2015 - Some of my Photos

08/01/2015 - 05/03/2015

Left Paris 21:30hrs 08/01/15.

Arrived Delhi on Friday morning. Just enough time to take a cab from the airport to have a quick snack and a chai with Ravi before heading back to the airport for my flight south that was delayed 3 and a half hours

Arrived eventually in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 2am 10 Jan. 2015
Enfin arrivé à Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala à 02 hr janvier 10 2015

Later that morning, a day in Trivandrum with Sue and Monique, then back to Varkala where they were staying (40 min train ride, standing room only).

Popcorn - the Universal Snack

First night in deluxe hotel, then moved to budget accommodation.

After a healthy fruit salad, muesli and yogurt breakfast, I went to the quieter north end of the beach to reserve a bungalow-style hut for 12th & 13th.

On the north beach away from the crowds.

A good village atmosphere with the local fishermen.

It takes a dozen men 30 minutes to pull in the nets........

.......when you see what they caught, you wonder why they bother...

This guy threw a hook and line into the sea from the beach and caught a decent size fish in 5 minutes

Started my "collection" of Ambassadors immediately on arrival in Varkala.

Just found out they stopped manufacturing these cars in 2014...... the end of an era. It was based on the 1956 Morris Oxford Series 3

Pleased to rediscover the delicious South Indian food.

Varkala to Kollam, for a short canoe trip on the backwaters.

Pause for fresh coconut milk

Another Ambassador for the collection.

Kollam to Amritapuri Ashram by backwaters ferry boat

The Ashram is on the other side of a backwater from a traditional, small Indian village, and is anything but traditional, with its high-rise accommodation packed with visitors and residents from around the world.

The high-rise ashram

Bridge built to evacuate the Ashram in case of emergency

Amma, the hugging guru was not due to return from Chennai till the following week, so the Ashram was relatively quiet.

Amritapuri to Alappuzha (Alleppey).
Sunset on the beach.

Mosque on Alappuzha Canal

Another Ambassador in fine condition

Staying cool in Alappuzha

Alleppey to Fort Kochi for the Asian Biennale Art Festival.

Some what disappointing compared with 2 years ago, but one or two pieces that caught my eye, or at least look interesting when photographed.

Poem by Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller turned into a piece of art

Giant crab made from waste plastic

35° C in Fort Kochi, and feeling chilli

Happy to see Shahir once again, and listen to his renditions of Charles Aznavour songs

Shahir and his 2 sons

More simple and good local cuisine, often in colonial settings

The daily fish auction by the Chinese fishing nets at Vasco da Gama square

Another simple South Indian breakfast - paratha, potato sabji and chai

Making paratha, or parotha, or porotha

Love Boat

Cochin has high population of Christians and one of the best levels of literacy in India

You're never far from fishing boats, coconuts and the backwaters...

....and Ambassadors

Fort Kochi to Alleppey for one night on houseboat.

First night un-scheduled at Riverside Cottage as the houseboat trip was delayed by one day.

The lower deck is a large living area with a kitchen, staffed by two excellent chefs.

The upper deck has a large bedroom, bathroom and small terrace.

Omelette, paratha, toast, pineapple and chai for breakfast.

And a copious lunch...

From Fort Kochi, via Ernakulam railway station to Goa, arriving at 5am at Canacona in South Goa, then to Talpona beach. Would have been idyllic, but I had picked up a viral asthmatic bronchitis in the train, and was not at my best for the 10 days in Goa.

Talpona Beach

Talpona beach - NOT the most crowded beach in Goa...!!!

Lucky escape !! A bunch of 15 coconuts falls just beside Magali.

At the north end of Palolem beach you can take a boat ride on the river. Very peaceful, and well worth doing

Goa to Hampi by night bus - extremely uncomfortable !!

Hampi is the land of temples, palm trees and boulders

Egg curry and naan bread, difficult to beat !

Paneer masala and naan bread, Puri sabji with coconut chutney

Crossing my legs, crossing my fingers...

Hanuman

"Ruby" impersonating Hanuman

Gray Langur or Hanuman Langur. Friendly but very cheeky monkey !

Preparing the batter for idlis

Idli with Samba and Chutney

Only in India could you find toilet paper called "Supreme" and "Passion"

Rickshaw driver Jilan

3m high Shiva Lingam

Underground Temple

Elephant Stables in the Royal Enclosure

Stepped Tank (for drinking water)

The Queen's Bath

Paddy Fields

Invited by complete strangers to join in their roadside picnic. The generosity of these people is very touching.

Hampi to Aurangabad by train

Reservations printed and pasted to corresponding carriages.

Then Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Ellora Caves, and Ajanta Caves by local buses

Bibi-ka-Maqbara : The poor man's Taj

Ellora

Ellora market

Ajanta

.....and back to Aurangabad by bus

Aurangabad to Omkareshwar (whatever you do, don't go there) & Maheshwar (wonderful !!)

3 nights by the Narmada River

In the filthy dirty town of Omkareshwar, Magali still managed to take a beautiful photo !!

We were invited to join evening Puja with a group who meet every evening at sun-down

There is a wonderful "old-world" feeling in Maheshwar. Perhaps like Varanasi 100 years ago, but quieter.

Traditional weaving factory

Hanuman temple in old colonial house

Maheshwar to Dhamnod, then Indore by bus, then to Bhopal by train, and finally a night train to Varanasi

A rare sight in India, seen on Indore Station Platform

Varanasi is where I first met my godson in 2006

He hasn't changed !!

Soup Kitchen

The ghats on the highly polluted Ganges are the centre of Varanasi's activity.

Laundry : clothes are washed in brown water...

......then dried on the banks and the ghats among mud and cow shit !!

Bollywood : the cinema regularly comes to the ghats to film

Dog's Ohm: the ghats are home to numerous stray dogs

Breaking the cycle of death and rebirth : Having your ashes sprinkled in the Ganges at Varanasi ensures

going straight to Paramathma, avoiding potentially thousands of reincarnations

Ablutions : Daily washing away of your sins

Pilgrimage : The Ganges attracts many holy men. Not all of these Babas are genuine, but most are

friendly....

.....and most are very photogenic

Meeting up : I finally met up on the ghats with Sais who has been a Facebook friend for 3 years.

Contemplation : Or just spending time with your best friend

Puja : The nightly Aarti Puja, performed on several ghats by trainee priests draws large crowds every

evening

Ceremonies : Crowds pour down to the Ganges continuously, to perform all kinds of celebrations that

usually include throwing flowers into the river.

About 20 minutes rickshaw ride away from the river Ganges is BHU (Benares Hindu University), with its

grand Shiva Temple

When in India, try to get yourself invited to a marriage ceremony. You will be looked after like VIPs......

......but if the ceremony finishes late, you may have difficulty getting back to your hotel

Varanasi to Kanpur.

Aman and Sheeti with their 18 month old baby Aashi. I wouldn't go to Kanpur except to see them.

A beautiful gift from Sheeti to Magali - a perfect fit

Kanpur to Amarpurkashi, known as APK, (between Chandausi and Moradabad). The train due to leave Kanpur at 21:17 left at 03:20. We arrived in Chandausi at 16:30 instead of 05:30, so we lost one whole day of the 2 days visit to APK.