One more time

There was no VandeBharat available for the return journey, but we can travel in a first-class compartment. With the option of lying down for a while. The train left by noon on Saturday. We had lunch on the way, and by three o'clock we were in Thiruvananthapuram, over 200 kilometres away. We didn't want the bother of looking for a hotel, and decided to go to the same hotel we had been to last time. We were a bit disappointed that they were renovating the hall at the moment, but the room was okay, the pool lovely and the breakfast delicious with plenty of options.

  We took our bags to our room, and decided that now was the perfect time to visit the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Trivandrum's most famous temple and, if the Malayali are to be believed, the richest temple in the world. Last time, we actually hardly toook a look at it. Simon had brought his dhoti, and on the spot it turned out that I would also have to wear a white saree. But once we queued up at the counter to buy the necessary clothes, we were picked out: No foreigners allowed. Apparently a fairly new practice, unbeknownst even to other visitors.

   During our walk around the temple - which we were fortunately allowed to do - we noticed that the complex is also very strictly guarded, by police and army. Taking photos was only allowed from a distance, and not with a camera, but only with a phone. Halfway through our tour, we came across a group of young ladies, beautifully made up and wearing brilliantly colourful clothes. They were going to perform in the temple, for their chosen god/goddess. Still, a nice photo opportunity. Of course, the group had to pose in front of the temple in all sorts of different compositions. But the photographers stayed neatly outside the temple area cordoned off with poles.

   After circumventing the temple, we walked a bit through the adjacent city area. We came across a wax museum there. This was not by the Madame Tussaud franchise, but set up by a self-taught artist who recreated several Indian celebrities. And he had done a good job at that! We stood face to face with Gandhi, Nehru and Modi, among others. We then took the rickshaw back to the hotel. After cooling off in our room, we had dinner at the rooftop restaurant. Tasty, convenient, and with a glass of Indian wine to go with it.

Visiting museums

the skeletons of an elephant and several other Indian land animals. The next room contained a huge number of stuffed birds from the Indian subcontinent. A third room contained wild animals from all over the world in very realistic poses. The arrangement was really beautifully done. But still, it felt a little uncomfortable, standing around looking at dead animals.

   After a stroll through the surrounding park, we entered the Napier Museum. This art history museum has been around since 1855, when it was the first museum of its kind in India, established by the then Maharajah of Travancore. The present building dates back to 1872 as the museum outgrew its premises. Already a magnificent structure from the outside, it is at least as beautiful on the inside. Upon entering, you can see through the entire building, up to the ceiling. In fact, it is one large hall, where mostly Hindu art is on display. In part of the museum, room has been made for the Indonesian collection of the maharaja of Travancore, with various statues and wajang dolls that he brought with him after visiting Java.

   After this, we had had our fill of museums for the day. It was nearing two o'clock, time to get something to eat. We walked a bit along the road and came across the Mascot Hotel. The air-conditioned restaurant was just what we needed, as it was quite hot in Trivandrum that day -over 30 degrees. During the meal, the assistant manager came up to us, asking which hotel we were staying in. She then spent a lot of time with us, showing us around the hotel and allowing us to check out a room. Part of the hotel was built in the 1930s. The rooms in that part were now being remodelled so that they could soon become the luxury suites again, they were originally built as.

   Like Bolgatty Palace, the Mascot Hotel is owned by the Kerala Tourist Development Corporation, an institution headed by the minister for tourism. The corporation owns a chain of hotels, resorts and restaurants all over Kerala. Next time we would visit Trivandrum, we really should stay at their hotel, the assistant manager assured us. She gave us her business card. We should give her a call, and then she would make a special price for us. Right.

   After another stroll through the surrounding area, which led past the Kerala legislative building, we returned to our hotel.

   A little further on the way to Varkala was an old British fort, Anjuthengu Fort. It was the first fort built in India by the British East India Company to counterbalance the Dutch. Also, in this fort years later, the Malayali uprising against the British had begun. The walls are one meter thick. The fort overlooks the Arabian Sea, and is actually no more than large square structure. It was mainly used for storing weapons and ammunition, and I suspect it once contained wooden buildings. Nothing of that remains now. What is preserved, however, is the oldest English grave in India, which also lies on the fort's grounds.

   Varkala beach is indeed a beautiful beach. A small, not too deep inlet in the coastline, embraced by cliffs. Simon had the idea to maybe go swimming in the sea, but the beach was cordoned off by the coast guard. There were guards walking around, who called people back who went too close to the waterline. The sea was also pretty rough. Big waves broke on the beach. Some as high as two meters. It looked like good water for (kite)surfing. Along the road and along the beach were many stores trying to lure passing tourists inside to buy (mainly) clothes. But it was still very quiet for now. The new tourist season really only starts next month, when the monsoon is officially over.

   In the meantime, we could enjoy the sun, the sea and a nice breeze. The restaurant where we had dinner was slightly above the beach, giving us a wonderful view. When we left via the back exit after eating, we ended up on top of the cliff after a short walk. Instead of going back and quickly coming out onto the beach again, we walked back via the road to the beach entrance where our driver was waiting for us. Instead of swimming in the sea, we splashed around in the hotel pool when we got back there.

Space-time

   On Tuesday, before our return trip, we visited the Science and Technologymuseum. This museum was a like combination of some Dutch museums we have visited during our lives. In the domed cinema hall, we saw an American film about the origins of the universe and meteorites, narrated by George Takei (Mr. Sulu from the original Star Trek series). Then in the 3D room, we saw a nature film like one we had seen years ago in a Dutch amusement park, followed by a somewhat exaggerated pirate roller coaster animation. They could have left that one out as far as we were concerned. In a large hall you could try out all kinds of fun facts about physics in experiments.

   There was a space exhibition, where you could learn all kinds of things about the planets and the sun, with interactive installations that you could turn or that would light up when you pushed the buttons. In yet another room, the amazing history of Indian space travel was explored in detail, with several rockets recreated to scale. In another, older, colonial building was another technology exhibition where electricity played the starring role. Unfortunately, the experiments that required electricity were not connected. This part of the exhibit could clearly use some revision.

   Around the building was another little park. With a therapeutic garden, a butterfly garden, a cactus garden and a playground where you could do all kinds of physical experiments. And with playground equipment that has been banned in the Netherlands for years. All of this museum really took us back to our youth.

Far too soon it was time to pick up our suitcases at the hotel and head for the train station. We still had not explored all of the city. In short: We really must go back to Trivandrum one more time. Someday.