Craig and Julie 2011: 18 March, Day 72. Cochin (Kochi) India

The ship tied up at 0815 after transiting the entrance to the harbor. On the way in we got a good look at the Chinese fishing nets which use poles and nets to scoop fish from the waters. Here I saw a dolphin feeding; the first of the voyage. There was music awaiting us at the terminal which brought a lot of passengers out on deck in the heat.

After a delay of 1 hour for in-processing, we boarded our bus and with our Indian guide bounced and bumped over the rutted roads through the pier area for a ride South to the Alleppy (Alappuyha) area. Fortunately Julie and I were next to last getting on the bus so had the back seats. Fortunately because the roads and the method of driving in this state are enough to intimidate New York cabbies. 2 lane roads carry 4 abreast. Honking is a signal to move over and let me pass. Doing 50 through a town is common. Those poor souls who laid claim to the front row seats of the bus were given a ride that one usually has to go to a carnival to get. I just sat and looked out the side window at the scattering of pedestrians and 3 wheel taxis parted by our passage. This is the Kerala part of India; the SW part of the country and here the rivers flow into the broad alluvial plains which provide for rich fields, abundant with coconuts, mango, cashews and rice.


tuk tuk taxi drivers awaiting business

At Alleppey we pulled up to a narrow canal running through town and boarded a wood boat, which was covered and windowed, and motored up the canal and out into a lake. This is the Backwaters area connecting the coast with the interior. For centuries these canals have been the means for transporting people and goods in the region. Today as we traveled through the canals we observed adjacent rice paddies, we saw fishermen in their canoes selling fish door to door, people were bathing in front of their homes (properly covered, of course) and washed their clothes and kitchen utensils in the canal waters. Transportation is mostly by canoe; paddled or with a small outboard motor. Trees grew to the waters edge. Floating vegetation is everywhere. There are many houseboats, a modern adaptation of the Indian Longboat retaining the thatched roof but having added inboard engines, air conditioning, solar power, generators on some and many with satellite TV. These can be rented for as little as $200 per day for a 2 bedroom boat, complete with crew.

We stopped for lunch at Lake Palace, a seven year old resort on the lake. In this beautiful setting we enjoyed a walk around the grounds, looked into one of their houseboats and took a fine lunch of local cuisine. Kingfisher Beer washed it down. Loved the curry. Www.lakepalaceresort.com

canal in town

view from Lake Palace Resort


fishing

a houseboat; there are a hundred of these

laundry


ferry


fisherman with net

We continued our tour of the canals and ended up where we began, re boarded the bus and took off for another hair-raising drive back North. Having a little extra time by shaving some minutes here and there, our guide and driver offered us a glimpse of a Hindu celebration along the way. We stopped on a busy street and got out into a crowd flowing toward the temple grounds. Vendors along the street were selling curries, satay, fresh fruit and many other delicacies.

We entered a gate through the wall and walked with the crowd onto a field about the size of a football field. From one end a line of elephants, decorated with headpieces and topped with young men in red shorts carrying parasols paraded slowly down the field. The crowd fell in behind the procession and we all followed along watching where we stepped. The elephants were each backed into a line of stalls where they faced outward. A band played traditional music and the young men atop the elephants performed a show with the parasols and other decorations. Meanwhile, stalls along the sides of the field sold food, clothing, shoes, postcards, religious items, books, nuts, curries and so on. Carts sold peanuts and other snacks. Families came in brightly dressed and almost everyone had paint on their face. (Except us.) The music, elephants, color of the robes and clothing, the chatter in a different language (Hindi) and the smells of spices and cooking was quite an event.