I have been thinking a lot about what to say in this blog because there are two sides to each location. The location themselves were nice, interesting. The people were also nice, friendly. Cleanliness was the issue. When I lived in Qatar and worked at an international school, when someone was traveling to India they…
Tag: Arakal Heritage Homestay
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Moments
This is Feisty! She lives under one of the blue carts (little tea shops) at the beach! She is a wary, nervous little dog who loves attention! Sometimes she joins Popeye and Olive in beach play – but mostly she keeps to herself. <3 Crows at the beach! The crows will hop along the sand…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Moments
India. The names conjures up a dichotomy of images from the peaceful, spiritual ideal of yoga retreats and ashrams, to the chaos of crowded cities overflowing with crime, garbage and slums. Michael and I have been in the southwestern village of Mararikkulam North for almost a month, staying at a rustic, oceanside homestay called Arakal…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Sun & Surf & Crows & Eagles & Puppy Play!
Doing our five minute walk to the beach from our homestay, Arakal Heritage we were joined by our friends Popeye and Olive! Another friend joined us! She is younger than Popeye and Olive, lives at the beach under this cart and is full of feistiness!!! Michael was excited to play in the surf! Popeye wasn’t…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Moments
I hope you enjoy these small moments of everyday life during Michael and I’s first two weeks steeped in the humid heat of the Indian summer! Our day at Arakal Heritage Homestay starts with coffee. This morning our table is decorated with flowers from my recent 50th birthday! One morning, as we sipped our coffee…
Mararikkulm North, Kerala, India – Us, The Dogs and The Waves!
Two “wild” dogs living in the fishing neighborhood along the beach have become our friends! Michael has affectionately called our four-legged companions, Popeye and Olive! On our way to the beach, a five minute walk from our villa at Arakal Heritage Homestay, while we walk the path along the fisherman’s homes, Popeye and Olive always…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – My 50th Birthday!
A month ago, if you would have said I’d be celebrating my 50th birthday at a rustic homestay in a small coastal village of southwestern India, I wouldn’t have believed you because of the busy life I was living in Qatar! But life, like an ocean has small waves and big waves. Michael and I…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Meeting Up With a Water Buffalo!
While Michael was running an errand, I decided I would walk the short distance to the beach from our villa at Arakal Heritage Homestay. As I started crossing the log bridge, something caught my eye and I turned to see a water buffalo laying in the stagnant water! Thrilled with this discovery, I immediately started…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Popeye! Our New Four-Legged Friend!
It had been our experience while living in Qatar, that many of the Indian and Nepalese workers were terrified of dogs. Here, while in India we see wild dogs (wild is used loosely) wandering around. Our homestay family at Arakal Heritage does not like dogs – their belief is dogs carry rabies and disease and…
Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India – Election Day in Kerala
April 23rd was voting day in Kerala as part of the 2019 Indian general election. This country wide election is held in seven phases, from April 11th – May 19th. If I understand the process correctly, this is how the people choose their representatives – members of parliament (MP’s) in the Lok Sabha, also called…