A couple of years ago we spent some time in Kerala, and those who know me, or have read this blog from time to time, know that I love India. For me it is like peering into a child’s kaleidoscope. There is so much colour and variety and change and magic and ….on….
I know the country has some huge problems, but I gave up on trying to find the perfect country or perfect leaders years ago.
Every morning for several days I would wander down to the local beach and watch the fishermen bringing in their catch, taking pictures, mesmerised by the graft, the routines, the sheer physicality of the men, the already burning heat, and the rituals of buying and selling the haul.
The men were kind. Talked to me if they had time. Ignored me if they didn’t. One morning, one old man got a little cross, signalling to me to help push the boat into the water. I was a little slow on the uptake figuring that I would probably be more of a hindrance than a help since everyone had a piece of boat and seemed to know what they were doing. I am, after all, only a small guy, but he had a point. The boat was successfuly floated, as it always is, and eveyone moved on with the next task.
I have the greatest respect and admiration for these men. It must be a hard life to do this every day and many bore the scars of their labours. In a world where many of us have it so easy (yep, we do, we have come so far so fast) labours of this sort go on, probably just as they have for generations. I guess it’s the life they know and they share a bond for all to see.
If any of you business folk need to do a training session on teamwork – this is the place to look !
singlemaltmonkey 
Beautiful photography…
Thanks Munira, are you back from your travels now?
Yes, and you were right, I’m back with heaps of stories. It’s pretty overwhelming though and I’m at a loss where to start. Even kept a notebook and jotted down notes while in Tanzania, but as the days wore on and events unfolded at a rapid pace, I could no longer keep up with myself! Haha!
Guess I’ll pick a few pictures and start blogging from there 🙂 Let’s see where that takes me.
You lead a colorful life, friend. Great for you! Awesome post, by the way.
Thanks Hook. It’s only during the last 10 or so years that I’ve been able to pursue my dream of travelling and I never take it for granted for a second. I know I’m lucky right now.
I spent a week touring the area of India called the Golden Triangle and then Mumbai. While I can say I’ve been to India, I certainly can’t say I’ve SEEN India. It is a country full of interesting sights and people, and no one part of it represents all of the whole!
I agree, Margi, the country is huge and I still have loads I want to see and experience. Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting.
Indiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Indiaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
Though I’m born in India and living here for the last 28 years, I still haven’t experience even 10% of what this amazing country is. It’s so hard to explore this place. So many places, cultures, languages, history. One would need much more than a lifetime to know this land.
You must be extremely happy, you happened to have captured one such fascinating place in India – Kerela, God’s own country. Such a lovely place. Wonderful Pics, Alan.
Thanks, Narendra. You are right, your country is huge with so much culture and history and I will be back time and again to see and experience more. I will be the big 6-0 in a couple of years – I feel a big trip coming on. 🙂
Absolutely fascinating photographs. Cheers!
Thanks, TexasEchoDude, glad you liked them.
I was born n bought up in a coastal area… Used to spend my evenings at the beach as a kid… Your pics bought back memories… Lovely pics…
Thanks for the lovely comment, Ms.Sunshine. I’m glad it was a trip down memory lane for you. 🙂
Great pictures!!! What a catch! My parents commerical fish for Salmon and Crab, but we have never had a catch like that.
Thanks, Kari. I watched these guys for about 4 days. It was an unforgetable experience.
Awesome pics. Those guys probably work harder in one hour than I do all week. It is really inspiring to see them working together like that.
Thanks, Peter. It was amazing watching them. Such teamwork, often wordless, like some smooth efficient machine, no hustle or bustle – just damn hard work……and not an ounce of fat on any of them (‘sept for the guy in the red turban).
The sea is fascinating. I had been recently to a place called SuryaLanka on the Coast of the bay of Bengal. Spent hours and hours splashing water and playing with children like a chlid in the sea, alas I have never leant swimming. I caught hold of a pole driven into the ground to anchor a fishing net, and tried to do a bit of swimming on my own and nearly got drowned when I lost hold of it
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Versa kay. Whenever we need a time for calm and reflection we drive to the coast and watch the sea. There’s nothing like it. I can’t swim in the sea either, and I wish I could. My wife, however, swims like a fish and often joins them.
It feels wonderful to meet a foreigner that sees the beauty in my country and then takes such wonderful pictures of it 🙂 Oh we have problems…who wouldn’t with a billion people, but we have beauty and pride and much much happiness withing our chaos!
My name is Harsha and I live in Goa. Found you through Munira’s bubble and am glad I did! Have you visited Goa? If you haven’t, you must 🙂
Thank you for dropping by your kind words, Harsha. I haven’t visited Goa yet, even though it’s probably No.1 on everyone’s tourist list of India. Your country is huge and there is still a lot more I have to see. I’ll be back, I reckon, in a couple of years, I have a special birthday trip coming up. 🙂
all that hard work just to survive we have it so easy xxjen
We do, Jen, but these people looked happy in their work. It is the only life they know, and I guess free from those stresses that we have to get used to.
Gorgeous pictures, all my admiration!
With your kind permission I would like to use two of your fishing net pictures in an educational noncommercial audiovisual. Please let me know about credits and anything else is needed for it.
Best regards,
FS