dolphin @ dusk

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.

We're off

Coffee, croissants and moustaches @ MAN!

The unglued installation

Last day in Cholamondal, Charlie has filmed his work and we are all packed up, but are we ready to go???

We have really enjoyed staying here, I've been able to get my daily fix on the computer, and have started to sort out some of the images I'd like to use in my work when we get back to England.

Now I'm NOT looking forward to a 4am flight, but longing for a HOT bath! We have lived without hot water for 6 days!

Life at the artists village

What we are enjoying so much staying here, apart from Charlie getting stuck into his sketchbook, and creating installations all over the gusethouse floor, is that after all the travelling and sightseeing we are 'just in India'! We have our own studio space, it's not like a hotel room, and when we walk out into the village we have been welcomed wherever we go. Yesterday we we first invited in for a cup of tea at one fishermans house, shown his wedding photos, introduced to Granny aged 91 and all the family. Then we were invited in for a roof top breakfast at a half built house where they were having the house blessing puja. These are houses that are still being rebuilt after the tsunami. Today we ventured along the other side of the road, where we came across a derelict amusement park, maybe from the fifties who knows, broken swimming pools, sculptures, fountatins, arches, with a few gods thrown in for good measure.

Cholamandal

We are settling into life in the artists village, and have met a few of the artists who live in houses surrounding the gallery complex. Paint was delivered from Chennai on our first afternoon, and Charlie is in his element! The studio/guesthouse is simple, but plenty of space. We can buy meals from the canteen which is a tiny hut within the grounds, but also serving the locals and the dual carriageway from Chennai! It's a bit of a hit and miss affair...first night no gas, this morning no milk, but to eat breakfast in a sculpture garden has to be a first! The grounds are lush, and there is a pathway down to the beach.

Hi from Hippyville

This is where we find ourselves next, Mamallapuram, famous for it's stone carved rock temples.

It's a combination of Chefchaoeun and Hebden Bridge rolled into one! We are staying at Greenwoods Beach resort, think Fawlty towers not Sandals, ramshackle, but in a lovely lush garden. Dhal for dinner, 15 minutes extra...OK...some immeasurable time later a message from the kitchen..2 minutes Sir..fine...3 shaves later the food arrives!

This part of the town is in fact a travellers ghetto, Full of young, dreadlocked, baggy trousered youth, who have just chanced upon a 60's dressing up box. Nicknamed ' The Kingdom of Backpakistan' by Lonely Planet...I'm not quite sure if that is a PC term, but it's very apt!

Where do they all come from, and what are they all doing...come to that what are we doing here!

This trip for us has many layers, a celebration of turning 60, new inspiration for art, collecting images and ideas, a journey for the journeyman...In our room, with huge balcony, all the light switches are labeled with felt tip, the power goes off between 6-8am, a distinct feeling that the place has been under construction for years, but at the same time a very friendly take it or leave it attitude.

One last look at our garden paradise and we tunnel under the mosquito net. Lights out, fan on...oh no...buzz...buzz...

Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a very strange town. Cut in half by a stinking canal, it's France on one side, quiet leafy boulevards, and excellent coffee and croissants and India with all the hurly burly on the other side.

Add this to the dominance of the Sri Aurobindo ashram which owns much of the land and property, all painted grey with pale blue doors, we just couldn't get our heads round what it felt like.

The ashram certainly provides local employment, and many community facilities, but while we were staying in the guesthouse ( which has quotations from Sri A and ' the Mother' on every wall and in the garden) we didn't find it a very friendly place, whereas everywhere else people have been so warm, and eager to engage in conversation.

We visited the tomb of Sri A and the Mother, which was beautifully decorated in flowers, with people praying there etc, and visited their quite plushy sitting room and saw their old Humber car in the garage.  Maybe it was just the surly girl on the front desk at the guesthouse, but the word soulless springs to mind, and this is the place where one is encouraged to look within to find the soul or the divine. It seems like constructed mysticysm shrouded in guru fog!