Christmas Day in Kochin on the Arabian Sea!!

Breakfast at 9 AM. Those of the group remaining, visited. After breakfast, I packed and checked out of the hotel room by noon. Dania and I remained. I said my farewell to Sanjay our trusty leader, whom we were so fond of, and who looked after us so well. He lives in Chennai, and is heading there today to his wife and small boy. Dania and I walked to the shore, but were pestered by a guy who wanted us to go with him in his tuk tuk to see the Indian Bazaar, as he would get a rice token if he did  so. We obliged and found the Bazaar amazing to see. So exotic, so ornate, amazing Pashminas, silk garments, carpets, you name it. We couldn't afford much, but indulged ourselves looking. We then headed for the Ginger Cafee. You enter it via a museum which is longitudinal, and has an extremely long boat, used by a Maharaja and his wife, rowed by a host of slaves. You can check out the pic. The Ginger cafe is on the water's edge, and we drank ginger soda and ginger lassi ( a ginger flavoured cold yoghurt drink which is lovely). I don't get hungry in the heat, so didn't have lunch. I took a tuk tuk back to the hotel, and cooled down there till my taxi arrived to drive me to Kumarakon. At 3 PM we left the Fort Manor Hotel, ending off the huge Indian train trip. What an adventure of extreme highs, and extreme lows, lots of fun, and difficulty. But isn't that what life is? The groups were sad to leave, and we are planning a reunion in the UK when I end up there. Some great friends were made, and memorable experiences had. My driver, Rajesh took me in a lovely air-conditioned car through Kochin city, the modern part, and off towards Kumarakon. It was palm trees, palm plantations, rice paddies everywhere. Water water everywhere....... I stopped to take some pics of Hindu temples along the way, and stopped for an Ayurvedic massage just before my hotel, which would have been too expensive.  Totally unlike a Western massage, it does not focus on deep tissue, but seems more medicinal. Lots of herbal oils. I had a steam session, which was going into a "closet" with a hole for your head. Really old fashioned last century steam room!!! A good shower and we left for the upscale hotel. Very nice but mostly in the dark by now. I had a nice meal focussing on the local seafood, which is great. I took pics of a tabla player, and wood wind player. He played a kind of recorder. They allowed me to take pics. Off to the very comfortable bed, and ready for tomorrow, when the tour of the Kerala BACKWATERS begins!!!!!!!! Stay tuned.

 Above, the camel horn table...looks like ivory, ornate and exotic like the carpets in the back

 The long boat inside the museum above

 In the Ginger cafe looking onto Kochin Island

 Rice paddies on the way to Kumarakon

 Above note the tree full of fish eating birds

 Above and below, the tabla player and woodwind player.... like a flute...rather nice sound