Goa

Hi, Our next to last stop was in Goa.  On our shore excursion we visited an Indian temple and then a spice farm.

Women sold flowers at the entrance to the temple.

When we were on the temple grounds we observed some of the monks striding across the main plaza.  They may have gone to the wash up facility as I think I saw one carrying tooth paste.

After awhile they gathered around what appeared to be a shrine and seemed to pray.

Outside the temple was the usual shopping area with items for locals as well as tourists.

These 2 young men are selling the sap from sugar cane as a drink.  They run it through the blue press and then place it in a glass.  The glass is rinsed in water after each use.  The glasses are on the left at the bottom of the photo.

We were welcomed to the spice farm by these girls doing a local dance and singing.

I found the spice farm pretty boring so I contented myself with taking some flower pictures.

This gentleman demonstrated how he climbs a palm tree to harvest coconuts.

For our departure Ruthe went up on deck for this photo of the port.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Minneapolis/ST. Paul, MN Slides

Hi, A couple of years ago I put together a digital program using some of my older slides and covering 5 major urban areas.  Here are 7 from Minneapolis/ ST. Paul, MN.  I plan at least one more post from Minneapolis/ ST. Paul.

A brace of Amtrak passenger units is sitting at what I believe is the former Great Northern engine house in Minneapolis.  I think the photo was taken in 1973.  I had a business trip to the Twin Cities and extended it to Saturday so I could see some railroad sights with a friend.

The next 2 photos also were taken on a business trip in the early 70's.  One of the people I was working with in the Twin Cities and his family took me down to the former Burlington's yard in the Pigs Eye district of St. Paul.

Soo Line's yard was on the northeast side of Minneapolis.  On the same day that I photographed the Amtrak units above I caught one of the Soo's two Alco RS-27s on a transfer run near Shoreham Yard.

1982 brought me back to the Twin Cities for the beginning of a 9 day railfan trip.  Below, a Soo Line freight is headed west across the Mississippi River.

Also we went to the site of the former Milwaukee Road station in downtown Minneapolis.  While we were there a C&NW transfer ambled through the area.

I don't remember the dates the last 2 slides were taken.  However, both images were made at Hoffman Street, just north of the Pigs Eye yards of C&NW, BN and CP (former Milwaukee).

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I hope you enjoyed the photos.

Cochin, India - 2

Hi, To continue with our visit to Cochin, we traveled a short distance by bus to a museum.  The photo below was taken out of a window in the museum of surrounding buildings.  Photography in the museum was not permitted.

Next we walked from the museum to the part of Jew Town where the Synagogue was located.  Below is a tourist shopping area near the museum.

There were numerous signs capitalizing on the area's heritage.  Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace.

Here it is spelled out in Hebrew.

We stopped by the Synagogue and surrounding grounds.

The gate in the above photo is to the right just beyond the parked bicycle.  At the bottom left are the steps to the Synagogue entrance.

Here is the Synagogue entrance.  Unfortunately, we were in Cochin on a Saturday and the Synagogue was closed to the public.

Trucks and buses in Ceylon and India are highly decorated.

In the evening we took a sunset cruise on the harbor.  Here is our ship docked at the port.

Across the harbor from the port is modern Cochin.

As in most harbor areas in the world, but not in the U. S., with the exception of Seattle, ferries are a major form of transportation.  For a few moments it seemed like this one would run right over us.

Also, there were many passenger ferries.

After crossing the harbor we followed various water fronts (Cochin has many islands in the harbor).  Along the way we say many beautiful homes.

Then we moved on to an area with a number of Chinese fishing nests.

Here another dredge is arriving and passing the nets.  Beyond the ship is the Arabian Sea.

In addition to net fishing from the land an extensive fishing boat fleet is based in Cochin.

Here the nets are being washed.

There were many types of passenger ferries.

As we ended our cruise we passed a number of interesting buildings on the island where we docked.  This is a 5 star hotel.

I am not sure what these buildings were used for but the sign on the one below was intriguing.

Thanks for looking.