We finally arrived, we had to walk miles again to get to the exit! There were a lot more Europeans and Americans about than I thought there would be, I never imagined Kerala being a big tourism place compared to Goa, but apparently it's the county that brings in the most tourism every year!
A tuk tuk driver spotted us on the fly over and was insiting he takes us to fort cochin, we just went with it because it was hot and we were tired and needed a lift there anyways!
Kochi is a big city, it's crazy here. Lots of tuk tuks everywhere and the usual bakery, good stalls on every corner.
I noticed how men are wearing skirts... Long skirts which they flip up in half and tuk them over in front. Never seen this before I think it's hilarious, I realise it's not just the odd man but near enough every man walking around Kochi has a skirt on! I think Scott should get one, right up his street that would be, haha!
He took us to his friend's home stay not realising we had already booked a place. We went to find it, me and the driver (Jon Jon) went and knocked on the door or Eden guesthouse but there was no answer, so we went up the stairs and found he door was open so we just kept knocking until I went inside and banged on a few doors. Woke a guest up so the driver had the owners number off him and rang him.
All of a sudden a random guy comes along picks our bags up and takes them upstairs into a room, all that was in there was a bed and cloak hanger. Don't think it had fan, wifi, television, a/c. That would have been fine if we hadn't had paid for any of that but we had so it was a little frustrating. Then another man comes along, tells us it's all downstairs and yes it's fine I can sort it all.. Where the owner is at this time I do not know! Feeling a little uneasy about the whole thing and lack of communication or responsibility for being there when we were arriving, we asked for our money back and we would go elsewhere. This man offered for us to stay at his home stay around the corner, it was nice had what we had paid for in the beginning and was the same price. The humidity and lack of sleep was getting to me know I just needed to put our bags down and have a shower! Jon Jon still waiting for us to make sure everything was okay, bless that little old man! He said that he would pick us up on Wednesday morning to catch the bus to Munnar, 6am -_-! Catch you later Jon Jon!
Had a shower and off we trotted, we caught a tuk tuk outside the home stay. We were just going to go to the Chinese fishing nets but they're all in it together in these places. They offer to take you to all the attractions but you go to see these shops and spice stores and it's their family and friends. I suppose it's a good thing that they're looking out for each other but it's a little annoying when you don't actually want to go to these places, only the attractions.
First we went to the Chinese fishing nets, here awesome! They are huge and operated by four men with huge rocks and boulders attached by string on one end to weight it and fishing net on the other end, they do catch a lot of fish to be fair! We went up on it, cost us 100 rupees to watch them operate it! Bloody rip off!
Second the Dutch cemetery, it holds soliders and navy marines from the war in India.
Then St. Francis Church, the oldest European built church in South India from the 1500s built by the British!
Then the Dutch palace which was built by the Portuguese given as a present to Kochi's king in the early 1500s basically so they could sweet talk him over into the Portuguese having a big share in the shopping trades of spices and tea around the world as Kochi and Calcut were the main shipment yards.
We stopped at a spice shop, there were three women and huge pile of ginger in the barn downstairs, they were shaking it and getting all the little rubbish bits out, they leave them to dry out in the courtyard and then ship them in sacks out around the world, I'll be thinking about those three little old women next time I have finger from Tescos at home! Haha.
We went to Jew town, and the synagogue but we needed to be dressed 'appropriately' to go in and vests and shorts wasn't appropriate clothing I didn't think.
Road block because they were Laying Tarmac with road rollers, couple of women in flip flops and saris walking along side of it through water on the rollers to cool it down! No health and safety in this place, yet hardly any injuries!
He took us to a sari shop and a wooden market museum with antiques in, both he wanted us to go in and just look because he would get a free tshirt. Umm okay? So we went in uninterested and both times we came out empty handed and he just does a head wobble and attempts the puppy dog eyes, we weren't sure whether he wanted us to buy him a tshirt, or if we bought something he would get a free tshirt or if we just looked he would get a free tshirt; all a little confusing!
He took us to a lot of Hindu temples that were all gorgeous and had amazing architecture but we weren't allowed in unless we were Hindu.

Hot and bothered we went back to the home stay, in the evening we had food at rose garden, was quite nice and it even began to try to rain!
Every restaurant we went passed said really sneakily, we sell beer and wine Sir. Even two teenage boys stopped their car and asked if we wanted beer.. A little confused to say the least! Whilst ordering the waiter came in close and said 'we sell beer but in coffee cups, 200 rupees a cup.' Now I was absolutely baffled!
It wasn't until later when we got back to the home stay and they were having a party on the roof for an English woman that we got talking to the men that worked there and they said that Kerala's government have made alcohol illegal and want to make a sober south India, which is silly because like they said, tourists want to relax with a beer when they have an evening meal. The government must know that it's going on, everywhere sells beer in coffee mugs! It's so funny to see.

After a rubbish night sleep because it was so hot Monday night, we went out late from the hotel, went back to the fishing nets because they were so mesmerising then we went to the navy museum to see all the different guns and bombs that are used on the navy vessels of Kerala's navy boats.
A lot history with the British, Portuguese and Dutch here as they all wanted to be in power of the shipping import and export around India and the world as their was so much money in it all!
Greedy b*****s.

Fort Kochi is a fab place, it's a busy fisherman's town with old crocked streets and definatly has the Portuguese touch with the old buildings having the wooden shutters and the buildings in the terricotter and ochre colour buildings!
There's a lot to see here but nothing more than a day or two worth I guess. You can easily see everything In that amount of time! The humidity is also unbelievable, we don't know whether it was jus. A shock to the system because it was a different heat to Goa?

Excited for Munnar tomorrow!

Home stay - Padikkal residency, Fort Kochi