Wednesday, April 4, 2018, Cochin, India
Known as the “Queen of the Arabian Sea,” Cochin has been a bustling port for more than 1,000 years. In the late medieval days, this city of cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, and countless other spices put India on the maps of European traders. Since then, Cochin has never stopped exporting these plants for culinary and medicinal uses. Still today, it is regarded as the world’s leading producer of pepper. Modern-day Cochin reflects the varied people who have settled here seeking their own spice fortune. Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Chinese have all influenced the cityscape, culture, and cuisine. The Mattancherry Palace is a fascinating example of this melding as European exteriors belie the Hindu temple art within. On our way to first stop of today's shore excursion: A village laundry. Our cruise ship was docked on the small Willingdon Island; here we crossed a parallel bridge. Fishing boats after the night's catch. India has as many Christian ch