Paradise Found Again

waterfront of Ernakulam

Since my arrival in Cochin I have settled very quickly into a not exactly unpleasant rhythm of life here. I think every time I come here it becomes the natural place to settle back and reconstruct my battered and sapped brain. Even for all the new developments in Fort Cochin it is still the peaceful hideout that it has always been, and will be I hope for the foreseeable future. As you can imagine, my travel plans have changed a little to allow a little more time than I originally intended ; the trip to Kovolam has been well and truly cancelled and I’ll be heading towards Alleppey for the Nehru Cup boat race on Friday.

Lets get down to the mundane everyday problems. Yesterday, the batteries in my camera suddenly violently discharged causing the camera to get very hot. No harm to the camera thankfully but when I put them in the battery charger, the charger went incredibly hot and ceased to function. So today I went over the water to Ernakulam on a quest for another charger. After a few disappointing trys I did in fact find just what I wanted in rather a flashy airconditioned Nikon establishment. But for a fast charger I think the price wasn’t bad. I also got another small bargain tripod to replace the one I lost in Mysore.



The walk back to the jetty took me along the waterfront lined with boats, ice-cream parlours, shopping malls and masses of mobile phone shops, not to mention the occasional requisite beggar. The day’s excurssion went by pretty seamlessly with a stop off for dinner at the waterside restaurant I was in last night after the show at Greenix complex.

Applying Kathakali makeup

Even since I was here last, two years ago, there are many changes: new plush hotels, restaurants, business meeting complexes and the inevitable higher prices. One such development I went to last night is the Greenix Village complex. It seems to be encompassing everything including a cultural program and facilities for business functions such as conferences. Last night, and every night, there was a three hour showcase of traditional Kerala dancing, Kathakali story play (miming to drum beats) and a spectacular display of an ancient local form of martial arts (Kalarippayattu) in which swords or long spears are flashed around at incredible speeds. As you might see a band of majorettes twiddling batons between their fingers, these guys do the same thing with a five foot long spears.

There will, connections permitting, be a few movies about this State of culture but I have included a quicky about facial expressions used in Kathakali performances so that if I manage to upload the real thing you might get some idea what this well publicised art form is all about.

Kathakali facial expressions

As you can see, life gets tedious here in Cochin. Had to get myself a new wad today. Looks great but only lasts about 10 or 12 days. (10,000 Rs about 160 Euro)