Palette of Images: Vacation Series: Kalady and Vembanad, Kerala

Recent trips to India have involved some travel and discovering some interesting places. One such visit was a short but lovely trip to Kerala to spend 2 days by Lake Vembanad.

We began the trip by flying into Cochin. We hired a car to drive us to Vembanad which was less than a 2 hour drive. Before we left Cochin we stopped at Kalady, the birthplace of a spiritual guru, Adi Shankara. The serene temple on the banks of the Periyar river surrounded by lush, softly swaying palm trees and views of the beautiful Shankara bridge in the distance transports you to a different era.

Heading out of Kalady we stopped for lunch at an authentic Kerala cuisine place. The spread, served on a banana leaf was lip smacking good and should not be missed if you're ever in Kerala.

By late afternoon we reached our boutique hotel on the banks of Lake Vembanad. It was just amazing water views for miles and miles as far as your eyes could see.The Vemabanad house is a very charming home repurposed into a hotel and built in the authentic Kerala architectural style. Clay tiled roofs, open sweeping verandahs, warm wooden beams on the ceiling of each room, and thoughtfully curated furniture and accessories that reflected the warmth and care of the hostess characterized this lovely home. The lush landscape was dotted with towering coconut trees and various flowering orchids and hibiscus, and meandering streams in the garden with charming benches, swings, and hammocks scattered throughout the property. We felt like we didn't need to go anywhere at all - this was enough and more.

Our first evening as spent visiting the famous Krishna temple in Alapuzha where we arrived just in time for the elaborate rituals that signify the evening Aarthi. The walls of the temple are lined with small niches that are lit up with oil lamps during festive days. Unfortunately that evening was not one of the festive days.

Waking up to a glorious sunrise on the lake and drinking hot coffee on the verandah with loved ones was the one of the best moments of the trip.

No trip to Kerala is complete without cruising the backwaters and we headed to Alleppey to hop on to a shikara to tour the canals. A shikara is a comfortable water taxi, with colorful upholstered seats to lounge in and a knowledgeable driver who took us through various canals. We were able to view many local scenes, people going about their chores and everyday life, as we rode past their houses on the edge of the canal.

We came back to the city and visited a few looms where some exquisite Kerala sarees were being woven by master weavers, shopped for souvenirs and of course, we couldn't go back without getting loads of delicious plantain chips.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped briefly at Marari beach - miles of sand lined with tall coconut trees and a peaceful, laid back vibe.

Our last evening of the vacation was spent relaxing at Vembanad House, catching the golden rays of sunset, and enjoying a delicious meal prepared by our hostess.

There's so much more to see and experience but that's for another time as it was time to head home the next day.

Scroll down for more pics of this little slice of heaven on earth.