travel
Hey everyone
Kerala the southernmost state in India has many names, they call it gods own country and rightfully so, lush green and pristine! they also call it the land of coconuts, the fruit that is an integral part of the culture and economy of the state and I would have just scratched its surface on my trip in Mid Jan but it was definitely a snapshot of the vibe and has left me wanting to go back!!!
Today i have put 15 facts or things to do/ expect from the state
- Culture is a great part in a travel experience and this state gives you loads, the people, the food, the dance all spectacular. We enetered Kerala and i was instantly in love to see the people wearing their traditional clothes women in the white cotton sari with thin Zari border and men wearing mundu, read here for full explanation.
- You see a lot of coconut, streets lined with coconut trees, coconut plantations, just about everywhere! All meals are prepared in coconut oil and its just used in about everything, beauty, massages, medicine, even the husk is used for cleaning. Nothing of this fruit goes to waste in Kerala.
- The western ghats one of the worlds top 10 hottest biodiversity hotspots run through Kerala.
- You get to drink a very special red water made from the fruit of a tree called ‘Pathimugam’ great for detox and loosing weight, you can also buy the dried version of the fruit and bring it with you. I drank it throughout and it tasted almost like water.
- Its a rice eating state and you see fields and fields of rice cultivation. Making a very pretty picture too! All the breads, if i can call them a bread, Appam, Dosa, Idli, Puttu, etc are made from rice flour.
- The world famous Kerala backwaters are a must do, you can have the best experience in Alleppey. Whether you choose to rent a houseboat or stay in a backwater village, etc all guarantee a great experience. In the rainy season the snake boat festival is very famous and that is when i hopefully plan to go this year.
- Eat - the payasam a sweet dish made from coconut milk, sugar and rice, they also do a jaggery version now. The Kerala fish fry- marinated fish steamed with fried masala in banana leaf. Puttu- a typical breakfast dish served with black gram curry. Appam with Avial- mixed vegetable in kerala spices, almost dry.
- Indulge in the world famous Kerala ayurvedic massage’s, i got 3 done during my stay, read my full experience here and they were very relaxing to say the least.
- Buy coffee and spices that brought invaders to India. Banana chips and fried masala packets. Kerala saree is a great buy too, you will see many multi level saree shops selling all kinds of sarees.
- Wear cotton and light fabrics to be comfortable in the tropical climate.
- Road drives are scenic and comfortable.
- Enjoy an evening of Kathakali, the traditional dance of kerala, usually organized as a to do activity by most hotels, but do confirm.
- Instagram lovers be happy kerala is full of instagram worthy spots, you can easily get pictures in a paddy field, in a coconut plantation, a road lined by coconut trees, in a spice garden, with the western ghats and if you do the backwaters in a houseboat, or the traditional kerala snake boat.
- Wearing the kerala traditional clothes can be a good experience.
- Visit a temple, the architecture is nothing like what you see in North India.
Have you been to Kerala? Are you planning a trip? Hope this post is helpful at some point!
Thank you for stopping by! See you with my next one.
Love
Chichi
Kerala travel, 15 facts to know
Hey everyone
Kerala the southernmost state in India has many names, they call it gods own country and rightfully so, lush green and pristine! they also call it the land of coconuts, the fruit that is an integral part of the culture and economy of the state and I would have just scratched its surface on my trip in Mid Jan but it was definitely a snapshot of the vibe and has left me wanting to go back!!!
Today i have put 15 facts or things to do/ expect from the state
- Culture is a great part in a travel experience and this state gives you loads, the people, the food, the dance all spectacular. We enetered Kerala and i was instantly in love to see the people wearing their traditional clothes women in the white cotton sari with thin Zari border and men wearing mundu, read here for full explanation.
- You see a lot of coconut, streets lined with coconut trees, coconut plantations, just about everywhere! All meals are prepared in coconut oil and its just used in about everything, beauty, massages, medicine, even the husk is used for cleaning. Nothing of this fruit goes to waste in Kerala.
- The western ghats one of the worlds top 10 hottest biodiversity hotspots run through Kerala.
- You get to drink a very special red water made from the fruit of a tree called ‘Pathimugam’ great for detox and loosing weight, you can also buy the dried version of the fruit and bring it with you. I drank it throughout and it tasted almost like water.
- Its a rice eating state and you see fields and fields of rice cultivation. Making a very pretty picture too! All the breads, if i can call them a bread, Appam, Dosa, Idli, Puttu, etc are made from rice flour.
- The world famous Kerala backwaters are a must do, you can have the best experience in Alleppey. Whether you choose to rent a houseboat or stay in a backwater village, etc all guarantee a great experience. In the rainy season the snake boat festival is very famous and that is when i hopefully plan to go this year.
- Eat - the payasam a sweet dish made from coconut milk, sugar and rice, they also do a jaggery version now. The Kerala fish fry- marinated fish steamed with fried masala in banana leaf. Puttu- a typical breakfast dish served with black gram curry. Appam with Avial- mixed vegetable in kerala spices, almost dry.
- Indulge in the world famous Kerala ayurvedic massage’s, i got 3 done during my stay, read my full experience here and they were very relaxing to say the least.
- Buy coffee and spices that brought invaders to India. Banana chips and fried masala packets. Kerala saree is a great buy too, you will see many multi level saree shops selling all kinds of sarees.
- Wear cotton and light fabrics to be comfortable in the tropical climate.
- Road drives are scenic and comfortable.
- Enjoy an evening of Kathakali, the traditional dance of kerala, usually organized as a to do activity by most hotels, but do confirm.
- Instagram lovers be happy kerala is full of instagram worthy spots, you can easily get pictures in a paddy field, in a coconut plantation, a road lined by coconut trees, in a spice garden, with the western ghats and if you do the backwaters in a houseboat, or the traditional kerala snake boat.
- Wearing the kerala traditional clothes can be a good experience.
- Visit a temple, the architecture is nothing like what you see in North India.
Have you been to Kerala? Are you planning a trip? Hope this post is helpful at some point!
Thank you for stopping by! See you with my next one.
Love
Chichi
Hey everyone!
Yoga and Ayurveda are probably the biggest gift of India to the world! The basic of both is being one not just with oneself but also nature i.e when the body, mind, soul and the surrounding are in unity. A state of bliss! As i said in this post i am striving for a blissfully simplistic and holistic lifestyle and that brought me to Kairali- the ayurvedic healing village in God’s own country, Kerala the southernmost state of incredible India.
Me and my best friend reached Kairali for a 3 nights weekend stay, our purpose was to relax in the lap of nature with all the coconut, native and medicinal trees, detox with ayurvedic food, practice yoga in clean natural surroundings and also indulge in the ayurvedic massages, the abhyanga, the shirodhara, and the potli kerala is world famous for. Our typical day would start at 5 in the morning with a bottle of the red water to drink called the pathimugam, great to detoxify followed by an hour long session of ashtanga yoga, then a 1.5 hour massage session followed by bath and breakfast. We would then chill in the property or walk around to explore the various gardens the herb garden, the medicinal garden etc. Eat our ayurvedic lunch around 1-1.30 and then rest for a couple of hours. The evenings were mostly spent getting a new massage done and an hour long meditation session followed by dinner around 7-7.30 and then sleep by 8.30-9 after some more walk in the property or a session of board game in the recreation centre.
Why to go to Kairali- 1. To relax and rejuvenate in holistic environment. 2. To practice yoga and meditation. 3. For curing diseases through ayurvedic medicine, yoga and holistic lifestyle 4. To loose weight. 5. To learn Ayurveda and Yoga.
How to get there- The nearest airport is Coimbatore and it takes about 1 hr 45 mins on car to reach the property. The journey is very smooth with beautiful scenery.
Best time to visit- For relaxation winter season is great from November- January. For Ayurvedic treatments rainy season July- September.
The Property- Situated in Palakkad, Kerala, world famous for its wellness centres and just a few kms from the world famous mountain pass between kerala and tamilnadu. Sorrounded by lakes and forests, you enter the property and you know you are in pristine environment. Lush green, almost 90% covered with natural habitant plants and trees. Stay options are 4 categories of cottages which are all good and basically depends on the size of your family. All built on the principles of Vastu Shastra and zodiac signs but i will suggest asking for the one that have been recently renovated as some cottages may be under repair work being taken care by the owners who want to keep the facility up to date. Talking of the owners, they are a family of 10 decades of Ayurvedic doctors so its really not to be said that the property is an extension of their experience in this field. Food served is traditional Kerala food like idiappam, Idli, Puttu etc prepared on the principles of ayurveda and the ingredients are either grown on the property or the fields owned by the owners nearby or sourced through barter with the local farmers. So everything you eat is seasonal and organic and i was surprised at how yum it tasted even though their was no oil and mild use of spices. There are a variety of packages depending on your need i.e treatment or rejuvenation. Yoga and meditation package, Yoga therapy, Ayurvedic treatment packages, Ayurveda and yoga training to name a few, check here for a full list. Whether for treatment or rejuvenation you get to indulge in the world famous kerala ayurvedic massages like the potli, shirodhara and abhyanga by trained kerala ayurveda masseurs dressed in the traditional Kerala Saree. The staff is courteous, eager to help and the doctors very well trained in ayurvedic medicine some coming from traditional ayurvedic families.
Kairali also has a hospitals license and runs ayurveda health centers in many cities in India like Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad to name a few and also countries like Japan, Poland, UAE, USA, Malaysia, etc.
I specially needed this kinda detox after months of unscheduled lifestyle because of my travels, some of you might recollect how calming it was from my instastories i did during the stay. In 3 nights I was fully relaxed, rejuvenated and prepared to take on the challenges of city and travelling life.
Thank you for stopping ! See you in my next one
Love
Chichi
Holistic rejuvenation, Kairali the ayurvedic healing village
Hey everyone!
Yoga and Ayurveda are probably the biggest gift of India to the world! The basic of both is being one not just with oneself but also nature i.e when the body, mind, soul and the surrounding are in unity. A state of bliss! As i said in this post i am striving for a blissfully simplistic and holistic lifestyle and that brought me to Kairali- the ayurvedic healing village in God’s own country, Kerala the southernmost state of incredible India.
Me and my best friend reached Kairali for a 3 nights weekend stay, our purpose was to relax in the lap of nature with all the coconut, native and medicinal trees, detox with ayurvedic food, practice yoga in clean natural surroundings and also indulge in the ayurvedic massages, the abhyanga, the shirodhara, and the potli kerala is world famous for. Our typical day would start at 5 in the morning with a bottle of the red water to drink called the pathimugam, great to detoxify followed by an hour long session of ashtanga yoga, then a 1.5 hour massage session followed by bath and breakfast. We would then chill in the property or walk around to explore the various gardens the herb garden, the medicinal garden etc. Eat our ayurvedic lunch around 1-1.30 and then rest for a couple of hours. The evenings were mostly spent getting a new massage done and an hour long meditation session followed by dinner around 7-7.30 and then sleep by 8.30-9 after some more walk in the property or a session of board game in the recreation centre.
Why to go to Kairali- 1. To relax and rejuvenate in holistic environment. 2. To practice yoga and meditation. 3. For curing diseases through ayurvedic medicine, yoga and holistic lifestyle 4. To loose weight. 5. To learn Ayurveda and Yoga.
How to get there- The nearest airport is Coimbatore and it takes about 1 hr 45 mins on car to reach the property. The journey is very smooth with beautiful scenery.
Best time to visit- For relaxation winter season is great from November- January. For Ayurvedic treatments rainy season July- September.
The Property- Situated in Palakkad, Kerala, world famous for its wellness centres and just a few kms from the world famous mountain pass between kerala and tamilnadu. Sorrounded by lakes and forests, you enter the property and you know you are in pristine environment. Lush green, almost 90% covered with natural habitant plants and trees. Stay options are 4 categories of cottages which are all good and basically depends on the size of your family. All built on the principles of Vastu Shastra and zodiac signs but i will suggest asking for the one that have been recently renovated as some cottages may be under repair work being taken care by the owners who want to keep the facility up to date. Talking of the owners, they are a family of 10 decades of Ayurvedic doctors so its really not to be said that the property is an extension of their experience in this field. Food served is traditional Kerala food like idiappam, Idli, Puttu etc prepared on the principles of ayurveda and the ingredients are either grown on the property or the fields owned by the owners nearby or sourced through barter with the local farmers. So everything you eat is seasonal and organic and i was surprised at how yum it tasted even though their was no oil and mild use of spices. There are a variety of packages depending on your need i.e treatment or rejuvenation. Yoga and meditation package, Yoga therapy, Ayurvedic treatment packages, Ayurveda and yoga training to name a few, check here for a full list. Whether for treatment or rejuvenation you get to indulge in the world famous kerala ayurvedic massages like the potli, shirodhara and abhyanga by trained kerala ayurveda masseurs dressed in the traditional Kerala Saree. The staff is courteous, eager to help and the doctors very well trained in ayurvedic medicine some coming from traditional ayurvedic families.
Kairali also has a hospitals license and runs ayurveda health centers in many cities in India like Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad to name a few and also countries like Japan, Poland, UAE, USA, Malaysia, etc.
I specially needed this kinda detox after months of unscheduled lifestyle because of my travels, some of you might recollect how calming it was from my instastories i did during the stay. In 3 nights I was fully relaxed, rejuvenated and prepared to take on the challenges of city and travelling life.
Thank you for stopping ! See you in my next one
Love
Chichi
Hey everyone!
I can never say no to Italy, its easily the number one country i am always happy to be in, the food, the people, the vibe, the sights and the fashion they all speak to me like music to my ears!!! Any city, town or village is special and i was glad to be in the fashion capital, Milan for the Milan fashion week.
Milan is the 3rd largest city in Europe after London and Paris and after witnessing it during the fashion week i would say it is the fashion capital. Style that is chic and effortless but interesting. As for travel, it may not be on the top of your list of places to visit in Italy, as it was not on ours when we did a 10 day trip to Italy in 2014 visiting Venice, Florence, Bologna, Tuscany and Rome. Because it is a city city to work and live and maybe not so much to offer from tourism point of view compared to other destinations in Italy so i would say its best done on a work trip or a night stopover or fashion week or a 2 day weekend.
I was in Milan for 3 nights and the main purpose was fashion but was able to cover almost everything the city has to offer.
Best Time and how to go around- Any time is a good time being the city that it is and per the usual for Europe, April to October. Milan is very well connected to almost everywhere in the world with direct flights to the city, I was flying from London and a quick check on sky scanner gave us easy jet, with return flight of around £90. Milan is serviced by two main airports the Malpensa and the linate. Linate being closer to the city taking about 20 mins and Malpensa at a distance taking around 1 hour to reach the city centre in taxi. After collecting our luggage we looked at uber and it strangely showed 20 mins for the car to reach the airport, before we could understand what and why we were met by the licensed taxi guys who were great salesman offering to take us to our apartment in 20 mins at €55, of course we checked the price on uber and it was around €40, we decided to take the taxi guys offer as we weren’t in the mood to wait after starting our day at 7 in the morning. There is connectivity by bus and train but there is always a change and walk and with luggage we were not up for it. Malpensa is far from the city so it usually costs about €100, on our return our flight was from Malpensa and luckily our Uber guy agreed to take us to the airport off meter for €85 #iloveitalians. Going around - the city is well connected by bus, tram and underground and you have to buy the tickets before boarding. But just like any european city it is best seen a bicycle or foot, we walked everywhere.
Where to stay- If your work does not require you to stay in a particular area its best to choose the centre specially if you are there just for a couple of days, having said that our apartment through hotel.com was not exactly in the centre but we were able to be in the centre in 30 mins on foot.
What to see- The Milan cathedral, Galeria Vittoria emanuele and Parco Sempione are very close to each other and can be literally done in half a day but of course you can choose to spend as much time to admire as your heart desires.
The Milan cathedral- Of course the number one and also the most instagrammed in Milan. It is one of the top 5 huge cathedrals in the world, definitely get a pic infront, took me atleast an hour to finally get one with the full view of the cathedral and without any photo bombers!!!
Galeria Vittoria Emanuele- The second most instagrammed place, actually a huge shopping mall with all the luxury shops at the duomo square. Suggestion is to go to the prada cafe get an espresso or latte and look down at the square and duomo.
Parco Sempione- A huge park which houses the Arco della Pace, very similar but not as huge as the arc de triomphe paris but admirable nonetheless specially in the surrounding.
Navigli District-Far from the centre but well connected by train, great to spend evenings around sunset and then have dinner at any of the many eateries!!!
Just walk around - 1. Chances are you will discover hidden gems 2. You will get to see the milan street style which is one of the best in the world.
Just walk around - 1. Chances are you will discover hidden gems 2. You will get to see the milan street style which is one of the best in the world.
Where to eat- The best food in Italy is always in the family run Trattorias and Osterias, the food is as great if not better in a smaller place as in a fancy restaurant so do not have to really spend. One very important tip is to book ur table before going in Milan as eateries are mostly full!
On our first night we ate at a family trattoria just down our apartment La rava e la fava, frequented by locals, you need to book in advance but luckily the lady was kind enough to seat us. It had great family hospitality and comforting Italian food the must try dishes are the Bollito and Pork ball risotto. You are greeted with a glass of wine on the house and you always get a sweet at the end of your meal whether you order dessert or no. Loved the food so much that we went again for lunch on our last day.
Also recommended by the locals were Bice and La salumaio both close by and about 10 mins walk from the centre and very fine places for dinner and lunch respectively.
A fine place to stop for evening snacks is Princi about 15 mins from the centre, must try tiramisu, profiteroles and cannoli.
We also came across a very interesting mobile Tram restaurant 5 mins from the Piazza Gae Aulenti, where i would have loved to dine if i had more time.
Hope this post was helpful! Have you visited Milan or are you planning to go?
Thank you for stopping by, See you in my next!
Love
Chichi
The Milan Travel Guide
Hey everyone!
I can never say no to Italy, its easily the number one country i am always happy to be in, the food, the people, the vibe, the sights and the fashion they all speak to me like music to my ears!!! Any city, town or village is special and i was glad to be in the fashion capital, Milan for the Milan fashion week.
Milan is the 3rd largest city in Europe after London and Paris and after witnessing it during the fashion week i would say it is the fashion capital. Style that is chic and effortless but interesting. As for travel, it may not be on the top of your list of places to visit in Italy, as it was not on ours when we did a 10 day trip to Italy in 2014 visiting Venice, Florence, Bologna, Tuscany and Rome. Because it is a city city to work and live and maybe not so much to offer from tourism point of view compared to other destinations in Italy so i would say its best done on a work trip or a night stopover or fashion week or a 2 day weekend.
I was in Milan for 3 nights and the main purpose was fashion but was able to cover almost everything the city has to offer.
Best Time and how to go around- Any time is a good time being the city that it is and per the usual for Europe, April to October. Milan is very well connected to almost everywhere in the world with direct flights to the city, I was flying from London and a quick check on sky scanner gave us easy jet, with return flight of around £90. Milan is serviced by two main airports the Malpensa and the linate. Linate being closer to the city taking about 20 mins and Malpensa at a distance taking around 1 hour to reach the city centre in taxi. After collecting our luggage we looked at uber and it strangely showed 20 mins for the car to reach the airport, before we could understand what and why we were met by the licensed taxi guys who were great salesman offering to take us to our apartment in 20 mins at €55, of course we checked the price on uber and it was around €40, we decided to take the taxi guys offer as we weren’t in the mood to wait after starting our day at 7 in the morning. There is connectivity by bus and train but there is always a change and walk and with luggage we were not up for it. Malpensa is far from the city so it usually costs about €100, on our return our flight was from Malpensa and luckily our Uber guy agreed to take us to the airport off meter for €85 #iloveitalians. Going around - the city is well connected by bus, tram and underground and you have to buy the tickets before boarding. But just like any european city it is best seen a bicycle or foot, we walked everywhere.
Where to stay- If your work does not require you to stay in a particular area its best to choose the centre specially if you are there just for a couple of days, having said that our apartment through hotel.com was not exactly in the centre but we were able to be in the centre in 30 mins on foot.
What to see- The Milan cathedral, Galeria Vittoria emanuele and Parco Sempione are very close to each other and can be literally done in half a day but of course you can choose to spend as much time to admire as your heart desires.
The Milan cathedral- Of course the number one and also the most instagrammed in Milan. It is one of the top 5 huge cathedrals in the world, definitely get a pic infront, took me atleast an hour to finally get one with the full view of the cathedral and without any photo bombers!!!
Galeria Vittoria Emanuele- The second most instagrammed place, actually a huge shopping mall with all the luxury shops at the duomo square. Suggestion is to go to the prada cafe get an espresso or latte and look down at the square and duomo.
Parco Sempione- A huge park which houses the Arco della Pace, very similar but not as huge as the arc de triomphe paris but admirable nonetheless specially in the surrounding.
Navigli District-Far from the centre but well connected by train, great to spend evenings around sunset and then have dinner at any of the many eateries!!!
Just walk around - 1. Chances are you will discover hidden gems 2. You will get to see the milan street style which is one of the best in the world.
Just walk around - 1. Chances are you will discover hidden gems 2. You will get to see the milan street style which is one of the best in the world.
Where to eat- The best food in Italy is always in the family run Trattorias and Osterias, the food is as great if not better in a smaller place as in a fancy restaurant so do not have to really spend. One very important tip is to book ur table before going in Milan as eateries are mostly full!
On our first night we ate at a family trattoria just down our apartment La rava e la fava, frequented by locals, you need to book in advance but luckily the lady was kind enough to seat us. It had great family hospitality and comforting Italian food the must try dishes are the Bollito and Pork ball risotto. You are greeted with a glass of wine on the house and you always get a sweet at the end of your meal whether you order dessert or no. Loved the food so much that we went again for lunch on our last day.
Also recommended by the locals were Bice and La salumaio both close by and about 10 mins walk from the centre and very fine places for dinner and lunch respectively.
A fine place to stop for evening snacks is Princi about 15 mins from the centre, must try tiramisu, profiteroles and cannoli.
We also came across a very interesting mobile Tram restaurant 5 mins from the Piazza Gae Aulenti, where i would have loved to dine if i had more time.
Hope this post was helpful! Have you visited Milan or are you planning to go?
Thank you for stopping by, See you in my next!
Love
Chichi
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