April 26th-Cochin, Kerala, India





   
                                                     

The Chinese Fishing nets, lined up in the harbor mouth are the first images one sees sailing into the Port of Cochin in Kerala Province. Lowered as the tide comes in, these nets provide and incredible amount and variety of fish to the local markets.

   Kerala as a province is reputed to be the "Queen of the Arabian Sea" as it sits on the southwest tip of India. It is unusual in that the population is 45% Christian, largely traceable to the Portuguese influence in the 1500's.  Before her death, Mother Teresa came here to establish several orphanages. Many shrines have been erected in her honor throughout the Old Town.

Cochin boasts the earliest Catholic Church in all of India....though now, due to the changing colonial traditions that followed, it is an interdenominational church.



Spice Market

Cochin also boasts a rich and varied spice market...(get ready Trey, I only bought organic!)...pepper, cinnamon, tumeric, vanilla bean, cardomon, nutmeg, ginger,mustard seed, and fenugreek to name a few. So far, it's been hard not to love India in spite of the heat and humidity. It's so different and colorful and friendly.





Jew Town Street stall