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.

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