Thursday, March 26, 2009

SHIPS OF THE DESERT IN KOCHI


SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE! The ships of the desert are here in Kochi! Have they come here on a sight seeing trip? Are they fed of the desert and hot living conditions? Not that it is very cool here! Then what are they doing in God’s Own Country? (Kerala is also known as GOD’S OWN COUNTRY)

They are here to earn money for the owners by carrying tourists on their back. When I saw the camel was walking with long steps with a tourist perched on top. His girl friend was running behind screaming excitedly. While the man was enjoying himself seated atop the camel, his girl friend was having fun running behind and screaming and laughing. A great sight! I ran behind taking photos and I had a good time also.



When I worked in Madhya Pradesh, I used to go to the border of M.P adjoining Rajastan. There I used to see camels drawing carts just as we have bullock carts here. But the camels are such huge animals and the carts they were pulling were so small in comparison that the whole thing looked very funny, outlandish and incongruous. Compared to those camels these camels in Kochi were smaller and looked famished. The care taker was showing a lot of affection to the camels. He was kissing the camel on the lips and rubbing it very fondly. He knows from where his bread and butter comes from!
By the way, how many of you can boast of having camels in your town?

20 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Well done on an excellent write, so very interesting. and those photo's WOW. they're very good.
Here in the UK donkeys give rides to children on the beach. The children love it .......as do the donkeys.
Until the next time.
Take care.
Yvonne.

SkyJuice said...

Hi Joseph,

Did you get a ride? I'd like to ride one. Perhaps I shall visit my mum who's working in Saudi someday.

Have a good weekend! :-)

Femin Susan said...

wow !!!
great...i fell like riding the camel..

i have ridden a horse once....but that was awful because i kept my legs on its back were a bit of its dung was spread. and thus my leg got smelly with its dung till the end of the day.....

so make sure that the animals are clean before you climb onto !!!

Anonymous said...

Ok, he can kiss him, but how about feeding him. Famished? That would truly upset me. No, no camels in my town, but few guys who spit a lot ;-0. The pictures are wonderful but I am thinking the camels should start a union.
~Mary

Mel said...

Hi Joseph! Camels on the streets in your town! How cool is that?? We don't have camels on the streets in Spokane, just horses. And they are few and far between. I love it how you take your camera everywhere, so you're prepared for the unexpected delightful events when they arise. Thank you, as always, for sharing! You inspire all of us! :)

Many blessings to you and yours this beautiful day!

FCB said...

Elephants, and now camels! Jospeh, you live in a colorful world and I just love visiting it through your camera and interesting narratives.
I would love to try and ride one, the kissing....... maybe not.
God bless,
Fred

Linda said...

No camels here, Joseph, although Scotland is also known as 'God's Own Country'. I would say God has room for a few countries!

This was a lovely story which brightened up my Friday morning. Good to hear that the owner was looking after his camels well. Sometimes 'tourist animals' aren't so lucky.

Amrita said...

That was great.

We also see camels during melas and festival time, but more of them in the rural area and sometimes on the highways.

I have sat on a camel once, it was very uncomfortable, they have a jerky movement.

Ted A. Brooks said...

Life is a journey my friend and thank you for sharing with me today a view of a place on earth that I have never visited. It was so interesting.
Angel Blessings

Leo said...

No camals here in North Carolina. We used to have an elephant, but the animal rights people got her placed into a refuge. Nice story. Enjoy your camal ride! How about some pictures taken from on top of the camal??

CIELO said...

Ahhhh, I wish I could ride them! One of my sweetest fantasies consist that I'm a princess raptured by camel by a darkly handsome, mustachioed type of Omar Shariff Middle East prince ...do you think if I move to Kochi my fantasy would become true? ;)

Have a good day, Joseph!

cielo

Catherine said...

Bonjour Joseph,
Not any camel here. A question of climate, I imagine. Maybe, one day with the global warning, we'll watch camels in the middle of traffic in the Champs Elysées ? I don't wish it to us, it would be a very bad news for the future of the Earth : )

Just little ponies pulling little carts for young children in parcs.
Maybe I've seen one, in a zoo, once.

I would like having seen you and the girlfriend running after the camel, taking pictures...... Funny scene.
Have a nice Sunday, Joseph.

Margaret Cloud said...

A very nice post, I enjoyed the pictures of the camels. Our Zoo has camel rides, but they are so big I was afraid of them. Thank you for coming by.

magicpolaroid said...

oh joseph! nice post!
Did you get a ride?

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

What that man makes sense, but I expect you realise that now.
the photo's are excellent, I can just about use a camera nothing as spectacular as yours.

Yvonne

Manivannan Sadasivam said...

Beautiful write up and photos!

I enjoyed this post a lot. But I can never boast of having a camel in my Chennai city, why camels sir...it's been a long time since i've seen donkeys :(

Manivannan Sadasivam said...

Beautiful write up and photos!

I enjoyed this post a lot. But I can never boast of having a camel in my Chennai city, why camels sir...it's been a long time since i've seen donkeys :(

Swarna said...

Hope they go home with a good smattering of Malayalam. I wonder how they travel to and fro?

Rema said...

Yes sir, how many can boast of camels in their town.

But some time back there was a news in the Indian Express saying some one had brought a camel ( I think in Mattancherry) and it was in very bad shape as the climate and food etc. was not suiting it. Moreover, people had their own doubts if it was being brought for cutting. Then one Gujarathi person managed to send it back on his own expense etc. I am sure, you must have also read it.

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Rema:)

I read that news report. I don't see the camels any more in Fort Kochi. They actually looked very famished. This climate probably is not good for them.

Best wishes:)
Joseph