Eat dessert first
Life is uncertain
28 December 2007
21 December 2007
Wish List
"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list"
Hmmm...a glimpse of what else is there on my list...
- Sikkim and East India
- Barcelona
- New Zealand
- Paris, France
- Novi Sad, Serbia
- Caribbean
- China
- Sri Lanka
- Alaska & Canada
- ...
~Susan Sontag
Hmmm...a glimpse of what else is there on my list...
- Sikkim and East India
- Barcelona
- New Zealand
- Paris, France
- Novi Sad, Serbia
- Caribbean
- China
- Sri Lanka
- Alaska & Canada
- ...
Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium
When my cousin called and said she had got tickets for a car racing event and that I should keep my Sunday free I thought it was some local racing event. Moreover since I was crazy busy at work, doing late hours I didn’t even get a chance to check out the event on the net.
So it was a total surprise …and a pleasant one at that when I reached there and realized that all the world champs were there…
Called The Race of Champions, it brings together drivers and racers from all forms of motorsport to see who’s the fastest. It’s unique as the competitors use exactly the same cars on a parallel track so that the drivers’ talent behind the wheel becomes the deciding factor.
There are 2 titles to be won – The Champion of Champions at the individual level and The Nations Cup to decide the fastest motor sport nation on the planet.
The likes of F1 Champion Michael Schumacher, F1 drivers Jenson Button and David Coulthard, World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, Triple Champ Car Champion Sébastien Bourdais, Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekström, Jimmie Johnson took part in this event.
Former World Rally Champion Colin McRae was supposed to take part. But due to his untimely death a couple of months back his seat was offered to his brother - Alister McRae.
The National teams (of two drivers) that participated for the cup were England, Scotland, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Finland and USA.
Wembley Stadium had been turned into a mini motor racing circuit. The race was in a knockout competition format …so we had a short races one after the other…
The cars (and drivers) seemed to have too much power for the narrow track. Moreover the track seemed too small and with too many turns...many times while maneuvering the curves I felt that the car moved horizontally and would just go off the track…Upteen times they brushed against the walls and dividers…all of which added to the excitement in the crowd…
In between the races, while the cars were being prepared for the next race, we had the other car events on the track as well as motorbike display riders
I think it was Travis (not sure)…who really entertained everyone with his car antics on the race track. He performed what is called the doughnut- literally he made the car go round and round in the same place…and after giving it a lot of race he jumped out of the car…and the car kept going in circles…it was toooooo kewl…
And then as part of a funny act - he got into another car and was about to speed off…but was stopped…so he jumped back into the car that was moving in circles and drove off the track….Amazing….
The motorbike riders were also excellent…Its like.. they fling themselves into the air and the bike seems weightless in their hands as the turn over mid air…
Many times we see car races and motor bike riders performing on TV…but live …is another experience altogether….
Thanks to my cousin for an unforgettable day…
So it was a total surprise …and a pleasant one at that when I reached there and realized that all the world champs were there…
Called The Race of Champions, it brings together drivers and racers from all forms of motorsport to see who’s the fastest. It’s unique as the competitors use exactly the same cars on a parallel track so that the drivers’ talent behind the wheel becomes the deciding factor.
There are 2 titles to be won – The Champion of Champions at the individual level and The Nations Cup to decide the fastest motor sport nation on the planet.
The likes of F1 Champion Michael Schumacher, F1 drivers Jenson Button and David Coulthard, World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, Triple Champ Car Champion Sébastien Bourdais, Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekström, Jimmie Johnson took part in this event.
Former World Rally Champion Colin McRae was supposed to take part. But due to his untimely death a couple of months back his seat was offered to his brother - Alister McRae.
The National teams (of two drivers) that participated for the cup were England, Scotland, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Finland and USA.
Wembley Stadium had been turned into a mini motor racing circuit. The race was in a knockout competition format …so we had a short races one after the other…
The cars (and drivers) seemed to have too much power for the narrow track. Moreover the track seemed too small and with too many turns...many times while maneuvering the curves I felt that the car moved horizontally and would just go off the track…Upteen times they brushed against the walls and dividers…all of which added to the excitement in the crowd…
In between the races, while the cars were being prepared for the next race, we had the other car events on the track as well as motorbike display riders
I think it was Travis (not sure)…who really entertained everyone with his car antics on the race track. He performed what is called the doughnut- literally he made the car go round and round in the same place…and after giving it a lot of race he jumped out of the car…and the car kept going in circles…it was toooooo kewl…
And then as part of a funny act - he got into another car and was about to speed off…but was stopped…so he jumped back into the car that was moving in circles and drove off the track….Amazing….
The motorbike riders were also excellent…Its like.. they fling themselves into the air and the bike seems weightless in their hands as the turn over mid air…
Many times we see car races and motor bike riders performing on TV…but live …is another experience altogether….
Thanks to my cousin for an unforgettable day…
20 December 2007
Phrases...
New phrases I have caught on to these days-
1. Easy as kiss my hand -
Sounds kinda weird but I like it...
2. Catching the blues trying to...
Just the opposite of 1 - when one is facing some difficulty with a task…
1. Easy as kiss my hand -
Sounds kinda weird but I like it...
2. Catching the blues trying to...
Just the opposite of 1 - when one is facing some difficulty with a task…
18 December 2007
Calvin Gyan...contd
Hmmm...but in reality and life don't we most of the times end up doing things we are not enthu about?
17 December 2007
Miss Bollywood…starring Shilpa Shetty…
We were booking theatre tickets on the net for our evening out on my birthday...when my cousin realized that Miss Bollywood was already playing in UK. When she came to know that it was going to be in London for only one day – 12th Dec and tickets were sold out…she was heartbroken…
It was playing at Royal Albert Hall...one of the best halls in London with a seating capacity of 5000 and an additional standing capacity of 200...There were no sitting seats available but Sheena was ready to go standing in the Gallery… I was not very keen...after all its wasn’t SRK…it was ONLY Shilpa Shetty…but one look at her face and I was like …fine…get tickets for standing (at 20 pounds a ticket)!!!
The first thing that came to my mind at that point was…man…Shilpa is big here in UK…she is as big as AB or SRK in India… 5000 seats all sold out and we were not the only ones booking the standing tickets … we were no 57 and 58…
Luckily when we reached there we found that there were a few cancellations and we upgraded our tickets to a box…
The people here feel that she went through a lot of anguish and humiliation during Big Brother…something I think we in India could not relate to… But I think she needs to stop cashing in on that and move on…There are knowing jokes about her Big Brother incarceration (“I’ve learnt that life can’t all be Goody Goody”), as well as platitudes about extending the hand of friendship across cultural frontiers.
Though I did enjoy the joke about her lip-locking encounter with Richard Gere…
It wasn’t exceptionally brilliant but quite entertaining …especially for people who enjoy Bollywood numbers … as we get to see some full-blown fantasy dance sequences from the recent movies…
The story line was quite Bolloywoodish…but the dance troupe was full of energy...
There is a lot of Bollywood style slap stick humour from wheeler-dealer duo Mansukh bhai and Hasmukh bhai. They are brilliant as they try to sell foo foo fans or agra ka ghagras to the high-profile businessman Nick Madhavis or try to convince the mayor that he should hire them to help him win his next elections with their political campaign… the vote for mayor bit was toooooooo funny…
The show opened with the dance troupe doing 2 Bollywood nos – Dhoom Machale Dhoom had me tapping my feet and wanting to get up and dance…
Thereafter we saw many jhatka matka dance sequences from Shilpa and the troupe. The other lady of the show – the vamp by Bollywood standards - Riya is an excellent dancer. I personally thought that she was far better than Shilpa but somehow Shilpa got all the claps and hoots…
You should have heard the audience when Shilpa made her first appearance with the popular Bollywood numbers - Silsila hai Chahat ka and Dola re …
The face off between Riya and Shilpa was quite good – with Shilpa showing off her Tandava style dancing skills.
The dance sequence in the dark where they refrain from any Bollywood songs but just use some background music and the dancers use florescent masks and strips of cloth in their hands was beautiful…
You think of a good Bollywood no and it was there – from Kajra Re to Beedi. The last 20 mins was pure Bollywood songs one after the other and had the audience clapping along and enjoying themselves thoroughly…
It was playing at Royal Albert Hall...one of the best halls in London with a seating capacity of 5000 and an additional standing capacity of 200...There were no sitting seats available but Sheena was ready to go standing in the Gallery… I was not very keen...after all its wasn’t SRK…it was ONLY Shilpa Shetty…but one look at her face and I was like …fine…get tickets for standing (at 20 pounds a ticket)!!!
The first thing that came to my mind at that point was…man…Shilpa is big here in UK…she is as big as AB or SRK in India… 5000 seats all sold out and we were not the only ones booking the standing tickets … we were no 57 and 58…
Luckily when we reached there we found that there were a few cancellations and we upgraded our tickets to a box…
The people here feel that she went through a lot of anguish and humiliation during Big Brother…something I think we in India could not relate to… But I think she needs to stop cashing in on that and move on…There are knowing jokes about her Big Brother incarceration (“I’ve learnt that life can’t all be Goody Goody”), as well as platitudes about extending the hand of friendship across cultural frontiers.
Though I did enjoy the joke about her lip-locking encounter with Richard Gere…
It wasn’t exceptionally brilliant but quite entertaining …especially for people who enjoy Bollywood numbers … as we get to see some full-blown fantasy dance sequences from the recent movies…
The story line was quite Bolloywoodish…but the dance troupe was full of energy...
There is a lot of Bollywood style slap stick humour from wheeler-dealer duo Mansukh bhai and Hasmukh bhai. They are brilliant as they try to sell foo foo fans or agra ka ghagras to the high-profile businessman Nick Madhavis or try to convince the mayor that he should hire them to help him win his next elections with their political campaign… the vote for mayor bit was toooooooo funny…
The show opened with the dance troupe doing 2 Bollywood nos – Dhoom Machale Dhoom had me tapping my feet and wanting to get up and dance…
Thereafter we saw many jhatka matka dance sequences from Shilpa and the troupe. The other lady of the show – the vamp by Bollywood standards - Riya is an excellent dancer. I personally thought that she was far better than Shilpa but somehow Shilpa got all the claps and hoots…
You should have heard the audience when Shilpa made her first appearance with the popular Bollywood numbers - Silsila hai Chahat ka and Dola re …
The face off between Riya and Shilpa was quite good – with Shilpa showing off her Tandava style dancing skills.
The dance sequence in the dark where they refrain from any Bollywood songs but just use some background music and the dancers use florescent masks and strips of cloth in their hands was beautiful…
You think of a good Bollywood no and it was there – from Kajra Re to Beedi. The last 20 mins was pure Bollywood songs one after the other and had the audience clapping along and enjoying themselves thoroughly…
Boeing Boeing...
Since this is a new play (actually a sixties hit which ran for seven years but had not been seen since) there was a promotion on at Justminute.com for 11 Dec...10 quid for a Balcony seat...
But I guess it was our lucky day ...coz when we reached the box office to collect our tickets we were told that we had been upgraded to stalls!!! We were on the 8th or 9th row from the stage...
Boeing Boeing has a sexist premise and national stereotyping... but somehow that took a back seat since it was deliriously funny and it was virtually impossible to stop laughing that evening...
It revolves around an affluent French architect – Bernard juggling his love life with three air-stewardesses. (I seem to remember seeing a Bollywood movie on the same theme starring Akki)
The stewardesses - American, Italian, and German stereotypes had the audience roaring with laughter...All 3 work for different airlines and thus fly into and out of his life at suitably irregular intervals. All Bernard has to do is keep an eye on the schedules... He is reluctantly assisted by his French maid who changes the photos in his bedroom and adjusts the day's cuisine to accommodate whichever stewardess is flying in that day. Her gloomy deadpan face and resentful exits through the service door are superbly timed…
Robert, Bernard’s friend, comes across as a village bumpkin. Unlike the sophisticated, overconfident playboy Bernard, Robert is a simple businessman from the provinces and is portrayed initially as a nervous character.
Bernard crows to his pal about the bliss of his romantic life...Robert is shocked to his bumpkin boots ...but he learns fast and takes control when catastrophe strikes… the schedules that Bernard assiduously follows begin to fall apart and girls fly in at the wrong time and land in Paris at more or less the same time. As he covers up for his friend he ends up being soundly kissed and unexpectedly betrothed (to the German)…
In her first scene the American named Gloria didn’t come across as too great but when she returns in the 2nd half she is simply SUPERB…a TWA hostess with the glamour, vocal power and all-American pizazz. Her monologue when she is telling Bernard that in America it’s the women who do all the thinking in the house and men only earn the money was brilliant…
The German – Gretchen with her accent, pronunciation and dialogue delivery was excellent – at times she sounded like she was giving some army commands … a hail H****r kinda feeling…amazingly hilarious
Alitalia’s romantic Gabriella was pretty good too…and eventually Bernard ends up getting married to her…
All in all a brilliant evening...
But I guess it was our lucky day ...coz when we reached the box office to collect our tickets we were told that we had been upgraded to stalls!!! We were on the 8th or 9th row from the stage...
Boeing Boeing has a sexist premise and national stereotyping... but somehow that took a back seat since it was deliriously funny and it was virtually impossible to stop laughing that evening...
It revolves around an affluent French architect – Bernard juggling his love life with three air-stewardesses. (I seem to remember seeing a Bollywood movie on the same theme starring Akki)
The stewardesses - American, Italian, and German stereotypes had the audience roaring with laughter...All 3 work for different airlines and thus fly into and out of his life at suitably irregular intervals. All Bernard has to do is keep an eye on the schedules... He is reluctantly assisted by his French maid who changes the photos in his bedroom and adjusts the day's cuisine to accommodate whichever stewardess is flying in that day. Her gloomy deadpan face and resentful exits through the service door are superbly timed…
Robert, Bernard’s friend, comes across as a village bumpkin. Unlike the sophisticated, overconfident playboy Bernard, Robert is a simple businessman from the provinces and is portrayed initially as a nervous character.
Bernard crows to his pal about the bliss of his romantic life...Robert is shocked to his bumpkin boots ...but he learns fast and takes control when catastrophe strikes… the schedules that Bernard assiduously follows begin to fall apart and girls fly in at the wrong time and land in Paris at more or less the same time. As he covers up for his friend he ends up being soundly kissed and unexpectedly betrothed (to the German)…
In her first scene the American named Gloria didn’t come across as too great but when she returns in the 2nd half she is simply SUPERB…a TWA hostess with the glamour, vocal power and all-American pizazz. Her monologue when she is telling Bernard that in America it’s the women who do all the thinking in the house and men only earn the money was brilliant…
The German – Gretchen with her accent, pronunciation and dialogue delivery was excellent – at times she sounded like she was giving some army commands … a hail H****r kinda feeling…amazingly hilarious
Alitalia’s romantic Gabriella was pretty good too…and eventually Bernard ends up getting married to her…
All in all a brilliant evening...
07 December 2007
Saawariya...
What a let down...it’s a good thing that I missed it at the theatres… and we had an option to fast forward and reduce the misery from 2 hrs 10 mins to 1 hr…
It is a totally bizarre romance. The characters were not sketched well and so one gets a feeling of incompleteness and only at the end of the movie you think that the storyline was good but could have been handled a little better.
I am sure Sanjay Leela Bhansali could have done better – with some good dialogues but instead every few minutes they break off into a song… reminded me of the Chitrahaar times on Doordarshan years and years back…just one song after the other…we tried keeping count in the beginning but eventually lost count…
The few dialogues that we have in between the songs hardly make sense and are so irritating because of the plastiky giggles from Sonam…(Cant decide if her giggling is worse or Ashwariya’s)
The set was quite artificial too…you like it initially but after some time it gets monotonous…
The only nice thing about the movie was Zohra Sehgal, who is brilliant as always… She plays a ‘now-stern-now-mellow’ landlady who wins your heart over.
The song that Ranbir sings in a towel…seemed a bit erotic…wonder how come the board passed it…or didn’t give the movie an A rating…
Rani Mukerjee was likable at times…and if had to sum up this movie in her words…’I don’t likes’…
It is a totally bizarre romance. The characters were not sketched well and so one gets a feeling of incompleteness and only at the end of the movie you think that the storyline was good but could have been handled a little better.
I am sure Sanjay Leela Bhansali could have done better – with some good dialogues but instead every few minutes they break off into a song… reminded me of the Chitrahaar times on Doordarshan years and years back…just one song after the other…we tried keeping count in the beginning but eventually lost count…
The few dialogues that we have in between the songs hardly make sense and are so irritating because of the plastiky giggles from Sonam…(Cant decide if her giggling is worse or Ashwariya’s)
The set was quite artificial too…you like it initially but after some time it gets monotonous…
The only nice thing about the movie was Zohra Sehgal, who is brilliant as always… She plays a ‘now-stern-now-mellow’ landlady who wins your heart over.
The song that Ranbir sings in a towel…seemed a bit erotic…wonder how come the board passed it…or didn’t give the movie an A rating…
Rani Mukerjee was likable at times…and if had to sum up this movie in her words…’I don’t likes’…
05 December 2007
VIP Day
1st Dec was VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) day in London.
London's West End... the famous shopping streets - Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street were made traffic free from 10.30am
Though the sun was out, it was pretty windy and chilly...but we braved the chill since there was to be street entertainment ...live performances from street theatres, musicians, bands and 2 of UK’s best aerial street performances – the spectacular Heliosphere show and the extraordinary conedancers...
As we walked down we realized that most people coming from the opposite site were eating the same chocolate…and as we reached Selfridges we saw several people dressed as elves distributing chocolates...
Munching our chocolates as we moved down Oxford Street we heard the typical Pipe Bands...dressed in the Scottish attire (a lot like the ones in Braemer)...and imagine my surprise when I realised that the whole band was Indian!!!
We turned towards New Bond Street and noticed a Punjabi dhol band walking down... suddenly they broke into their act...its that kind of music that just wants you to take off dancing…unfortunately we could not join them...as we did not wanna surprise the Londoners...though I am sure if this had happened in India we would have had everyone and everybody from the street dancing!
At the end we could see a cone shaped baloony structure...that was the cone dancers...we decided to go watch them...but were distracted on the way when we saw a shop where a girl was standing in the show window and a guy had cut up her tee in some places and was knotting it up and converting it into a designer tee. He really was brilliant and the tee looked good...the funda was that this guy was some designer from USA (I couldn’t get his name), you purchase a tee from that shop and he cuts it and knots it up for you as you are wearing it...A guy said that if this guys scissors touch a tee its price goes up to 400 quids!!! Sheena was apprehensive about standing in the show windowing and modelling...and I didn’t have the figure (coz the tees were those figure hugging ones...so we couldn’t have a go at it :-(
We killed some time in the shops in that area as the Cone Dancers had a show after 15 mins...the wait was worth it as they were excellent... Set to music, two performers danced effortlessly on the outside of the giant eight meter high air-filled cone. It was an extraordinary acrobatic performance giving the feeling of an amazing gravity-defying illusion.
As the show got over we decided to walk to Regent Street and catch the Heliosphere ... using music, lighting and the location, the Heliosphere creates the illusion of flying. Spiraling and spinning and seemingly weightless, a lady was suspended beneath a massive helium balloon. The balloon was being managed by 3 men on the ground working on the strings. Looks easy...but while we were watching the men could not control the ropes and the lady nearly came crashing down...though she managed to balance out...
Somewhere in between we also watched some skateboarders...there was a setup for them to show off their skills. There was a really small boy - maybe 8-9 years who was really good...
And then suddenly it started raining…and brilliant Manpreet hadn’t got her umbrella...we decided to get into some shop...after browsing there we realized that it still hadn’t stop raining. I needed to go for a wedding reception later and since it was VIP day I needed to walk and get a bus from outside the VIP area...this was getting serious :-). We decided to walk to John Lewis and pick up an umbrella...
I bought the umbrella - a beautiful mushroom transparent one - and as we walked towards the exit...Sheena exclaims...itz snowing...I couldn’t believe it...we rushed out and realized it was John Lewis creating artificial snow :-)
And obviously the rain had stopped as I had bought an umbrella!!!
London's West End... the famous shopping streets - Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street were made traffic free from 10.30am
Though the sun was out, it was pretty windy and chilly...but we braved the chill since there was to be street entertainment ...live performances from street theatres, musicians, bands and 2 of UK’s best aerial street performances – the spectacular Heliosphere show and the extraordinary conedancers...
As we walked down we realized that most people coming from the opposite site were eating the same chocolate…and as we reached Selfridges we saw several people dressed as elves distributing chocolates...
Munching our chocolates as we moved down Oxford Street we heard the typical Pipe Bands...dressed in the Scottish attire (a lot like the ones in Braemer)...and imagine my surprise when I realised that the whole band was Indian!!!
We turned towards New Bond Street and noticed a Punjabi dhol band walking down... suddenly they broke into their act...its that kind of music that just wants you to take off dancing…unfortunately we could not join them...as we did not wanna surprise the Londoners...though I am sure if this had happened in India we would have had everyone and everybody from the street dancing!
At the end we could see a cone shaped baloony structure...that was the cone dancers...we decided to go watch them...but were distracted on the way when we saw a shop where a girl was standing in the show window and a guy had cut up her tee in some places and was knotting it up and converting it into a designer tee. He really was brilliant and the tee looked good...the funda was that this guy was some designer from USA (I couldn’t get his name), you purchase a tee from that shop and he cuts it and knots it up for you as you are wearing it...A guy said that if this guys scissors touch a tee its price goes up to 400 quids!!! Sheena was apprehensive about standing in the show windowing and modelling...and I didn’t have the figure (coz the tees were those figure hugging ones...so we couldn’t have a go at it :-(
We killed some time in the shops in that area as the Cone Dancers had a show after 15 mins...the wait was worth it as they were excellent... Set to music, two performers danced effortlessly on the outside of the giant eight meter high air-filled cone. It was an extraordinary acrobatic performance giving the feeling of an amazing gravity-defying illusion.
As the show got over we decided to walk to Regent Street and catch the Heliosphere ... using music, lighting and the location, the Heliosphere creates the illusion of flying. Spiraling and spinning and seemingly weightless, a lady was suspended beneath a massive helium balloon. The balloon was being managed by 3 men on the ground working on the strings. Looks easy...but while we were watching the men could not control the ropes and the lady nearly came crashing down...though she managed to balance out...
Somewhere in between we also watched some skateboarders...there was a setup for them to show off their skills. There was a really small boy - maybe 8-9 years who was really good...
And then suddenly it started raining…and brilliant Manpreet hadn’t got her umbrella...we decided to get into some shop...after browsing there we realized that it still hadn’t stop raining. I needed to go for a wedding reception later and since it was VIP day I needed to walk and get a bus from outside the VIP area...this was getting serious :-). We decided to walk to John Lewis and pick up an umbrella...
I bought the umbrella - a beautiful mushroom transparent one - and as we walked towards the exit...Sheena exclaims...itz snowing...I couldn’t believe it...we rushed out and realized it was John Lewis creating artificial snow :-)
And obviously the rain had stopped as I had bought an umbrella!!!
28 November 2007
Calvin Gyan...
"Life is like topography, Hobbes.
There are summits of happiness and success...
...Flat stretches of boring routine...
...And valleys of frustration and failure."
There are summits of happiness and success...
...Flat stretches of boring routine...
...And valleys of frustration and failure."
26 November 2007
Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum played in Bangalore for several weeks and I made plans with a friend several times...but somehow they never materialised...
Finally last night Sony TV played it and I made sure I didn’t miss it...
Its about romance between a 64-year-old man and a 34 year-old woman... handled very maturely ...no overt display of emotion...the performances are brilliant...whether its AB or Tabu or the little girl Sexy...
The first half is toooooo good...the humour, sarcasm and witticism is awesome...the comedy is not the usual slap stick comedy associated with Bollywood but far more subtle...and the chemistry between AB and Tabu is terrific...
Buddha (AB) is arrogant and self-assured, yet feels the need to impress her - while never admitting it. Their banter and Tabu's retorts to AB's arrogance has one constantly impressed...
There is a fantastic scene where she berates AB for being too forward, for daring, like all men would, to ask a girl out and assume she's available, just because she's smiled at him a few times. The tension is palpable as AB falls silent. And then 'I do hope you won't be late,' she ends, still deadpan, immediately confirming both date and smirk.
Another scenes that I really enjoyed is when they have been meeting up for a few days and Tabu asks AB to ask her THE question all guys are supposed to ask...he's like hesitant so he asks her to ask the question...the build up of suspense as she says ...should I? And the smile…as she asks 'what’s your name?’
The way 9 yr old Sexy...friends with 64 year old AB questions him and gives him gyan is really interesting... her dialogues are really good.
Zohra Sehgal plays AB's movie... she's brilliant as always ...though one thing I have noticed...she seems to be type cast in all her movies...the old granny ...but very unlike the preaching types...still very young at heart... watches WWF or some serial one would never imagine someone her age would watch...like 'sex in the city' in this movie...
The 2nd half dragged a bit...where Paresh Rawal plays the 58 year old father who is dead against the match...thou Paresh had his funny moments too...
Bottom line...head to the lending library if you haven’t see this brilliant movie...since it definitely is not to be missed...
Finally last night Sony TV played it and I made sure I didn’t miss it...
Its about romance between a 64-year-old man and a 34 year-old woman... handled very maturely ...no overt display of emotion...the performances are brilliant...whether its AB or Tabu or the little girl Sexy...
The first half is toooooo good...the humour, sarcasm and witticism is awesome...the comedy is not the usual slap stick comedy associated with Bollywood but far more subtle...and the chemistry between AB and Tabu is terrific...
Buddha (AB) is arrogant and self-assured, yet feels the need to impress her - while never admitting it. Their banter and Tabu's retorts to AB's arrogance has one constantly impressed...
There is a fantastic scene where she berates AB for being too forward, for daring, like all men would, to ask a girl out and assume she's available, just because she's smiled at him a few times. The tension is palpable as AB falls silent. And then 'I do hope you won't be late,' she ends, still deadpan, immediately confirming both date and smirk.
Another scenes that I really enjoyed is when they have been meeting up for a few days and Tabu asks AB to ask her THE question all guys are supposed to ask...he's like hesitant so he asks her to ask the question...the build up of suspense as she says ...should I? And the smile…as she asks 'what’s your name?’
The way 9 yr old Sexy...friends with 64 year old AB questions him and gives him gyan is really interesting... her dialogues are really good.
Zohra Sehgal plays AB's movie... she's brilliant as always ...though one thing I have noticed...she seems to be type cast in all her movies...the old granny ...but very unlike the preaching types...still very young at heart... watches WWF or some serial one would never imagine someone her age would watch...like 'sex in the city' in this movie...
The 2nd half dragged a bit...where Paresh Rawal plays the 58 year old father who is dead against the match...thou Paresh had his funny moments too...
Bottom line...head to the lending library if you haven’t see this brilliant movie...since it definitely is not to be missed...
23 November 2007
Dooced
Dooced - to have posted work-related things on your personal blog and get fired for it...
Do I qualify considering my last blog and this earlier one
Do I qualify considering my last blog and this earlier one
Insanity
These days all i do from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm is prepare (useless???)management reports...
This Dilbert strip is perfect illustration of my state these days...
22 November 2007
Red Coat Vs Black Coat
Well...the heart said...buy the red one...it was gorgeous…
But am I now the typical London Office Worker – indistinguishable in their blue or black uniforms??? Coz I picked the black one finally...
As a compromise maybe I should get red gloves and scarf?
But am I now the typical London Office Worker – indistinguishable in their blue or black uniforms??? Coz I picked the black one finally...
As a compromise maybe I should get red gloves and scarf?
20 November 2007
My Sentiments...
Only difference is Calvin is stuck in school and me in office...
Itz not particularly beautiful in london these days ...itz been raining for last 2 days...but ideal to go watch some theatre or cinema...
Itz not particularly beautiful in london these days ...itz been raining for last 2 days...but ideal to go watch some theatre or cinema...
19 November 2007
Om Shanti Om
They don’t call him King Khan for nothing...As far as mainstream cinema is concerned, SRK is unbeatable...a true entertainer...
Om Shanti Om – a bit over the top but thoroughly enjoyable ...corny humor but itz SRK so one enjoys it...and of course the great music...
He was totally convincing as the junior artiste who dreams of becoming a star in the first half and then as The Star in the second half ...
Shreyas supported him to the hilt in the act as his best friend and co junior artiste.
Kirron Kher as the melodramatic mother is also really good.
But what I liked best about the movie were the spoofs
- At the Bollywood of the 1970’s – the typical flowers coming close to each other…and the superimposing of Deepika with stars of yesteryears like Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jitendra in a song sequence was very good.
- Then the star in the 1st half is a direct one at Rajesh Khanna…
- The conversation between Om and Pappu (Shreyas) - He can’t be a star with a name like Om Prakash Makhija...he needs a surname of Kapoor or Khanna ...
- And the one on Rajnikant in the cowboy avatar and fighting with a fluffy tiger – too hilarious
And so many more...
All this is in good humor... he even spoofs at himself in the awards ceremony scene where they have the nominations for the best actor...
Hrithik, Abhishek, Shabana Azmi, Akki in good humor have made fun of themselves...though it is a pity that Manoj Kumar could not take it and is pretty upset...
The song where he gets some 30 odd actors and actresses to come and dance with him was quite enjoyable too... especially the bits with Dharam Paji...
Farah Khan is the queen of ‘Kahani mein twist’... not as much as in her earlier movie ‘Main Hoon Na’ where every new reel had a new twist in the tale...
Here she refrained from too many twists and tried to keep a single story line ...but in the end I guess she just could not resist and the in the climax scene we have the ghost of Shanti instead of the look alike of 30 years later...That was not really required...
But still... a movie I would recommend to all who enjoy BOLLYWOOD MASALA...not for the celebral types though !!!
Om Shanti Om – a bit over the top but thoroughly enjoyable ...corny humor but itz SRK so one enjoys it...and of course the great music...
He was totally convincing as the junior artiste who dreams of becoming a star in the first half and then as The Star in the second half ...
Shreyas supported him to the hilt in the act as his best friend and co junior artiste.
Kirron Kher as the melodramatic mother is also really good.
But what I liked best about the movie were the spoofs
- At the Bollywood of the 1970’s – the typical flowers coming close to each other…and the superimposing of Deepika with stars of yesteryears like Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jitendra in a song sequence was very good.
- Then the star in the 1st half is a direct one at Rajesh Khanna…
- The conversation between Om and Pappu (Shreyas) - He can’t be a star with a name like Om Prakash Makhija...he needs a surname of Kapoor or Khanna ...
- And the one on Rajnikant in the cowboy avatar and fighting with a fluffy tiger – too hilarious
And so many more...
All this is in good humor... he even spoofs at himself in the awards ceremony scene where they have the nominations for the best actor...
Hrithik, Abhishek, Shabana Azmi, Akki in good humor have made fun of themselves...though it is a pity that Manoj Kumar could not take it and is pretty upset...
The song where he gets some 30 odd actors and actresses to come and dance with him was quite enjoyable too... especially the bits with Dharam Paji...
Farah Khan is the queen of ‘Kahani mein twist’... not as much as in her earlier movie ‘Main Hoon Na’ where every new reel had a new twist in the tale...
Here she refrained from too many twists and tried to keep a single story line ...but in the end I guess she just could not resist and the in the climax scene we have the ghost of Shanti instead of the look alike of 30 years later...That was not really required...
But still... a movie I would recommend to all who enjoy BOLLYWOOD MASALA...not for the celebral types though !!!
16 November 2007
Loneliness ???
The protagonist of Coetzee’s book Youth – John - often craves for company in London– he looks for excuses of some kind for human interactions – bumping into people and saying sorry & getting abused...Does it really happen like that?
One day a colleague of mine and I left office together and decided to take the same tube... he sees a book and IPOD in my hand and remarks... how can you read a book / newspaper in the tube…you should observe the people in the tube...its really interesting and he took off with anecdotes with full facial expressions and voice modulation (incidentally I once told him that he should be in the theatre and what the hell is he doing in IT ...)
So for part of my tube journey I have started looking around…and I have seen a girl bump into another reading a book and saying sorry and the other girl has not even bothered to look up and acknowledge the apology. Yikes!!!
One day a colleague of mine and I left office together and decided to take the same tube... he sees a book and IPOD in my hand and remarks... how can you read a book / newspaper in the tube…you should observe the people in the tube...its really interesting and he took off with anecdotes with full facial expressions and voice modulation (incidentally I once told him that he should be in the theatre and what the hell is he doing in IT ...)
So for part of my tube journey I have started looking around…and I have seen a girl bump into another reading a book and saying sorry and the other girl has not even bothered to look up and acknowledge the apology. Yikes!!!
09 November 2007
I read something really nice in a magazine...
"I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool."
"I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool."
~ Theodore I. Rubin, MD
There's Something About Simmy
Yesterday my cousin called suddenly...would I be interested in watching a play? With a name like There's Something About Simmy, I obviously was game...I definitely needed a good laugh and some relaxation from the hectic work at office...
After much excitement we finally reached the theatre - Rifco Arts...coz it seems the address that we had was incorrect...a friend's Tom Tom took her to a residential address. The address was correct but it was some labyrinthine route...
The play is primarily in English with some Punjabi. But no worries for those who do not understand Punjabi...they have English subtitles scrolling at the top of the stage. Surprising...eh? I would say damn intelligent...
Revolving around arranged marriages in the Asian community, the second generation Asian identity crisis and the ever-widening gulf between the young Asians raised in UK, and their parents, it was totally delightful...
Simmy is the imported Indian bride...but Raj, the groom, has run away before the honeymoon could begin! Until he returns, Simmy is locked in the house by her community obsessed mother-in-law…
Simmy is thoroughly convincing as the young Punjabi-speaking gal straight from Bathinda or Moga or some small town or village in Punjab... her accent and behaviour is so typical. She deserves a standing ovation for that accent. The other character that really liked is the steadfast mother-in-law, Gurbaksh.
The outrageous aunties as they focus their binoculars on the family from their windows for the gossip are also very good. One inquisitive one comes to their house and when left alone in the living room for a few minutes opens drawers and clicks snaps!!!
The other brother Harry is thoroughly westernized who has turned his back on his heritage. Simmi and his conversations in the beginning are side-splitting...he says something in English, she replies something else in Punjabi. He roams around with his shirt and her scandolous looks are good...and then fulltooosh Bollywood style they gradually fall in love.
The Bollywood dance numbers are amazing… and the way they did them was sooo good...suddenly bright saris drop down from the roof and in between those the couples start dancing.
To sum up the evening...no regrets!!!
After much excitement we finally reached the theatre - Rifco Arts...coz it seems the address that we had was incorrect...a friend's Tom Tom took her to a residential address. The address was correct but it was some labyrinthine route...
The play is primarily in English with some Punjabi. But no worries for those who do not understand Punjabi...they have English subtitles scrolling at the top of the stage. Surprising...eh? I would say damn intelligent...
Revolving around arranged marriages in the Asian community, the second generation Asian identity crisis and the ever-widening gulf between the young Asians raised in UK, and their parents, it was totally delightful...
Simmy is the imported Indian bride...but Raj, the groom, has run away before the honeymoon could begin! Until he returns, Simmy is locked in the house by her community obsessed mother-in-law…
Simmy is thoroughly convincing as the young Punjabi-speaking gal straight from Bathinda or Moga or some small town or village in Punjab... her accent and behaviour is so typical. She deserves a standing ovation for that accent. The other character that really liked is the steadfast mother-in-law, Gurbaksh.
The outrageous aunties as they focus their binoculars on the family from their windows for the gossip are also very good. One inquisitive one comes to their house and when left alone in the living room for a few minutes opens drawers and clicks snaps!!!
The other brother Harry is thoroughly westernized who has turned his back on his heritage. Simmi and his conversations in the beginning are side-splitting...he says something in English, she replies something else in Punjabi. He roams around with his shirt and her scandolous looks are good...and then fulltooosh Bollywood style they gradually fall in love.
The Bollywood dance numbers are amazing… and the way they did them was sooo good...suddenly bright saris drop down from the roof and in between those the couples start dancing.
To sum up the evening...no regrets!!!
08 November 2007
Grey, Wet London...
London - Stony, labyrinthine, cold...as dark as the inside of the needle...yet beautiful...
07 November 2007
Italian Takeaway in London
Credit to my dear friend Joan for this picture...clicked when she was here last month...
31 October 2007
Rome - August 2006
Rome...if I try to describe it in one word or one sentence...its difficult. It's one of those places that evokes such mixed feelings...while I loved some things about Rome, its not one of the places I would like to visit again ...it’s different that I did toss several coins into the water over my shoulder with my back to the Fontana di Trevi...
The first impressions of Rome were not great...especially since we were traveling from Austria. The Airport was dirty, the luggage took forever to come and there were no clear signs or instructions on what to do ...we were not sure if we needed immigration and there seemed no way to find out...finally we asked an officer standing near the exit. His answer...we trust you, you don’t need immigration and ha ha ha!!! Both massi and I were like ...we walk out and somebody is going to come and catch us...but it was getting late so we decided to risk it...guess we didn’t have any other choice also...
A train from the airport to Termini Station and half an hour later we were in Central Rome. Our travel agent had told us that our hotel is only 10 mins walk from Termini, so imagine our surprise when the taxis outside the station asked for 25 Euros (sounds like India!!!)
We decided to walk...but no one was willing to help with the directions :-(
The good thing was there were only 2 ways to go, so walking in the direction which looked (???) like the correct one we trudged along with our strolleys in tow and holding on tightly to our purses. Honestly, both of us were scared...coz no street lights...and it was dark and I kept getting this feeling that someone was following us...
2 Spanish gals (from US) caught up with us. They didn’t know the way either and moreover it seemed that they didn’t even have bookings!!! (At least that way we were better off) Well...the more the merrier...all 4 could get lost together!!!
But we were lucky...that was the right direction and finally we reached our hotel and crashed...
Since our flight was delayed and luggage took forever to come, we had lost the 1st half day in Rome...we were left with only one day now...so we decided to start early the next morning and take one of those red bus tours...
What to say about Rome ...It's unbelievably amazing with a great many awe-inspiring sights and spectacular ancient structures. It’s been referred to as world's most famous open-air museum. Everything is soooooo grand...It seems to have history strewn everywhere ...every building, every street tells its own story of ages past.
The bus tour started from the beatiful Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Our next stop was the Colosseum - the incontestable symbol of the city. Even the remains of this huge structure look so grand ... it had eighty entrances and could hold upwards of 50,000 spectators. Public events such as gladiator fights, mock naval battles and wild animal hunts were held here...as the English guide explained the way the mechanism worked which fed the people to the lions...I was like...ukkkkkk...how mmmmeeeeeeeeeannnnn...but that is what ancient Rome was like...as I was to realize again and again as we visited other sights...
From there we walked up to the Palatine Hill...Our guide here was excellent...his facial expressions, anecdotes and the way he narrated the history was all so interesting...It is the centermost of the Seven Hills of Rome. According to Roman mythology, this is where Romulus and Remus were found by the she-wolf that kept them alive. The air quality here was supposed to be much better and it also had the benefit of splendid views, so it became the place for the very powerful and wealthy, who chose to build their homes here. Among the ruins we see the remains of many palaces and baths...and community toilets... (For whatever did they need those - Imagine a circle of potties!!!)
From there to the Forum and the Pantheon...with a burger from MC Donalds eaten on the bus for Lunch...and that was all in Ancient Rome that we had time for...
We then got off the stop for Fontana di Trevi. As we walked in the small streets towards the fountain after a bit we did not need to ask for directions...keep your ears open and you can hear the water. As you enter the square from the streets, suddenly the space seems to open out and you find the most breathtaking sight. The Baroque architecture is impressive. The fountain is in front of a large palace. The central figures of the fountain are Neptune (God of the sea), flanked by two Tritons. One struggles to master a very unruly "sea horse", the other lead a far more docile animal. These symbolize the two contrasting moods of the sea.
Though we wanted to sit there for some more time, we knew we had to move on if we didn’t want to miss some other beautiful sites
Spanish Steps is another incredible square with a theatrical feel to it...there is a fountain called 'Barcaccia' (boat) with the Spanish steps leading up to the chiesa di Trinità dei Monti. Fashion shows are held here with the steps being used as a catwalk.
Last, but not the least was a visit to the Vatican City. Situated entirely within the city of Rome it is separated from the rest of the city by a wall. The Vatican City is famous for its magnificent St Peter’s Basilica the interior of which has been decorated by many famous artists including Michelangelo. Near St Peter’s stands the Vatican Palace, the Pope’s residence, guarded by the Pope's Swiss Guards. They have a traditional uniform, so unlike guards...more like some elf’s attire. The Vatican Museum contains major works of art and valuable pictures.
Unfortunately we didn’t have time or energy to visit the Sistine Chapel, so we just went back to have a yummy Italian dinner...
The first impressions of Rome were not great...especially since we were traveling from Austria. The Airport was dirty, the luggage took forever to come and there were no clear signs or instructions on what to do ...we were not sure if we needed immigration and there seemed no way to find out...finally we asked an officer standing near the exit. His answer...we trust you, you don’t need immigration and ha ha ha!!! Both massi and I were like ...we walk out and somebody is going to come and catch us...but it was getting late so we decided to risk it...guess we didn’t have any other choice also...
A train from the airport to Termini Station and half an hour later we were in Central Rome. Our travel agent had told us that our hotel is only 10 mins walk from Termini, so imagine our surprise when the taxis outside the station asked for 25 Euros (sounds like India!!!)
We decided to walk...but no one was willing to help with the directions :-(
The good thing was there were only 2 ways to go, so walking in the direction which looked (???) like the correct one we trudged along with our strolleys in tow and holding on tightly to our purses. Honestly, both of us were scared...coz no street lights...and it was dark and I kept getting this feeling that someone was following us...
2 Spanish gals (from US) caught up with us. They didn’t know the way either and moreover it seemed that they didn’t even have bookings!!! (At least that way we were better off) Well...the more the merrier...all 4 could get lost together!!!
But we were lucky...that was the right direction and finally we reached our hotel and crashed...
Since our flight was delayed and luggage took forever to come, we had lost the 1st half day in Rome...we were left with only one day now...so we decided to start early the next morning and take one of those red bus tours...
What to say about Rome ...It's unbelievably amazing with a great many awe-inspiring sights and spectacular ancient structures. It’s been referred to as world's most famous open-air museum. Everything is soooooo grand...It seems to have history strewn everywhere ...every building, every street tells its own story of ages past.
The bus tour started from the beatiful Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Our next stop was the Colosseum - the incontestable symbol of the city. Even the remains of this huge structure look so grand ... it had eighty entrances and could hold upwards of 50,000 spectators. Public events such as gladiator fights, mock naval battles and wild animal hunts were held here...as the English guide explained the way the mechanism worked which fed the people to the lions...I was like...ukkkkkk...how mmmmeeeeeeeeeannnnn...but that is what ancient Rome was like...as I was to realize again and again as we visited other sights...
From there we walked up to the Palatine Hill...Our guide here was excellent...his facial expressions, anecdotes and the way he narrated the history was all so interesting...It is the centermost of the Seven Hills of Rome. According to Roman mythology, this is where Romulus and Remus were found by the she-wolf that kept them alive. The air quality here was supposed to be much better and it also had the benefit of splendid views, so it became the place for the very powerful and wealthy, who chose to build their homes here. Among the ruins we see the remains of many palaces and baths...and community toilets... (For whatever did they need those - Imagine a circle of potties!!!)
From there to the Forum and the Pantheon...with a burger from MC Donalds eaten on the bus for Lunch...and that was all in Ancient Rome that we had time for...
We then got off the stop for Fontana di Trevi. As we walked in the small streets towards the fountain after a bit we did not need to ask for directions...keep your ears open and you can hear the water. As you enter the square from the streets, suddenly the space seems to open out and you find the most breathtaking sight. The Baroque architecture is impressive. The fountain is in front of a large palace. The central figures of the fountain are Neptune (God of the sea), flanked by two Tritons. One struggles to master a very unruly "sea horse", the other lead a far more docile animal. These symbolize the two contrasting moods of the sea.
Though we wanted to sit there for some more time, we knew we had to move on if we didn’t want to miss some other beautiful sites
Spanish Steps is another incredible square with a theatrical feel to it...there is a fountain called 'Barcaccia' (boat) with the Spanish steps leading up to the chiesa di Trinità dei Monti. Fashion shows are held here with the steps being used as a catwalk.
Last, but not the least was a visit to the Vatican City. Situated entirely within the city of Rome it is separated from the rest of the city by a wall. The Vatican City is famous for its magnificent St Peter’s Basilica the interior of which has been decorated by many famous artists including Michelangelo. Near St Peter’s stands the Vatican Palace, the Pope’s residence, guarded by the Pope's Swiss Guards. They have a traditional uniform, so unlike guards...more like some elf’s attire. The Vatican Museum contains major works of art and valuable pictures.
Unfortunately we didn’t have time or energy to visit the Sistine Chapel, so we just went back to have a yummy Italian dinner...
29 October 2007
J.M. Coetzee
Noble prize winner and the first to win the Booker prize twice (For -The Life and Times of Michael K and Disgrace)...that made me pick up one of his books (Youth) from the library to read...
Am sitting late in office...just waiting for a reply from a US 3rd party (I need the info for a morning meeting)...decided to surf the net and am amazed at what i find out about him...
He is known for his economy of words...He goes entire dinner parties without saying a word (WOOOOOOOOOH)!!!!!!!!
He taught a two year literature course in South Africa without speaking until one day a student asked him for a definition of postmodernism. After a long, tense pause, he calmly said, 'It's something to do with loss.'
A colleague who has worked with him for more than a decade claims to have seen him laugh just once.
He is known to be reclusive and eschews publicity to such an extent that he did not collect either of his two Booker Prizes in person.
He spends at least an hour at his writing-desk each morning, seven days a week.
Strongly influenced by his own personal background of being born and growing up in South Africa, many of Coetzee's personal experiences and beliefs can be seen in his books.
Coetzee has revisited authors of the past, rewriting Robinson Crusoe as Foe from the female castaway's point of view. (That should be interesting...now on my list of books to read)
Am sitting late in office...just waiting for a reply from a US 3rd party (I need the info for a morning meeting)...decided to surf the net and am amazed at what i find out about him...
He is known for his economy of words...He goes entire dinner parties without saying a word (WOOOOOOOOOH)!!!!!!!!
He taught a two year literature course in South Africa without speaking until one day a student asked him for a definition of postmodernism. After a long, tense pause, he calmly said, 'It's something to do with loss.'
A colleague who has worked with him for more than a decade claims to have seen him laugh just once.
He is known to be reclusive and eschews publicity to such an extent that he did not collect either of his two Booker Prizes in person.
He spends at least an hour at his writing-desk each morning, seven days a week.
Strongly influenced by his own personal background of being born and growing up in South Africa, many of Coetzee's personal experiences and beliefs can be seen in his books.
Coetzee has revisited authors of the past, rewriting Robinson Crusoe as Foe from the female castaway's point of view. (That should be interesting...now on my list of books to read)
25 October 2007
Tube Tricks...
Conversation over a Chinese dinner with friends yesterday drifted to the tribulations of traveling on The London Underground...
She's a Londoner...and seems to have lots of tricks up her sleeve...I actually think that she should write a hands on... (Which I think is a must have for all first time travelers / tourists to London...)...
But till she comes up with that...this is what she shared with me...
1. a. If a lady sits with her legs crossed in such a way that her foot is bit too high and touches you...you do just the same and make sure your foot touches her...see how she sits up straight...
1. b. Similarly if someone is reading their newspaper with their arms spread out so that they overlap over you...you do just the same...
2. When traveling on lines where the tubes have the seating arrangement in the form of cubicles, try to get into the 1st carriage and the first seat - that one has no seats opposite to it so there would never have been anyone sitting with their feet up (which is quite common) and you have a clean seat!!!
3. Getting into the first carriage is also a good idea for women traveling alone at night...its just safer as you are closer to the driver...
4. Know your stations well...get into a carriage that is close to the steps/ escalator of the destination. Being among the first out, you would be saved the jostling on the escalator...
5. Exception to point 4...if you find that the tube is overcrowded...check the route...e.g. if u take Metropolitan line...then better to get into the carriage in the middle as that is the carriage that maximum no of people are going to get off from at Baker street (see rule no 4) so chances of getting a seat are higher...
I have often had people pushing me to grab a seat when it gets vacated...and I lose the seat even though I am closer to it...need to get some ideas from her on that...so part 2 of this to follow after I catch up with her again...
She's a Londoner...and seems to have lots of tricks up her sleeve...I actually think that she should write a hands on... (Which I think is a must have for all first time travelers / tourists to London...)...
But till she comes up with that...this is what she shared with me...
1. a. If a lady sits with her legs crossed in such a way that her foot is bit too high and touches you...you do just the same and make sure your foot touches her...see how she sits up straight...
1. b. Similarly if someone is reading their newspaper with their arms spread out so that they overlap over you...you do just the same...
2. When traveling on lines where the tubes have the seating arrangement in the form of cubicles, try to get into the 1st carriage and the first seat - that one has no seats opposite to it so there would never have been anyone sitting with their feet up (which is quite common) and you have a clean seat!!!
3. Getting into the first carriage is also a good idea for women traveling alone at night...its just safer as you are closer to the driver...
4. Know your stations well...get into a carriage that is close to the steps/ escalator of the destination. Being among the first out, you would be saved the jostling on the escalator...
5. Exception to point 4...if you find that the tube is overcrowded...check the route...e.g. if u take Metropolitan line...then better to get into the carriage in the middle as that is the carriage that maximum no of people are going to get off from at Baker street (see rule no 4) so chances of getting a seat are higher...
I have often had people pushing me to grab a seat when it gets vacated...and I lose the seat even though I am closer to it...need to get some ideas from her on that...so part 2 of this to follow after I catch up with her again...
23 October 2007
Rakhi Sawant
Hers is not the kind of music I enjoy...so this is not about her as an artist... I can't comment on that as I have never seen even one complete video of hers...I have just seen clips on some news channel every time she has been wrapped up in some controversy.
This is about her as a person. A couple of days back I was watching snippets of Koffee with Karan episodes... where she appears as a guest...maaaannnnnn.....does this woman have guts!!! She came across as an honest person...says what she thinks unabashedly...no double standards...
Many other celebrities appearing on this show have ridiculed her... is it because they are envious of the fact that she is able to say what is on her mind... or are they threatened by the publicity she gets by some of her silly gimmick... But do they really have the right to judge her? Honestly they are mocking themselves by ridiculing her!!!
People have said such nasty things about her – ‘she’s a man who has had a sex change’... ufff... don’t they have anything better to do… but she has taken everything in her stride…
She has had a breast implants...but does not go about hiding it like most others...she admits to it...in fact her comment is one of those quotable quotes..."Jo bhagwan nahi deta, who doctor deta hai" (What is not bestowed by god, is provided by the doctor)...
She could do with a bit of toning down...and talking a little slowly and softly (can I afford to say that...my friend says I ate an amplifier when i was a kid and it has got stuck in my throat...)
Her inability to speak fluent English is not a big issue…if only she would speak her Hindi with a bit more class…
Rakhi on Koffee with Karan is a must see...hope there is a replay soon as I didn’t see the whole episode...
P.S (Are blogs allowed post scripts?) An article on the Rakhi-Mika kiss controversy...
This is about her as a person. A couple of days back I was watching snippets of Koffee with Karan episodes... where she appears as a guest...maaaannnnnn.....does this woman have guts!!! She came across as an honest person...says what she thinks unabashedly...no double standards...
Many other celebrities appearing on this show have ridiculed her... is it because they are envious of the fact that she is able to say what is on her mind... or are they threatened by the publicity she gets by some of her silly gimmick... But do they really have the right to judge her? Honestly they are mocking themselves by ridiculing her!!!
People have said such nasty things about her – ‘she’s a man who has had a sex change’... ufff... don’t they have anything better to do… but she has taken everything in her stride…
She has had a breast implants...but does not go about hiding it like most others...she admits to it...in fact her comment is one of those quotable quotes..."Jo bhagwan nahi deta, who doctor deta hai" (What is not bestowed by god, is provided by the doctor)...
She could do with a bit of toning down...and talking a little slowly and softly (can I afford to say that...my friend says I ate an amplifier when i was a kid and it has got stuck in my throat...)
Her inability to speak fluent English is not a big issue…if only she would speak her Hindi with a bit more class…
Rakhi on Koffee with Karan is a must see...hope there is a replay soon as I didn’t see the whole episode...
P.S (Are blogs allowed post scripts?) An article on the Rakhi-Mika kiss controversy...
22 October 2007
Bhool Bhulaiya...
Recently in a discussion with some friends I was told...Priyadarshan is a really good director...he makes excellent comedies. That and some good ratings on sites made me go watch this movie...I was a bit disappointed…as I expected it to be excellent and it was just a wee bit above average…
Firstly its not a comedy as the trailers suggest...its comedy + horror + thriller...and it seems as an after thought the director thought...let me sprinkle a bit of romance too...(between Akki and Amisha Patel, which really isn't required...)
PreInterval - good, light hearted comedy...the kind of movie that helps you shut off from the world completely and just have a good laugh...akki, paresh rawal, rajpal yadav are all great comedians and don’t let us down.....
There is some amount of suspense/horror too... and for a person like me who really gets involved in the movie...I stifled screams and nearly jumped a couple of times...
First time I have seen Horror and Comedy working soooo well together...
But Post Interval...The script writer seems to have got a bit confused...It is supposed to be a psychological thriller...but I found it to be too abstract...Have you ever been in a never ending maze? Its like that ... interesting initially ...but then one gets bored...and suddenly as you think you are near the end of the maze...you start enjoying it...only to be let down...and left thinking…when is this going to get over?
The comedy bits with Akki are good...and there is a shifting needle of suspicion...as to who is responsible for the eerie events in the mansion...a ghost or someone from the household... which manages to keep the interest in the film...but once the secret of the ghost is out its difficult to sit through the rest of the mambo jambo...and I would have walked out had it not been for Vidya Balan...She’s amazing...her role demanded great histrionics ...and she delivers with her incredible performance...
Firstly its not a comedy as the trailers suggest...its comedy + horror + thriller...and it seems as an after thought the director thought...let me sprinkle a bit of romance too...(between Akki and Amisha Patel, which really isn't required...)
PreInterval - good, light hearted comedy...the kind of movie that helps you shut off from the world completely and just have a good laugh...akki, paresh rawal, rajpal yadav are all great comedians and don’t let us down.....
There is some amount of suspense/horror too... and for a person like me who really gets involved in the movie...I stifled screams and nearly jumped a couple of times...
First time I have seen Horror and Comedy working soooo well together...
But Post Interval...The script writer seems to have got a bit confused...It is supposed to be a psychological thriller...but I found it to be too abstract...Have you ever been in a never ending maze? Its like that ... interesting initially ...but then one gets bored...and suddenly as you think you are near the end of the maze...you start enjoying it...only to be let down...and left thinking…when is this going to get over?
The comedy bits with Akki are good...and there is a shifting needle of suspicion...as to who is responsible for the eerie events in the mansion...a ghost or someone from the household... which manages to keep the interest in the film...but once the secret of the ghost is out its difficult to sit through the rest of the mambo jambo...and I would have walked out had it not been for Vidya Balan...She’s amazing...her role demanded great histrionics ...and she delivers with her incredible performance...
19 October 2007
The Pilgrimage - Paulo Coelho
The Pilgrimage...magical is the word for this book...
It is the tale of Paulo Coelho's own personal pilgrimage along the road to Santiago ...he recounts his trials during the journey across Spain in search of a miraculous sword... However, slowly we realise that the true purpose of this trip is the spiritual wisdom that he gains as a spin-off of the search...
As he travels he recognises life's great truths...truths which we have actually known all along and dealt with in our day to day life...but refused or failed to acknowledge...
He talks of magic, mysticism, secrets, and mysterious ways...which I don't necessarily believe in...but there will be a learning from each of his experiences...something to apply in our daily lives...One does not have to say the prayer and hope that god will actually have pity...but there is so much that one can apply to one's practical life from that.
The scene where he is wounded but expected to erect the cross...he thinks its impossible...he wants to refuse...one hopes for a miracle to solve the problem...but applying his learnings he is able to do it...my take here is that...for all problems, one should look at the un-obvious ways to solve them too...
It’s a thought provoking book...about achieving the ultimate goal - the way to know oneself and the purpose of one's life.
Traveler that I am...I obviously enjoyed the travel perspective of the book and hope to do the trek myself someday!!!
It is the tale of Paulo Coelho's own personal pilgrimage along the road to Santiago ...he recounts his trials during the journey across Spain in search of a miraculous sword... However, slowly we realise that the true purpose of this trip is the spiritual wisdom that he gains as a spin-off of the search...
As he travels he recognises life's great truths...truths which we have actually known all along and dealt with in our day to day life...but refused or failed to acknowledge...
He talks of magic, mysticism, secrets, and mysterious ways...which I don't necessarily believe in...but there will be a learning from each of his experiences...something to apply in our daily lives...One does not have to say the prayer and hope that god will actually have pity...but there is so much that one can apply to one's practical life from that.
The scene where he is wounded but expected to erect the cross...he thinks its impossible...he wants to refuse...one hopes for a miracle to solve the problem...but applying his learnings he is able to do it...my take here is that...for all problems, one should look at the un-obvious ways to solve them too...
It’s a thought provoking book...about achieving the ultimate goal - the way to know oneself and the purpose of one's life.
Traveler that I am...I obviously enjoyed the travel perspective of the book and hope to do the trek myself someday!!!
18 October 2007
Knowledge Overflow...
There was so much handwriting on the wall that even the wall fell down
-Christopher Morley
Read, read and continue to read…
That’s what knowledge transfer seems to be about in my current project…I guess I underestimated my capability to read documents…
It’s only my 3rd week into the KT…and I have gone through some 15 presentations (these are the interesting ones on Brokerage, Insurance, reinsurance)…followed by business requirements (* 3 for 3 related projects), then the conceptual designs (again * 3) …knowledge transfer documents (prepared my 2 of colleagues when they took KT for these applications…)…message standards, interface specs with another system…and what not….
They seem to be registering…but for how long… If I have to keep reading more documents soon it’ll all be Latin!!!
That’s what knowledge transfer seems to be about in my current project…I guess I underestimated my capability to read documents…
It’s only my 3rd week into the KT…and I have gone through some 15 presentations (these are the interesting ones on Brokerage, Insurance, reinsurance)…followed by business requirements (* 3 for 3 related projects), then the conceptual designs (again * 3) …knowledge transfer documents (prepared my 2 of colleagues when they took KT for these applications…)…message standards, interface specs with another system…and what not….
They seem to be registering…but for how long… If I have to keep reading more documents soon it’ll all be Latin!!!
Personal Vices
I am reading “The Pilgrimage” by Paulo Coelho…it’s a must read book…but more on that when I finish the book…this morning the chapter I read is really beautiful…(It touched me so much that I am actually typing out parts of it…)
The chapter titled “Personal Vices” is in the form of a prayer…some paras follow…
“Have pity on those who pity themselves and who see themselves as good people treated unfairly by life - who feel that they do not deserve what has befallen them. Such people will never be able to fight the good fight. And pity those who are cruel to themselves and who see only the evil in their own actions, feeling that they are to blame for the injustice in the world. Because neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says ‘But the very hairs of your head are numbered’
“Have pity on those who command and those who serve during long hours of work, and who sacrifice themselves in exchange merely for a Sunday off, only to find that there is nowhere to go, and everything is closed. But also have pity on those who sanctify their efforts, and who are able to go beyond the bounds of their own madness, winding up indebted, or nailed to the cross by their very brothers. Because neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, ‘Be ye therefore as wise as the serpents and as harmless as the doves.’
“Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush, or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could, and who feel themselves to be unworthy to enter the marvellous mansion of art. But even have more pity on those who, having taken up the pen, or the paintbrush, or the instrument, or the tool, have turned inspiration into a paltry thing, and yet feel themselves to be better than others. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, ‘For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.’
“Have pity on those who bind themselves with the silken ties of love, and think themselves as masters of others, and who feel envy, and poison themselves, and who torture themselves because they cannot see that love and all things change like the wind. But pity even more those who die of their fear of loving and who reject love in the name of a greater love that they know not. Neither of these kinds of people know thy that says, ‘Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.’
The chapter titled “Personal Vices” is in the form of a prayer…some paras follow…
“Have pity on those who pity themselves and who see themselves as good people treated unfairly by life - who feel that they do not deserve what has befallen them. Such people will never be able to fight the good fight. And pity those who are cruel to themselves and who see only the evil in their own actions, feeling that they are to blame for the injustice in the world. Because neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says ‘But the very hairs of your head are numbered’
“Have pity on those who command and those who serve during long hours of work, and who sacrifice themselves in exchange merely for a Sunday off, only to find that there is nowhere to go, and everything is closed. But also have pity on those who sanctify their efforts, and who are able to go beyond the bounds of their own madness, winding up indebted, or nailed to the cross by their very brothers. Because neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, ‘Be ye therefore as wise as the serpents and as harmless as the doves.’
“Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush, or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could, and who feel themselves to be unworthy to enter the marvellous mansion of art. But even have more pity on those who, having taken up the pen, or the paintbrush, or the instrument, or the tool, have turned inspiration into a paltry thing, and yet feel themselves to be better than others. Neither of these kinds of people know thy law that says, ‘For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.’
“Have pity on those who bind themselves with the silken ties of love, and think themselves as masters of others, and who feel envy, and poison themselves, and who torture themselves because they cannot see that love and all things change like the wind. But pity even more those who die of their fear of loving and who reject love in the name of a greater love that they know not. Neither of these kinds of people know thy that says, ‘Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.’
15 October 2007
Fiddler on the Roof
Go to any site to check out tickets for Fiddler on the Roof and they say...it's unanimous - London loves Fiddler on the Roof at the Savoy Theatre!
And why wouldn't they...its brilliant...witty, humorous and at the same time tugging at your heart strings...as it inevitably reminds us of the unsettling and troubling times that were to follow...
Based in a small Jewish village in Southern Russia...it is the story of Tevye, a poor milkman who has 5 daughters whom he would like to see married off in propahhhhh Jewish tradition... the opening song Tradition is full of spirit and has you tapping and nodding...
But revolution is in the air and his daughters want to break away from the tradition of the match maker finding them a match and opting to marry for love rather than on the whims of their parents...
But before that we have the beautiful rendition of the song...Match maker, match maker, make me match ... at the end of which they realise that they don’t really want the matchmaker to find them a match!!!
Henry Goodman is excellent...even sitting in the last row...one can see the smile and twinkle in his eye when he cheekily "chats" with god...its as if God is his friendly neighbour...he personifies innocence, vulnerability, good heartedness, dreaminess...His rendition of If I Were a Rich Man is remarkable...
2 of his dialogues left a lasting impression on me...they suggest the pain and suffering of Jewish people through the ages, as well as their wonderfully resilient humour.
One when he questions God “I know we are the Chosen People, but once in a while, can't you choose someone else?"
And when they are asked to vacate the village by the tsar, he says ...It reminds me of all the times that our forefathers had to leave their homes...no wonder we never take of our hats...
The hilarious Dream Scene...He can’t just tell his wife that daughter no 1 wants to marry the poor tailor rather than the rich butcher...is full PAISA WASOOL!!!
Daughter no 3 elopes and marries outside the Jewish community...the scene showing his dilemma at that point of time is touching and emotive...
In the wedding sequence a special applause should go to the bottle dancers...i wonder if the bottles were empty though???
"Do You Love Me?" ... Tevye asks his wife after 25 years of marriage...she is totally flabbergasted...really cute song...
And finally, as the tight-knit family is scattered across the world it's sad, poignant yet hopeful...
And why wouldn't they...its brilliant...witty, humorous and at the same time tugging at your heart strings...as it inevitably reminds us of the unsettling and troubling times that were to follow...
Based in a small Jewish village in Southern Russia...it is the story of Tevye, a poor milkman who has 5 daughters whom he would like to see married off in propahhhhh Jewish tradition... the opening song Tradition is full of spirit and has you tapping and nodding...
But revolution is in the air and his daughters want to break away from the tradition of the match maker finding them a match and opting to marry for love rather than on the whims of their parents...
But before that we have the beautiful rendition of the song...Match maker, match maker, make me match ... at the end of which they realise that they don’t really want the matchmaker to find them a match!!!
Henry Goodman is excellent...even sitting in the last row...one can see the smile and twinkle in his eye when he cheekily "chats" with god...its as if God is his friendly neighbour...he personifies innocence, vulnerability, good heartedness, dreaminess...His rendition of If I Were a Rich Man is remarkable...
2 of his dialogues left a lasting impression on me...they suggest the pain and suffering of Jewish people through the ages, as well as their wonderfully resilient humour.
One when he questions God “I know we are the Chosen People, but once in a while, can't you choose someone else?"
And when they are asked to vacate the village by the tsar, he says ...It reminds me of all the times that our forefathers had to leave their homes...no wonder we never take of our hats...
The hilarious Dream Scene...He can’t just tell his wife that daughter no 1 wants to marry the poor tailor rather than the rich butcher...is full PAISA WASOOL!!!
Daughter no 3 elopes and marries outside the Jewish community...the scene showing his dilemma at that point of time is touching and emotive...
In the wedding sequence a special applause should go to the bottle dancers...i wonder if the bottles were empty though???
"Do You Love Me?" ... Tevye asks his wife after 25 years of marriage...she is totally flabbergasted...really cute song...
And finally, as the tight-knit family is scattered across the world it's sad, poignant yet hopeful...
03 October 2007
Varenya and Mobiles...
All of six months and capable of doing magic...that is Varenya for you...
About 2 months back, I was desperately trying to call her mom...no response...finally after several days I get a call from mom...it seems Varenya did magic on her mobile...it stopped working...
At 6 months she has such a fixation for mobiles...if u call her mom...she wants to have the phone next to her ear...the moment mom removes the handset to talk...wailing starts from the back...which stops the moment she finds the mobile next to her ear....
We have often read about mobile obsessions, ringtone obsessions, text obsessions...have any of these studies considered infants fixation for mobiles?
24 September 2007
Best Friends....
"Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend,
as you will always find me yours."
I still remember my first day in MH hostel...Room no C9...Room mate ...Namrita Sharma...In 2-3 days only I realised (I think both of us realised) that we were poles apart...
I was Miss Organized...too spic and span...got up early...never missing even the 1st lecture of the day ...she was just the opposite...The hostlers went for classes in Tees & Salwars with rubber chappals...In contrast I was overdressed...jeans, tees and shoes n socks...
Sometimes she would be sitting in the room with some friends and I would enter...silence...I would always get this feeling that they were laughing at me...
She once was about to enter the room and heard me cribbing about her to one of my friends...she was hurt...but never showed it...
She would make it a point to get up early to go with me for breakfast...wait for me to attend my last lecture so that we could have lunch together...
Now when I think back...I can’t remember when and how the differences just melted away...when we became inseparable friends…it’s going to be 13 years now…and she remains my best friend till date…
as you will always find me yours."
I still remember my first day in MH hostel...Room no C9...Room mate ...Namrita Sharma...In 2-3 days only I realised (I think both of us realised) that we were poles apart...
I was Miss Organized...too spic and span...got up early...never missing even the 1st lecture of the day ...she was just the opposite...The hostlers went for classes in Tees & Salwars with rubber chappals...In contrast I was overdressed...jeans, tees and shoes n socks...
Sometimes she would be sitting in the room with some friends and I would enter...silence...I would always get this feeling that they were laughing at me...
She once was about to enter the room and heard me cribbing about her to one of my friends...she was hurt...but never showed it...
She would make it a point to get up early to go with me for breakfast...wait for me to attend my last lecture so that we could have lunch together...
Now when I think back...I can’t remember when and how the differences just melted away...when we became inseparable friends…it’s going to be 13 years now…and she remains my best friend till date…
19 September 2007
"Food for Thought"
by Anonymous
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings,
but shorter tempers;
wider freeways,
but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more,
but have less;
we buy more,
but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses
and smaller families;
more conveniences,
but less time;
we have more knowledge,
but less sense.
There are more experts,
but more problems;
more medicine,
but less wellness.
We talk too much,
love too seldom,
and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living,
but not a life;
we've added years to life,
not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men, and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure, but less fun;
more abundance of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of fancier houses, but broken homes.
It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom;
a time when technology can bring this letter to you,
and a time when you can choose either to make a difference...
or just hit delete.
13 September 2007
Fridge Magnets...
I love Fridge magnets...This is one Souvenir I must get back from my travels...apart from all the lovely memories and new friendships…
Should I really keep them on the fridge because this is what their name says? What when the fridge becomes too small? Should I buy a new, bigger fridge?
Should I really keep them on the fridge because this is what their name says? What when the fridge becomes too small? Should I buy a new, bigger fridge?
12 September 2007
Stray Birds
Another upside of the fractured foot is the amount of reading I have been doing these last few days...
Read Rabindranath Tagore's Stray Birds...simple and short verses but with so much depth...(well that is Tagore!!)
It contains thoughts on Nature, Man, and the Environment ...
Imagine yourself sitting by a window where the stray birds of summer sing and fly away...the thoughts are like these stray birds ...however they fly away to come back to you again and again...
Some of the verses that I enjoyed ...I actually enjoyed all...but I think I should leave you to read the them yourself..
6
If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars.
42
You smiled and talked to me of nothing and I felt that for this I had been waiting long
71
The woodcutter's axe begged for its handle from the tree.
The tree gave it.
113
The hills are like shouts of children who raise their arms,
trying to catch stars.
124
"In the moon thou sendest thy love letters to me," said the night to the sun.
"I leave my answers in tears upon the grass."
135
This rainy evening the wind is restless.
I look at the swaying branches and ponder over the greatness of all things.
Read Rabindranath Tagore's Stray Birds...simple and short verses but with so much depth...(well that is Tagore!!)
It contains thoughts on Nature, Man, and the Environment ...
Imagine yourself sitting by a window where the stray birds of summer sing and fly away...the thoughts are like these stray birds ...however they fly away to come back to you again and again...
Some of the verses that I enjoyed ...I actually enjoyed all...but I think I should leave you to read the them yourself..
6
If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars.
42
You smiled and talked to me of nothing and I felt that for this I had been waiting long
71
The woodcutter's axe begged for its handle from the tree.
The tree gave it.
113
The hills are like shouts of children who raise their arms,
trying to catch stars.
124
"In the moon thou sendest thy love letters to me," said the night to the sun.
"I leave my answers in tears upon the grass."
135
This rainy evening the wind is restless.
I look at the swaying branches and ponder over the greatness of all things.
11 September 2007
My past life analysis!!!
This is what someone had to say about my past life...
"I don't know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere in the territory of modern East Australia around the year 1825. Your profession was that of a philosopher and thinker."
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
It always seemed to you that your perceptions of the world are somewhat different. Your lesson is to trust your intuition as your best guide in your present life."
Hmmmm...interesting...very interesting...
Timid, constrained, quiet person...looks like I am making up for it in this life...
Sometimes your environment considered you strange ... Doesn't everyone think that the other person is strange (when opinions differ), the situation is strange (when it doesnot go their way)...
"I don't know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere in the territory of modern East Australia around the year 1825. Your profession was that of a philosopher and thinker."
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
It always seemed to you that your perceptions of the world are somewhat different. Your lesson is to trust your intuition as your best guide in your present life."
Hmmmm...interesting...very interesting...
Timid, constrained, quiet person...looks like I am making up for it in this life...
Sometimes your environment considered you strange ... Doesn't everyone think that the other person is strange (when opinions differ), the situation is strange (when it doesnot go their way)...
07 September 2007
Doing our bit
Was going through some school snaps and 2 snaps bought back really fun memories…when school girls did their bit for the environment and society…
Dehra Dun and the hill station of Mussoorie were once abundant in lush green forests and gushing springs. However with so-called economic growth, lime stone mining and felling of trees became common. Limestone quarrying was a lucrative business and as usual in their greed they overdid it …destroying the natural limestone aquifers, causing soil erosion and environmental degradation
There was a court case by the people against the lime stone contractors, which led to closure of many of the mines but the damage had been done…
Every year Welhamites would go for tree plantation …I cant remember the figures of how many trees we planted… but I do remember it was loads…we would start off from school early in the morning with packed lunches and be back quite late…And in a place like Dehra Dun where it rains for 10 months in a year…we invariably got caught in showers…however that did not dampen our spirits …moreover if we reached a certain limit we would get 5 star chocolates (u can see Superna and Radhika waving their chocolates in the snap)…
In 1989 there were severe floods in India…causing loss of life and property…I remember the appeal by our principle Mrs Shanthi Varma. We needed to do something to help them …a decision that we would forego the curd from our lunch and pudding from dinner :-( for a week. The amount saved would be sent for relief operations…
But this did not seem enough…so we planned a sponsored walk… all the girls would get sponsorship @ 100 Rs/km and walk 12 kms from school through the city centre till Rajpur Road…
Since it was a hostel and we came from different parts of the world…it was not so simple…wherein we could just get our parents to sponsor us… we had to get in touch with the industrialists in Dehra Dun…I got my sponsorship from Toyota Cars…
Dehra Dun and the hill station of Mussoorie were once abundant in lush green forests and gushing springs. However with so-called economic growth, lime stone mining and felling of trees became common. Limestone quarrying was a lucrative business and as usual in their greed they overdid it …destroying the natural limestone aquifers, causing soil erosion and environmental degradation
There was a court case by the people against the lime stone contractors, which led to closure of many of the mines but the damage had been done…
Every year Welhamites would go for tree plantation …I cant remember the figures of how many trees we planted… but I do remember it was loads…we would start off from school early in the morning with packed lunches and be back quite late…And in a place like Dehra Dun where it rains for 10 months in a year…we invariably got caught in showers…however that did not dampen our spirits …moreover if we reached a certain limit we would get 5 star chocolates (u can see Superna and Radhika waving their chocolates in the snap)…
In 1989 there were severe floods in India…causing loss of life and property…I remember the appeal by our principle Mrs Shanthi Varma. We needed to do something to help them …a decision that we would forego the curd from our lunch and pudding from dinner :-( for a week. The amount saved would be sent for relief operations…
But this did not seem enough…so we planned a sponsored walk… all the girls would get sponsorship @ 100 Rs/km and walk 12 kms from school through the city centre till Rajpur Road…
Since it was a hostel and we came from different parts of the world…it was not so simple…wherein we could just get our parents to sponsor us… we had to get in touch with the industrialists in Dehra Dun…I got my sponsorship from Toyota Cars…
05 September 2007
Unusual fishing
Have you ever seen anyone catch or yourself caught fish with bare hands…no nets, no fancy rods….
In Kerala, that is how little boys make some quick money from tourists… We were in a house boat in the backwaters of Kerala and this little boy (not more than 12 years) is waving, screaming to get my attention…when I finally look at him he says…madam…for 5 Rs I will catch fish and show you…He does not even wait for me to agree and jumps into the water…and in a minute he is right next to our boat with a fish in his hand…and the cutest smile that I ever saw…
In Kerala, that is how little boys make some quick money from tourists… We were in a house boat in the backwaters of Kerala and this little boy (not more than 12 years) is waving, screaming to get my attention…when I finally look at him he says…madam…for 5 Rs I will catch fish and show you…He does not even wait for me to agree and jumps into the water…and in a minute he is right next to our boat with a fish in his hand…and the cutest smile that I ever saw…
A White Christmas in Aberdeen – Dec 2004
It’s not that I’d never seen snow before….I studied in Dehra Dun (Doon Valley) and many times when it snowed in Mussorie, the kiddies (Class 1 – 3) would be taken up to Mussorie to see the snowfall…but it was always after the snow had fallen…and not during the snowfall…
Imagine my excitement …one typical morning ( a few days before Christmas) I open the door of my building ….everything is totally white…It was snowing….I could not control the skip in my walk…and as I crossed the road there was this car at the traffic signal covered in snow… I just could not resist….its as if there was music in the air coz skipping along I whiffed off the snow from the car with my hand…The driver looked at me …initially with a lil irritation but I guess happiness showed on my face and he could not help but gimme a smile…
At work too… my colleagues seemed to sense my excitement… someone comes up and says…Manpreet…have you ever made a snowman…its fun…u should try making one in the office garden during lunch time… I look at him… it did sound fun… but I knew everyone would think I was crazy…sensing my apprehension he offers to give me company… but with a lot of difficulty I let sense prevail and tell him its not such a good idea…not a done thing in office… but I made up for that as I went to Duthie Park during the weekend and made a snowman ….
As I was leaving for lunch, another colleague comes up…he’s worried…he wants to tell me to be careful while walking on the snow but at the same time does not want to sound rude and make me feel ignorant and foolish…he’s like…see my shoes…one needs a good grip while walking …especially since after some time the snow becomes very slippery…one should walk slowly and put one’s foot firmly on the ground…(I think all he really wanted to say was …stop hopping and skipping along on the road)
Perfect end to a beautiful day... as I walked out of office that evening …Phut…I got hit by a snow ball …from nowhere…and I was reminded of a Calvin & Hobbes strip …reproduced below
All Calvin and Hobbes images are copyright Bill Watterson
Imagine my excitement …one typical morning ( a few days before Christmas) I open the door of my building ….everything is totally white…It was snowing….I could not control the skip in my walk…and as I crossed the road there was this car at the traffic signal covered in snow… I just could not resist….its as if there was music in the air coz skipping along I whiffed off the snow from the car with my hand…The driver looked at me …initially with a lil irritation but I guess happiness showed on my face and he could not help but gimme a smile…
At work too… my colleagues seemed to sense my excitement… someone comes up and says…Manpreet…have you ever made a snowman…its fun…u should try making one in the office garden during lunch time… I look at him… it did sound fun… but I knew everyone would think I was crazy…sensing my apprehension he offers to give me company… but with a lot of difficulty I let sense prevail and tell him its not such a good idea…not a done thing in office… but I made up for that as I went to Duthie Park during the weekend and made a snowman ….
As I was leaving for lunch, another colleague comes up…he’s worried…he wants to tell me to be careful while walking on the snow but at the same time does not want to sound rude and make me feel ignorant and foolish…he’s like…see my shoes…one needs a good grip while walking …especially since after some time the snow becomes very slippery…one should walk slowly and put one’s foot firmly on the ground…(I think all he really wanted to say was …stop hopping and skipping along on the road)
Perfect end to a beautiful day... as I walked out of office that evening …Phut…I got hit by a snow ball …from nowhere…and I was reminded of a Calvin & Hobbes strip …reproduced below
All Calvin and Hobbes images are copyright Bill Watterson
24 August 2007
Jones Fracture
Jones fracture is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal of the foot. The fifth metatarsal is at the base of the small toe, and the proximal end, where the Jones fracture occurs, is in the midportion of the foot.
Wondering…what happened to this woman…what makes her write about a fracture…after all I haven’t shown any inclination to medicine in any of pervious writings…
:-( I have been struck…I had a small accident…just twisted my foot and fell…
Doc looks at the X-ray…says Jones fracture, puts me in cast and smiles…I considered giving him a box (for thinking itz funny)…but refrained…I didn’t want a broken hand too…
I think he got a hint of my intentions…for with the same sweet smile he says..
Grounded for 1 week…no walking…
Next 3 weeks take it easy….
And if you don’t listen I shall keep you in hospital…
Me….sit still for 1 week…he must be crazy…I can’t sit still for an hour…
Today is my 6th day in the cast…and I am irritated and bugged and fed up and …and … at a loss of words to explain my frustration
The only upside of this whole situation is the color of the cast…a very pretty blue…
Wondering…what happened to this woman…what makes her write about a fracture…after all I haven’t shown any inclination to medicine in any of pervious writings…
:-( I have been struck…I had a small accident…just twisted my foot and fell…
Doc looks at the X-ray…says Jones fracture, puts me in cast and smiles…I considered giving him a box (for thinking itz funny)…but refrained…I didn’t want a broken hand too…
I think he got a hint of my intentions…for with the same sweet smile he says..
Grounded for 1 week…no walking…
Next 3 weeks take it easy….
And if you don’t listen I shall keep you in hospital…
Me….sit still for 1 week…he must be crazy…I can’t sit still for an hour…
Today is my 6th day in the cast…and I am irritated and bugged and fed up and …and … at a loss of words to explain my frustration
The only upside of this whole situation is the color of the cast…a very pretty blue…
Chak de, Hockey and Welhams…
Last week I watched Chak de…brilliant movie…one which makes you laugh during the movie and keep you smiling long after…
SRK was good…really good…but the girls were better….
The characters were really sketched well…the girls came from diverse backgrounds …and believe me they did an exceptionally good job…. The Haryanvi (Komal Chautala) and the Punju (Balbir Kaur) were excellent… their language, actions, behaviour…
I had a friend in college…he used to say… generally Indian women are good looking but the women from Chandigarh are the best… they are really smart and good looking…seems like whoever sketched the team for this movie also believed that…
And then the scene where the Telugu goes to register for the training camp and the guy doing the registration says "Tamil aur Telugu mein kitna faraq hai?" …so matter of factly…The girl doesn’t take affront; but replies nonchantly "Utna hi, jitna Punjabi aur Bihari mein hai."…excellent one!!!
This movie reminded me of my hockey days in Welhams…
I can still hear the cheerleaders singing…
Rub a dub a dub…the Woodies in the tub…
We’ll rub them and we’ll scrub them and hang them on the line…
Oh we can beat the Woodies any old time!
(Woodies refers to Woodpeckers, one of the houses in Welhams...I was in Hoopoes..There was immense competition in Hockey between Woodies and Hoopoes)
Another one which i remember..
A has the brains
B has the looks
C has the sexy legs
To make Hoopoes win the game !!!
(In reality...A would be the one who comes 1st from the bottom in class
B would be the not so gud looking one
C would be the one with the thundering thighs...
but we all didnt mind...it was taken in true sportwomenship..)
SRK was good…really good…but the girls were better….
The characters were really sketched well…the girls came from diverse backgrounds …and believe me they did an exceptionally good job…. The Haryanvi (Komal Chautala) and the Punju (Balbir Kaur) were excellent… their language, actions, behaviour…
I had a friend in college…he used to say… generally Indian women are good looking but the women from Chandigarh are the best… they are really smart and good looking…seems like whoever sketched the team for this movie also believed that…
And then the scene where the Telugu goes to register for the training camp and the guy doing the registration says "Tamil aur Telugu mein kitna faraq hai?" …so matter of factly…The girl doesn’t take affront; but replies nonchantly "Utna hi, jitna Punjabi aur Bihari mein hai."…excellent one!!!
This movie reminded me of my hockey days in Welhams…
I can still hear the cheerleaders singing…
Rub a dub a dub…the Woodies in the tub…
We’ll rub them and we’ll scrub them and hang them on the line…
Oh we can beat the Woodies any old time!
(Woodies refers to Woodpeckers, one of the houses in Welhams...I was in Hoopoes..There was immense competition in Hockey between Woodies and Hoopoes)
Another one which i remember..
A has the brains
B has the looks
C has the sexy legs
To make Hoopoes win the game !!!
(In reality...A would be the one who comes 1st from the bottom in class
B would be the not so gud looking one
C would be the one with the thundering thighs...
but we all didnt mind...it was taken in true sportwomenship..)
19 August 2007
Salzburg – Austria – August 2006
We reached Salzburg after a bit of an adventure…from the Vienna airport we took a bus to the railway station…but got off at East Banhoff instead of West Banhoff (or was it the other way around???) … anyways a tram to the correct stop and train to Salzburg…Mozart, Sound of Music and of course the cafes…apple strudel and the world famous Sachertorte…the bittersweet chocolate cake from Cafe Sacher …
As soon as we walked out of the station there was a café…we had to stop there…I think that’s the only place I relished milk so much… The gal at the counter was so sweet…she was really excited to see us…the first thing she asks…INDIA?? And when we say yes…she gushes…I love Bollywood..Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerjee…She tells us that she watches all his movies..they are dubbed in German …except the songs…WOW…
I really wanted to watch the dubbed version…however to go all the way to Austria and watch a Bollywood movie…my aunt would have beaten me up…
Neetu, our travel agent, had booked us in a small but very nice, quaint family run hotel. Hotel Lasserhof, inspite of a very convenient location in the city centre has a very quiet and tranquil environment. After a quick freshen up we decided to visit some of the surrounding alpine towns close to Salzburg…
Zell am See, located on the Lake Zeller See, is a picturesque little town…we took a leisurely stroll along the lakeside promenade … then sitting silently by the lake staring at the snow covered peaks in the background…My aunt just didn’t want to move from there…
But we were hungry….and the pavement cafes in the town centre were very inviting…
After getting something to eat we took a bus to Kaprun…the ride from Zell am See to Kaprun is beautiful… Kaprun is another charming alpine town …walking through the streets just enjoying the scenery …the wooden houses with bright flowers in pots hanging over the balconies…town was more like a garden in mid air…
The next day we planned to do the ‘Sound of Music tour’ … we had a pick up at 9:00 AM from the hotel…Peter, our guide was reallllllyy good…. At the end of the tour I couldn’t stop myself from telling him that he would make a better Maria than Julie Andrews… He spoke non stop from the beginning till the end…and not rubbish…he was very very entertaining….
The wonderful tour takes one through Salzburg and then the picturesque lake district… what breathtaking views of the landscape …and constant commentary by Peter as to which scene of the film was shot where… he would also pointed out the historical and architectural landmarks in the city … all this interspersed with his jokes….
The sites that we visited were the Leopoldskron Castle, the Trapp family home … the Leopoldskron Lake in the front of the castle is where the children fell whilst boating… The Hellbrunn Castle where the glass pavillion or gazebo was reconstructed in the gardens. Nonnberg Abbey is the oldest convent in the German speaking part of Europe. Maria was a novice there. The baron and Maria were married here in 1927. Some of the scenes for the movie were also shot here…
We had a shopping / souvenir buying stop at St.Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang …but I was too busy just appreciating this beautiful village that I had very little time for the shopping….
Tea break at Mondsee…the strudel is something to die for…so said Peter..and he was right… the best in the world…
Finally back to Salzburg to visit the Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the children were seen dancing around the statue of Pegasus, the winged horse, and throughout the gardens singing 'Do-Re-Mi'. Beautiful flowers, statues, fountain, palace combined with nice weather helped us relax…
From there we took a walk across the Salzach River to the so called old part of Salzburg… with its carefully preserved majestic Baroque architecture…
And to end the day…a Mozart concert at the Mirabell Gardens…good stuff…specially Pa-pa-pa-pa-Papagena….
As soon as we walked out of the station there was a café…we had to stop there…I think that’s the only place I relished milk so much… The gal at the counter was so sweet…she was really excited to see us…the first thing she asks…INDIA?? And when we say yes…she gushes…I love Bollywood..Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerjee…She tells us that she watches all his movies..they are dubbed in German …except the songs…WOW…
I really wanted to watch the dubbed version…however to go all the way to Austria and watch a Bollywood movie…my aunt would have beaten me up…
Neetu, our travel agent, had booked us in a small but very nice, quaint family run hotel. Hotel Lasserhof, inspite of a very convenient location in the city centre has a very quiet and tranquil environment. After a quick freshen up we decided to visit some of the surrounding alpine towns close to Salzburg…
Zell am See, located on the Lake Zeller See, is a picturesque little town…we took a leisurely stroll along the lakeside promenade … then sitting silently by the lake staring at the snow covered peaks in the background…My aunt just didn’t want to move from there…
But we were hungry….and the pavement cafes in the town centre were very inviting…
After getting something to eat we took a bus to Kaprun…the ride from Zell am See to Kaprun is beautiful… Kaprun is another charming alpine town …walking through the streets just enjoying the scenery …the wooden houses with bright flowers in pots hanging over the balconies…town was more like a garden in mid air…
The next day we planned to do the ‘Sound of Music tour’ … we had a pick up at 9:00 AM from the hotel…Peter, our guide was reallllllyy good…. At the end of the tour I couldn’t stop myself from telling him that he would make a better Maria than Julie Andrews… He spoke non stop from the beginning till the end…and not rubbish…he was very very entertaining….
The wonderful tour takes one through Salzburg and then the picturesque lake district… what breathtaking views of the landscape …and constant commentary by Peter as to which scene of the film was shot where… he would also pointed out the historical and architectural landmarks in the city … all this interspersed with his jokes….
The sites that we visited were the Leopoldskron Castle, the Trapp family home … the Leopoldskron Lake in the front of the castle is where the children fell whilst boating… The Hellbrunn Castle where the glass pavillion or gazebo was reconstructed in the gardens. Nonnberg Abbey is the oldest convent in the German speaking part of Europe. Maria was a novice there. The baron and Maria were married here in 1927. Some of the scenes for the movie were also shot here…
We had a shopping / souvenir buying stop at St.Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang …but I was too busy just appreciating this beautiful village that I had very little time for the shopping….
Tea break at Mondsee…the strudel is something to die for…so said Peter..and he was right… the best in the world…
Finally back to Salzburg to visit the Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the children were seen dancing around the statue of Pegasus, the winged horse, and throughout the gardens singing 'Do-Re-Mi'. Beautiful flowers, statues, fountain, palace combined with nice weather helped us relax…
From there we took a walk across the Salzach River to the so called old part of Salzburg… with its carefully preserved majestic Baroque architecture…
And to end the day…a Mozart concert at the Mirabell Gardens…good stuff…specially Pa-pa-pa-pa-Papagena….
18 August 2007
Children make you want to start life over.
Every time I spend my time with children…I marvel at their innocence… they never seem to hold anything against you …
Bhargava (aged 3…I think) …will insist that I stay over at his place or spend some more time with him every time I visit their place …last time he even hid my purse so that I couldn’t go home… friends will say… u better just sneak off quietly but that is something I cannot do…so I make some excuse to go home… and a promise that I will visit again the next day…am ashamed to say it’s a promise which I have never kept…
But still the next time I visit, the excitement to see me is the same… and I wish I could always be a kid…
Reminds me of the theatrical adaptation of Peter Pan I saw as a kid in Delhi…with a very nice song…I won't grow up ..part of the lyrics reproduced below…
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me,
Not I,
Not me!
So there!
Never gonna be a man,
I won't!
Like to see somebody try
And make me.
Anyone who wants to try
And make me turn into a man,
Catch me if you can.
I won't grow up.
Not a penny will I pinch.
I will never grow a mustache,
Or a fraction of an inch.
'Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up,
No sir,
Not I,
Not me,
So there!
~Muhammad Ali…
Every time I spend my time with children…I marvel at their innocence… they never seem to hold anything against you …
Bhargava (aged 3…I think) …will insist that I stay over at his place or spend some more time with him every time I visit their place …last time he even hid my purse so that I couldn’t go home… friends will say… u better just sneak off quietly but that is something I cannot do…so I make some excuse to go home… and a promise that I will visit again the next day…am ashamed to say it’s a promise which I have never kept…
But still the next time I visit, the excitement to see me is the same… and I wish I could always be a kid…
Reminds me of the theatrical adaptation of Peter Pan I saw as a kid in Delhi…with a very nice song…I won't grow up ..part of the lyrics reproduced below…
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me,
Not I,
Not me!
So there!
Never gonna be a man,
I won't!
Like to see somebody try
And make me.
Anyone who wants to try
And make me turn into a man,
Catch me if you can.
I won't grow up.
Not a penny will I pinch.
I will never grow a mustache,
Or a fraction of an inch.
'Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up,
No sir,
Not I,
Not me,
So there!
15 August 2007
Responsible Citizens???
A few days back I needed to avail the cab services provided by my company to go somewhere.
I found that the cab driver was driving really rash…at one point he jumped the manual signal …the traffic policeman is asking him to stop but he just ignored him blatantly…
Senior colleagues sitting in the cab saw this and had a good laugh…and started discussing how bus/cab drivers are rash and don’t care because they would be fined anyways…
Yours truly should have kept shut…but I just can’t tolerate this. I immediately took off saying that it was our duty as the cab users to insist that he drive carefully…after all if there is an accident we could also get hurt. Even if we report to the admin, it’s not going to work. It’s only the users of the cab that can stop this rash driving.
The looks I got said it all…Thank god this idiot is not a regular in our cab.
Educated people like us want the cab driver to be rash so that we can reach home 5 mins early…I am quite sure that is the maximum time difference this would make…
We all crib about the traffic situation in Bangalore…but where we can make a difference we don’t… so should we be complaining?
I found that the cab driver was driving really rash…at one point he jumped the manual signal …the traffic policeman is asking him to stop but he just ignored him blatantly…
Senior colleagues sitting in the cab saw this and had a good laugh…and started discussing how bus/cab drivers are rash and don’t care because they would be fined anyways…
Yours truly should have kept shut…but I just can’t tolerate this. I immediately took off saying that it was our duty as the cab users to insist that he drive carefully…after all if there is an accident we could also get hurt. Even if we report to the admin, it’s not going to work. It’s only the users of the cab that can stop this rash driving.
The looks I got said it all…Thank god this idiot is not a regular in our cab.
Educated people like us want the cab driver to be rash so that we can reach home 5 mins early…I am quite sure that is the maximum time difference this would make…
We all crib about the traffic situation in Bangalore…but where we can make a difference we don’t… so should we be complaining?
13 August 2007
Chacha Nehru vs. Superman
India’s 60th Independence Day is just around the corner. Celebrations galore…especially in schools across the country… my friends sons school being no exception
For the kiddies they are having a fancy dress competition... Samarth aged 4 and 1/2 came home really excited…
The conversation between mom and son after he has told her about the competition…
Mom: you can dress up as Gandhi ji or Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: Gandhi ji was “taklu” (bald!!!), I don’t want to be Gandhi ji.
Mom: OK, you can dress up as Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: Who is this Chacha Nehru? I don’t want to be Chacha, I want to become Superman.
Looks like Jawaharlal Nehru needs some publicity!!!
Mom: Chacha Nehru was a very great man…(does not let her complete)
Samarth: I don’t want to be Chacha…he must be an old man. I want to be Superman
Mom: He wasn’t an old man. He loved children and they would affectionately call him as Chacha Nehru. He used to give sweets and chocolates to the children.
She Googled and showed him some snaps of Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: So what, Santa Claus also gives sweets and chocolates to the children.
Mom: He was a great man. His birthday is celebrated as Children's Day.
Samarth: So what, its only a holiday.
He needs an Image makeover too!!!
I guess for the younger lot some schools declare Children’s day a holiday and only the older students celebrate the day in school :-(
Mom is quite helpless now. She calls her friends including me to help her convince him to dress up as Chacha Nehru. We think of some arguments but it’s difficult to explain to a 4yr old the significance of Independence and that he was the architect of the nation. Still we thought we should try…
Mom: You know the British ruled India and he helped India get independence from the British
Samarth: What do you mean by that?
Finally he seems to be coming around…at least he started showing some interest…
Mom: well… everyone had to listen to British people and had to work for them. We even had to pay lot of money to them. If you don’t listen to them, you would get beaten up…
Samarth: So they were bad people. Superman can kill them all.
Oops…looks like its not going to be sooooo easy after all…
Mom: they were not bad people…but…Chacha Nehru looked after all the people in India.
Samarth: So what, Superman looks after the whole of India and America…
Mom: It’s because of him that we have offices, schools in India. Papa goes to office and makes money and buys you so many things.
Not totally convinced...but finally he agreed.
That was last week. He went to school and found many children came dressed as Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose so he was quite happy that he dressed up as Chacha Nehru. This week they have another party in school and he wants to go as Chacha Nehru…:-))
All is not lost still!!!
Kudos to Ganga (Samarth’s mother and all the other parents who managed to enlighten their kids and convince them to dress up as our national heros and not as one of the “chaddis over the pants” gang.
For the kiddies they are having a fancy dress competition... Samarth aged 4 and 1/2 came home really excited…
The conversation between mom and son after he has told her about the competition…
Mom: you can dress up as Gandhi ji or Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: Gandhi ji was “taklu” (bald!!!), I don’t want to be Gandhi ji.
Mom: OK, you can dress up as Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: Who is this Chacha Nehru? I don’t want to be Chacha, I want to become Superman.
Looks like Jawaharlal Nehru needs some publicity!!!
Mom: Chacha Nehru was a very great man…(does not let her complete)
Samarth: I don’t want to be Chacha…he must be an old man. I want to be Superman
Mom: He wasn’t an old man. He loved children and they would affectionately call him as Chacha Nehru. He used to give sweets and chocolates to the children.
She Googled and showed him some snaps of Chacha Nehru…
Samarth: So what, Santa Claus also gives sweets and chocolates to the children.
Mom: He was a great man. His birthday is celebrated as Children's Day.
Samarth: So what, its only a holiday.
He needs an Image makeover too!!!
I guess for the younger lot some schools declare Children’s day a holiday and only the older students celebrate the day in school :-(
Mom is quite helpless now. She calls her friends including me to help her convince him to dress up as Chacha Nehru. We think of some arguments but it’s difficult to explain to a 4yr old the significance of Independence and that he was the architect of the nation. Still we thought we should try…
Mom: You know the British ruled India and he helped India get independence from the British
Samarth: What do you mean by that?
Finally he seems to be coming around…at least he started showing some interest…
Mom: well… everyone had to listen to British people and had to work for them. We even had to pay lot of money to them. If you don’t listen to them, you would get beaten up…
Samarth: So they were bad people. Superman can kill them all.
Oops…looks like its not going to be sooooo easy after all…
Mom: they were not bad people…but…Chacha Nehru looked after all the people in India.
Samarth: So what, Superman looks after the whole of India and America…
Mom: It’s because of him that we have offices, schools in India. Papa goes to office and makes money and buys you so many things.
Not totally convinced...but finally he agreed.
That was last week. He went to school and found many children came dressed as Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose so he was quite happy that he dressed up as Chacha Nehru. This week they have another party in school and he wants to go as Chacha Nehru…:-))
All is not lost still!!!
Kudos to Ganga (Samarth’s mother and all the other parents who managed to enlighten their kids and convince them to dress up as our national heros and not as one of the “chaddis over the pants” gang.
08 August 2007
On Blogging…
I came across a very interesting blog, which inspired me to write this one
I guess I was born upside down…for me it works the other way…when I am feeling low and depressed I feel like blogging…
Not only does it distract me but also if I decide to write about my travels it simply lifts my spirits. It’s like reliving the whole experience again…its fun digging up my notes, reading through the brochures that I collected during the trip…
And then someone has rightly said “ Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” …There will always be these vague recollections of some part of the trip … Obviously Google comes to the rescue there…
I’ve actually got addicted to blogging…thanks to a friend who introduced me to it only 3 months back…
Now I pray every night before going to bed… god don’t let me get the blogger’s block!!!
I guess I was born upside down…for me it works the other way…when I am feeling low and depressed I feel like blogging…
Not only does it distract me but also if I decide to write about my travels it simply lifts my spirits. It’s like reliving the whole experience again…its fun digging up my notes, reading through the brochures that I collected during the trip…
And then someone has rightly said “ Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” …There will always be these vague recollections of some part of the trip … Obviously Google comes to the rescue there…
I’ve actually got addicted to blogging…thanks to a friend who introduced me to it only 3 months back…
Now I pray every night before going to bed… god don’t let me get the blogger’s block!!!
Anokhi
Anokhi means Unique… I know this 5 year old girl so aptly called Anokhi…she never ceases to amaze me with her talk, her ideas and most importantly her behavior…I could go on and on narrating her anecdotes…but there is one which has literally made me her fan…
We were supposed to go out for Lunch once and were waiting for her mom to return from work…she wanted to play Carom with me. The Carom board was lying behind the bed so she asked her dad to take it out for us…Dad says...anokhi…mom will be home soon and we will be going out…there is no point in getting the Carom board out…
What kind of a reaction would most of us expect at this time from a 5 year old…a tantrum...maybe some screeching and crying and sulking….But her reaction was mind blowing…she’s like … (in a very encouraging tone) dad…you can do this…you are a genius at getting the Carom board out…dad u r a genius* 5 times….
She left him no choice!!!
We were supposed to go out for Lunch once and were waiting for her mom to return from work…she wanted to play Carom with me. The Carom board was lying behind the bed so she asked her dad to take it out for us…Dad says...anokhi…mom will be home soon and we will be going out…there is no point in getting the Carom board out…
What kind of a reaction would most of us expect at this time from a 5 year old…a tantrum...maybe some screeching and crying and sulking….But her reaction was mind blowing…she’s like … (in a very encouraging tone) dad…you can do this…you are a genius at getting the Carom board out…dad u r a genius* 5 times….
She left him no choice!!!
07 August 2007
Braemer Gathering - Sept 2004
I was lucky to be in Scotland in Sept …I got an opportunity to visit Scotland’s oldest and biggest highland gathering – the annual highland games in Braemer. It’s very popular and the Queen herself comes to take the salute here.
The bus ride from Aberdeen to Braemer has the most amazing scenery…it takes a lot to keep me silent…but that is just what the picturesque region did to me as I just eyeballed the spectacular Deeside scenery…native Scots pine and a variety of wildlife such as red squirrels and crossbills kept me engaged.
This drive is also known as the Royal Deeside as it follows the River Dee with some royal sights along the way, including the famous Balmoral Castle.
Passing through several pristine villages we finally reached our destination – Braemar… The whole place was dotted with good-looking men in skirts…the Scottish traditional kilts in green/blue/red-checked tartan…
Scots are a friendly lot and were more than happy to pose for photographs with us… One gentleman went to the extent of explaining in length the accessories like the Sporran and the headgear and the significance of the feather in his headgear.
Our photo session was cut short by the sound of the traditional pipes bands…The pipe bands are supposed to be the best and I have no doubt about that as I recall seeing them march down the road towards the field. It is known as the massing of the pipe bands because as many as 20 or more pipe bands will march and play together. The leader of the band – the Drum Major, carries a mace – a shoulder-high stick with large metal head - which at regular intervals he will toss up in the air and catch – without breaking a step
The play field is encircled by hills – one of the events is the Hill Race where the participants have to run up the hill and back – it is a unique climb as it is the only one in Scotland, which starts from the centre of a town.
There were these huge logs in the field – like telephone poles – I was just wondering what they were there for when I saw a man pick it up and toss it around – Yessss…that’s Caber throwing – a traditional feat of strength!!!
The day provided a perfect contrast – as the men showed off their strength with events like Caber throwing, throwing the hammer, the shot putt and tug-of-war, pretty Scottish girls continued with their highland dancing in the background.
A quick walk around the village and even quicker shopping… and then we rushed to get on to the last bus back to Aberdeen!!!
Photo courtesy: Sudip Saha
06 August 2007
Maldives – Feb 2006
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
If I was asked to do one of those one word / one sentence associations for Maldives …I would say INFINITE shades of blue…
As the plane started its descent towards Male and I gazed out of the window, I sure was glad that we had finally chosen the day flight and not the night one…that there could be soooo many shades of blue in one area… from light blue to vibrant turquoise to a greenish blue…left me gobsmacked.
Maldives is made up some 1100+ coral islands of which only about 200 are inhabited. 87 are exclusive resort islands.
We were booked at the Taj Coral Reef Resort and well….Taj is Taj…we had this speedboat waiting for us with their staff to pamper us with scented wet towels, breakfast and the works…We were told that the resort is only 32 kilometres away from Male International airport, and can be reached by speed boat in an hour…but somehow the ride seemed to take forever…no doubts though it was a beautiful ride… pristine, tranquil blue expanse all around and the guessing games every time we came near an island... if that was the one..
We had a lagoon villa…built on stilts over the lagoon’s turquoise waters with private sun decks and stunning views of the ocean. From the private sundecks, a wooden ladder led directly to the water. Our own private bit of the ocean… So inviting … I just wanted to get into the water immediately…
And the water …it’s crystal clear… if you drop something I am sure standing in the water you would be able to see it easily…
I would get bread from the restaurant to feed to the fish…that is after taking permission from the hotel staff as Maldives is very strict about the environment and keeping it clean…obviously many countries can learn a lot from them!!! Considering it is soooo easy to just dump the garbage into the sea…no one does that… NO ONE…they are very particular about the garbage disposal.
Well…I would throw one piece of bread in the water and fish would swarm from all directions…and what colours…I am just at a loss of words. I have been to many aquariums but well… its different when they are in the ocean and you are right there next to them…I don’t think that I will ever enjoy an aquarium again after that experience…
It is said that if you have not visited the underwater of Maldives…then you have not been to Maldives. Submarine rides are available that take one to 120 feet below water to a coral reef and one gets to see some of the most exotic creatures in colorful aquamarine gardens.
There are 2 stops …the 1st one was at about 75ft beneath the surface… where we saw some really colourful corals and different types of reef fish. We were greeted by a school of blue and yellow-stripped Snappers, Lionfish and many more…names I cannot remember now :-( .
The next stop at 120 feet was another type of coral garden. There was this really big cave where we were really lucky to see a Giant Grouper :-)
At the resort every evening they would have Sting Ray feeding…massive Stingrays would come and one can feed them meat. There were some Italians on the resort…one of them would take the meat and let the Stingray come really close and take it from his hand!!!
Apart from that this was just one of those lazy holidays … soaking in the sun and enjoying the sea …doing just nothing…
My biggest regret from this trip…that I don’t dive….
-- Mark Twain
If I was asked to do one of those one word / one sentence associations for Maldives …I would say INFINITE shades of blue…
As the plane started its descent towards Male and I gazed out of the window, I sure was glad that we had finally chosen the day flight and not the night one…that there could be soooo many shades of blue in one area… from light blue to vibrant turquoise to a greenish blue…left me gobsmacked.
Maldives is made up some 1100+ coral islands of which only about 200 are inhabited. 87 are exclusive resort islands.
We were booked at the Taj Coral Reef Resort and well….Taj is Taj…we had this speedboat waiting for us with their staff to pamper us with scented wet towels, breakfast and the works…We were told that the resort is only 32 kilometres away from Male International airport, and can be reached by speed boat in an hour…but somehow the ride seemed to take forever…no doubts though it was a beautiful ride… pristine, tranquil blue expanse all around and the guessing games every time we came near an island... if that was the one..
We had a lagoon villa…built on stilts over the lagoon’s turquoise waters with private sun decks and stunning views of the ocean. From the private sundecks, a wooden ladder led directly to the water. Our own private bit of the ocean… So inviting … I just wanted to get into the water immediately…
And the water …it’s crystal clear… if you drop something I am sure standing in the water you would be able to see it easily…
I would get bread from the restaurant to feed to the fish…that is after taking permission from the hotel staff as Maldives is very strict about the environment and keeping it clean…obviously many countries can learn a lot from them!!! Considering it is soooo easy to just dump the garbage into the sea…no one does that… NO ONE…they are very particular about the garbage disposal.
Well…I would throw one piece of bread in the water and fish would swarm from all directions…and what colours…I am just at a loss of words. I have been to many aquariums but well… its different when they are in the ocean and you are right there next to them…I don’t think that I will ever enjoy an aquarium again after that experience…
It is said that if you have not visited the underwater of Maldives…then you have not been to Maldives. Submarine rides are available that take one to 120 feet below water to a coral reef and one gets to see some of the most exotic creatures in colorful aquamarine gardens.
There are 2 stops …the 1st one was at about 75ft beneath the surface… where we saw some really colourful corals and different types of reef fish. We were greeted by a school of blue and yellow-stripped Snappers, Lionfish and many more…names I cannot remember now :-( .
The next stop at 120 feet was another type of coral garden. There was this really big cave where we were really lucky to see a Giant Grouper :-)
At the resort every evening they would have Sting Ray feeding…massive Stingrays would come and one can feed them meat. There were some Italians on the resort…one of them would take the meat and let the Stingray come really close and take it from his hand!!!
Apart from that this was just one of those lazy holidays … soaking in the sun and enjoying the sea …doing just nothing…
My biggest regret from this trip…that I don’t dive….
05 August 2007
Just yesterday I was reminiscing about the Golden Temple… imagine my surprise when I opened the newspaper this morning to find that it made it to No 2 on the Seven Wonders of India :-))
(Seven wonders of India was an initiative by the Times of India to get its readers to vote for Seven Wonders from a showcase of 20. This was on the lines of the voting for the Seven Wonders of the World, albeit on a smaller scale. )
(Seven wonders of India was an initiative by the Times of India to get its readers to vote for Seven Wonders from a showcase of 20. This was on the lines of the voting for the Seven Wonders of the World, albeit on a smaller scale. )
04 August 2007
Harmandir Sahib– Amritsar
One of the places that I like to visit again and again…
No matter how much turmoil is going in one’s mind, no matter how troubled one is or stressed out, one forgets everything… there is such a feeling of peacefulness all around…
And when I go with my mom she’ll make sure we are up at 4:00 AM to be their for the 1st prayers of the day…its inspirational…Every time I have thought…why cant I be more calm and less hyper all the time…
(Unfortunately the feeling goes away once I return to the hustle bustle of everyday life :-()
It’s soooooooo beautiful…the golden temple in the centre of the Sarovar ... the holy tank. It is believed by us that taking a dip in the Sarovar cures one of all illnesses…
As small kids my mom would take us there often, but my first memories are of a summer when I was about 12…maybe 13 yrs old. For 21 days, we went to the temple every morning at 4:00 AM, took our dip in the Sarovar, followed by doing a Parikrama - walking around the circumambulatory path which runs round the main temple. This then leads via a bridge to the ‘Har ki Paure’ (steps of God).
Somewhere in between the Parikrama is a tree – the Dukh Bhanjani Beri – Healer of Sorrows. It is believed that doing a short prayer here is sure to get you out of all your problems. My mom swears by it!!!
And finally eating a full bowl of the Karah Prasad… the Sacred sweet.
For non Sikhs who feel like visiting Harmandir Sahib, no worries. It is open to all. The Golden temple, unlike most other temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, has 4 gates. The significance of this is that it is accessible to every person without any distinction of Caste, creed, sex and religion.
Hmmm… feel like going there right away…Its going to be nearly been 2 years since my last visit :-(
No matter how much turmoil is going in one’s mind, no matter how troubled one is or stressed out, one forgets everything… there is such a feeling of peacefulness all around…
And when I go with my mom she’ll make sure we are up at 4:00 AM to be their for the 1st prayers of the day…its inspirational…Every time I have thought…why cant I be more calm and less hyper all the time…
(Unfortunately the feeling goes away once I return to the hustle bustle of everyday life :-()
It’s soooooooo beautiful…the golden temple in the centre of the Sarovar ... the holy tank. It is believed by us that taking a dip in the Sarovar cures one of all illnesses…
As small kids my mom would take us there often, but my first memories are of a summer when I was about 12…maybe 13 yrs old. For 21 days, we went to the temple every morning at 4:00 AM, took our dip in the Sarovar, followed by doing a Parikrama - walking around the circumambulatory path which runs round the main temple. This then leads via a bridge to the ‘Har ki Paure’ (steps of God).
Somewhere in between the Parikrama is a tree – the Dukh Bhanjani Beri – Healer of Sorrows. It is believed that doing a short prayer here is sure to get you out of all your problems. My mom swears by it!!!
And finally eating a full bowl of the Karah Prasad… the Sacred sweet.
For non Sikhs who feel like visiting Harmandir Sahib, no worries. It is open to all. The Golden temple, unlike most other temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, has 4 gates. The significance of this is that it is accessible to every person without any distinction of Caste, creed, sex and religion.
Hmmm… feel like going there right away…Its going to be nearly been 2 years since my last visit :-(
03 August 2007
Kewl Abbreviations
Came across these cool abbreviations
SWMBO ("she who must be obeyed")...thatz me !!
EBKAC ("error between keyboard and chair" ) LOL
SWMBO ("she who must be obeyed")...thatz me !!
EBKAC ("error between keyboard and chair" ) LOL
02 August 2007
Maravanthe
Close to Udupi in Karnataka is Maravanthe - on the tourist map for its beach.
I visited Maravanthe during 2 seasons and the difference is amazing. Once during the Monsoons and the 2nd time in winter - New Years Day to be precise.
For a short stretch we have the NH-17 running with the Arabian Sea on one side and the Sauparnika River on the other. It’s a unique site…a road running in between 2 water bodies.
Cruising along the highway during the Monsoons (August 2003) when we reached Maravanthe, there was no beach to be seen. The turbulent sea was in full fury, lashing against the barricades made of rocks, looking really dangerous. On the other side was the relatively calm river. We were just enjoying the contrast and it started drizzling … picture perfect
As if the above contrast was not enough, when I visited Maravanthe during the dry winter (Jan 2007) there was this endless unspoilt sandy beach on a clear day with the hot sun shining on our heads. The sea looked so gentle and very, very inviting.
Made me wonder, is this the same place that I visited some years back?
I visited Maravanthe during 2 seasons and the difference is amazing. Once during the Monsoons and the 2nd time in winter - New Years Day to be precise.
For a short stretch we have the NH-17 running with the Arabian Sea on one side and the Sauparnika River on the other. It’s a unique site…a road running in between 2 water bodies.
Cruising along the highway during the Monsoons (August 2003) when we reached Maravanthe, there was no beach to be seen. The turbulent sea was in full fury, lashing against the barricades made of rocks, looking really dangerous. On the other side was the relatively calm river. We were just enjoying the contrast and it started drizzling … picture perfect
As if the above contrast was not enough, when I visited Maravanthe during the dry winter (Jan 2007) there was this endless unspoilt sandy beach on a clear day with the hot sun shining on our heads. The sea looked so gentle and very, very inviting.
Made me wonder, is this the same place that I visited some years back?
01 August 2007
Time Tested Beauty Tips
Can we say wikipediaed like we say googled?
Was talking the other day to a friend and couldnot remember this name of a movie of Audrey Hepburn's ...wikipediaed and got that plus lots more...
Came across this poem "Time Tested Beauty Tips" by Levenson (which has become falsely attributed to Audrey Hepburn)
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Was talking the other day to a friend and couldnot remember this name of a movie of Audrey Hepburn's ...wikipediaed and got that plus lots more...
Came across this poem "Time Tested Beauty Tips" by Levenson (which has become falsely attributed to Audrey Hepburn)
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
30 July 2007
25 July 2007
Interesting Vocabulary…
All the women who went with WOW to Istanbul/Greece would know and will definitely smile on reading this….
One of the WOW women had a really interesting vocabulary…she is never one to be at a loss of words … she would just say the first word that comes to her mind to describe any situation / place / thing…And the best part is she always managed to get her idea to us…
What was even more interesting was the confidence with which she said these words… the other person would actually think that she is right and I have the wrong word or pronunciation.
Referring to my blog on Istanbul she writes – “your article was good but i just blazed or glazed or grazed thru it. will read it leisurely some other time.”
One of the WOW women had a really interesting vocabulary…she is never one to be at a loss of words … she would just say the first word that comes to her mind to describe any situation / place / thing…And the best part is she always managed to get her idea to us…
What was even more interesting was the confidence with which she said these words… the other person would actually think that she is right and I have the wrong word or pronunciation.
Referring to my blog on Istanbul she writes – “your article was good but i just blazed or glazed or grazed thru it. will read it leisurely some other time.”
11 July 2007
Anokhi
Anokhi means Unique… I know this 5 year old girl so aptly called Anokhi…she never ceases to amaze me with her talk, her ideas and most importantly her behavior…I could go on and on narrating her anecdotes…but there is one which has literally made me her fan…
We were supposed to go out for Lunch once and were waiting for her mom to return from work…she wanted to play Carom with me. The Carom board was lying behind the bed so she asked her dad to take it out for us…Dad says...anokhi…mom will be home soon and we will be going out…there is no point in getting the Carom board out…
What kind of a reaction would most of us expect at this time from a 5 year old…a tantrum...maybe some screeching and crying and sulking….But her reaction was mind blowing…she’s like … (in a very encouraging tone) dad…you can do this…you are a genius at getting the Carom board out…dad u r a genius* 5 times….
She left him no choice!!!
We were supposed to go out for Lunch once and were waiting for her mom to return from work…she wanted to play Carom with me. The Carom board was lying behind the bed so she asked her dad to take it out for us…Dad says...anokhi…mom will be home soon and we will be going out…there is no point in getting the Carom board out…
What kind of a reaction would most of us expect at this time from a 5 year old…a tantrum...maybe some screeching and crying and sulking….But her reaction was mind blowing…she’s like … (in a very encouraging tone) dad…you can do this…you are a genius at getting the Carom board out…dad u r a genius* 5 times….
She left him no choice!!!
14 June 2007
WOW Istanbul and Greece Trip – May 2007
Well I don’t (or should I say didn’t) blog…however my trip to Istanbul and Greece with 23 other wonderful women has inspired me to blog...at least this once…
After an early morning (slightly delayed) flight to Istanbul, we were greeted at the airport by Lawrence (of Arabia??)…our cute guide…who transferred us to Hagia Sofia. The highlight of the day - the flutter that we created and the looks that we got! Reason being - Sumitra’s idea that we all wear some amount of pink …to identify all of us instantly…infact we got to be models for 2 mins with a lady asking us to pose for a photograph for her…
This is also where we met our 1 eyed guide …for some reason at any point of time only one eye would remain open..either left or right. I wonder if that was an effect of the 24 beautiful women!!!
The Hagia Sofia or the Church of Divine Wisdom is beautiful with its magnificent domed ceiling soaring heavenward, …it’s the only place where one sees a combination of a church and a mosque…It was originally constructed as a church and infact was considered to be the greatest at that time. But was later converted into a mosque and supporting buttresses were added. The Christian paintings were covered with gypsum…it was only later in 1935 that the gypsum was carefully removed to re – reveal the paintings and Hagia Sofia was converted into a museum. It is a place that quite literally stuns one into silence.
From Hagia Sophia off we went to our hotel for lunch…I had thought Sumitra made a typo when she wrote that we would be staying in CARTOON hotel….yessssss …its’s actually called cartoon…and they have these beautiful prints in the corridors and rooms on which they have pasted Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on the edges….Maaaaaaaaaan...looks like some kid designed that place.
Anyways it was our first meal and our first Greek salad…so I guess we all enjoyed it…coz at that time we didn’t know that every meal is gonna begin with a Greek salad…even Anu who said…hmmm a Greek salad makes my day…eventually got fed up…
And the main course reminded me of a friend who often says…Do you eat or are you a vegetarian…these Europeans don’t have any concept of Veg food. We got veggies, which looked as if they had been put in the pressure cooker for 15 seeeties…
After a quick freshen up we took off to go on a Bosphorus cruise. Turkey is said to be transcontinental – it straddles the Bosphorus, which marks the border between Europe and Asia and so we have one part of Turkey in Asia and another in Europe… It is here that one gets to see the Turkey’s skyline studded with domes and minarets..the blue mosque, the hagia sofia….just like the scene in Guru when AB jr lands in Turkey…
We had reached a bit late and so missed the boat that we intended to take and had to take the next one which was an hr and a half later…we decided to hang around…it was a chilly day on which one would enjoy a nice cuppa coffee…so we decided to try the Turkish coffee…ugggh…opppgh…eeggge…do my words say it all…Better would have been to see my face then …as Gowri said that I have very good facial expressions (infact she’s gonna call me for amateur theatre)… it was the coffee…Gowri…
Returned from the cruise to tramp the streets till our intimate evening of chitchat, girl time, drinks and food in Sumitra’s room…
Day 2…..Ahhhha Haaaa..one of the things that I will remember most about Istanbul … the Hammam or Turkish bath ..thanks to Renu for the idea of visiting Cemberlitas Bath…Hmmmmm…there was this warm room with a big marble platform in the centre and small rooms around it…well we stripped to towels and chappals and went to this room…there was signage saying…don’t remove your towels and chappals…so we assumed we would get into the small rooms around the edge… imagine our shock when this lady walks in with only a red thong….poor Moitri…the guinea pig…she whipped off her towel and you had a room of 15 shrieking, gasping, giggling women…Massi and I travel around and I am sure we would never have ventured close to this place had we been travelling alone…Kudos to the WOW club for making this an experience to remember…
A buffet breakfast at the hotel, followed by a walk in the imperial gardens …the amazing colours of the Tulips had us all posing for snaps, snaps and still more snaps…guess everyone wanted to capture the colours.
This walk ended in the Topkapi Place, which was the imperial residence of the Ottoman Sultans. It has this extraordinary collection of porcelains and jewellery…There was this moment of pride…we Indians really have the eye for intricacy, don’t we? There were thrones from various parts of the world…very beautiful...but the one from India was by far the most beautiful….
Within the palace is the Konyali Restaurant, which overlooks the Bosphorous…where we had our lunch and got the first taste of 4 variants of Baklava.
Did we have a whirlwind tour…as immediately after lunch off we marched to the Blue Mosque. This is the only mosque in the world with six minarets. A very interesting reason..the Sultan wanted to have the minarets made of gold which is "altin" in Turkish. The architect misunderstood him as "alti" which means "six" in English…Its beautiful with blue and white Turkish ceramic tiles and inlaid mother-of-pearl adorning the interiors
And finally a visit to the Grand Covered Bazaar…as Lawrence said…that’s usually the first thing most Indian tourists wants to do…but of course we were different! But still we all went berserk shopping…Some like Renu amazed us with her bargaining skills..she got Tania a purse for which the shopkeeper was quoting 350 for a mere 70…and then there was Shabari and Neelam who couldn’t manage to bargain at all !!
This is where we saw the Turkish men at their flirting best…Indian men can certainly learn something form these guys…It was harmless, open flirting..done with such smoothness which didn’t put one off…
Anu was offered 1000 camels in exchange for Farheem’s hand in marriage!!
Massi and I went to buy some music…this shop had CDs and instruments…after our purchases he insisted on giving us a wonderful live performance…truly enjoyable…
Well obviously we could not miss the Turkish Hookah and coffee cafes …where Sumitra enjoyed her Hookah, Vandee enjoyed the Turkish coffee…(eeks) …and the rest the Apple Tea…and Rachael forgot her Ray Bans, which I found…and which she managed to lose again the next day!!
After dumping our bags in the hotel we went for our Turkish evening at the Galata Tower Restaurant. An unforgettable evening … it was here that Rachael earned back her Ray Bans…she had a choice from me…either to steal Vimla’s shawl for me or do a belly dance..and whoa…she was pulled up on the stage to join the belly dancer…She looked so cute…a tomboy in jeans trying to pull of a belly dance…
Then there was the local Folkloric dance… very energetic…and there is this one part where one guy lies on the floor with an approx 12inch by 10 inch piece of board on his torso and another guy flips knives at him using his lips…These guys pulled it off and then got one guy from the audience to join them in the dance…okaaaaayyyyyyy....all hunky dory till it was only dancing…but then they made him lie on the floor with the board…that guy’s expressions were hilarious… The dancers would build up a climax and this guy would cover his eyes…and instead of flipping the knives the dancer would sit and bang them on the board with his hand…a sign of relief from the guy as he would peek at the board…
As the guy relaxed a bit the dancer actually flipped the knives with his lips at him…and as if that was not enuff…this guy picks up the board and …he he he…replaces it with a 2 inch by 2 inch one bang on target….I nearly rolled off the chair laughing…
And finally this guy…who amazed us with his singing skills…there were tourists from different parts of the world at the restaurant …he picked up each table one by one and sung a song from that country…he was really good…Japanese, French, Hindi, Tunisian and what not!!
That was the end of our Turkey trip….
This is getting quite long and so I guess Greece will have to be another time…Hopefully soon!!
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