Day 5
On the way to breakfast I saw that there was a special going in the spa for a facial and a massage, so I made an appointment for Sandy. I was in the mood for a massage and never had a facial before, so I decided to try something new and made an appointment for myself as well. After that Sandy got her nails done, while I went to the destination lecture on Cochin.
We went swimming in the afternoon. It was extremely hot - I burned the top of my head, yet again. We decided to hit the casino before dinner. Sandy and I won 40 on the slots. We got the kids and played games of ping pong and mini golf before dinner and in the meantime saw an incredible sun set. For dinner I had bulls shoulder - it was so tender! We were not that impressed with the food on this cruise, but that bulls shoulder was good. We finished dinner quickly so that we could catch the evening entertainment - an illusionist named John Taylor. He was pretty amazing. Sandy bought his CD for school.
Day 6
We were scheduled to arrive in Cochin at noon, so we used the morning to relax. We had a nice long breakfast while Sandy had a Spa treatment. Afterwards, we dropped the kids at Adventure Ocean so that Sandy and I could catch a movie (Salt).
We had lunch at the Windjammer and then got ready for the tour. The tour consisted of a bus ride around Cochin. I jotted down the following info on the bus ride:
• India is the 7th largest country in the world and is comprised of 28 states. The city of Cochin lies in the state of Kerala.
• There are 22 official languages in India. The national language is Hindi, but most people use English when speaking to someone from another state.
• There are 1.21 billion people in India and 33 million in Kerala.
• The main religion is Hindu. 56% of the population are Hindu (19% are Christian).
• Indians believe in making life colorful. You can see this in the houses, dresses, and even the trucks which are painted with intricate designs and pictures.
• The monsoon comes twice per year. The monsoon winds blow from west to east in the spring and from east to west in the fall. These winds were used by Vasco de Gama to establish the trade routes between Europe and Asia.
• The main shopping street is Mohammed Ghandi Road.
• As we drive, horns are honking constantly. Our driver explains this as the language between drivers. Sometimes they are saying “hello”, other times “get out of the way”.
• A system of inland waterways provides Cochin with cheap transportation, thus encouraging trade. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as Venice of the East.
• Kera means coconut. Ala means land. Therefore, Kerala means land of coconut, which is fitting as it abounds with coconut trees.
• Smoking is not permitted on the streets for locals. If caught, an Indian will be fined 100 rupees, or about 2.5 dollars.
Our first stop was to the temple of Shiva, the destroyer. Shiva and Vishnu are regarded as Mahādevas ("great gods" ) due to their central positions in worship and scriptures. These two along with Brahma are considered the Trimurti—the three aspects of the universal supreme God. These three aspects symbolize the entire circle of samsara in Hinduism: Brahma as creator, Vishnu as preserver or protector, and Shiva as destroyer or judge.
Our next stop was to the Fort Cochin area, which is the old part of the city, and where the Portuguese established their first colony in the 1500's. The Portuguese fort was destroyed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The Dutch then built a fort that was destroyed by the English in the 18th century. As such, there is no longer a fort there, but the name has stuck over the centuries. The English gave Indians their independence in 1947. The main attraction here is the Chinese fishing nets. These are a series of 11 cantilevered nets that are lowered into the water and brought up again with weights and pulleys. They are said to have been introduced by traders from the court of Kublai Khan.
We then visited St. Francis Church where the remains of Vasco de Gama were buried for 14 years, until his son relocated them back to Portugal. The church was originally built by the Portuguese and then renovated by the Dutch. Many people were buried in the church crypt. When they removed the remains and buried them outside, they put their tomb stones on the wall - Dutch on one side, Portuguese on the other. St. Francis is oldest European church in India, built in 1503. Cochin is the first place where Christianity was brought to India. The Apostle Thomas brought Christianity to India in 52AD.
Our next stop was to the Mattancheri Palace, also know as the Dutch Palace also known as David Hall. This is a house built originally built by the Portuguese as a gift for the Raja of Cochin and later rebuilt by the Dutch in a traditional style and has since been converted to an art museum. We enjoyed a drink and some cookies.
We finished the tour early and were permitted to do a little shopping before heading back to the ship. Sandy bought a pendant. We were pressured to buy more, but we held our ground.
Once back, we had just enough time to get changed and then head to dinner. Entertainment didn't start until 9.15, so we opted to watch a movie in the room (How to Train your Dragon). I was actually so stuffed from dinner; all I could do was sit on the couch and vegitate anyway.
