Wayanad was relaxing and surprisingly unpeopled. Our hotel in Kalpetta was centrally located, so we were able to take day trips and explore the sights by bike on quiet back roads. The first stop was Soojipara falls where we were joined by a very lively group of Indian tourists splashing and showering en mass. We scrambled up Chembra peak (about 7,000 ft) and enjoyed the summit and 360 views without company. Our last excursion to Keralad Lake took us through small villages, coffee, banana, and rubber plantations. The lake itself was more of a giant pond covered in gorgeous purple lotus. Trash cans are relatively non-existent in public places anywhere in India (that I have visited) so there's an unfortunate amount of litter strewn around any place a tourist might visit- the lake was no exception.
We made our way to Mysore by bus, descending out of the Western Ghats to the base of the Chamundi Hills. The Mysore Palace is the major draw here and it did not disappoint. The synchronistic influences of English, Indian, and Mogul styles result in Indo-Saracenic architecture. The palace is incredibly decadent and draws from the best of its inspirations. No photography is allowed indoors, which is particularly disappointing because it was the only palace I've seen so far with good lighting! I'll attempt to post a few of the photos I took of the grounds next chance I get. I'm off to Bangalore on a morning train tomorrow...