Kovalam: Swiss Cafe

Kovalam is a lovely place to unwind. Believe me whatever mood you are in, if you go to Kovalam you will totally relax. Guess that's the power of the sea. The rumbling sea and the wind really put you at ease. At the Howa ( malayalam for "eve" as in Adam and Eve)beach there are plenty of small shacks which offer sea food. You don't have to be formally dressed up or anything. Just wear what u want. No one could care less. You can put your feet up while you engage in a conversation or read a book all by yourself.
The Swiss Cafe is a great place to get some grub. Here you can taste a bit of authentic Swiss food. I simply love their Schnitzels and Rosti. The Bolognese and sea food platter are also yum. The restaurant is on the first floor of a building. So look out for their board and take the stairs.
Wish I had a plate of Schnitzels and Rosti Now!!!

Lolling at the Travancore Heritage

This building faces the beach. Can you see the blue of the pool??? It has a kids area too.

This is the other pool next to the dining area. Great place to get a tan, if you care for one.

This is one of the cottages on the grassy hillock.

This is a view of the resort from the beach.

And this is a view of the beach from the resort:)

Dining hall with the lunch spread. The waitors & waitresses are in the traditional kerala attire.

This is a canopied walk which leads to the lift, incase you don't want to walk down to the beach.

And here's a small dhow on the beach, probably used by fishermen in the morning.

The pictures above are those of and from the Travancore Heritage, a resort in Kovalam. Now this is one place where you can really really unwind. It's one of the larger properties in Kovalam with 2 large swimming pools and direct access to the beach. They have rooms facing the sea as well as cottages on a hillock. These cottages are really transported manas ( traditional north kerala homes). The food is also good. I absolutely love their golden fried fish. Other yummy things which come to mind are the chocolate brownies, praline souffle, american salad and the aloo chat.!!! They have a nice gaming area where you can play chess,carroms, pool or simply pick up a book from the rack and read. :) Plus they have a large collection of books.

* Pictures are taken by Ashik. S and Sivan. S

Brunching at The Leela

Today at one o clock in the afternoon, I felt ravenous. Even after 3 chappathis & chicken curry I still felt hungry. The reason maybe the brunch I had yesterday at The Leela, Kovalam. We reached there by 12.30 and from that moment till the time we came back, all I did was eat:). The Leela Hotel is truly a world class resort. You have the option of sitting on a verandah next to the swimming pool or sitting inside with air conditioning. We chose to sit outside next to the pool & look at the sea. There was a live band playing too. It totally relaxes you. So you can enjoy yourself and the food.
Now the food. I would suggest that u better go with an empty stomach... or just have enough to keep you going till you reach the resort. The spread is just amazing.

Of the assorted salads, the smoked salmon remains my favourite. Mmmmmm...Tender & pinkish orange or some other such divine hue...

I chose the Aloo Tikkis from the chat counter. Of the many things on the main course, I remember the tender beef with a juicy sauce, the fish fingers ...I am losing count.
The dessert counter was fabulous with delectable sweet- meats, Indian and Continental. The Rasagullas were soo soft, the Mango Souffle so creamy, the Tarts and Omali was just too scrumptious.
I ate till I could eat no more...:(...

Now the last part, the bill. I must say that the bill too will send your senses into a tizzy. It's 750 Rs plus tax. So while you may leave with your belly full, you will also feel a certain lightness in your pockets. :)