Dindigul, Suuthern India

Burning Equator Sun

White rice greeting white grins

Spiciest films on love and gore

Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

The eco park for Amazon birds - gorgeous toucans, hyacinth and red macaws, flamingoes, golden pheasants. Coming from a more deciduous clime, where one is used to more sedate colors, the brilliant azures, crimsons and goldenrod yellows on these seem almost painted on. The TocoToucan is by far the more naughty bird, playing with my camera strap and generally courting annoyance

Brazil-Iguacu Falls

I enjoyed a short yet stunningly beautiful visit to Southern Brazil - Iguacu Falls bordering Argentina and Paraguay. The Iguacu falls carry the waters of Iguacu river on its thunderous way towards the Parana river on the borders of what is now a controversial Itaipu dam. The falls are scattered across a wide swath with lovely forests, preserved by eco-tourism sans the mess that is now the Niagara. You can hike up the short way alongside the falls and get a birds eye view...or like me, take a death defying trip in a rubber dinghy straight into the mouth of the falls. This was pure terror and ecstacy!

Bombay - Banganga Tank

Bombay can be astonishingly lovely even in the most desultory May heat. This dawn, we walked the leafy Malabar Hill, down to Banganga, the ancient tank temple complex. Sitting by the steps off the tank is incredibly peaceful. The simple residents of the area use the water to the max, learning how to swim, worshipping, or simply just being. Which is what we did. We did look a tad out of place in work out gear and our cameras. We walked along the steps, shielded by the peepul trees, said hello to the ducks and marveled at the surprising number of water birds (we saw a stunning blue of a kingfisher, catamarans and even swans). Circling the tank are numerous ancient temples, which on this quiet and early Sunday morning were empty and devoid of the mind boggling cacophony of a typical Hindu temple. Being an atheist, it was lovely to let the peace seep in sans the annoyance. The images of the Gods are quite unlike anything veering between an almost hostile and a little comical Hanuman to a bored looking Shantadurga. Later, brunch at Waffles , around the Kemp's Corner and then home to crash out the heat