I moved houses today. It was a little inconvenient and I was
really starting to be buddies with the family I was staying with, but there was
a family that showed up that had somehow had a big miscommunication about their
arrival and I had the bigger room—so I was booted. My new place is literally
just across the street. The home stay I booked with takes up the top floors of a few
different houses that are all right next to one another. It is like having your own mother in law quarters or basement apartment. It is all in the same place, but it has different entrances and you still have your own privacy. This new room is on
the ground floor of one of the houses that has lodging upstairs. When I walked in I was thinking to myself "Wow, this place has a very homey feel to it." Well you know why it had a homey feel to it? Because it was literally someones home! My "roommates" are a middle aged married Catholic couple. My room is right behind the living room and their bedroom is kitty corner to mine-next to the kitchen. I didn't know any of this until I came home tonight and was officially welcomed to their home by the wife of the couple. I met the husband later, and they really are beautiful people--I'm just glad I found out sooner then later before I plopped myself down on their comfy looking couches to read a book or went into their kitchen to make myself a little something to eat. Maybe they did tell me I was going to be crashing in someones actual house and it was just lost in translation--either way, it was a little funny/awkward/shocking finding all this out.
After moving I caught a rickshaw over to the Kerala Folklore Museum. It was a little bit away, but I had heard it was a must see--and I am so glad I made the journey. Plus there was s Subway right by it so that alone could of made the trip worth it. Dad was and Nicole is super into antique/vintage type shops and artifacts, and while I have known I also have a love for them, I think I am only starting to understand how much I share their same obsession. Or maybe I am just a museum nerd--that's a real big possibility too. Either way, this place was awesome! I wanted to take pics of everything and while I did take quiet a few, but in the end I bought a book and DVD on the museum because there was just to many awesome things to capture it all. The building itself was made from parts of old structures; columns and pillars from this era, the roof of this particular room came from this famous place, etc. To me the coolest thing was seeing the vintage Kathakali costumes just because they are already so impressive now a days, but the older ones were just as detailed and decked out. That shows some serious dedication to that particular tradition. I also got a kick out of the some of the chest plates the men would wear to war. They had very pronounced breasts on them-like full on women's breast carved into them. Distraction method? Either way, I don't know if I could keep a straight face if I saw men militia going to war wearing a chest shield that made him look like a woman. :)
And obviously I had a weird fixation with all the masks.
I decided to take the ferry back and it was a little bit eventful. I ended up having to take 2 ferries because the first one only took me to the port of another ferry that would then take me back to Fort Kochin. I was almost a stowaway on that ferry—but I ended up having to pay right before I got off. It really wasn’t purposeful in the beginning, but when I realized what was happening and had already got in trouble for taking a picture while in the ferry (which was apparently a no no even though there were tons of Indian men taking pictures on the ferry) I decided to try and make it happen. But in the end they came around checking tickets and collecting fees just before we docked so bummer, mission failed.
Another thing I LOVE about Kochin is it's art. There is art everywhere--actual art shops, painted murals, performances, etc. I snapped a few pics but they still don't quiet capture the artyness of this place. And yes, I know that isn't a real word--it was just the one that seemed to fit best.
So I made my way over to my friend's restaurant (the one I ate breakfast at the other day), got a table and noticed some furry something running around out of the corner of my eye. The furry something turned out to be a rabbit, who I came to understand was more or less the restaurant mascot. One of the workers noticed me watching it so he picked it up brought it to my table. And just set it there. On my table. Just me, my water, my menu and the live rabbit. It stayed there for a bit but eventually ran off somewhere else in the restaurant. It was seriously one of the most random things that has ever happened to me--and I've experienced more then a few random things.
I took some pics with my friend-I told him to do one serious face, some goofy faces and some rabbit faces--apparently it was lost in translation.
It took a while for me to make it back home through all the crowds but it was an adventure in and of itself-complete with a proposal for marriage. And no mom--sorry to disappoint you but I didn't say yes. I also had a run in with a tush grabber, who I automatically screamed at and whacked with the weapon I had on/in hand: my water bottle. I don't even know that I hit the actual offender, and most of the people around just laughed at me like I was a crazy person but oh well I guess, I just reacted. Don't grab my butt or be in the general area of me when some one grabs my butt because you apparently you are in immediate danger of being yelled at and hit. Sorry/not sorry. Mostly not sorry though--like 100% not sorry.
After moving I caught a rickshaw over to the Kerala Folklore Museum. It was a little bit away, but I had heard it was a must see--and I am so glad I made the journey. Plus there was s Subway right by it so that alone could of made the trip worth it. Dad was and Nicole is super into antique/vintage type shops and artifacts, and while I have known I also have a love for them, I think I am only starting to understand how much I share their same obsession. Or maybe I am just a museum nerd--that's a real big possibility too. Either way, this place was awesome! I wanted to take pics of everything and while I did take quiet a few, but in the end I bought a book and DVD on the museum because there was just to many awesome things to capture it all. The building itself was made from parts of old structures; columns and pillars from this era, the roof of this particular room came from this famous place, etc. To me the coolest thing was seeing the vintage Kathakali costumes just because they are already so impressive now a days, but the older ones were just as detailed and decked out. That shows some serious dedication to that particular tradition. I also got a kick out of the some of the chest plates the men would wear to war. They had very pronounced breasts on them-like full on women's breast carved into them. Distraction method? Either way, I don't know if I could keep a straight face if I saw men militia going to war wearing a chest shield that made him look like a woman. :)
I thought the puppets were creepily intriguing........
I decided to take the ferry back and it was a little bit eventful. I ended up having to take 2 ferries because the first one only took me to the port of another ferry that would then take me back to Fort Kochin. I was almost a stowaway on that ferry—but I ended up having to pay right before I got off. It really wasn’t purposeful in the beginning, but when I realized what was happening and had already got in trouble for taking a picture while in the ferry (which was apparently a no no even though there were tons of Indian men taking pictures on the ferry) I decided to try and make it happen. But in the end they came around checking tickets and collecting fees just before we docked so bummer, mission failed.
Anywho- onto New Years Eve Celebrations!!! As New Years Eve has drawn closer, people have started creating little party alcoves in front of their houses. There is always some kind of music set up, lots of garland and at least one life size (well mostly life sized) Santa Clause scarecrow. I asked some kids on my street what they were going to do for New Years Eve and the very excitedly told me, "We are going to burn "Santa Clause!!!"
Hum. I'll be honest I didn't know quiet how to take that. I asked my "family" what it was all about and they explained that traditionally, families will gather their old rags and clothing to make a scarecrow out of for New Year's Eve. Making it out of items you have used over the past year is symbolic-representing the memories and work done in the past year. At midnight, the scarecrows are lit on fire. Burning the scarecrow symbolizes doing away with the old year and embracing the new. In recent years, the mothers of families decided that making a scarecrow from scratch was way too much work so they adapted the tradition to buying cheapo Santa Clause costumes (complete with their freaky masks), stuffing those full of newspaper and then torching that "scarecrow" at midnight. Hence the "We are going to burn Santa Clause!!!" statements from the children. Knowing this also explained why different themed Santa Clause displays have been popping up around town over the last couple of days. There is one with a rock band of Santas, Santa as an astronaut, etc. While the women of the household have tried to simplify things, the men have complicated it on a whole new level by constantly trying to out do all their neighbors' Santa displays. And they take it pretty seriously--the displays often have music, lights and full sets designs as well.
After slipping into my new years outfit (yes, I really did buy a new top for my Indian New Years Experience) I set out to go wander around the festivities. On my way out Shamee (the mom of the Muslim family I first stayed with) and here husband were sitting outside and invited me over. Inside, Nishana (one of their daughter in-laws) was getting ready to go out as well. We decided to join forces so another daughter in law and the lady who's house I am currently staying at all hit the town. We didn't have any specific thing on our agenda, we just wandered, er, hired a rickshaw to help us "wander" and took it all in. There were so many people, of all ages, of all nationalities everywhere. It was kind of like the city was hosting a multicultural party. There were displays to look at around town and on the beach, vendors, music, etc. The city had set up party headquarters at the beach. They had also set up a GIANT scarecrow--who was white as a matter of fact (take it however you want) and wearing a witch hat. And speaking of witch hats, Ive thought more then once that this whole Christmas/carnival/New Years celebration has a lot of Halloween mixed in it too. The thought of all those holidays coming together as one has NEVER crossed my mind until I came here. Now, it simply seems like the most logical and accurate way to describe all the happenings. PS some of the kids are running around town wearing scream masks too. Weird right? Anyway, back to the evening: the rest of the group went home fairly early on, but I wanted to stay out and watch the burning of the scarecrow at midnight. Plus I was freaking hungry.
So I made my way over to my friend's restaurant (the one I ate breakfast at the other day), got a table and noticed some furry something running around out of the corner of my eye. The furry something turned out to be a rabbit, who I came to understand was more or less the restaurant mascot. One of the workers noticed me watching it so he picked it up brought it to my table. And just set it there. On my table. Just me, my water, my menu and the live rabbit. It stayed there for a bit but eventually ran off somewhere else in the restaurant. It was seriously one of the most random things that has ever happened to me--and I've experienced more then a few random things.
I took some pics with my friend-I told him to do one serious face, some goofy faces and some rabbit faces--apparently it was lost in translation.
After eating and hanging out there for a bit, I wandered back over to the beach. Tons of people were gathering below the giant scarecrow so I started to follow the crowd. I noticed they were all Indian but didn't think to much of it because 1. This is India and 2. Im not use to being off campus and having a lot of other white people around so I wasn't really missing them. One of the local men approached me and told me I was not allowed to come on the beach. Initially, I was upset thinking he was just exercising his manly status within this testosterone loving society, but then I looked around and realized I was literally the ONLY foreigner around. He pointed me to a specific area designated for foreigners only---which was just to the side of the scarecrow. Suddenly, I wasn't so mad anymore. I got a great view of the party and could take everything in much more then if I was swallowed up in the crowd on the beach. To be honest though, I was rethinking the wisdom of putting all the foreigners so close to the scarecrow when the clock struck midnight. There was fiery newspaper/burning scarecrow parts EVERYWHERE. The wind happened to be blowing in our general direction, which obviously couldn't of been planned but still-people were pushing one another around to keep from getting burned. It could of been disastrous.
It took a while for me to make it back home through all the crowds but it was an adventure in and of itself-complete with a proposal for marriage. And no mom--sorry to disappoint you but I didn't say yes. I also had a run in with a tush grabber, who I automatically screamed at and whacked with the weapon I had on/in hand: my water bottle. I don't even know that I hit the actual offender, and most of the people around just laughed at me like I was a crazy person but oh well I guess, I just reacted. Don't grab my butt or be in the general area of me when some one grabs my butt because you apparently you are in immediate danger of being yelled at and hit. Sorry/not sorry. Mostly not sorry though--like 100% not sorry.
