These huge trees must have witnessed these nets being lowered and raised a zillion times. This is one of the views you get to see when you travel by the Kochi water Metro.
Kochi became India's first city to have a water metro project.
The battery operated electric boats were manufactured by Cochin shipyard limited.
Saw these pictures at Fort Cochin terminal where we boarded the Water Metro. Notice the languages? Apart from Indian languages I could identify Russian, Hebrew, French, Mandarin, Japanese, Urdu, and probably many more as I am not a language expert.
Instead of standing in line, you sit in line. I was impressed by the bench they provided. And there is an additional rectangular sitting area for more seats. I feel the architecture of those seats has got something to do with Fort Cochin.
Before you take a seat, you observe the life jacket box which is easily accessible and they are not locked. (I just checked one of the boxes)
We crossed one of the older boats and I was wondering about the noise and vibration one has to endure on them as compared to the battery operated water metro.
It was cost effective too, just Rs 40 as compared to it being ten times more when travelling by a cab for the same distance.
You will get more information while watching the video All in all, it was a good experience and can be added as a "must do things" on your next visit to Kochi. Like the poster says, think blue, go green.
After a long time I travelled by bus in Kerala. The first leg was from Airport to Alleppey (Alappuzha) bus stand, and the second leg was from Alleppey to Changanasserry. The total cost came to Rs 157/-
I captured some pictures and videos from the bus. I could do this only after sunrise as I had started my journey at 4 am. The conductor and the driver got replaced at Ernakulam (as this was a long distance bus which proceeded to Trivandrum after dropping us at Alleppey.)
At Alleppey bus stand I had tea, a repeat exercise for me after nearly 55 years ! The method of making the tea is the same (as can be seen in the video) and the flavour is surprisingly the same. The cost of the tea was just Rs10
Boarded the Changanassery bus from there, with the assumption that it would take me through the same route that I had taken 55 years ago, but there were some changes. When I saw the bus entering Kallu palam (stone bridge) I assumed it would take a right turn and head for Irumbu palam (Iron bridge)
But it went straight ahead towards Kottara palam which was flattened out. Earlier this Kottara palam was built very high so that the Travancore King's boat could pass under it. Now there is no Palace and no King, so I presume that bridge was not required.
Coming back to kallu palam, this area was a trading centre about a century ago.
Once a week, goods (mostly vegetables and pulses) were displayed on the broad steps next to the bridge and trading took place there. It was more of a barter system in those days.
Here is a photo of the Kallu palam clicked by the Government photographer Zacharias D'Cruz. This was clicked way back in 1900
As the bus avoided the city, it reached Kaithavana within no time and I had to quickly click a picture of the church. I found that the church has expanded sideways.
The kodimaram (flag post) is prominent in the middle. This type of kodimaram is usually found in front of churches and temples all over Kerala.
The bus took a turn at Kaithavana mukku (junction) and I found that the junction was pretty clean.
Heading straight towards the east, we reached Pallathuruthi. From the bridge we could see all the houseboats parked nearby. This is the starting and ending point of the Alleppey Houseboats.
About 40 years ago if one had to travel from Alleppey to Changanasseri, one had to cross three ferries namely Pallathuruthi, Nedumdy and Kidangara. With the construction of the bridges, movement became faster.
On either side we could see the paddy fields but now they are slushy with residual rain water.
All said and done, it was a comfortable (and cost effective) journey for me, but I found that all the bus stands that I crossed were in very bad shape and needed a complete makeover. For example I saw a makeshift shelter made by some concerned people at the Changanassery stand.
Hope the present transport minister Mr Ganesh Kumar makes a note of this.
After a week I made my return journey by the same Kerala SRTC Low Floor airconditioned bus. That is another change I noticed. KSRTC is now known as Kerala SRTC.
The thrill of sitting out in the open and painting to your heart's content.
The 92nd Regatta practice was held at College of Engineering Pune (COEP) last month. The Urban Sketchers of Pune held a sketching/painting event when the action was on.
This was perhaps the last outdoor event held by the Urban Sketchers before the lockdown
The college students were in full form, waiting for their turn to practice as the Regatta was to be held in a weeks time.
As always noticed in the Urban Sketchers, the participants are from all age groups.
Any point is a vantage point, as long as you get a clear vision without any obstruction
Sometimes, sketching the sketchers is also a challenge and the results can be very impressive.
As the sketchers were busy, the participants went about their regular activity
Like the way these two were sitting. They were looking in the opposite direction but doing the same activity - sketching.
Some of the regatta participants were interested in the art form and were closely following the process of catching the action on paper.
Exactly two years ago, I had covered another sketching activity by the same group. It was at the Heritage building of Moti Mansion in Pune. After sketching, the new members introduced themselves.
The mandatory group photo along with a glimpse of their Sunday morning effort
I had made a short video as soon as the event was over, but could write about it only now.
Was always fascinated by windmills right from the
time I read about Don Quixote and de la Mancha in school. So I decided that I had to see this one.
The Windmill in Keukenhof, (built in 1892) was
originally a polder drainage mill. It was later shifted to this place and donated
to Keukenhof in 1957
You are allowed to climb to the top and the view
from there is really great especially of the tulip gardens.
Its rows and rows of one colour
The inside is all solid wood and one can see the
gears (wooden gears) engaging each other to transmit the power to the vertical
shaft. It can be seen in motion in the video.
I did look up for some more information on the net
and found it very interesting to know how windmills helped in the good old days.
Anyone wanting more information about windmills
and how it works, can get it here.
This tree with the white leaves caught my
attention from the top.
The boat takes you around where you can have a
closer look at the tulips in their farms.
The other side is streaming with tourists and all
of them would like to have a picture clicked in the large clogs.
I wonder if this little guy is waiting for his
turn to jump into the clog
Talking about the little guy, I saw many dog lovers
who came with their pets.
National windmill day will be celebrated on May 10th
and 11th of 2014.
By the way
Keukenhof covers 74 acres and is the largest garden in the world.
