SANTA CLAUS & JUNGLE DRUMS

In the evenings leading up to Christmas the youth of Kumily take Santa on a door-to-door entertaining the residents with song and dance...with cashier in tow they collect money for charity.

KALEIDOSCOPE

A fruit carving kaleidoscope from Kerala...

SPICE MAN

Mister Umar proprietor of Mountain Spices on the Kumily high street sells all types of masala, oils and nuts.

CHRISTMAS STAR

The Star is born...Peace on Earth...

JINGLE BELLS

Very important in Hindu Puja...

XMESSAGE

Merry Christmas to One and All

MANGALORE BOATING

A lovely day out with Hameed was had when we took the ferry across the Mangalore river to the boat repair yard.

TOURISM WOES

These are two news stories from the Malayalam newspaper Madhyaman who reports about the slump in the tourism sector since demonetisation. 

The first story is from Kasaragod Bekal fort where this trinket seller complains her business is 90% down due to lack of customers.

The second article is from the hill station Munnar (not far from my second haunt Kumily) and tells the story of a cashless American tourist who frustrated after many attempts to withdraw money from empty ATMs and driven by hunger, ate a restaurant meal then run from the eatery with bill unpaid, was chased and eventually caught by the staff, he was luckily excused and forgiven as the business owner had mercy on the staving visitor.

DAILY COCONUT

Drinking and eating a coconut every day keeps the doctor away, so they say in Kerala. The best coconuts have a little bit of jelly inside. I certainly feel refreshed after my daily nut.

MILAD-I-SHERIF

The residents of Chembirika celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)

PANCHAYAT LADIES

The local authority provides a street cleaning service for the community at Thekkady, these ladies keep our neighbourhood nice and tidy by sweeping all debris away including the millions of teak leaves that fall.

(left to right) Krishnama, Jodthi, Silvi and Omana.

FLOWER LADY

Sweet aroma fills the air from the flower stall conveniently placed at the Kumily bus stand. Kerala ladies like to decorate their hair with roses and jasmine, the garlands are for the departed.

LEMON LADY

These locally grown lemons squeeze nicely into my hot honey and ginger drink, it's starting to rain a little here in the Idukki hill range due to a cyclone approaching Madras from the Bay of Bengal, this drink keeps out the cold.

HARTEL TOTAL

A beautiful peaceful day here in Kumily, the general strike held between the hours of six am and six pm. Only a few two wheelers plied the roads. All shutters remained down and no masala dosas met the griddle. Looking forward to the next strike, in Kerala there is normally two per month.

 

SHUTTERS DOWN

All India general strike today in protest against the governments demonetisation of the 1000 and 500 Rupee notes. 

So many common people who earn below the tax threshold and have managed to save over the years have lost life savings, unable to bank this money as all unaccounted cash carries a 200% penalty.

 

Meanwhile fat cats and fraudsters, who keep money in BIG suitcases, have laundered their black cash at a commission rate of 20% into the new 2000 notes and now only need small suitcases.

Expecting more trouble to come...

KERALA MEALS

Jolly good lunching at Visanth Vihar restaurant for midday and fill myself up with Ayurvedic drinking water mix from the hot jug, this aids digestion, all washed down with a Sweet Lassi. 

GOLDEN TIME

Mornings are special to me, early to rise and off down the local Chia shop for tea always ordered "without sugar", strangely and annoyingly it often tastes sweet. The Chia lady's excuse is "this is Kerala - the milk is sweet, the water is sweet".

MYSTICAL HIGH RANGE

The Kerala hills run the entire length of the state, known as the Western Ghats they are home to Tigers, tea plantations and spice gardens.

The perfect place to acclimatise to the heat of the tropics as the mornings are often misty but do normally burn off by midday leaving beautiful sunny afternoons.

 Looking forward to visiting the jungle again and reading Kipling "Plain Tales from the Hills"

MONEY MATTERS

Click >> http://economictimes demonetised-notes << 

Here's the new 2000 rupee note

The Indian Prime ministers surprise announcement to make 1000 and 500 notes non legal tender has left the country in turmoil.

I haven't been able to change any money yet as the banks are restricting businesses to 25,000 rupees withdrawals weekly, this includes licensed foreign exchange bureau so shutters are down.

To make matters worse the Pound has lost 20% against the Rupee since Brexit !

WELCOME TO KERALA

 

NAMASTE AND WELCOME TO KERALA THE TROPICAL STATE OF INDIA.

#WANDERLUST

Summer is over here in England and it's time to plan another trip to tropical Kerala.

My visa is applied for and airline ticket booked.

Equipped with a new video camera by Panasonic I'm hoping to capture some moments to share.

I'm scheduled to get going midd November so I've got a month to organise the rest of my kit.

RJB is going tropical again.

 

 

More soon...

MEMORABLE CHARACTERS

 

 

 

   

         

 

 

XRJBX

BYE BYE KASARAGOD

 

It's been a wonderful few months here in district 14, the jewel in Kerala's crown. I've only seen one other westerner briefly in that time and that suits me fine.

So it's bye bye to Chembirika beach.

Bye bye to the market place.

And a big bye bye to my dear friends, Hameed, Shafi and Ameen at Al-Ameen store.

 

XRJBX

VASANTH VIHAR

The best restaurant in the city of Kasaragod is without a doubt Vasanth Vihar pure veg.

 

Curd Vada (rice flour donuts in yogurt) with sprouted Mung beans.

Masala Dosa with Gobi Manchurian and sweet Lassi.

Gooli bhaji with coconut chutney.

 

XRJBX

FISH,CURRY AND RICE

I've been eating a lot of fantastic food in Kasaragod, it's so nice to be beside the seaside, beside the sea, the Malabar fish taste divine.

Kingfish steaks.

Biryanis.

Chilli Prawns.

 

XRJBX

WALL OF DEATH

I've been to Pallakunnu Bharini and witnessed a death defying act, at Rupees 50 per head these showmen are raking it in and deserve every penny. 

Enjoy my short film...

                                 >> youtu.be <<

ROYAL ENFIELD BULLET

These beautifully built motorcycles are making a comeback now in India after the fascination of Japanese imports has died off. I've seen more and more new models such as this recently than any other type. And priced at only Rs-150,000 (£1500) I'm not surprised its popularity has risen.

Old is Gold.

 

XRJBX

SHIVARATRI

Shivaratri festival today ...7/3/16

BOOM SHANKA SHIVA

 

 

Post office closed

 

XRJBX