Roastin in Cochin
Trip Start
Oct 10, 2009
1
37
48
Trip End
May 18, 2010
Kochi, Kerala, India
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Kerala is know in India as Gods own country and very nice it is is to, lying in the south of the country it is the most verdant state and I'm staying in its biggest city - Cochin. Forget about Goa, its full of freaks and posers and overun with white men in dreadlocks - This place is nicer, cheaper and more Indian
I finally got here after a 2 and a half hour flight from Mumbai and booked into the Durbar Residency a handily placed hotel right in the middle of town, it's probably the best value accomodation I have stayed in, single room with en-suite, fan, 100 channel cable TV and breakfast included. All for 7 quid a night.
The first day I went for a walk around and found a ferry crossing the harbour to Fort Kochi, a peninsular which contains the first European church in India and the oldest Synagogue in the British Empire, it is also home to the Chinese fishing nets, a simple and effective method of shore fishing that was started by the Chinese, it involves a weighted balanced pivot which has a huge square net that drops into the sea on one end and 4-5 men hauling ropes on the other end - Not a bad way to make a living !!
Today I spent the day being punted down the waterways about 30kms south of Cochin, a gorgeous clean, quite place away from the bustle of Cochin, Indian traffic is mad, coming from the airport I had a taxi driver that honked his horn all the time, he honestly did not go more than 20 seconds without honking... The same thing this morning, honk bloody honk - UNTIL the bus in front of the taxi rolled back into the bonnet, that really stopped the show! The taxi driver hunted the bus down until he made him stop by cutting across him, half an hour and plenty of hindi verbals later, we were back on our way, in another bloody taxi, the original decided that he wouldnt drive any further - It was only a little dent in the bonnet !!!
Ehh don't you just love India !!!
Wrap up well guys .... Ron
