Builders at work

In India, Pondicherry was one of my must-visit destinations. In was a French colonial settlement till 1954, and still has a well-preserved French quarter, with French-style colonial villas and characterful tree-lined streets. I stayed in one of these – a charming guest house called Le Rêve Bleu.

My room looked out over a building site. Was I dismayed? Not at all. Look at these scenes of builders – at least half of them women – at work from 6.30 every morning. I’d long been woken up by then, by the daily Muslim Call to Prayer, announced over a very loud tannoy system at about half past five,

Just one person from around the world.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

42 thoughts on “Builders at work”

    2. oh help and spotted another into rather than on to what is wrong with me this morning!!! maybe it is the very noisy building work that has suddenly started outside my place this morning. No pictures as I cannot see it, just hear it 😦

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    1. Yes, I think so. That guy in the first shot is mixing some. What you see is not a wall, just a pile of bricks waiting to be made into one!

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    1. Yes, it’s a temporary screen made of grasses. And yes, Pondicherry definitely retains its French vibe, and deliberately so. You can buy croissants and French delicacies of very kind and the old centre is definitely French -inspired. There’s more to come and you’ll see what I mean.

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  9. The colour in these photographs is intensely beautiful, particularly the brick. And, interesting to see in this region of India ‘women hold up half the sky’ as they do in China, shame we don’t see that in our Cabinet.

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  13. Not sure, I would enjoy to be woken up half past five in the morning, not even by a call to prayer. Other than that is sounds like a wonderful experience. Like you I love to take photos of the small daily life scenes at the places I visit. Your photos look so bright and colourful, quite a contrast to a grey and cold London…

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    1. Indeed England is a bit grey just now.. But I simply didn’t sleep in India. The call to prayer didn’t wake me up as I was already in the land of the living. And I was awake for the scene I’ll show on Monday, all in the middle of the night. No wonder I ended up in hospital!

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      1. Oh no! Hope it wasn’t too serious. It’s never nice to end up in hospital, but can be more scary in a country far from home. When I climbed Kilimanjaro someone fell and broke her leg. We later heard there was nobody who spoke English at the hospital and it was also a bad injury. A terrible experience altogether (not to mention being carried blindfolded down the mountain by four porters without any painkillers…). Anyway, hope your experience wasn’t quite as bad.

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  16. I loved how so many people – men mostly – completed their morning ablutions in the street at the closest water tap. Clean your teeth, have a bird bath, wash your hair…all the while watching the world walk by. I can’t get enough of India. Mel

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  17. That must have been a treat to see people at work, right outside your window. I found the early morning call for prayers beautiful, once I got past the shock of awakening. I suppose though it depends on who’s doing the calling & the quality of the speakers 🙂

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