Kochi - between relaxation and asfixiation

As my dear friends Marlene and Wolfgang were traveling through Kerala we decided to catch up at Fortkochi, the old and more relaxed part of Kerala´s biggest city. Happy to feel our connection grown over many years on the other side of the world made my sensations oscillate between happiness, sentimentality, lightness, thoughts of home (this includes Madrid, Vienna, Tirol and in more enlightened moments the whole planet ;) old memories and the nearer future…
Together with an Austrian friend of Marlene we explored the district, walked along the sea shore and did a small self organized sight seeing tour by auto rickshah.
For dinner we had excellent fish once at a rather authentic local restaurant and the next time at a beautiful but heavily overpriced garden of some British colonial villa. When we were nipping of our white wine we somehow had the feeling of not being in India any more…
Little by little I am getting used to the frenetic live on the streets again, trying to gain/maintain the necessary discipline to keep doing a bit of yoga every day, eating not too heavy food and working on some of my personal projects.
Tired from the rickshah city tour the day before and as Wolfgang got a bit sick we decided to stay a third day in Fortkochi and relax, have tea at the famous "T-pot" cafe, read, relax and talk. After all this day turned out to be more inspiring and beautiful than a day packed with sights and impressions. Little by little we started to build up a connection with this place and found out about the spots to have an authentic south Indian dinner, watch (end even help) the fishermen pulling out the old traditional fisher nets and walk around calm neighborhoods. Somehow a street dog chose me as his new friend and playing partner, he came to salute me like an old friend, so I had no choice than playing with him. The challenge consisted in catching up with my friends again, as the dog playfully bit me into my trousers to make me stop walking and continue playing with him...