Jellies, Nemos and Roaches

On one such visit to Norwalk, CT, my colleague and me ended up visiting an aquarium for lack of something better to do. And we were pleasantly surprised. My favourite were Jellies. They are actually 95% of water and very calm and soothing on the nerves. Or maybe thats how they were presented.

Another pretty picture to look at were these colourful Nemos. Quick movements and turns and responding to the tap on the glass wall.

Imagine having cockroaches under the scanner. Well, these were sort of different. Though dont remember exactly how.

Wanted to share and well, sort of document this before my memory fades away. Sometimes, when you look at the pictures, atleast thats what happens with me, there is a nostalgia and a smile on one's lips... but I somehow miss the entire story!!!

New York City

My work has started taking me across continents. Across cities. I like to believe that I am a traveler and enjoy every bit of it, however when one travels for work, it is different. Its not the same thing. But, given that work takes you around, you might as well see around for a bit. Not exactly a traveler and not exactly a tourist. This would be somewhere in between. 

During the last year and the current year, my work has sort of 'gifted' me with almost 4 visits to the US of A to the same place :-/. Not that one has a choice but then work is work and you got to make best use of your time, professionally and personally. 

Have been landing up time and again at Stamford, CT which is close to an hour away from New York City. Stamford being a small place, has a small downtown and couple of 'go to' places like a museum or the river front. The major attraction of this place is its proximity to New York City (NYC). Well, and when you do go to NYC, for the first time, you do end of doing the touristy stuff. We arrived at Grand Central Station via train. Its a beautiful train station. The ceiling has designs of constellations embedded in it and it has a very active market, eateries and even an Apple Store. I think it has atleast 4 levels to it. 

Couple of things which we covered over the weekend, with adequate energy levels along with sensible clothing and walking shoes are the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, MET Museum, Central Park and Times Square towards late evening. For some cases, we decided to take the hip hop bus but once we were in the central business district we were mainly on foot.

Couple of pictures follows :-)

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island

Rockefeller Center, popularly known as the "The Rock". The Christmas tree and its ice skating rink is seen in many a Hollywood movie

Remember? Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged??? Well, this is stationed at "The Rock"

View from the Top of the Rock!

Another view. Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock

The first ever Winnie the Pooh. Maintained at the New York Public Library. 

New York City, from the Central Park

Have visited most of these places with work colleagues. It was fun and good time spent. New York City has very similar vibes to that of Bombay a.k.a Mumbai. Gelled in instantly... as if I had know this place for quite sometime. The traffic, the commute and the sense of urgency... calmed down by the river / sea as the case may be. In the midst of all the hustle and the bustle, you do manage to find the quite and calmness. Would love to be back here :-). 

Broken Down Car

 

Near Mahim Station, Mumbai

Noted this broken down car near the Mahim Station Wall in Mumbai. Ready to be dismantled and discarded. Been lying here for quite sometime. This was a mobile shot taken from a taxi. What makes it interesting to me is the battered and tattered condition of the car along with the interesting wall art on the station wall. It sort of gives a character to the condition of the car. The car has been removed recently from the spot. Everytime I cross the road, I see the wall art cartoon but I miss the car!!!

Wall Art

Wall Art, Mahim Station Wall, Mumbai

I try to capture unique or random things or moments on cell phone. This is one of them. Painted on the wall of Mahim Station. Remains of a city activity which had once allowed its citizens to particpate by painting the walls... which most of the times are in its worst state of maintenance. Liked the geometry of this wall art and how it attracts your attention without giving any particular message...well thats how I look at it. Am sure thats not what the painter had in mind but nevertheless, putting it up here to share...

Sunshine

Extended Stay Americas, Norwalk, CT

 

Morning sunshine...

Rushing through my window...

Waking me up from a deep slumber...

Wishing me a very lazy Good morning!!!

Of a friend and an airport

As a I write about this (after a long time), there is happiness in my heart…for meeting a very very very very dear old friend of mine at the immigrations counter at the Newark Airport. Funny places these airports are…of chance meetings with old friends...

Newark International Airport

 

Road to Rome

Leh Ladakh Highway, Kashmir, India

All roads lead to Rome...

Seriously!!!!

Cast in Stone

Krakow, Poland

We,

Stand alone, 

Cast in stone,

Staring at the passers by,

The rustle of the leaves that dry.

The hurrying wind so cold,

To play along - we are told!

The trees that sway with the wind

Flutter of the pigeons that sing

Silent, stony notes are rhymed

There is no track of time.

We are captured for the nth number

Are we awake or in slumber!

The pose we strike, Angles alike, 

The picture stays, memories linger!

Of us, 

Cast in stone,

We stand alone!

Taj Mahal

It has been written about scores of times. Endless amount of praise, endless amount of debate, endless amount of politics and the romance around this monument. Books written on it. Movies made on it. Songs sung for it. And yet all of this does not prepare you for the splendor and beauty that hits you when you see the Taj Mahal for the first time.

Yes - in the break before joining my new job, I had the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal. The mention of it here --> Report Card is not exactly justice to the visit and the monument. It makes me wonder, why didn't I visit it before during my innumerable visits to Delhi to meet my innumerable relatives and friends. But anyways, better late than never. 

I don't think I am good at taking pictures, but I try nevertheless. Missed my DSLR here but got my fill with the digital camera. Not sure, if the output would be as great but nevertheless. Visited the Taj twice - in two days. Once during the evening and the very next early morning. We just kept staring it. 

Even after going to the Taj Mahal twice in a row, didn't feel it was enough. There is one view yet remaining. The one from across the river Yamuna on a full moon night.

Perhaps, some other time :-)

Warsaw, Poland

Had gone to Warsaw, Poland as part of work earlier in January. Just after finishing off the new year celebrations. On the night of 1st January, I took off on a 9 hour flight to Warsaw. Nice, quite place. Neat and Clean. Fewer people on the roads (which was almost a cultural shock for me). It was pretty cold. Temperature ranging from 2 deg till 5 deg. Travelling alone is not much of my preferred activities but when you are travelling for work, you got no choice. In your free time, one's got to do his / her own R&D. 

A giant Christmas Tree welcomes you along with the spirit of Christmas. The streets are lit up and you can come across odd groups of people singing carols on the streets in Polish of course. Further down, groups of students running to catch the last bus home. Sometimes, there is a drizzle. Indication of snowfall just around the corner. Which just makes you yearn for a hot cup of coffee and cookies. I loved the bakeries there. Fresh, oven baked muffins and waffles. Would grab some, especially on my way to work in the morning. 

Market Square, Warsaw

Over the weekend, paid a visit to Krakow. Once upon a time the capital of Poland during the Nazi rule. Very similar to Warsaw in terms of architecture and history but found it more livelier. Especially the market square. Reminiscent of  eras gone by of the kings and the queens!!! Went to the St Mary's church of Basilica, the art musuem, Schindler's factory, the Jewish Ghetto and the fort of Wawel. Couple of hours in a day were just too less. 

What was common between Krakow and Warsaw was the strong impact of World War II and the end of the communist regime 30 years back. The art, the museums and majority of the conversations express the history of war the nation had to face. Sometimes, war is all people have to give to their children. The remnants of War become the stories to pass on by. Because everything was razed very systematically by the Nazis when they left the country. 

But also on a lighter note, what was common between Poland and India, was an artist (read sanyasi / baba) managing to position itself in the air!!!! ;-) Just the way our famed choti wale, saffron clad, barefooted babas do :-).

There's so much to write about my two week stay over there, but I guess I wont be able to do justice to it. But will keeping posting intermittently about the people, culture and comparisons. 

My city...BESTEST !!!!

Yeah, I know the title is not the best example of proper English. But heck - I just borrowed it from a popular  advertisement tag line of 'My Daddy Strongest'. 

Mumbai - one city that makes me feel at home. Its been a little above 5 years, since I moved here. It was on my priority list since I was in school when I had come here for the first time for my architecture exams. That was the time, when I decided that I want to come back here. Be here. 

This city is vibrant. Full of energy. Of a mad rush yet one can feel the calm in it. There is so much noise in the air...of the people, corporates, stock markets, festivals, Gods and Politicians and not to forget the bourgois....I guess with so much around, you just need to find your favourite corner. Mine is at Marine Lines. Sitting there....watching the waves crash with the stones. The city lights turning bright. Your back towards the noise, of the people, of the traffic, behind. Just watching the skyline...of the Queen's necklace...sipping the chai that a chai wala sold to you for like Rs. 5 which is definitely not the best tea in the world. Its extraaaaa sweet and the plastic cup is too small. Its down in just two gulps. Yet, the sugary cup of tea added to my calmness...that I feel when I just sit watching the sea....

As much as you can fall in love with the city, its also very easy to hate it. For the population, pollution,  crowds, commuters, the distances,  the noise, people stepping on each other's toes and lives...everything...However much, I crib about it, I think of  leaving this city and going anywhere else.  

I can go on endlessly about Mumbai. It has its own personality. You can either love Mumbai or hate Mumbai...you just cannot be indifferent to it. :-) I guess, its my favourite city in the world. 

Home Sweet Home

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!

-John Howard Payne

The lines stuck in my head since the last couple of weeks. Staying there. Stuck there. Bringing a sense of loss along with nostalgia with a feeling, that its never going to be the same.

My parents relocated to Delhi more than 3 years back but the relocation didn't really happen in my mind. The doors have now been closed finally. The house put up for rent. I feel a certain antagonism for the strangers who will now be living there...There's going to be a lot of ranting and cribbing here now... need an outlet...some of it may not make sense...some will be absurd...but you've got no choice...if you happen to come here, you have to listen to me...:-)

Ahmedabad has always been my home, my city, where I belong...and now I am bereft of it. My entire schooling was done there. I had a lot of childhood and school friends from this city (though I dont know where most of them are now), all the uncles and aunties and their children who were also my friends. They were invariably present on most of the occasions in my life. My birthdays and my marraige. My brother's birthdays and his engagement. They were all there. The neem tree near my house is familiar. Without its presence, we would miss the turn to our house. Honest Paav Bhaaji yet exists. The ice golas on the road. I learnt cycling there...on my own :-) (I am proud of it...). I got a lot of broken knees and bruises while playing with colony friends. My red BSA SLR...how can I forget her. My red Tobu tricycle. The lawn tennis academy near Gurukul road. Kanoria Arts centre where I went to learn sketching. Shreyas Foundation - where I learnt to swim. The tailor under the neem tream near the Shreyas Foundation who turned many of my jeans into shorts. IIMA. The chai wala near IIMA. The chinese corner near IIM. ATIRA. IMA. CG Road. The municipal market. CG road during Navratri & New Year. Law Garden. Bargaining at Law Garden and the wonderful chaniya cholis along with all the traditional junk jewellery at Law Garden. The street food at Law Garden and their very small amusement park.

Mount Carmel High School. Was and am proud to be Carmelite. My primary school at Khanpur, near Hotel Cama had a fabulous river side view. Of course, I was too young to realise it then. Remember taking Sunil Gavaskar's autograph on my hands when he had come down to our school. I remember Sr. Wilma, Ms Sandra, Ms Lopez. The Middle and the High School were at Navrangpura. Sr Flavia Dias, Sr Dulcine, Ms Mary Flory (who along with her brother Rody Flory became our neighbours at Judges Bungalows Road). Can't forget Ms. Ludvina who taught us needle work. David Colaco, our first 'active' sports coach who formed the first basketball team of our school of which I was its proud team member. Mrs Priya Kale, Mrs Sahai, Mrs Kerawala were my favourite teachers and of course Sr. Nirmalini :-).

Post my board exams of class X, I changed my school to St Xaviers Loyola Hall. Cannot forget Father Morondo. He was the best. Yet remember our inter school cultural festival - the Odyssey and of course the orange popsicles for Rs. 1 each :-). The school socials and the garba night and yes of course the class celebrated Raksha Bandhan too :-P. All through my school at Carmel and Xaviers, Chitra had been at my side. My "besty". I am in touch with her (thank God for small mercies :-)). Lot of my other school friends, Abhimanyu, Jeeshan, Jason, Errol, Kunal, Neha, Jaya & Sumati - I am not in touch with them. There are on my facebook friends list but thats different. I remember celebrating Christmas at Chitra's place. Going for the mid night mass. I remember the delicious fried fish - the first one - which I had. Her mom had prepared in a true Kerala style. I took an hour to eat :-). Yes - I remember that too!!! I miss Navratri. Remember how we used to take out our Kinetics and Scooties, drive around in our Chaniya Cholis and go visiting the different colleges and clubs and enjoy dancing to garba - raas. And then later stuff ourselves at IIMA with paav bhaaji because that would be the only place open at 4 AM in the morning.

There are so many memories which are flooding my mind right now and there's no way I can capture all this. But I know one thing, I am going to miss Ahmedabad terribly. Its not just because my parents are not living there anymore, its more than that. I grew up there. There are tons and tons of wonderful memories. I am going to miss going to Ahmedabad. But it shall always be where I come from, where I belong. My city.

Monsoon ke side effects!!!!

Mumbai has a love - hate relationship with Monsoons!!!! Mumbaikars... - well most of the them....wait for this season..... the sea has a different colour, a different feel.... the breeze is oh so wonderful... the hot makai and tapri ka chai...an umbrella which threatens to fly away with the wind.... and the noise of the pitter - patter....:-) makes you want to cuddle up with a good book, sitting near the window... as you watch the world go by....hmmmm.....

View from my balcony

On the other hand, for lesser mortals, who struggle during the week, there is the other side... there is the crazy monsoon traffic....we hope that "today" we are not late for work...due to the crazy traffic, non complying auto wallahs, the snobbish taxi wallahs and well - the local trains which are forever running later.... we just hope, that we reach to our workplaces....DRY....we just hope, that a car passing by, hopefully, will not splash the mucky roadside puddle water on your clothes.... we just pray that the leather that we carry (shoes / laptop bags / purses / wallets) survives...... hmmmmm.....

Well - monsoons has it side effects.....to begin just listing them would be sooooo unfair..... but then being put under house arrest due to the unpredictable rains is not fair...to the extent that we visited one of our friends uninvited :-P for tea and conversation...:-) We played a lot of games...sudoku, scrabble, pictionary ....had a lovely afternoon nap.... but all this was a bit too much.... even the play station was not spared....I did my n number of household chores....but I just could not concentrate.... I WANTED TO GO OUT.... I needed my SUNSHINE...... :-P and I was feeling awful because I was not getting out..... all this ranting induced me to crib on this space....hmmmm.... and dearies, this is just June....*eyes rolling*... the best is yet to come :-P

Miss my sunshine!!!!

Hyderabad - A traveller's perspective

Hyderabad is the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh. It was founded in the year 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah. It is a city which projects a strong cultural influence along with a booming information technology industry. Famous for its Pearls, Biryani and Karachi Bakery biscuits, the city is small enough to provide a sense of comfort and big enough to let you grow.

The Hussain Sagar Lake is a popular tourist destination which offers a boat ride, a small lake side restaurant and good snacks. In between the lake stands a tall Buddha structure.

The Golconda Fort was established by Quli Qutb Shah. The fort is in a good shape except for the grafitti which is an eye sore at some places. It is really painful to see love declarations of the current generation on something which has such a historic value

If you look closely, you can look at scribblings on the wall

We climbed all the way upto the Golconda Fort and the city view which was visible to the eye from the top was simply beautiful. During such a climb, I realised that I must really build up on my stamina or the lack of it is really going to be  a deterrant in other visits. There is a also a light and a sound show which we skipped since it was in the evening.

.

View from the top

We learnt from one of the locals that inadequacy of water, and frequent epidemics of plague and cholera persuaded Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah to venture outward to establish new city with the Charminar at its centre and with four great roads fanning out four cardinal directions. Hyderabad's fame, strategic location and Golconda's legendary wealth attracted Aurangazeb who captured Golconda after a long battle in1687. Making a grand 'Gate' is one the main architectural points of the Mughal influenced architecture... If you observe carefully in all the cities which were under their rule, there is a 'gate' for e.g. India Gate (New Delhi), Gateway of India (Mumbai), Dilli Darwaja, Teen Darwaja (Ahmedabad). Other than this they made tombs ...or maqbaras which are also famous...the most famous one being the Taj Mahal which is actually a tomb.

Charminar, Hyderabad

Anyways, Charminar is famous for its locally found authentic biryani and the famous hyderabadi pearls. There are scores and scores of shops and bargaining is the key. We went to a wholesale shop and one of our friends bought pearls to her heart's content. I was happy buying a small pendent set for a relative from the shop which costed me Rs. 125/- WONLY.....:-)

Ahead of Charminar, is the Laad Bazaar. Popular for the bangles made of lac. In Hindi, it is more popularly known as lac ki chudiyan....couldnt resist myself and bought myself a couple of them.

Apart from the traditional places of Hyderabad, there is also a permanent handicrafts exhibition at Shilparaman. One can find all kinds of traditional arts and crafts from paintaings to footwear to bedsheets to clay art to sketching to junk jewellery to wooden artifacts and what not.

 I got myself a broad, shallow clay pot (dont know what to call it) mainly for the purpose of decorating rangoli or diyas during the Diwali festival for a mere sum of Rs. 100/-. In Mumbai, we find this at no less than Rs. 350/- :-O.

 Wanted to get a wooden jewellery box but they didnt have the sections which I wanted. So I opted for a wooden artisan's box with appropriate sections for Rs. 150/-.

Our hyderabadi friends gifted us 2 beautiful masks as token of memory. Touching. And no - I didnt inquire of the cost ;-).

Other than the shopping aspect, there are people who will put mahendi on  your hand in like 10 mins and sketch a portrait of you (well at least 60% familiar) in a very short time.

All in all, thoroughly enjoyed this trip to Hyderabad. Touched on its various aspects and felt enriched as to how another city / place has touched my life and how I will take back memories from here.