Tales of an Ancient town-The Jew Town

A Tryst with monsoon every year at the sweet  spice smelling Jew street .I really don't know what's the strong force that takes me back there every year.

Getting lost in those lanes and antiques every year.  Is it my fascination for all that is old or the love for the small streets.Running in  and out of those antique shops,a child like.This year was not different either..Being a regular even they look forward to see me every year and that i have many friends out there in Jew street.

Small old dilapidated buildings,air filled with the biting aromas of ginger,cardamom,cumin, turmeric  and cloves,those winding lanes of Synagogue filled with scores of antique stores and that is Jew Street for me ..and i love them to every bit..

To walk in those lanes and to get wet, a dream come true,the never ending journeys of a lifetime..with Jew street.

as we drove along the main spice market

running colours and closed windows

flower oils and attar bottles

beautiful houses

curio shops

its all beautiful

looking on to the streets

knobs in the brightest designs

old clay dolls,way too pricey

antiques and look alikes

combinations are perfect

light was just awesome

old clocks on the walls

azolla in big cement pots

pretty and lady like

eyes are bright...

in the prayers

on to the lane which goes to the synagogue

all old houses

curio shops

synagogue lane

typical tourist bargain

its all on the walls

Monsoon at Fort Kochi explored..

Monsoons in all its glory down south and there we went exploring walking,getting drenched,drinking many a chai,walking through the scores of antique shop,getting the best we wanted..seeing all that we wanted,coz we will be here only after an year.

There were many a monsoons spent here down south..I think i need to to be a regular and tell you all the ups and downs of our journeys,in search of the perfect decor true to each place.From today on let me share some of our stories down south..the stories of the monsoon vacations..Monsoon takes you in to unknown journeys,make you dream all that you can..I did sincerely hope that the journeys become a sort of unending.But journeys have to end ,for you to take up new ones:)-

The many monsoon moods at Fort Kochi. We walked all the lanes of Fort Kochi, still there seemed more,in all the lanes and alleys still, when i left i thought i had left so much behind..that's the secret of FortKochi. I think i will never finish seeing Fort Kochi in my lifetime.

I think Fort Kochi is the one and only place which leaves you with its old world secrets.This time it was much more than a regular visit from Ernakulam. We decided to see the monsoon in all kinds of its moods at Fort Kochi. What if that meant staying at Fort Kochi for some days:)-

It was at ease this time in Fort Kochi,we explored each street by street what it had to offer,studied all its side streets and alleyways.The old world shops,the old world charm left behind by generations,the many weeping colours of walls,the heritage mansions and the plumerias all filled to its brim..and that's Fort Kochi.

 Fort Kochi  is still a small place but i really do not know whether you could fit watching all this in a day..Life doesn't get any better than this than at Fort Kochi.

as we walked the length and breadth of fortkochi

the tree must be more than a hundred years old

the petercelli street near the synagogue

the rain forest lodge,an initiative of the owner of the old harbour

murals on the walls

the lanes in the morning a weary look

the lily street famous for its redplumerias where anokhi and dal roti are..

under the tree

menu on the walls

vasco cafe

the old harbour

on the way to "kashi"

burgher street

hanging chimes

the old courtyard

waltons homestay

book stores in plenty

the peeling paints and old world charm

open windows

old courtyard

the one and only antique shop in fortkochi

loafers corner

the burgher street

and finally the david hall..near the Malabar house

there are lots more and lots more..i know its a picture packed blog post after some ages..i do hope you will travel with me to more and more of south..


all images Lakshmi Arvind..please ask permission to use them