[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

They were equally perplexed too


The resort guys were getting all the coconuts down on a lean day








The coconut episode

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLEK2...=youtube_gdata

This is the killer machine


continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

A last look at the peaceful Ashtamudi for now






It was finally time for us to leave the resort


We left the resort by 12:00 noon and started our onward journey to Bangalore. We had one more church to visit en route at Sasthamkottah.

continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

We reached Mar Elia Chapel at Punnamoodu near Bharanikkavu by 13:00 hours








We offered our prayers






You can see Sasthamkottah lake from here too
















Look at the invitees - Dalai Lama and APJ Abdul Kalam


By 13:30 hours we started our drive to Bangalore


continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

A beautiful statue


It belonged to St. Thomas Church


By 14:00hours we were some where near Adoor


By 14:45 we reached the famous Suspension bridge at Punalur


I went out looking for some good angles


The bridge is a protected monument


It was built in 1877


Old world charm


With a modern visitor

Punalur Suspension Bridge

The Punalur suspension bridge crossing the river is the only suspended-deck type in south India. Built in 1877 by Albert Henry across the Kallada River, this huge bridge was suspended by three spans and was used for vehicular movement. Construction took more than six years. It is said that after completion of the bridge people hesitated to walk through the bridge. In order to prove the strength of the bridge the engineer and his family passed under the bridge in a country boat while six elephants were walking through the bridge. Now the bridge is only of historical interest.

The main concept behind the construction of this bridge was that areas on the other side of the river Kallada was dense forests. The need of a bridge was necessary , but the problem was through a concrete bridge, wild animals can easily pass to the populated area so to prevent that a bridge which shakes when some one enters was built and finally it succeeded.

The bridge is connected to four wells. The iron rods of the bridge is connected to the clips, situated in the wells. Each well is of about 100 feet deep and no one since know the engineering behind the construction of this bridge.

The river which flows below this bridge incidentally joins Ashtamudi Lake, and we were in the boat traversing the small canals in Monroe Thuruthu

continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

Some more pictures of Punalur Suspension Bridge


















continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

By 15:30 hours we reached the famous 13 Kannara Palam (Bridge)




















continued....

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

There was a plea to preserve this bridge.


http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle3921077.ece

A.T. Philip, member of the Thenmala block panchayat, has petitioned the Railway Ministry to ensure that the 13-arch railway flyover near Thenmala be preserved during the gauge conversion work. “A view of the 108-year-old flyover is simply breathtaking.”


He said that while concrete jacketing of the bridge was required for broad gauge trains, such work should not mar the beauty of the flyover which ran parallel to the Kollam-Thirumangalam National Highway. The concrete jacketing carried out on a bridge near Punalur spoiled the look of the colonial structure.

Some more pictures of the bridge












By 15:45 it was time for us to leave


continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

We took a turn from Puliyangudi to Sankarankoil

Some where near Puliyangudi




Sankaran Koil




From Sankaran Koil we drove towards Koviplatti, where we will join the NH to Salem

A few kilometers before Kovil patti we found a nice field.


We parked there and waited for the sunset






continued...

[laluks]

Day 08
04th November 2012

Beautiful sunset















After the sunset we started by 18:00 hours to Bangalore. We stopped in between for an hour for dinner


Day 09
05th November 2012


We reached Bangalore by 01:00 hours.

A total of 2324Kilometers and a wonderful trip.


Immediately crashed to bed.




By 09:00AM I am in office presenting some strategies on the screen and PPGs at school with all their homework not done


The End

[laluks]

This is what Google earth shows of our beautiful trip.
(click to enlarge the map)


Thanks for reading

[vrvarier]

Awesome !! I was in kollam for 4 year doing my engineering (90-94) and was oblivious to its beauty. May be I took it for granted. I dont have any questions except:
I ask this to many of the tough nuts who travel with their family: How are you keeping your ppgs engaged all the while you drive? Any tricks that we dont know?

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by laluks

Day 08
04th November 2012
Punalur Suspension Bridge

Look at those those park benches on both ends of the famed bridge. Nice place to sit and enjoy the evenings close to the old world charm.

We also enjoyed your travel to the same extent through this fantastic travelogue.
Keep traveling & keep clicking.

[roamingrao]

This log deserves to be recorded as a comprehensive handbook / guide for anybody visiting Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and around. Thanks for sharing.

A treat to the eyes, coupled with an emotional feel which only you could feel and convey.

Wish I could rate this log again..

[laluks]

Originally Posted by vrvarier

Awesome !! I was in kollam for 4 year doing my engineering (90-94) and was oblivious to its beauty. May be I took it for granted. I dont have any questions except:
I ask this to many of the tough nuts who travel with their family: How are you keeping your ppgs engaged all the while you drive? Any tricks that we dont know?

Thank you vrvarier.

PPGs have their own cameras, some of the pictures I used are from their collection. They keep themselves busy by clicking and when they are at the resort by reading their collection of books.

Also they make plans as to what would be ideal to eat at the next stop

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Look at those those park benches on both ends of the famed bridge. Nice place to sit and enjoy the evenings close to the old world charm.

We also enjoyed your travel to the same extent through this fantastic travelogue.
Keep traveling & keep clicking.

Thanks rajeev. The entry to the bridge has two gates at both sides, which are kept locked. The only way you can use those benches are by trespassing

Originally Posted by roamingrao

This log deserves to be recorded as a comprehensive handbook / guide for anybody visiting Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and around. Thanks for sharing.

A treat to the eyes, coupled with an emotional feel which only you could feel and convey.

Wish I could rate this log again..

Thank you roamingrao for the kind words. Heartening to know you liked the log.

[A.G.The Rambler]

Another cracker of a travelogue. Reading this was like on the journey. Excellent. Photos were as usual the laluks style. Too good. Got to know a lot about the lesser known places in kerela.