And I definitely enjoyed the experience! 1. Budget flights available to Kerala from Manila via Singapore and KL When the time is right, you can get really cheap airfares to Thiruvananthapuram/Trivandrum (TRV) and Kochi (COK) via Tiger Airways (connecting flight in Singapore) and to Kochi via AirAsia (connecting flight in Kuala Lumpur). My one-way ticket from Kochi to KL on AirAsia was about PHP4500 inclusive of baggage allowance, meals and taxes. You can also play around with combinations using Philippine-based carriers to Singapore and KL such as PAL and Cebu Pacific for more cost options. For full service, Jet Airways has affordable flights from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

2. Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) in Trivandrum and Kochi Just last year, the airports in Thiruvananthapuram/Trivandrum (TRV) and Kochi (COK) were included in the TVOA for Philippine passport holders, for stays up to 30 days. You need to have the following: ❚ passport valid for six months upon arrival with two unused pages ❚ a return or onward ticket ❚ hotel reservation ❚ sufficient funds ❚ two passport size photographs and ❚ USD60 visa fee. 3. Kerala is very affordable and the people are extremely nice One thing we liked about Kerala is that the destination is very affordable for our budget. Most of the things here are actually cheaper than what it would cost in the Philippines. And the people in South India are generally nicer to tourists than in other places in India. Which is why our stay was extra pleasant! 4. Houseboat in the backwaters Now for my favorite experiences, the first would be the overnight stay in a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala. We did this in Alappuzha (Alleppey) around Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala. It's a charming

cultural landscape especially with the simple rural lifestyle and colourful culture that exists here. While we're used to many of these in the Philippines (the village tours might not be as interesting especially if you come from the provinces), the houseboat stay was one of a kind! It was a relaxing and pleasant trip through the pristine backwaters. It was a chill experience if I may say so! 5. Wildlife sanctuaries and the Western Ghats Who wants to visit a zoo when you can see wild elephants in the many wildlife sanctuaries all over Kerala! The eastern area of Kerala is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, we saw wild elephants, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, wild boar, a striped-necked mongoose and many species of birds. Driving through the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, we saw even more wild elephants, spotted deer and Malabar giant squirrels. 6. Hill stations and tea plantations Being a former British territory, tea is a very important product of the hill stations all over India. Kerala has

many of them. And the most spectacular of the tea plantations can be seen in Munnar. It was a pleasant drive going to Munnar as we took in the beautiful sight of tea gardens and workers picking tea. 7. Kerala is the land of Ayuveda During my previous trip to India, I was told that the centre of Ayurveda is Kerala. Which is why I was excited about getting Ayurvedic treatments in Kerala. The state has an abundance of forests with the herbs and medicinal plants needed for Ayurveda treatments. The secret of Ayurveda lies in the herbal oils that they rub onto your body. So make sure to try out Ayurveda when you visit Kerala. 8. Delicious food and colourful culture For centuries, traders have sought Kerala's famed spices. The Romans, Phoenicians, Chinese, Arabs, Jews, and later, the Europeans, all landed in Kerala to trade in spices. In fact, Christopher Columbus was heading west to search for Kerala's spices but instead found America. So it's no surprise that the food in Kerala is an experience worth trying. In fact, Travel + Leisure chose Kerala's breakfast as one of the best in the world! Classical performing arts are also a

major attraction here. One of the cultural symbols of Kerala is Kathakali, with its elaborate costumes and colourful facial make-up. There is definitely much more! 9. Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram heritage Kerala has been a centre for trade and a melting pot of cultures for thousands of years. Before the unification of Kerala, there were three major kingdoms: Travancore, Kochi and Malabar. Although much of the heritage was destroyed by a succession of colonizers, its historical character remains alive in places like Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. I enjoyed walking around Fort Kochi and Mattancherry in Kochi. The detailing in the gopuram of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram was fantastic! Many of the stately British colonial buildings can be found in Thiruvananthapuram. 10. Many luxury resorts all over the state Budget travellers will definitely enjoy Kerala. But high-end travellers who prefer staying at luxury or five-star resorts will also have a feast! Kerala has fantastic resorts, many of them branded, all over the state. There are resorts by the beach, in the heart of

the backwaters or in the middle of the pristine forests of the Western Ghats. Among my favorites are Vivanta by Taj Kovalam near Thiruvananthapuram, Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom, Raviz Kadavu in Kozhikode (Calicut), Spice Village Resort in Thekkady, Vythiri Resort and Tranquil Resort in Wayanad and the Estuary Island Resort in Poovar. For a high-end houseboat experience, we visited Lakes and Lagoons in Alappuzha (Alleppey). Kerala also has comfortable five-star business hotels in all major cities. I stayed at the Vivanta by Taj Malabar and the Crown Plaza, both fantastic hotels in Kochi. Other great hotels that we stayed at during this trip were Quilon Beach Hotel in Kollam Beach, KTDC Tea County in Munnar, Vasco Da Gama Beach Resort in Kappad Beach, and the Abad Airport Hotel in Kochi. Many of them have really nice beaches too! Travelling beyond Kerala Kerala is a good jump-off point for neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Goa. You can also take a train or flight to major cities in North India and fly out from there. But there's no doubt, Kerala is God's Own Country. And Filipinos will definitely enjoy exploring this beautiful Indian state. I did!

Ola Wysocka from Poland has spent years travelling to various destinations and even spent some time living as an expat in Libya. She writes osiemstop-en.blogspot.com along with her husband Pawel and they recently completed a six month 40,000 km long journey across the United States with their two kids.

Tea-time in Kerala Ola Wysocka, Poland

The plan was to give you daily reports of my Kerala experience. But you know what it's like with plans. Our schedule turned out to be very tight. Let's start with tea then. It grows all around Munnar, 130 kilometers east from Cochin. It was a bit less hot and humid there than at the seaside; after all we were in the Western Ghats, but it was still nice and warm. Tea plantations spread all the way to the horizon with extremely green, perfectly cut bushes that look like soft, green carpets. We were coming to Munnar from Thekaddy with our noses (and lenses) glued to the window. Every stop on the way as well as our sunset trip ended up with a search for two most avid photographers in our group: Oscar and Edin. Yes, tea plantations are very photogenic. Everyday, around thousand people deliver freshly picked leaves to Madupatty Factory, owned by TATA who by the way makes everything from pins to cars in India. Tea pickers live in the area, in colourful houses on the hillsides. Management lives nearby too, although they occupy beautiful residences that are reminiscent of colonial times. The factory provides not only family

accommodation but also healthcare and education for children. Among the green hills there are two schools. One for pickers' kids and the other one for managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kids. This is not a good place for those who dream of a career from rags to riches. Career path of factory managers is simple: their fathers were the ones in charge before. A tea picker has to pick 12 kilos of leaves per day and for that they get their daily basic rate, of around four USD. Anything above that, they get paid extra, and to pluck the required minimum it takes a skilled worker around two hours. We were told that the average for those 1000 people delivering leaves to Madupatty is around 50 kilos daily. Each kilo will become 250 grams of tea. Annually, the factory makes 2.5 million tons of tea. For the best quality tea, leaves are plucked by hand-only three leaves from the top of each plant. The women we saw working at tea plantations had some kind of scissors they used for cutting leaves. Once the leaves are delivered to the factory they are spread on a large trough and left for shriveling for 18 to 20 hours. During that time the

water content of leaves get reduced from 80% to 60%. Next step is crushing, tearing and curling the leaves. After 15 minutes leaves turn into a green pulp. At this stage it still doesn't look anything like tea. From there, the green pulp goes to huge containers for oxidation and fermentation. During that process tea turns brown and starts looking like the tea we are familiar with. Green tea doesn't go through this process. Drying is the next process - by this stage the water content will be down to 55%, after drying it'll go down to 3%. The final step is sorting. Huge sieves divide tea bits according to size into dozens of final products. The biggest ones are mild and the smaller ones strong. That dust (often referred to as what comes from sweeping the floor of a tea factory in jokes) is the most sought after in India. People in India like their tea strong (and - of course with milk). The factory is not open for tourists, although from what we've heard they get so many inquiries that they might start doing organized tours at some point. Until then, for those who want to learn more about tea, there is the Tata Tea Museum in Munnar.

Mortal hearts Immortal souls. Tarun Gaur, India

I am still confused about what I had seen that day-whether that was a dance form of Kerala or something which can be called a "ritual or a sacred practice" deeply rooted in the culture of Kerala. It was something which I had never heard of and I am sure, never going to see again as well. The Theyyam - a sacred art form that lets people converse with the deity.

Hinduism’s capacious embrace ”. By this explanation, anybody who has little knowledge of culture, society and rituals of India could make up that it’s the same "shaman" thing that was more prevalent in Indian society some 1000 years back. Shamans were called to provide the cure to a sufferer, who was supposed to be caught by a demon or a witch.

Trying to trace back the origin of Theyyam or Theyyatom, one of the oldest indigenous and mystic ritual art form of North Kerala found in the traditional Kolathunadu of the present Kannur and Kasaragod District. Hop on my time machine and lets travel some 2000 years back when society was all about divisions on the basis of economic strata or "caste".

A person belonging to lower caste performing Theyyam and the elite or upper caste bowing down in front of him to seek blessings and solutions for their problems is something that is quite ironic. Especially when those who are regarded as untouchables by the society become oracles of god from September to April, the harvest season of Kerala.

The word theyyam derives from the word “Deivam”, the Sanskrit word for ‘God’. Some believe that theyyam is a “rare survival of some pre-Aryan and non-Brahminical Dravidian religious system that was later absorbed into

A lower caste person, disguised as a god, fire wands attached to his attire purifying the demonic air of the environment, killing all the impure souls, dances outside the temples or in open paddy fields. Every elite

It was his passion for photography that led Tarun into blogging and made him travel. Since the last one year, he has been travelling every month, with an idea to cover the whole world by the time he turns 40. Currently, his focus is on exploring more and more of India, learning and knowing its many cultures.

family of North Kerala, especially from Kannur and Kasargod districts organise their own private Theyyam. But why they are made to perform outside temples? Isn't it strange? May be the mind is open but the heart is still locked. Kerala is a state of India in which lower and upper caste differences have been high. A mortal soul, dancing to the beats of drums, tries to create an unusual atmosphere with a high-pitched "HOOOOO", asking some eternal soul to enter his body. Nothing much of classical dance steps, but yes the moves are quite heroic and daring jumping and circling around, sometimes moving close to the people and giving them frightening looks. Once again it was something which lacked in the whole ceremony, and that was a female soul in the whole group. Somewhere there are 500 types of Theyyams, all performed by male artists except "Devakkooth Theyyam", where a female performs.

To millions in Kerala, the theyyam in their villages are visible, tangible gods who appear before them, but infrequently. From tribal spirits to modern gods, the theyyam represents myriad forms of divinity and straddles the gamut of human belief. The stories around which the theyyam performances are based range from tales of blood-drinking yakshis and witches, and the myths of serpent and animal deities, to the deeds of local heroes and ancestors. Theyyam is a magico-religious observance. The very word theyyam brings forth in the mind of a listener an enchanting and beautiful picture. It is impossible to see the above said aspects in such a combination anywhere and in any field all around the world. Theyyam is a gorgeously attired vigorous figure, face painted red adorned with artistic work, black eyed with rouged lips, large red and yellow metal breast plates, a beautiful

headdress with a halo of palm spines that looked like a giant circular saw blade, the deity bursts into the temple courtyard rattling bracelets and hissing like a snake. Nowadays every possible activity could be seen live or recorded from media, but gaining a first hand knowledge and that too when I was so scared of all the things happening in front of me. For me it was not a matter of lower or upper caste, neither my soul was ready to witness an immortal soul in form of a mortal, but for me it was more concern towards a human being who was doing swirling moves with big bamboo torches attached to his body wearing a dress prepared by palm tree leaves which are thankfully fresh and won't normally catch fire. India is and has been the "Land of Cultures, Traditions and Art forms", and it is in the nature of Indians to

preserve their age-old traditions, even those which doesn't have any written proofs of their existence. Infact that day was the one of the scariest of days I have witnessed in three decades of my life, but yes it won't be wrong to accept that it was one of the most lively moments of my life which I would like to relive again and again. A perspective of any tourist about Kerala is that it is the land of coconuts, Beaches and tea gardens. Mine was no different until I witnessed Theyyam. My whole perspective has changed all together now, and I realised Theyyam could be one of the reasons why Kerala is called "Gods Own Country".

A lover of languages and culture, Emanuele exchanged corporate life for the life of a wanderer with his wife Romana. He is an avid photographer whose work has appeared in countless websites, brochures and magazines not to mention the blog The Siracusas, which he started with Romana to document their travels.

Making the most of Kochi Emanuele Siracusa, Italy

High on the list of my favourite places to visit in India, and a very popular tourist destination, Kochi is a wonderful blend of tropical South Indian atmosphere and European colonial heritage (i.e. Portuguese, Dutch and British). Being so rich in history and having lots to offer, there are quite a few sights to take in. But history is not the only thing to look forward to! With the Kochi-Muziris biennale, launched in 2012, the city has developed an intriguing art culture. As my friend Vijay puts it “it may not be a Berlin or a London yet, but it is getting there.” So if you want to visit Kochi and make the most of it why not spend a few more days there and give yourself enough time to enjoy it? You can find lists of Kochi’s attractions in guidebooks and websites. So instead of making another list, I asked a few people who’ve been to Kochi, including friends and fellow bloggers, to tell me what their favourite activity was and what they enjoyed the most. I have put it together to give you an idea, along with some useful tips on what to do after you’ve ticked off your sightseeing list. I have also added my own bits and pieces of advice.

Hire a rickshaw to show you around Fellow Kerala Blog Express participant Gaia spent a few more days in Kochi before flying back to her home in Brazil. We had seen all the main attractions as part of our blog tour so she hired a rickshaw driver to take her to some place new. Saneesh, her driver, took her to the Dharmanath Jain temple and the old spice bazaar. She recommends hiring a rickshaw guy– “It was good to speak with someone who lives in the city and knows its streets,” she says. Romana and I also hired a rickshaw driver on our first visit in 2010. Although the guy gave us a good personalised tour, he tried to get us to visit shops where he’d get a commission on our purchases. When we told him we weren’t interested in visiting shops or buying stuff, he was alright with it. Hiring a rickshaw driver is a good idea if it’s your first day and you’re looking to get a good introductory tour or you’re a few days into your stay and want to go beyond the main tourist attractions. Buy books on Hinduism and India Gaia also recommends the Idiom Bookshop in Fort Kochi. “The Idiom Bookshop” – she says – “has numerous volumes on India and

Hinduism. It’s a place to get lost and spend a few hours in, if possible. There are two shops and the owner will send your books via Snail mail if you don’t want to carry them during your trip.” Pick an authentic and comfortable hotel When asked for a tip on where to stay, Gaia had no doubts: Brunton Boatyard. “I got to stay there after the tour ended and it’s a hell of a place, incredibly beautiful! Set inside a restored old boat house, it lacks the high-end luxury of some of the resorts we’ve been staying at [during our Kerala Blog Express Tour], but it was the most authentic and comfortable stay of all.” Get fat-burning ice cream and a pizza Indonesian blogger Gio, also a fellow Kerala Blog Express participant, says “You should try some homemade cardamom ice cream at the Taj Malabar hotel”. This hotel hosted a part of our group (including me) and we got a chance to taste their ice cream. So I can vouch for it – it is really good. Gio continues “Taj Malabar serves the best ice cream in town. It’s not only cardamom; they also have pepper, nutmeg, and ginger ice cream.” But he adds that

43 cardamom ice cream is special – “Mr. Gagandeep Singh himself [the sales manager at Taj Malabar] told us that cardamom ice cream is perfect for people who are on a strict diet because it burns fat.” Now I don’t know whether any type of ice cream can actually burn fat, but Mr. Singh is certainly an outstanding salesman! In terms of dining options Gio recommends David Hall Art Gallery and Cafe where he had a gorgeous pizza – yes, he needed a break from spicy local food after our two week trip. Chill out at Pepper House Inma from Spain, also a fellow blogger, loved “chilling at Pepper House with fresh mint lemonade and some good company. Apart from some nice and quiet tunes, you can barely hear anything else.” Soak up Kalvathi Road Caroline, our only German travel mate, recommends walking through Kalvathi Road, where all the tea vans are unloaded. “The smell is so good,” she says, “and you can watch local merchants and shopkeepers, sitting in their shops in front of rice bags, looking at sheets and making calculations.” She also enjoyed the colourful doors, the graffiti’s and the baby goats all around. Hang out with the locals for toddy and home-made food My reader Manu, a Keralite living in the UK, says “if you are a food connoisseur who wants to taste some authentic seafood delicacies in a local

setting try out Mullapanthal. I think it’s the only toddy shop in Kerala where families feel comfortable.” He adds that all the masalas for curries are grinded on the spot and chefs at Mullapanthal adopt traditional cooking methods, which gives their food a home-made feel.

It’s a quaint teashop with kettles all over the place. And lots of tea memorabilia such as dainty tea pots in the cupboards. Some of the tables are made from the wood of tea chests. I love sitting there, watching life pass by, reading something or writing occasionally.”

Experience ‘Pure culinary indulgence’

Get a bicycle and eat Italian

More food tips come from Indian food blogger Roxanne, our Mumbai girl, who was also part of the Kerala Blog Express crazy bunch. “If you’re looking for a luxury trip then go for the Taj Malabar Hotel” – the hotel is on Willingdon Island and affords great views of Fort Kochi. However, Roxanne says, even if you’re not staying at the Taj Malabar, you should go there for the meal at their restaurant, known as ‘ The Rice Boat’, which is pure culinary indulgence. “It’s one of the best meals I had on the trip” she claims.

My friend Shailey, from Delhi, visited Kochi a few years ago and enjoyed cycling her way through the various streets in Kochi. She rented a bike and went on her own, but here are two places to start if you want to take a cycling tour:

Roxanne goes on “I would also recommend a meal at Malabar Junction, the restaurant at Malabar House Hotel which is adorable. The menu is a mixture of cuisines, featuring local treats as well as continental fare, and if you do go there please do not miss their mango and chocolate filled samosas.” Try a cup of ‘Sereni-tea’ Anita, another Indian blogger whom we had the pleasure to travel with during our recent Kerala Blog Express trip says, “My little corner of serenity in Fort Kochi is a cafe called TeaPot. I discovered it on my first trip there and have been going there ever since.

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Urban Adventures – Tour Kochi by bike

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Art of bicycle trips – Kochi cycling day tour

She also enjoyed Italian cuisine at Upstairs, a restaurant run by an Italian expat. That’s another option to keep in mind if you want to take a break from spices. Learn traditional Kerala cuisine This tip comes from me – my friends know how much I love food, and how eager I am to try local cuisines wherever I go. I also am passionate about cooking and therefore visiting cookery instructors Nimmy and Paul at their home, and watching them cook traditional Kerala recipes was the real highlight of my last trip to Kochi. The good news is, you can do it too – Nimmy and Paul offer various options, from cookery demonstrations to multi-day home stays. Foodies visiting Kochi must not miss out on

Prasad NP aka desi traveller gave up his corner at work to travel the world. A homely person, he loves to occasionally go on trips with his family and write about his experiences. He also turns into a shopaholic when he sees cultural items. He has contributed articles to the web and print media.

Taking Kerala home.

Prasad NP, India

We humans evolved from hunters and gatherers to our present form, though I sincerely wonder if the current state of humans can be termed evolution. So wherever we go, we bring back a little bit of the place to our homes. So how could I resist shopping in Kerala, where the world has been coming to shop for thousands of years? The fragrant spices of Kerala launched a thousand ships from the Mediterranean coast, with sailors like Vasco da Gama following the scent all the way to Malabar in India. Indeed it would not be an exaggeration to say that the whole new world aka the Americas and Australia were discovered by western colonial powers on the way to find the spices, as the only known route was controlled by Arabs, who were not willing to give away their monopoly on the lucrative business. So Kerala has been the shopping mall of the world for thousands of years and it continues to entice visitors with charming bazaars in Fort Cochin to tea plantations in Munnar and spice gardens in Thekkady and Wayanad. Here is a list of things you must buy to continue the tradition of shopping in Kerala. The list is divided into food, decorative handicrafts, utility items etc. Spices: You can’t really leave Kerala

without buying the best spices in the world! Take your fill of black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric etc. Fill your bags, even if you have to throw some of your clothes away. For you will not get better spices anywhere else in the world at such economical prices. As spices don’t go bad if kept in dry airtight jars, you can buy them without fear of it getting spoilt. Best place to buy spices: Kumily near Thekkady Cashews: The Portuguese came to buy spices from Kerala, but simultaneously they also brought plants from South America to India. Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is one such plant that was brought from Brazil. Traveller’s tip to buy cashews: You can buy the split nuts that break while processing; they taste exactly the same as the unbroken nut and costs much less. Tea: Mostly, the tea that you get in the tea stalls of South India originates in the hills of Kerala. This Nilgiri tea consumed by the masses is strong, full bodied, and gives a chocolaty colour to the milk that the desis love to dunk their biscuits into. So leave your tea snobbery for some time and buy some authentic Nilgiri Tea grown on the hills of Munnar, Thekkady and Wayanad.

Coffee: Okay, so you are not a tea drinker? Not to worry. God’s Own Country also grows some of the finest coffee in the world and your Kerala trip is not complete unless you have tried the special Kerala Kappi, offered in a little steel tumbler. Traveller’s Tip for buying Coffee: My suggestion is to go for some unbranded local coffee, because that is what the locals drink, and try to buy it as close to the growing area as possible. Banana Chips: The banana must be the second most popular plant in Kerala and you will see more varieties of it in Kerala than anywhere else in the world. (On a lighter note, banana chips is the mother of all chips in the world; all others are mere copies and they may have to pay royalty on the original idea if the inventor of banana chips files a patent.) They are locally called nenthra-kaaya oopperi or upperi and you get chips made from raw bananas as well as ripe bananas. Banana chips are a wonderful snack to take on a hike or to serve to your guests with drinks. Coconut or Coir Products: Can you actually leave Kerala without buying a coir product? I mean the state is named after the Coconut (KeraCoconut and Ilam-Home). No matter where you go you are within reach of this tree. Everything you eat will have

coconut in one form or the other. The thatched roofs of rural houses are made from coconut leaves, but the roofs are too bulky to carry so you better stick to handicrafts made from different parts of the coconut tree like show pieces or carpets made from coir (the fibre from coconut husks). The kasavu mundus and sarees: are pure handmade cotton fabrics with golden borders traditionally worn by Malayalee men and women. The men wear mundu for all the traditional functions. The women wear saree in day-to-day life, but the traditional clothes are now more popular during temple visits, weddings and festivals. If you are not comfortable wearing the saree you can always buy skirt and top made from the same material. These skirt and tops stitched like the traditional Ghagra Choli are very popular among girls as they are easier to carry around. Price starts from around Rs. 350 and can go up to a few thousand rupees depending on the material and craftsmanship. Handicrafts: Highly skilled Kerala

artisans make showpieces and utility items from metals, coconut, wood, etc. A lot of these are not found anywhere else and truly represent the cultural richness and diversity of Kerala. Kathakali Mask: Kerala is home to Kathakali and you will get Kathakali souvenirs, in the form of fridge magnets, Kathakali masks, hanging showpieces etc. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave Kerala without your own Kathakali mask. Sea Shell Showpieces: Right from cowrie shells, that were once used as cash (incidentally cash is a word with its origin in ancient Malayalam and or Tamil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kaash), to conch and oyster shells, you have plenty of choice to buy seashell souvenirs. Wooden Idols: You can buy wooden idols of various gods from Hinduism, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, animal sculptures and other cultural icons, in the bazaars of Kerala. Just make sure whatever you buy is brand new or is a replica of an antique piece as you are not allowed to carry genuine antiques out of India.

Nettur Casket: Fine wooden chests made in Kerala, they have multiple uses ranging from storage to being used as a coffee table to a decorative item in the showcase depending on its size. They were earlier used as jewellery boxes by brides. Chundan Vallam and Uru Models: They are different kind of boats. The Chundam Vallam is the snake boat well known for its races; Uru is the more utilitarian boat used for cargo as well as human transport and are worthy of high seas. Nettipattom: This is the decorative ornament for elephants used during temple processions. The royal ones were made of gold but today, imitations are available as showpieces for your home or car in sizes varying from few inches to life size. Nilavilakku: It is an oil lamp used for ceremonial purposes in temples and homes. They come in all sizes from little ones that you can pick up with your hands to really huge ones.

Aranmula Kannadi: This one you will not find easily; at least the genuine ones are not easy to find. This metal mirror has a shiny reflecting surface, which is not made of silver polish like in normal mirrors. The composition is known only to the family and they guard it carefully. They are supposed to bring good fortune to the owner. Kerala T-shirts: Just like any other popular tourist destination, Kerala has its own share of t-shirts. The most popular slogan is, you guessed it, “God’s Own Country”. Any doubt that Kerala is God’s Own Country was laid to rest after I bought some Kerala t-shirts from a Kashmiri shopkeeper in the Jew Town of Fort Kochi. Umbrella: You should not take this one lightly. If you are not carrying one, then this should be the first item you buy in Kerala because of the hot tropical sun or the incessant rains. No wonder Alleppey is called the umbrella capital of India. Umbrellas are available here in every shape, size and design.

A slice of Kalari and a mouthful of Sadya Roxanne Bamboat, India

Forget the coconut in everything, the gorgeous luxury hotels and the kick-ass food, one of the coolest things in Kerala is their very own martial art form called Kalaripayattu. Whenever I think martial arts, I think of Chinese or Japanese men prancing around skilfully with crazy acrobatics, jumps and turns-something straight out of a Kung Fu flick. Kerala’s martial art form is not all that different from this. I had only seen pictures and video clips till then. This was my first live demo. The master explained that not only was Kalaripayattu older than Kung Fu, but it was also the base of Kung Fu; Chinese monks learnt martial arts in Kerala before taking it back home. The art form is impressive because it takes years to master and requires tremendous discipline, especially to practice and perform in the sweltering heat. I was exhausted simply watching them. However, I found it increasingly hard to focus on the proceedings because throughout the demo I had

two of the funniest people on the trip conducting a running commentary in Hindi. Though I remember some of their jokes, it gets lost in translation. It was one of those “you really had to be there” situations. Prasad aka ‘Desi Traveller’ and Tarun aka ‘My Greedy Backpack’ were hysterical, making it a great memory for me. Watching men jump about, clanging their swords and knives is hard work, I tell you-it works up an appetite; it must be followed through with an elaborate feast. If there’s one thing Kerala takes great pride in and excels in, it is its ability to feed you. A traditional vegetarian meal, eaten on a banana leaf with almost 20 different dishes is called a Sadya. These meals can accommodate over 64 different types of dishes, but I cannot imagine going through all that food. The one we were served was a slightly moderate Sadya but delicious and extremely satisfying nevertheless.

Roxanne Bamboat enjoys reading, movies and travel. She is obsessed with food and She expresses her love for all things edible in her food blog www.thetinytaster.com A freelancer in her profession, she spends most of her time sampling the city's food offerings and reviewing them. Apart from her own website, she writes for various publications and lifestyle websites as well about food and travel.

I really want to describe each dish but it's hard. It's like trying to review a buffet-the food keeps coming and it’s next to impossible to take notes. I did however show some restraint, not digging in till the entire meal was served just so I could take a picture. Believe me, when you're perspiring from every pore and ferociously hungry, with fragrant food in front of you, this kind of patience is rare. Banana chips, baby banana, pickles, papadams are all standard and feature in every hotel buffet spread as well. My friend Mithun was sweet enough to describe and label them for me so it becomes easier to talk about each dish. Avial is a popular dish in Kerala and made with vegetables and coconut. It's my sister's favourite and I think of her every time I eat it. Thoran is a staple dish in every Kerala home. Each thoran is a vegetable cooked in grated coconut. Olan is a pumpkin dish cooked with coconut milk, ginger

and coconut oil. Pachadi is a type of khichadi, but it's sweet and made with pineapple, coconut and grapes. Sambar and puffed Kerala rice are the most important items in any meal and are the main part of the Sadya. It’s also my favourite part. For those of you who aren't familiar, sambar is a slightly thick gravy, made of lentils and vegetables, eaten with almost everything- it’s divine. There is also rasam, similar to sambar,

a thin watery version, but not made with lentils; instead it has vegetables, spices and tamarind. It's a little soupy in texture and spicy as it’s supposed to help with digestion. Not every one considers rasam a part of the Sadya, but it’s almost always served. Payasam is a dessert that marks the end of the Sadya. It’s similar to kheer and is made with milk, sugar and rice. Sometimes other ingredients are added and you get various versions of

the payasam, but sadly I don't know too much about that. I ate all this and probably a lot more, but the only things I can identify on my own are the thoran and avial. The best way to learn is to sample everything everywhere (each cook serves it differently) and ask what you're being served. Maybe the next time you find yourself eating on a banana leaf, you might have some idea what you're chomping on.

Vijay is an interior designer, wildlife enthusiast, self-proclaimed sustainability warrior, sports freak and an amateur blogger, all rolled into one. A Malayali, born in Gujarat and now based out of Bangalore, he is curious to find out what makes India so Incredible.

Fort Kochi: Art on the street Vijay Nambiar, India

A city, like the people who call it home, needs to develop, evolve and grow with the changing times. Now, if you have been following the Indian political soap opera (leading to the 2014 Mahabharata/Elections) and believe that the only meaning of ‘development’ would be to have beautifully tarred pothole-free roads for miles and glass matchbox buildings lining them, this article might end up disappointing you! Kerala has been progressive for ages now in its own way and the most enriching aspect of this was that the state acknowledged the importance of its rich heritage, both natural and man-made, and made protecting it a part of its development plan. A state that has been a forerunner in making the most of its resources and teaching the rest of India a lesson or two in tourism management. Kerala is known for its dense forests, pristine beaches and a unique cultural heritage. Every tourist who has had the opportunity

to visit God’s Own Country (a moniker that most would agree is apt), has been lured by the promise of experiencing nature and cultural vibrancy at its best. One of the trump cards that helps draw tourists to Kerala by the droves is Fort Kochi, a beautiful heritage hub in the city of Kochi. The St. Francis Church, the Paradesi Synagogue, the Chinese fishing nets and the quaint little spice shops have made sure that a visitor always returns home with great memories. But 12/12/12 changed the city and how the world would see it in the future. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, launched on the aforementioned date, brought about a dynamic shift - one that would reflect in every travelogue to be written about the city. The introduction of graffiti into the cityscape was a well-thought-out move on the part of the Kerala State Government and Kerala Tourism. Fort Kochi is now on the way to becoming

a sure destination for the art hungry traveller. You may think that this is a premature statement but with the massive success of the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale and the second one approaching soon, the region and its graffiti scene is bound to grow. Pepper House, the Aspinwall House, the walls on Burger Street and some other locations became canvases for the vivid expressions of artists like Anpu Varkey, Amitabh Kumar and Daniel Connolly amongst others. The sometimes contentious art of graffiti has not only gained the approval of the visiting tourists but also the admiration of locals who have realized the importance of this brilliant new addition to their area’s fabric. Okay, so it may not be a Berlin or a London yet, but it is getting there. ‘A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step’–Lao Tzu

Schrijven en beschadigen is strafbaar Stefania van Lieshout, Netherlands

Het is maar dat u het weet. Twee woorden, ze staan broederlijk naast elkaar. De eerste een kunstvorm, de tweede iets naars, samen vormen ze een waarschuwing aan de bezoeker van een bezienswaardigheid in Kerala.

Vlamingen en een aantal bejaarde inwoners van onze vroegere koloniën na, bijna niemand ons koeterwaals begrijpt en we daarmee onze eigenaardigheden voor onszelf kunnen houden. Het Engels is een wereldtaal en dus begrijpelijk voor een groot deel van de wereldbevolking. Met mijn middelbare school Engels kom ik een heel eind. Zo begrijp ik dat kool langzaam kan zijn.

The cole is slow

Heel (zuidelijk) India lijkt bepleisterd te zijn met opschriften; kennisgevingen, reclameborden, aanwijzingen en wensen. De woorden werken soms bevreemdend, een andere keer roepen ze vragen op, vaker nog een glimlach. Het zijn o.a. deze teksten die het landschap in Kerala kleur geven. Ongetwijfeld zal dit niet anders zijn voor buitenlanders die naar Nederland komen. Ze zullen zich waarschijnlijk verbazen over wat wij ‘gewoon’ denken te vinden. Ware het niet dat op een handvol

De temperaturen liggen in maart gemiddeld rond de 30º C in Kerala. Geen wonder dat men wat trager werkt als het zo warm is. Zo ook de kool, die met de lunch geserveerd wordt, deze is wat sloom vandaag. De cole (kool) is slow (langzaam). Goed om te weten.

Het serieuze werk is al achter de rug, bij het ontbijt blijkt de kok vernielzuchtige neigingen te hebben gehad. Hitte kan namelijk ook stevig op de agressie werken. Waar in Engeland mashed potatoes (aardappelpuree) wordt geserveerd is hier de aardappel (potato in het Engels) Smashed, oftewel stukgeslagen.

Op andere plekken speelt het toeval een rol, de Ambassador is een auto die nog steeds het straatbeeld siert in India. Een model dat gebaseerd is op het Britse Morris Oxford uit 1956, een reliek uit andere tijden zoals het bord erboven al aangeeft: Indian Relic.

The article talks about the cultural differences between the Netherlands and India (Kerala). It takes a look at the many sign boards In India, including those that prohibit signs. Hence the title of the article ‘Stick no bills’.

Een saaie wandeling? Een natuurpark met tijgers, olifanten en slangen kan de bezoekers natuurlijk niet genoeg waarschuwen voor allerlei gevaren, zeker als ze te voet het park bezoeken. Voordat ik aan de wandeling begin, teken ik dat ik in goede gezondheid verkeer en verantwoordelijkheid neem voor deze: ‘walk of tedious (vervelend/langdradig) nature‘ Daar teken ik graag voor, doe mij maar zo’n saaie tijger.

Op andere plekken kan het wandelen worden vermeden, zo u wil: ‘walking may be avoided‘ maar het hoeft niet.

inwoners van het land, op een onpartijdige manier. Het mag dan niet het Queen’s English zijn, wat hier gesproken wordt, maar wie heeft er meer gelijk; de inwoners van het Verenigd Koninkrijk dat nog geen 64 miljoen inwoners heeft of de ruim een miljard Indiërs? De meeste stemmen gelden, toch?

or maybe not

Het engels Nu kunt u zich natuurlijk afvragen, wie ben ik om te oordelen over het lokale taalgebruik, tenslotte zijn er meer dan één miljard (1,2) Engels sprekende Indiërs. De meerderheid spreekt Hindi, maar niet alle Indiërs zijn Hindu. De minderheid wil liever niets met deze taal te maken hebben. De grondwet erkent nog 21 andere officiële talen. Het Engels is de Lingua Franca. Deze (officiële) taal in India verbindt de

Niet iedereen deelt mijn enthousiasme blijkt uit deze foto: stick no bills. Maar ik vind het mooi.

Stefania is an award winning Dutch travel blogger. She lives in Spain, writes in Dutch and loves to travel the world.

Meruschka Govender, South Africa Meruschka is a self-proclaimed African travel activist and culture addict, always looking to experience the unknown side of destinations. After working in the tourism industry for 8 years, she left her tourism policy job in the government to pursue her passion for travel blogging and start her own travel business. An avid Instagrammer, she loves sharing her experiences visually. Being of Indian descent, India holds a special place in her heart.

Through the magic eye

Edin Chavez, USA Edin Chavez eats, breathes, and sleeps photography. A passionate photographer and a frequent blogger, Edin loves to capture in his frame and mind, different countries and its people.

Kerala smiles Before coming to Kerala, I wanted to create a series on its people in black and white. But the truth is, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see Kerala in B&W, I saw it, colourful and full of life. There was nothing grey about it. No matter where I pointed the camera, there was always a smile on the other side of the lens. Everyone is so happy, sincerely happy-you can feel it and I loved every bit of it.

An Anthropology graduate, Gael started blogging in 2010 and eventually left the corporate world in 2012 to travel around her country. Over the past three years, she has written travel articles for Yahoo Southeast Asia. In 2012, she was commissioned to write for the official website of Department of Tourism, Philippines. Her articles have been published on Lonely Planet, Republic of 7,107 Island Magazine, and Phnom Penh Post among others.

Wild about Wayanad Gael Hilotin, Philippines

There aren’t many places in the world where a scenic drive offers a great opportunity to encounter wildlife; thankfully, the district of Wayanad in Kerala, India offers just that! Blissfully resting on the southern tip of the gorgeous Deccan plateau, Wayanad blends verdant teak forest, dreamy hill stations, interesting spice plantations, sub-tropical savannas, towering mountains, pristine lakes, mesmeric sunset and a sapphire sky. One of my most unforgettable experiences here is visiting Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the second largest of its kind in Kerala. Typically, to encounter wild animals in its natural habitat, hiking the trails provide the best experiences, but here, we spotted herds of Indian elephants (sub-species of Asian elephants) and deer just by driving through the highway. We took photos of the attention-grabbing wildlife

through the windows while inside the bus. If you’re lucky enough, you might also meet tigers, leopards, sambars and gaurs here! Along the way, we stopped by at an unassuming Hindu temple with gates heavily damaged by elephant attacks. Elephants in Kerala are State Elephants and featured on the emblem of the Government of Kerala, they are deeply venerated as the “sons of the Sahya”. While admiring the temple, we met some humble locals constructing the road nearby who were very friendly and willingly posed for photos without asking for money. That made me wish for a portable printer with me so I could hand them hard copies of their photos. The area is actually the original homeland of tribal clans such as the Adivasis; sadly, many of them have been reportedly displaced when the area was turned into an elephant sanctuary, eventually forcing

them to set up subsistence agriculture. Fortunately, in recent years, the management of the reserve now takes into consideration the lifestyle of the indigenous people when implementing scientific conservation. Another interesting destination in Wayanad is the Edakkal Caves in the Western Ghats, it’s actually a gap caused by a piece of rock that was ripped apart, crowning a portion of the fissure. But what really makes this cave special is – it is draped by petroglyphs some as old as 3,000 years and the youngest ones are believed to have been created during the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the three civilizations of the Old World. These Stone Age carvings (mostly human and animal figures) are the only known ones in Southern India, suggesting pre-historic civilization that existed in this region.

Edgar is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in Manila and Cebu in the Philippines. He has traveled to all 81 provinces of his country from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, and all 11 nations in Southeast Asia, chronicling people, places and perspectives on and off the beaten path.

Getting intimate with Kumarakom

Edgar Alan Zeta Yap, Philippines Compared to cruising in a kettuvallam (traditional houseboat), one can have a more intimate experience of village life along the backwaters by taking a cruise in a shikara or traditional canoe that can navigate narrow waterways and take you to charming hamlets to get a glimpse of the daily life and

activities. Our shikara entered a small canal that led to a quaint village where we witnessed screw pine and coconut leaf mat weaving. We were then led to a row of coconut trees next to a big rice field where we were shown how palm wine or toddy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; locally known as kallu in Malayalam â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

was harvested from severed coconut flower stalks. It's just like how we collect tubĂ˘ in the Philippines. The village reminded me a lot about home! Local men also demonstrated how to use a metal coconut-climbing device to scale a coconut tree, which was

something I haven't seen elsewhere, including the Philippines. I gave it a spin, and operating it was tougher than it looked. I just climbed two meters from the ground, and didn't trust the device enough to go any higher. Nonetheless, it was a fun experience. Kumarakom is also known for having some of the best resorts in Kerala. I was looking forward to where we were checking in. So upon returning to the river jetty, our group boarded another boat that took us upriver to the shores of Vembanad Lake â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the largest in the backwaters of Kerala - to the beautiful village resort of Coconut Lagoon where we spent a night. My cottage was located along the mouth of the Kavanar River across the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary so now and then I had egrets and herons for neighbors. I especially enjoyed walking along the lakeside in the morning watching the birds and boats on Vembanad Lake. This was one of my favorite stays during the entire trip, as it was very peaceful and pleasant!

The colours of Kerala Eva Abal, Spain

Kerala, a small state in India, will inspire you for many reasons; reasons rooted in its spices, exotic flavours, tea, coffee, great music and passionate dance forms. But most importantly, the trip to Kerala brings to mind lively colours, which I haven't forgotten till date. Kerala is a multi-colour paradise and I would like to share my experiences there with you. This short post will take you through a visual trip of Keralaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many colours. Enjoy it!

Eva Abal, from Spain, is passionate about travelling. A nature lover, she also loves cinema, music, different languages, making friends all over the world as well as challenges. And that is why she travels - to live and experience and to write about it on her blog. Ever since she was a little girl, she wanted to make a living out of it.

Elsie Mendez is a food and travel blogger, looking for the best places that offer food and beverages. She believes that the journey is not about the cooking class or culinary trip, it' s about understanding and appreciating the history behind the Mexican Gastronomy and the rest of the world through its dishes and recipes. According to her there is a story behind every recipe.

Sadya, el arte de comer con los dedos Elsie Mendez, Mexico

Entre los occidentales el tema de meter los dedos a la comida es muy complicado, desde niños escuchamos frases como “No metas los dedos a la comida!”, “Toma bien el tenedor con las manos!” “Qué acaso no te he dicho que para eso están los cubiertos?” y cientos de frases o hasta miles más, con las que hemos sido educados en el elegante modo de comportarse en la mesa y llevar el alimento a la boca. Eso en India, particularmente en el sur como en Kerala, no aplica para nada, y resulta que cuando uno esta frente a un plato tan importante y exquisito como es el Sadya se puede llegar a sentir hasta ridículo por no saber usar los dedos para comer este manjar.

El arte de comer con los dedos o las manos lleva su tiempo, bueno, para los occidentales claro, porque para los indios es cosa de todos los días y algo

que han aprendido a hacer desde niños, creo que yo casi lo logré, pero claro que nunca tendré la destreza de amigos como Tarun Gaur o Prasad, de hecho ahora que escribo esta reseña me arrepiento de no haber pasado más tiempo cerca de ellos, son de las cosas que uno ve ya que esta de regreso de un viaje y hace una retrospectiva de lo que hizo bien y lo que le falto por descubrir, y creo que hubiera sido mucho más enriquecedor estar más cerca de ambos, pero bueno, aun existe la posibilidad de regresar a India y reencontrarme con este divertido y muy interesante par de personas que tuve la maravillosa suerte de conocer. El Sadya lo comí formalmente en un lugar llamado Kadappuram Beach Resort, quienes amablemente nos invitaron al grupo del #Keralablogexpress para la hora de la comida. El calor y la humedad ese día no eran muy benevolentes, por eso busque una mesa cerca de la puerta para recibir un poco de brisa adicional a la del ventilador, que era solo para mi, me ofrecía. Me senté sola y eso me permitió tener al gerente del hotel explicándome solo a mi el paso a paso y del porque de cada uno de los platillos que se sirven en el Sadya.

Comenzare por explicar un poco que es el Sadya, este es un plato milenario que se come en ocasiones especiales, ceremonias y festividades, muy tradicional, el cual se sirve sobre hojas de plátano y lleva entre 20 y 28 platillos que se sirven al mismo tiempo, claro, no son las porciones a las que usualmente estamos acostumbrados en occidente, si no, imaginen la tremenda indigestión, aunque ahora que lo pienso si he tenido degustaciones con ese número de platillos, pero ninguno tan sano, curativo y vegetariano en su totalidad como este. Los platillos se preparan al amanecer y deben ser terminados antes de las diez de la mañana para que estén listos para la comida o almuerzo, porque por supuesto, este plato solo se sirve al medio día por lo pesado que es.

Remember when your parents told you "Don't eat with your hands!" in the middle of the family dinner? Well, maybe it's time you take them to India and get them into the amazing experience of eating the traditional Sadya. Because yes, eating with your hands can be a tricky art.

La hoja de plátano me explicaba el gerente del Kadappuram Beach Resort, es importante usarla en vez de un plato de cerámica o plástico, porque lo caliente de los platillos provoca que la clorofila de las hojas salga y se combine con los alimentos ahí puestos, y como muchos saben la clorofila es buena para muchas afecciones. El siguiente elemento importante del Sadya es el arroz, que no es un arroz cualquiera, es de un tipo llamado Navara, es endémico de Kerala y es un arroz medicinal que se usa mucho en el Ayurveda, me explican sirve para prevenir o curar enfermedades como el cáncer, la artritis, problemas digestivos, rejuvenece músculos y tejidos y hasta trastornos neurológicos. Después vienen los encurtidos, Upperi que son chips de plátano, un plátano entero, el arroz que les mencionaba, papadums y más platos. Entre los platillos más tradicionales que se sirven en un Sadya además de los antes mencionados, esta el Avial, que es hecho con verduras y coco; el Thoran es básico y lleva verduras, coco rallado, chile y cúrcuma; Olan es un plato suave de calabaza y granos cocida en salsa roja suave de leche de coco; Pachadi que es dulce con piña, uvas y más coco. Sambhar el famoso guiso del sur de la India, que es la combinación de todas las

verduras disponibles hervidas en una salsa de lentejas aplastadas, cebollas, chiles, cilantro, cúrcuma y con una pizca de asafétida, Rasam una mezcla de pimienta en polvo diluida en jugo de tamarindo hervido, que como mucho de los otros platillos, nos ayuda a la buena digestión (y bueno, es que con tanta comida aunque sea vegetariana nos hace sentir como un puerquito en engorda). El postre es una especie de arroz con leche hecho con leche de coco, cardamomo, menos dulce del que estamos acostumbrados los occidentales, llamado Payasam

Para beber, me explican que además del coco que nos han dado en prácticamente todos lados porque es diurético y ayuda a la deshidratación, lo ideal es tomar té, y no frío sino al tiempo o caliente, porque eso ayuda a que la temperatura del estomago que esta cliente haciendo la digestión no tenga choques térmicos que no son buenos con este tipo de comidas, y en general con todas, o sea, que esa costumbre que tenemos de tomar agua o refrescos con mucho hielo lo único que provoca es que nuestro pobre sistema digestivo trabaje a marchas forzadas. Permítanme explicarles que comer con las manos es mucho mejor y más recomendable que hacerlo con los cubiertos por la sencilla razón de que comemos más lento, lo que hace que comamos menos, porque el mensaje del estomago al cerebro de que estamos llenos llega a tiempo para no terminar comiendo de más como usualmente sucede con los cubiertos, además, comer con los dedos permite llevar a la boca solo la cantidad de comida suficiente que podemos masticar de forma correcta. Disfrutar, aprender y sobre todo dejarme llevar por el placer de meter los dedos a la comida y al final chuparme uno a uno los dedos, fue de lo mejor que he vivido en mi vida.

15 10

Prasad NP, India

15 Oscar Augusto, New Zealand

Emanuele Siracusa, Italy

16 Inma Gregorio, Spain

Tarun Gaur, India

17 Edin Chavez, USA

Ola Wysocka, Poland

18 Dina @DuaRansel, Indonesia

Edgar Alan Zeta Yap, Philippines

19 Michelle Rasmussen, Denmark

Roxanne Bamboat, India

20 Caroline Lohrmann, Germany

Elsie Mendez, Mexico

21 Delia Harrington, USA

Justin Jones, USA

22 Gael Hilotin, Philippines

Ivan Henares, Philippines

23 Eva Abal, Spain

Vijay Nambiar, India

24 Gaia Passarelli, Brazil

Daniel Nunes Gonรงalves, Brazil

25 Taufan Gio, Indonesia

12 Stefania van Lieshout, Netherlands

26 Meruschka Govender, South Africa

13 Shawn Coomer, USA

27 Anita Bora, India

14 Nelson Carvalheiro, Portugal