Varkala Beach: 28th To 30th of May

Varkala beach, 60 kms north of Trivandrum (Kerala), is the most beautiful beach we've seen on this trip. It is surrounded by high cliffs and trees but no roads....

The backwaters, on the way to Varkala.

Small beach, a few hundreds metres from the main one.

Sunset on Varkala cliff.

Fort Kochin: 18th To 28th of May

Kochin is a nice and quiet town on an island. We enjoyed a lot our relaxing stay there.

Fort Kochin, in Kerala, is famous for his chinese fishing nets.

We were recruited to work as extras on a Kerala movie. The shooting was on a beautiful beach on an other island.

In our set costumes!

The Katakali dance performance, traditional from Kerala. It's a mix of theatre, mime and dance performed by men in beautiful costumes and make up.

Trivandrum 1/06 To 3/07 : Tabla

Trivandrum has many local schools of music. I was very lucky to decide to call the Wren school of music when I saw the little sign in the street. It has been a fantastic experience to spent one month around the different teachers, students, tabla maker of this school and their friends and family.

Rakesh, a young tabla prodigy, has been my teacher for 5 weeks, 5 times a week at WREN School of Music and fine arts, a local charitable school. He taught me the traditionnal thalas (rythms) and notes of the Dehli Garana.

Uthaman, the Tabala maker.

We lived 2 weeks in the school and Uthaman was staying some nights as well to make tabala...

Night practice with Uthaman.

With Moses, the school director, a dedicated and generous man.

Trivandrum, 1st June - 3rd of July

Ilaria's massage training at Kerala Ayurvedic Health care

Shirodhara: medicated warm oil poured continuosly over head for 45 min.

With Miyuki and Sultana during theory class.

Graduation with Doctor J. and Doctor R.

Kovalam and nearby fishermen village with our friend Devan

In our time off, when we were not studying hard, respectively Tabala and massage, we spent 3 week ends of June in a heavenly coastal village, 30 km south of Trivandrum, and 2km from Kovalam. We were very lucky to meet Devan, the kindest Maleyalan (from Kerala) man, who hosted us in his hut located in the most peacefull place. He showed us his village and the backwaters on a boat ride, and invited us to his family place for lunches and dinners.

How lucky we have been! He made us feel very special!

The mosque in the background....

.... and few metres away, the temple.

Kerala, "God's own country"

Rope making with coconut fibres. Main activity of the women in the village.

Chai making, Kerala style, for breakfast.

And Kerala style brakfast with Appam, curry, masala egg, papadham, banana and chai (Tea). Hut service....

Boat ride on the backwaters in the morning.

Deserted island between the sea and the backwaters.

Devan's lovely family, in front of his house. This very poor family has treated us like kings!

Hampi. 11th To 13th of May

Hampi is a magnificent place, a holy valley of hundreds of Hindu and Jain temples; its village is built on a river bank surrounded by an amazing natural scenery of rocks, sandy hills and banana plantations.

The main temple, from the roof top of our guest house.

Videos to come.....

We met Raju, a funny guy who walked us to a peaceful and clear water lake above the village. After swimming and touring with him he brought us back to the village in his fishing boat made of coconut leaves.

The river where the inhabitants wash their clothes, themselves and their elephants.

Namaste!

Goa. 8th To 11th of May

We didn't expect very much from our stay in Goa.
We actually loved it!. Much quieter, wilder and more beautiful than we thought.

We decided at the very last minute in the train, to stop in the North of the state. A french guy who lives there advised us to go to Mogin and sent us to a hotel which would have been a bit expensive in the high season but was now 5 times cheaper, and all for us. So much better to go there at this time of the year!!













Mogin Beach, late afternoon, when we arrived.


Ilaria being "robbed" for the 1st time by a very nice seller above Varbator Beach...



Hindi temple in a small village between Mogin and Vargator.

We were travelling in scooter and 1 night, coming back from the Guru cafe in Anjuna beach, we heard some music coming out from another temple. We were hesitating to go inside but as soon as somebody saw us, they offered us some food and soda. We went inside and enjoyed the end of the tabla and vocal performance. Magic!! But of course no picture...

At the Hilltop cafe in Vargator with Martin from England who is at the end of his 17th trip in India. He shared with us some of his memories.... original Trance parties, holy cities in the state of Rajasthan...

1st stop: Mumbai. 4th May to 9th May

Mumbai is hot, busy, noisy, dirty... as we were told before but it's also a very interesting place full of culture, history, character.

Gandhi House and museum (Mani Bhavan), where he lived on Malabar hill.

A pool in the middle of Banganga village, a medieval quarter in Mumbai.

2 of the kids that surrounded us wanting to play at Baganga village.

Hanging gardens (Mumbai).

Dharavi, the biggest slum in Asia, where the recycling factory is on 24-7. We did a tour of the slum with Reality tour travel and discovered that a slum is not just crime, dirt and danger but a place where people live and work in respect of each others religions and believes. (pictures to come..)

10pm Victoria terminus Stn in Mumbai: busy!!!

We are taking a night train to Goa.