sartoric

No, @KennethT, this time only in transit at Changi. We've been there several times before, using it as a stopover to break up the long flight to Europe. Great food, and there's some things I haven't seen yet. Maybe next time.

The flowers are woven into garlands for blessing of the deities, (of which there are innumerable), they can be worn, or wrapped around your car's Ganesh statue (ours sat on the dashboard). Most women have flowers in the hair, especially so for a special occasion. This particular flower market was in Varanasi probably the most sacred city. Many Hindus seek a cremation on the Ganges as a step towards freedom from rebirth. Along with this goes worship, so the garlands are for the various statues of deities. Hindu temples are fascinating. Each lassi is made to order, the pots are cheap, it keeps the pot maker families fed, somehow it would be recycled into something else. This is Incredible India ! Good to hear you enjoyed the trip.

All of the properties that line the Ganges toe the line as far as reverence to the holy sites, sort of. We had a late afternoon snack at this place, masala pappads and a beverage. Not beer (much). Our last meal in India, technically not, we're at 35,000 ft on the way to Singapore. Hey, we are flying with Air India, so to me it still counted. The choice was veg or chicken, we both went the veg. Can't remember the last time I finished an airline meal, and I don't think I've ever said "that was great". Thanks for letting me relive what was an extraordinary time in India. Here's a favourite photo ! Happy travels.....

The Ganges View hotel is housed in a beautifully restored colonial era mansion. In deference to the sacred river only vegetarian food is served, all prepared without the use of garlic or onions. There is no liquor license (which doesn't mean you can't get a beer smuggled up to the top terrace). Breakfast pooris, with veg masala and a spicy chutney. Dinner is a set menu served buffet style with some shared tables in this gorgeous room. One of the dinners, chapattis and pappad, perfumed rice, cauliflower curry, tomatoes stuffed with chickpeas and coconut, pea curry, masala dal, paneer masala, a salad with tomato, daikon and fruit curd, plus tamarind pickle. This is served with water, and followed by a vermicelli pudding, round sweets made with coconut, white chocolate and a filling of apple purée, then coffee. At 350 rupees per person, it's a real bargain.

On to the sacred city of Varanasi for proof that cows do eat garbage. We took a walk with a charming young man from Varanasi Walks, highly recommended. This is top of the milk. The flower market where we climbed to a second storey for the crowd shot. A lassi each at the famous Blue Lassi, 80 flavours on the menu, each made to order in a one time use terracotta cup. His is strawberry and chocolate, mine is pomegranate and pistachio.

Breakfast at Hotel Arches in Fort Kochi. I can't pass up the dosa, this one filled with spicy potato masala, served with sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney. He who must be fed had masala omelette. And, we both tried this, name escapes me, a steamed semolina cake with fresh coconut and bean curry.

Finally it's slightly cooler, so my long awaited South Indian meal happened. Chidambaram eggplant, dal parriparu, fresh tomato chutney, steamed rice and parathas. If you're interested in the food, produce and markets of Southern India, pop over to the "India Dining" section for a look at some photos from our recent trip.

@Porthos, thanks, we have a big barbie. I could drag out the small gas stove I guess. Over the past few days it's been only a degree or two difference between inside the house and outside !

A surprise find was a North Indian restaurant in the old town area. DalRoti is in Lily St Fort Kochi, highly rated on zomato.com and very popular. Several groups waited while we enjoyed two veg thali and salt lime/mango sodas. The one at the back has aloo paratha, the front has paneer curry with rice, both have dal, potato curry, veg masala and cooling curd. We ate all of this. Had room for a shared gulab jamon..... A great cheap eat, INR 580 for two.

Cochin and the old town area of Fort Kochi is famous for its Chinese fishing nets. It takes five men to haul up the ropes holding rocks which act as a counterweight. Fascinating to watch, a lot of effort for what at the time was a meagre catch. This was likely the catch from several nets over several hours and the bigger fish from sea going boats.

OMG, how could you put the oven on ? Aircon ?

There's few decent photos from our time in the Alleppey backwaters. Dining was under a thatched roof held up by bamboo poles with very poor lighting. It was also communal so I was busy chatting rather than shooting. This is the best one. Bread, onion pickle, rice with mango chutney, lentils, veg masala and fried potatoes.

We also tried the toddy, distinct smell of sweaty socks, but any port in a storm (he he). On a country boat ride we saw the guys tapping palm trees, I love how they adapt and make use of just about everything.

It's still too hot to cook...so another antipasto platter. This one featuring a King Island dairy roaring forties blue, ham, hot sopressa, Sicilian lemon garlic olives, tiny radishes, bocconcini, avocado and mango relish. Served with dark rye bread. I'm itching to try out some of my new indian ingredients, maybe today it will be cooler.

Breakfast at Ann's - toast with homemade jam, dates, fried things, rice flour cakes with coconut milk and a fried egg each. More than adequate. Notice the hand basin in the background, common in many dining rooms so people can wash their hands before eating. On to the Alleppey backwaters, the rice bowl of India (one of many). Lunch at Emerald Isle homestay. Grilled fish, beetroot pickle, zucchini, green beans, salad, pappads and rice with coconut mango chutney. This is the local rice (johdi I think) with really plump grains, delicious.

That's funny. I saw many of those wine lookalikes. Initially I thought this is good, closer inspection revealed the truth. The only places you can buy alcohol in Kerala are the state run stores, or at a gritty local bar (if it's not a banned day), or as a guest at a five star resort. We didn't stay at any five stars, but did go to one for lunch and dinner ! Agree, India is worth it, got to love those lime salt sodas.

Here's a photo of one of the state run liquor stores. From the backwaters near Alleppey five of us took a boat across the river, then crammed into one auto rickshaw for a 10 minute ride. The booze is in a cage, no credit card accepted (weird when the country is trying to become cashless).

Since you asked, yes, getting alcohol was difficult everywhere we went (except Pondicherry). This bottle was bought the day before in one of the state run liquor stores (an experience in itself). In Kerala every public holiday is dry, the first of the month also dry. In Tamil Nadu we had a three day ban due to protests/strikes, and then again in the lead up to Republic Day. Interesting about eating beef. We did see it on a menu in a five star hotel in Cochin, it was imported. We were told the communist party currently runs Kerala...

I couldn't tell you how many species are grown on this 25 acre property. Rubber is the main crop, there's also many different fruit trees, myriad spices, a vegetable garden, coffee, a small herd, and teak for furniture. We had an interesting walk in the misty early morning with Ann's husband, Alex. Up hill, down dale, along back roads, about 90 minutes and a good workout. Tapping the rubber trees. The production area, with fresh sheets drying. This pineapple was cut for us to take away. The cows.

I helped cook dinner, well, okay I stirred the egg and potato curry, while taking photos with my phone. First heat coconut oil, fry black mustard seeds, lots of red onions, ginger, garlic, whole green chillies, then coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and chilli powder and a huge handful of curry leaves. Next we add coconut milk from freshly grated coconut mixed with warm water, blended and squeezed through a sieve and some tomato sauce. Salt water is added to taste, then boiled peeled potatoes, stir stir, then halved hard boiled eggs. Virtually everything comes from the property. Check out the knife... Dinner is served. We bought a bottle of the local indian wine to celebrate both Republic Day in India and Australia Day, January 26. This is a Sauvignon Blanc, quite drinkable if pricey.

I agree, I posted that just to show that the middle class Indians are no different to us. We did chat to them, they're from Pondicherry and were very cosmopolitan.

No, @rotuts they don't eat them. The bulls will be put to work in fields or pulling carts, the cows are milked. The dairy products are prolific here.

As we descend, the tea plantations give way to rubber. We spend the night at a homestay in the middle of one, and learn all about the production. First though, we must eat lunch. From 12.00 clockwise, pappads, fish fry, rice, veg cutlets, Russian salad, chicken fry, lemon pickle, fruit from the property. Then, time for afternoon coffee. Our hostess Ann was very open about allowing me into her kitchen. She has two, a large demonstration kitchen where she runs cooking classes, and a two square meter everyday kitchen behind. She makes the coffee by boiling water in a vase shaped vessel, adds powdered coffee (grown on the property) a few cardamom pods (also grown here) crushed with the heal of a knife, and boils again. It was delicious served with appom (a snack made with semolina wrapped in leaves) and fruitcake made yesterday.

Pork steaks marinated in the satay style, cooked on the barbie with fresh pineapple. Served on a bed of salad leaves, with a cool cucumber salad and a fresh lime salt soda.

We drive down the western side of the mountain range passing mile after mile of tea plantations. Tours, tastings and tea to purchase are all available. If Tamil Nadu is the land of temples, Kerala is the land of churches...thousands of them. There's a church at the top of these steps. Coffee at the Hillview restaurant where the owner pointed out some of the 400 houses, 5 churches, and 3 bus routes on the mountain across the valley. I snuck into the kitchen. The weekly cattle market, where big wads of cash were changing hands.