Tom and Maria in Kerala, India

First time blogger-bear with me! As you know, Amy and Paul had a second marriage ceremony in Kumbalanghi on Feb. 17. This is in the state of Kerala, on the southwest coast of India. What an experience this was! I will attempt to share a little of the feel of the country and some photos as I learn what to do here. As you can see by the photos, it is tropical and very beautiful.

We were the most impressed with the people we met. They were gentle, kind, self-effacing, happy, affectionate, generous and anxious to please. They live very simply and work very hard. They live without most of the modern conveniences that we take for granted. They cook over wood fire pits and on hot plates. Hot water is at a premium. Air conditioning is rare. Power outages are common and taken for granted. Most families own only a motor scooter. Several times we saw a man, his wife and two small children on one scooter. They live off the land and waste nothing. The coconut is a good example-they eat the meat, drink the milk, have multiple uses for the shell and use the husk of the shell to make coir, one of their largest exports. The wood from the coconut tree is used for flooring and furniture. The fronds are woven into roofing material. And I almost forgot-they make a potent alcoholic drink from the coconut called 'toddy'.

The Rupee is worth two and a half cents, contrasted with the Euro, which is worth $1.50. This translated to about $30 a night at an Indian Bed & Breakfast, and $200 in a French mid-priced hotel.