Celebrity Constellation

Susan Pegrum and her friends took a spin tour of Cochin with us the day Celebrity Constellation called on our Cochin Port. We did a special one for her which was quite different from the ones that were on offer for the shore excursion her cruise had listed.

The day turned out to be rather warm and nice with less humidity which was perhaps the best day for the tour. 

Apart from the usual Cochin sites and the history we went out to the neighbouring fishing villages and saw the boats  which they have seen while Constellation sailed up to Cochin from Colombo on her day long cruise from port to port. 

When the sun was too high we took a break at Old Light house Bristow hotel for lunch which by far has the best view of the Arabian sea. 

As the sun slowly went down and the shadows got longer we reached the pier just in time for Susan and her friends to have a look around at the shop malls which was set up along the wharf. 

Constellation is an awesome ship, we could see her towering over the tree tops from all over Kochi. 

Gill Charlton

We had the incredible honour of taking around our hero and idol Ms. Gill Charlton of 'The Telegraph" on a Fort Cochin Heritage Walk and a Kochi City Tour.

Just like her engaging writing and the best information she offers to her readers and travellers about a city or a country she introduces, she was highly observant and had a splendid memory. She could even recollect the remotest corners of our town from a visit 15 years ago.

Thank you Gill for finding us and deciding to spend your day in our historic Cochin with us. It was a learning experience which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

New Year @ Fort Cochin

Traditionally, on New year day, everyone around Kochi goes to the Fort and the beach near it. That is an unbroken tradition. Our most colorful memories of childhood are around this Cochin ritual. 

This year though, the spirit was glum with Cyclone Ockhi and its disastrous aftermath. The authorities who run the Carnival had to shift the venue to Parade ground from the beach as there was no beach this year. The high tide and the rising sea after the storm had taken over the beach which used to be the venue for many events of the Christmas and New year Celebration at the fort. 

Burning of the Pappanji at the Parade Ground on New year eve, the last event of the year. 

Ofcourse, the children got the best view. :)

Tourists finding vantage points on their hotel walls for better photo opportunity of the carnival procession. 

The long evening lights keeping the spirits up on the New year evening at River Road, Fort Cochin. 

All around the Fort streets locals and tourist were waiting patiently for the carnival procession to arrive. 

Christmas @ Fort Cochin

Christmas is the most happiest time of the year at the Fort. It has always been so. The joy, the hope and the feeling of well being is lit with stars and lights all around the Fort. It's also the peak time of tourism. The best of the home made wines and cakes are served in the houses during Christmas. The home stays of Fort Cochin exude a special charm during the season. 

The week preceding the Christmas week saw shops selling Christmas gifts and lamps all over the place. The china made beautiful lights and stars were the main attraction. 

Merry Christmas Everyone. 

Christmas carol service at St. Francis Church

The notice announcing the Carol Service was put up outside the church weeks earlier. For hundreds of tourists who visit our historic church everyday, the advance notice was very helpful.

This year's Christmas carol service was conducted at St. Francis church yesterday on 17th December, 2017 at 6pm.

Beautifully printed Carol Service notes, with songs and readings markers.

The service was lead by Rev. N.K Prasad, the resident Chaplain and the message was delivered by Rev. Dr. David Joy.

The choir which was the soul of the evening included both the junior and senior members of the CSI church.

The carol service at this historic church was attended by not only the parishioners but also all the history enthusiasts and the tourists who were in town. The first ever catholic Christmas in India was celebrated in this very church in the first decade of 1500's.

The occasion marked the beginning of the Christmas celebration in the erstwhile fort in its true spirit.

Beautiful evening, wonderful memory when our old church came back to life again. 

Civet Coffee

Coorg Consolidated Commodities have started manufacturing the world's most expensive Coffee. Though India is the third largest producer of Coffee in the world, this new start up is the first one to try making coffee from the excrement of a cat which the world considers as the best coffee.
Civet loves the ripe coffee berries and feast on them. It actually eats only the fleshy part and sends out the nuts covered in its digestive enzymes as Civet excretion. These are picked by farmers and processed. The enzymes give the nut the special flavour the rich world has fallen in love with.
Civet coffee is priced between ₹20000-₹25000 for a kilo at present.
CCC is selling it locally at Mahindra's Madagiri resort in coorg. The area comes under the Nilgiri-Coorg circuit of Karnataka tourism.

Onam

'Chingam' is the most graceful month of our Malayalam Calendar. Naturally, its the first of the months in the year. The month is marked with harvests and blessings of nature symbolises the prosperity, joy and harmony with everyone irrespective of religion celebrating our state festival of Onam.

 The beginning of the festival is marked with Chamayam on the day of Attham in the royal town of Thripunithura where our Kochi Kings used to set about in a procession to the nearby temple of Maha Bali at Thrikkakara.

 The tradition is still maintained with the local authorities celebrating the Chamayam and its procession with all its pomp and glory.

Tenth day from Attham is our Onam, the greatest festival of our Kerala where we believe our greatest King Maha Bali comes to visit his people once more. The King was very popular and his administration is considered to be the ideal of all the world. 

 Uthraadam is the day before Onam, where everyone is busy buying things for preparing for Onam, the next day and its Sadya feast. No matter what, a Malayalee is duty bound to celebrate Onam with a sumptuous vegetarian Sadya. On Uthraadam day everyone is in a rush, The Thripunithura streets are so crowded with shoppers that we wont believe the quietness of the streets on Thiru Onam morning.

The main temple event on the day of Onam is at the Maha Bali temple at Thrikkakara where the activities start very early with the warm welcoming of the King followed by a feast for everyone who visit the temple. This year too, the festival was grand and we didn't missed visiting the temple.