Kochi, Kerala, India Part 1

After our relaxing weeks on the beach it was time to move on to Kerala which is further south and often called the prettiest state in India. We flew into Cochin airport which interestingly is a fully solar powered airport. We were picked up by our pre arranged driver, Mr. Johnson in his fancy white car...

He is a neighbour of the owner of our homestay where we spent a few days in Fort Cochin that turned out to be a very pretty and historic town. The town is filled with narrow streets full of flowers and fancy houses...

Called the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the west coast of India from the 14th century onward, and maintained a trade network with Arab merchants from the pre-Islamic era. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in India. It was later occupied by the Dutch and the British.

The area of Cochin we stayed was called Fort Kochi as the Portuguese built a fortified settlement there to protect their shipping interests. It was later destroyed by the Dutch but the Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort, including a wooden church,St. Francis Church built in 1503. It is still used today...

Fort Kochi remained in Portuguese possession for 160 years. In 1683 the Dutch captured the territory from the Portuguese, destroyed many Portuguese institutions. The Dutch held Fort Kochi in their possession for 112 years until 1795, when the British took control by defeating the Dutch. Foreign control of Fort Kochi ended in 1947 with Indian Independence. As a result of these foreign influences the town has a very European flavour...

Cute houses and English gardens...

Lots of nice restaurants, hotels and shops...

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In the evenings it was a lovely place to stroll to look for a meal or a drink.

We went to this seafood restaurant twice but still trying to fiqure out what Old Fashion Christian Cuisine might be?

There was also a nice walkway by the harbour...

Instead of cows here we saw lots of goats...

Relaxing under the banyan tree...

Enjoying the ocean...

After a hot walk we spent some time having a beer overlooking the harbour...

The harbour is quite busy with shipping, ferries and all types of boats going by...

One day we took the ferry across the harbour to the city Center for the total amount of 8 cents.the ferries run frequently and are often very crowded...

It was so hot and humid we did not walk much so stopped to get some water, the Indians love their sweets so there are bakeries everywhere...

We found a very modern and expensive, air conditioned mall to escape the heat, it was the first mall we had been in since we came to India...

A tuk tuk back to the ferry...

Another interesting fact is that it is very difficult in the state of Kerala to buy beer or liquor as there was a complete ban a few years ago and a partial ban now. Very few establishments sell it and when they do it is very expensive so we decided to try and find a place to buy some to bring back to the the homestay to have a drink in the evening. We really aren’t serious beer drinkers but it is so so hot and it seems a cold beer is the only thing that quenches our thirst! 

We asked directions, got lost and then a tuk tuk driver stopped to ask if we needed a ride. We told him what we were looking for and he said, “hop in, my friend and I are on the way there now. I am getting married tomorrow so this is my last day of freedom and we are having a party!”

We would never have found it because it was hidden away and when we got there a line up was forming and the sales people were hidden behind steel bars! Here is Don trying to get his supply, a 

little blurry but you get the picture...

Some scenes around the town...

A beautiful church which was so colourful inside...

The foundation stone of the church was laid on May 3, 1505, the feast day of the ‘Invention of the Holy Cross’, hence the magnificent edifice when completed was named Santa Cruz. 

Jews arrived in 72 AD after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and later moved to Fort Kochi. They became prominent traders and developed a small, close-knit community that burgeoned but dwindled gradually over the years. Most of them have migrated to Israel, however there is a small synagogue still in use here.

Although no pictures were allowed inside it was interesting to visit a Jewish Synagogue, another building showing the history of the place...

The Jewish cemetery...

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This area is called Jew Town and home to many small shops...

Another attraction is the Chinese fishing nets that are down by the harbour and are said to have been brought here by Chinese traders during the spice trade. The nets are land based and the system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a short time, possibly just a few minutes, before it is raised by pulling on ropes. The catch is usually modest: a few fish and crusteanans which may be sold to passers-by within minutes.

Since Kochi was an important part of the Soice Trade through to Asia there still remains many of the old buildings...

These are still in use today as warehouses and markets...

Packages of spices to use with specific dishes, the smells were amazing...

Great street art...

So much to see here...

A traditional music group...

A woman at the public laundry...

This man fed the neighbourhood cats the last of his fish catch...

Fort Kochi proved to be another surprise in our Indian adventure...a seemingly very prosperous and tidy town with a long history. It attracts many tourists and we could see why given it is such a pleasant stop. Now on to the Kerala Backwaters.