Lost and Found in Kochi

My search for balance between tourist and local has extended to Kochi.  Yesterday I experienced an unsavory incident with a local boy, details of which I will spare you.  More upsetting than the incident itself was my resulting feelings of mistrust towards the locals that I couldn't seem to shake.  I was disappointed in myself for feeling that way because I know this was an isolated incident only, and most locals are not like this.  So I took rest in my hotel room, had a decent cry and then found some comfort in good pep talk messages from friends.  After a while I ventured back out to a local restaurant with a TV to watch India vs. South Africa in the T20 cricket World Cup.  Rooting for India, along with other Indians, started to restore my faith in Indian humanity that I had unfairly lost.

I felt much better today and managed to steer clear of any weirdos as I walked through the busy spice and rice warehouse district on my way to Jew Town (yes, it's really called Jew Town).  There, I visited the Kochi Synagogue, which is the oldest one in the British Commonwealth.  The synagogue itself was beautiful and it was fun to see Hebrew in India, especially in a town that is so influenced by Christianity.

Afterwards, while shopping around the antique stores, I befriended a shop keeper who was originally from Chennai.  His house is right near the beach where I would swim with Leah.  He dearly misses Tamil Nadu, so I recited for him the beginning of a patriotic poem I'm learning in Tamil.  He was impressed, but still tried to sell me a carpet!  Business is business, afterall.  Another shopkeeper, noticing my head wobble, asked how long I'd been in India.  We ended up sitting and talking for almost an hour and even exchanged contact info.  Then I bought some earings- business is business! 

Now I'm heading to the fish market to buy some fresh fish which I will take to a shack where they will prepare it for me.  I'm just happy to be back on speaking terms with India.