Kochi and Elephants

From the desert landscapes of Rajasthan to the green tropical state of Kerala.
It's quite a change. Forests of palm trees, banana orchards everywhere and a beach resort atmosphere here in Kochi.
I was ready for an elephant fun time this morning. Went to the water as soon as I got there and was up to some scrubbing time helping the elephant care takers. Well, I found out elephants are really big and the care takers not very enthusiastic about people getting close to their animals. So we just watched them scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing. Dad, mom and the 4 kids, they all get a scrubbing bath twice a day. Then we walked back to the elephant center taking the road with all the traffic - I learned an elephant walks quite fast, you have to go on a good pace to follow them.
At the center we found out Muriel could not ride the beast. We were hoping to make a catalog of all animals she has been riding and now our plans are stuck...
Even more disappointing was the ride back to the hotel: almost 2 and 1/2 hours for barely 35 miles / 50km!!! Traffic is an issue over here. Herr...

The afternoon we just walked and visited Kochi.
There is an avenue in Kochi where wholesale retailers sell rice, beans and all kind of spices by the 80lb / 40kg bags. Wow! For the first time we really got the scents for which India is famous. So many!
Other scenes less glamorous also. Like the trucks being loaded and unloaded by simple human power. One bag at the time, right on the top of the head or on the shoulders. No forklifts... Even worse, the kids carrying big plates with dirt on the top of their heads from one construction site to another, a few yards (meters) away (this unit conversion thing is getting annoying)

Back to the beach resort atmosphere. We bought fish to fishermen on the beach for the second evening in a row. And then took it to the restaurant so they cook it for us. We love it and are planning to do it again tomorrow!