After our little cruising in the houseboat of Alappuzha, it was time for us to head back home to Bangalore. Our return was scheduled in the evening from Kochi. So, we had a whole day to explore this city, which is fondly known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea.
Now, Kochi is a lovely seaside city that is flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. Over the years, it has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala. Kochi has a world class port and international airport that link it to many major cities worldwide. Long time ago, the Arabs, British, Jews, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese have left marks on the history and development of Kochi.
We took a local super fast bus from Alappuzha & reached Kochi within an hour. From there we had hired a cab and decided to first head to the Jew Town, a bustling port area & centre of the Kochi spice trade. The lanes are filled with antique & tourist curio shops & the air is filled with the biting aromas of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric & cloves. Another sight is the Jewish Synagogue which is located right in the centre of Jew Town. This was built sometime in the 15th century. There is one section inside with a lot of paintings that describes how & when Jews came to India.
Next we went to Fort Kochi to see the Chinese Fishing Nets. It is believed that traders from China introduced these nets here many years ago. Oddly, these nets are found only in Kochi, outside China! Many fishermen earn their livelihood by fishing using these massive nets. A whole stretch of the coast along Fort Kochi are dotted with these nets.
It was time for lunch, and we headed to The Grand Hotel. Mr. Peter had stayed here a couple of times during his official trips and was always raving about the food here. Though it was packed with people at the time we reached, somehow we managed to find a table at 2pm without a reservation. We were quite lucky that day I guess. We had squid fry, Karimeen Pollichathu and the Alleppey fish curry with rice & appams. It was super delicious.
We were tired with all the strolling in the Jew Town and Fort Kochi in the hot sun. And after a heavy meal, we definitely needed a break. So we rested at the hotel till tea time and then went to the Marine Drive as we didn't want to miss the sunset.
The Marine Drive is a picturesque waterfront promenade in Kochi. It is a popular hangout for the local people. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. Probably, that day being a Sunday evening, we saw so many people there......some were walking , some were spending time with friends and families and some kids playing around as well. There were also people going for mini boat cruises in the Arabian Sea, in the jetties that we saw along the walkway.
We went on top of the Rainbow bridge and from there the view of the setting sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze was absolutely wonderful.
Finally, we went back to the hotel, packed all our things and had an early dinner at The Grand Hotel restaurant. Their Kerala Parotta and Beef Ularthiyathu in Syrian Christian style was yummy. Then we went back to Bangalore.
Kochi is a wonderful and a fast growing city. Weather wise it was really hot and humid. But it was amazing to see all those places in just a day. We had a good time!!!
Now, Kochi is a lovely seaside city that is flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. Over the years, it has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala. Kochi has a world class port and international airport that link it to many major cities worldwide. Long time ago, the Arabs, British, Jews, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese have left marks on the history and development of Kochi.
We took a local super fast bus from Alappuzha & reached Kochi within an hour. From there we had hired a cab and decided to first head to the Jew Town, a bustling port area & centre of the Kochi spice trade. The lanes are filled with antique & tourist curio shops & the air is filled with the biting aromas of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric & cloves. Another sight is the Jewish Synagogue which is located right in the centre of Jew Town. This was built sometime in the 15th century. There is one section inside with a lot of paintings that describes how & when Jews came to India.
Next we went to Fort Kochi to see the Chinese Fishing Nets. It is believed that traders from China introduced these nets here many years ago. Oddly, these nets are found only in Kochi, outside China! Many fishermen earn their livelihood by fishing using these massive nets. A whole stretch of the coast along Fort Kochi are dotted with these nets.
We were tired with all the strolling in the Jew Town and Fort Kochi in the hot sun. And after a heavy meal, we definitely needed a break. So we rested at the hotel till tea time and then went to the Marine Drive as we didn't want to miss the sunset.
We went on top of the Rainbow bridge and from there the view of the setting sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze was absolutely wonderful.
Finally, we went back to the hotel, packed all our things and had an early dinner at The Grand Hotel restaurant. Their Kerala Parotta and Beef Ularthiyathu in Syrian Christian style was yummy. Then we went back to Bangalore.
Kochi is a wonderful and a fast growing city. Weather wise it was really hot and humid. But it was amazing to see all those places in just a day. We had a good time!!!
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