In Kochi again

Day 18 - 21st February 2019

The last full day

One of the features of Fort Kochi is its fishing community. We visited the landing place each day, and watched fishermen throwing their nets into the water.  The Chinese nets were not in use while we were there, the netters appeared unsuccessful, but boats landed their catches of large fish with much enthusiasm.

Gutting the freshly caught fish ready for sale	The Chinese nets in Fort Kochi

	Landing the catch at Fort Kochi

Our American friends had enthused about the Kochi arts festival. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is an international exhibition of contemporary art. It is the largest art exhibition in India and the biggest contemporary art festival in Asia.

It was spread over several sites, and we knew that we would not be able to visit them all, so after an abortive visit to one site, we moved on to the main venue, Aspinwall House. Here we found an amazing eclectic collection of contemporary art.  Whilst I cannot claim to have understood everything I saw, there were two or three particularly thought provoking, if not artistically compelling exhibits.

Kerala had been hit by devastating floods the previous year. Our driver, in Munnar, had lost his home in a landslide. These exhibits told the story of the floods through a piles of waterlogged ruined books, and by images of an arts bus that had visited the villages. It told the story of how the fishermen, mainly Christians, had used their boats to take people to safety. If you are planning to visit Kerala, if you are interested in art, then time it for the 2021 Biennale. 

In the afternoon, we took the ferry across the harbour and then hired a tuk tuk which carried us to Indriya Sands, in Kuzhuppilly.  Our initial destination had been Vypin Lighthouse, but the driver carried us onward. There was nothing there.  Nothing but a pristine beach and palm trees.  It was glorious, and we sat watching the sun set, before returning to Fort Kochi.

I had thought that we might eat somewhere special on our last night but instead found ourselves in a tiny upstairs room, decorated with murals of Kochi.  The food was delicious.  A wonderful last supper. However, the loo arrangements were a little odd and involved being taken out into the street and into an adjoining shop, and then through the back into someone's home.

We returned to our room to pack up and prepare for an early departure.  

What a wonderful 18 days in Southern India.

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Exploring Kochi

Day 17 - 20th February 2019

A day to explore the town

Breakfast was served in a communal upstairs room, with a European style content. I should have asked for Indian!  They were pleased when we did the following morning..

Following advice, we went to a stand to get a tuk tuk to ensure we went to places that we wanted to go to.  But the driver had other ideas. However, he was accommodating in that when we spotted elephant droppings, he set off to find the festival that they would have been at, and probably were, because everything was being taken down as it had been the previous day.

I had a visiting a dhobi khana on my list, hoping to see brightly coloured sarees drying in the sun.  I had seen some on bushes near Munnar, and was hopeful of seeing more here. 

The first sight that greets you inside the gate of Vannar Sangham Dhobi Khama is an array of men and women ironing clothes.  Most of them are old and grey haired. Pass through into the next portion of the three-acre compound of the Khana, and there are 40 wash pens lined up in a row.  The origins of the dhobi khana lie in the colonial period, when British officers brought many Tamil villagers to Kochi to work as washermen. Today, it is mostly hotels and government establishments that use the facility.  We had used the 'dhobi' on a daily basis during our holiday, but whether they disappeared into a big washing machine, or were beaten on stones, we had no idea.


Women from the family hang these washed and starched clothes in the sun. Interestingly, no one here ever uses clips to keep clothes from falling off the line; instead they all use a technique of tucking clothes between the ropes in such a way that they are never disturbed by the wind.

Our tuk tuk driver took us to a temple to watch the pigeons arrive for feeding.  I was asked to cover up with a lungi, the only time I was asked in India. When you have seen pigeons in George Square, or Trafalgar Square, these were a poor alternative, but clearly it was an important local custom.  By then both the palace and Jewish temple were closed, so we abandoned the tuk tuk, paying well in excess of the agreed amount, and found a cafe for lunch, sharing a thali.

We had booked a 'Gully Walking Tour' for the early evening.  Another couple had been due to join us, but cancelled, so we set off for a three hour walk, visiting many places of interest.  It was still hot, and stops were not held in the shade, so we started walking quite early on, but as the day drew to a close and it cooled down, we began to enjoy it more.

Once we had returned to our start point, and by then it was quite dark, we went to 'Seagull' restaurant.  More upmarket than we had become used to, this was overlooking the harbour with distant views of container ships on the other side of the waterway - and they sold beer!

Having failed to get to Kodanad elephant rescue and training centre on our way to Kochi, we made inquiries.  There was a marked lack of enthusiasm for this with the people we spoke to, but after a phone call, we discovered that it had moved anyway. With only one day left, we decided to make the most of this lovely place, and remain in Fort Kochi.

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Munnar Hill Station - and more

Day 15 - 18th February 2019

A drive to Munnar Hill Station

After a discussion the night before with our host, we thought that we had ordered a jeep for the day, so were disappointed when a car arrived at the door. However, along with a young American couple, Sean and Leah, we piled in and set off for a drive to 'Top Station'.

The Americans had left their jobs to go travelling, and proved to be good companions.

Followers of this blog will recall that so far we had failed to see a tile making factory, saree making and a weavers workshop. But today, we had high hopes of seeing paper making and block printing at a school for children of tea plantation workers.  But, we were out of luck again!  The place was closed. There was an excuse of stock taking, but I suspect this was to cover embarrassment that it was a result of a Communist led strike.

The strike also affected bank workers, and we later struggled to obtain cash.

The mist covered hills of Munnar.	Looking for wild elephants

We headed on to Top Station, stopping to photograph a wild elephant on the way up.  Top Station is a tourist destination in the Kannan Devan hills of Munnar.  It was a transshipment point for delivery of tea from Munnar to Bodinayakkanur. Top Station derived its name from its being the upper terminus of the Kottagudi Aerial Ropeway. It was also the location of the terminal railway station on the Kundala Valley Railway. No evidence of the railway remains.

Sited close to the Kerala/Tamil Nadu, the views can be spectacular, but not today!  The hills were shrouded in mist.  Before going to the Top Station, we dropped off our companions, who wished to do a long walk, and then we made our way to the viewpoint.  This is for the fitter tourists only, as it involves a steep climb. We had lunch in a small restaurant and then drove through the forest to pick up the walkers. I think they were pleased to see us.

Our driver wanted to stop for us to photograph the reservoirs, but they were of little interest to us.  I suppose that if you live in a hot country where water is scarce, then this is indeed worth a stop.

Posing - with Sean and Leah.	We found one!

We returned to Rose Garden, where once again we walked up to the view point for a drink. Back in the homestay, we were served an enormous meal heaped onto our plates.  Self-service might have been better. However, it was a sociable and enjoyable gathering. There were opportunities to go out, but this involved travelling so we took the easy option.

Once we had made the arrangements for our onward journey the next day, we retired to our comfortable room.

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A Day in Munnar

Day 14 - 17th February 2019

The Munnar tea plantations

After two weeks on the coastal plain, we were looking forward to our short stay amongst the tea plantations of Munnar.  After a delicious breakfast of fresh pineapples, purchased on our way from Alleppey, banana mixed with coconut and honey and toast, all washed down with home grown coffee, we were ready for a walk.  

There has been much discussion about this the night before, and we were not sure that we wanted to be followed by a tuk tuk, which would bring us back.  However, the tuk yuk took us to a start point for a four mile hike. A party on Indian visitors from Kochi started at the same time.  We noticed that they were carrying dhotis, and as we fell into conversation it transpired that they were planning a swim at a waterfall.  The dhotis were to protect their modesty.

Viripara waterfalls	Photocall	Viripara tea plantations

We watched them splashing under the waterfall, and then carried on upwards where we came to a kiosk where we bought tickets to walk by the waterfall! And there was our tuk tuk.  We declined the offer of a lift and climbed ever higher, stopping to photograph and to be photographed.

After about 90 minutes, as the hill got steeper, we gave in and climbed into the tuk tuk.  It was hot!

We drove on towards Munnar, and stopped at the tea museum.  This gets varying reviews, but we found it interesting, even though the guides kept pushing us on.  Our fellow guests in the homestay, who also visited, reported that they attended a talk, which was incredibly boring. Choose the film option!

Want a lift?.	The Munnar market	Misty hills, but no sunset

We continued into the town, a sprawling place, and found something to eat.  Our driver first suggested something totally characterless and comparatively pricey, but was persuaded that we were happy with a street cafe.  We then walked though the town, diverting into the fascinating food market selling wholesale and retail fruit, fish, spices, flowers, tea and more, set out in narrow streets.

We returned to the homestay for the evening meal, first climbing up the hill road to a viewing point to have a drink and watch the sunset. and rounded off the night with a game of 'Codeword'. I don't think I understand the rules yet!

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Transfer to Munnar

Day 13 - 16th February 2019

The road to Munnar

Up before dawn, I watched the sun rise over the trees. River traffic was building up as the commuters headed for work and the ferries plied their trade, with passengers hoping on as the boat barely stopped at the piers.

An excellent breakfast was served on board prepared by the chef in his tiny kitchen at the stern.  But we were not the only ones having breakfast as a I later discovered by legs were covered in bites.

We passed through a
rubber plantation

We then set off on a short cruise along the Kottampuram Waterway before returning to our start point to meet up with the car that was to take us to Munnar. There was the minor business of having to settle up with the boat's captain, who had paid for our massage. However, this was resolved when the car driver handed over the cash, selling on our debt.

The driver had come down though the night, and so had already been on the road for about five hours, so I was concerned that he might struggle to keep awake and on the road. However, he talked incessantly about Kerala, and about the various things of interest that we passed. I was fascinated by Kerala architecture, but he wanted to show us monkeys, cashews on tress, tapioca plants and more.

The money he had borrowed was earmarked for pineapples required by our homestay, so after a stop at a ATM, we stopped at a pineapple stall. Whilst the driver bought the fruit, we bought freshly squashed juice. There then ensued an argument over the price, which was clearly marked on large roadside signs.  The driver resolved the issue by handing over the difference. How embarrassing was that?

Ar another stop, we were offered freshly chopped cocnut flesh, which was very refreshing. I had been offered this in Chettinad, by a young girl carrying a bucket, but had not recognised it, so did not accept it.

Rose Garden Homestay

By now the roads were increasingly wiggly and climbing ever higher. After a thali lunch, we continued onwards and upwards.  The driver would not let us use the public loos, and insisted on roadside stops.

Tommy in his garden

We finally arrived at the wonderful Rose Garden Homestay where we were met by Tommy, who, once we had found our room with its balcony, took us on a guided tour of his garden. However, rain stopped play!  Later arriving guests were also shown around, so we joined them for an entertaining and educational walk around the flowers and spices growing around the house.

There were 10 of us for supper, which was convivial. But after a tiring day, we retired in good time.

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A day in Kollam

Day Eight - I1th February 2019

'Relaxing' day on the beach



So far, every day had been busy, so we took the opportunity of having a day of relaxation.  But that did not mean we could have a long lie in bed.

Our host, Francis, had told us about the turtles that were laying eggs on the beach close by, so we made him promise to wake us if they came ashore, and also to make sure we were up to see the fishermen bring in their catch.  

There was no early morning call for the turtles as the sea was too rough, but we did watch the fishermen return.  We had watched them out to sea the previous evening as their lamps glowed across the water, but we could only share their disappointment as the product of a night's work was very small. However, we were shown the different types of fish that had been caught, and then watched as the nets were repaired and folded ready for the next night's work.

After a delicious breakfast, served on our balcony, we went for a short walk and had a light lunch in a local cafe.  We had expected to be taken out by Francis, but his plans changed, so instead we went for a long - very long and hot - walk along the beach road, which lies between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters. We passed fishermen's huts and tents, with their boats on the beach and went along the long Lakshmipuram and Mayyanad Beaches which are well rated, but were empty. At one point, we came across a little church that had only been dedicated days before.  I walked to the side to try to get a good angle for a photograph, and found that it had no walls. It was so clean and well looked after that I felt I could not go inside as I was covered in sand from the beach.

Mayyanad Beach

We expected to come across a tuk tuk to carry us home, and eventually crossed the Pozhikkara spillway, which links the backwaters with the sea, into Paravur before we found one.

We arrived back at the homestay late - our host had expected us to eat at 6pm, like other 'English'. It was another amazing meal of fish caught that morning. Afterwards, we enjoyed a chat with the other homestayers, a delightful Indian couple.

Our day of 'relaxation' had not been so relaxing, but it was enjoyable, interesting and ended well.

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Photo gallery

A photo gallery

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Single row, 3 columns
but without the lightbox effect


Single row, 3 columns with Blogger captions - OK for single line captions

Francis waiting...

Thangassery Light House

Madonna and Christ St Anthony's Church

hree columns, with captions in table

Francis waiting ...	Thangassery Light House	Madonna with Christ St Anthony's Church

Three columns, with captions in table

Francis waiting ...	Thangassery Light House	Madonna with Christ St Anthony's Church

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Kollam tour

Day 9 - 12th February 2019

Kollam

Up early again to watch the night's catch being landed on the beach outside our room.  Again it was too rough for turtles and dolphins, but it was a glorious sunrise and today there was much excitement and happiness as each boat came in.

The anchovies were running, and the race was on to be the first to market.

Carrying anchovies to market	Boats at the main Kollam fish market

After breakfast, Francis, our host, took us in his tuk tuk to a local festival at a temple. Four elephants arrived, and were fed, and then 'the largest elephant in Kerala' made his appearance, and dutifully saluted the gods.  Festivites like Annayottu, or Mass feeding of Elephants, are very typical to Kerala as to celebrate the happiness of Ganapati through elephant worship.

We watched part of a 'poor man's' kathakali performance, and and met several kind people who explained to us all about the festival. Everyone was very accommodating, and we were the only Europeans present.

We opted not to have lunch at our homestay, which was probably a mistake, but returned there for a rest before we were agin taken in the tuk tuk to the main Kollam market.  It was quieter than usual as three boats had capsized that morning in the rough seas. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Thangassery Light House.	Francis in his tuk tuk	Madonna with Christ St Anthony's Church

We then went on to a British built lighthouse. The Thangassery Light House is the tallest lighthouse in Kerala!  It had a lift, but we opted to climb the 193 steep steps. I was a bit sceptical about this, but it was worth the climb with good views over the town.

We then moved on the Monroe Island.  I asked to stop at St. Anthony's church in Vaddy, Kollam. It has 700-year recorded history and the present structure is 100 years old. The present structure of the Vaddy church is the third one during its 700-year history. The earlier structures had been washed away by the sea.

I could tell that Francis was not keen to linger, and we then had a harem scarem journey weaving in and out of the traffic. Much to his frustration, we arrived just as the ferry was leaving, but this allowed time for a cup of chai.

When it returned, the queue had built up, but we all squeezed on, and on getting off, we continued at a fast pace even though the traffic was light.

We had a date with a boatman who was to take us out on a cruise through the backwaters on a small boat.  The reason for the rush became apparent when we arrived at the appointed place, and arch in the mangroves, through which we were to observe the setting sun.


This was a magical experience.  On our way back, we were dropped off at a temple festival, where the highlight was the young men rolling on the ground around a temple lit by 1,000 candles. Picked up by Francis, he then took us back to the first temple to watch the continuing festivities.  We arrived in time to see a procession of brightly decorated floats, accompanied by dancers and finally highly decorated elephants.  

Sunset in the Mangroes	Festival at xxx

Again, individuals and groups of people were extraordinarily friendly and helpful - and supportive as the crowds were psyched up! Francis returned to pick us up and we went back to the homestay for an evening meal, picking up his wife and daughter en route.

A new couple had arrived, and so we all travelled together in the tuk tuk to the late night kathakali performance.  There were about a dozen of us present when the show started - were they waiting for us?  After an hour or so of nods and winks, finger flicking and pointing, we were no the wiser as to the story being told, so slipped awy at 12:30am knowing there were still another 3-4 hours to go.

An so ended our last day in Kollam - a wonderful few  - too few - days.

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The Houseboat

Day 12 - 15th February 2019

A Houseboat Cruise on the Backwaterss of Alleppey

Packed up and ready to go, we were collected from the Tharavad homestay by our host.  I had been a little unsure about taking a large suitcase on board a boat, but what we had hired was not what I had been expecting.

A bridge over a canal was being repaired and the road closed so we set of on foot for the last part of the journey to the jetty in Punnamada.  I overheard a bit of a conversation between our host and F., but did not have time to ask about it.  I was not sure she had understood what I thought was being offered. And it was all an adventure, wasn't it?

The 'salon'	Our houseboat	The bedroom

The houseboat was called over from the other side of the lake and we were soon on board and settling in.  This was definitely not what we were expecting!  It was a floating disco.

Soon we cast off, being looked after by the captain and a chef, who provided a curry lunch. We had briefly stopped whilst he jumped off and bought some provisions, and then stopped again whilst we ate.  The captain took the opportunity for a swim - or was it a bath?  The waters are none too clean, but folk who live on the river use the river.

Our largish - the were many many sizes bigger - boat did not fit into some of the smaller canals and rivers, and so a small boat was provided for a mini cruise, along delightful waterways with people living and working on the banks.  Our timings coincided with school coming out, and we saw a couple of school water buses dropping off children along the way.

There were to be two such mini cruises, but we now discovered what that conversation had been about.  Our houseboat pulled up alongside a massage parlour, and were ushered inside. This had replaced the second boat trip. And it was not on my agenda.

F. was taken off and was told to remove all her clothes, whilst I was allowed to retain a dhoti.  After much pummeling, it was time to settle up, when I discovered I had insufficient funds. However, the captain produced Rs 1,000 and we were on our way again, missing the sunset as we had been still inside. At this point, F. was offered the only bottle of beer on the boat.

At one of our stops, I had been persuaded to buy something for the evening meal at a small fish market, and chose crab.  It was only when were again on our way that I realised that dinner was included in the price, and so now I had paid twice. Fortunately, the crab was very well prepared and I really enjoyed my meal.

I had not anticipated the little bitey things that also wanted their evening meal, and had not applied insect repellent  With the boat stationery, they had plenty of opportunity, not just now, but as I watched the sun come up at dawn the following morning.

The boat was tied up whilst we slept, and only moved on after breakfast, returning us to Punnamada after a short cruise, where our taxi was waiting for us, the arrangements having been made by our host in Alleppey with our host at our next stop in Munnar.

We had not made use of the flashing lights and large speakers - but there is always next time.

Before we could depart, I was due to be taken by the captain on his motorbike to an ATM, but instead, the taxi driver was to settle up for me.

And yes, it was well worth the money we paid for our houseboat.

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A Day in Alleppey

Day 11 - 14th February 2019

A day in Alleppey

Breakfast was served in an open area of the homestay. We had not said what we would like to eat, and so European food was provided.  This was good, but not what we were looking for.

Once I had arrange for the dhobi (laundry) we walked through hot streets to the Alasr see how best to arrange a houseboat for the following night.  The owner was not there, but his wife said the he would ask us to get in touch to help us. Meanwhile, she kindly gave us a tour of the building, which was built around courtyards.  We were shown the room we would have been allocated.  Smaller than the one we had, it was also very noisy.  There was a temple festival in progress next door. Several pilgrims were using the homestay as a base. Even though this room had a balcony, we now knew the move to the Tharavad had been a very good decision!. 

The Tharavad, where we were staying, did not serve an evening meal, but one of the reasons we wanted to stay at the Alasr was because the cooking had a good reputation.  So, we booked in for an evening meal.  We also saw evidence of the families support for a local orphanage school.  They give a large share of the profits to the school.

It became apparent that the owner was not going to come back soon, and so we agreed to meet him when we came for our meal.

We were advised where to go for a local market, but this proved to be just a shopping street. We bought some spices, and I bought a short sleeved shirt - except when I got it home, it had long sleeves! We cooled off in a friendly little cafe where we had freshly squeezed orange juice.

Without a clear plan for the day - without any plan for the day - as there was not much to see that appealed to us in the town, bu hired a tuk tuk to take us first to the British built lighthouse and then to a beach out of town.

The red and white striped lighthouse, founded in 1862, has panoramic views & a small history museum. We looked down of a former swimming pool which looked as though it had never recovered from the August 2018 floods which devastated much of the state.  There is a little museum with lighthouse artifacts.


Alappuzha, the place where India's Alleppey Lighthouse stands, was one of the busiest ports and trade centers of Kerala. Alappuzha, a part of Travancore, was ruled by Rajas of Erstwhile Travancore before India's independence. After the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch and English traders, Vizhinjam, Kollam, Travancore and Purakad were the main ports of Erstwhile Travancore through which foreign trade flourished. 

We moved on to a beach outside the town and then raced back to Alleppey to watch the sun setting over the Arabian Sea.

We were the only diners at the Alasr, but the food was well cooked and the meal enjoyable.  The owner arrived to discuss the arrangements for a houseboat. It turned out he owned one, and this is what he had arranged for us.  It was not at all what we had expected, being larger and much more expensive. But, by then, we felt that time was running out to go elsewhere, so bargained a price reduction and accepted what was offered.  Is Rs10,000 (about £100) too much for lunch, dinner, bed and breakfast and a river cruise?

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Departure

Day 19 - 22nd February 2019

Leaving India

With warnings about travel times to the airport, and a 9:30am flight departure, we wanted to be sure not to miss the flight, so were on the road by 5:30am in a taxi booked for us by the family. A light breakfast had been left out for us and the security man helped us with our luggage.

Kochi was only just waking up, there was no traffic and we arrived with plenty of time to spare.  The check in process was smooth, and were soon in the departure lounge where, after a few purchaes, we left our remaining money in a charity box.

The flight via Dubai went without a hitch and we were met by family.

It was all a wonderful experience, and are already making plans for our return to the Indian subcontinent.

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