Thursday, January 19, 2017

New Years 2017 – Day 14


What a beautiful hot day it was in Cochin, India when we docked today to visit our 4th city in India.

What we have found out is that each of the 4 cities we visited has almost totally different ways of life and culture.  The reason is that different countries like the Dutch, the English and the Portuguese have settled the different areas.  Some are more Hindu that others while some have a lot of Catholics as an example.  While we wanted to visit India and we are glad we did, we have no desire to go back.  There is just nothing to draw us back like Barcelona, London, Singapore, Rome, etc.
Last night our dinner partners had told us that they were going on a tour with a small group and we thought that we might like to go on it also.
So, we were the first off the ship and found the company that was putting on the tour and asked if they had room, which they did.   So we joined the tour but our friends were on another bus with the same tour.
We had a mini bus for 14 people and there were only 8 of us plus the driver and the guide.  The guide was a really good guide; however, the people who were there from the ship made this a trip from H**L at the end.
We started out by driving for about ½ hour and then first visited huge market selling everything from fruits, to nuts to fish, etc.  It was both retail and a wholesale market. 
Then we went to a Jewish Synagogue that was being restored by one man.  This city once had a very large Jewish population because the Dutch settled here first.  There are now only 5 people left who are Jewish as everyone has moved away.
Next we drove or about an hour to a river to take a boat ride that lasted an hour.  We had a few minutes before we boarded the boat so Ed & Barb went off the bus into a local “restaurant” and had a meal with the guide.  The boat trip showed us how the fishing people lived and they had amazing net structures that they would use at night to catch fish.  This was very primitive area. 
After the boat ride, we went to another Synagogue and then to a huge street market before heading back to the ship.  Then one of the major problems happened as a 6 of the 8 on the bus insisted that the guide take us all back to the shopping area because they did not have enough time to buy things.  The guide agreed and when they finally arrived back at the bus after shopping we were very concerned that we wouldn’t make if back to the ship on time, but we did – thanks goodness.   This group of people, all from the US were the most rude group of people we have every run into, on any cruise.  Oh well, we have some interesting memories.
The show was a combination of a hand shadow puppet show and the sax player from the other night.    The hand shadow puppet show was ok and the sax play was tremendous.
We had an excellent dinner with our new friends from London, Brian and Sandy and then went to the casino where Barb broke even and Ed lost.  We are now negative with Barb ahead and Ed behind.  10 gambling sessions left in the cruise – wish us luck.
We are finally done with India and tomorrow is a day at sea before arriving in Sri Lanka.
Night

Delivery Man in the market

Cleaning fish outside their fish stand

The kitchen where we had lunch before the boat tour

Regular fishermen

The catch of the day on Celebrity






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