Incredible --Eclectic-- Artistic--Amazing Kochi

I knew intuitively that I would have a great time in Kochi but today's experiences far exceeded my expectations. The combination of rich history, natural beauty, alluring spices, enchanting perfumes and exquisite art were a sensory overload.  I know you have limited time, so I will share just the highlights now and at the end of this post I will add a collection of amazing doors and extra photos from around the city.

For twenty cents I had the pleasure of a portrait with this eclectic backdrop that summarizes the ambience of Kochi!

 Incredibly creative and unusual cafes and restaurants are tucked away behind long corridors that open to the harbor. Many are converted from 200+ year old Dutch and Portugeuse spice warehouses.

A TRUCKLOAD of red chili peppers greeted me outside my hotel this AM! You could barely breathe walking by..

A several hundred year old high-ceilinged warehouse from Dutch times.

Women are making fresh ginger into dried ginger. The air was extremely pungent.

Raja of Kochi's Golden Coat and Turban from the Palace Museum

A Rani's  (Queens's) Dress. Kerala was originally a matriarchal society until the 1920's. Children still take the mother's last name. Women often did not wear top coverings. Often a piece of cloth was just held loosely under the arms or nothing but a cloth was worn around the waist.

This hotel/restaurant has a full size snake racing boat inside. Incredibly LOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNG (Long)

Local  artist painting a beautiful mural on a boutique hotel wall. Each room in the hotel has artwork and ambience created by an original artist.

Finished part of the mural depicting life in Kerala. 

Old shipping warehouses such as this line the streets near the harbor. Even though somewhat decrepit they have a lot of charm. Many are still in use or have been upcycled.

Huge Shiva Nataraja (Dancing Shiva) in the cultural center that preserves all manner of Kerala arts and dance.

One section of town has incredible fruit/veggie shops. They are beautifully artistic in their own right.

Antiques and artwork as part of a cafe.

Ok here come the doors! And various other miscellaneous wonders of the day

Yes there is a even a Jewish settlement in Kochi dating back hundreds of years. King Solomon traded with the raja's of India!

Angels from a Portuguese church in the area

Doors that have doors !

Lunch!

Crashed out men got my attention

Even the ruins look special here--don't you think?

 A festive canopy to give an temple elephant shade. Spotted at a Hindu Ganesh Temple. The elephant was resting so I only saw him through a gate. It is common for the bigger temples in Kerala to have their own elephant that is part of the temple festivities.

A pile of peppercorns being packaged. 

Say that three times fast for fun...

A pigeon house. The local Jain temple feeds the pigeons en masse each day at 12:15 PM. The pigeons know to come for the daily hand-out. I will go to watch tomorrow.

There were so many special moments and meetings with people today. A very memorable day including my first sight of a cruise ship up close.