Cochin- bowled me over

Cochin… bowled me over

The plane hovered over the city for a good ten minutes giving us a bird’s eye view of a modern city nestling among green environs. A couple of rivers and backwaters made their way through the city giving it a unique city plan.

As the flight landed, the quaint terminal,  an interesting building made quite an impression. The red-tiled roof crowning a modern glass building laid the cards for what lay ahead.

The uber driver was there as promised. The pleasant young man doubled as city guide as he drove us to our destination.

We decided to explore the town a little and took a ferry to Fort Kochi. Our ticket cost merely ₹6… on a ferry, which was dot on time plying between clean, garbage free jetties.

Walking around in the hot morning through the narrow paved streets was more like walking through a museum. The dazzling display of crafts and craftsmanship from every corner of the country, was a joy.

Paintings, statues- in brass, copper and stone, perfumes, spices, attractive cotton shirts, sarees and dresses billowed in the sultry breeze.

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We didn’t mind the sweat dripping down our brows, neck and back! The babel of voices indicated people had arrived from all corners of the globe. And the cynosure of all eyes was the quaint old Synagogue! Built in 1568, it’s well preserved and serene.

We ventured into the Dutch palace, an antique shop, a spice shop as we quenched our thirst with fresh coconut water straight from tender green coconuts.

The one thing that made Cochin most attractive to me were the beautiful huge trees everywhere. Their thick branches meander into space with luxuriant green leaves, trunks layered with orchids and ferns. Here and there were dried up ferns looking like an attractive dry arrangement.

Before we realized it was time to get back to our hotel,  so we rushed through the narrow, quaint streets once again and took the ferry back.

The cool sea breeze on our face, tugging at our hair was a cool respite.

On the ride back, we had a field day watching the Brahmi eagles fishing in the waters along with some cormorants and even a crow.

The beautiful,  confident women and handsome men everywhere seemed just right for this city. Since it was a Sunday people moved at ease enjoying their leisure time.

I would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful town and exploring it without being in a rush.

But be prepared for the heat…

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