Oh Man! It’s Oman!

“This wasn’t a strange place,

it was a new one.”

--Paolo Coehlo

So it could be said of the Middle East. 

The Middle East: headlines volley terrorism vs. tourism. To visit or not to visit? We chose to go. Our cruise ship's itinerary sliced through this fascinating part of the world making stops at such far-away places that some we had to look up on maps before our departure. . .


As the ship arrived in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman on the 20th day of our cruise aboard Oceania’s Nautica, the already intense sun was uncomfortably hot. It wasn’t yet 8 a.m.

Beyond the port, a sand-covered landscape stretched as far as we could see. With a pounding sun and outstretched vistas of sand – yes, we’d arrived in the Middle East. No doubt about it.

Port of Salalah, Sultanate of Oman

But even Ol’ Man Sun wasn’t going to drive us from the railing as we eased into our berth tucked into the industrial port of this, the second largest city in the Sultanate.  We’d glided past enormous freighters and tied up next to a most interesting commercial ship.

We were in the Middle East - no doubt about it

Âs the photo of our navigational map above shows, we’d arrived in the Sultanate of Oman, a country on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates in the northwest, Saudi Arabia in the west, and Yemen (yes, the one that war planes have been bombing since right before our cruise began) in the southwest. Salala was very close to the border between the two countries.

We’d not done much research prior to the cruise about this port of call (other than to find it on a map) and many on the ship who’d sailed in the area before said they preferred the Sultanate’s capital city of Muscat to Salalah.

However, it was our portal - our introduction - to the Middle East portion of this 34-day cruise from Bangkok, Thailand to Istanbul, Turkey. It was a sun-baked memorable one.

I wrote earlier of heat along our route that ‘melted makeup’; the heat here wilted humans. So intense was the sun that it whitewashed the scenes – it felt as if you were looking at life-sized faded photographs. It hurt, literally hurt, the skin to stand or pause in the direct sun. As we explored the town, our steps were measured and slow, we’d drank bottles of water that we’d brought with us from the ship.

A stark landscape greeted us in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman

While it may not have been a favorite stop, it will likely  be one of those places we remember for a long time as being such a stark, different world from the one we know.

“Except for those who travel to remote Middle East locales, the country has seldom been in the public eye other than for the use of its military bases by U.S. forces in recent years. American and British bombing raids were launched in 1991 from Oman against Iraq in the Gulf War. A decade later, U.S. forces stationed there were involved in raids against Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden.”
                                                                                           -----from omansultanate.com/history.htm

Bowls of frankincense for sale in the Salalah Souk

Along with another couple from the ship, we negotiated the price of a cab into the city and set off on our own to explore the town’s souk, (market area), where smoke from burning frankincense – sold, it seemed, by every vendor – blanketed us in an intoxicating  haze.

Kummahs added color in the Souk

Vendors offered scarves, shoe repair, incense,  Khanjar knives, which look like curved daggers and are worn with ceremonial dress.   Islamic skull caps, kummahs, worn by men in Oman are distinctive for their colorful embroidery which made for colorful displays. 

A cat in Salalah' Souk

The poor, bedraggled cat pictured above ventured out into one of the souk’s walkways as we approached. (Forlorn cats are drawn to us cat lovers – no matter where we are in the world.)  I had just taken this photo when one of the vendors kicked this forlorn little creature – more than once – to get it away.  I might add it took all the restraint I could muster not to cause a cultural clash right there and then!

Our taxi driver at the Mosque in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman

Our taxi driver spoke only a few words of English – but enough to suggest an itinerary which included a visit to the mosque before it closed for afternoon prayer. It sounded good to the four of us.

Our driver, like the shop vendors we’d seen, wore long-sleeved, white, ankle-length collarless robes that buttoned at the neck, called dishdashas. With the sun’s intensity, I’d have traded my clinging  light-weight travel pants and top for one in a second!

My travel look at the Mosque in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman

As it was I needed to add a layer, to enter the mosque. We removed our shoes and we women had to cover both our heads and our arms; all of us - men and women - had to have our ankles covered.

The Qu'ran shown by our taxi driver - Salalah, Sultanate of Oman

We marveled at the size and the beauty of the interior.  We remarked on a set of beautifully bound books - the Qu’ran, it turned out – at which we could look but not touch. We later learned from the Middle East lecturer aboard our ship that we were precluded from touching the book  because we may have been ‘unwashed’.  Our rather shy driver, showed us the volumes (he had washed, I guess) and encouraged by our questions about the text, proudly recited from memory the passage he held open to us. 

Entry to Salalah's Museum - Sultanate of Oman

We’d booked a four-hour taxi tour which allowed us enough time for a stop at the city’s Museum which provided an excellent view into the areas history -  not to mention an introduction to the ‘frankincense tree’.

Source of Frankincense 

Since childhood we’ve been told that  the gifts of the Magi to baby Jesus were gold, myrrh and frankincense. . .somehow, I’d never questioned what those gifts actually were.  Frankincense is derived from a French word meaning ‘pure incense’ and comes from the sap of the Boswellia tree, of which there are 20 varieties.

We headed back to the ship and not far from the port, our driver pointed to a road branching off the one on which we were traveling, and said, “Yemen”. 

No thanks, we laughingly responded.

Oman had been interesting enough.

Again we thank you for your time and interest in our travel tales.  Until we meet again, happy and safe travels to you and yours ~

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Cruising the Middle East: Preparing for Danger

No one skipped the Pirate Drill held on board our small cruise ship as we sailed from India’s waters into the area we’d been advised was an HTA, or ‘high threat area’ for piracy. It was mandatory.

Our ship, the Nautica, had been attacked by pirates a few years back. If it happened again, the crew – and we passengers – would be ready.

And no one on the ship’s tour from Egypt’s Safaga port city to Luxor, fought over the two front ‘view’ seats in the bus. We’d been advised they were for the armed guards that would be traveling with us. 

We also willingly submitted our hand bags for screening by Israeli security officers as we left the ship in Haifa, our entry point to that country. Usually bags are screened when you re-enter the ship – not the place you visit. But that is life in Israel these days.

Oceania Nautical anchored at Phuket, Thailand

Prior to booking our passage, we – and our nearly 500 fellow passengers – knew the routing of our Oceania Nautica ship from Bangkok, Thailand to Istanbul, Turkey would take us to parts of the world where ‘unrest’ can occur and accelerate on a moment’s notice.

Once on board we all seemed to share the same approach to the trip: what better – and safer – way to get to and through these areas than on a cruise ship that had a security plan in place?

One day at sea in the HTA - We had a country fair

The ‘fear’ we talked about was the ‘fear’ of having to miss a port of call if unrest broke out prior to our arrival which could result in the ship skipping that port and the ‘fear’ of having the cruise cut short if the attacks on Yemen should expand further into the Gulf of Aden – a waterway we sailed en route to the Red Sea. The Gulf of Aden is part of the Suez Canal shipping route and used by some 21,000 ships each year. About 11% of seaborne petroleum is transported on this route.

Pirate Protection

Think about it. How often in life will you get to participate in a pirate protection drill?

Pirate drill had us sitting on the floor in the hallway

The safety drill was really quite simple: go to an interior hallway, sit on the floor and stay put until further directions are given. (The person standing in this photo was our cabin attendant who was checking cabins of those not sitting on the floor).

Why sit on the floor?
Because in the event of an attack the ship might need to take quick evasive action and quick turns could knock people over. They didn’t want guests falling on the floor and hurting themselves.

Why an interior hallway?
You remember I said our ship had once been attacked by pirates. Apparently the guests – adults-who-know-better-guests – couldn’t resist snapping the ‘selfie’ and other photos from their cabin decks or windows. The temptation to capture the action was too great to stay out of harm’s way.

I am using two photos, taken during our very safe, calm days at sea to illustrate this point:  both were taken during Happy Hour in the ship’s lounge – on the left, the setting sun was a magnet drawing shutter bugs to the windows on a regular basis. The photo to the right was taken as word of a whale sighting filtered through the crowd – it was as if the window had sucked people from their chairs (with camera and phones in hand). Had it been a pirate ship sighting,. . . well, you get the picture (pun intended).

Shutter bugs aboard the ship

All puns and jokes aside, safety and security of marine vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea are taken very seriously.

Pirates to the left and war to the right during this segment of our cruise

For that reason, our cruise ship’s fire hoses were uncoiled and attached to high pressure nozzles mounted to the outside of the ship’s railings on both sides of the ship. Crew members stood watch.  The nozzles were not removed until we entered the Mediterranean Sea several days later.

Pirate watch and protection

We weren’t the only ship taking safety measures. We couldn’t help note this freighter which had their water system going continuously---perhaps as a warning to would-be pirates?

We weren't the only ones taking safety seriously

In certain areas along this stretch, our ship at night reduced its lighting to only essential open deck lights and we were requested to turn off cabin interior and balcony lights or to close our curtains if the lights were on.  None of which was alarming or an imposition, I assure you.

That is Yemen in the background - this is the closest we came to that war-torn country

We had wondered how close we’d get to Yemen and Somalia when we passed through the 20-mile wide opening that separated the two as we entered the Red Sea. It was actually so wide it was difficult to get photos of the land. The most danger we had was from the high noon sun, which in less than an hour of being on deck burned us both.

There was no security need to eliminate any ports of call in Egypt, Jordan or Israel; places so interesting and deserving of more time for exploration than we had allotted for them. We’d love to return for more land-based explorations. We’ll tell you more about them in upcoming posts. 

As always, your time with us is appreciated! If you are enjoying the blog we hope you'll share it with your FB friends.  Happy travels to you and yours until we see you back here ~

Linking up this week:
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Mumbai’s Khotachi wadi: A Taste of History

The idea of having tea in a private home in Mumbai really didn’t excite us that much. In our minds there were far too many things to see during our short time in the city to ‘waste’ time sipping tea.

Built between 1884 -93, and home to the municipal govt. offices

Mumbai was a two-day port of call for our cruise ship Oceania’s Nautica as we sailed from Bangkok, Thailand to Istanbul, Turkey. We’d opted to fill our first day taking the ship’s eight-hour “Old Bombay” tour to get a taste of the city’s history – not tea.  And as it turned out we got both!

Food vendor - Mumbai, India

However, when the tour bus deposited us on a congested city street in a bustling retail area where  vendors lined the sidewalks in front of storefronts offering a variety of goods, we saw nothing that looked residential. 

Then our guide set off down a  small nearby lane with her flock, as I thought of us, in tow.  A short walk later we found ourselves in the midst of Mumbai history: Khotachi wadi, one of the city’s few remaining Heritage areas.

While ‘wadi’ in Arabian countries means a dry valley or ravine as in ‘Wadi Rum’ here it means a small community area; one that is said to be associated with farming.  Other Mumbai Heritage wadis include: Fanas (‘jackfruit’) Wadi, Ambra (mango) Wadi and Khet (farm) Wadi.

Khotachi wadi, left, city of Mumbai view on the right

Tea, it turned out, was being served at the home of James Ferreira, well-known Indian fashion designer whose creations are sold in boutiques throughout the country and worn by Bollywood stars and rich and famous international visitors.

James Ferreira, well-known Indian fashion designer

Mr. Ferreira, who greeted our group while his assistants refilled our beverage cups and goodie plates,  both lives and has his design studio in the two-story wood-frame structure. It is his family home; one of the original 65 homes in this once-Portuguese enclave. Now, one of the 28 remaining in this compact Heritage area.

James Ferreira's home, "The Scout" trying out the front porch rocking chair

We were invited to tour both his home and upstairs studio which like the neighboring homes are  wood-frame structures, Indo-Portuguese style with airy verandas and open balconies.  He opens his home to countless groups of visitors to help educate them about the importance of retaining what is left of this small bit of Mumbai history.  He is active in the URBZ, a group working to preserve Heritage Districts within metro areas – and strongly opposing takeovers by developers.

Cruisers watch a sari demonstration in the James Ferreira design studio

Following a demonstration on the art of wearing a sari, there was time to shop from racks of garments in his studio – but after two weeks of cruise-food it was obvious that most of us weren’t quite built for his luscious creations that are described  as a ‘blend of Western silhouettes with Indian crafts and techniques’.

Khotachi wadi - a step into history

We are the first to admit we aren’t fans of organized tour groups – we would much rather research a place and set out on our own. But on a cruise with as many new places as we visited on this Magic Carpet Ride through the Far and Middle East, we found that taking organized tours were a great way to get a quick orientation of an area. Often times seeing places we wouldn't have found on our own And, in this case, a most memorable taste of history.

We were off to Oman and othe ports of call in the Middle East after leaving Mumbai and that meant we were heading to a HTA, Heavy Threat Area – something cruise lines take most seriously.

Preparing for danger was a new and different experience, we’ll tell you about it in a future post. Until you return, happy and safe travels to you and yours~

Linking this week with:
Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday

Mumbai: Magic Mixed with Madness

A crush of humanity, over-zealous sidewalk touts, waves of  taxis, cows tethered to street light posts, the synchronized dance of the dabbawalas, 94-degrees and humidity to match. . .

Mumbai, India, home to sprawling slums and glitzy Bollywood, was sheer madness. 

Mumbai was sheer magic.

A holy man on the steps of a Hindu Temple - Mumbai, India

We had two days in this city that up until 20 years ago was known as Bombay. It was one of  two ports of call in India on our 34-day Oceania Nautica cruise from Bangkok, Thailand to Istanbul, Turkey. 

We’d opted on our first day to take a cruise-sponsored shore excursion that  gave us an overview of India’s second largest city; a place said to be home to more billionaires than any other place in the world. Cruise sponsored shore excursions are not inexpensive. This eight-hour tour cost $209 per person and that's why I recommended in the 'repositioning' cruise post last week that benefits like on-board credits which can be used toward the cost of these tours are important.

Cows on the Corner

As we rode in the air-conditioned comfort of a large tour bus we enjoyed a  kaleidoscope of scenes and everyday settings ranging from classic British colonial buildings to Hindu Temples, a public market and museum. We set out on our own the second day.

Families on the Sidewalk - Mumbai, India

Some of the most striking Mumbai memories were those of  street scenes like the ones above. . . street corners hosting family gatherings or cows tethered to light posts.

Mumbai, India

While we didn’t do extensive research about the place before we visited, I’ve since spent a bit of time reading about its history since our return home. One of the best concise accounts was written by Leo Mirani, for The Guardian newspaper in 2008:

“Bombay was ‘discovered’ by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, ceded in dowry to the English in 1661, and transformed into a thriving metropolis over the next 300 years by the East India Company, the Crown, Parsi, Gujarati and Jewish businessmen, mills, movies and money.”

Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel - Mumbai, India

Two days here was simply not enough. We did regret not taking advantage of the independent explorations allowed on this cruise and wish we'd spent a night on land at the legendary Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel. This was another grand old hotel on my ‘bucket list’ and remembered as we entered it, watching the horrifying images on news reports of smoke billowing from it as result of terrorist attacks in 2008.

Interior sitting room near the pool area - Taj Mahal Hotel

I can assure you its interior common areas are again awash in luxurious beauty.  Everyone enters through metal detectors and bags are screened as they enter the lobby (we’ve found this a common practice at most major hotels in the Middle and Far East these days).

The floral arrangements were spectacular - Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai, India

The original hotel was the first harbor landmark, built before the Gateway to India and it was home to the first licensed bar in the city.

That iconic Gateway to India (pictured on the left) just across the street from the hotel was built in 1911 to welcome King George V and Queen Mary. As we approached the Gateway we were swarmed by tourist touts; several who came up while I was taking a photo to tell me not to bother – I could buy one from them.

We didn't need a warning to keep us from eating street food in Mumbai, India

One of the most interesting stops was to catch a bit of the daily routine of the city’s famous food distributors, the Dabbawalas.

Dabbawalas at work outside Santacruz train station - Mumbai, India

More than 5,000 dabbawalas, clad in white ‘Gandhi’ caps, cotton shirts, trousers and sandals, deliver made-at-home lunches to the office workers each day. Their name derives from the ‘dabbas’ or metal tiffin boxes that they deliver to the office and then return back to the home each day. More than 130,000 dabbas are delivered daily.  The photos above show the dabbawalas setting off from outside Mumbai’s Santacruz train station.

Our ship's tour was of Old Bombay and it was when we stopped at Khotachiwadi I knew more research about the history of this amazing city was in order after I got home. Such an interesting stop it was, it deserves its own post which is coming soon.

As we lost track of days and locations the Ship's Navigational map was helpful

Leaving Mumbai our Magic Carpet Ride of a cruise did a two-day crossing the Arabian Sea heading to the true Middle East, heading to our next port of call in a country I'd had to look up on the map before our cruise: Oman . . .the next door neighbor to conflict-bedraggled Yemen.

We weren’t in Kansas any more, Toto! as Dorothy would have remarked about Oz.  We were heading to the HRA – High Risk Area and it was time to turn our thoughts to security aboard the ship and on land . . .but that’s another story. . .

As always we appreciate the time you spend with us and thank you for recommending us to your friends.  And to those who’ve shared links to TravelnWrite on Twitter and posts on Facebook, more thanks. Those shares are the highest forms of compliments. Until the next time, happy and safe travels to you and yours ~

Linking up this week with:
Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday

Repositioning: Steal-of-a-Deal Cruises

The 34-day spring cruise aboard Oceania’s Nautica that took us from Bangkok, Thailand to Istanbul, Turkey was a repositioning cruise.

Oceania Nautica on the Indian Ocean

The four-day fall cruise aboard the Ruby Princess that took us from Vancouver, British Columbia to Los Angeles, California this week was also a repositioning cruise.

Ruby Princess on the Pacific Ocean

The two were vastly different cruising experiences: one aboard a small ship with not quite 500 passengers that took us to exotic places we’d probably have otherwise never visited and the other a ship of 3,500 passengers that took us on a long-weekend-like getaway to familiar places.

Sailing from Vancouver, B.C. - sunny, but cold

What was similar was the fact they were ships being repositioned from one part of the world to another for a new sailing season.  The Princess ship, for example, was moving south from its summer Alaska sailings to California, and warm-weather destinations for the winter season.

Thus, the name “Repositioning” cruises; and offered in the spring and fall when ship’s are being moved. The cruise line offers deals so that they make some money while moving the ship and passengers benefit from the deals they offer to fill the ships. 

After I posted on the TravelnWrite Facebook page about our little cruise, I had so many questions that I thought  it time to highlight them again. They’ve been the subject matter of several posts  in recent years because they are among our favorite cruise types; so much so, that I wrote about them for the Seattle Times.

Short Pacific Northwest Getaway cruises

We’ve taken a number of short getaway cruises on the ships that sail the waters between Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, BC and Alaska during the summer months. They range in length from overnight to four- or five-days.

Our mini-suite on the Ruby Princess

The most recent, a three-night sailing with no ports of call, took us from  Vancouver, B. C. to Los Angeles. The price had been the enticement – a mini-suite for just over $500. The mini-suite featured a sitting area, two-flat screen televisions, a king-size (and very comfortable) bed, walk-in closet and full bathroom (double the size of our Oceania ship’s bathroom).

We rented a car in the Seattle suburb, Bellevue, WA for $60 and dropped it off in Vancouver, B.C.  We were traveling with another couple, so it was cheaper to rent the car than to pay for four Amtrak train tickets. We returned home to Seattle from LA on Alaska Airlines for $99 per person. We spent a night in Vancouver but could have driven up the day of the cruise, saving the cost of the hotel and meals.

Note:  It is important to factor in these additional costs when considering cruise deals because they do add up. In the case of our Oceania cruise, entry visa costs for various countries added to the cost calculations. India, for example is $369 per person while Turkey is $20 per person.

Exotic Ports of Call and Days At Sea

Yangon, Myanmar, a port of call on Oceania's Nautica sailing

Repositioning cruises can often take you to out-of-the-way places that would be difficult and expensive to reach otherwise and they offer long days at sea.

The affordable, reduced, price and extremely generous on-board benefits ($1,800 in on-board spending, pre-paid gratuities –a savings of about $800 -- and daily unlimited internet – saving about $900 )-- when coupled with an array of exotic ports of call were what enticed us to take the Oceania Nautica last spring.

We visited 10 countries, unpacking at the beginning of the cruise and packing at the end – no hauling bags, no airports, no muss, no fuss.  We were able to experience a high-end cruise line and visit a number of places that would have been both difficult and expensive to reach had we gone to them on our own. Some we need not return to, but others are now on our list for a return visit and longer stay.

Celebrity Solstice in Sydney, Australia's harbour

There were long stretches of days at sea on the 23-day repositioning cruise we took aboard the Celebrity Solstice from Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia.  The ship was repositioning from Seattle, but we opted for fewer days and flew to Honolulu to board (it also cost less from there). A number of fellow passengers were from Australia having also flown to Hawaii to sail home.

Note: Again we were able to visit multiple places including three South Pacific islands and New Zealand en route to Australia while not having to deal with air travel (and its cost), packing and unpacking at each stop.

Getting to and from Europe

Canary Islands - a port of call on repositioning cruises

One of our favorite types of repositioning cruises is transiting the Atlantic Ocean, either going to or returning from Europe. Any number of cruise lines offer these sailings; we’ve crossed on Holland America and Celebrity ships. The ports of call usually include one or two stops on the United States side of the Atlantic and three or four on the European side with six or seven days at sea.  One of the best deals we nabbed was a balcony room for $125 per night.

Note: The plus side of these cruises are the stops in places like the Canary Islands and Madeira – destinations that would require expensive and long flights and multiple connections for travelers like us, living in the Western United States.

Long Days At Sea and Weather Considerations

Repositioning cruises involve long, lovely days at sea

Because ships are being moved from one area of the world to another, repositioning cruises often involve long stretches of days at sea – no land in sight, no ports of call. Even our little cruise from Vancouver was two days at sea with no ports of call.
NOTE: Cruise lines go overboard (pun, intended) in lining up activities, events, classes, lectures, promotions, games, music and dance to keep passengers busy on those days.  Some, like us, prefer to laze away the time with a good book and watching the waves. 
If you are not able to deal with days at sea  and being confined to the ship, you might want to think twice before taking a repositioning cruise, no matter how good the deal.

Weather on these shoulder season cruises can be good, bad, or a bit of both. Our first day out of Vancouver was a blustery rainy and windy day and our second day allowed us to bask and burn in California sunshine. You'll want to check weather sites and pack accordingly.

“The Scout’s” Deal Finder

“The Scout” is credited with finding all the repositioning cruises we’ve taken.  He uses a number of cruise web sites. We booked our three-day cruise using Vacations To Go. They have a link to repositioning cruise deals.  CruCon Cruise Outlet is our usual ‘go to’ site as they’ve often offered benefits that tip the scale in their favor, even if the cruise price has been the same as offered elsewhere.

That’s it for today.  If you have specific questions, ask them in the comment section below or shoot us an email.  Hope it is smooth sailing ahead for you and your family until we see you back here. We’ll return to tales from our repositioning spring cruise with a stop in Mumbai, India.

Linking up with:

Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday

Spicing up the trip in Cochin, India’s Jew Town

Travel, we’ve decided, simply upsets preconceived notions about people and places.  Take India, for example.

Our ship, Oceania’s Nautica, had sailed past Chinese fishing nets as we arrived in the port city, Cochin, aka Kochi, giving it a more Asian than Indian flavor – at least based on  my preconceived notions of India.

Off to tour Kochi, India

The scenes along the the waterway had whetted our appetites for what we would see on our independent shore excursion.

Tiny Tuk Tuks - Cochin, India

We’d decided to go it alone in this city so after clearing customs and disembarking the ship, we arranged our day’s travels with the driver (pictured above) of this auto-rickshaw, aka Tuk-Tuk.  Locals use them much like a taxi, with various rates to various destinations. We traveled for a set price and duration, negotiated and paid before we set off from the dock.

Our driver obviously had transported tourists before though because he set off for the old historic part of town. . .an area simply called Jew Town, once the hub of the Kochi spice trade.

First a stop: Kochi’s Public Laundry

Kochi, India's  Public Laundry

Several dozen tourists had been disgorged from tourist buses at the laundry before we arrived. And despite telling our driver that I really didn’t want to take photos here, he couldn’t quite comprehend it. So here are the photos – which I was uncomfortable taking and tried to avoid people shots, but did catch this smiling lady who didn’t seem to mind being the focus of many cameras. I reasoned out that they must be proud of this system of ‘laundromats’ or they wouldn’t be bringing us all to see them. (The laundry was also part of a ship’s tour in Mumbai.)

Cochin/Kochi – A Quick Bit of History

Modern Cochin, India

Before India’s independence in 1947 Kochi, in southern India’s Kerala state,  was ruled by the Portuguese (1498-1663), the Dutch (1663 – 1795) and British (1797 – 1947). Maritime traders seeking Keralan spices, sandalwood and ivory are credited with setting the stage for today’s blending of cultures and the rather cosmopolitan look of the city.

Santa Cruz Basilica - Cochin, India

Our Tuk Tuk tour took us through a portion of the historic Fort Kochi/Cochin area and we had plenty of stops at places like the Santa Cruz Basilica, (pictured above), one of the oldest churches in India. The original structure was destroyed by the British and this building constructed in 1905.

[Now why I didn’t expect Chinese fishing nets to be followed by Jew Town and reminders of the Portuguese, Dutch and British influence in India, I’ll never figure out. But next time I’ll be doing a lot more research about our destinations before I see them and not after so I can more fully appreciate what I am seeing.]

Off to Jew Town

Kochi Jews are descendants of Jewish refugees who had fled from Palestine 2,000 years ago. Jew Town got its beginning back in 1524 when a Hindu Raja (another version says, King of Kochi) granted them land to them near his palace.

Today's Jew Town - a mix of old and new - Cochin, India

Jew Town, a thriving enclave in the 1500’s is today a still-bustling area area between Mattancherry Palace (built by the Portuguese in 1555 and remodeled by the Dutch in 1663) and Pardesi Synagogue (built 1568).

Although still a busy area, most of the Jews who lived here emigrated to Israel after its creation in 1948.  Several recent news articles say the numbers of Jews in Jew Town these days have dwindled to double digit figures and there is concern that its rich history will be lost to future generations.

Goats wandered streets and sidewalks - Cochin, India

Lonely Planet describes the streets as being ‘thick with the smell of the past’ and those smells were an intoxicating blend of ginger, cardamom, cumin, tumeric and cloves.  Huge gunny sacks of spices piled high on delivery trucks and in doorways.

Squeezing through spice streets - Cochin, India

On a day when both the temperatures and humidity hovered in the mid-90’s the combination of the two intensified the smells of spice as our driver putted along narrow streets squeezing us between delivery trucks and the small spice firms operating out of dilapidated storefronts. We inhaled deeply – the smells were an intoxicating, exotic blend of which we couldn’t get enough.

Unloading spices - Cochin, India

We left the open-air comfort of our Tuk Tuk and strolled through an area of small shops selling tourist goods, and antiques; an area where even a moment’s hesitation would bring an eager salesperson to our side inviting us in and offering ‘good prices’.  Their enthusiasm, mixed with the sun’s intensity, drove us into a restaurant at the water’s edge where we sipped ginger water and ate  ginger ice cream.

Ginger water and ginger ice cream - a respite in Cochin, India

As we were leaving the restaurant another ‘notion’ was knocked to the wayside  in a most delightful way: 

Our pre-arrival port information cautioned, “. . it is considered offensive to photograph local women and courtesy demands to ask permission before taking pictures of men.” So I didn’t intentionally take aim at women, nor did I ask men if I could take their photos. 

What they hadn’t prepared us for was being approached by a twosome of beautiful young women who asked if they could take OUR photo. . .(btw, now we know how that feels and it is rather strange!) 
So we posed for them and they snapped away with modern cell phones.  But then it was our turn - one more photo. . .

Photos are fun - no matter what the country! Cochin, India

Our Magic Carpet Ride heads a bit further north in India next week and lands in Mumbai! Hope you'll be back and until then, safe travels to you and yours ~ and as always many thanks for the time you spent here today! 

Linking up with:
Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday