Cochin: the colonial corner of Kerala

I arrived in Cochin from Bangalore after hearing it's praises from colleagues, friends, and the Lonely Planet. Maybe I've missed something? While it was indeed beautiful, Cochin's waters are a mere introduction to the beauty that lies just further South.

Thought to be the part of India where the first Europeans landed (Vasco de Gama from Portual in the 1500s), one can see many influences in Fort Cochin. Most interesting is the very small Jewish quarter and the synagogue, one of the few in India (less than 1% of the population practices Judaism). The majority of Kerala's Muslims can also be found in and around Cochin.

But.... there's not much to see. There are Chinese fishing nets, these enormous nets which fisherman drop into the waters in the evening and raise in the morning. There are a few churches and the synagogue.

I'll be recommending people to pass altogether, or stop over for an afternoon, before heading into the backwaters, where Kerala's charm is truly found.