Christmas in Cochin

We recommend Fort Cochin (the seaside part of the larger twin cities of Kochi and Ernakulam). A short train ride from Aleppey, Fort Cochin is a wonderful tourist spot -- pleasantly kept up, reasonably priced, accessible. It was the original landing place for travelers from the west -- Arabia and Europe.

We marveled at the numerous houses decorated for Christmas, with doors open, carols blaring, and happy families walking around. On Christmas Eve, we attended midnight mass at the Cathedral, for several hours with most of the neighborhood families.

We also enjoyed the seafront, with its "Chinese nets" and fresh seafood for sale.


And the antiques market street, near the old synagogue. KJThomas has a nice shop, where he sells beans.




St.Francis Church, the oldest in India, is well-maintained by the Church of South India now.

We also saw the classical dance performance style Kathakalli, with its incredible makeup and stylized silent dance.


Then we boarded the overnight train north, to Goa.