Enchanting Kerala

KERALA TOURISM NEWSLETTER

Impressions

Steve Wilkinson

Steve Wilkinson is no stranger to the quaint charm of God’s Own Country. A conference in Kerala five years ago was the first time he set foot in the state and ever since he has been in love with the sheer beauty of the land.

“The wonderful backwater cruise was the highlight of my Kerala trip! The land is so rich in beauty!” he said when describing his first trip to Kerala.

An early morning visit to Fort Kochi beach left Mr. Wilkinson awestruck as the beach was already a beehive of activity with several people exploring the beach and the surrounding areas. He found the entire melee surrounding the auctioning of fish to be an exceedingly interesting sight. It was something that he had never witnessed before. The Chinese fishing nets intrigued him and he spent a considerable amount of time to analyze and understand the machinery and its functioning. A seafood aficionado, the cuisine of Kerala has won him over. “The strong flavours and rich variety of the seafood here are incredible”, he said while thanking profusely the people for their kindness. He is also an admirer of the variety of Indian dishes.

The backwaters and Fort Kochi are his favourite destinations in Kerala but what he really wants to do during his next visit to Kerala is to play cricket with the local children. It is apparent in his twinkling eyes that their passion for the game and watching them play in the hot sun, thoroughly enjoying themselves in abandon has tempted the Englishman beyond words.

The only regret he has is not being able to witness in person the world renowned ancient art forms of the land- Kutiyattam and Kathakali.

“Next time, for sure” he smiles.