A Journey Through Spice & Coffee Country....

The other day Neeti went about flirting with coffee, albeit on her blog. And then, she inspired me to write a photo blog on our journey through Kodagu, earlier this year which we thorougly enjoyed. Undoubtedly the place was good - no traffic, no hustle-bustle, no deadlines for those few days and more importantly, the company was great - spending quality time with Neeti and my folks was priceless. Unfortunately, Neeti's folks could not make it.

The best way to begin a journey through Kodagu, India's coffee and spice country is in the morning. Numerous trails will lead you into the various coffee plantations, which offer an exciting insight into how nature balances itself and how man can optimize conservation and commercial cultivation!

Plantation Trails -- The rutted paths lead us deeper into the heart of the plantation.... The lovely greens and the constant chirping of birds give us a spring in each step we take!

The sun rises, lifting the veil of mist through the greens.....

The plantation has quite a magical and enchanting feel to it. Look at the pure dewdrops dropping from the leaves... Why couldn't we see this in the city each day?

And we walk on, in amazement and in wonder, thinking of the bounties of nature, that we never notice.... Each step we take rustles the dried leaves on the rutted path!!!!

The coffee plant glistens in the morning sun...... and berries drink in the golden rays to give you the robustness of your morning cup!

A coffee plantation always gives more than coffee. These tiny chllies that grow in coffee plantations are quite a bomb, they can make your skin burn for long.

I wonder whether these ones are deadlier than the Bhut Jolokia of Nagaland that is the deadliest chilli on earth - heard that DRDO is developing an effective, non-lethal weapon from an extract of the Bhut Jolokia!

And pepper too!!! Numerous wars were fought in the medieval era for the fruit of these vines. Some say the Crusades were fought to secure the spice routes.
But here humble pepper corns wait to reach your dinner table!!

The brilliant blue sky, what a lovely morning!

The ants are preparing to call this coffee leaf their home

A lovely example of his wondrous ecosystem thrives. The spider that makes this web lives in burrow beneath. The web traps pests (insects) that thrive on the coffee plant!

A lazy day in the plantation!

These berries will someday be ground into aromatic coffee, which will find its way into your cup!

Gently flows the Cauvery!!!

Such a pristine environment!!!

Would love to spend more time here!!!

Waterbodies in the plantation complement the ecosystem!!!

You should not be surprised to see this in a plantation. As jackfruits ripen, elephants come into the plantations from the reserves to feast on them....

And that's vanilla pod, which left permanent stain on my denims! The aroma was amazing!

And that's a cardamom.....

And the sun sets on the plantation!!!

And watching the sun go down on the Kodagu hills is an unforgettable experience.