God's Own Country

Our second visit to Kerala this year was a work trip for my husband. We were put up at a hotel in Cochin close to the airport (read: far away from anywhere else!).

While my husband was working, I caught up on sleep, took a dip in the pool, and wandered the streets of Fort Cochin. The hotel runs a complimentary shuttle from Cochin to Fort Cochin, and I took advantage.

I then walked from Fort Kochi to Jew Town and stopped at some of the several shops that dot the road along the way. Most of them are traders that sell rice, spices and tea in bulk, but there are several shops that cater to the tourist crowd.

I managed to get a few shots, but my camera battery died just as the light started to get nice. It was the first time since I've owned my camera that I thought it would be handy to have a spare.

I remembered this lady and her shop in Jew Town from my last visit there. She sews and hand embroiders kippahs, little baby dresses, and a lot of other stuff. She didn't look nearly that concerned the entire time I was chatting with her!

The older buildings on the island reflect Portuguese and Dutch architectural influences (including a synagogue and a Dutch Palace), but sadly, I don't have any photos to share. I walked back to Fort Cochin giving myself enough time to get out of the heat, sip on a fresh ginger-lime soda and read my book.