Market in Fort Cochin

The market and beach at Fort Cochin has everything and is extremely lively. Fishermen sell their day's catch and kiosk restaurants offer to cook and serve the catch to tourists. Local artists sell their etchings and handicrafts; Kerala has put alot of funds and efforts into promoting its local artists and performers. People even sell the latest in camera and portable music technology right there on the beach. At sunset half the city pours onto the beach to dip their feet in the waves and watch fishermen unload their Chinese fishing nets.

Kerala Backwaters

One of the most memorable things about Kerala is its waterways, with small villages dotting the coastlines. The Vishnu festival and Good Friday abbreviated our trek further south, so we hovered around Cochi instead of taking a longer trip to the wildlife sancturaries and beaches. There is just too much to do in this relatively developed Communist, and largely Catholic state! Many of the villlages along the canals earn their income by distilling toddy (illegal moonshine from coconut milk) or processing coir (rope from coconut husks). In addition, there are small factories that process tiny mussles, that are made into calcium fertilisers and concrete supplements. Because it was Vishnu festival many of the villagers had their best clothing on; they had just returned from temple. Quite peaceful and sweltering!

Kerala, southern India

A friend and I took a quick trip to Kerala for the April Hindu New Year. It turned into a ginormous shopping trip, loading up on saris, shalwars, spices, incense, weavings, artwork, nuts and delicacies, ayurvedic products and mahindi henna.