Flying into Kochi, it was interesting looking out the window and seeing numerous rivers and green everywhere. It almost looked like flying into Nashville until I realized that many of the trees I was seeing were palm trees. Kochi is in the state of Kerala, which is in the southwestern corner of India. This state has near total literacy and lower rates of poverty than the areas where we have been. I've still seen people begging and living in what I would call "tent cities," but I haven't seen the numerous people lying all over the sidewalks, etc. that I saw in Delhi and Pune. This state borders the Arabian Sea (pic 1) and many people have chosen to work in the Middle Eastern countries, sending money home to their families.
The hotel is on the sea and has a walkway in front along the water's edge. Women were sitting with their carved woodblocks and pots of henna to do a henna "stamp" on your hand for a few rupees. (pics 2 & 3) As we walked along, we got quite a few stares. I think I have been surprised at each place we've gone not to see more Americans. While we were sitting on a bench looking at the water, one man was trying to get his little boy to come stand beside us so he could take a picture, but didn't have any luck. We also have people that will come up to us and say "hello" then giggle and walk away. I kind of feel like a zoo animal.
Tonight, we had a demonstration of Kalarippayat, a unique martial art of Kerala. (pic 4)During medieval times, the land was divided into a number of principalities with rulers fighting pretty constantly to gain more power and control. Fighters were trained systematically and today, this martial art is still taught for the purpose of sport and physical/mental fitness. It involved some hand to hand combat, knives, swords and giant wooden clubs that we hoped wouldn't come sailing out of their hands as they swung them around. I kept thinking how my students would enjoy seeing the knives and swords clink together as the sparks flew!
The hotel is on the sea and has a walkway in front along the water's edge. Women were sitting with their carved woodblocks and pots of henna to do a henna "stamp" on your hand for a few rupees. (pics 2 & 3) As we walked along, we got quite a few stares. I think I have been surprised at each place we've gone not to see more Americans. While we were sitting on a bench looking at the water, one man was trying to get his little boy to come stand beside us so he could take a picture, but didn't have any luck. We also have people that will come up to us and say "hello" then giggle and walk away. I kind of feel like a zoo animal.
Tonight, we had a demonstration of Kalarippayat, a unique martial art of Kerala. (pic 4)During medieval times, the land was divided into a number of principalities with rulers fighting pretty constantly to gain more power and control. Fighters were trained systematically and today, this martial art is still taught for the purpose of sport and physical/mental fitness. It involved some hand to hand combat, knives, swords and giant wooden clubs that we hoped wouldn't come sailing out of their hands as they swung them around. I kept thinking how my students would enjoy seeing the knives and swords clink together as the sparks flew!
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