I expected to see a lot of cows roaming about, but so far, it has been all about goats.

Also in Fort Kochi, we took a cooking class, and learned to make a bunch of masalas and dishes that we can never hope to replicate. There were tons of fresh spices that we have only ever seen powdered in a jar.. we are currently staying outside of Alleppey at a bed an breakfast run by an older Indian couple. We are getting a taste of authentic Keralan life and food. Including a lot of beetroot, which is surprisingly delicious here in Kerala. You should have seen the fear in our eyes the first time someone brought out a pot of shredded beets for us to try.

In Fort Kochi, they still use old Chinese fishing nets to catch fish.

I wasn't kidding about the ducks.This is maybe one quarter of the pack.

We have travelled south from Mumbai to the state of Kerala, on the southwestern coast of India. Last night, we stayed on a houseboat and cruised the "backwaters," checking out life along the water and a lot of ducks.

Cricketers on a Friday afternoon in Mumbai. We have found India to be pretty refreshing so far, after the hassles of Egypt (everyone wants you to buy something from their store...to the point where they try to lure you in by saying "no touch!" -- so the fact that they will not touch you and pull you into their store is a selling point). We also found that we are no longer the main attraction for local photographers...we had lunch the other day at a table next to a Bollywood star. Everyone wanted their photo with her instead...we were a little hurt until we realized that she is a legit celebrity!

Ancient carvings inside the caves on Elephanta Island, about an hour by boat out in the Mumbai harbor.

India!

We made it to India! We landed in Mumbai after a redeye from Cairo/Amman, and set out to see the sights. Here's the Gateway to India, built to commemorate the first visit of a British king, and the building to the left is actually a hotel. Not ours!