Ade:
We have spent the first couple days of our trip in Cochin, the city where mangoes are sweet and traffic laws and pants are optional. Friday was our first full day in India and we decided to spend it exploring the city. Starting our trip in the South has been been really disorienting. The culture and lifestyle of the North that I've come to associate with India has very little resonance in the South. The quaint (Writer's note: I am only using quaint comparatively, as in, in the South, it will take me a whole minute before I want to rip out my ears while walking on the street rather than the 5 seconds that it takes in Delhi) atmosphere is definitely a change from the hustle and bustle of the North. But we're definitely trying to appreciate the quaintness (ish) before going to the craziness that is New Delhi.
One of the reasons we decided to visit Cochin was to fill our Jewish tourist quota, by visiting a neighborhood in the middle of the city called Jew Town (no you're not in the twilight zone, that is a real place). As nice Jewish girls we felt compelled to exploit the one small connection that the tribe has with India. Anyways, I'll pass the Jewish stuff onto the history nerd.
While we were in Cochin we also took a boat tour of the backwaters, which was beautiful. We had the opportunity to see the community of people who live right off of the backwaters. Anyways, now for what our 2 main viewers are here for:
Yes mom(s), we are drinking lots of water and applying sunscreen every 4-6 hours. And no, I did not get travelers diarrhea.
I would love to stay and chat, but I'm shvitzing like a chazer (for all you non-Yiddish speakers that means sweating like Charlie Sheen at a drug test (too soon?)).
PS to my Malayali friends, I'm in your hood, and I think I met your cousins.
Here dayna, take it away:
Dayna:
Thanks for that much too kind intro, Adrienne. I'm blushing.
On Friday night we joined the Chabad in Cochin and davened at the Pardesi Shul located in a neighbourhood called Jew Town (and of course, the street named is Synagogue Lane, at the intersection with Jew Street). This is one of 8 shuls in Cochin- the only one still functioning, built in the 15th Century to accommodate the influx of Jews from Spain and Portugal. I found it unique in many respects- the colour scheme was gold, red and orange (borrowed from Asian culture?), and the floor tiles were imported from China. On the walk home we visited the Jews who still live in Jew Town- all 13 of them! They like life in India, and their families have been living for generations. Interestingly, they don't speak Hebrew! They pray in Hebrew, but speak Judeo-Maliyaliam.
That just about summarizes our Shabbat!, not back to the great outdoors- facing the heat of Allepey and attempting to identify those countless mystery stenches.
Shout out my bro, Matthew Simon- we found your doppleganger! Only she exists in the form of the rabbi's wife!
We have spent the first couple days of our trip in Cochin, the city where mangoes are sweet and traffic laws and pants are optional. Friday was our first full day in India and we decided to spend it exploring the city. Starting our trip in the South has been been really disorienting. The culture and lifestyle of the North that I've come to associate with India has very little resonance in the South. The quaint (Writer's note: I am only using quaint comparatively, as in, in the South, it will take me a whole minute before I want to rip out my ears while walking on the street rather than the 5 seconds that it takes in Delhi) atmosphere is definitely a change from the hustle and bustle of the North. But we're definitely trying to appreciate the quaintness (ish) before going to the craziness that is New Delhi.
One of the reasons we decided to visit Cochin was to fill our Jewish tourist quota, by visiting a neighborhood in the middle of the city called Jew Town (no you're not in the twilight zone, that is a real place). As nice Jewish girls we felt compelled to exploit the one small connection that the tribe has with India. Anyways, I'll pass the Jewish stuff onto the history nerd.
While we were in Cochin we also took a boat tour of the backwaters, which was beautiful. We had the opportunity to see the community of people who live right off of the backwaters. Anyways, now for what our 2 main viewers are here for:
Yes mom(s), we are drinking lots of water and applying sunscreen every 4-6 hours. And no, I did not get travelers diarrhea.
I would love to stay and chat, but I'm shvitzing like a chazer (for all you non-Yiddish speakers that means sweating like Charlie Sheen at a drug test (too soon?)).
PS to my Malayali friends, I'm in your hood, and I think I met your cousins.
Here dayna, take it away:
Dayna:
Thanks for that much too kind intro, Adrienne. I'm blushing.
On Friday night we joined the Chabad in Cochin and davened at the Pardesi Shul located in a neighbourhood called Jew Town (and of course, the street named is Synagogue Lane, at the intersection with Jew Street). This is one of 8 shuls in Cochin- the only one still functioning, built in the 15th Century to accommodate the influx of Jews from Spain and Portugal. I found it unique in many respects- the colour scheme was gold, red and orange (borrowed from Asian culture?), and the floor tiles were imported from China. On the walk home we visited the Jews who still live in Jew Town- all 13 of them! They like life in India, and their families have been living for generations. Interestingly, they don't speak Hebrew! They pray in Hebrew, but speak Judeo-Maliyaliam.
That just about summarizes our Shabbat!, not back to the great outdoors- facing the heat of Allepey and attempting to identify those countless mystery stenches.
Shout out my bro, Matthew Simon- we found your doppleganger! Only she exists in the form of the rabbi's wife!
What's a doppleganger? Now you've got me interested....
ReplyDeleteHi Ad and Dayna! I am so honoured to be considered one of your key audience members! Keep up the shmeering and water consumption - proud of both of you. Jackie and I will of course want to hear all about your daily hygiene regime, your caloric and nutritional consumption and details about any and all new playmates. Love the blog and both of you!
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