India, Kerala, Kochi

I think I've been hesitant to write about India, because to do so requires acknowledging the fact that I'm no longer there. I'm physically in Dubai, but my mind is elsewhere-- partly in Kochi, partly in Albany.

Kerala, which boasts the worlds first democratically elected communist party, was the first Indian state to abolish the caste system, installing a social safety net that yet sways in the breezes of financial chaos. We didn't see much of the state, spending our time in and around Kochi, but in general, we found people were incredibly warm, genuinely returning a smile in a way that is largely absent in Dubai. Interestingly, a great number of Dubai's enormous Indian population are from Kerala, and we encountered several families in Kochi who had relatives working here, contributing to the household incomes at home at some personal cost. In fact, we live with one such person.

Our hosts, Bill and Mahesh, a former wigmaker to the stars, and award winning music video director respectively, were exactly the sort of easy-going, engaging, and welcoming hosts that one can only hope for. They toted us all over Kochi on their bike and scooter, Ness and I clinging to their backs like baby baboons traveling with their mothers. The roads in India are a little like the wilds of Africa, perhaps during a stampede, with drivers veering boldly into oncoming traffic to overtake slower tuk tuks and all kinds of vehicles in various states of repair. In this way, Bill and Mahesh were able guardians, transporting us not just to safety, but to our delicious daily breakfast of uppumavu, idly, curry, and chai masala every morning.

The decor of our breakfast spot was one part jail cell, and another part wood shed, with a layer of grease on the walls that looked a bit like the high water line in a flood zone. The proprietors of this spot are to be commended, as they eclipsed the funk to flavor ratio of my favorite taquerias and noodle stalls, serving up some of the best food I've had, for the least amount of money, in the most unlikely and yet inviting setting. Later in the day, we'd make an inevitable visit to Kashi for coffee and possibly cake. According to Bill, and I readily believe this, Kashi is one of the best cafes not just in Kerala, but probably in India as a whole. To sum up, we ate well, really well, and with out any gastronomical taxation to speak of. I can't wait to go back.