We're baaacck!
When we left you we had just entered Cochin - the delightful capital of the State of Kerala. It is a busy port, but it's principal interest lies in the remnants of Portuguese and Dutch architecture (they colonised the area in turn) and the Spice Market. The buildings were not that impressive to start with and have not acquired much, if any, patina, but the Spice Market contains every spice we had ever heard of, and many that we had not. It gives the word "redolent" a whole new meaning. The hotel was was very calm and peaceful, and we were diverted by the guests - some very tatty French, and a collection of anachronistic old English trying hard to recapture colonial splendour - tropical kit and the family pearls.
Next we flew to Delhi and entered a wholly different India.
First, for myself I sorted out the difference between Delhi and New Delhi. Delhi (othewise known as Old Delhi) has been settled for a thousand years. New Delhi, to the south, was planned and arranged by the Raj when they moved the capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) sometime in the later C19. It contains the Embassy Quarter and, most imposing of all, the Lutyens designed Vice-Regal Palace and the Raj Ministries flanking the spectacular boulevard leading up to the Palace. Koji will be posting pictures of all of this.
When we left you we had just entered Cochin - the delightful capital of the State of Kerala. It is a busy port, but it's principal interest lies in the remnants of Portuguese and Dutch architecture (they colonised the area in turn) and the Spice Market. The buildings were not that impressive to start with and have not acquired much, if any, patina, but the Spice Market contains every spice we had ever heard of, and many that we had not. It gives the word "redolent" a whole new meaning. The hotel was was very calm and peaceful, and we were diverted by the guests - some very tatty French, and a collection of anachronistic old English trying hard to recapture colonial splendour - tropical kit and the family pearls.
Next we flew to Delhi and entered a wholly different India.
First, for myself I sorted out the difference between Delhi and New Delhi. Delhi (othewise known as Old Delhi) has been settled for a thousand years. New Delhi, to the south, was planned and arranged by the Raj when they moved the capital from Calcutta (now Kolkata) sometime in the later C19. It contains the Embassy Quarter and, most imposing of all, the Lutyens designed Vice-Regal Palace and the Raj Ministries flanking the spectacular boulevard leading up to the Palace. Koji will be posting pictures of all of this.
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