Flight to Cochin, Kathakali Dance

View from our hotel dock

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We left Mysore and headed back to Bangalore. At a stoplight we saw transvestites. Men dressed as women knocked on the side of the van. We ignored them and they walked to a different car. Sapna, our tour guide, said they threaten to curse people so people give them money. They are part of a whole mafia.

We got to the airport and said goodbye to our driver Monjunot. We had to get luggage tags to put on our carry-on bags. At the security checkpoint we didn’t have to take liquids out of our bags. Even full water bottles were allowed through security. Each person is patted down and wanded in separate male and female lines. The flight was only an hour and a half but we still got a vegetarian sandwich and a bottle of water.

We arrived at the Cochin airport and drove an hour to get to our hotel. The hotel has a dock right on the water. We saw a traditional Kathakali dance show. Men have to train for at least six years. They can be a drummer, singer, actor and more. They put on elaborate face make-up. Before the story they played music, sang, and showed us what some movements mean. They isolate parts of their face, such as just the upper cheek and move it. There was very little speaking and more face and body movements.

Traditional Kathakali dance show

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