Cochin's most famous landmark are the centuries old Chinese fishing nets. Men climbing over these massive wood structures will swing its nets into the water for a few minutes. Hopefully, when the swing gets back into position, these nets should be filled with seafood. Not always the case though, especially during the monsoon.  (click on […]

We enter a small harbour where no ships can be seen, but instead a few young fishermen. Colorful boxes will probably have to wait for the next morning to be filled with the catch of the day. Suddenly screams can be heard in the distance and attract the attention of a few adults. A fishing […]

If you are ever tempted to brave the rough sea in Cochin for a swim, just don't expect any help from the shore in case you struggle. It doubt it will ever come.  (click on picture for high res) All pictures with Leica M9 and 35mm Lux Asph

Perhaps a bit earlier than expected, the monsoon has hit South West India. Though mornings have been sunny, dark clouds appear at mid afternoons pouring continuous showers over Munnar. You'll probably see a lot of umbrellas shots from now on and I need to find a way to protect myself and my equipment from the […]

What a hard work to enjoy a cup of tea. The woman of Munnar cut tea leaves on steepy hills for hours. Their rythm is frantic since they get paid by the numbers of bags they can fill during the day. Men are nowhere to be seen, or waiting by the road, as women also […]

Munnar is an oddity in Souther India since it stands 1500 meters above sea level. And after months of extreme heat, it was a pure relief to see rainy weather and temperatures in the low 20's. As for the place itself, Munnar is surrounded by tea plantations whose green brings so much contrast to the […]

I believe that the people of Madurai are the most friendly we have met so far. Always with a smile and apparently, a bit less stressed than in other parts of India. Note also that it is not unusual here to see men and women with paint markings on their faces, similar what we saw […]

We had seen a lot of temples during our trip. So many, that we had been avoiding them here in India. Yet, Madurai definitely hosts one of most amazing religious structure in the world, the Meenakshi temple. Its dozen towers are fully covered with colorful statues that make you feel part of an out of […]

First, let me thanks all the participants to the poll on "the future of www.yanidel.net". Your input as well as your comments have been so helpful to shape the direction of this blog. I think the results are straightforward : not a lot of interest was shown in reviews of gear, books or exhibits, as […]