Day 4 - Touring Kochi

Today was the first day of organised activities which started with a walk with the group to the Dutch Palace. On the way we along a section of a road where the locals were of the worship at a couple of temples along there. They were out in their "Sunday best" for the occasion, accompanied by an elephant, also dressed in his Sunday best". At the palace we took a guided tour. It was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.  The Portuguese were later displaced by the Dutch so it began known as the Dutch Palace. As palaces go it's more like a country house than a palace. Nevertheless, it was the home of the King of Kochi for many centuries thereafter. The walls are covered with paintings of all the kings over the ages. The most interesting part of the tour was the brief background we received into the Hindu religion and the gods, therein.

Following the tour we walked along the same path we did yesterday down to Jew Town. I think most of the tour group had been already so care factor was low. The tour leader found a nearby tuk-tuk rank and we headed over to the Fort Kochi district. This was our first ride in this sort of vehicle. It's great fun whizzing around the labyrinth that is Kochi, eventually popping up near Fort Kochi, by the Arabian Sea. We visited the first Christian church built in India - also built in the 16th century. It was once the burial place (they moved him later on) of the famous navigator, Vasco de Gama. It was converted from a Catholic church to an Anglican church when the British booted out the Spanish a couple of centuries later.

A short stroll away is the Arabian Sea. Lots of big ships anchored in the water. The main attraction here is the famous Chinese fishing nets called that because they're based on a Chinese design not because they're operated by Chinese fishermen. Said to have been in operation for more than 400 years and still in operation (literally) as we viewed them. Imagine something akin to a pair of the giant cranes used to build tall building today, sitting on the end of a peir, with a huge net suspended between them. The net is lowered into the water for five minutes and then drawn up using men on ropes and huge rock for counter-balancers. The net is lowered to the pier and the men collect the fish – if the birds don't get them first! From here we found a small cafe for lunch and enjoyed a tea from Darjeeling – in a real tea-pot with real tea. The cafe was called Teapots, so I would have been disappointed in anything less.

Kerry and I thought we'd walk back to the hotel se we set set off. Didn't take long before we got lost in what I reckon was an "affluent" little enclave of Kochi. So we flagged down the next tuk-tuk, and agreed on a 100 Rupee fare (AUD$2.00) and made it back to the hotel for a short rest.

In the evening we attended a traditional Kerala dance demonstration call Kathakalli. In a very small hall three men and three percussionists told a story from Hindu mythology. The men were elaborately face-painted and dressed and the story was told through facial expression, hand and body movement. It takes six years study to learn this form of dance and four years to learn the accompanying singing and percussion pieces.

With the group we found a nearby restaurant, enjoyed a good meal and then the tuk-tuk convoy headed back to the hotel to prepare for an early start tomorrow.