Birth of Indian Tea

The first tea was brought to India from China in the middle of the 19th century. On the same occasion there was founded the first tea company to trade with England, and by 1900 India had become one of the main tea suppliers to the international market. Today India is the second world's tea producer after China, and Indian tea is characterized by its rich taste, but not as good as Chinese black tea.

Munara tea plantations are from the most high-mountain Indian plantations. They are situated on the heights from 1800 to 3000 meters above sea level. South Indian teas are a bit harsh, that's why they are often drunk with milk.

In Kerala, most of plantations belong to the famous Tata company, which is also the main car and metal producer of India.

Performance rate is at the same time awful - every worker has to collect 25 kilograms of tea leaves per day, and earns no more than $150 per month!

In these bags leaves are delivered for weighing.

Woman's hands...

Delousing spray treatment.

And here is the tea fabric itself. Here, on 75-year-old English equipment, Indian tea is made...

...and packed.

Searching For the Whitest Sand

In the eastern coast of Australia are lots of various beaches. They are mostly similar to each other, but among them all there is quite a unique place named Jervis Bay...

It's located 20km to the south from Sydney. One part of it it belongs to New South Wales state and another - to Australian Capital Territory.

The population is bit more than 600 people.

More than 700 thousand tourists come here annually, mostly for New Year and in January. However even in this time there is no feeling of crowd here.

The bay is very rich in different fish and dolphins can be often watched right from the shore. Despite the summer heat, the water of the bay is never warm enough.

One of the beaches is marked in Guiness Book of World Records (Hyams beach) as a place with the whitest sand in the world. 

South Bavaria, Alpine Royal Castle

Neuschwanstein Royal Castle is situated on one of the Alpine cliffs, in 350 kilometers from Füssen town, South Bavaria, Germany. The castle built by Ludwig II is the most popular place of interest in Bavaria -  more than a million people visit it annually!

The centre of Füssen. Here is a railway station and a big tourist information centre. Although the town is very cute, let us move the castle itself.

Here is a bridge, from which the most exciting views open.

One of the most popular and accessible views of the castle. The main disadvantage of visiting that place in winter, is that the castle is lit with sunlight only for a short period of time, and mainly stays in the shadow.

Do You Like Gaudi's Architecture?

Antoni Gaudí was a great Spanish architect with a perfect sense for geometry and volumes. One of his wonderful works is Casa Milà, that is fortunately available for exploring.

Casa Milà is a house built for the Milà family in the beginning of the XXth century. It was the last Gaudi`s secular work. Now this building corresponds to the capital sights of Spain.

The house has a ferroconcrete construction with supporting columns.

This project was a novel for its time: there was a considered ventilation system, partitions between rooms and an underground garage. Even lifts were planned but they appeared later on.

Firstly Catalans did not like this house because of its heavy and rough facade.

Roofs are very impressive.

Inlays on a block of flats.

Fences spoil the view a little.

A look on Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family.

Three little courtyards are special elements in Gaudi`s works. He used them to fill buildings with light and fresh air.

The furniture in rooms is less exiting but still rather interesting.

In 1984 Casa Milà was put on UNESCO World Heritage List. Now this building is used as an exhibition hall and offices. Some Catalan families still live here.

Casa Batlló is a house built in 1877 for a textile magnate and reconstructed by Gaudi later on.

Gaudi added 2 facades to the previous version.

There are practically no straight lines. Facade details have wavy shape.

The most probable symbol of the main facade is a giant dragon, that is Gaudi`s favourite personage.

Gaudi constructed the Palau Güell, the city house, by the order of a Catalan manufacturer. And it was also put on UNESCO World Heritage List.

Dubai Sailors' Routine

On the shore of the old district Deira, there is Said port -  a quay for merchant ship coming to Dubai. Most sailors in the port are sleeping or just loitering around, but on the other hand Said port creates its own inimitable atmosphere.

The length of the port line is small, so sometimes sailors have to berth in 2,5 or even 7 ships from the pier.

A snapshot of the port from Google Map.

The ships stand very close to each other.

Sailors' suitcases are lying in one pile with office chairs and toys.

Anchors and rope.

That's how a ship ready for shipment looks like.

A companion cabin of quite a staid boat.

This is the "shower cabin" on one simple ship.

A semicircular construction on the stern is a toilet.

Another variant of a loo.

As it was already told, lots of sailors are just sleeping in different places and postures.

Those ships that don't have and automotized system of loading are loaded by human force.

This is, for example, the process of Hitachi refrigerator shipment.

Nearby sit a person responsible for the technics accounting.

A fishing pier. Fishing boats are far smaller than cargo ones.

Near the ships a couple of fishermen repair the old fishnet and web new ones.

The take is sent to local fish market, where everybody can buy fresh fish.

When The Sea Runs Out Of Fish ...

Indian Horbor is a place in Labrador, Canada, where a transshipment base for fishermen was situated. Formerly here was plenty of codfish and little fishing villages were spread across the whole coast. Now they are all abandoned. Why? One day the sea simply ran out of fish!

There are very beautiful unique mosses in Canada.

And these black streaks in stones are called "dikes". They are the result of underground volcanic activity, and to be more concrete - it's solidificated lava.

Red Factory Where Both Adults And Kids Work Hard

Goa is not only the world famous resort, but also a place where people from poor Indian states arrive for earnings. One family working on the Bricks Factory should make 1200 bricks per day, and their boss will give them 200 rupies (about 4$ \day). But still.. they are very positive, maybe even happy, they look in the future with hope, find a place for love in their hearts.

Living in huts made of defective bricks and polyethylene they still find reasons for a smile.