Recent content by JKewe

I had no idea of this, so I'm glad you posted. I too wish it was the custom in the US. Every time I get the carpets cleaned, it takes less than one day for them to get dirty again from people walking on them with dirty shoes.

Can you imagine seeing one of those beautiful creatures? I know that somehow people have been able to get photos of them, but they are very rare as you say, and also very shy. It would be an incredible experience to see one in the wild.

Are bicycle rentals fairly commonplace in South India (Kerala)? Will we be able to rent bikes at a hotel or nearby? Would it be smart to rent bikes for our entire 2-week stay and take them with us if we decide to tour another area, or should we just rent by the day, as needed?

Three airports in Kerala? When I try to check airfares, I have to choose between Cochin, Trivandrum, or Calicut. How do I decide which one? Do I need to know where I am staying first?

I have been looking at them online, and they are very beautiful. Now I want to buy a few for myself and my sisters as well as my mom.

I've looked around the forums and not found any listing of hotels for Kerala. I'm interested in places to stay on or near a beach. Any suggestions?

My mom asked me to get a saree for her when I go to India. I want to do that, but I think I will be surrounded by thousands of sarees and not know how to pick one. Are they all silk? Approximately how much does a saree cost?

We are toying with the idea of scheduling our trip to overlap monsoon season so we can experience the rain and green hills. But how do the monsoons affect activity in the Kerala backwaters? Do boat tours go on as usual, or do they get suspended for the season?

I would like to point out that education and religious belief are not mutually exclusive. In today’s sensitive political environment it sometimes gets a bad rap, but some of history's greatest scholars have been religious people.

I have had mango chutney, so I thought it was made with fruit. Now that you have described the other types, I am looking forward to trying some different flavors.

This is an interesting question, and I see that there is the perspective of one person from North India, but nothing from South India! I wonder if they would agree with this assessment.

This is a great idea! We are going to be in Kerala - is this a good place for camping? Do you have any campsite recommendations?

Masala is a word that's used in a lot of dishes, sauces, and spices. Is it a word that means "spice"? Just like I learned that curry wasn't just one flavor, I know that masala isn't just one flavor either.

I like to make my own "chai" - the sweet, spicy, milky kind - because I like a particular blend of spices rather than the kind you get in the pre-mixed blends.

Thanks for this detailed explanation. I have bought teas labeled as first flush and second flush, but never had such an evocative description. This is wonderful!