Day 38 Kumily, Kerala 20 February 2026 скачать в хорошем качестве

Day 38 Kumily, Kerala 20 February 2026

As we continued, the scenery changed again. We entered the Cardamom Hills, a major mountain range forming the heart of the Western Ghats. Both Munnar and Thekkady lie within these hills. “Yela Mala” - “Cardamom Hills” in Malayalam Elevation: 900–1,400 metres Produces 70% of India’s cardamom Home to the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR), established in 1822 by the Kingdom of Travancore This is one of the world’s most important spice‑growing regions. The air smells faintly of cardamom, pepper, and damp earth. Jayan pointed out women working among the plants - cardamom pickers. Like tea pluckers, they are mostly women because the work requires patience. Cardamom pods ripen unevenly, so each one must be picked by hand. We stopped at another spice farm for a short walk. At this rate, I’ll soon be a spice expert! Today I learned something new: the dark brown cloves we buy in supermarkets often have reduced medicinal value because the essential oil has been extracted. The reddish cloves are fresher and more potent. Another small but interesting discovery. It was too early to check in at my hotel, so Jayan recommended an Ayurvedic massage centre. I enjoyed a blissful one‑hour massage, warm oils, rhythmic strokes, and total relaxation. Kerala really is the home of Ayurveda. After checking in and freshening up, I went to the hotel restaurant, but at nearly 3 pm, it was deserted. So I ventured out and found a small local restaurant. I ordered Egg masala curry (perfect for a Friday in Lent), Vegetable korma and a Buttered chapati. Simple, tasty, and very cheap. I then went in search of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which I’d heard was nearby. Had I taken the right fork earlier, I would have found it immediately, but the walk did me good. On the way, I passed St George Orthodox Church, which was closed but beautiful. At Our Lady of Lourdes, I managed to photograph the interior through the locked gate. I noticed there were no pews, perhaps we’ll sit on the floor for Mass on Sunday. On my walk back, I passed a small shop with three steaming pots of tea at the entrance. The cinnamon tea caught my eye, so I stepped inside and ordered a cup, and, feeling indulgent, a bowl of butterscotch ice cream. Butterscotch seems to be a very popular flavour in India, and now I understand why. The ice cream was wonderfully refreshing in the warm afternoon, and the cinnamon tea was fragrant and comforting. After finishing both, I continued my walk back toward the hotel feeling pleasantly revived. A little further along, I spotted a small troop of monkeys, including a mother with what looked like a newborn baby clinging to her. They were sweet to watch and, thankfully, not a bother. At 5:30, Jayan took me to the Kadathanadan Kalari Centre to watch a performance of Kalaripayattu, Kerala’s ancient martial art, believed to be over 3,000 years old and traditionally attributed to Sage Parashurama. I enjoyed this far more than yesterday’s Kathakali show. The demonstration included weapon techniques, acrobatic leaps, gymnastic jumps over 3, increasing 1 at a time to 9 people, and a thrilling fire finale - including jumping through flaming hoops. I captured these on video. It was powerful, athletic, and utterly captivating. When we returned to the car, it wouldn’t start. I told Jayan I could walk back, but he insisted on putting me in a tuk‑tuk instead. I hope he manages to get the car sorted. Today was wonderfully varied - mountains, spices, churches, wildlife, ancient martial arts, and the quiet rhythms of hill‑country life. Kerala continues to surprise me, and I’m beginning to appreciate just how rich and diverse this state truly is.