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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