Mr Saj has warned us that Tuesday will be a strike day in Kerala, with all local transport and many businesses shut down. We have a fairly early train to catch at Ernakulam Junction so D had already planned to spend Monday night in a hotel there. We decide to spend the day in Ernakulam checking how long it will take to walk to the station and stocking up on some essentials.
A very short walk finds us an auto for the kilometre or so to the Boat Jetty. There is a short queue for tickets and then we take our place in the holding pen. The boat is on time and we get seats towards the stern. This ride really is value for money at Rs4. There is a bit of jostling as we disembark but we are soon clear of the terminal and striking a deal with an auto-walla for a ride to the Grand Hotel. Our man knows his way around and taking a shortcut via the kitchen yard we are deposited at the front door.
The Grand Hotel, Ernakulam really is rather grand. According to Lonely Planet it 'oozes the sort of retro cool that modern hotels would kill to recreate'. Normally well beyond our budget, D found a deal on the Internet. We arrive before 10 a.m. hoping to leave our bags with the porter but our luck is in. Not only is there a room ready but we are given a complimentary upgrade to an Executive Room. This turns out to be huge with a vast bed and a three piece suite. It also has kettle and passes R's ultimate test by providing a separate hand towel. Even with all this class the bathroom still has shoogly taps.
After a cuppa we set out to find the station and time how long it will take to walk there. The route is pretty straightforward and we time it at twelve minutes. Next we check out a possible venue for tonight's supper before deciding that it is warm enough to hit the big air conditioned shopping mall. Today is India's Republic Day, a national holiday, and the shops are much busier than a week ago. Fortified by lemon tea we hit the Big Bazaar for a few necessities before heading back through the heat to the Grand. 
Last time we were in India for Republic Day R got interrogated by the West Bengal Police and all the bars were shut. She stayed out of trouble today and the latter rule appears not to apply to the Grand so we go for a stiffener. The aforesaid LP says that this is 'Ernakulam's most sophisticated bar'. We cannot vouch for that but it has to be the gloomiest. When you walk in from daylight it is so dark that you cannot see the floor. The beers are cold and the complimentary snack includes Chipples. It will do for us.
Once it starts to cool down we walk up to the markets area and wander around for an hour or so. As usual for an Indian market there is lots of hustle, bustle and colour along with a refreshing lack of hard sell. There are a few shouts of 'Which country?' but these are from people who want to chat rather than sell us something. R is black affronted when a youthful costermonger addresses her as Grandma.
For supper we have chosen a restaurant a short walk from the hotel called 'Chillies' . This describes itself as Kerala's only Andhra cuisine restaurant. Andhra food is renowned for being hot and spicy. Arriving a bit later than we usually eat we still find the place empty apart from a dozen or so waiting staff but are greeted effusively by the man in charge, who appears to be the only English speaker. We opt for Veg Pulao, Mutton Pepper Fry and Onion Raita. The mutton (goat) is quite a small portion but it is beautifully cooked with just enough spice to make one's nose run uncontrollably. Even R avoids the lethal looking lime pickle after trying just a tiny piece. It is excellent and so are the fresh lime sodas.
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