Cochin is built around an inlet off of the Arabian Sea. Its location made it a good place for trading and exporting goods to the west. From here they exported spices, oils, coconut fiber and fish. This is still a great place to find a variety of spices and oils.
European Jews were the first to arrive in Cochin. Later the Portuguese arrived and began exporting goods to Europe.
Our first stop is Santa Cruz Basilica built in 1505 by the Portuguese. It is thought to be on of the oldest cathedrals in India.
Next we go to St. Francis Church. Initially this was a catholic church built by the Portuguese but in 1663 the Dutch captured Cochin and converted the church to the protestant faith. When the British captured the city the church was again converted, this time to an Anglican church. Finally, in 1947 the church became part of the Protestant Church of South India. It is a rather austere building that is best known for being the grave site of explorer, Vasco da Gama. Vasco was buried here for 14 years before his remains were returned to Portugal.
Here you see the former grave and an example of a Portuguese tombstone taken from the attached cemetery.
After the church we walk to the fish market area.
I donate 200rps to help some fishermen pull in a Chinese fishing net.
AND, I caught some fish!
We walk through the fish market and watch a fish auction. This is where the fishermen sell their fish to stalls and the locals come to buy large quantities of fish. These fish sell for 300rps.
While at the fish market I stop and buy some fish for my lunch which I will take to a local restaurant to have cooked.
I select 3 black pomfret and 2 prawns.
We take the fish to a local restaurant and have it cooked. They grill the fish and prepare the prawns in a spicy pepper sauce. YUM!!
After lunch we go to see the Jewish Synagogue. Built in 1568, it is the oldest synagogue in Asia. No pictures are allowed here (and I should have purchased postcards). The floor is made from hand-painted ceramic tiles from imported from China. The tiles were originally intended for a cathedral in Cochin but the King of Cochin gave them as a gift to the synagogue. The tiles are amazing.
After the synagogue we go to the Dutch Palace. The palace was a gift to the King of Cochin from the Portuguese. It was only used for coronations and other ceremonial purposes. It is filled with beautiful murals depicting Hindu mythology. No photos are allowed here either.
It has been a busy day and so I go for a massage at an ayurveda center. Then it is back to the hotel to rest before the evenings activities.
This evening I go to the Cochin Cultural Centre for a performance of traditional Kerala dances.
The dances are beautiful. Unfortunately the true impact of the dancing does not come through in photos as a large part of the dancing is done with the eyes, eye brows, face and hands.
The welcome dance:
A love dance:
A playful court dance:
The highlight of the show is a local dance known as Kathakali. The dance portrays scenes from Hindu epic poems. The makeup is quite elaborate and is a large part of telling the story.
It can take hours to apply the makeup:
Now, the dance:
The dancers take a bow:
It was an amazing day. Tomorrow I move on to Alleppey to the Marani Beach resort. I am ready for a break.
Sounds like you are having a very good time and India is being better to you. On a positive note about your failed trip to the mountains, I have a friend who went the same place and he is stuck up high because he can't come down due to the flooding. Word is he will be stuck there another few days. So it may have sucked to not get there, but it may have been worse to be stuck there and not get to go anywhere else.
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Hah...I knew there was a reason I couldn't get up north. Now, if it would just stop raining down south.
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