One of our most popular YouTube videos is of Tara and I riding and bathing an elephant at Elephant Junction in Thekkady, India. The whole experience was extremely memorable, and it was just a puzzle piece in our month-long exploration of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. It ended up being one of our favorite regions we visited during Read Post
Kerala Kitchen: South Indian Side Dishes
The names of these side dishes were told to me in the local language, Malayalam, and the cooking instructor didn’t know how to translate them. They’re basically: cabbage with coconut, beetroot without coconut and okra (aka – bhindi, aka- lady’s fingers) without coconut. I’m sure they have fancy restaurant menu names, but I couldn’t figure Read Post
Kerala Kitchen: Tomato Curry Recipe
So begins our adventure into South Indian dishes. The cuisine is much different in the south. Coconut and coconut oil are often found on the ingredient list, and fish is a favorite of the south as well (sadly, I have no fish recipes to share). These dishes are surprisingly quick and easy to make, and Read Post
Video: Touring Periyar National Park, India
We took a dawn to dusk range hiking and rafting tour of Periyar National Park (though it is also billed as a Wildlife Sanctuary or Tiger Reserve). The experience was somewhat eerie as we did not see many animals and the park felt desolate. It did not help that Periyar Lake is a man-made lake, Read Post
Video: Riding And Bathing Elephants Thekkady, India
While in Thekkady, India we jumped at the opportunity to ride and bathe an elephant. It was a great experience and really fell in love with these gentle giants. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJH-G5y5yI?t=10s]