In Varkala - its a tough choice between 'Maxican' and 'Greesh'

I could have spent several days or weeks just looking at the seaside activities that form a part of the typical day at Papanasam beach in Varkala. I must start by admitting that I only caught the sunrise once. That too from my room which faced the Arabian Sea and was close enough to hear the waves crashing all through the night. The sun rise was lovely but my pillow felt lovelier so I went back for a snooze!

Had I ventured out before the crack of dawn I would have seen a dozen or more priests create little mounds of sand and prepare the prayer material for religious visitors who arrive at dawn to perform specific rituals.

 

This is what the scene is like just before breakfast time when the priests have started their prayers.









Around the same time local fishermen who have been parked out in the sea the night before come back with a haul of fresh fish. We saw the dots of light every night where their tiny boats were bobbing up and down on the huge waves.

After the morning prayers the finely dressed locals head to the waters.

 



Following the lazy mornings we were faced with the same question each day at lunch time – will this restaurant serve anything other than  ‘Maxican’ or ‘Greesh’  :D  



In fact, as we discovered one evening in the Mid-Cliff (helipad) area, all the restaurants have an identical menu. When ours ran out of spinach one day, the waiter went next door to check if the neighbours had any! (They didn't and we had to settle for a rubbery tandoori roti and an average dal fry).

Sadly the town is almost bare of restaurants serving local fare apart from fish-based dishes. As vegetarians we struggled to find our favourite dosas, utthapams and thorans. Some British tourists I bumped into had the same view. We all moaned that we didn’t come this far to have pasta, chowmein and paneer masala!  

 

We nearly knocked on the doors of the friendly  locals to get some rice, sambhar and coconut chutney. I hope someone works out soon that we would love to have more local food in Varkala as we watch the turquoise waves lapping against the sand.

In between lazing on the beach and sipping fresh coconut water, we visited the Ayurvedic centre next door (Eden) and enjoyed the shirodhara oil therapy. Highly recommended but expect the oil to stay in your hair for a week no matter how hard you shampoo. We wandered around the temple/ beach area and discovered a little shop selling soap.

Much to my chagrin, someone has launched a soap brand in my name. First there was Ira the tablet that is yet to see the light of day and now this organic soap. Enough I say!





 

While on the subject of ‘organic’ this sentence on a local wall has got to take the cake (or the payasam)!

No matter where I am in India I feel at home instantly when I see vehicles parked in front of a ‘No Parking’ sign and warning that police may be around.

On my latest wish list are more mornings that start like this….

 

 
And more evenings that end like this….

Au revoir Varkala.