Cochin

So after two nights in Mangalore, in a hotel room full of bedbugs and mosquitoes, we have now been in the coastal town of Cochin in the state of Kerala for three days. The bus ride down took 11 hours but once again went very smoothly. Cochin (or as some call it Kochi) is a really nice town, about the size of Stockholm with a once vibrant but now rather dormant harbour. It has an interesting mix and history, with amongst others Portuguese, British and Dutch settlers, and also has a 2000 year old Jewish community melted in with the Catholic, Muslim, Hinduist and various other religious cultures. Vasco Da Gama died and was buried in this town (though later moved to Portugal) and Kerala is the first place in the world to elect a Communist government in a democratic election back in 1957, which quite obviously still rules to this day as you can’t walk many metres without seeing posters of Marx and Lenin or red flags with scythes and hammers swaying above your head, but enough of the history lesson. Our days here have been spent cruising between the two main islands on the cheap ferry, walking or rickshawing around the town looking at various sights, playing football (so far no cricket) with local kids and eating delicious cakes and doughnuts. Joshua has been unfortunate enough to pick up a nasty infection, oozing with pus in his knee and has been to the local hospital to get some anti-biotics which will hopefully help. Also we have met up with the three Swedes we met in Palolem, Jonas and Jonas from Dalarna and Daniel from Gothenburg, tagging along with them is the Essex lad James, how he copes with us 7 Swedes I don’t know. Anyway the 8 of us will probably head further south soon heading for backwater houseboats and more beaches as tans in India don’t seem to last very long in the cities. Sadly I can tell you all my trusty flip-flops have now broken and as the Indian market does not offer very comfortable slippers this could mean serious bad new for your brave author, however all hope is not lost as rumour has it an old man in Fort Cochin with a wooden shop can mend anything… We’ll just have to wait and see…