If you happen to be in Kerala, you can’t lose an opportunity to take a boat trip along the lakes and channels, known as Kerala backwaters. The area parallel to Arabian Sea, it includes 5 lakes linked by channels, and I did not hesitate to call it ‘the Venice of India’.
What made this trip very special is that it was Thierry’s birthday present to me, absolutely unforgettable one…
So early in the morning we left for Alappuzha (or Alleppey) where our boat trip would start. The boats are actually floating houses, able to accommodate up to 8-10 people, not including the crew. For the next 24 hours we had a comfortable cabin and a cosy area on the deck, and own captain and chef!
We spent a very relaxing day, drifting down the channels, enjoying the views of the calm water, reflections of the sun on it, palm trees. The scenery is truly amazing! We saw local people bathing, boys playing in the water, women doing their laundry and men transporting goods on canoes. Thierry was offered to sail the boat, and he certainly took his chance to practice his sailing skills.
In the evening, before the dinner with a cake, a surprise was waiting for me. A pair of cute earrings with aquamarine was lying on the bed, a present from Thierry. Yes, I agree with you – my boyfriend is such an amazing guy!
I have already mentioned that I love food in Kerala. It is not as hot spicy as northern Indian cuisine is, but it is so delicate and full of flavours as almost every dish is cooked with coconut milk. 
