Varkala (part 2!) - The "Mini-Vacation"!

We are back in Varkala Beach after an abbreviated stay at the yoga ashram at Neyyar Dam. Here are a few pictures of where we're living for the next several days!
The first picture shows a view from the beach looking towards the North Cliff promenade where all the shops, restaurants, hotels/resorts are located - you can see the lights of the businesses. There are also a couple local dogs lying in the background. The second picture is the "Santa Claus" resort where we stayed for a night. I have no idea why they came up with that name! Our room had a gorgeous view looking out over the Arabian Sea...800 rupees a night ($18)!! The third picture is a sunset from the beach looking northwest out over the Arabian Sea. The fourth picture is outside one of the many local restaurants along the cliff, showing some of the day's catches from the ocean. When an order is placed in the restaurant, they simply cut out a serving size from the fish (a fresh marlin in this case). I am in the background with a girl we met from Winnipeg - Megan Firth - who we met a couple days earlier at the ashram and had a chance run-in on the beach at Varkala. Small world! The fifth picture is during a breakfast at the "Sunrise" restaurant, looking south towards the beach. Teri is enjoying a fresh pineapple juice and we are sitting underneath an almond tree. The sixth picture is a sunburned Chris & Teri enjoying a cocktail and a beer at the "Abba" restaurant (served in a travel mug because the restaurants do not have beer licenses and need to hide the beer from the police!) The seventh picture is Teri enjoying a whole pineapple on the beach (70 rupees). The eighth picture is another dusk shot of Teri on the beach. The ninth picture is of a few of the stray dogs taking a rest on the promenade along the cliff. All the dogs are friendly - fortunately - and they can be found pretty much everywhere in India! The tenth pic is a view of the beach and Arabian Sea looking north from the cliff promenade.
mini-vacation during our travels