If you recall the original route plan of our Indian tour, we can see that the final credits and captions The End distance substantially reduced.
Originally from the shores of India to the island of Ceylon we wanted to get on the ferry. In the distance can be seen on the map — swim around nothing. Hope that ferries ply with a frequency nearly taxis and introduced us astray. Everything was much more difficult. The fact that more than 20 years in Sri Lanka was a civil war, and the northern and eastern coast controlled by the rebel movement "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."
To avoid any incidents involving civilians, all passenger transport in sea Lakadskomu were discontinued. But the war ended two years ago before our arrival and even launched a ferry from Tuticorin to Colombo with a straightforward name Scotia Prince. However, later we learned that political problems were added and financial — water connections in India with Sri Lanka again temporarily stopped because of debts of carrier.
We have already begun to waver, whether it is necessary to go and look for the mythical Tuticorin ferry. The situation could not clarify even the residents. Some of them in correspondence to Facebook claimed that all is well and ferry goes smoothly. Information from the rest was radically opposite. Eventually it was decided — to go to Tuticorin personally and have everything in place to find out.
Our bus arrived in the city at night already, and all the hotels near the bus station, as luck would have occupied. In any other case we would not be particularly worried, but Tuticorin night was unusually deserted, and from passers-by on our way as if there were swarms of hungry stray dogs. After 30 minutes of wandering under the watchful eye mongrel, we still met on the street rickshaw, even more — just two drivers in the front seat. Presumably, at night they are also not particularly like. Traveled several hotels and poborovshy acquired syndrome economy, we still stayed for 800 rupees ($16).
It seems that the porters are working women. We initially did not believe, but a huge number of female representatives of gigantic trunks inclines to this opinion:
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And here we come to the place as if our research. At the entrance checkpoint equipped with lots of gunmen. Periodically stop before post trucks, impose permit and entering the territory. In short — similar to the passenger port is very relative.
Exit the taxi and go in search of the English scholars. Among these gunmen was not, but the bar at the appropriate level intelligence supported the representative officers. Dobrenko fed strictly military we replied: "Know Ferry Port know." In translation it sounds like this: "Dear guests, for technical reasons ferry service between India and Sri Lanka closed. We apologize, but alas, you have to look for other vehicles. "
English vocabulary was limited to only our rickshaw numbers and the word "port". He could not explain to us what the lake. But I realized that we were interested in it, so stopped his taxi and took hold tour.
Guess it is easy and without unnecessary explanations. In this way, sea salt is mined. Note — workers do on the job completely barefoot.
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That such artificial reservoirs filled with sea water and under the action of sunlight it evaporates.
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In order to frame the boundaries and are not destroyed tanks, built small fences.
The work is not easy with: constant heat, salt, eroding feet and a sharp odor.
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The technology is quite simple. The ship towed to shore, where it is set on blocks of stones and boards, then holding up all that comes hand. It remains a mystery how the ship gets so far ashore without the use of cranes and other equipment.
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Number of fishing vessels are so large that they are arranged in several rows facing the sea and on the principle of stack: last come — first out.
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A place for the whole team together with all the necessary rescue tools, rope and yellow plastic box.
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Bye to our new friends, we decided to walk around the city a bit. As with the ferry we did not work, had to buy a train ticket in Chennai (nearest airport). A plane ticket Chennai-Colombo (the capital of Sri Lanka) was bought at the nearest Internet cafe.
The city is small colonial buildings — inherited from the Portuguese, Dutch and British.
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In the city, we almost did not see cows — instead they are wandering goats. Some have even heard of parkour.
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Telephones installed near the stalls or small shops. In India, there are still people without mobile phones.
56But Internet cafes "Hello speed up the browsing center" where we bought plane tickets. Electricity generator produces exhaust gases which come directly from inside the room.
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At first glance it may seem very Tuticorin dirty and unpleasant place, but this is where we first met with the Tamil Indians — open and nice people. Next stop — Chennai.