Exploring Kerala – Fort Kochi & Alleppey Backwaters
Extending our stay in Goa for a few days meant having fewer days further south in the region of Kerala. In hindsight, this was one of our better decisions. Kerala is known for its nice beaches, spectacular hillside views, a wide variety of wildlife and intricate waterways.
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| Colourful street art, Fort Kochi |
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| Seafood market, Fort Kochi |
A not-so-impenetrable Fort
Fort Kochi, the popular area inside Kochi that takes its name from the first European Fort on Indian soil built during the 16th Century. The Fort no longer stands, so the name is now used as a place name for the large area of the city that lies by the coast. Kochi was unlike any Indian city that we had been to. Pavements!? An absurd roadside addition. What’s wrong with dodging mopeds, tuk-tuks, people and animals? British sarcasm aside, it was a really pretty and pleasant place. The European occupation and influence was evident; a lovely blend of European and Indian styles allowed for unique and attractive architecture. A wide array of coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants too. We could see why this was a popular holiday destination rather than a spot for avid travellers.
Other than perusing the city, walking along the seafront, watching the local fishermen and seeing the local churches and temples, there isn’t that much to do or see. Two days was plenty enough. One of our highlights was the Kathakali, a local, traditional dance and form of Indian theatre. Kea had wanted to watch an Indian dance performance as a keen dancer and dance fan but neither of us was prepared or foresaw what we were about to witness. Unlike any other Western dance show or theatre performance either of us had seen, the Kathakali is silent in nature and the performance solely relied/relies on very intricate and specific facial and body movements to depict emotions and feelings whilst acting out a story or parts of a larger story. |
| Chinese fishing nets, Fort Kochi |
Furthermore, the actors' faces are all painted in wonderfully
colourful, natural face paint and they wear the most glamorous and elaborate outfits.
Throughout the performance the traditional band played instruments to raise and
slow the tempo during dramatic and not-so-exciting moments whilst one man sang
the entire time again to emphasis points of drama. Arguably, this chap's lung
capacity and vocal endurance were the most impressive parts of the show!
I have no clue of the number exactly but I imagine there to
be hundreds if not thousands of different movements that all represent different
things – an eyebrow raise matched with a lower lip wobble could represent
sadness and a sweeping right-hand movement matched with a pinkie finger point
could mean ‘get out!’, for example. The most admirable thing is how the actors
remember these movements and what they represent – it takes decades to master
the art of Kathakali.
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| Part of the Kathakali performance, Fort Kochi |
Two bobbing Brits
Our next stop was Alleppey, famous for its beautiful web of
backwater passages. We thought we’d spend a couple of days in the city itself
before spending the day and night on a houseboat touring the backwaters. One of
our not-so-better decisions. The city was strange. It was as if it was stuck
between trying to remain authentic and rustic whilst trying to develop. A giant
raised bypass that was still in construction plagued the view of the nice beach
whilst at the same time a derelict theme park by the canal had been left to
die. Not to mention the needles on the beach and the hollow beach restaurants
provided an eerie atmosphere.
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| The downstairs lounge area on our Houseboat, Alleppey |
It was a shame because it was a nice place with a lovely
long, sweeping beach and a lively centre but for a clear lack of shared vision.
I’d have said perhaps in a few years it might be a nicer place to visit but
when the bypass is in full operation, I can’t see how it could be – it entirely overshadows the only road adjacent to the beach. 'A once busy seaside town bypassed
by a giant dystopic sky-high road', a future newspaper headline could read.
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| Kea relaxing on the top deck of our Houseboat, Alleppey |
However, the overnight houseboat stay and backwater tour was superb. A generously sized boat for just the two of us; we felt like royalty.
Joined by the captain, of course, and the chef, we were catered for and looked
after impressively. We were provided three tasty meals, all local cuisine, with
one dish using fresh fish caught from the waters that we were cruising on.
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| A range of South-Indian cuisine served for dinner time on the Houseboat, Alleppey |
The cruise itself was a splendid mix of tranquillity, peace
and intrigue. With little to no mobile service whilst on the waters, it was the
perfect time to soak up some of India’s finest nature and reflect on our
previous three and a half weeks. From the hustle and bustle of New Delhi to the
mountainous spirituality of Mount Abu, the desert-like conditions of Jodphur,
the intensity of the India vs England Cricket match and the peacefulness ofSouth Goa – what a journey it had been so far.
Slowly bobbing through the backwaters, spotting several
fish, birds and other aquatic life on our way was dreamy. We played a few games
of cards, read our books and listened to some music before gathering to watch
the sun set in the distance. As the local communities dotted along the
backwaters waved and smiled us into our docking bay for the night, a wave of
wholesomeness hit me as I realised that not many people ever get to experience
a moment like this – a feeling of true fortuitousness and gratitude that I can
live and appreciate these moments.
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| Exploring the narrow backwaters on a long boat, Alleppey |
Sensible decision making
Nothing more than a blink and it was over. Check-out time.
We travelled back to Kochi for a night and then to Chennai, formerly known as
Madras, for one night as that is where we were to fly to Sri Lanka. Back into
the heart of one of India’s trademark cities and the return of the famous horn
that we had weirdly grown to miss. In sheer backpacking style, we booked one of
the fanciest hotels in the area (more British sarcasm). We had some money left
over due to our pretty consistent budgeting (we surprised ourselves), and
instead of doing the sensible thing and increasing the spending pot for our
next destination, we spent it all on one night. In our defence, the hotel was
£30 for the night, each, which in relative terms is pretty bloody cheap. I
think we paid more than that for one night in an Ibis hotel in Heathrow.
A 4* hotel, insanely good dinner and breakfast in the
on-site restaurant and the best sleep we’ve had in a very long time. Our best
decision. Cheers to that! Next stop, Sri Lanka!!
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