Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning

Viswa and I set off Sunday morning to enjoy the service of SpiceJet - flight from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry. A prop plane, nice service and a 1 hour flight took about an hour. Here is how we got there and where we went. The map is interactive so you can enlarge or shrink using the slider on the left side

And the picture story

It all started with a visit to a temple - where folks were washing themselves, washing their clothes, watching the river and watching me. I suspect watching me was much more interesting that washing clothes. Early morning fishing

Morning bathing

Morning fishing - by net

A nearby temple (Shiva, I think)

A view of the temple courtyard

Then off we went in search of the boat to take up up the river. And here was sunrise

And a bunch of sunrise guys

Driving along the road - early morning reflections

Sort of a blurred corn field. I was really really impressed with the green. Having spent most of my India time in Tamil Nadu - I was used to dry fields

A round house

Suddenly we stopped - moving was slow - and hmmmm - paving in action

A village road (to the Godavari River, I suppose)

And our destination - a boat place

An incoming ferry - full of surprises

First - greeted by a bunch of folks taking a bath in the river

Folks exiting the boat

Motorcycles exiting the boat

A motorcycle with chickens exiting the boat

Another view of chicken man

And a much closer view of the chickens and chicken man

We are off - a bit of net repair

River reflections

A riverside village

Morning chores

Boat stop at an interesting temple

Walking back to the boat - there was this interesting "orange man". I gave him all the rupee change in exchange for a few photos

Another view

Return to the boat

And again we are off - and a friendly wave from a fishing family

More fishing - I suppose

And something absolutely unique to India - whether Tamil Nadu, Karnatika, Andra Pradesh or whether - washing laundry by beating it on a stone. - then drying by laying over the grass. This happened to Ellen once in Chennai at IIT-Madras and that was the last time she took our laundry to the IIT laundry.

A closer view of washing

An action shot

Further up the river - several trees with bats hanging from limbs - and here is a flying bat

The bat trees

Guys fishing

And you'll note the 1m x 1m sort-of white platform - this turns out to be a fairly low budget boat for fishing - just a block of styrofoam and a lot of patience

The countryside - and a cornfield to the lower left

Another example of the economy fishing platform

As the water recedes folks set up housekeeping close to the water.

Sandbar men

A small home, boats and a fishing net hanging from the pole on the right

Another home - this time with tents and a thatched shelter

Yet another small homemaking setup

Water man

Another water-side home

A group of ducks - just spooked by our boat

Take-off

Full flight

Boat reflection

Calm water, boat reflection and the driver's partner sleeping over the bow

Two laid-back fishermen

Tending their net

My friend, Viswa - taking photos and movies for his daughter

Hmm - noticed me

Looking back - the mountains, the water, colorful tents

I think this is another ferry - manual power this time

Herding cattle

More economy fishing platforms

The ferry folks have caught me taking their photo

Tending a fishing line

A village - you can see the thatched roofs between the trees

Herding cattle - the red person is a lady - and I suppose her husband is supervising - usual that the men take on supervision

Actually - the man is working also - the red lady is working and the umbrella lady is - well just keeping cool

A dugout canoe filled with smiles

Small small village - ferry and boats

Looking down the river - the scenery was really quite unexpected

Another canoe

At the halfway point - I met these folks on the boat. They are going to continue up the river - by land

Our boat

I got off - took a photo of this yellow flower

A view of the river and our boat

Going down the river - another riverside home

Guys carrying either firewood or sugarcane

Looking down the river

Another village between the trees

Red lady with a water jug

Peaceful riverside

Another ferry

Corn fields, palm trees and quiet

More corn fields

It's about 4pm and the sun is beginning to set.

Silhouette of fishermen

Sailing

Golden sunset

Another silhouette

A bit later

Water jet and corn field

Golden sun

Golden sunlight reflection and a silhouette

Our boat flag and the sunset

Another view of the flag and hazy sunset

Sunset fishing

Last sunset viewed from our boat

C. Frank Starmer

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