Tropical Cochin boasts a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters, spread across coconut covered islands and headlands. Its unique history of foreign influence is reflected in a variety of architectural styles – fine colonial houses built by wealthy British traders, Dutch cottages with split farmhouse doors, and narrow streets where the dwellings hide behind yellow walls. Your tour today will offer you views of some of the differences reflected in the streets as you drive by. You will see the newer parts of Cochin as well as the older ones – all from the comfort of your motorcoach.
Drive through the city of Ernakulam first and view the architecture which reflects the diverse influences brought by the cultures that visited this land. During this coach tour, you will drive through Mahatma Gandhi Road, which is the main thoroughfare with colorful markets, shops and temples with photo stops along the way. Your first photo stop will be at Temple of Lord Shiva, the omnipotent God, who is the destroyer of evil.
Proceed then to the Fort Cochin area. This is where most of Cochin’s historic buildings, constructed by Portugal’s Alfonzo de Albuquerque in 1500, are located.
Your first stop will be to view the large, graceful Chinese fishing nets. These line the shore of Fort Cochin and are probably the single most familiar image of Kerala. Stop here to see how the nets are operated – an art that is said to have been introduced by traders from the court of Kublai Khan. They operate by a system of weights and levers. The nets, on wooden frames, are raised periodically to check the catch.
Walk across thereafter to the Church of St. Francis for a photo stop. Its simple style is enhanced only by the handsome floor tiles that line the main aisle. A holdover from colonial days is the continued use of punkahs, large swinging cloth fans suspended above the congregation, and manually operated from outside the church. These are visible from the doorway in case you’d like to take a peek.
Before you return to the ship, make one last stop at David Hall or Koder House where refreshments will be served, both a surviving legacy of the colonial rule in these parts.
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