January 24 The Windows of Taj Mahal in Cochin

Joan has been having issues with her sinuses so wisely decided on a massage later today. We get going at 10 after a nice breakfast so were not rushed and enjoyed our leisure. Our dear driver, Kishur Kumar, arrived promplty, accompanied by a local guide, Nidu, who had a good day planned for us. He reported that Cochin, with a population of 1.5 million, is 40% Hindi, 30% Christian, and 30% Muslim. It's first known foreign visitors were the CHinese who contented themselves with trade. Then came a variety of Europeans, the military conquerers - Portuguese, Dutch, French and English who ruled until 1947 when the Raj finally ended. We saw Jew Town (only a few families left) dating from 200 C.E. and the still operating 16th century synagogue. Then St. Francis Church with Vasco Da Gama's original grave site, and, finally, the Dutch Palace and the Chinese Fishing Nets the latter being as they sound, a manner of fishing introduced by the Chinese and used today by local fishermen. We shop at 2 wonderful places, one a co-op run by local women where we bought spices and essential oils and next a fabulous store with teak and sandlewood furniture and wonderfully exquisite carpets. I was so happy to acquire a beautiful hand-woven rug for our entry. I t features a design called "the windows of the Taj Mahal". What better way to remember this journey. I can't wait to see it in our house. Be sure to stop by so that you can admire it to! We lunch at a local restaurant, letting the driver and guide have an early day so we walk back to the hotel, a 17-room colonial manor, for Joan's massage and my R and R. Up early tomorrow for our trip back to Dehli.