Welcome to Cochin, India!
Here are the famous Chinese fishing nets. The three of us actually got to work one of these! Us and the workers all heaved at the heavy ropes attached with stones. I’m not sure exactly what we were doing, but it was an experience!
Spices from the spice market.
Indian woman on the street selling jewelry.
Me in front of a Tuk Tuk wearing my Indian kurta I had purchased in Bangalore from FabIndia a few years back.
We ate at Dal Roti in the Fort Cochin area, based on finding so many online raving reviews of the place.
I had Butter Chicken and paratha.
A friend had Galub Jamun for desert.
Interior of Dal Roti.
To the left is our driver and car for the day.
At the public laundry. This is where they wash…
This is where they dry…
And this is where they iron.
We visited The Mattancherry Palace. No inside photography allowed, so you’ll have to settle for a shot of the shutters!
In conclusion: I really liked Cochin. Compared to my one other visit to India which was the bustling city of Bangalore, Cochin seemed like a sleepy seaside village where things moved much slower. I felt safe there, and the locals seemed to be very friendly, even smiling as we snapped photos of them and their surroundings. Cochin is a huge tourist destination and we saw Westerners everywhere – at least in the Fort Cochin area. In fact, at the restaurant we stopped in at, everyone eating there was a Westerner. I guess we all had read the same “Trip Advisor” reviews!
I would go back in a heartbeat. A few hours is never enough time! Tomorrow we’re on to Mangalore, India.