Two long flights, delays, but free wifi in Abu Dhabi!
The only Europeans on our flight to Kochi appeared to be heading for Best Marigold Exotic Hotel or similar! We are in fact at Greenwoods Bethlehem homestay, set in a lush tropical garden, away from the bustle of Fort Kochi.
We were welcomed at 5am by Sheeba, and tried to sleep, but there seem to be an amazing variety of birds living in the garden as well. Woke 5 hours later for breakfast served on the roof terrace, where black crows were swooping down to eat hard boiled eggs that earlier guests hadn't managed...later discovered that these crows are like seagull imposters, circling like vultures all along the beach.
Fort Kochi is crumbling, beautiful buildings tumbling down all around, but what a fabulous hot, humid location for the first art biennale in India.
Aspinwall House is the main venue showing the work of over 40 artists from all over the world. This huge sea facing building was from around 1867the business premises for the English trading company of Aspinwall and Co, dealing in coconut oil, pepper, timber, lemongrass oil, ginger, and later coir, coffee, tea and rubber.
More artists are in the Pepper House, a historic ' godown ' meaning dockside warehouse. Black Gold...the spice trade is everywhere...even an interactive sculpture that played music when you threw a handful of spice onto it!
Exhausted by art, we went to a juice bar to watch the sun set behind the Chinese fishing nets...here huge tankers and tiny canoes ply up and down the inlet all day...and then a dolphin arching it's back out of the calm waters.
