Cochin, Kerala, India (By Mel)

We are in India!!!
For our last evening in South-East Asia, we had a lovely time watching the sunset on the Mekong river (again!) while enjoying a couple of drinks, then we had a good dinner. We were all feeling a bit sad to leave, especially Luang Prabang as it is such a wonderful place. We all said we would like to come back.
The next day, we were off again. One plane to Bangkok first, around 5 hours waiting in Bangkok, then another plane to Cochin, India. We arrived around midnight, so I was a bit worried about getting to the hotel, but it was easy. I booked an hotel near the plane station (as Emma call it), we got a taxi to get us there (it was 10 minutes driving at the maximum). We arrived, did all the booking formalities and straight to bed (it was around 1am by then!).
There we are! In India! I have always wanted to see India. We are starting in Cochin (or Kochi, there are several ways of spelling it). Cochin is in the south of India, in the state of Kerala.
The next day, we didn’t do much. As we were near the airport, there isn’t a lot to do for traveller. But we still tried our first Indian food from India! For breakfast, we found a coffee type place and tried different samosas and sweet treats. It was good! Back to the hotel, the kids did some research about India and I plan the rest of our India trip: I found all our accommodations and bus and train tickets. So that is done! It always takes several hours to do that and I am always happy and exhausted when it is finished!
For dinner, Kev found a lovely restaurant. The kids don’t do to well with spices, so we ask if the butter chicken was spicy: “No it is not”, great then, we’ll have two. Apparently, not spicy for Indian people, is spicy for us! The kids had problem finishing their meal. It is going to be a long 2 months for them food wise!
The next day, we took a taxi to a homestay closer to the centre of Cochin. It is not the touristic area, but it is just a tuktuk drive away from the main sights of Fort Cochin. After putting our bags down, we did our regular walk around the area to find ATMs and food! We walked a bit that day. We are used to Southeast Asia where a lot is catered towards tourists. Here it is not: food menu with no pictures is a bit harder for us as we had not idea what we were ordering! We really need learn what is what in the food area.
ATM was another issue. Google map was noooo help! We finally found a few, but the first few didn’t work for us. We found out that if an ATM is a bit old and you are using a newer card, the security on the card can’t be read by the ATM and it won’t work for you. It made some of our first day in country pretty stressful, but now we know. We finally found one which worked, so that was good. Another thing I am going to have to get used to is the heat! I know we live in North Queensland where the weather is very similar, but I don’t like it there either!!! It is hot and humid and I sweat a lot and I don’t like it! We often walk around with our small backpacks to carry water bottle and camera and things we need during our daily expedition, so my back is wet all the time! We are planning on going north and I hope it is going to get better!
The following day was visit day. The driving here is even more insane than southeast Asia. It feels like everybody is in a hurry and they all tried to overtake everyone all the time. Pedestrians are not priorities, and you need to make sure you are sticking to the side of the road or you get beeped at very quickly!
We started our visit with the Bastion bungalow which was built during 16th century by the Portuguese when they arrived in India. We learnt about the history of the region which is closely link with the spice trade and European countries trying to get their teeth into this very profitable trade. First the Portuguese, then the Dutch, the French as well and obviously the English. And most of the time when a new ‘conqueror’ arrived, they destroyed what was there before and built their churches and bastions. On most of the building we visited, was written: it was something in that year, then got destroyed and become that, then destroyed again to become this…. Humans are dumb.
Vasco de Gama was the first Portuguese who arrive with 3 ships to India (in the Kerala region) to develop trades and introduce the Catholic religion which worked well, as there is a lot of churches around the town. It seems to be the main religion around here. This surprised me: I was expected to see a lot of Hinduism temple, but we have not seen one yet, only churches.
After that we visited the Indian naval maritime museum. It was all about the weapons and submarine and ships that the Marine use. I did not like it: the energy, resources and ideas that people use to create weapon to destroyed other people… Would they be better used to solve hunger, clean water and things like that. I don’t get it. Why did we go to that museum? Not sure: I think I was hoping for more historical information (which there was a little bit). Anyway, after that we had a few cold drinks (I love Lassi: this is a drink made out of yogurt, fresh and delicious) because we were way too hot. The place we found was own by someone who plays violin. He was playing when we arrive, so we chatted about the fact that Emma is learning violin, so he let her have a try of his violin. It was a bit big for her, but after being a bit shy, she gave it a small try. We had a lovely moment there.
The kids wanted to walk on the beach, as there are a couple of them in Fort Cochin, but we went on it 2 minutes and it is cover with rubbish. We saw everything and anything on the sand, needles including. We left as it didn’t feel safe. This is one the hardest thing that we notice since we have been traveling in Southeast Asia and now India: rubbish is everywhere. They have other issues to deal with first (food, clean water, having a decent place to stay and more), so the environment is not the priority. Coming from a rich country where we can think about that, it is hard to see all that rubbish washing in the ocean and on the beaches.
We then went to see a Kathakari show. This is a traditional form of Indian dance, mixed with storytelling, theatre, costume and make up. They use intense facial expression, body and hands movement to express ideas and stories. No words are used. Before the main show we got to watch the actors (which are traditionally man. They only recently accepted woman in that art) put their make up on. It took a good hour! I wish they explained a bit more what they were doing and what they were using, but it was interesting to see them getting ready. Then the show, started with a demonstration of all the facial expressions and eye movements they use in the show, and it was amazing. The actor showing us had such a range of facial and eye movements, it was very impressive. This was a great experience and something to see.
After that, we were done, so we found a nice place to try some Indian beer (Kingfisher, not my favourite) and then had dinner, and yes the butter chicken was still a bit spicy!
One thing I wanted to talk about, is how we take for granted things that plenty of people don’t have. Water for example. You have probably heard that if you travel in India, you can’t drink tap water as it can make you really sick. So we don’t drink tap water, or if we do, we filter it before. We have to constantly think if we have enough water with us. We buy bottled water too, but even that, comes with the guilt of using plastic. And some bottled water are not safe either, as they can be fake reused water bottle with bad water in it. How easy it is at home to open the tap, fill up your reusable water bottle, chuck it in the fridge and enjoy cold water whenever you want. Not everybody can do that.
The next day, after doing a bit of laundry and school work, we went to the Kerala folklore museum. This is a museum with over 40 000 artifacts!!! This museum was created by an art dealer who wanted to collect and save the knowledge of Indian art. There is so much to see in this museum, you could easily spend a few days there to look at all of it. It is very crammed, and not easy to move around, but we really enjoyed this place.
After that, off to lunch. We are getting a bit better at finding a place to eat and are a bit more comfortable ordering. We just have to remember to ask what is not spicy for the kids! And we also are getting a bit better at eating with our hands, as it is normal here. I really enjoyed India as a vegetarian: there are a lot of vegetarian restaurants or there is a lot of vegetarian option on every menu. This is so nice!
We then went to visit another museum: the Hill Palace museum, where the Maharajah family of Kerala use to live. It was nice seeing the building, which is very beautiful, but there was very little left in it (furniture or items). There was however a lot of writing with a lot of information. I might say too much information. We out-museum ourselves on this one. There is a lovely park all around the palace with swing hanging from trees to the delight of the kids. There is a giant dinosaur statue as well… Not quite sure why! They also have some deer, not free or wild, but in a big enclosure. I’m not quite sure why they are there, but the kids were happy to be able to see them from close.
The cities being huge here, nothing is really walking distance, se we are taking a lot of tuktuk around. They are so very cheap and easy to use. They are on Uber: you can select taxi or tuktuk, which I must admit, is very easy and we use it a lot. I love traveling in tuktuk as you can watch the lives around you and take in all the smells (good and bad!), all the sounds (a lot of car horn) and just take it all in. But you also have to hang on tight as they are driving like lunatic!!!
The next day we went to another part of Cochin. We wanted to have a look at a couple of Hindu temples. Some were closed, so we could only admire the outside, with all those colours and statues. I really wish we could have gone in! We also got invited in one of the temples, to come and eat with them, but as we just had some food, and I think we got a bit shy, we didn’t. I wish we had, it would have been a good way to talk with people, but well, next time. After that, we went to a couple of parks. Well, we had to wait as it was not open until 2pm. A bit odd to open so late for parks, but well. We found a kid’s park, that you had to pay to get in (100 rupees, the equivalent of $2). It was a bit old and most of the ‘attractions’ were close or broken. Luckily there was some playground that the kids enjoy playing on. After that we went back to the other park as it was now open, and it was really pretty. Flowers, trees, a more playground equipment to have fun on. The kids even played with some kids, which made me happy as I was a bit worried about them missing on socialising, but they have been playing with other kids regularly, which is good.
We finished the day, walking along the ocean walk, where it seems a lot of people socialise there as it was busy. We saw on the map about a rainbow bridge, so we wanted to go see it: a little bit disappointed, a nice bridge but just a couple of coloured light changing colour every now and then… After that, it was getting late, so another tuktuk ride back to our place and sleep.
Sunday, we went to visit the Mattancherry Palace. This palace was built and gifted by the Portuguese as a present to the king of Cochin, around 1545. It was built to appease the king after they plundered a temple nearby. What a nice gesture!!! The building is very nice, but the best are the murals inside representing religious stories. We are finding some similarities with murals we saw is Southeast Asia. Andrew still loves those! There are more portraits of the different kings of the area, more artifacts from the 16th-17th century. I loved the little seats on each side of windows that are built in the wall. I can very much visualise, people sitting here, chatting in the breeze from the window, while watching outside. It felt very frozen in time moment for some reason.
Under the palace is a Hindu temple, that only Hindu people can go in, as apparently, they had trouble with tourists in the past (I don’t know the story!) The interesting fact is that one of the wall is communal with the synagogue, which is situated right next door.
Kerala is a region which have been dealing with foreigner for a very long time, due to trade. There is a lot of different background and religions here, and they all live here, together with no issue. As I said before there is a lot of churches, but also synagogues, Hindu temples, mosques, and I’m sure I forgot some. They live in harmony it seems. Some people could learn from that.
The palace is situated near Jew town, which as the name says, is where the Jew community used to live (and I am sure still is). This is a lovely area, with a lot of art shops (we end up having tea and cake in one, as they had a sign at the front saying best café in town, but miscommunication, got us tea and some homemade cake!). The synagogue can be visited, and I admit, it was the first time, I think, I went in one. It is very clear and bright. The walls have no painting or pictures on it, as it is a sin in Judaism to represent God. This is very different from all the other place of worship that we visited so far where wall, ceiling and floor can be covered in pictures or statues. The porcelain tiles in this synagogue were beautiful, handmade, representing landscapes, each slightly different.
I love the fact that during our travel, we are exposed to a lot of different cultures, religions and way of living. I hope Andrew and Emma will keep those learning.
Andrew and Emma both got a little souvenir each: Andrew is collecting coins and we found some old coins from India. Emma got some strawberry essential oil from a museum/shop. We got to smell what feel like a hundred of them!
We got a few drinks and played cards game to rest for a bit. Then in the evening, we went back to the place where we saw the Kathakali show a few days before, but this time to see a martial art show and some classical Indian music.
Kalaripayattu (also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in Kerala, around 2,000 years ago, dating back to the 3rd century BCE. It is very impressive to watch. We had demonstration of movement that they practice and also weapons they use, like bamboo sticks, knifes and a type of whip made of steel! We also watch 2 of them fighting and I promise you, it was not pretend. They obviously did not hurt each other, but they were not holding back. It was very impressive to see.
After that, we enjoyed 1 hour of classical Indian music with 2 artists: one was playing a type of sitar with I think, 26 strings and the other, playing Tabla, a pair of hand drums. It was enchanting to listen. The Tabla could produce so many different sounds, depending on where and how it was hit. The sitar with 26 strings, some smaller under longer one on the top, is captivating.
The following day was fun day! Andrew while doing some research about the area, found out about the Wonderla park, which is an amusement park. It has some dry land attraction, and some water attraction. We started with the dry one: Andrew and Emma were too short for some of them, but I think there were fine with that, as some of the attractions were a bit scary! Kev did a few. I didn’t: scared of height, vestibular system not working properly, those are not for me!!! The kids went on some of the smaller rides and had fun. We then move to the wet area after changing into our swimsuits and again some of the rides were not accessible to the kids as you had to be a certain height and weight, which they were not! But we could do some of them and we had a lot of fun, going doing slides on mat on our tummy, or on big floaties going down fake river and slides. It was a fun day!!!
Today is our last day here in Cochin as we are moving to Allepey our next stop tomorrow. Today is blog, video game day (as the kids are missing it a bit) and packing day.
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