Kochi

Last Sunday morning we got up really early (4 AM) to head to Kochi. Leaving Chennai was quite surreal. It was hard to imagine that five weeks ago we had arrived at the same airport in a confused daze. We made it to Kochi by midmorning and checked into our hotel. That afternoon I met up with my friend, Chili, who was visiting from Bangalore. He met me at the hotel and we set off on an adventure. We took a cool ferry across the bay and saw Fort Kochi. We walked around a bit and then had some food and drinks at a cool restaurant. He actually knew the guy who owns the place. It was this old Jewish home that had been converted into a hotel and restaurant. It was really neat to sit down and talk with the both of them.

Monday we headed back into Kochi for some "touristy" sightseeing. We visited St. Francis Church, which is where Vasco de Gama was originally buried in the 16th century. We visited the Dutch Palace - a central area of town when Western trade began in India. We also visited the Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Asia. The area around the synagogue was really neat. There were a lot of old houses that have now been converted into small shops. Local artists now have galleries there and it was really fun exploring them. That afternoon we visited checked out the Chinese fishing nets in the bay. They are these huge nets that date back to 5th century and operate using a really complex pulley system. Later that night we headed to the Grand Hotel restaurant for some delicious local seafood. Chili stopped by and I had the opportunity to thank him again for giving me an insiders view of Kochi. It was really cool to set off in a car and explore a town - definitely an experience I will always appreciate.

Tuesday we had a wellness workshop in the hotel. It dealt with breathing techniques and sending positive energies. It was interesting. I enjoyed parts of it and other parts were a little strange. That evening we visited a local theater and saw a performance of Kathakali, a dramatic dance unique to Kerala. It was really neat to see the intricate makeup and costumes. The dance was neat but the music and beat were my favorite part.

We got up pretty early on Wednesday to visit an elephant reservation. We got to this beautiful river and waited for the elephants to be brought down for their baths. We got to see three young (five year old) elephants be bathed. They used the inside of a coconut as a brush. Later, we walked up to the reservation and explored around. They had a small zoo and we received a ride from an other elephant. The elephant we rode on was huge. She was twenty years old - I would say we're peers... we're about the same age! They also had really young elephants there - some were only a few months old. It's incredible how tiny they are and how big they will grow in their lifetime. Random piece of trivia: the gestation period for elephants is 22 months. Could imagine that?! Crazy.

















Thursday we we headed on a backwater boat cruise. We boarded a houseboat and set out on Lake Vembanad. We stopped a local shop on the shore and picked up tiger prawns that they prepared for us for lunch. We cruised along and saw a lot of really neat birds. The water was so clean we all jumped in for a little swim that afternoon. We arrived at our hotel in Kumarakom. We spent our time at this hotel to mellow out and relax. We played some games (three legged race, wheelbarrow race, etc.) and explored the local village. They had bikes for us at the hotel and we all set out.





We returned to Kochi on Saturday. We stopped at a rope factory on the way back. It was incredible how much rope can be produced using coconut fibers. The strength of the rope was also incredible. Saturday night we went to a local movie theater and saw the new movie Rock Star. It was in Hindi but with the help of Dr. Suresh and Dr. Khandke we were able to follow along. It was an awesome experience - there were a lot of people there and we were even able to get popcorn and soda. The movie was surprisingly good (I'm not a big fan of Bollywood movies). It was nearly three hours long but they had an intermission so we could get up and walk around in the middle.

We were supposed to head to Goa this evening on an overnight train but there was a mix up with the travel agency. Instead, we will be leaving tomorrow afternoon. It's hard to believe we have been here for six weeks. I'm having a great time but am missing all my friends and family back home.

Adios from Kochi,
Drew

PS: Older pictures I haven't posted.

This is for you, Obyran... AMURICA!





From the Theosophical Society in Chennai:


The symbol that looks like a swastika is actually a common political symbol in India. It's often found on buildings, posters, signs, etc. I believe it varies slightly from the swastika - I think the ends point out in a different direction.


Cool sundial at Anna University:


View from St. Thomas' Mound:





Random shots of the MCC campus: