Onum Harvest Festival In Cochin
Onum is a harvest festival celebrated in Kerala, India and it lasts two weeks. Captured here are people at work and hanging out around Kochi during this period.
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Rediscovering My Intimate India Photos with Modern Photoshop
Join me as I dive into my India photo archives to restore lost photos and use modern Photoshop techniques to make them shine.
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FTB People: Nazar 72
“I Nazar seven two. Maybe you want diesel? Maybe wash boat?” With a sideways, rolling nod, he proffered a flimsy business card. Maybe, I thought, taking it from him. His anxious expression relaxed, and a brief smile smoothed his shiny face.
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From India To The Maldives
Saying goodbye to friends is hard enough. Saying goodbye to friends we’ll probably never see again had me choked. It caught me by surprise but as I hugged Gladwin, my Indian brother, I was lost for words and my eyes welled up. The pontoon at Kochi marina was a hotch-potch of our close friends, our Indian ‘family’ and the marina staff. They all waved us off as Esper slipped her lines and it was at that moment it struck me exactly how much I would miss India. Surely a passage to the Maldives was just the tonic we needed. If only!
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The Complete Guide For Liveaboards In South India
Everything you ever wanted to know about living aboard in south India, including visas, checking in and our, Kochi Marina and resources around Cochin town. Includes a Google map for reference.
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Black Dog – A Real Indian Scotch Whisky?
One frustrating aspect of living in India is the lack of decent booze. Rum is in abundance, but it can be quite sweet; wine is available with just three labels worth talking about, but their flavour does not justify the price; and as for the whisky… The only way I can describe Indian whisky is ‘caramalised fire-water’.
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Can I have a case, please? Wine tasting in Cochin
Ever been to a wine tasting in India? Did you know that “terroir” is a term that has no English translation? It is like the fifth element, and is that “je ne c’est quoi” produced by the environment in which the vine grows: the fungus that grows in the soil, the insects which crawl in the soil, the strength of the sun and the amount of rainfall. They all affect the taste of the wine in your glass. Apparently.
Can I have a case, please? Wine tasting in Cochin Read Post »
Millie The Cat In The News
Yesterday we were visited by a camera crew. Apparently, in our absence over the summer, they ran a story on Nazer, the man who looks after our cat, Millie, whilst we were back in the UK. Yesterday they returned for a follow-up story, so you should see us all in the news very soon – if you live in Kerala, that is! Below is the original story that ran some time this summer. I’m pleased to say those awful blue tarps are now off as we busy ourselves for our departure to the Maldives early next year.
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Foreign Encounters: Liz’s first book is published!
‘When Nazar met our coddled cat, he fell in love. Unlike many Indians, he adores pets, but the few ragamuffin moggies you see in India are tiny. To him Millie was an exotic sleek-coated giant. When he discovered she knew the word “fish” he’d arrive at the boat calling “Fish! Fish! Fish!”… ‘
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Certificate Day For The Kids
[S02E11] Next week we head off on our classic Golden Triangle, where we’ll get to see the Taj Mahal and all those wonderful cities in Rajasthan. Before we do that, we head down to the backwaters of the south Cochin and rewards the youngsters for their sailing skills. We also get to meet a group of teenagers busily revising for an important exam.
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Storm Brewing Over Cochin
It’s a bit early but the storms have started brewing over Cochin. I remember two years ago sailing from Goa to Cochin having to motor straight through some nasty weather and seeing lightning like you see in this video clip.
Around the one minute mark you’ll see it’s just like someone turning the kitchen light on and off. It feels like monsoon is just around the corner.
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The Raising Of Dish Dash
[S02E00] We take a break from our travels to witness an unprecedented event in Cochin. Dish Dash, a sail boat from Dubai that hit a reef off the coast of India, has to make an emergency stop in Cochin where skipper Johnno decides to haul the boat out the water. This has never been done in Cochin and is a logistical nightmare.
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Ricky Ticky Tavi
My Mum and Dad have been on at me for not writing anything since we left Turkey, but I’ve been busy, and they write so much there’s nothing left for me to write about. They even stole my favourite topic, FISH, and wrote about all their fishing successes. What they failed to mention, of course, is how I actually lure the fish to Esper with my witchy, feline, telepathic senses, so all their successes are really mine. Anyway, here are my initial impressions of India. Damn snakes.
Kids Of Kerala Are Certified!
A few weeks ago I received an invite to attend the Kerala Watersports Sailing Organisation Certificate Awards. I’d already met Captain Jolly Thomas who is the man responsible for teaching young children how to sail their little, second-hand Optimist dinghies. In a country that has no real sailing heritage and with next to no funds Jolly has achieved the near-impossible by creating a small but successful sailing club for children. Set up as a charitable organisation the least I could do was attend the ceremony and maybe invite a couple of other western sailors to join me. Terry of ‘Roam II’ and Brian and Maureen of ‘Suryana’ came along to give their support.
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The Sooner These Miserable Sods Leave, The Better
A number of boats have turned up recently, heading west. Never before have I met such a miserable bunch of sailors. I thought it was just me but this morning a friend of ours who was cleaning her boat asked “What is it about these people?” They simply cannot bring themselves to say ‘hello’.” She is a cheery lady who could make even Scrooge smile. What do you think? Let us know.
The Sooner These Miserable Sods Leave, The Better Read Post »