Buzzing Around The World With Fellette & Doug

Cochin... India

The ship entered the channel to Cochin around 7.00 am. The entry was like rolling down up a wide river, with green fields on the shores. We soon passed some "Chinese Fishing Nets",

a very primitive but effective way of catching fish that come in with the tide near shore. In the distance the city was partially obscured by a smoky haze.

It took two hours to clear the ship with the bureaucracy that India is famous for. We were entertained by a "folkloric" group that came on board and entertained us for 1 1/2 hours to dancing, martial arts displays and 'Indian Theatre,'

It was very entertaining and certainly very Indian. I was more intrigued with the young men doing the martial arts routines with sword, clubs, shields, knives, sticks and umbrellas!

The show was great, but sometimes these things go on a little too long for our western tastes.

Soon we found ourselves out on the dock where four Indian Elephants were there decorated and posing for photos with their Indian tenders.

A group of musicians making very Indian noises added to the festivities. A few merchants had set up stalls just behind the elephants. It was all sort of surreal, the temperature was well over 90 and it was still the morning.

The haze had disappeared and the sky was clear, the only shade was created by the elephants!

The passengers, having been at sea for a whole three days, were suffering from severe shopping withdrawals. That added to the melee on the docks as the shopaholics, mostly women who have been eating too much for the past 2 1/2 months, had the Saris draped over their ample bodies. A Sari does hide much excess living and focuses ones eyes on the beautiful fabrics they use instead of what is wrapped in it. All this to the benefit of the merchants that were very pleasant and easy to get along with and very eager to barter with you.

I suddenly remembered that we desperately needed a hand knotted silk rug. However I could forgo the rug in exchange for one of those bejewelled wall hangings that had my name on. Jim mentioned that a passenger had bought one a few minutes before. They were beautiful and well made, for a reasonable sum, but where in the heck would it go?

Common sense soon prevailed and we restricted our purchase to a picture taken by the elephant, and two cotton blouses for Fellette.

Back to the ship for a shower, change of clothes and salad lunch. Next stop was to the lounge to await our tour being called. We had signed up for a "backwaters of Cochin boat cruise". There, while waiting we were talking to our friend Naiomi and that is where we found out that she had bought the bejewelled wall hanging. She wasn't sure if she wanted it until another passenger started eyeing it and asked if she was going to buy it. That convinced her, it's new home is Calgary! She has to rearrange her living room for it. The joys of travel.

Next, off to the coaches for a short ride to a pier where there were several tour boats, each holding about 25 to 30 people. For the next 2 1/2 hours we were treated to a sort of harbour tour of the various island and peninsulas that make up Cochin Harbour. Surprisingly it was absolutely wonderful. Breezy, colourful, a spacious little covered boat and pleasant company. We had a young Indian guide whose job is to inform us of everything he thinks we should know about Cochin, from his point of view.

I personally enjoyed the many encounters with the fish boats and the fishermen we saw. All appeared to be very happy, many waving before we did.

Our talkative little guide took us right up alongside the boats of all vintages and showed us their catches,

Ranging from Mullet, prawns, shrimp, sardines by the ton and various other specialities. The city and surroundings seem to be thriving, although poor by our standards there did not seem to be any outward signs of abject poverty. I realise that our scope of touring never exceeded a view beyond 50 yards inland!

We had a brief stop at a very nice hotel on a small island within view of our ship.

The few hundred Prinsendamians seemed to be the only guests there.

The luxury suite there was $150 a night and you could get a three day two night package for two people, [including massage? and meals for $150].

Back to the ship during which our little Indian guide gave his views of President Bush, both as a man and a President. To their credit, the passengers, who it seems are very politically divided right now never made any attempt to throw him overboard. I suspect it affected his tips though.

Generally, it was a great first day in India. Later, many passengers we talked to were pleasantly surprised with both the people and the conditions they met here.

One day at sea, then Bombay, [that is what many locals call it].
16,000,000 is the population.

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 6:25 PM