Day 9: Sights & Shopping

Dear readers, welcome back to the land of coconuts! We spent our day exploring old Cochin, including gorgeous historical buildings and many markets. We began our day at our hotel with a delicious breakfast, including traditional Indian dishes like poori and dosa. Then, we met our tour guide and headed down to the older part of Cochin. First, we stopped at a fishing site to watch fishermen use large Chinese fishing nets to catch fish in the water. The engineering of these large machines was so interesting to see!

Next, we headed on a walking tour of old Cochin, and our tour guide told us about the history of the city. As a major trading port, Cochin has had influence from many other cultures, including the Dutch, English, and Portuguese, who each controlled the area at different times. Many buildings therefore have European influences. We saw buildings that were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, including one where Vasco Da Gama himself lived!

After our walk, we drove to the Mattancherry Palace, which was built by the Portuguese as a gift to the king of Cochin. The palace looks quite modest from the outside, but inside it has beautiful murals depicting Hindu mythology and many historical artifacts from the time of the Portuguese Empire. We also stopped by the Paradesi Synagogue, which is a remnant of a once flourishing Jewish population in Old Cochin.

Sam, Sasha L, and Kaamaakshi at the Mattancherry palace!

After visiting some beautiful spots in Cochin, it was time for some serious shopping! We spread out around the Jew Town area of Old Cochin and shopped for a variety of items at the local markets. Some of us bought clothing, jewelry, books, trinkets, and more. Then, we met up again and drove to Princess Street, where we did even more shopping! Some of us also got tattoos and piercings at a local parlor. It was so much fun to see all of the bustling stores and get some souvenirs from Cochin!

Mackenzie and Jade got matching tattoos!

In the evening, we attended a performance of a traditional Kerala dance called Kathakali, which is an intricate artform in which performers wear elaborate costumes and makeup and use their facial expressions, hand gestures, and foot movements to depict a story. The performance was so interesting to watch, and we had a great time supporting local art. We finished off the day with dinner at a nearby seafood restaurant and resting at our hotel! 

Kathakali Performers

Tomorrow we’ll be leaving Cochin and traveling to Wayanad, which is sure to be a fun journey, so stay tuned!

See you soon,

Sanjana (and all of SWIndia!)