Today we visited the church of St.Francis, probably the first European church in India, where Vasco de Gama was buried in 1524 until his remains were shipped back to Lisbon 14 years later.
After ginger tea in a cafe at the back of a sleepy antique emporium overlooking the sea, we explored Jew Town, and the beautiful synagogue built in 1568. The floor is laid with Chinese willow pattern tiles and ornate chandeliers drip from the ceiling.
The mix of religions here is what makes Kerala so different from our temple travels in Tamil Nadu.
More art of course in yet more crumbling mansions and bungalows, followed by the cheapest boat ride ever across the water to Ernakulum... it's making us wonder if it's worth spending £70 on an overnight backwater trip when our fare today was 5 rupees ( six pence ) return!
