Awards...the good, the bad and the ugly!

Its the awards season everywhere....so just figured would put in my award categories with nominations...lets see how many ppl actually read my blog and vote!!

Most Under-rated Film of the Year: (good movies that did not garner too many awards!)

Khosla ka Ghosla - Quite well - made. I enjoyed watching it
Dor - I am yet to watch this...but I have heard fantastic reviews abt it!
The Prestige - brilliant movie...just sakkath!
Don - Granted I am a die-hard SRK fa..but this movie was well-made!
The Devil Wears Prada - I loved this movie..everything..from the costumes..to Meryl Streep's brilliant portrayal of Miranda Priestly...

Most Over-Rated Film of the Year

KANK - I dont even know why it garnered so many nominations..lousy lousy movie..but AB's baby did a great job!
Dhoom - 2 - I have not watched this movie....but I am yet to meet the soul who liked this movie....or Aishwarya in it for that matter!

Movies that should never have been made in the first place!

My Super Ex-Girlfriend - Eeeeeeks! One of the worst movies I have seen in recent times!

Advertising...I seem to be developing an interest in advertising...dunno if its for the better or worse..anyways...here are ad campaigns I loved and hated!

The Good..

1. Happy Dent - The one in the Palace
2. Sony Bravia - With all the coloured styrofoam balls
3. Surf Excel - With the lil boy bashing the mud for his sister
4. Chocoliebe - The one with the lil boy and his fractured hand
5.

The Bad


The Ugly

1. Ujjala - Safedi tujhe salaam! not good at all.....
2.

Wherever I go....trouble follows...

Mischief and me are two sides of the same coin..No matter where I go or what I do I cannot avoid it...sigh..such is the way of life...

Back to where and how I got into trouble...this weekend we went to Bandipur..by we, I am referring to my team at NDS.We left early Saturday morning..the definition of early is different for different people..for me...7am is early in the morning! Yeniways..left for Ranganthittu..via Mysore Road...saw RVCE on the way..the place looks nice! Looks like the uncle is improving external appearances at least...

Ranaganathittu is a bird sanctuary created on one of the islands of the River Cauvery. It is home to many birds that migrate here from all over the world. It was started by Dr.Salim Ali in 1940. You have boards describing the various birds and their habits. We took a boat around and saw all the birds at close distance. Statutory Warning: The combination of bird poo and stagnant water is very potent and the ride is not for the faint hearted (especially ones with sensitive olfactory senses!). Saw some very beautiful birds...and a marsh crocodile! totally cool..saw bats..for some reason people found it bizarre that I had not seen a bat yet..but where in Bangalore does one get to see bats?? Yeniways....it is exactly like the batman symbol..it is not unique but I had never seen a bat...so the resemblance excited me no end! But those who know me well..will vouch for the fact that he smallest of things crack me up and amuse me...I am quite a child that way...

Back to the trip...finished Ranganathittu and started on our way to Bandipur...stopped for lunch at this small place in Gundlupur..nice breeze...but the food was not that nice..I am yet to understand the Karnataka fixation for "meals"...I dread that word on every trip I make outside Bangalore...for many reasons...
1. It is way toooo much food for one person. Most places don't have a mini thali as well..
2. Being a Tam (one of the rare times when I acknowledge that side of my genes!), I have a certain standard when it comes to Rasam/Sambhar and the kinds served in these "meals" miss the lowest possible standard by a long shot!
With the result that I generally starve at these places...

Off to Bandipur now..after the losing the way once..we managed to find the place where we were staying...Tiger Ranch..though the closest we saw to a tiger was a ranch dog by the same name...dashed off to make it to the last safari of the day...

We saw peafowl, deers and monkeys on our way to the starting point of the safari.. Made it in time...used my sad face to get a good viewing seat ( thank u Guru!)...and was set to see the jungle and all that it had to offer.... Not much as it turned out an hour later....some tame elephants..bison..samba..wild dogs..langoors...antelopes..a beautiful sunset..guess the tiger eluded us..pity! but what we saw was not half bad either..

Returned to Tiger Ranch and checked out our rooms...very quaint and rustic..made of logs with wood boards as doors...basic amenities..but nice...the rest of the evening was just a frenzy of eating....music..some dance...lotsa drinking(for the guys!)...me and the other 2 girls retired by abt 10...My habits are getting more geriatric by the day..it is not a good sign..

Woke up at 6.45 the next morning by the ruckus created by some monkeys running on the roof...apparently reproducing ( from an "eye-witness" account :-))..Played some games of badminton...and a game of cricket...my team won!!! and I also contributed..yay!! then we had a hearty breakfast..and left on our "walk" in the jungle..

I was involved in an animated discussion with Miloud and Christophe about religions..and we did not realise how far away we had wandered...The forest officials came and rounded us up..a group of 10 people...for trespassing in the jungle..We were to be taken to the Forest Official!! Miloud was very excited about going to the "commisariat"...

Yeniways, we went to meet to Forest Range Officer...the guy was as obnoxious as they come..he had a major chip on his shoulder when it comes to us "city people"...and he let us have it...having never been spoken to rudely by anyone in all my life..I was more than a little miffed! Paid our fines and we had to trudge back the 3 odd kilometres back to the ranch...a nice walk..it was not very sunny...

We returned to a very worried lot at the ranch...it never occurred to me that people would be worried that we had disappeared in the jungle for over 2 hours...had a sumptuous lunch and started on the way back to Bangalore...

And that is all about a rather eventful weekend...shall put up some pics soon...

Happy New Year ppl

The year 2007....All the best people...hope its a super duper year...May you break your resoltions before the week is out...:-)
I hope to keep some of mine ( I can hear the snickers already...bah!!)

Been ages since I wrote something...the last post was written a while ago and posted recently...
For those of you who read my blog to know what I am upto..well here it is..

Mysore

Went to Mysore for a weekend to attend a colleague's wedding...actually they are both my colleagues..and I hardly know either of them..but the promise of good-looking Coorgi and Rai boys made the offer hard to resist!! Besides, had super company..Anu, Ganesh and JP...Ideal people for anything...never a moment of boredom with those madcaps around...

Left on Saturday afternoon....Brilliant roads (Anu's "Freshly laid virgin road" quote comes to mind :-))...reached Mysore in no time...Nitin had booked us all rooms at Ginger which is this budget hotel by the Taj Group...not too expensive...decent luxury...

Set out for the pre-wedding bash on Saturday night...damp squib..it turned to be a completely formal affair...we pretty much stuck out like sore thumbs..and left at the earliest...
Woke up late the next morning(:-))...went for the wedding...no cute Coorgi boys...but liked the Coorgi costumes..very intimidating...the fact that some of them were built like bouncers made it all the more so!

Had oota..pit-stop at Chamundi Hills and we were on the way back...took a loooooooooooong break at Kamat Lokaruchi...and reached Blr by 7...super weekend...lazed around...watched TV..managed to get some reading done too...

Karnataka..One State...Many Worlds...

None with good food in them!!

Went on a North Karanataka trip organised by KSTDC...saw a lot of nice places...
First stop was at Hampi (technically Hospet..coz our accomodation was booked there!)..Went to the Virupaksha Temple...saw the Tungabhadra River, an elephant and an odd-looking sadhu! In a foreigners eyes, this was probably the India they come looking for...at least most of them..

Then moved on to the KadaleKalu(channa gram) Ganesha Temple..its huge belly (lambodara :-)) destroyed by invading Muslims who thought it was filled with gold! Then moved on to the SasiveKalu (mustard) Ganesha Temple..this had a saraswathi imposed on the other side..very interesting...A number of other pit-stops on the way which included the UgraNarasimha Temple , BadavaLinga temple and Lalith Mahal. This beautiful summer palace has been maintained really well by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI). The elephant stables are worth a dekho. Saw a group of school kids who had come there for a picnic. We took a pic of them and thanked them for which we got ( a very prompted "No Mention"). Next stop was the Hazaara Raama Temple which has some amazing carvings depicting the Ramayan and Mahabharata. Then, one of the most beautiful sights of Hampi and the most amazing Pushkarni ever!! It was stepped uniformly..I cant explain it very well..maybe a pic could speak the 1000 words..shall put up one soon!

Lunch ( the less I say about it the better!) and then on to the Vittala Temple which is undoubtedly the best that Hampi has to offer. Amazing musical pillars, beautiful carvings..really well maintained..kudos again to the ASI..

Back to Hospet...rested for a while and then went to see the Tungabhadra dam and the musical fountains it offered as entertainment. Belted out the Dhoom and then a slew of kannada songs, one of which I recognised thanks to the performance on our annual day. Think the crowd went berserk over a RajKumar song but we left before the exit got too crowded.

The next day we set off to the Badami cave temples making a brief stop at a nearby Banashankari Devi Temple. The view from the cave temples is just breath taking...really phenomenal..Then lunch followed by the temples at Pattadakal and Aihole. These were interesting too...but since I am running out of new adjectives, shall refrain from describing them in too much detail! Pit Stop at Bijapur!

The next day we saw the Gol Gumbaz. Huge monument..thoroughly enjoyed the Whispering Chambers in the dome...Also saw the Jumma Masjid and Ibrahim Roza. Rest of the day was pretty uneventful..Returned fairly well rested to Bangalore the next day...

While the historical monuments have been maintained really well, facilities like clean toilets etc are far from adequate especially on the highways. Even restaurants that serve good food are non-existent..I am not asking for MacD's every 100 miles but even a decent darshini that churns out quick fast food would be welcome!

Thats it for now folks!

Sigh!

I seem to have nothing to write abt...zilch...nought...
And I miss writing...it's become an essential part of my routine...so I shall just ramble on about inconsequential happenings. Those of you who like their sanity well-preserved..I suggest you stop reading this blog...

The other side...

I was watching this ad for Maggi Sambhar-flavoured (yuck!) noodles..and I notice a weird (apparently South Indian) accent..and a raag in the song..then there was this dance on Star One's Nach Baliye where they were doing a South Indian dance and hence the dancers were coloured black!
2 misconceptions that the Rest of India has about South Indians...that we are inherently dark-complexioned..and that we have a strange twang in our English...both of which are not completely accurate...I mean, yeah some of us are dark-skinned...but then I know a few North Indians too who are dark complexioned..and about the accent..heck..I think each state in India has an accent peculiar to it..
This North-South divide manifested itself quite vividly during my college life too! "Illad" was the term to describe us South-Indians...it was also treated as a synonym for being stupid and unenterprising apart from having a neanderthal connotation! Of course, we thought of the North Indians as "uneducated villagers"(unpad gavaars!)...but I have met a considerable number of exceptions to this rule as well...
So I guess you don't actually have a stereotypical Indian...or for that matter a stereotypical India..
One of my colleagues in Israel, when invited to India told me that she would "just die" if she saw a snake!!! Another expected to see elephants on the road....a third acted surprised when I spoke in the Queen's English!!! This is the India that people imagine..and yet, I have never seen a snake on the road :-)
Shall stop rambling here....and make myself useful...

What on earth is this country coming to???

This post is going to be in direct contrast to my other post abt "Why we aren't proud to be Indian?".

First on my hit-list : Ram Jethmalani.

One of India's most respected senior advocates. He has recently taken up the case of Manu Sharma, who is the (alleged) prime suspect in the Jessica Lal murder case. I am not condemning that. He is a criminal lawyer and is just doing his job. As an individual, Manu Sharma is entitled to the best legal representation he can get and is justified in asking for justice even though he is in fact guilty. And just because you,me and majority of Indians think Manu Sharma is guilty is of no consequence because we do not represent the judicial system of this country.

What I am condemning is the tactics used by the defense team. You cannot go about slandering a person's reputation especially one who is no more there to defend herself or her morality. Being a Page 3 person does not translate to being a person with loose morals. What exactly is the defense team's argument? That Jessica Lall is a "bad" person and hence deserved to get shot? That Manu Sharma did a service to society by ridding it of an "evil influence"?
I am questioning the morals of Ram Jethmalani. Does being a criminal lawyer entail that you sacrifice every shred of conscientious behaviour, every modicum of morality and every last drop of humanity at the altar of justice? Does being a criminal lawyer allow you to slander a dead girl's reputation? Does it allow you to justify that a man has the right to kill a girl who has (apparently) insulted his masculinity?

What is justice then? Does it even have meaning? If all it takes to walk away scot-free from cold-blooded murder is being able to afford the legal fees of Ram Jethmalani. He was yelling on national television indulging in what can flatteringly be described as buffoonery. He accused the media of "tampering" with the course of justice. When the truth is that, if not for the widespread media coverage of the case, Manu Sharma would be just another statistic in the growing list of influential people walking away from all sorts of heinous crimes.

Next on my hit list - the murderers of Manjunath.

I was not aware of this till they recently celebrated Manjunath's first death anniversary.
My aforementioned post was all about fighting corruption by refusing to join the vicious circle. Now I realise that the advice could well get you murdered.

Work ethic is all doing the job you have been asked to do to the best possible extent without any external factor (bribes) influencing your working ability. All Manjunath was doing was following his work ethic. There was a another case prior to this involving an IIT graduate called Satyender Dube who was murdered in connection to corruption involved with the national highway project.

The upside is that none of us are going to start encouraging corruption because of these incidents. In fact, it will just make us more determined to fight back. The downside is that we still have miles to go. If hitherto-unheard-of Lakhimpur is so diseased with corruption that it resulted in the murder of an honest official, just think of how many thousands of unheard Lakhimpur's are reeling under the same scrouge? Where do we start from then? How do we go about ridding this country of corruption?

Namma Ooru Bengalooru

Maybe its just me or is the city really taking a turn for the better??

I see lanes on the roads...with separate ones for autorickshaws and buses. And they are being followed to some extent...a lot more than you would actually expect from public transport drivers in our country. I see lots of special BTS buses too...for ladies only..for pass holders only...Public transport has improved considerably over the year...

3 weeks here..have been to Koramangala, Majestic...traditional traffic hotspots...no traffic jam. Even on the radio, the incidence of "jam busters" seems to have drastically gone down...the roads seem to be in a better condition...or maybe I just haven't been on the "right" roads yet.

We have new tourist attractions like "City Swaps"..the hop-on hop-off tourist bus that is very popular in Europe is now here..
Even bureaucracy seems to have improved..I don’t see people waiting for bribes before they sign your papers...Of course, no one is ever in office at 10am sharp..but neither are we software engineers..so that is a trait common to the working class of India I guess..public or private...

Hmmm...I must say...we are taking a turn for the better...Can't say the same though about the rich brats of our generation..

One son of high profile fashion consultant involves himself in a brawl with policemen..Another..our "mannina marimaga" ( for the non-Kannadigas..this means great-grandson of the soil..in keeping with DeveGowda's "mannina maga" rant..)..Nikhil Gowda starts throwing stones at a hotel in the wee hours of the morning..and the Chief Minister has the sheer gall to accuse Bangalore's cosmopolitan lifestyle for his son's misdemeanour...a lot of us stay out late at night..but I don't think anyone of us have ever been inclined to throw stones or be a public nuisance! So, Mr. Chief Minister..my advice to you..a little discipline never hurt anyone..take away his big fancy cars for a while...revoke privileges..and he will turn out just fine..the rest of us did!

Another interesting debate in the TOI edit yesterday..should SMSese be allowed in English papers? Good Lord no! Imagine quoting Shakespeare in SMSese!
"2 b or not 2 b is da qt"
Seems ridiculous doesn't it? The only chance we have of learning English the way it is meant to be written and spoken is in school. College, work..the quality of our English is downhill from there on..so if even that last hope is destroyed, future generations may not even know what English really is! or grammar..

Back Home

"Home is where the heart is" - When I was leaving Paris, I felt like I was leaving "home". Now that I am back in Bangalore, I feel like I am "home"..this is where I grew up...this is where my family is...I have spent 12 years in Bangalore...and yet..3 months in Paris..and I call it home...Jerusalem is like another home....If I were asked..which of these 3 homes I like the best..Well...

Bangalore...I love India..and all things Indian..no make that most things Indian..I don't like strange odours wafting through my nostrils...I tend to be a tad high and mighty abt certain places..KR Market being a worthy example of a place where my nose is somewhere in the heavens...I hate dirt and filth..Have started considering dodging animal dung an inevitable part of my pedestrian life...its there everywhere!!! I dont mind the traffic....I love the fact that the sun rises and sets at the same time every day of the year...I love the fact that there IS sunlight falling on me....I love the fact that shops are open till 10...and that things I like are not ridiculously out of my reach...and that there are more people than fingers and toes who together pamper me and indulge my every wish...I am a veritable princess in Bangalore...

Jerusalem...my first home away from home...the first thing that comes to my mind..the instant feeling of calm that settles in when I step into Jerusalem...In Israel also, from the time I step into Ben Gurion Airport till I leave...everything is taken care of for me.
There is a welcoming air about Jerusalem..the people there make you feel welcome. I am not an outcast there. I am one among them. My colleagues at the office are super too...they include me in their weekly Shabbath rituals...they instantly made me a part of their lives and an extension of their family...which is why I know for sure I would never get homesick in Israel...I am home in a sense..with Hilda's family or Lionel's...

Paris...the immediate association with this city is independence!! Nothing is served to me on a platter, right from the taxi at the airport. I have to fend for myself here...no Hilda to mother me here. I can safely say..Paris is where I outgrew my caterpillar stage...I have learnt to be more responsible and mature. I have learnt to be more detached and to observe things with a detached view. Its also a city where at long last, I have learnt to be a litttle selfish..to put myself before others. I did not feel too homesick in Paris too because I was actually revelling in my new found independence!!! I had to make sure there were groceries in the kitchen...I had to do my own laundry..was responsible for keeping my studio clean...I totally loved it!!! That I can eat only that which I like..so no cabbage or radish or idli for 3 months....bliss I tell you...

So there it is..Paris.. I am the lady of the manor..and get to decide everything...
Jerusalem...Peace and contentment...amazing people..its like staying over at a very dear relative's place
Bangalore...."home"...:-)

Pics of Grenoble

View of Grenoble from the Bastille Fort..Its an amzing place..Mountains..Valleys..rivers..all the elements for poetry are right there!

The Iser River..The only thing more twisted is my head!!!


View of the French Alps from Bastille..You can see Mont Blanc in the distance..

Strange Thoughts

Definition of life..

And I am not talking abt the breathing in and out..heart beating kinda definition..I am talking about social standing..what determines whether you're considering worth having a life types..
In school it was..the girls who did well in academics,the school leaders...being a BDO member was a big deal in Baldwins (given the wild child that I was..I was a leader only once!), being in the sports team, being in the cultural team..these were fundamental to deciding how popular you are in school..and how well you will be remembered after you leave..
In Pre-University..the IIT applicants were the elite class..and the ICSE students..coz it was like a cake walk for us..in the end..it was your CET rank and which college/branch you got into in..
Once in Engineering...the first 2 years..you were cool if you had a boyfriend..I mean even today, when I catch up with old friends..the single/relationship status is always talked abt..did you have a boyfriend? for how long? wow! thats long...what happened? Oh I'm sorry..The latter 2 years of college was all about placements or higher studies...GRE, CAT, GMAT, GATE or the Infoscions and so on..
Blessed as I have been..I have been part of all the cliched stereotypes since school..hence..have been considered popular by my peers...
And now suddenly...there is no stereotype..nothing to be..no "cool set" to be part of...strange..but nice!

Waiting to go home!

Abt time I got a lil homesick I guess...was just thinking abt all the things I would do first when I get home..and lots of people suddenly rushing into my head..Cant wait to give my mom a nice, tight hug....Trouble Adi again..think I have missed him the most this time...me ringing the bell..him asking who? me saying naan(tamil!) and him asking Butter aa?? it would bug me then..now I would gladly have him answer the door at Mercure ApartHotel in the exact same way...
Bug suchi..chat away with my darling grandma..use the kinetic again...drive the car..watch TV in English...read the Newspaper..aaaaaaah!
Miss the workplace too...drinking Ganesh's chococcino...troubling JP...me and hazel teasing Sandy..playing catch with Ramki..Sujan and his madness...subbu..anu and our hugging ritual..joel...Georgie Porgie..Evenings at the office...Naamdaari's and their amazing blueberry cheesecake..Mast Kalandar's Chatoree chat...Magnolia's Taro Nest..Sahib Sindh Sultan's Reshmi Paneer tikka...roadside Pani Puri..Mishti's Mishti Dahi...
Miss my friends..and all of them complaining abt not getting to see me enough...shall do something abt that this time...Il try atleast..
Its weird..but every little thing each of you said or did..is like vividly etched in my memory...Sigh! Back to work now..
Dont know if I should put this up on my blog..maybe for just a day..

The Last Time
You never know when the last time is going to be the last time....
My last time on Champs Elysses, I wanted to get a pic taken under the Ve Arrondissement, Avenue Des Champs Elysses board...wanted to eat Chocolate Caramel Truffle Sundae at Haagen Daas, take one last look at Sephora...Instead my last time I just headed inside Sephora, bought a bit and left...

It's not just about places...you never say the things you want to say coz you always think you are gonna meet again...but sometimes, you just dont...and well, you regret not saying it when you could...

Even when it comes to saying goodbye to someone...you picture the last goodbye so vividly (at least I do!)..and you just say a simple bye before..suddenly that simple bye is your final adieu...

So, maybe I treat everytime like the last time...but then again..thats stupid!!! I cant keep eating Choc Caramel Truffle everytime I am on Champs Elysses...I would not fit through most doors if I did that!!!
Sigh! C'est la vie....That is life...What happens happens...guess the only solution would be not to pin too much on that last time and just live for the moment!

Pics of Annecy

Lake Annecy
I just liked the blue between teh clouds..hence took this pic..
A path leading ( or so we thought!) to a beautiful chapel!
A typical canal in Annecy..with flowers adorning it..

Paradise and Back!!

Travelled alone for the first time this weekend...mighty kicked abt it!! Can't believe its actually taken me this long to do something like this...guess eating alone and watching a movie alone should follow soon enough as well...First time I am heading outside Paris after Italy (if you discount Versailles which is half an hour away!)...God! It seems like forever!!

Anyways moi went to Grenoble this weekend...its a little town nestled in the French alps...beautiful...also went to Annecy...I have a friend staying in Grenoble...left from here Friday evening by TGV...reached there around 10.30..Swaroop was at the station...His place is a 10 min walk from the Gare..had a yummy dinner..White wine..dal+chappati and an amazing cake for dessert...i was stuffed! Then tried to sleep..Grenoble is incredibly quiet!! Its absolutely still at that hour of the night..deathly silence..Positively spooky..

Got up really early the next morning to head to Annecy. It's 105km north of Grenoble and 40 km from the Swiss Border..It’s got a beautiful lake, Annecy from which it gets its name.

Ugur Firdoce bur Roo-e Zumeen ust. Humeen ust o Humeen ust o Humeen ust
( If there be a Paradise upon Earth. It is this, it is this, it is this.!).

I am sure if Firdaus ever got to Annecy he would share my sentiments!This is a beautiful place..you have pretty bridges dotting the place that are filled with flowers...a beautiful chapel..and the lake..It’s straight out of a postcard...With many hues of blue...surrounded by mountains on one side and the town makes up the other three...it’s really huge! You have geese and swans and quite a few yachts dotting the water line..

We walked around most of the lake..had yummy lunch by this place near a pretty bridge...ah..the day was perfection itself! The weather was just brilliant..clear blue skies..I think the beauty of the place made us forget how tired we actually were...But by the end of the day..I was beat..Completely exhausted..we finally got on the train back to Grenoble..where Swaroop regaled me with a brief history of Kannada Cinema for an hour!! I was in splits! have resolved to get back home and watch these movies! Returned home..ate dinner and tachi....

Woke up quite late on Sunday..brilliant weather in Grenoble too...Grenoble is surrounded on 3 sides by mountains…its also got 2 rivers..Le Drac and Le Iser...beautiful place…envy Swaroop! He gets to stay there for 18 months!!! Walked around town..saw a couple of cathedrals...walked in to a flea market..had yummy Choc Chip cookie..walked into a deserted Place Victor Hugo..which is their city centre..where all things happen! Had a super lunch that preceded by Chatreuse..which is the local liquor..a green liquid..that burns its way down your throat and emanates some vapours..unique!! Then a brilliant Penne Pasta follwed by..Tiramisu with Rum soaked raisins..divine!!!

Then we headed to Bastille…this fort..one of the main centres if the French Revoltion as well..its in the Chatreuse range of mountains if I am not mistaken! We go up in these bubble shaped cable cars to the top..and enjoy a view of the city..and the mountain ranges..Grenoble has the longest straight road in Europe..Boulevard Jean Jaures..and you get to see almost its entire length of 8km from there..also got to see Mont Blanc with its snow capped peaks!! Beautiful..I mean..to just sit there and marvel at the beauty of nature…at the sheer perfection..of both natural form and human! ;-)..

Walked down the hill and got back home…another beautiful day came to an end…sat on the TGV to Paris..and slept!!! Got up half dazed and headed home with Sachin…Anjali had made super yummy food..ate that and just gave in to the all the exhaustion..

Woke up this morning feeling like a ball of wool has replaced my brain..still do..so this post is probably one of my worst written!! Excuse moi! Shall put up pics of Grenoble and Annecy tomo..

AB's Baby!!

Abhishek Bachan is in town!! He is in Paris shooting for a movie along with Lara Dutta..saw him on Friday at the Trocadero gardens..but could get only a distant glimpse...no autograph as well..but what little I saw I liked..a very balanced individual..and incredibly polite..a lady asked him for an autograph on his way somewhere..and he apologized very politely while declining..really liked that about him..no star tantrums or anything..yeniways...ate a nice meal at Quicks and returned home...

Rockin' weekend...Sachin's friend and his family arrived from Stuttgart..Very nice people..dropped them off at their apartment which has English Channels btw ( what luck!!)..returned home via Havre Caumartin..found some pretty not-so-expensive clothes to buy around here..shall be going back there today..returned home and crashed!! not used to getting up at 6 am anymore..it takes a deathly toll on me..anyways..met up Gurya and his family at St. Michel..showed them the beauty of Invalides...and then when we reached the Eiffel..it stated pouring!! and we were stuck getting wet..a very sweet Indian selling umbrellas gave me respite from the pelting rain by holding an umbrella for me..people can be really sweet!!

Returned home to change...and then ate diner at Gandhi's near our place..very very tasty food...went to watch a movie after that..My Super-ex girlfriend...eeeeeeeeeeeks!!!awful movie..what a let down after The Devil wears Prada..returned home and slept!!

This Sunday is first Sunday of the month..hence entry to all museums around Paris is free...started fairly early..visited Museé D'Orsay..this is an old railway station converted into a museum..beautiful..and I personally feel sculptures are more expressive than paintings..and this museum is filled with them! Saw quite a few of Napolean Bonaparte..lots of Greek mythology..saw Mercury..Apollo..a statue echoing the unrequited love of Sapho the Greek poetess..realy nice...

And then..my first glimpse of Impressionist art..My initiation into the world of Monet..Cezanne..Van Gogh..Renoir...I always thought art collection was for people who did not have anything else left to buy..but I have changed my mind now!! This stuff is really good..maybe not necessarily so exorbitantly prized..but good stuff..worth collecting..worth displaying..worth admiring...collected a few postcards..Monet's famous Water Lilies..Cezannes Apples and Oranges..some I really liked of Van Gogh and Renoir..not necessarily their most famous..

After that..headed to Invalides to see Napolean's Tomb..nice place..its a church that has been divived into 2 parts.one is for the soldiers..and one was for the king..the one for the soldiers was beautiful..easily one of the most beautiful churches I have seen..then went along to the other side to see Napolean's tomb..

Once that was done..went across to Rodin's museum..saw that great masterpiece of his..The Thinker..then a few more...Adam, Eve, the Gates of Hell..and so on..very nice..I like sculptures a whole lot more than I like paintings..Impressionist ones notwithstanding..

Then walked over to Concorde..and here I had my second brush with Abhishek Bachan...they were shooting there!! managed to get an autograph this time..as well as a very close look of the star..he did not seem to be in the best of moods so could not get a glimpse of that killer smile..left after my autograph to check out Place Vendome..and before I forget..AB is good looking...polite..and has a voice that can make anyone go weak in the knees..

Place Vendome..dominated by a huge Column Vendome atop which sits Napolean on his Le Cheval! Surrounding this magnificent column are the Ritz Hotel..Chanel..Dior..Cartier..posh!! did not even look at their displays fearing I might really like something...You cannot love that which you do not know!! so left after a quick look to head to the next museum..Centre George Pompidou..

This is a weirdly built Modern Art Museum that has pipe like structures all outside..very starnge..I am not one for Modern Art..did not appreciate it too much at the Museum in Jerusalem..ditto here..had a quick look and left..

Every Museum in Paris presents its work differently..and they are all unique.;The Louvre was originally the Royal Palace..Musee D'Orsay a railway station..The Rodin Museum is a huge garden..witha lot of little gardens at the centre of which u have a work by Rodin..Centre G. Pompidou is weird..built like many pipes etc..very nice!

Returned home and slept like the dead..woke up at around 19.30..had to go out for dinner with Gurya and family..hunted all about Avenue Des Champs Elyseess for a cake..and no luck!! went for dinner anyways..returned home and crashed!!! have never felt this tired before I think...slept the sleep of the dead!!

Paris updates

Alrite...I have completely stopped my chain of reporting on my day to day activities in Paris...for one...coz like all good things...it had to come to an end ( ha ha kidding!)..Life had become routine. with long nights at the office..so only weekends were spent doing anything..as far as exploring Paris goes...I have not done a very good job..sad but true..so much I would like to see in this amazing city..and now there is hardly any time left...

My last update stopped with the trip to Italy so shall continue from there. Went up the Eiffel..gorgeous view of Paris..nice time..did nothing else exceptional that week..

First weekend after mom left was very unremarkable...did not feel like going out much or seeing new places..guess too much of a good thing can also be bad..so I just rested the entire weekend...

Next weekend..met up with a friend from coll..saw Sacre Cour..saw the outside of Jardins Du Luxemborg..saw Tour MontParnasse..huge building..have a nice pic in front of it too..for the select few who I have sent links to my abum..you may see this..shall send the links to others as well..that Sunday..we saw Pont De Alexder..one of the prettiest bridges in Paris leading to Invalides..500m of manicured lawn, Palais Royal..and all this on one of those typical French mornings..cloudy with a promise of rain in the air. Then we walked upto Musee D'Orsay and then took the RER to St. Michel..walked in the by lanes of St. Michel and stumbled upon this amazing place that has every board game known to man in there..its just stocked with board games..really super!had a nice lunch of tomata feta cheese sandwich followed by yummy hot chocolate..then we headed inside the Notre Dame Cathedral..I find it strange that I still haven't had the chance to read Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame..thin I will do it as soon as I reach India..went inside the church..saw the famous stained glass paintings..wasn't the best day to visit the place coz the absence of sunlight outside meant I really could not appreciate the beauty of the windows..but I will be going back theer again so its fine I guess..

The past weekend..Friday..we were treated to a brilliant display of fireworks at Parc De Villette..just brilliant! Saturday was dedicated to shopping..spent the Saturday browsing through dozens of shops in the La Defense mall..did not buy to much though..checked out some Harley Davidson bikes..these pics are also in my album..Sunday we went to Chateàu De Versailles...nice place..would not mind getting married there (:-) )..guess noone would..saw the musical fountain show..sat in those quaint horse drawn carriages...big horses are very very smelly...eeeeew!! Pretend-rowed a boat...got some awesome pics taken of myself..God bless Sachin! and then returned..had dinner and tachi..

This week was murder at work..but its Friday today..and all my work is done..went and watched an amazing movie last night...The Devil Wears Prada..in a nutshell its abt a Boss from hell and an employee from heaven..and the people who watched the movie..an employee from hell and a boss from heaven..yeah..Sachin and moi (kidding! Im a jem to work with..no sniggers here!) Hence the inspiration to look nice..which is why yours truly is dressed to kill today in a lovely green indian dress with bindi et all..looking verrrrrry ladylike and fairly pretty...

ok thats it for the Paris updates...

Why aren't we proud to be Indians?

A fairly common feature among Indians you meet abroad. They are embarrassed to be Indians!! The India they see is full of corruption, bad politicians, over population, poverty and unemployment. These problems beset every country in the world!! Some more than the others..but no country is untouched by these scourges...But yet, we turn a blind eye to these when we are abroad and make a huge deal out of it in India!

As for me, yes I do think we are behind the rest of the world in almost everything..but I am still proud to be Indian..and no matter which corner of the globe I live in..Home as such would always be India...

The attitudes of Indians living in India...There are 3 specimens of Indians to be found anywhere in the world..

The first kind...has the attitude that being an Indian is a passport to being uncouth, uncivilized and is in general a public nuisance..This specimen has absolutely no regard for road rules..thinks nothing of littering public places..talks loudly..ugh!

The second kind...think when in India be an Indian..dirty public places..break every rule possible..but when abroad..these ppl consciously develop a pseudo-sense of Social and Civic responsibility..they just shrug it off along with their disembarkation pass at the Indian aiport...

The third kind..is the one that possesses a semblance of social and civic responsibility and chooses to maintain it irrespctive of which country they are in...

I believe that I am in the third category..and I wanna use this blog to address the other 2 categories..incidentally, it is the former 2 categories that are most embarassed to be Indians!!

When we go abroad..for various reasons..studies..work..vacation..most of us tend to forget that in our own small way we are cultural ambassadors of our country..and that if we ourselves hold no respect for India..then it is unlikely that the foreigners will..

Coming back to the subject of my blog...Why Indians have no respect for India?

1. Population...The days of having 7-10 children has almost faded..at least among the affluent and mid-income strata of society..a problem of this magnitude cannot be overcome in a day. It takes time, but we are seeing results..

2. UnEmployment...BPO hub, software centre...We are growing..albeit in small steps compared to China and other developing countries but steps nonetheless...

3. Poverty...There are beggars and there is poverty everywhere in the world...We choose not to see it here..but make a big deal out of poverty in India..yeah there may be more beggars...but nonetheless..its not a problem unique to India

4. Dirtiness..This is especially for Category 1 and 2 people...India can be a clean country too..use dustbins...stop spitting on the road..stop sticking posters where you're not allowed to..treat your country as an extension of your house and start keeping it clean..if each of us were to start making it our responsibility to keep a place clean..I fail to see how it could not work..

5. Traffic...yes, we are an over populated country with an under developed public transport system..but even in this aspect..every day I see a traffic jam on my way to the office here in Paris...what I don't see is irate drivers honking like there is no tomorrow...or abuses being hurled..people sit calmly and wait for the jam to pass..the key here is that they know the jam is inevitable so they don’t try and fight it...they patiently wait...this in a city with one of the most developed public transport systems..and with a population roughly equal to that of Jayanagar!! And yet we think of Paris as wonderland..

6. Corruption...Greed for money and power is rampant everywhere in the world. It's a matter of percentages as Sachin told me. Roughly the same percentage of people are corrupt everywhere. Since our population is a whole lot more, the amount of corruption may seem significantly more. But even here, with the Lok Ayukta coming into force etc. we are improving. And, we encourage corruption!! How many of us actually go and stand in queues at the RTO or the Passport Office? Instead we go to these middlemen, pay them a bribe and get the work done faster. We stop paying them bribes...in the long run, they stop asking for bribes!! Its a question of Supply and Demand..

7. Politics...False promises to win elections. In Budapest, people are demanding the resignation of their Prime Minister after a report that he won his office under false premises. That is being pro-active. What do we do? Instead of creating public forums to address our grievances, we grumble about how the government is not doing anything. Make the government sit up and hear you. You have a voice...use it!!

So, basically my point is don't be ashamed to be an Indian. Be proud of your country. We are a country rich in values, traditions and culture. We still possess a unique identity. We are the land of so many great people. I might sound like a patriotic song soon enough so I will stop here...but I hope you get the point...and more importantly I hope you learn to be a proud Indian!

Jai Hind!

Amu Gyaan

Alrite..its been a blissful 7 weeks in Europe...think i will list out things I like/dislike blah blah...

List of my fave places in the 4 countries I have been to

1. France --> Paris - * Champs Elysses/Arc De Triomph * Eiffel Tower * Louvre by Night * Grande Arch/La Defense * Tour MontParnasse * Invalides

2. Belgium --> Brussels * Grand Place * St. Michel's Cathedral
--> Antwerpen * Antwerpen Central..teh prettiest Railway station ever! * GroenPlaats Square * The banks of the Scheldes River
--> Brugge * Markt Square

3. Holland --> Amsterdam * Madam Tussaud's * Daam Straat * Schipol Airport

4. Italy --> Rome * The Vatican * the Colosseum * Piazza Navona * Pantheon
--> Pisa * Leaning Tower
--> Venice * The water taxi stand just opp the Venezia St. Lucia station

Best Walks I have had in Europe..rated from best to good!

1. With JP...from La Defense to Porte De St.Cloud...through Pont De Neuilly, Argentine, Arc De Triomph, Champs Elysses, Concorde, Royal Palais, Trocadero..and the bridges..
2. With JP...from our hotel to the Javel bridge at 12 in the night! saw the Eiffel twinkling for the first time..stunning sight..
3. With Mom...through St. Peter's Square on Via Vatican all teh way upto St. Peter's basilica..
4. With Sachin..Walk from Grand Place to Palace of Justice in Brussels

Things I loved most during my stay

1. French Women..the way they smell and the way they dress..Ooo la la...
2. Hot Chocolate...well..all Hot Chocolate is good Hot chocolate..but the Italians make it the best..second would be the Belgian ones..the Dutch and the French are on equal footing...
3. Walking back home after a long day at the office and seeing the Eiffel twinkle!
4. Shopping!! granted I am not doing much ( read any!) shopping...but still..window shoppnig is an activity even the most disinterested shopper will cultivate in Paris...
5. Walking along Champs Elysses..I will miss this the most, I guess
6. Watching the Eiffel twinkle...
7. Eating the yummiest breads and pizzas here...
8. Galleries Lafayette....aaaaaaaaah! paradise

Will update this list...I know I am missing out something..

Murphy is God!

1. Murphy's Law of Mc Donalds : You can never find one when you need one! Otherwise, they are everywhere..all over the place!
2. When you're at a metro station waiting for your train, the train at the opposite platform will always arrive before yours!
3. The best laid plans always go wrong!
4. The time required to wait for ur train/the distance to walk in a metro is directly proportional to how tired you actually are!!
5. You miss a bus by a whisker and dont care coz the next one will come along in 4 mins..well..the next one comes after 25 mins...
6. When you know how to ask a particular question in French, chances are you will stumble upon that rare specimen in France that speaks English..you pray for an English speaking person and you get a person who will look at you blankly and say non anglais!

General observations on people and places in Europe

1. Paris is one of the dirtiest places here..there is dog do all over the place!!
2. Frenchmen are extremely polite and courteous..Gallic chivalry runs in their veins I guess...
3. French are also very polite drivers..will stop for you even when the pedestrian light is red..and all they expect is a smile and a Merci
4. Italians are a lazy lot in general..never rely on Italian local bus/train schedules..
5. Italian men are super hot!and super flirts too...nice combo to have..
6. European languages (except maybe German) have a very endearing sing song way of pronouncement.
7. A photo of the Arc De Triomph...and Champs Elysses..can never go wrong..no matter how redundant your camera may be or how unskilled a photographer you are..

More to come in this list as well…

Terrorism versus Islam

I have not done anything significant this past week, except may be go up the Eiffel Tower and enjoy a stunning view of Paris..so I shall use this week's post to speak about something else...the villification of Muslims across the world

Yes, I, a Hindu..a Brahmin..am going to dedicate a post extending my sympathy to the Muslim community...and No, I have not taken leave of my senses..

As the world celebrates the 5th Anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the WTC, various news channels have also covered the change in the way the world now perceives Muslims. They are all looked upon in askance..as if being a Muslim is a sure fire way of identifying a potential terrorist. All Muslims are not terrorists just like all Germans are not Hitler's...all Marathis are not Nathuram Godse's and all Lankans are not Ravanas...

So, everytime we have a terrorist attack, a new wave of scathing comments are thrown at Muslims across the world. No, I most certainly don't condone these acts of terrorism..but I don't think these attacks are a license to attack Muslims..

Terrorism has no religion...no God-fearing person can execute thousands of innocents for no fault of their own. Yes, the terrorists use their religion as their potent weapon…they use the name of God to claim innocent lives…their War on Jihad is part of their plan to destroy all non believers’ of Islam..

Jihad is an Islamic term, which connotes a wide range of meanings: anything from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith to a political or military struggle to further the Islamic cause. Muslim scholars explained there are five kinds of jihad fi sabilillah (struggle in the cause of God).

1. Jihad of the heart/soul (jihad bin nafs/qalb) is an inner struggle of good against evil in the mind.
2. Jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan) is a struggle of good against evil waged by writing and speech, such as in the form of dawah (proselytizing), Khutbas (sermons), and political or military propaganda.
3. Jihad by the pen and knowledge (jihad bil qalam/ilm) is a struggle for good against evil through scholarly study of Islam, ijtihad (legal reasoning), and through sciences (such as military and medical sciences).
4. Jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad) refers to a struggle of good against evil waged by actions or with one's wealth, such as going on the Hajj pilgrimage (seen as the best jihad for women), taking care of elderly parents, providing funding for jihad, political activity for furthering the cause of Islam, stopping evil by force, or espionage.
5. Jihad by the sword (jihad bis saif) refers to qital fi sabilillah (armed fighting in the way of God, or holy war).

It is the last interpretation of Jihad that is the reason behind this holy war. But, even Islam or the Quran does not allow the murder of innocents in Jihad. Physical Jihad relates to the use of physical force in defence of Muslims against oppression and transgression by the enemies of Allah, Islam and Muslims. Allah commands that Muslims lead peaceful lives and not transgress against anyone. If they are persecuted and oppressed, the Qur'an recommends that they migrate to a more peaceful and tolerant land: "Lo! Those who believe, and those who emigrate (to escape persecution) and strive (Jahadu) in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah's mercy..." (2:218). If relocation is not possible, then Allah also requires Muslims to defend themselves against oppression by "fighting against those who fight against us." 2 The Qur'an states: "To those against whom war is made, permission is given [to defend themselves], because they are wronged - and verily, Allah is Most Powerful to give them victory." (22:39) [4]

Jihad is a supposed to be a fight against those who wrong Muslims or Islam. Being a Christian or a Hindu or a Jew is not a crime against Muslims or Islam. The very base behind this War of Jihad is wrong. The Muslim Jihad has been the compared to the Christian crusade centuries ago, where people were made to convert to Christianity. A person should be allowed to choose his/her own faith. Holding someone at gunpoint and asking him to worship Allah is not a means of converting faith. This War on Jihad is not based on Islam or people who have wronged it. Terrorism and murder as opposed to religion or God are the rules that govern it.

So, basically, I am trying to make a point here, that acts of terrorism, for the most part have no bearing on god-fearing Muslims across the world who have also lost their kith and kin in these attacks. We should not use these attacks to victimize Muslims and possibly alienate them further.

If there are any Muslims reading this blog, then I urge you to ask your community to be more vocal and active in the War against terrorism. The Muslim community should condemn these acts with no if's and buts’. They should not use these acts of Terrorism as a means to ask for upliftment from poverty or better rights to education as is the case in Britain. Poverty and illiteracy are independent of a person's religious background and are not reasons for the Muslims to condone terrorism.

Countries like Lebanon are democracies. The people of these countries can go a long way in fighting the war against terrorism if they elect leaders who will show the world that they are also opposed to Terrorism as opposed to electing to power Terrorist outfits like the Hezbollah. The Muslim community could also go a long way in preaching religious tolerance. Not being Muslim does not make us any less human. This would be the right time to put in Shylock the Jew’s dialogue in Merchant of Venice..

"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that."

There it was said from a Jew to a Christian..here it is being said from a Hindu to a Muslim. The point remains the same. We are as human as you are. So help us put an end to this madness. Let the world finally become a safe place to live in.

Warning...I know this post will evoke some very strong feelings among my readers...but please remember...this post is only about Islam vis-a-vis terrorism..please dont expand this to other facets of Islam notably their treatment of women etc...

Italy - brillianto..perfectto...magnificento..

Day 42 - 2nd September - Rome..the Eternal City

Reached Rome around 10.30..the train was late and they did not even apologize!!! A visitor's first impression of Rome as the train chugs from the Rome Tiburtina station to the Roma Termini station is that it is really old...The buildings are dilapidated...everything has an ancient look...its almost like you’re travelling back in time...

Checked in to the Alessandro DownTown hostel…all people reading this who are looking for a cheap way to explore Italy..I highly recommend this place..decent facilities..free breakfast..and they always have a free pasta/pizza party of sorts happening for dinner..besides there is huge kitchen so u could make Maggi etc and in general save on some expenses...and more imprtantly..its a stone's throw from Roma Termini..you will come to know why this is important a little later..

Went to see one of those city tour places...got a map of Rome there...and decided to do Rome myself on foot!!! Best decision ever! got a one day metro pass..Rome has 2 metro lins..and they both pass through Roma Termini..so u can reach home from anywhere in Rome easily..

First hit the Colosseum...interesting tip again for those planing to visit Rome..to buy tickets for the Colosseum, dont wait in the humongous queue there..instead walk across to the Roman Forum ( Fora Roman in local lingo) and in the Palantino you can get tickets at the same price sans the hassle of waiting 90 minutes for ur ticket! The Roman Form is what is left of the political and religious centre of the Roman Empire...it is said that Caesar himself walked through this Forum..gives you a major high knowing that you’re walking in the footsteps of Caesar...

Picked up tickets to the Colosseum..walked past the almost mile long queue smugly...and entered the Colosseum...spell bound...its just a ruined old building..but even a slight shred of imagination is enough to imagine the people cheering…we could see the cages where the hungry lions were kept...we could see the place from where the Gladiators would enter..I watched that movie after a year of having the CD :-)...and standing inside the Colosseum, I was thankful for having watched it...I could at least imagine the significance of the place..its a standing testimonial to the might of the Roman Empire…to still be standing...albeit in ruins for so many centuries...Humbling...

Then had a typical Italian lunch of hot margherita pizza followed by a pistachio gelato with the Colosseum leaning over us...very nice...then took a bus towards the Pantheon...got off at the nearest stop..and walked..saw a huge pillar at Piazza Colonna..not sure of its significance though..shall Google later..then saw the Temple Adrianno that is now a theatre of sorts..and then the Pantheon…every nook and corner you will have some remnant of ancient Rome..which is what makes it the perfect place to explore on foot..the Pantheon..pagan temple converted to Christian church..very pretty..

Then Piazza Navona..this is a beautifuul square full of sunshine and colour...A huge fountain dominates the centre of this square...and you have lots of artists making watercolours of the scene around them…Took a bus that dropped us off near the Vatican. Crossed the Tiburina River via the Ponte De Saint Angelo...Castel St. Angelo is this mammoth edifice. Now a museum..unsure of its earlier purpose..but you just look right and there you see Saint Peter's Basilica in the distance..I know the Vatican was one of the biggest churches etc..but nothing prepared me for the scale and grandeur in front of my eyes..only superlatives befit the Vatican...its just amazing..huge walkway leading up to St. Peter's Basilica..a bigger square and then the mammoth church..entered in to see the tombs of all the previous popes...Dan Brown's Angels and Demons coming alive in my head..saw all the tombs including that of the apostle Peter..the Sistine chapel was closed until Monday! a sign that I have to visit Rome again...:-)..returned from the Vatican…and headed towards the Spanish steps..

Spanish steps are just steps in front of Piazza Esapgna..apparently a cool place for the Romans to hang out...connects the Piazza with another building above whose name I cant remember..then headed to Fontana Del Trevi..the most highly rated tourist spot in Rome...we walked forever to get there..and the fatigue removed some of the joy in seeing the place..besides it was packed!!! got our pic taken..it is said that if you throw a coin over your right shoulder you will come back to Rome..so mom and me promptly threw a coin…and then left for home..

Reached in time for the Pasta..yummy penne in spicy Arrabiata sauce..nice end to our day in Rome...the Eternal City

Day 43 - Join the dots again...

The problem with trying to see as many places as possible in one short weekend..means that u spend most of Sunday travelling..it happened last Sunday…its happening again today...left for Pisa at 7.30 after a nice breakfast at Alessandros..reached Pisa at 10.30 and took the bus to Campo Mirablio where the Leaning Tower is...it actually leans!!I mean its obvious and all..but when u see the tower actually leaning, it takes u by surprise..at least it took me by complete surprise...enjoyed seeing the place...bought some souvenirs...and then…I realised the importance of 1 minute

We missed our bus back to the station by 1 minute..the next bus which was supposed to come 9 minutes later came a whopping 25 mins later..this meant that we missed our train to Florence...and in turn our connecting train from Florence to Venice..so by the time we reached Florence, we had just 10 mins before the EuroStar left and we obviously could not catch it since we did not have the tickets..the next Eurostar was already booked..so we ended up taking a train to Bologne..then Bologne to Venise!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaah...join the dots..the upside..we got to travel 1st Class inter city from Florence to Bologne and it was brilliant...ppl there are seriously pampered!!! enjoyed that..managed to get hold of an English magazine...the dowside was..I just got to spend 24 minute in Venice…the city of my Dreams...its ok..guess it was meant to be shared with someone else....saw a canal..saw a gondola..saw Murano glass..so I at least got a taste of Venice..

Back to Paris..travelled with an Italian family where the Dad looked just like Al Pacino...dead ringer I tell you...and in case I forgot to mention it in this post…. Italian men are hot!!! and they flirt with all things female..so watch out...

Photos..the one on the left..Inside the Colosseum..Centre with a Roman dressed as a Gladiator..Right..outside the Pantheon

Amu's Thoughts spelt here

Amu's Thoughts spelt here

Week 6

Day 37 - Monday - 28th August

Spent today just resting after our travels to Amsterdam...went to the Diana memorial at the Alma Marceau tunnel...this is where HRH, Princess Dianna of Wales died in a tragic road accident in 1997. Her car crashed into the 13th pillar in this tunnel. There is a huge golden flame outside dedicated to her...saw that...walked around the place and went to Gare Du Nord...booked tickets for Italy and returned...ate and tachi..

Day 38 - Tuesday - Sacre Couer, Mont Marte and Pigalle

Went to Anvers..did some shopping there..and moved on to see the awesome church called Sacre Cour...you get a brilliant view of Paris since this place is on a hill(Montmartre)..this view does not encompass the Eiffel, Notre Dame and Arc De Triomph..its the other end of Paris that we can see...

Went then to the Place De Terre which is this colourful square filled with artists...mom and I got portraits done of ourselves and mine ended up looking nothing like me...boo hoo..

We had seen the Red Light District in Amsterdam..wanted to see how the one in Paris compared to that..hence the trip to Pigalle..and this one was a whole lot more "colourful"..pun intended!! Saw the Moulin Rouge with its famous windmill sign..the prices for the "show" were bloody expensive..and yet there was no dearth of people queuing up for tickets...took a pic of the place and left...

Day 39 - Wednesday - The Louvre

I have spent 38 days in Paris and not yet seen the La Joconde or the Mona Lisa as we better know it...in order to rectify this grave error, mom and I set off for a nocturnal visit of the Louvre that is possible only on Wednesday and Friday...

First entered the Denon wing..this wing houses some jewels of Egyptian archaeology including a sarcophagus case( sarcophagus aka the egyptian Mummy!)..went to the next level and wow!! it was Greek Mythology coming alive in these sculptures..saw one of Venus, Eros - the primal god of Love, Diane - the goddess of chastity..and many more..some names were unfamiliar..maybe when I return I shall go armed with a copy of Greek mythology and check..there were
also 2 sculptures of the Egyptian goddess Isis and one of Osiris..saw one of Jupiter.;Zeus and Cronos were missing..maybe I missed an exhibit..

The next level contained the paintings..French and Italian..saw the Mona Lisa...yeah her smile is enigmatic..and yeah..its a beautiful painting..guess the portrait of La Gioconde just celebrates the fact that Da Vinci was well ahead of his time when he made that painting...coz it didn't make me swoon or go gaga or anything...then again..it takes a lot to impress me..and a kutty painting of a beautiful lady with an enigmatic smile doesn't quite cut it! saw a few more paintings...ended up in the American and African section of the Denon wing. Did a whirlwind tour of this and then headed to the Sully Wing...

Saw lot of Arabic and Iranian artwork here along with a few more sarcophagi...not Egyptian though...we did not have enough time to cover the Richelieu wing so I shall do that again some other time..

Walked out of the Glass Pyramid and admired the Louvre for the first time by night...now this is some sight to behold...just mind blowing...the lighted Glass pyramid...the still water lakes...it almost looks like glass till someone/wind creates a ripple on the surface...the palace on 3 sides...beautiful..I am going to do a Paris by Night photo shoot soon enough...am just working on the finer details...and then I shall attempt to present to you these magnificent sights...till then you just have to take my word for it!

Day 40 - Thursday - Nothing

Something abt the food we ate today did not agree with Sachin or me..went home..called in sick..got lotsa attention and love from my mom..Abhishek Nag..if you're reading this..then you were absolutely right! I do suffer from "SuperStar syndrome"....ate well..and slept real early for a change

Day 41 - Leaving for Rome

That is all I can think abt today..could barely contain my excitement...reached the station well in time and sat on the Trenitalia train to Roma....we had nice company..a trio of students who got off at Florence..and a good looking Italian lady..nothing much to write abt the train journey except that one of the students had an iBook and I was positively drooling...OMG!! I am actually turning into a gadget geek..occupational hazard I guess...Next on my wish list for the select few who know abt it..an iBook...please please please..il be ur slave for life I guess...

Ciao

Amsterdam...Belgium..

Day 34 - Saturday - 26th August - Amsterdam

Reached Amsterdam at 6 in the morning...Sachin and I have calculated that the best time to reach a city is at 9am in the morning..and we were both, absolutely correct. Having reached at 6, we took the metro from Amstel station to Amsterdam Central (the dutch pronounce it as Aaamsterddam)..did not like the metro here..the station names are poorly displayed..and they have metal seats..I am no princess..but at 6 in the morning it is unbelievably cold and the metal seat uncomfortably emphasizes that fact...Reached Amsterdam Central station..and the Information office opens only at 9 in the morning..so our theory stands proved..

Loitered around Daam Straat looking for a place to stay...found none! There is a festival of sorts happening in Amsterdam..just my luck..I always end up reachng a place when something major is happening..its good in a way..but the scarcity of cheap accomodation coupled with the constant jostling of ppl is something I am not too keen abt..anyways, killed time till 9 and managed to get accomodation near the airport!! Also booked ourselves on a city tour and had a nice glimpse of Amsterdam..the striking feature of this city as viewed from a moving bus is its unique architecture..the houses are all longitudinal and deep and stuck to each other..This was oen to avoid paying much taxes...each house had a hook on top to bring in furniture through the windows...coz the doors were too narrow..Went to a windmill..Why do they have windmills in Amsterdam? The city is build on the River Amstel, from which it gets its name and has 102 canals. The windmills help regulate the water level in these canals..or atleast this is what I understood from our guide on the bus..

Saw Rembrandts last house..also visited a Diamond Factory in the Jewish quarter of town..The Jews are good at anything they do!! My appreciation for them never tends to cease..anyways saw a lot about the diamond polishing process at the factory and returned to Central around noon.

Walked along Daam Straat again, this time checking out the shops along the way...Amsterdam advertises its Red Light District and drugs-are-legal-here bit a whole lot more than it advertises that it is the birthplace of Rembrandt and Van Gogh...that it was the scene of Anne Frank's Nazi experience...so did not like that too much abt the place..but then again..I guess they give the tourists what they want!!!

Went into Madame Tussaud's...Oooo la laa...I have hugged Pierce Brosnan...sat in Robbie Williams arms..had dinner with George Clooney..posed with the Dutch Royal family and what not!! Awesome fun!!! totally worth coming here...went then to the Anne Frank Huis..and then back to the hotel around 10..we were bone tired...and before I forget...today is my darling mom's birthday..hope my supermom had a memorable birthday...wishing her a year of happiness and joy..



Day 35 - Sunday - 27th August - Antwerpen, Brugge
After a well deserved good night's sleep, left for Central...our train to Antwerpen was cancelled..so we hung around Central a lil bit longer...finally got on to the train and reached Antwerpen around lunch time..showed my mom the beauty of Anwerpen central..it is one of the most beautiful stations I have seen..since we had 3/4ths of an hour before our train to Brugge, I showed her around the famous diamond district of Antwerpen..had lunch at Pizza Hut and boarded our train to Brugge.

Brugge rocks!! Its a place where you can actually relive Enid Blyton..remember the Famous Five series..how they would take off on these biking trips..and camp out in the wetlands..with heather for beds..and little rivers?? And the quaint little villages they would pass through for food?? It is all here in Brugge!! A pity I just got an hour in this wonderful place..went around to the central Markt Square and saw some brilliant architectural wonders..and returned to catch our train to Brussels..Yeah..we spent most of today connected between cities..much like a join-the-dots game..but we ended up seeing a lot too so I guess its fine..

Returned home by the Thalys from Brussels to Paris and we were home by 10...

End to a lovely weekend...