Cochin, Capital of the South Indian Spice Trade.

Arriving in Cochin, South India, is as close to a step back in time as you can get. The city, now known as Kochi, has found its way charmingly into the present with a natural sense of preserving the past. All of the present day facilities, from mobile phones, internet access points, high fashion shopping and five star hotels are at your fingertips. But the romance is definitely in the past and it goes way back. In `The Fort`...
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Cochin, Capital of the South Indian Spice Trade.

Arriving in Cochin, South India, is as close to a step back in time as you can get. The city, now known as Kochi, has found its way charmingly into the present with a natural sense of preserving the past. All of the present day facilities, from mobile phones, internet access points, high fashion shopping and five star hotels are at your fingertips. But the romance is definitely in the past and it goes way back. In `The Fort` the mind boggles. The streets are filled with a fusion of cultures, from the inter-tangled back alley shops of Jew Town, through Portuguese, Dutch and British influenced architecture. The homes of Vasco Da Gama, Pedro Alvares Cabral, the Dutch cemetery, the church of St. Francis are a small portion of what makes Kochi special. If you are awake at the right time, just before sunrise and around sunset, the 'manta ray' like fishing nets, called 'Cheena Vala' in Malayalam, begin their fairytale like dance to the light of kerosene lamps which attract the fish. Dozens of fishermen climb the teak and bamboo poles and pull the ropes in an age old tradition brought to the region by the Chinese between 1350 and 1450 AD. This seemingly choreographed performance offers the best in outdoor theatre!

At Brunton Boatyard, overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea, a mix of magical floral scents and incense fill the air. Enormous Indo-Portuguese punkahs adorn the lobby. Images of times gone by, of the spice traders, poets and historians, elegant ladies in long gowns with their handsomely suited gentlemen at arm are food for your imagination. The floral necklace, the welcome cocktail, the attention to all detail is ever present. While still diving into the incredible historic presence that surrounds, you are escorted to your suite where magic has been performed. The raised antique bed, intricately carved and so freshly adorned with delicate floral petals, beckons you to stay and never leave!
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