Onam 2011

     Onam, Kerala's biggest holiday, has come and gone again.  It lasts 5 days and is celebrated by Keralites of all religions, although it's roots are Hindu.  We were invited to our house helper's house for a meal, then our friend's house for another meal the same day, then we went to the fair the next day. Today, although late because of a transportation strike, our flat held it's Onam celebration with another big meal.  I'd have to say we're Onam'd out.



On the way to Auntie's house, we went through village after village with the streets filled with shoppers.  Very slow going.  It was like Black Friday at home.



The traditional Kerala meal:  Rice and dahl served on a banana leaf with a lot of sides to mix in.  We love it!



Auntie and her husband.  The tradition is for the guests to eat first, then the family to eat.  It's really awkward for us, but they won't have it any other way.  Auntie's husband fell from a coconut tree when their kids were 1 and 3, resulting in total loss of hearing.  He was also paralyzed for a very long time and has been out of work since.  Auntie has had to work to provide for the family.



Auntie's son, a taylor, made these traditional Kerala dresses for our girls.  So sweet.  Aren't they beautiful?



Preparing the flowers for an arrangement called Pookalam with kids in the flat



The finished product



Enjoying the rides at the fair

The park had hung these swings from all the trees, much to Cora's liking.

Just Some Pics

Painting with friends

Love those blue eyes

Jay's fan club.  This is on a beach on the east coast where Jay helped out with a surf camp.

The Destructor

Cora and a friend on our favorite hike nearby

On Sundays,  you're bound to come across a cricket match wherever you are.

Evie has graduated from the high-chair tray to the table.  It's a very messy transition.

"Auntie" and her little side-kick.

Our first Hindu wedding

Our good friend Kavitha invited us to her niece's wedding, our first Hindu wedding, which we attended last weekend.  Knowing that literally thousands of people are invited to weddings here, we didn't think much of it.  So we were really surprised when we arrived and Kavitha ushered us up onto the stage, to the front row with her family.  Our protests had no effect, so there we sat, next to the grandmas as the bride came out and kissed their feet.  I thought, "We don't even know the bride!"  Hindu weddings are very different from anything we are used to.  It seemed a little chaotic with drums beating, people walking in circles around the couple, people crowding around to throw flowers on them or just to get a good picture.  There was lots of talking, hooting, and clapping throughout.  I don't think there was any exchanging of vows or any communication between the bride and groom at all.  The priest performed a pooja before the couple, with them taking part a few times.  I can't really explain any of it.  It ended with the bride and groom exchanging flower garlands, then walking around the ceremonial platform several times.  The bride was beautiful.  After the wedding, a traditional Kerala vegetarian meal was served on banana leaves in a large mess hall.  We were warned to eat fast because men walk around ready to serve the next dish very quickly.  The last 2 or 3 dishes are poured right into your hand and you drink it up.  "Good for digestion". 

Our beautiful girls all dressed up for the wedding.

Not nearly as dressed up as other girls, as you can see.  This little princess was really interested in Evie's blond hair.  She kept hugging and kissing her and touching her hair.  Evie just stood there and took it straight-faced.

The beautiful bride before the wedding.

The pooja platform where the bride, groom, and priest would sit.

This and the next two photos are of the pooja. 

As is the case in most weddings here, this is an arranged marriage.  The bride and groom hardly know each other.  "Love will come later," Kavitha says.

Kavitha's oldest son entertaining Evelyn during the ceremony.

Maldives

Our business visa requires us to leave India every 6 months for a few days.  The advantage of this is it's like a mandatory vacation for us.  So this time, we went to the Maldives.  It's usually outrageously expensive, but we found a great deal at a surf hostel and had an absolutely wonderful week.  The pictures don't do it justice, and it was hard to choose only a handful to post, but here they are:

This is what we saw when we stepped out of the airport.  The capital island, Male, is across the water.

This is the typical ferry we took from island to island.  We spent the first night on the airport island, then took a "3 hour tour" to the island of Guraidhoo, a tiny island with a population of 1500.

The view from our hostel, "Riptide Vacation Inn".  It was a very basic but clean concrete block house with an open, sand-floor dining room, large AC bedrooms, and a live-in cook who prepared 3 great meals a day for us.  Talk about feeling spoiled!  And we were the only guests there!

The view from the harbor to some other islands.

Last week, hospital - This week, paradise.  Such is our life!

This is Cora's dream:  a great climbing tree with a swing on a tropical beach.  She had a blast the whole week.

Just in front of the hostel was a great place for the kids to play while we sipped tea made by our personal cook.

This bird was someone's pet, but flew freely around the island.  This is a typical road on the island - no pavement and ocean views out both ends.  Cora went barefoot the whole week.

Evie enjoyed climbing the trees, too.

When we decided to move to India, Cora said, "Yea, I'll get to climb coconut trees."  She soon found out that was harder than she thought.  Here she finally found one slanted enough to climb.

Watching the sunset with Daddy.

If you're cute and you know it, do like this.

Aside from climbing trees, we also snorkeled (including Evie), surfed (we left that up to Jay), swam, explored deserted islands, and collected shells.  Can we go again in 6 months?

 

Critters

Yesterday, Jay unknowingly wore his shoes with a big cockroach in them for two hours.  He discovered it when he took them off and the cockroach ran out, very much alive.  Then last night, I was in the bathtub and a lizard jumped off the wall into the water and climbed up my back.  I've gotten accustomed to critters hangin' out on the walls, but this is a bit much!

Alicia

Zoo prices

Entry to the local zoo :  10 rupees
Entry for your camera:  25 rupees
Use of toilet for #1:         1 rupee
Use of toilet for #2:         5 rupees (don't ask!)
Parking for the zoo:    100 rupees

Auntie's House

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of visiting our house helper's home and meeting her family.  As is the local custom, we call her "Auntie".  She lives about an hour from the city in what is called a village here, but I would call it a small town.  We parked the car on the dirt road, walked down a wide trail into the woods, then down another narrower trail to get to her house.  She and her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and 2 grandkids live in a small block house surrounded by coconut and jackfruit trees.  It was really beautiful there.  She fed us a wonderful meal and even had Coke for Jay.  She had asked our friend one day, "What is that black stuff that Jay is always drinking?"  So thoughtful and giving!  My camera hasn't been working well lately, but here are the best of the pictures:

Some of Auntie's relatives that came to meet us.

View of the neighbor's house

Auntie (in green) with her daughter-in-law in the kitchen

Making Chai over the fire

Auntie's whole family.  That's her holding Evie.

While we were there, some guys from the temple (always in orange) came to collect coconuts for a festival  that night.