After the trip, some people asked me what was India like. I thought about it for a while and came to realise that was like asking how is Europe like when they've been only to Uppsala, Sweden. Cochin, Kerala, where we stayed most of the time is a rather modern city in what is perhaps India's most advanced state. They don't call India a sub-continent for nothing -- I used to think it was just overblown patriotism or a sense of hubris.

Kerala is known for its spicy foods (too spicy for our sissy Finnish boys, quite ok for Inkeri and excellent for us parents), backwaters (saw them, but missed the boat ride), high literacy rate and matriarchal society. The last two are perhaps better understood and appreciated after seeing the rest of India; for us it seemed like business as usual.

For some reason the pictures appear quite dark.

We rented an apartment in Kaloor, Cochin. The landlord and his family were really nice, the location is quiet, and the apartment itself practical and good looking. I heard that they now operate a homestay there, check out if it fills your needs: Stanly's Homestay.

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