Monday, November 28, 2011

From Kerala, with Love

When I first created the Kerala Massaging Soap Bar it was an ode to my friend Vishal and his many gifts from Kerala he would always share with us..namely his spices; many of which you can find in this lovely soap. This wonderful piece from BBC's travel section only goes to show I'm not the only one in love with this lovely and bountiful region of India.

Top 10 activities in Kerala, India’s deep south By Anirban Das Mahapatra

No trip to Kerala is complete without a boat ride on its idyllic backwaters. (Keren Su/LPI)
Kerala has been a favourite haunt of travellers for nearly 600 years; exhilarating, enchanting and enthralling with its top-notch beauty and culture. Here are our favourite 10 activities that get under the skin of this incredible state.
Know your spices
You will find a huge range of spices in this state, such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, mace, fennel, turmeric, cumin, coriander, aniseed, tamarind, allspice, saffron, poppy and mustard. Ambush your senses at the spice markets of Mattancherry in Kochi, and pack an extra bag for the inevitable shopping.

Cruise the backwaters
No trip to Kerala is complete without a languid boat ride on its idyllic backwaters. Lined by emerald coconut plantations and interspersed with turquoise lakes, these placid lagoons are the perfect place to shake off pent-up urban stress. For an extra-special experience, spend the night on board a houseboat, and witness a dreamy sunrise break over the serene bayous at dawn. Houseboats can be chartered through the District Tourism Promotion Councils in Kollam or Alleppey, or a multitude of private operators.

Live it up in Munnar
Green is the colour that swathes the lush mountain slopes of Munnar, Kerala’s answer to the fabled hill stations of north India. The crisp air and clement weather in this scenic hill town are perfectly engineered to give you the most restful experience possible. Order a steaming cup of tea from a nearby plantation to go with the breathtaking views.

Photograph Kochi’s fishing nets
Top among Kerala’s iconic photo opportunities are the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets – dating back to the 1400s – that line the harbour at Kochi. Crafted out of teakwood beams and resembling giant alien arachnids poised to sting, they form unreal silhouettes against the seascape and provide some dramatic camera fodder, especially at dusk.

Get beached in Varkala
You will wish you were an Alex Garland character the moment you set foot in picturesque Varkala. Perched on a precipitous cliff and overlooking the sapphire waters of the Arabian Sea, this beachy paradise boasts some dazzling and pristine sands to relax on.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Hotel Soap Bars Save Lives

Ever wonder what happens to all of those partially used mini soaps you leave behind at hotels when you travel? You probably don't. But if I told you they could be reborn into soaps that would save the lives of millions of children that would probably get you thinking.

CNN ran a great article yesterday featuring a wonderful non-profit called The Global Soap Project which has been able to re-purpose previously used hotel soaps into much needed bars of soap for families in impoverished areas like Haiti, Kenya, Swaziland and Uganda. Most of us are fortunate enough to have access to clean running water as well as the luxury of choosing our soaps based on their beauty or botanical benefits yet millions around the world cannot afford to buy basic soap for daily use or have access to water clean enough to bathe in. For them the soap they receive from The Global Soap Project is a life-saving gift.

Has GSP inspired you? If so you can visit this page on their site to find out how you can help. I'll be sure to do the same.

If you're a business owner reading this and you want to do a joint fundraiser for GSP let me know on LU's Facebook page and we can create something national together. There is strength in numbers ;)

Logan,
Soap Siren