I told you about my first day at Coorg in this post.It took us almost 10 hours of traveling starting from Kolkata Airport.
The first day or rather half day was spent getting unpacked and it was soon bedtime.A lazy day at the resort was planned for the next day.
We woke up bright and shiny to the chirping of innumerable birds .It was 7 am and way to early to wake up on a holiday. But you simply can’t sleep again on holidays.
That day was spent lazing around,playing,chatting ,painting and eating .In the evening we went for a guided nature walk with Lalith Naturalist who regaled us with stories of Coorg Coffee Plantation,economy of it ,the traditions, the supportive vegetation and creepy crawlies.
The kids listened in rapt attention with the adults and we got to see the jasmine like flowers of coffee plant .Learned about chicory and why coffee growing is so lucrative.I really wanted to buy a little coffee plant to take home.But Mr.Lalith was not very encouraging about our part of the country growing coffee.Not that I blame him.My husband looked extremely perturbed when I showed interest in becoming a coffee planter.Well I do get carried away.But may be someday.I am growing food now,which he didn’t think we could do even four years back let alone ten years back.It may take time but if you write a sincere letter to the universe asking for things which is for the good (yours and others) to the best of your knowledge, they come true.Travel makes me philosophical and thankful at the same time.
In 2020 we traveled in February to Dharamshala and then to Mandarmoni in December. In between it was the pandemic and my mom getting admitted to the hospital made for stressful times.In 2022 we had a lot to be grateful for.So the prayers continue.
Now when I tell you about Coffee beans you understand they are expensive right?You are not allowed to pluck them and you are not supposed to touch the flowers.Every flower you pluck, the planter looses a fruit.They are plucked in season by women covered appropriately to avoid being bitten by reddish orange ants.Incidentally the Coorgis (people of Coorg) eat this red ant as a chutney and it’s supposed to have health benefits.I am not sure of this part of information. Plus there are a little problem of King Cobra in coffee plantations.
Black pepper,birds eye chillies and spices like Cardamom are also grown together with silver oak (brink red bark with silvery green leaves) and red wood trees covered the plantation .We listened and soaked in the atmosphere.
Then next day we went to visit the Abbey falls.It was around 7 Km from Madikeri and at a 70 ft height it involved serious walking.Not easy for senior citizens and differently abled people to visit .There are stairs approaching the waterfalls which though not steep are innumerable.
After Abbey Falls we visited Madikeri fort and the museum.Museum first.It didn’t allow photography inside, so I made do with taking a snap of the brochure and scenery around.A bright orange tree stole the spotlight .Both the fort and museum experience may be enhanced by better captioning/sign boards,explaining the history and sights or even audio walk throughs.A guide would make the experience more real and kids will get the feel of the place.Reaching the fort involved some interesting climbing activities and the view was spectacular.
Raja seat garden appeared like a dressed up urban garden lacking shade trees.But is actually a view point giving a scenic view of the Coorg district with softly rolling hills and valleys.It was a lovely day spent sight seeing and we went back to the resort with a huge appetite for a late lunch.
