Kochi Local Customs

2 more images

First erected between 1350 and 1450, the cantilevered fishing nets indicate trade links with China. Known as Cheena vala they are fixed to the land with an outstretched net suspended over the sea and large stones suspended from ropes as counterweights at the other end. Each installation is operated by a team of up to six fishermen.

I got called over to one by 5 guys who were working on it and they showed me some of the small fish they had caught with names like toad fish and pen fish. I then helped them by pulling up the net which they say they do between 250 and 350 times a day!

As Kochi is a little different to other places in Kerala, it's become something of a film location manager’s delight what with its buildings, streets and history around every corner. And around these corners you might see a film crew and cast filming there on the street right in front of you. Of course, to Indian's, this is some of the best entertainment and they hang around for hours in order to get a glimpse of their favourite film stars.

A study undertaken on behalf of Israel's foreign ministry by an international market research company found that India is the most pro-Israel country in the world, beating out the United States by two percentage points.
The study, undertaken as part of the "Branding Israel" project, looked at what it calls the world's 13 most important countries and included 5,215 interviewees. Asked a series of questions, participants graded their sympathy for Israel on a 1-to-10 scale. Some results, given in terms of percentage expressing sympathy to the Jewish State:
58% India
56% United States
52% Russia
52% Mexico
50% China
34% Great Britain
27% France
23% Spain
Comment: The Indian statistic is not the only striking one - note the continent of the countries clustered at the bottom and how much lower their numbers than those of Russia and China. Just as the U.S government should rethink its military alliances, so might Israelis take a fresh look at the globe. (April 3, 2009)

4 more images

I was thinking of our dear VT friend from Israel when I was adding these photos of Kerala Fruits.
Bread Fruit Tree or Arbol de Pan is originally from Tahiti and was brought over to Jamaica and other islands by Captain Bligh of Mutiny Fame. But what family does JackFruit belong to? is it indigenous to Kerala? like Guapin in Cuba which looks like Jackfruit? and also Durian, which family does that fruit belong to, which is ubiquitous in Malaysia?

If you have answers to these questions, about the origins of Jack Fruit, Guapin and Durian, please let me know.. Thank You. Teremah Kaseh, Gracias y Nanri..

4 more images

I was thinking of our dear VT friend from Israel when I was adding these photos of Kerala Fruits.
Bread Fruit Tree or Arbol de Pan is originally from Tahiti and was brought over to Jamaica and other islands by Captain Bligh of Mutiny Fame. But what family does JackFruit belong to? is it indigenous to Kerala? like Guapin in Cuba which looks like Jackfruit? and also Durian, which family does that fruit belong to, which is ubiquitous in Malaysia?

If you have answers to these questions, about the origins of Jack Fruit, Guapin and Durian, please let me know.. Thank You. Teremah Kaseh, Gracias y Nanri..

This lady always greets me as i walk around the Ernakulam railway station, quite near the Touristland offices. She talks to me profusely in malayalam, without realizing that I dont live in Cochin nor do I speak malayalam but she has seen me enough to think that i live somewhere around here. On this past visit, she offered me a coconut, which usually is about 15 rupees, I graciously accepted and after drinking the sweet waters, gave her much more than the worth of the coconut. she was surprised but accepted it gracefully.
another example of malayalee friendliness. no one in india is as friendly as the malayalees, I think..

PHARMACEUTICALS
Most Indians cannot afford to see a Doctor, so their primary care contact is the Pharmacist and perhaps that is why there are so many pharmacies are about. In the Indiantown near Ballard, there are four pharmacies at one junction, one at each corner.
Anthony who is the man behind the counter at TARA medicals is a veritable source of pharmaceutical information. And he is very helpful.
At least the medications are not expensive.
For a course of antibiotics, it works around one dollar. So in a country where there is a large minority of the population living under two dollars a day, the drug prices are reasonable.
I am told by more than one person that the medical profession is under the thumbs of the pharmaceutical company and when someone goes to a doctor he always comes back with a prescription for more expensive and more often combination drugs which are more expensive.
One example is the prescription of Insulin Glargine Pens with expensive refill cartridges, which cost thousands of dollars.

SHOPPING AT DELITE SHOPPING CENTRE
India has many small shops, a family running a family goods business which would have a little of everything. In this store, next to the Delite Café in Princess Street, there are ayurvedic medications, household cleaning equipment, pots and pans, torch lights and flasks, chocolates, toys so you get the picture.
Thermos flask with cover 390 inr
Torch light with two AA batteries 140 inr
Ayurvedic medications for stomach, and stress 150 inr
A fan 50 inr
730 inr I wanted him to give me a discount but he didn’t so I gave him 720 inr, which he accepted.
India is full of these family owned and run shops, from small shops on bicycle wheels to fairly big sized fancy goods store.