
This is a view of the rice fields from our cottage during our stay at Green Palm Homes
We arrived at Green Palms Homestay on New Year's Eve. It had been quite a journey to get here which seems to be the case when travelling by bus in India. We arrived in Allepey which is the gateway town to the backwaters of Kerala. Upon arriving we walked from the bus station about a kilometer to a boat ferry stop that would take us to the homestay. This was very exciting! We hopped on the ferry and rode for about one hour along the waterways. Riding along in the ferry was a real treat even after being on a bus for four hours, as the air is clean and the waters were tranquil. When we were dropped off, we walked along . . .
_2012! We hung out at Green Palms, for most of the day, then in the afternoon we took a walk along the rice fields, with Thomas, our guide telling us all about them. One rice crop takes about four months to grow, so they usually have two crops, and during monsoon season the farmers let their fields lie fallow. Our guide also told us how essential the coconut palm is to the community. The roots keep the dikes from sinking into the sea, and the leaves are used to thatch the roofs. The hair on the outside of the coconut has many uses as well, from being woven into mats to being used as primitive toothbrushes! The shells are used to burn, because they burn slowly and hot, and catch fire very easily. They sell the meat or use it in their dishes. Thomas says that the farmers could not farm if not for the coconut!
Birch