A day in Kochi

Covering your eyes with a blanket of green,

As far as the eyes can perceive,

Mellowing down the tiredness with a sheen,

Where water forgets to dry,

Where Trees grow faster than people,

Where bliss is a gift you cannot miss,

For me, this is God's own Kochi.

On the way to Fort Kochi  +Cynthia Vincent 

With a scent of mud and mild droplets of rain for the entire year round, Kochi is a place that will enthrall you with every breath that you take. Water, land, green, boats and rain are a common state of affair for the people living here. But, for a Mumbaite like me, it was bliss.

A crazy traveler that I am, my husband and I visited Kochi in the end of August to attend the wedding reception of a friend of ours. The wedding was supposed to be held in the evening, so we decided to tour around Kochi in the morning. As usual, I had made a list of places that I wanted to visit.

We hired a cab which took us around. We reached Kochi by around 8.30 in the morning and we were welcomed by a few spells of rain. The airport, being situated in the outskirts gave us an opportunity to take a small tour around Kochi till we could reach Fort Kochi.

Cherai Beach +Cynthia Vincent

There were not apartments or tall buildings in this part of Kochi. It was new for people like us. We found separate bungalows that were massive in size. We longed to have a peep inside these homes and have a look at how huge homes looked like. Every house had a name for it. At the entrance of every home, there were trees. Greenery was not something you would long for once you are in this city. Greenery is a birthright.

Cherai Beach +Cynthia Vincent

Our first stop was Cherai Beach. The weather was gloomy and windy, perfect for a romantic getaway. Calm and serene as it looked, Cherai Beach had very few visitors at that part of the day. We walked on along the pathway that was built adjoining the beach. As we walked towards the end of the pathway, from nowhere we could hear sounds of thunder. Suddenly it started raining. It wasn’t mild. It rained like cats and dogs and we had to rush back to the cab.

Near Fort Kochi +Cynthia Vincent 

We continued our tour and came across a number of tiny bridges above the backwaters. There was something else that caught my eye, it was the Chinese Fishing nets. This was something I had never seen before. I wished to ask the driver to stop for some time so that I could take a closer look at these nets. He asked me to wait for a while. Seldom did I know why he had said that.

Chinese Fishing Net +Cynthia Vincent

Our next stop was Fort Kochi. We enjoyed a jolly ferry ride before we reached the Fort Kochi. As we walked past the coast we found many Chinese Fishing nets. They were a treat to the eye. It was one of a kind that I had never seen elsewhere. Walking in between a cloud of trees and with tiny drops of rain that wet your cheeks every now and then was a memorable experience.

We visited the church where Vasco Da Gama was buried. And headed back to the cab.

Our stomachs churned hinting that it was time for some mouthwatering water. We stopped at “Dal Roti”, a restaurant that was styled in an ancient manner. We chose to eat “Stuffed Prawn Paratha” that was just finger licking. Anytime, you visit Kochi don’t forget to visit this place and taste this delicacy, if you are a non-vegetarian.

St. Francis Xavier Church  +Cynthia Vincent 

Outside the church +Cynthia Vincent 

Cochin, the English counterpart of Kochi was blessed with a Dutch’s Palace in Mattacherry, which was further away from Fort Kochi. We found a lot of valuable things in this museum which included the first coins in India. This museum should be recognized in a larger scale.

Tired that we were by the end of the day, we have just enough time to get dressed and attend the wedding reception. Cochin was marvelous and undoubtedly, I would want to visit it again.

Dutch's Palace +Cynthia Vincent 

What about you? Let me know.

Linking this post to Write Tribe's Write A Review – Rediscovering Your Blogging Groove Day 3

9 tips for a better travel

Lately, travelling excites me. Well, whom does it not? Ever since, I was a kid, I have always loved visiting new places, learning new cultures and meeting new people. Travelling is all about making memories all over the world. As Anita Desai says, "Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow". If you have planned a travel once in your life, there is a taste that you get addicted to. It's a healthy drug that gushes into your senses and cannot leave till you have visited every corner of the world. 

I do not believe in paying extra money for a tour package where some agency tells me about how I should travel and the places I should visit. For me, travel begins right from the day I start thinking about it to the booking of the places to stay as well preparing my own itinerary. My 10 days honeymoon trip to Italy was an excellent experience of how I managed and planned my travel. 

I have been waiting to share my plan from a long time. So here I am giving you few tips for a better travel.

1. Plan ahead: Planning your travel 4 to 5 months earlier not only saves you a  huge    

    amount of money but gives you ample amount of time to relax and plan for an amazing travel. You     can get fabulous offers on your flight tickets and offers from websites like Booking and Hotels for     your stay. 

2. Make a list of places: Websites like Tripadvisor and Cox and Kings 

    provide you with readymade travel itineraries. You can pick up any of them and start making a list     of all the places you wish to see. 

3. Do not crumple: While making a list of the places to visit in a particular city     

   that you are travelling to, do not crumple your travel. You do not have to visit every place that    

   Tom, Dick or Harry visited. Pick up the places that interest you. Have a look at the pictures of such 

   places on  Google and then make a choice. It’s always good to spend your money and time in    

   places that I interest you than wasting your time in visiting a place that makes you feel sad. 

4. Get to know your choices:If you are interested in art then make a list of the museums that you cannot miss in a particular place that you are visiting. Keep a checklist of all the historic places of interest. If you are a person who loves adventure, then add that to your checklist. You choice  

 is something that is very important. 

5. Dial a friend: It’s always good to call up a friend who has visited that place earlier. He/she can give you some insights that you can never find even on the internet. 

6. Know the culture: There is a famous saying which goes like this, “When in Rome do as Romans do”. It’s always good to have a brief overview about the culture and some ideas about the place you are visiting. You never know when it could come handy. 

7. Know what you pay: There are websites that provide you the cost of common items like Milk, water, bread, alcohol or a sumptuous meal. It’s always good to have a look at it rather than be cheated. 

8. Manage your time: While preparing your itinerary always keep track of the amount of time you are going to spend at every place. Make a timetable and try your best to follow it.

9. Last but not the least: The last Item in the checklist is to keep your money at different places. For example, separate your money and keep some in your wallet, some in your bag and some in a secret pocket in your dress. This comes handy especially when you are in an international travel where access to that currency is difficult. 

The 9 tips mentioned above are tested and verified. You can blindly follow them and I bet you will have the travel of your lifetime. 

Let me know If I could add anything more to this list and also your feedback!

Linking the post to Write a List – Rediscovering Your Blogging Groove Day 1

The Dandiya time #Navratri

India is considered to be a land of varied cultures, traditions, religions and heritage. Every Indian takes pride in stating that we that live in a country that respects everyone’s sentiments. Muslims,  Hindus, Christians,  Parsis, Jews,  Buddhists are alike and we live in apartments where one neighbor would be of a different religion and the other of another. Inspite of being a Christian, I light Diyas(lamps) outside my home every Diwali. For me Diwali is a festival of lights. I love the way every house is decorated with lamps on every nook and corner.

The reason why I began writing about the unity is diversity was because of a recent festival I participated in, last Saturday. It was my Mom’s birthday on Friday and invariantly I just needed a reason to go to my mother’s place in Pune. Mumbai(Where I live in) is just a 3 and a half hour drive to Pune which makes it all the more easier. My Husband and I drove down on Friday night to spend the evening with my mother and make her feel special.

She had informed me of a Dandiya Night that was supposed to be hosted in our society for which she had been practicing since a week. I was excited as it had been years since I had played Dandiya.

Dressed in my best attire, I joined the platoon that was dressed in bright coloured ghagra cholis. 

The show lasted for around two and a half hours and by the end of it I was exhausted. There were prizes for different age groups and those who were best dressed and danced the best were awarded. It was a public gathering and all of them were equally elated.

As I went back to sleep that day with soared feet, I thought of the evening. The way the festival had brought together people of different age groups under one single roof was marvelous. It was just another break from the monotonous life that we live in. Such kind of social gatherings and events attract people and this is something that keeps our country united. I felt proud. Isn't it great how people join hands to celebrate festivals? 

My Mom and Me.
 Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

As for me, as the dandiya season is about to get over, I can’t wait for it to arrive next year.

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

Last night in Venice ....#When I met a stranger.

Venice, one of the most romantic cities in the world and surprises you with every step you take. You will find yourself locked in a maze of similar looking streets and bridges. There are no traffic signals in this city and no automobiles as well. To talk about this fascinating city would require an entire blog post. But there was something else that has made Venice special for us. There was another incident that sunk in so deeply and will always be in our memories for years to come.

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

On the last night of our honeymoon to Italy, my husband and I had planned to attend a live Orchestra which is considered to be a shame if not witnessed while it Venice. We booked our tickets in the morning and after our visit to the great St. Mark's Cathedral and Doge's palace we walked to the place where the orchestra was supposed to be conducted. There was a huge queue standing outside since the gates hadn't opened yet. We joined to queue and waited for around 10 minutes. After a while, we found a couple standing in front of us who requested us to click a photo of theirs. I was busy in a phone call and my husband did the honours of clicking a picture. 

They thanked us and began a conversation by asking us where were we from. We told them that we were from India and we got to know that they were from the USA. They told us that they were touring Europe and it had been around three weeks since they were out of home. On telling them that we were on our honeymoon we got to know that John and Joanna were married for 6 years. We were surprised as it contradicted the assumption we have of Americans that they do not have long-term relationships. Thanks to the hollywood superhits that brief us on this subject n-number of times. 

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

The gates for the Orchestra had opened and we took our seats. For the first time, we had witnessed a live orchestra of 7 violinists. The Orchestra lasted for an hour and a half and left us swaying to its tune for even longer.

 As we began to leave the hall, John and Joanna came up to us and asked us if we wished to join them for dinner. We were overwhelmed. I always had a fetish to meet new people and get to know about them. Maybe it's the writer instinct in me that makes me inquisitive and curious. We walked into a small restaurant on  Campo Manin. 

We ordered food and since it was the finals of the Fifa world cup that day we were excited to hear the news as well. We talked about the different cultures we were brought up in. I realized that Joanna came from a very close knit family and both of them valued the relationships they shared with their parents. We found that our upbringing was nothing different. They spoke about how difficult the first year of their marriage was and advised us on making it an effort to work out the differences in married life that may arise after a period of time. 

Joanna spoke about her love for bollywood movies and how much she loved watching the dances on bollywood numbers. We told them about Mumbai and asked them to visit us soon. 

We spent an hour and a half talking and finally got up to leave as we had to catch the flight back to India the next day. As for them, they were heading towards Rome. On the way back to India, I realised that there was no other better way to end our honeymoon. We met a couple hail from a place (where we thought relationships are taken for granted) living together for so long and making it an effort to live in harmony. They were the best example for a newly married couple like us. Ever since we are back, there have been times when things may not have been the way it should be between my husband and me, but in those times I remember our friends John and Joanna and the example they set before us. 

Copyright @Cynthia Vincent

It's true that many a times we meet strangers to whom we are reluctant to open up, but when they become a part of our lives, they become so special. I still continue to message Joanna over facebook and we still continue to share our experiences. 

Wishing them the best in life always!! Love you guys and thank you so much for asking us to click your picture on the last evening in Venice. 

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.