FERRY TO ALLEPPY 
7 Nov. ‘11
Today I moved from Fort Cochin to Alleppy the centre of the backwaters and house boat region. It involved two rickshaws, a short ferry, a few hour bus ride and later a longer ferry to an island. It was fun although the buses honk almost without pause and when there’s no reason. The traffic is a bit chaotic with the driver passing without the least idea of what type of traffic is approaching around the corner. The short ferry cost 2 1/2 rupees and the long one 41 (there’s 70 in a euro)
It’s funny to look at the signs along the streets, a large hospital is named after it’s specialty – “Piles Hospital” there must be many troubled in that direction here as one sees special services for them offered frequently. Many many places are named after saints and there are bright, freshly painted statues at many corners and grottos. All the religions apparently live in harmony with the majority being Hindu and the rest Muslim, Catholic, Jain and Buddhist.
This is one of the hundreds of Houseboats that ply all the large rivers around Alleppy. They are beautiful, expensive floating homes that have proliferated along with the tourist trade so that now there are over 1,500 causing pollution of the lovely backwaters. An overstay night or two on them with all meals served is one of the "musts" of a visit to this area. I didn't go so can't give any account of them but I stayed on the backwaters and took canoes and local ferries all through the small canals where these larger vessels cannot go.
Today I moved from Fort Cochin to Alleppy the centre of the backwaters and house boat region. It involved two rickshaws, a short ferry, a few hour bus ride and later a longer ferry to an island. It was fun although the buses honk almost without pause and when there’s no reason. The traffic is a bit chaotic with the driver passing without the least idea of what type of traffic is approaching around the corner. The short ferry cost 2 1/2 rupees and the long one 41 (there’s 70 in a euro)
It’s funny to look at the signs along the streets, a large hospital is named after it’s specialty – “Piles Hospital” there must be many troubled in that direction here as one sees special services for them offered frequently. Many many places are named after saints and there are bright, freshly painted statues at many corners and grottos. All the religions apparently live in harmony with the majority being Hindu and the rest Muslim, Catholic, Jain and Buddhist.
This is one of the hundreds of Houseboats that ply all the large rivers around Alleppy. They are beautiful, expensive floating homes that have proliferated along with the tourist trade so that now there are over 1,500 causing pollution of the lovely backwaters. An overstay night or two on them with all meals served is one of the "musts" of a visit to this area. I didn't go so can't give any account of them but I stayed on the backwaters and took canoes and local ferries all through the small canals where these larger vessels cannot go.
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