Since part 1 of Ida and Rogell's India Adventure was in northern India, we decided that part 2 should be down south. So with the help of the amazing Mary at Oriana Holidays we headed out for a relaxing few days in Kochi and the Backwaters of Kerala.
With a wonderfully uneventful flight down, we took a quick driving tour of new Kochi before heading to our hotel and lunch in old Kochi. Unlike much of northern India, which appears today after and out of its Mughal and British history, Kerala bears the marks of its own Portuguese and Dutch colonial history; this is especially true of Kochi which was both the center of the Indian spice trade for centuries, known to both ancient China as well as Greece and Rome, and the site of Europe's first settlement in India.
Day two of our southern adventure had us heading further south to Alleppey and the Backwaters of Kerala. The Backwaters are incredibly hard to describe: most basically they are a series of interconnected rivers, lakes, and canals, lined by rice paddies and small villages. They are also, though, much more than this: covering almost the entire length of the Keralan coast, they are the heart of a culture, producing their own cuisine, their own traditions, their own sense of being in the world. In a way that is hard to pin-point, Kerala just feels different. For us, this feeling started with one night at a great resort and was completed with a night on a houseboat.
And just like, Rogell and Ida's India Adventure was over much too soon. Although it was great to get to share our life with them, the visit was much too short and it seems like we only scratched the surface of India. I guess they'll have to come back again next year!
With a wonderfully uneventful flight down, we took a quick driving tour of new Kochi before heading to our hotel and lunch in old Kochi. Unlike much of northern India, which appears today after and out of its Mughal and British history, Kerala bears the marks of its own Portuguese and Dutch colonial history; this is especially true of Kochi which was both the center of the Indian spice trade for centuries, known to both ancient China as well as Greece and Rome, and the site of Europe's first settlement in India.
Kochi home away from away
St. Francis Church, built 1503 and the oldest European church in India
Seriously, show of hands - who knew Vasco da Gama was originally buried in Kochi, India?
Interior St. Francis Church
Dutch Cemetery outside St. Francis Church
Paradesi Synagogue, built 1568 and the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth
(also, unfortunately, closed at 5pm)
(also, unfortunately, closed at 5pm)
Ida, making friends everywhere she goes!
Chinese fishing nets and fishing boats
Art in Kochi
Marine Drive, Kochi
Day two of our southern adventure had us heading further south to Alleppey and the Backwaters of Kerala. The Backwaters are incredibly hard to describe: most basically they are a series of interconnected rivers, lakes, and canals, lined by rice paddies and small villages. They are also, though, much more than this: covering almost the entire length of the Keralan coast, they are the heart of a culture, producing their own cuisine, their own traditions, their own sense of being in the world. In a way that is hard to pin-point, Kerala just feels different. For us, this feeling started with one night at a great resort and was completed with a night on a houseboat.
Punnamada Resort
Resort breakfast
Backwaters home away from home
Ready to set sail!
Who wants ice cream?
And just like, Rogell and Ida's India Adventure was over much too soon. Although it was great to get to share our life with them, the visit was much too short and it seems like we only scratched the surface of India. I guess they'll have to come back again next year!
No comments:
Post a Comment