When wanderlust strikes two shopaholic women, there is no stopping them. Not even a toddler and his mood swings can do much to deter them. After all, this girls’ trip was a plan-in-the-making for long and it just had to happen.
So, one fine morning, armed with backpacks and a year-old baby, we set off to the fishing town of Fort Kochi for an eat-shop-stroll tour. And the former Portuguese settlement proved to be the perfect getaway with its lovely boutiques, dusty antique shops, charming cafes, bungalows, and ancient churches lining the streets.
The historical town of Fort Kochi, now a suburb in Kochi, had been occupied by the Portuguese for nearly 160 years. In 1683, the Dutch took possession of the town which they held for 112 years, after which it became a British colony. Decades later, Fort Kochi still manages to retain the aura from an era gone by.
It was a muggy afternoon. After a heavy lunch, we were eager to explore. My friend and I had heard so much about the Chinese fishing nets that it had to be our first stop. But to our disappointment, it started raining and we hopped into an auto rickshaw. My friend suggested going around town and stopping at every boutique we spotted.
Wanting to travel light, I had decided against carrying a stroller, a decision I regretted as soon as I stepped into a boutique , on Parade road. Thankfully, the people at the store were kind enough to make a make-shift bed on a window sill. As my baby slept blissfully, we quickly shopped for bags and stoles.
Just a few metres away, on Peter Celli Road, was a vibrant store selling interesting knick-knacks. I bought a pair of colourful mugs, one for me and one for my man whom I had left at home in Chennai.
Not wanting to exhaust all the shopping on day one, we decided to take a break.
Back at the Chinese fishing nets early next morning, we were lucky to catch the fisher-folks trawling the waters with cantilevered nets suspended mid-air. We were amazed at the dexterity with which they went about their job. We then visited the beautiful Santa Cruz basilica nearby before heading for breakfast to Tea Bungalow where we were staying.
A tad overwhelmed by the shopping the previous day, we decided to immerse ourselves in a bit of history at Mattancherry, a short ride from Fort Kochi. This Jewish town houses an old synagogue of the Malabar Yehudan, built in 1568 on a piece of land given by Raja Ravi Varma. In fact, the king’s palace and the synagogue share a common wall. The synagogue has marvellous blue tile running across the floor. It still holds service two days a week for the dwindling Jewish population.
Jew town is filled with handicraft and antique shops selling everything from teakwood furniture and tiles to brassware and candle-stands. While there is a lot of trash being sold as ‘antique’, one can dig out some real gems too. We bought embroidered T-shirts, miniature race boats, bull-face masks, and of course, spices.
Whenever we got tired of shopping or the baby felt too heavy, we scurried into quaint cafés that Fort Kochi has in plenty.
Teapot Café in particular is a delight. We sit back sipping on cinnamon tea and waiting for the orange cake as we admire the collection of mugs, teapots and kettles all around, some even hanging from the ceiling.
For traditional Kerala fare, we dined at Malabar House. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the famed parottas.
Our final stop was Kashi Art Café where we had a grand lunch the next day. This place is a favourite among locals and visitors alike for its quirky art installations and a relaxed setting. Looking longingly at the stone tables and pebbled pathways, we vowed to be back some day.
