Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 09: The US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Michael Boulos had a great time enjoying a houseboat ride on the panoramic Vembanad lake at Punnamada here, during their week-end visit to Kerala.
The houseboat ride was arranged by Spice Routes Luxury Cruise, a renowned brand in Kerala’s premium houseboat tourism segment.
The luxury houseboat took Gor and Boulos through the backwaters, for a few hours.
Coinciding their visit with the run-up to Kerala’s storied Nehru Trophy Boat Race, they also had an opportunity to see the rowers practising for the big-ticket event, just a few days away.
They were really bowled over by the charm and ambience of the lake as the houseboat glided smoothly on, offering them vivid glances into the storied beauty of God’s Own Country, said Jobin J. Akkarakalam, Managing Partner of Spice Routes Luxury Cruise.
Gor and Boulos came to Alappuzha from Kochi, where they had a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Shri V D Satheesan.
“This visit has turned out to be a big endorsement of tourism in Kerala. They were very happy that they did not miss this experience,” Jobin said.
While on the boat they took photos and videos of the lake flanked by rows of coconut trees, which they said they would be sharing with their friends. They also enjoyed a meal on the boat. They said they would comeback with their families and stay for a night, Jobin added.
The visitors were treated with home-made chicken sandwich, brownie chocolate and other delicacies. We wanted to treat them with a complete Kerala lunch with ‘Karimeen’ and other delicious items on their plate. But their schedule was so tight that they could not stay back for that, Jobin said.
A highlight of the visit was that they greatly enjoyed the trials for the snake boat race, marvelling at the power, skill and focus of the rowers. They saw the trial of two teams, pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of Kerala’s water-sporting tradition, kept alive through generations by village communities.
Spice Routes Luxury Cruise is certified with Kerala Tourism’s Diamond Classification. The highest recognition in the state’s houseboat classification system, this certification is awarded to houseboat operators, who meet strict benchmarks in safety protocols, environmental sustainability, design aesthetics, service quality and guest comfort.
.jpg)
