After the 'cruise' we went straight on to do the
guided walking tour of the spice plantation that we missed the day
before. We were expecting to find regimented areas dedicated to
production of various spices but the plantation was a real higgledy
piggledy mix …. very interesting and inhabited by lots of free
range chickens
When he heard that we'd not seen
elephants at the park, the guide introduced us to his two working
elephants. This was one gorgeous, she was so gentle and friendly:
We were invited to take a ride on her
around the plantation but as you can see from this photo taken later
on, we'd have had to ride astride (not sideways on in a pannier) and
that looked very uncomfortable.
She's well trained … show her a wad
of rupee notes and she'll gently take them from your hand, bless you
by resting her trunk on your head and then hands the cash to her
keeper!
Our guide was very knowledgeable and
had a great sense of humour. It is the 'flowering season' for most
of the spices at the moment so we couldn't see all the fruits/berries
but we learned a lot. For instance we were shown Allspice growing.
I'd always thought Allspice was a blend of spices but it is just one
plant/spice.
Peppercorns – and we were told that
we should always try to buy Malabar peppercorns
as they are best quality. Our supermarkets in the UK are routinely
supplied with hybrid corns which are softer which is why so many of
them don't work properly in peppermills.
Kerala exports 60,000 tons of peppercorns
each year which takes some doing as they are tiny things.
Cardamoms: A huge eight-foot high plant produces buds...flowers...seeds at the base. The spice is the dried bud.
Coffee Beans
Cocoa – young pods and old ones
Avocado (early stages of growth). Not popular with the Indians apparently who tend to sweeten it with sugar if they do eat them
and lots of plants – not grown
commercially, but just adding colour
he called these cat tails
and these candle flowers
and these he did tell us the latin name
for these but I've forgotten ! JENNI to the rescue here please LOL
Glad you met an elli. I wonder if we can get Malabar coffee beans here. In the Dominican Republic the locals all have coffee plants in their gardens.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying the blogs and reliving our visits to both Rajasthan and Kerala. I think your plants are Acalypha hispida, Pachystachys lutea, Heliconia (don't know the species) and Calliandra surinamensis. Look forward to hearing from when you're home.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying the blogs and reliving our visits to both Rajasthan and Kerala. I think your plants are Acalypha hispida, Pachystachys lutea, Heliconia (don't know the species) and Calliandra surinamensis. Look forward to hearing from when you're home.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the flower pics - many look like those I've seen from Australian posters on some photo sites.
ReplyDeleteAlso wanted to say that you look great with your elephant friend!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying your blogs, they bring back very happy memories of my trips to Rajasthan and Kerala. I think your plants are:-
ReplyDeleteAcalypha hispida
Pachystachys lutea
Heliconia pendula
Calliandra surinamensis
Yes I know, I'm sad :)))
Thanks Jenni
ReplyDeleteI knew I could rely on you LOL
Thanks Jan .... was feeling very 'stuffed up' with cold but did enjoy walking round the spice plantation and the elephant was just gorgeous. David said we couldn't take her home though!