Kochi

Today I'm in Kochi, famous for the "backwaters" (you can take a day cruise around the small rivers and bays and look at all the scenery), as well as its European style Fort Cochin, complete with Chinese style fishing nets (it's a real hodgepodge). It's very hot, very tropical, and feels very good to be in this air conditioned internet cafe (I may stay in here a little longer than I had planned).

I arrived here at 4am, and walked the half hour to the water from the train station. I settled on the only hotel that was open, a little more than I'm used to paying ($18), but it was open and therefore I did not have to sleep on the sidewalk like a homeless person (money well spent I would say). After a nap, I grabbed some breakfast and took the ferry across the little bay to Fort Cochin. It's not so much a fort as some old European buildings (starting in the 1500's it was an important port city). I visited the Pardesi Synagogue in Jew Town, just off Jew Street (seriously), which is apparently the oldest continuously used synagogue in the Commonwealth (in India! I wouldn't have guessed that one). It was a tiny little building, but had it's charms.

After Jew Town I went to Santa Cruz Basilica (and church and a synagogue in the same day; feels more like Europe than India. You know, except for the heat and all the funny symbols everywhere). It's a pretty typical old church, all sorts of paintings on the interior although they were nothing to write home about (even though I kind of am writing home about them).

Now I plan to head back to town for a little rest (the ferry is 15 minutes and 2.50 - that's two rupees, 50 paise, or about 5 cents). Tomorrow I plan to do the backwater cruise, then the night after that I head to Gokarna.