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  Cochin, India
Saturday, February 23, 2008

Hi guys,
We're now in Fort Cochin, an island off Ernakulam (collectively called Cochin). Where we're staying is very much like a European village as it has a Portuguese and Dutch past. We met some very interesting people on our journey here including Jason, a very friendly American who'd quit his job in summer 2005 and has been travelling the world since,he made us feel like travelling babies again. The overnight bus was extremely chilly due to the air-con which we are not at all used to having the luxury of.
Didn't really do much yesterday except completely confuse a rickshaw driver as we spent half an hour trying to direct him to a restaurant that no longer exists (because we have an out of date lonely planet book, a problem we rectified about 5minutes ago)! However we found a very pleasant roadside restaurant for tea where we got to see our food cooked on skewers in an outside clay oven. Although it was a little sweaty sitting next to it we got to talk to the cook, the only Indian who has so far understood Becky's need for 'plain' chicken, even if he was a little puzzled by the request. Luke's fish tikka and Becky's plain chicken turned out to be very scrumptious indeed.
Cornflakes for brekkie before ambling out into the heat of the day. Visited a church, cathedral and synagogue (which was unfortunately closed). Next we tootled along to Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in 1955 and presented to the Raj of Cochin. Here we saw some interesting murals depicting Indian mythology. Two in particular intrigued us, in the backdrop of the first all the animals were mating, we think it might have been the god of fertility in this one. The second was of a cheerful Krishna using his six hands and two feet much to the enjoyment (wink wink) of the eight maids surrounding him. We got a rickshaw to the bank of the river, where we strolled along by the Chinese fishing nets and all the freshly caught seafood on offer. We chose a tasty-looking Red Snapper and two Tiger Prawns, they were plopped in a plastic bag and a guy led us to a restaurant further along the riverbank that would cook and serve them to us. They were extremely tasty along with some rice : ) and we got a brief glance of a pod of dolphins in the river mouth whilst sat eating.
Tonight we're going to a courtyard restaurant, it must be nice cos it's the first time we've had to book in advance.
It is stiflingly hot here!
Lots of love
We're going to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary next so may not be able to write again til afterwards in Alappuzha xxx

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