Year 3 -2 March 2026 – Fort Kochi-India

I woke about 6.00am as I had decided to go on the 7.00am walk around the Fort. It was still dark outside and gradually it began to get light as I got ready. I went down to reception at about 6.50am and was asked to wait and I met the guide just after 7.00am. The man worked as a freelance guide and was from Kochi. His wide was a child psychologist and helped children with special needs and his 19-year-old daughter was studying engineering.

We walked from the hotel and past the metro pier. He showed me a building on whose site used to be a rope factory to supply all the boat builders many years ago. We walked along River Street which is a road created along the shore which is now about 30 meters away. As we walked on the shore we saw the Chinese nets operating. The port is obviously salt water but inland it is salt water and so they catch both salt and freshwater fish.

Fort Kochi was the first European fort in India and was started by the Portuguese in the 15th century. They were pushed out by the Dutch in about 1663 and then the British took over in about 1795. There are therefore Portuguese, Dutch and British buildings within what is left of the Fort. There is little of the walls of the Fort left and it originally had 8 Bastions. There is one Bastion still evident near the shore where we were walking with a cannon still in existence.

We then walked long Princess Street which was the first street made by the Portuguese in the 15th century. It is now more of a hotel/backpacking area. At the end of this street there are some cafes, once of which is called the House of Commons! We walked on and came to the first school of the Fort created by the British in 2017 and then back to the hotel. I then had breakfast and met the guide provided by our holiday company at 9.30am.

This tour continued on and we viewed a number of buildings within the Fort and he showed me examples of all 3 types of buildings, including The Cochin Club which was a British Private members club and still is a private members club. We also saw a Dutch Building which had the initials VOC- which were the initials of the Dutch Trading Company and one of the first corporate companies in the world. It is now a hotel but was used in the making of The Marigold Hotel film.

We then went to see St Francis Church (15th century) again which if you recall was where Vasco de Gama was originally buried. It is believed to be the oldest European Church in India.  Iside the church were long wooden poles with fabric (like short curtains) underneath and held by ropes. They were in fact “punkhas” which were like fans and operated by punkha wallers. They would raise and lower the screens creating a cooling breeze for those in the church. There are in fact some in our hotel purely for decoration at present.

We then took a car to the Mattancherry area which was where the Dutch Palace (Mattancherry Palace) is. I visited it before but it was a gift to the Raja (King) of Kochi- called Rama by the Dutch. It was built in about 1555.

Close to this palace is a clock tower and which has different symbols on the clock faces. The one facing the Dutch Palace was Indian symbols and on the other side which faced Jew Town Hebrew and Roman symbols. Kochi had a thriving Jewish community here at one point (about 2,000 at one point) and there is the Paradesi Synagogue which is one of the oldest synagogues in the world and was built in 1558.  We went into a courtyard and the synagogue which was very old and had a central pulpit with Chinese 18th century painted tiles on the floor.  Queen Elizabeth 11 came here as did Prince Charles and Camilla before he became King.

Jew Steet runs from the Synagogue and is now a shopping area with lots of shops selling spices and Indian products and it is fun to wonder around and lots of interesting things to view.

We then got back in the car and I was taken back to the hotel where I sat on the terrace overlooking the harbour and had a sandwich.

I then watched a bit of the news with what is going on in the Middle East. Jules hopefully will fly this evening to India and assuming all goes to plan I will meet her at Cochin airport tomorrow evening.

I went out again just before 5.00am and dropped in to the Santa Cruz Basilica and again built in 1558 and it has been restored a number of times. It has some frescos inside as well.

I then went to Kathakali Theatre nearby. If you recall I saw a Kathakali show in Kumaly. Kathakali is a major classical dance-drama from Kerala, India, that literally means "story play" (Katha meaning storyKali meaning play or performance). Originating in the 17th century, it is a highly stylized art form known for elaborate, colourful makeup, massive headgear, and expressive acting that portrays, primarily, tales from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. I went early and saw the actors putting on their make-up which took about an hour. There was then a show which was they put on with elaborate costumes and there are no words and it is all done with eyes, facial expressions and movements and actions. It was an interesting performance.

I then returned to the hotel and had supper in the old Discovery Restaurant and had a First-Class Railway Mutton Curry which was delicious.

It had been a busy but interesting day.    

The picture of the day is a scene at the Kathakali show.

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK. 

I am looking for one crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town (mid June to end of July). If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com