[B103]

Awesome. Lots of nostalgia too. Nice camera work.

I've forwarded to colleagues at work and seems like everybody wants to go there. Thanks again.

[r_nairtvm]

Hi Lalu

Thanks for doing this. My resolve to return soon has now closer to "soonest".

The familiar sights bring back the forgotten sounds as well - loud and clear - of the paths driven and ridden in the past and in my case added some more cement on my resolutions

As Kutts said we often ignore our own back yard

I am going to be glued to this.

Hey ! What happened to the monkeys in Shasthamkotta, hope they are still there

The B/W painting you found in Krishnapuram is like the "Banjo Player" by Raja Ravi Varma. If I am not totally wrong it could have been a blow up of the artist's initial sketch

Lalu, you know I have been to most of these places (Thenmala was still a undeveloped forest though) first time when I was the age of your younger daughter, with my Grand dad. He use to always tell me (latter in life) best way to cherish our land is to go to the places like the traditional tourist spots, temples, churches and mosques (I wish you had visited the "Bima Pally" whilst you were in TVM) and the kid will automatically grow up respecting all religion and our culture. I am sure your kids will grow up to be wonderful human beings if not anything else.

Keep it comming please

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

[laluks]

Originally Posted by kutts

Great travelogue. Funny that we guys from Trivandrum travel outside the state to visit new places when there is some much to explore here itself.

Thanks kutts. So true, we often tend to overlook our own places.

Originally Posted by B103

Awesome. Lots of nostalgia too. Nice camera work.

I've forwarded to colleagues at work and seems like everybody wants to go there. Thanks again.

Thanks B103

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Hi Lalu

Thanks for doing this. My resolve to return soon has now closer to "soonest".
....
Hey ! What happened to the monkeys in Shasthamkotta, hope they are still there

The B/W painting you found in Krishnapuram is like the "Banjo Player" by Raja Ravi Varma. If I am not totally wrong it could have been a blow up of the artist's initial sketch

...... I am sure your kids will grow up to be wonderful human beings if not anything else.

Thanks Ram for the kind words.

I could not spot any monkeys at Sasthamkottah, their absense was quite obvious. Probably they all would have been at the other side of the temple.

That painting was from the resort. I made it look like the sketch

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

We stopped immediately. PPGs were screaming"aana" "aana" (elephant elephant). I stopped and got out to see what the excitement was all about. A mahout was giving his elephant a bath. How many times I would have seen this in my child hood? I just realised the PPGs are seeing an elephant being given bath for the first time!! I too joined the excitement and clicked some pictures

See how the mahout makes the elephant lie down in the water










So adorable and cute


Jr. PPG gets it all in her camera.


Certain things which I considered obvious were not so obvious for my PPGs. Lessons Learnt!

continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

I walked in the stream a little to get a shot of the old rail bridge.

Checking the click


The old rail bridge






Jr. PPG at the bridge


Me too joined her


Time to go forward


continued...

[denver85]

Amazing Lalu, excellent clicks. Any place, through your lens is a Special Treat for eyes
You never go below 'Exceed Expectations'. Well deserved 5 stars

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

We then checked out the abandoned Thenmala Railway Station






















continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

We went to the Culture Zone at Thenmala Eco Tourism. This is from where you have to collect your tickets to the various zones like Adventure and Leisure.


Parked Civvy


Got us some quick lunch


We never knew we had to pre order lunch here for them to keep it ready. We were happy with what they could provide.

If you are visiting, call them and tell them in advance what you would need.


There was a Mountain Biking Challenge from November 2nd to 4th at Thenmala


Some details on the Mountain Biking Challenge
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle4057007.ece

More than 20 international riders are expected to “pedal” open the country’s first edition of the international mountain cycling competition—Mountain Biking Challenge-MTB Kerala—that gets under way in the ecotourism destination of Thenmala on Friday.
International riders
International riders from Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka have confirmed their participation.
More than 50 national participants, representatives of State cycling units, cycling boards such as the Indian Army and Railways are participating in the three-day event to be flagged off from Thenmala by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Cross country
The international open cross-country competition will be held on Friday at Thenmala and international cross-country competition on Sunday at Kovalam.
The cross-country tracks pass through hilly stretches of lush tropical Thenmala forests, and the four cross-tracks laid in the sunny landscapes of Kovalam will be a thrilling experience for the participants, according to the organisers.
The three-day event is being organised by Kerala Tourism in association with Union Cycliste Internationale and Cycling Federation of India.
The event aims at making Kerala the future hub of annual international mountain cycling events.

continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

After lunch we checked out the Thenmala Adventure Zone

We walked on the elevated walkway


The entry to the walkway


We were above the tree line




Wifey pauses for a look




Wifey checks out the strength


And me, my way the Tarzan way


PPGs rests for a while


They trek on


continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

PPGs enjoyed the walk


There is a small lake




PPGs checking out the lake


Boating too


Some games for the visitors


Wifey tries her best - results cannot be disclosed due to many reasons


Rain Tree !


We trekked on


"Kanthari Mulaku"- I don't even dare to touch it. It is so spicy.


That's about the adventure zone. Some rappelling, zip lining etc is available just for the feel of it.


continued...

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

We then went to the Public Aquarium maintained by Matsyafed




Guys who are familiar with fishes please help me in naming them. All I know is Gold Fish!


They had an amazing collection.






























continued...

[shabash]

You make me nostalgic....I have been in Bangalore only 10 years though, but I have not been to my home town Trivandrum (Mara Vandi Maddalam if Directly translation to Malayalam from English - Non-Mallus pls excuse) for a year now. Leaving in another 10 days...your pictures and travelogue gives me ideas...Thanks for the same.

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

More fishes - please help me tag them










Some one told me this one is Parrot fish! May be she looks like one!


Miss Kerala




It was time for us to leave the Aquarium


Neatly maintained and lots of varieties. We were happy to see them

continued...

[laluks]

Originally Posted by shabash

You make me nostalgic....I have been in Bangalore only 10 years though, but I have not been to my home town Trivandrum (Mara Vandi Maddalam if Directly translation to Malayalam from English - Non-Mallus pls excuse) for a year now. Leaving in another 10 days...your pictures and travelogue gives me ideas...Thanks for the same.

Thanks Shabash. Wishing you a nice trip.

We will help the non mallus

Tri - sounds like tree - Maram for tree in mallu
Van - a vehicle - Vandi for vehicle in mallu
Drum - maddalam for drum in mallu

So Trivandrum = Tri Van Drum = Mara Vandi Maddalam according to Shabash!

Originally Posted by denver85

Amazing Lalu, excellent clicks. Any place, through your lens is a Special Treat for eyes
You never go below 'Exceed Expectations'. Well deserved 5 stars

Thanks denver for the kind words

[laluks]

Day 01
28th October 2012

It was time to check out the Leisure zone


Jr.PPG seems to be tired!


No Not yet!


PPGs still have some energy left


We went to the sculpture garden










We made some new friends!


continued...