tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75463126091175062762024-03-19T01:01:52.730+05:30Just Emkaying2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-3315997470584127912019-12-31T22:40:00.000+05:302019-12-31T22:40:11.959+05:30The One with the truth. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear Emkay,<br />
<br />
Wow. A Whole year with no posts, and with the train still paused at the station.<br />
<br />
If the end of the decade was at 2016, this year end post would be very different. With the whole world sharing how magical the decade has been, I know it's hard to stay true to what's in your mind. But it would be a terrible start if you didn't stay true to your self, and had some effing truth serum to keep it real.<br />
<br />
Though it isn't really as bad as you'd like to make it out to be, as you've already begun to realize in the last few days. It's a small detour in the larger scheme of things, a bitter pill to get better, and as you've already planned out, get the coal in, burn that fuel, and move. At your own pace.<br />
<br />
There's a lot to be grateful for in the past decade so to speak. But before we go there, it's important to summarize the books of text you've scribbled, into something that you can look back at anytime, and remember.<br />
<br />
So here goes.<br />
<br />
It's okay to be choosy. And please be really choosy on who you share your true self with, not every one can handle it, not everyone will be equally invested in it, not everyone can last the long journey of perpetuity, not everyone can climb over setbacks and misunderstanding, and most importantly not everyone deserves it and you don't either. The one's who can, are with you, and will be smiling broadly when they see this. The other's will probably go - what the fuck happened?!<br />
<br />
That being said, you've gone a complete 180 in the last 10 years, and that's not right either. You can't wear your heart on your sleeve, but then go sleeveless. <br />
<br />
*joke*<br />
<br />
As you've grown older, and ultimately more wise, a critical part is the concept of balance. Just because you invest 100%, doesn't naturally mean someone else will too, especially given that they have their own lives. It's just not how people are. So pull back a little, balance it out a little, give and take and repeat.<br />
<br />
A parent getting disabled, the other almost going through a health issue, overly romantic and heavy whirlwind romance that ended as badly as it probably could, the could have been's and the should have been's, the regrets, a really trying time professionally, a possible life threatening accident that you escaped unscathed from. An emotional fucking mess, a complete break down of trust in people, and a lack of purpose. All in such a short time of 2 years have clouded so much good of the decade.<br />
<br />
That's tough. And it's okay. It's an experience and it's okay to feel whatever you are feeling. But you've been here time and time again. And you're still here.<br />
<br />
I know that you hurt the most when people you trust misunderstand you and doubt your intent, but that's okay. And you hate yourself when you completely misunderstand others and get taken for a ride. But that's the cost of being you. You must know by now that you are not easy to fathom for most people, for better or for worse.<br />
<br />
Remember the investment rule. Balance. If they don't get you now, they probably never did anyway. Try to mend the bridge, but don't bother doing it completely by yourself, especially to a shore that doesn't exist.<br />
<br />
Forgive, forget, and Fuck off from there. <br />
<br />
But it's also important to pick yourself up again. To remember & celebrate those that stood by. To get back on the airplane to that new destination, life goes on. And you must go on. To newer experiences and most probably newer heartaches, but to go on. Fucking get up man!!!<br />
<br />
There are those that want to see you succeed. Those who call you without you telling them that you are down. Those incidences that occur when you least expect them to. The people that you love more than yourself, and you've grown far away from them - get back to them. They are special and rare. Let them know.<br />
<br />
<i>(The Lost Village Boys. Masti Language. Bangalore Gang. And the other's singular's. I love you.)</i><br />
<br />
Emkay, there's a universe that's watching, and if you only put your heart and soul into what you choose to chase, there's no stopping you. No one ever has. And No one ever will.<br />
<br />
"You are only limited by your own fears and inaction." - Wasn't this your motto? So be it. Turn back the time and pick up from 2016. Be the Super Attractor you were.<br />
<br />
Live consciously.<br />
Practice Radical Candor.<br />
Laugh at your own jokes.<br />
Hum and sing, abashedly.<br />
Keep talking about things nobody gets.<br />
Dance<br />
Please read, please.<br />
Find the one. About fucking time.<br />
Do things. Just Do.<br />
<br />
<br />
The next decade is yours. Begin well.<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
A wiser Emkay.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-41230464802525482182018-04-29T18:20:00.000+05:302018-04-29T18:20:26.878+05:30ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<br />
चैन से रो भी नहीं सकता<br />
कैसे नींद आयेगी मुझे<br />
यादें तुम्हारे रोक नहीं पाता<br />
<br />
दील टूटा नहीं<br />
संभल के रखा है<br />
यह मेरी लिए नहीं<br />
तेरे लिए धडकता है<br />
<br />
ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<br />
ग़म मनाने का वक़्त नहीं<br />
मेरी उदासी कहीं तुझे न लग जाये<br />
इस ख्याल में हस्ता रेहता हूँ<br />
<br />
माफ़ कर दे, गलती हम से हो गयी<br />
क्या करें, पता ही नहीं चला<br />
और जब पता चल गया<br />
थो दिल चुप न रेह सखा<br />
<br />
ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<br />
तेरी आहट से दिन बनती है<br />
और तेरी परछाई से श्याम<br />
जब थू ही नहीं, थो क्या दिन, और क्या श्याम<br />
<br />
जानता हूँ की दिन दूर नहीं<br />
की मेरी नज़र से नफरत हो जाएगी तुम्हे<br />
एक नज़र से शुरू<br />
और उसी से कथम<br />
<br />
ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<br />
बीच बातों में तेरा नाम लेता हूँ<br />
जी थो लूँगा तुम्हरे बिना<br />
पर तेरे रुह से बंधा हूँ<br />
<br />
ये कैसी मुश्किल आई है<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(I had penned this down in 2014. It remained in my drafts for a long time, and make no mistake, I am no poet nor is my Hindi any good. But then again, it held meaning. I was rummaging through the drafts, and I thought - Why not? Grammar & Spelling corrections welcome :)<br />
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</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-11625705661364232642018-03-19T22:38:00.000+05:302018-03-19T22:38:38.859+05:30What happened in Dec 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey there!<br />
<br />
Nice to see you back on the blog. I must say that I wouldn't blame you if you thought that three posts in 2017 more or less signalled the end of 10 years of this site. But, nope.<br />
<br />
I think this post has been a while in my mind and I don't think I've debated so much about writing a post as much as this one. Some of you might have noticed my prolonged absence from Social Media till about March, and even then hardly on facebook at all. It has been a choice to silence all the noises and questions in my mind, to keep it calm and not jump at the very tempting stimulus that the online world has to offer.<br />
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After a long time, I've decided to write this as a way to overcome and accept the changes that came into my life on Dec 5th 2017, around 7 pm. My mother called me to inform me that they were rushing to the hospital as my Dad had a stroke.<br />
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Long story short - my dad had a weakness in his right hand since morning, and was feeling weak. We took him to the local doctor who knew Dad's medical history, and hence asked us to do a scan at a nearby city. While we travelled two hours to get the scan done, Dad seemed perfectly fine, and was behaving normally, albeit a bit weak. The scan results showed that my dad had suffered a light stroke and needed medical intervention, and asked us to head back to our town and the doctor there. By the time we reached, my dad was very weak while he was still speaking and telling people who recognised him that he had suffered a light stroke. After an hour of some drips we rushed him to the Manipal hospital which was a further 2 hours away. He was admitted in the ICU by 1am, a good 12 hours after the stroke had happened.<br />
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I reached the next day morning taking the first available flight out, reaching the hospital by noon. What followed was a journey of 40 odd days across 2 hospitals, a diagnosis that took 3 days and a prognosis that made us really wonder what would happen.<br />
<br />
The diagnosis was that there was a floating thrombus in my dad's artery in the neck, basically a floating blockage or time bomb rather that had restricted blood flow and had to be resolved. The problem was that it could not be operated on since the slightest pressure could push the blockage into the brain. So for 10 days, mom and I visited him twice a day, for 5 minutes in the morning and evening, one at a time, with basically very little response from him. The rest of the day we spent waiting for the doctors. Mom kept company of the rest of the family members of other patients, in which I guess she found solace and had her mind free.<br />
<br />
Family and friends kept visiting, but not with much results because they couldn't see him.<br />
<br />
After 10 days, they moved to him the general ward next to the ICU, just to keep an eye on him. He was fed via a tube and had all the things attached that a sick disabled person has. Day after day, doctors would come, check him, and leave. Some would say its best to discharge him and take him home for a quicker recovery, others would say he needs to be stable and at least start eating before they could discharge him. And other days the doctors would say something else.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after 2 more weeks, a scan revealed that his floating thrombus had vanished thanks to the medicine, and he was out of immediate danger. Even then, the doctors gave us a grim prognosis that he would probably get back movement in his right hand and leg in 6 months to a year, and probably not speak or recall anything for a infinite amount of time. We then proceeded to move him to an Ayurveda hospital, where we could begin a more proper form of physiotherapy and healing massages.<br />
<br />
The Ayurveda hospital is probably one of the best I have seen when it comes to peace of mind, approach and overall ambience, set amidst a massive garden and a small forest full of a variety of trees and plants. Needless to say, when dad left the hospital about 15 days later, he was walking with our support, able to go to the bathroom with our help, completely aware of what was going on, and trying to converse with people who came to visit him.<br />
<br />
On his last visit to the doctor in the first week of Feb, he walked to the doctors office for his check up. In terms of his recovery, he's walking around comfortably by himself, has almost all his motor skills in his left hand, his right hand moves up and down but that's about it, has a lot of recovery of his memory and comprehension, but is only able to speak to about 30% of his capacity. He has trouble linking what he is thinking to the right words, while he easily repeats what we say.<br />
<br />
There's been about two more doctors that we have been to, and there is practically no other medicine or magic cure left for us to have attempted. For now.<br />
<br />
So that's what happened.<br />
<br />
For someone who lived a fairly simple and healthy life, eating on time, sleeping in the noon and early in the night, waking up early to some physical work and spending the rest of the time at his shop working and chatting with customers, and non stop activity around the town, it's hard to fathom why this happened. He didn't have any lifestyle disease.<br />
<br />
Yet that very question - "Why?" is the one that was least important. I credit my training that I was able to manage myself, the situation, mom and everything else in between with sanity - except for the first day where I was like - "this is the end of my life as I know it".<br />
<br />
But if you think about it, every day is the end of the small life of the day as you know it. Change is inevitable, and it was another reminder of my mantra, its all about the choices you make, and you need to make them consciously.<br />
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If you think about what happened, a hundred things could be different. And yet things might have been the same or even worse. But what you can impact is today. Of course, it's easier to say it and live it, but there will always be something or the other that will throw you off course.<br />
<br />
Often my mind would race to what would I do if I have to travel for work? What do I do if I can't go home? What about my plans for this, What if that, but I had to pull my head back and focus on "let's take this day as it comes today, focus on what can be done today."<br />
<br />
Anyway, things are better now. Better than yesterday. And tomorrow is another day - but let's take that tomorrow :)<br />
<br />
My deepest thanks to all my friends and family members who were there in spirit and in person, to help me through this moment. Thank you.<br />
<br />
My sincerest request to anyone who needs help, please reach out - I realise that in the past three months I have seen more people fall seriously ill than I have ever in the last 30 years. People getting heart attacks, Strokes, young people, middle aged people, and all kinds of situations. It's too much of a common occurance this year - I hope it stops soon.<br />
<br />
Thank you.<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-50273662075651802032017-08-13T18:55:00.003+05:302017-08-13T18:59:00.006+05:30My Mid year appraisal. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear M,<br />
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Hola!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/6mnumd2LyzXhjya9JxBzt8Zq0P3r1_R54Yxyib6XS7JgwrFbTzvvsfs7QI9jVA-EJySEWj-4R-kyrAYKqN01Y1jl7XpzLpJ4LIfW0VpUOfj7sMfD0sn_YjViMKGykaxQXb920HAfbOzPdS_C7XYC7ABS33Mv1rsN49J2eqEydFd7NcEipuWR14KJFhAm3Orkln4OvGx4d7CWwxEl4X2CIJOUI5GNhNI3UlMIytKqVlDKS8w3QMh7utK2tj0GAakVnDibLN9q-P_HRvYO-DhQ7Fq7uXbop6T7k4VXfjqJf15nL3F8EcD-GgBcFj5Ft2aZ8mQI0BFYaLHKmHuwnv5AN7aBuCzIN0-POI2OOTFR9ikX8xhTlUqcidkXm9Z6ISUvYAPhk9-t1msOrJaGn3xFJFIn1rx9MeKs1aW9_I-D4A9i37DMLwBKeZQRJkzlgDKj2L7Xt5i4jZOOCa244RK5WmEm2clkPbQjewzhCrGiO8os6vnqHJ5zUXjOsDM-wwCr9J9sGy7icDGhix3I5tR-qzjv748hXyPK9Uqx8u2_gMG2hqq_ELyEUqnCLoTbi7XYatq99G3BIPmWTzHkCdxL5aqw2aZWq_ZAVVRU5tyEMZ1H8MVyGipUuw=w237-h315-no" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/6mnumd2LyzXhjya9JxBzt8Zq0P3r1_R54Yxyib6XS7JgwrFbTzvvsfs7QI9jVA-EJySEWj-4R-kyrAYKqN01Y1jl7XpzLpJ4LIfW0VpUOfj7sMfD0sn_YjViMKGykaxQXb920HAfbOzPdS_C7XYC7ABS33Mv1rsN49J2eqEydFd7NcEipuWR14KJFhAm3Orkln4OvGx4d7CWwxEl4X2CIJOUI5GNhNI3UlMIytKqVlDKS8w3QMh7utK2tj0GAakVnDibLN9q-P_HRvYO-DhQ7Fq7uXbop6T7k4VXfjqJf15nL3F8EcD-GgBcFj5Ft2aZ8mQI0BFYaLHKmHuwnv5AN7aBuCzIN0-POI2OOTFR9ikX8xhTlUqcidkXm9Z6ISUvYAPhk9-t1msOrJaGn3xFJFIn1rx9MeKs1aW9_I-D4A9i37DMLwBKeZQRJkzlgDKj2L7Xt5i4jZOOCa244RK5WmEm2clkPbQjewzhCrGiO8os6vnqHJ5zUXjOsDM-wwCr9J9sGy7icDGhix3I5tR-qzjv748hXyPK9Uqx8u2_gMG2hqq_ELyEUqnCLoTbi7XYatq99G3BIPmWTzHkCdxL5aqw2aZWq_ZAVVRU5tyEMZ1H8MVyGipUuw=w237-h315-no" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's me and Columbus, in Spain</td></tr>
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Welcome to the latest in random thoughts and mumbling from my "bored, lazy, yet determined to keep this space alive" self. It's not the first time I've been gone for long, and I'm sure it won't be the last.<br />
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<i>Hah! used clickbait headlines, but will make it up to you if you read on. Promise.</i><br />
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Of course make no mistake - I have long forgone the thoughts of being a consistent writer, which requires some semblance of linear thought or being adept at bringing together seemingly disjointed ideas into a interesting narrative over a period of time - (I'll let George Martin get the fame on that one) I have also come to the sad conclusion that I do not enjoy documenting my experiences on travel beyond instagram stories or photos - given probably to my fascination with the next thing I interact with, as inanimate or irrelevant may it be to most adults. Attention Deficit I think they call it.</div>
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<i>Ooooh look a butterfly! </i></div>
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<i>For those wondering, this post took me 6 hours, <strike>2</strike> 4 episodes of Fringe, lunch, 2 breaks, one coffee, an hour of contemplation on who really wrote history (victors or losers) and redding 100 odd pages of the Amazon book, to finish. I allow myself these liberties on weekends.</i></div>
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Of course what writing does help me with personally is to document ideas, thoughts & learnings, so that it becomes a structure of some sort. I have always felt putting down these things in physicality helps in building memory structures in the head, just like how extreme experiences make themselves a part of your psyche. Of late, I have found writing quotes I've read and having them in front of me to be extremely useful. Often dealing with one's own demons and doubts in moments of charged enthusiasm comes down to just one thing - conviction. Even if it might be the most irrational and inexplicable, or often non existent logical reasoning (in other words "crazy"). And it's always worth it to learn how the greats did it - Jobs, Bezos & countless others. </div>
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<i>On a side note - What seems crazy to others - is it just a reaction to a different reality that they haven't comprehended yet ? (#Fringe). And does this <b>conviction in that crazy</b>, scare them? Often we take recourse by quoting "historical lessons", precedences and processes to not do something that sounds crazy or different. Remember, </i><i>while history may be written by the victors, I believe that humans are interested in learning from proven victors so as to guarantee progress, quicker. Hence this "past experience" is always biased. </i></div>
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<i> </i>Anyway, I digress. (not suprisingly)</div>
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The post title isn't entirely misleading. I found it amusing to conduct a self appraisal of my year so far, an activity we diligently do at work, and seldom when it impacts us more dearly, in our own lives. I've never done this exercise ever, but I found it quite a rewarding process. In one of my older posts (<a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2017/01/the-fault-in-our-thoughts.html">The fault in our thoughts</a>), I mentioned how living and acting on what we want to achieve, helps make life more meaningful. I now discover that being able to review and re plan these goals gives it more life, and helps reaffirm commitment. </div>
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If I remember correctly, what I set out to do was more travel, more different things, challenge myself where I had preconceived notions, act on things that make me happy and to see if it's something that I would enjoy on the long term. </div>
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Most of these things have been done with exceptional results - Travel, included seeing the most beautiful places in India, my first complete solo hostel trip in Japan, a bike trip across the greens of South India, ands some other things. I knew music had a profound impact on me so I took up learning the Guitar, I can say that it was a mixed experience and I'm not sure what to do next on it. I loved riding my bike, so after 5 years of contemplating it, I bought my Desert Storm. I spent quality time with my friends with 3 trips in half a year for get-together's (must definitely be worth bonus points!) Not to mention catching up with family I haven't seen for years to decades! I also participated in my first ever camping trip, which was a disaster if I must say so myself. I had made a promise to myself that I wouldn't buy anything that would encourage me to stay at home, so sadly the PS4 purchase was put aside, as did buying any gadget or electronic device, including watches. It's shocking that I went to Japan and did not indulge in Seiko's and Citizens, but I did not come back empty handed.</div>
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<i>*Cough* GoPro Hero Black 5 *Cough* </i></div>
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Speaking of Japan, I hope you followed my daily insta stories. I have been told by thousands*** that it was amazing. Nonetheless, If you missed it, let me know in the comments and I will see if I can post in on YouTube. I had lots of good memories, I made new friends from Canada, Spain, Germany and India. I met my dress twin took the off beaten track towards the end of the trip, here's a pic:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/A3Mh4XeYrzeh0aKOmQSC3rL8-zKLGlr-LMqIbbfI-oVOHO-pSMhtfpCW4FWXvsUvEqDpTwd7-eiicoRFCQeFRsg1a9ArDWgxUEcHtaOdcwo_JCAE_WFQcJbBEyq-7UdfW91yaMpotnX4wTUQoAc2nafxBbyNmWpRQ1bnp-b7Ox0PSAuReo6BRR75edWzWhfgV4Jkh5nvOm52f0MtudTvtDnBlMcIIwvgX_gi1tBEON7cvNvNJJxQpsxQHcjsVP7MwVZ_WUvZKrJphsUVq_catbUvw3_3okutYRlYKgT1_ANuMJEYjgIAsDS24mhm9aJusfRunlntFcMqG5bE1pmjLblsDfDyoH-FgnmUfVb3OXzIxvAzNlY5qKZuibeUSO16Xpi4onPYLClKY5V1NNFst5MM_9wUNNvXfOd6yv1HppdO3P0XQs0r_wMvm__G2LzBgT5Il9-rDtBsAArtSJfK6yyzF_RRpY1oAG69TCMH3CnQ_Cv1JeYwlOPHsvVDkqyZyLZPZxtuMDp4Emh9ghjB6JU5y6JuV2Vv1CVZT9JTfcHq73gviYv5D7b02zYDqoPejblaFNM2gEPdaoIkVq-0ycDEwli0I6Np62n-fcNxCGuW12Y9b3Y0Og=w1059-h794-no" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1059" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/A3Mh4XeYrzeh0aKOmQSC3rL8-zKLGlr-LMqIbbfI-oVOHO-pSMhtfpCW4FWXvsUvEqDpTwd7-eiicoRFCQeFRsg1a9ArDWgxUEcHtaOdcwo_JCAE_WFQcJbBEyq-7UdfW91yaMpotnX4wTUQoAc2nafxBbyNmWpRQ1bnp-b7Ox0PSAuReo6BRR75edWzWhfgV4Jkh5nvOm52f0MtudTvtDnBlMcIIwvgX_gi1tBEON7cvNvNJJxQpsxQHcjsVP7MwVZ_WUvZKrJphsUVq_catbUvw3_3okutYRlYKgT1_ANuMJEYjgIAsDS24mhm9aJusfRunlntFcMqG5bE1pmjLblsDfDyoH-FgnmUfVb3OXzIxvAzNlY5qKZuibeUSO16Xpi4onPYLClKY5V1NNFst5MM_9wUNNvXfOd6yv1HppdO3P0XQs0r_wMvm__G2LzBgT5Il9-rDtBsAArtSJfK6yyzF_RRpY1oAG69TCMH3CnQ_Cv1JeYwlOPHsvVDkqyZyLZPZxtuMDp4Emh9ghjB6JU5y6JuV2Vv1CVZT9JTfcHq73gviYv5D7b02zYDqoPejblaFNM2gEPdaoIkVq-0ycDEwli0I6Np62n-fcNxCGuW12Y9b3Y0Og=w1059-h794-no" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hostel I stayed at Kanzawa thought we looked like twins. The pic is on their instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/p/BTN5vGNlz_m/?taken-by=hatchi.thesharehotels)</td></tr>
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<i>If I thought 2016 was a good year, the first half of 2017 was a smashing hit.</i> </div>
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It makes me wonder - is this how the world actually lives? Sheesh! I have so much to make up for. </div>
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But then that brings me to the rest of the year. </div>
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What I'd like to do is introspect a lot more. Spend more time reading and perhaps being more in the moment. A relaxed second half. Definitely want to take steps towards learning a language and making another attempt at music. Travel is definitely on the cards and the health journey continues to optimum levels by end of 2017. There's a self declared bonus If I achieve my goals earlier than planned, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm thinking I might want to take up something physical as well - I've always loved basketball and table tennis, wanted to learn martial arts, but at this point maybe something as simple as hitting the gym twice a week might be good enough. </div>
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I really do wish I could adopt a pet. Did I tell you about Trooper? I was so in love with this puppy that had an unfortunate accident and had one of his limbs removed. I really, really wanted to get him home but I had to make a choice. And the choice of getting him home meant that I would have to let go of a lot of other things which I wasn't ready for. Yet. </div>
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I just realised this is the 10th year of Just Emkaying, which originally began as "Daily Mirror", born out of an idea to show myself the mirror, a reminder of how I used to see the world. I've got wiser, but nothing else has changed much, so I'd like to think.</div>
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I wonder what my blog would say if it were able to express its thoughts. </div>
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So I'm rating myself a solid 9/10, and before you say it - I'm cutting one mark for grammar mistakes. </div>
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Cheers</div>
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M</div>
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*** 3 people, but you never know how many of these 3 people are in parallel universes. </div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-58564906348945006462017-02-17T11:06:00.000+05:302017-02-17T11:10:59.580+05:30Inspiration: Meet Subodh Vishwakarma: from Cab to Cannes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meet Subodh Vishwakarma from Bodhgaya. He drives an Ola by day, and I've had the luck of having him drive me to office twice in the span of one month. The first time I met him, he was clean shaven and formally dressed. He saw my guitar and began discussing music. He was a poet, wrote Ghazals and was also learning the flute, which was on the dashboard of the car. I was impressed by his aspiration and desire to achieve his dream. He had subscribed to the writers association and was looking for support to make an album of his Ghazals, sung by none other than the top Bollywood singers.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was in Amritsar recently I used this example to explain how Mumbai felt different from the vibe in Delhi, and how somehow people who want something and do something about it, just see success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cut to yesterday, when I have Subodh pick me up again. This time he has a beard, a cap and recognises me. I look at the dashboard and since it missed the flute, enquired if it was him. He pointed to the back, and sure enough there was his flute. I have never had the same Ola driver again, but here we were.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Subodh is moved on to film making. He is now ready with a script and theatre actors and is looking for a </span>financier<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to invest about a lakh in his film. He wants to put this film on YouTube. Trying to be reasonable, I put on my marketeers hat and said if your "Job to be done" is awareness amongst the industry professionals, why spend so much? Use a mobile phone or a DSLR and shoot it at half the price.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Sir, but when you want to send it to Cannes and other awards, we need to follow the format. Also with a professional, the film will have be shot better and will look like an international film. And it's not about the money, I have very beautiful stories that can impact society, that's more important."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wow. Cannes. Impact society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Subodh earns approximately 60k a month. 15k goes to his Car EMI, another 10k as rent, another 25k for maintenance and running charges. Hardly leaving him with anything to save.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He's learnt at a Hindi Medium school and speaks very articulately and is quite knowledgeable about music and history. He told me how he's reading a "history of music" and how he originally wanted to learn the piano, and couldn't because it costs </span>at least<span style="font-family: inherit;"> 30k for a decent one. So he settled for a flute, and is now learning from a disciple of Hariprasad Chaurasia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wonder how is it that in one month this champ has made so much progress?! His means and time is limited, yet he's getting only more enthusiastic and focused. He's reaching out and working towards his goal, and the rest just falls into place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In hindsight, I'm so privileged to have so many resources at my disposal. Except for my own fears and inaction, there's no other excuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I say to myself, Subodh goes after his goals. Be like Subodh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">m</span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-24561738689897954872017-01-01T23:34:00.000+05:302017-01-01T23:38:19.223+05:30The Fault in our Thoughts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Fault (verb): In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock mass movement.</i><br />
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Dear M,<br />
<br />
Indulge me just a bit, in the misuse of fault in the title of the post. For that is what summarises an exceptionally amazing and unique 12 months that have passed. And as I laze around in the first few days of 2017, it is what I will need to remember for the challenges ahead.<br />
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Sometimes, it is important to put feelings and experiences into words, lest those feelings get lost in the quicksand of time. And with it, the risk of forgetting all those lessons that one should learn. History has a habit of repeating itself, and while it doesn't happen often with me, one particular chapter keeps repeating again, and again, and off late, again. However, this year I write not of just that chapter that is a recurring theme in my end of the year posts, but of everything else.<br />
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<i>The fault in my thoughts. </i><br />
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In the last 18 months I have changed. I would not say that this change was surprising, in fact it was way beyond due. It has surprised a few. On the face of it you wouldn't see it, because simply making<br />
an external change is superficial and temporary. It doesn't t solve anything except delaying the inevitable. And thats when history repeats till you learn the damned lesson.<br />
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But when you adapt and mold your soul, when you can't take status quo for solace, when you rise above empathy and the sense of entitlement from the world, that you actually start believing in yourself, and in your dreams. That it is no longer them and the world, it is actually you who can make it happen, if you choose to.<br />
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<i>The power of choice.</i><br />
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It started in 2015 when I was at the Praxeum workshop, and I had to answer the simple question - What is that you want the most? What is it that you want to create for yourself? And what are you going to do to achieve this?<br />
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<i>Take a step back and reflect on this question</i>.<br />
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Do you want to be a CEO of a multinational? Or propose to the love of your life atop the Eiffel tower? Or make it even simpler - learn a musical instrument in the year? Put that down on paper, and then figure out how you are going to make it happen. Live it. Breathe it. Walk towards it. Because it's just you who can make it happen. No one else will. The world won't "make it happen".<br />
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In my case I had a vague idea of what I wanted. Which is really fine. <i>Knowing that you don't know is the first step to figuring out what you want</i>. And it's not necessary that you have ambitions that make it to the Buzzfeed lists. They just need to be what you want. There will also be moments when mid way through your wish you figure out that it's not what you want or at least not in the immediate moment - that's amazing because it's one step closer to clarity.<br />
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<i>Why didn't I do this before?</i><br />
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Thoughts and general ramblings are like air. You breathe in and breathe out. And you can keep doing it all you want and you'll be fine. When the words start becoming visual, when they start taking a shape and become real, it can be overwhelming. I was afraid (and I'd like to think that most are) to put down what I want, because by the sheer action of noting them down, and that means you are making a "choice". And the difference is that you either take action and make the choice, or just stand by and watch the world do it's thing and maybe, you get lucky.<br />
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<i>And I'd rather not bet my life on luck.</i><br />
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This stuff is really basic. 101 of life. Stuff that ThoughtCatalog will run a hundred facebook posts for a thousand likes every time. And yet, the simple act of deciding what you want and making the choice to go for it is stuff that people are not comfortable with.<br />
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<i>My good fortune was that I was ready as hell to make that choice. Even if I didn't know what I should be choosing between. </i><br />
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Cut to 2016. I had some things that I wanted to achieve and I went after that. I could say I've reached 3.5 out of the 5 things I thought were important to me. And I'm super happy with that, because the count for all the years before that was 0. And what matters most is that you go after them, not necessarily that you achieve them. The journey is just as beautiful and enriching as the end result. And sometime's its okay to not have ticked off that goal - chill. It's fine.<br />
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<i>There are no "must do's" in life.</i> <i>Don't hold a gun to your head and punish yourself.</i><br />
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With that background, here's what went down in 2016. I've travelled a lot - more than the last 5 years put together. I've confirmed a lot of things about myself when I went around Spain alone. Made a lot of choices that were difficult for me, and as history repeated I picked myself up from disappointments much quicker than before. I learnt that music has a profound impact on me, and that its something I should take up for myself. I've loved more deeply than widely. I chose health and made great progress towards it, and in the process become more disciplined, something that I sorely lacked as an easy going person. I trekked a Volcano with people I met a week before and learnt so much about the human spirit and the ridiculousness of living by emails and powerpoint presentations. I floated in the sea with a sense of freedom I never experienced before. I attended weddings of dear ones were I felt more like family than I did in my own. And in the last few weeks, life has been a roller coaster of emotions and for the first time in many years I felt lonesome - which is great. Because I <b><i>felt</i></b> it. And that means there is hope.<br />
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<i>I loved 2016.</i><br />
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And the best part was that each and everything I did had the stamp of my dear friends. Each and everything had my buddies inspire me. You know who you are - thank you and I hope someday I can do the same for you. I've been very lucky to have an amazing bunch of friends, each of whom have played a big role in who I am, and have stood by me. And they are all unique in their own way.<br />
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As I wrap up, I know change is coming. Change is the only constant in life, and the harder you hold on and try to resist, the more painful it gets. And as much as I don't want things to change, I know they will. And December has taught me that. Of course I'm not perfect, and no one is. So that means there are flaws but thats what makes you, quintessentially you. So love it and be proud.<br />
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Little things matter. Experiences over possessions, Love, Relationships, moments, people, loyalty, openness and deep introspection, and most importantly, trust. If you get hurt, it only means it was real.<br />
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So 2017, you do what you want. Because I'm rocking 2017 irrespective.<br />
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Love you guys.<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-26867074023513454782016-12-30T16:56:00.001+05:302016-12-30T16:56:35.384+05:30The one with Madrid - Spanish Escape Part 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="text-align: left;">This is a part of a series on my travels to Spain. Read the previous post <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/12/the-one-with-bilbao-spanish-escape-part.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real Madrid's Beautiful Stadium - The Bernabeu</td></tr>
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After bidding adieu to Bilbao, I took a bus to Madrid. In my mind, Madrid was going to blow my mind. However, of all the cities I went to Madrid was my least favorite except for the great Airbnb experience - I was hosted by professional musicians! It was really sad that I could not get to an actual performance as I had to leave on the day of the show.<br />
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Andy, my host and I coordinated over recorded messages on whatsapp. I often used to have a barrage of questions and doubts when it came to traveling in India, and hence my travel so far has been limited. But staying in Madrid, a foreign city changed my perceptions completely. For starters, Andy was not around so I had to find the house on my own in the north of the city, and then had to coordinate with his Mum who didn't speak English. Yet, it was so awesome how we communicated through signs and pointing at stuff. I was so taken aback by the sheer hospitality and warmth, coupled with such a fantastic home!<br />
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In Madrid I spent a lot of time on walking tours. Back to back, morning and noon figuring out more about the history of Spain, the great squares and the inquisition. The guides are here are fantastic, and the one story that got the most attention was how they classified "witches", and the building they were brought to in the picture below.<br />
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The other major highlight was a visit to the Bernabeu Stadium - what an amazing technological set up they have! I missed the chance to visit Camp Nou in Barcelona, but I had time on my hands in Madrid and this was one of the unscheduled visits. The stadium is pretty cool and stuff, but what is a must see is the walkthrough of history, collectibles and all the trophies! Here's a video:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oR11Gcw_GSU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oR11Gcw_GSU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Here's a tip. To really experience the stadium, check out the 360 photo I made. It's got more than 150,000 hits so far. Download the Google Street App, and then click on this link <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">https://goo.gl/ezPxEL .</span></div>
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I also went to the Retiro park - A huge park with lots of water bodies and some fantastic architectural wonders right in the center of the city, a must visit. Preferably in the morning, I was caught there right in the afternoon so I was downing water bottles like crazy. </div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH_zStwhEPn/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">A beautiful monument to Alfonso Xll in the huge Retiro Park in Madrid.</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-18T08:56:21+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 18, 2016 at 1:56am PDT</time></div>
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And of course, food was never missed in any city! Chocolate Churros!!!<br />
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-16T20:39:35+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 16, 2016 at 1:39pm PDT</time></div>
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I do know that there was one major checklist item I did not manage - the party scene! If I'm not mistaken then Madrid actually has one of the best party scenes in Europe, and that is something I missed. But honestly, I don't think I'd really have cared much for it at the point.<br />
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One interesting episode in Madrid was buying tickets from a vending machine at the metro. While there were a lot of machines, and similarly a lot of people in queues, my first attempt went in vain as I couldn't make head or tail of the multiple slots, routes and instructions. And under pressure from the people behind me I decided to just move till I had figured this out. Helplessly looking around I couldn't find a single official to help me, and at the same time everyone seemed in a rush.<br />
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When you travel in a group, you have the strength of numbers and there's some comfort in the fact that someone will figure it out. When you are alone, there is no one else! In this case, I decided to just observe how people were actually using the machine. So, shamelessly I just stood right next to the machine and stared at the screen and how people were navigating it. One good thing is that I realised there was an English language option. Finally, after a good 20 minutes I went up to the machine and went through the whole operation, feeling like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. Everything went perfect, but - as always the case with me - no ticket appeared.<br />
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<i>Zilch. No whirring sound or ticket popped out from anywhere. </i><br />
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Just as I was about to give up, I saw that the change of my ticket and the ticket dropped down in a slot at the bottom of the machine, like where the coca cola bottle usually falls through in the coke vending machine. Sheesh!<br />
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I literally jumped up and let out a whoop! Which got me some smiles from the Cop on duty and stares from everyone else. #MissionAccomplished. And that was my short stay in Madrid.<br />
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Still to come - Tenerife / Granada / Seville!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cheers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">M</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">PS: Please like and share this post, and you can also subscribe by email on the top right. Follow the photo journey on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/2emkay/" target="_blank">@2emkay</a> or the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmkayPictures/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for regular updates. Thanks!</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-46663096348448726412016-12-26T16:58:00.000+05:302016-12-28T12:27:41.778+05:30The one with Bilbao - Spanish Escape Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>This is a part of a series on my travels to Spain. Read the previous post <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/09/the-one-with-more-of-barcelona-spanish.html#more" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic Bilbao!</td></tr>
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It's hard to top Barcelona. I mean it really, really is hard to top great music, food and the feel good factor that comes with a beautiful city that is so free, passionate and yet welcoming of the millions that come there every year. Not to mention that this continues while the internal conflict on autonomy continues. Of course at the end of the day, it is a tourist heaven and commercialised, but honestly, 4 days is hardly justice to Barcelona. But as a backpacker, time is the most expensive commodity you have, so you soak and smile, and keep moving!<br />
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<i>But Bilbao just took awesome to a whole new level! </i><br />
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I got a bus out of Barcelona to Bilbao, which was about 5 hours ride. The buses are highly comfortable, equipped with Wifi which took care of my immediate planning. I had downloaded all the Google city maps for the locations I was going to, and an update now and then was worthwhile.<br />
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Seated next to me on the left was a super nice Granny. While she did not speak to me was most welcoming and helped me navigate what came across as quite a complicated chair! It's always the small things that make you smile, and such was another instance when a guy noted my confusion in finding my seat and pointed out the seat number at the bottom. (unlike on the top of seats or bunks like we are used to) This guy turned out to be one of the top fishermen in Europe. He was returning from a competition where he and his brother had just won silver. The best thing was that we were both conversing in what onlookers would describe as broken sign language with vigorous head nodding, and my exceptionally fluent Spanish (which consists of three words - Si / Vale / gracias). For some reason, I kept breaking into an Arabic accent every now and then.<br />
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<i>Strangely, I've never had an Arabic accent. </i><br />
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Bilbao is the complete opposite of Barcelona. Brilliant cool weather, lots of bright sun, Wide open spaces with very few people and hills all around. The breeze keeps whooshing in your face, and people are the most generous with their smiles and curiosity. There are three must do's in Bilbao. The first, is to take in the whole city with a stroll. You will see beautiful contrasts between the old cultural architecture and the new world, accompanied by amazing murals and street art.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH36-Gkhl_n/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">No two buildings look the same in Bilbao. Here you see one on of the few modern structures (there are two twin towers by the way) juxtaposed by beautiful old world charm, on the banks of the river.</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-15T07:29:31+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 15, 2016 at 12:29am PDT</time></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH375VSBtgB/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">One of my favorites of the trip. A wall painting of a woman sitting with a child, looking into the distance, visible from any side of the road. In this instance contrasted with the bikini ad on the bus shelter at the bottom left.</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-15T07:37:37+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 15, 2016 at 12:37am PDT</time></div>
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The second must do, is to visit the stunning <a href="https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/exhibitions/" target="_blank">Gugenheim museum</a> of modern art, glittering in Titanium, steel and glass on the banks of River Nervion. It is known to house one of the best pieces of contemporary and modern art and often houses specific exhibitions by leading artists. I was fascinated by the work that is displayed here, more from a curiosity and an aesthetic sense. I hardly understand art abut find some forms of expression interesting, and hence I was lucky to witness some brilliant exhibitions in the work of Louis Bourgeois "the Cells" and Andy Warhol's "shadows". A word of caution though, the museum is quite expensive, and at 30 Euros it blew a big hole in my daily budget! But if you are going in, do take the audio guide that explains the various pieces of art.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH4IqoYBZnR/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">A Panoramic view of the Guggenheim Museum, a magnificent structure of titanium, steel and glass, probably one of the most modern contemporary structures in the world. Housing Louis Bourgeois collection "the cells" and Andy Warhol's "Shadows"</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-15T09:29:12+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 15, 2016 at 2:29am PDT</time></div>
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Finally, and probably the most gratifying is to take the <a href="http://www.bilbao.net/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=100001096&pagename=Funicular%2FFUNI_Home" target="_blank">Funicular</a> up the neighbouring hill to get an most amazing view of the city of Bilbao. It's about 2 euros, and a 8 minute vertical climb. Grab a beer, blanket and chill on the parks at the top! (First image of this post!)<br />
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I also had the most Ah-maz-ing Tapas in Bilbao, the best in all of Spain!!! Cafe Iruna is quite a popular place with old world charm, those classic bar tables and it is next to a park so the outdoor seating is great too. Outdoor seating is quite the norm in all of Spain, and the weather in Bilbao makes it quite enticing to sit out. A seasoned American couple helped me order and pick out the right food. If you choose to sit out, you pay first. If you choose to sit in, you can pay later.<br />
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And please, don't drink anything except Beer or wine. Oh and here's another myth that I will break - Sangria is not the common drink in Spain, in the manner that we know it. If you ask for Sangria, what you essentially get is wine with a bit of soda and fruit punch. (which is delish too!). And that Tapas at this place are to literally DIE for. Like I'd happily take a fat and meat induced coma at this place. Any - freaking - day.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH1r2RkhgWD/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The best Tapas in Bilbao. Amazingly delicious. About 11 more types to go! And what a great old charm of the Cafe, beautiful decor and murals all across. Muchos Gracias!</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-14T10:38:54+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 14, 2016 at 3:38am PDT</time></div>
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In parting, I would encourage you, on your travels to any place in Europe to make use of the free walking tours. Quite the simple concept - they offer you a guided tour by a local around certain famous sections of the city, stuff that you won't see if you go "organised" touring. At the end of the trip you tip as you deemed fit. There is no minimum amount.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My guide Irati and fellow traveller Freide! </td></tr>
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If you are ever in Bilbao, please do reach out to Irati <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g187454-d4547602-Reviews-Free_Tours_Bilbao-Bilbao_Province_of_Vizcaya_Basque_Country.html" target="_blank">here</a>. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and also knows a lot of the local history of the Basque county, so you're bound to have a great time!<br />
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Coming shortly - Madrid!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cheers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">M</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">PS: Please like and share this post, and you can also subscribe by email on the top right. Follow the photo journey on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/2emkay/" target="_blank">@2emkay</a> or the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmkayPictures/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for regular updates. Thanks!</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-30029576464078850792016-09-25T13:02:00.000+05:302016-12-26T15:33:37.403+05:30The one with more of Barcelona - Spanish Escape Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>This is part of a series on my travels to Spain. Read the previous post <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/09/the-one-where-we-went-to-barcelona.html#more" target="_blank">here</a></i><br />
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When RT first kept telling me to visit the Sagrada Familia, I had no clue what it was. I thought it was some kind of former Mafia place converted to a Pizza museum or something. And even though there is Google, my love of last-moment-procrastination meant that RT needed to spell it out for me to actually note it down (a day odd before flying) and then see that it was considered the 8th Wonder of the world, and will be completed by 2026, <b><i>A Hundred and Fifty years after construction began.</i></b></div>
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<i>Yup, I'm going to Barcelona in 2026. That's how un-missable it is.</i></div>
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It's probably the most magnificent structure I have seen in my life (I've not seen the Taj Mahal yet). In fact I would go as far as to say I do not think that there ever will be any structure that can top this. Each facade of the structure has a story to tell and is an architectural wonder. When it is completed, it is expected to be taller than every other structure in Barcelona - natural or man made. The reason that it is so brilliant is the structure is made of innovations in design, structure, material to achieve effects that go with the idea and ethos of the structure - essentially, Christian Philosophy. Every part of the structure is present by design - no matter how small, no matter what it is - a statue, a scripture or even a piece glass. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nativity Facade</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>Seen above are 4 of the main spires, out of a planned 18 - 12 for the apostles, 4 for the Evangelists, 1 for Virgin Mary, and the tallest for Christ, which is yet to get started on. It has 3 facades, each one telling a story. The Nativity Facade which is dedicated to the bright of Jesus is completed and now the entry point, though it won't be the main entry once completed. The Passion Facade (below) is dedicated to the suffering of Christ. A really powerful design in the sense that the pillars almost look like human muscles being stretched. The Last of the facades, The Glory Facade is still in construction.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Passion Facade</td></tr>
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I highly recommend that you take the complete tour with audio guide, because this will be the most interesting guide ever! The inside of the Basilica is just as beautiful, the <b><i>entire place being lit up by natural light</i></b>, and the pillars are all made of different rock. The spires outside are directly supported by the pillars. And depending on the height of the spire outside, the material of the pillars inside visibly change.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gF6ZJWL4u3E/V-a9cZcQ1SI/AAAAAAAAcCw/69lhAjHwDB0qqX8rJaiF37yRbiEKDJtZwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gF6ZJWL4u3E/V-a9cZcQ1SI/AAAAAAAAcCw/69lhAjHwDB0qqX8rJaiF37yRbiEKDJtZwCLcB/s640/IMG_2799.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An attempted panorama from the intended entry (Glory Facade) - an iphone camera cannot do justice to the view!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWmfZ_8TXx8/V-a_JAXS09I/AAAAAAAAcC8/CxG96sPJFC0qDbVvFJQBxzzhg5tn65FXACLcB/s1600/IMG_2772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWmfZ_8TXx8/V-a_JAXS09I/AAAAAAAAcC8/CxG96sPJFC0qDbVvFJQBxzzhg5tn65FXACLcB/s400/IMG_2772.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look up at the center- Natural light everywhere!</td></tr>
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I won't go on and on here - but do remember that there is a crypt (which has Gaudi's tomb), and a museum at level zero which is a must visit. Don't skip it because it has all the architectural brilliance and the real science of the structure in it. Use G<b><i>oogle Street View on Mobile to see a 360 view of the Crypt using this link </i></b>- <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">https://goo.gl/r60qpN</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s6g6jiIW8jQ/V-bBURLl1GI/AAAAAAAAcDM/EqDu0imbjSEs_Cx7tV4GwaNzH5T0cF2wgCLcB/s1600/museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s6g6jiIW8jQ/V-bBURLl1GI/AAAAAAAAcDM/EqDu0imbjSEs_Cx7tV4GwaNzH5T0cF2wgCLcB/s320/museum.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some snippets of architectural magic at the museum!</td></tr>
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Now. What you must remember is this is the star attraction in Barcelona, and probably in most of Spain. And like they say in most websites - it is wiser to book tickets for this attraction in advance. The venue is often booked off for days - and a very small number of tickets are available for daily sale. Once you exit the building, you cannot go back inside. So go early, spend some time, around every spot, and then leave when you have nothing more! I was very lucky to get one ticket even though I went early in the morning - that too for the afternoon slot.<br />
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I had a lot of time on my hand, so I decided to visit the Park Guell and the Gaudi Museum. I took the Metro since it was quiet some distance off. This is where the vanishing metro station happened. The spot that I was getting into had 3 platforms at the same point. However, when I went underground there was only one platform named, and it wasn't the one I had to go to. When I looked at the map - it said It was right there. For a second - it felt like I was Harry Potter trying to find the platform to Hogwarts. I looked up at the wall and it said that the direction I was going to was on the left, so I just got on to the next metro and went on. But when I got off at the next station, I realised I was in the wrong place. I look up to the wall, and it says the direction I should be going was right. Argh!<br />
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So I took the next metro going back in the direction I came in. Once on the platform, I was getting really irritated. I saw a couple who seemed to be equally confused, so I had a quick chat. They were stuck on the same problem!!!<br />
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Frustrated, I walked towards the exit of the platform (on the left) and found stairs that went up, but then not all the way to the top. It actually stopped mid way and went left, down, and I couldn't believe it - to another platform!!! Total #Facepalm moment of the day.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_U4-JOhVNU/V-dru3yn7HI/AAAAAAAAcEc/-Z6a7qwQTvgdeifbqtm0-zaGagivKEbyQCLcB/s1600/steps.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_U4-JOhVNU/V-dru3yn7HI/AAAAAAAAcEc/-Z6a7qwQTvgdeifbqtm0-zaGagivKEbyQCLcB/s320/steps.JPG" width="240" /></a>Because I was so confident of the local Maps, I winged the trip without asking anyone -which in hindsight was not a great idea. Because I landed at the last stop which was 4 floors underground. That meant that I was at the base of Park Guell on the wrong side - a long climb uphill. And quite a steep one - So steep that the streets has Escalators at some points!<br />
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Of course at this point I must state that on a daily basis I was average 10+ km on foot, given that most of the places where quite vast to cover, and it made no sense to catch a cab or a bus for distances under 2 km. Like I mentioned in the last post, taking a cab is very expensive - think 5 times more the price than it would be in India.<br />
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It's also difficult to download apps if you are signed into the Indian / US iTunes store so local app based taxi services are not going to be accessible if you don't plan it.<br />
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Park Guell is a nice woody park for a picnic and once you get into the range of the park, you'll enjoy the nice cool walking paths. You will find lots of vendors selling interesting knick knacks, earrings, musicians performing - do note, the vendors are illegal and you will see them pack their things and hide when cops come around on bikes. But it's something like Mumbai streets - so guess it's cool. There are a lot of people selling you pictures with exotic looking birds and animals. In the direction I came into the park there was only one guy posing with the birds, but as left I saw a lot of them with all kinds of birds. I couldn't resist.<br />
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-09-25T06:27:57+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Sep 24, 2016 at 11:27pm PDT</time></div>
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There are lots of spots to take a view of the whole city, but none as magnificent as the point at the top - where there's a lone cross of stone, atop a small rock. Everyone will be trying to clamber up the rock - which can hold about 15 people at max, so if you are going alone then you have an advantage.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AbmYhSHRhXo/V-dujhBF4EI/AAAAAAAAcEo/VjqRavB988YYXbE5lbPnmDkgnlxh5OjlwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AbmYhSHRhXo/V-dujhBF4EI/AAAAAAAAcEo/VjqRavB988YYXbE5lbPnmDkgnlxh5OjlwCLcB/s640/IMG_2607.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View it in full screen - Can you spot the Sagrada Familia?</td></tr>
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I was lucky that it wasn't very cloudy and the sun was in perfect spot for a beautiful view of Barcelona.<br />
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I left the place in time to catch my 3 pm slot at Sagrada Familia, so it was a good climb to whet the appetite! <br />
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Now the last part - Hostel is interesting for two reasons. First - it's a lot of facilities at the cheapest prices. And second, you meet a lot of people who share similar interests, and have lot of stories to tell! Often, on a tight travel schedule you leave early in the morning and come back very tired at night so you just shower and crash.<br />
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On this day, I came in a little bit early and had the chance to chat with two of my roommates - I'm not the very silent types, so it was a matter of time where we started to share stories - me fresh from the Sagrada Familia and the excitement of a 3 year old having seen Disneyland. They unfortunately could not get tickets on the day to Sagrada and they were off the next morning to their next destination. We discussed beaches, Indian weddings and the planned trip around Spain.<br />
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This was my first hostel stay, so every experience was new. It's amazing how many young people travel, experience the world before they get to working full time. Almost everyone I met had been on the road or planned to for 3 to 6 months at the least, and often the women outnumbered the men. I'd recommend travel and hostels any day to anyone.<br />
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Now, the next day I headed off to catch a bus to the airport , while my roommates headed to the next part of their trip - Nice, France, to reach on the day of the Bastille day celebrations - or as the world now knows it - the Nice Terror attack.<br />
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I was travelling to Bilbao that fateful morning, and I'll cover more on that in the next post. But I don't remember the exact moment that I saw the Nice attack details on the TV and for a moment experienced that blankness that victims often do. The first thing I did as I remember is to reach out to the Hostel I stayed in (Generator Hostels) asking if they new what was happening - at this point, I couldn't recall anything apart from both of them being Australians. But I hoped the hostel could connect the dots and figure out the status. I left my email address with the Hostel hoping that they would be able to reach out to them and ask them to write back.<br />
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Over the next 2 days, I kept looking at the news which said 3 Australians were injured in the attack. One of them was on an organised tour - so I knew it wasn't her. After a while, without any information, I resigned to the point that it even if it were my roommates, it was a minor injury and nothing major had happened,<br />
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Somewhere around the middle of the trip the hostel did get back to me that they were okay, and were trying to reply on email but weren't able to get through to me. I eventually connected over FB and figured they were only meters away from the attack and had to hide out in the beach for some time till things were brought under control.<br />
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Imagine having known someone for just a few hours and then something like this happens! - I'm grateful though that they are safe.<br />
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<i>One of them just celebrated her 21st birthday recently - Happy Birthday I !!!</i><br />
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Across my trip in Spain, I've had so many moments where realisation of how small we really are, and how uncertain our lives and ambitions are in the face of the world - that we are doing ourselves a great injustice by not living deliberately, going behind things we believe in, loving unconditionally and being kind and humble.<br />
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In the words of Woody Allen - "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about <b><u>your plans</u></b>."<br />
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Next Week - Bilbao and Tapas!<br />
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Cheers<br />
M<br />
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PS: Please like and share this post, and you can also subscribe by email on the top right. Follow the photo journey on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/2emkay/" target="_blank">@2emkay</a> or like my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmkayPictures/" target="_blank">facebook page</a> for regular updates. Thanks!<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-3937124417607671462016-09-18T16:05:00.000+05:302016-09-18T16:05:28.966+05:30The one where we went to Barcelona - Spanish Escape Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If anyone asked me at the start of the year if I would travel to Europe in 2016, I would have probably scoffed at the idea. Not that I don't like to travel, I love it. However, with time, the weight of responsibilities and commitments takes it's toll on everyone. And that means that traveling together as a old gang of friends would be very difficult.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1rWCgD3ZH0/Urscrrb4dPI/AAAAAAAABqA/ifZLMGXDL3AjNOPYxMyH-5vUjDcvK06TQCPcB/s1600/1501959_10152021731521708_11379017_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1rWCgD3ZH0/Urscrrb4dPI/AAAAAAAABqA/ifZLMGXDL3AjNOPYxMyH-5vUjDcvK06TQCPcB/s320/1501959_10152021731521708_11379017_n.jpg" width="279" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, this is not us. It's my impression of us. </td></tr>
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Often, the best memories I have are the ones with my friends when we go out. Like the time when we almost ran away from the hotel we were staying in without paying them in <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2013/09/the-south-east-asia-trip-lounging-in.html" target="_blank">Langkawi</a>. Or the airport Fiasco in <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2013/12/philippines-south-east-asia-trip-part-4.html" target="_blank">Manila</a> and the Bar fight in <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2013/12/boracay-south-east-asia-trip-part-4.html" target="_blank">Boracay</a>! But irrespective of what happens, it's always something that we all look back at with fondness. I wouldn't be wrong to say that our favorite has to be getting stuck atop a pass in <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2011/08/travelling-to-ladakh-leh-part-2.html" target="_blank">Ladakh</a>.<br />
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Nonetheless, It's been awhile since I've come back from Spain, and I've been shoddy with the updates. I've only got over the whole adventure just a few weeks ago. A part of me does not want to write about it - only to cherish the memories at my own pace. And I don't even know where to start - should it be about all the places I've been to or all the amazing people I met. Or perhaps stuff that was off the beat or those small moments in an unknown world that makes you realise the joy of the little things.<br />
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I went alone but I don't think I came back the same.<br />
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The trip began around 11th July from Mumbai to Barcelona, via Munich. No amount of reading and research can actually prepare you for the real thing. Especially when you are travelling solo, your best friends are your senses. Living in the moment, experiencing everything, seeing and taking in everything.<br />
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<i>(Also a fail safe plan that let's you drop everything and take the first flight back home)</i><br />
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The first thing that I noticed in Munich, and actually even across the flight was that its true that Germans are generally tall and well built - like they are oft portrayed.They also come across as rigid and process oriented - going by the general manner in which all the immigration and airport officials conversed, as well as the stewards on the flight. Also true is that the women* have striking features and light eyes.<br />
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<i>(*Based on my extensive understanding of one airhostess who looked like Candice Swanepoel + Miranda Kerr</i>)<br />
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Munich airport could be renamed Lufthansa airport and it wouldn't be far from the truth. A never ending array of gates, and a 15 minute metro ride between terminals. My connecting flights were an hour apart, and in spite of calling Lufthansa and confirming that I could make it between terminals, It still took me more than 1 hour to get from touch down to the next gate. So I missed my flight and my vacay had not even started.<br />
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The irony is that I would have never made it in time, because the gate closes half an hour before departure and my luggage was not even on the flight. So much so, that when I came running into the gate, the Lufthansa official addressed me by name and told me that I had been put onto the next flight! This, and the only other probable exception to German precision was when airport officials rushed me through VIP procedures when they saw the time on my boarding pass - so a guy in shorts and shabby t-shirt in a line of swanky, sharp looking suits and skirts. A small step for me, a big leap for my fashion-statement (in a store near you soon).<br />
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However, the airport is well equipped with lots of resting spots, great stuff on display, charging points and free WiFi. And I was quite thankful to walk around after sitting like a mummified hippo for hours.<br />
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But enough about Munich. On to Barcelona!<br />
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After a butter like landing on the tarmac (which made me want to applause in great appreciation - best landing ever!), I took a deep breath and stepped into my vacation, albeit delayed a few hours.<br />
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The Barcelona airport is basically an Olympic long distance track, disguised as a Luxury mall with airplanes happening to come and go on the side. After what seemed like an eternity of walking, I landed up in an open space which had tons of people walking in all directions, and every sign board having at least 5 transportations modes. I found the tourist center which is every traveller's heaven. Armed with maps, boldly drawn out routes and a 3 day metro pass I tried to figure out my way to the metro and the right route. If there's ever one solid piece of advice I'd give anyone travelling to Europe is to really get to know the public transport - they are very convenient, cheap and available everywhere. Download an offline map - Google is good, but Triposo is even better. And understand a bit of the local words - avenue, diagonal = roads, intersection. And feel free to ask someone for help - they won't tell you to go to a dead end and take a left (like in Bangalore)<br />
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In Barcelona I stayed in a Hostel - great way to stay especially if you leave in the morning and are back at night. Essentially the difference between a hostel and hotel is that you have space to sleep, and share a bathroom. The rest is largely the same - clean, courteous, friendly and far more hospitable! The added advantage is you get cheap food and drinks, and the close quarters means that you are going to make friends, sooner rather than later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Open space at the Generator hostel!! Though it's always reccomedned to check hostels first on Hostelworld.com </td></tr>
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Unlike most of the popular cities in Spain, Barcelona has great things to do in every direction. So you have to take a trip around the city to be able to see all the great places - The Sagrada Familia is a must if you are not doing anything else. The concept of "Free walking tours" is also quite often the best way to learn about places, get some great tips and deals, and to make new friends. Tour groups organise free walking tours around different parts of the city, and this is repeated twice or thrice a day. At the end of the tour, you give a tip - depending on your means, and that's all there is. On day 1 I went to the Gothic quarters, where I learnt a lot about the inquisition, how a drug distribution point was turned into a kids play area, and of course that I am going to have to walk a lot. <br />
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Like seriously, a lot.<br />
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But my favorite part was learning about Catalonia as the region was called, it's fierce movement for independence, and its strained ties with the capital and the government. It's a different dialect of spanish (which is an official language and seen along with traditional spanish and english everywhere) has its own flag and had 1 million people turn up for a peaceful demonstration for independence this year!(One of their supporters - Pep Guardiola)<br />
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Such is their pride, that when you use simple words in Catalan, they can change the way a shopkeeper speaks to you. Often you will see the Catalonian flag (also the Barcelona Away team uniform) displayed proudly outside homes and establishments.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wfbwF2zSNek/V94Vh7PZ1dI/AAAAAAAAb0s/avZRAAEVcOQGYeRIocNULw45bZGtESfMQCEw/s1600/Paella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wfbwF2zSNek/V94Vh7PZ1dI/AAAAAAAAb0s/avZRAAEVcOQGYeRIocNULw45bZGtESfMQCEw/s320/Paella.JPG" width="239" /></a>I used the rest of the day to head to the tourist center of the city (Plaza Real) to see the shopping spots, and have some Paella - a interesting concoction of rice and seafood. There are many variations and different styles, and the one that I got didn't really catch my fancy - perhaps that's just me being very protective of my coastal sea food preferences!<br />
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I also had to visit a famous place for Churros with Chocolate, unfortunately, the place was closed for a month as the owners had gone on vacation (of course I made up for that in Seville!)<br />
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The shopping spots are also quite interesting. Expensive knick knacks mixed with cheap memorabilia, all lined along with the most famous thing in Spain - Food!! There are so many options for food and drink that one could go there every day for a month and still find something new.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much cool stuff, I really wanted that chess board!</td></tr>
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Speaking of Plaza's - they are basically city centers with a huge open spaces (think courtyard) surrounded by restaurants on all sides, and with a variety of performances. I would definitely make a visit to every city Plaza, they have a lot of culture and history hidden in them. For e.g, in most courtyards you will find three floors, uniform in design and colours, basically living quarters for officers and their families in the old days. However, one of the peculiar things is that the windows get smaller as you move up the floors.<br />
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Why?<br />
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Well let me, - "t<i>he great explorer of windows and asker of such random questions at walking tours that disturbs the story that the guide was narrating, much to the annoyance of the other people"</i>- tell you.<br />
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In the olden days Tax was levied on anything and everything - and there also was a window tax. The bigger the window, the more moolah you give. In the courtyards, the top most floor was often for servants and other people lower than officers in stature. So as you move from first floor to third floor, the windows get smaller, because the poor people did not have the means to pay for it. Often, outside the complex courtyard, people didn't even have windows. You can notice them even in the government buildings that are quite old.<br />
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<i>I have also now a new respect for French windows, though am not sure they levied window tax.</i><br />
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This day was also getting some basics in place - Food, water and city living. "Ham and Quesa"are Ham and cheese sandwiches that are available everywhere, and are tasty. These can cost between 1.5 Euro to 5 euro, depending on the place you buy it. But it is quite filling. The other trick is to get a good heavy breakfast, and the best bet is to get cheap breakfasts at hostel or a free breakfast at the hotel you choose to stay in. What I did was to get the 4.5 Euro breakfast at my hostel - Eggs, cold cut meat, sausages, lots of bread and croissants (Yum!), corn flakes, fruit juices, coffee, baked pastry and fruits, yoghurt and coffee. And I usually packed fruits, bread and pastry into my bag for lunch / or later.<br />
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It's also worth it to not mess with drinking water - you have to pay for water everywhere, unlike in India. However there are free drinking water fountains (chlorinated water), so carrying a bottle and refilling it can be good, but I decided to buy a big 1.5 litre bottle of water every day for about a euro. I also kept drinking - beer and coke zero all day, because why the hell not?! Almost ALL of the cafes and restaurants have seating outside, under canopies that spray misty water to cool down the place. And there's nothing more refreshing than a glass of beer (or wine if you prefer) to chill. I also tried to have one good meal at a well known place everyday - this can go between 8 to 30 euros, depending on where and what you eat. For e.g the Paella cost me 11 Euros. I budgeted about 50 Euros, and I tried to plan the restaurants a day ahead so I could eat good stuff at the best places!<br />
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Day 2 was meant for a hop and hop off bus that takes you around 30 stops across Barcelona. You get on board from the starting point, and from there on, you can get on and off of any of these buses, as many times as you want for free. They have a neat air conditioned coach, and a sunny upper deck equipped with headphones that have guides in 16 languages. The audio talks you through the route when a venue of interest comes up. And trust me, in other cities you can make do with just the metro, but in Barcelona it's absolutely worth it to get this service. The city has attractions in every direction, and the busses take two routes. One to the east, and one to the west, and you can finish one of them and then get on the other.<br />
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My trick was simple. I started on the first bus as early as possible, and by lunch I was done with both the routes (about 4 hours), and had earmarked all the places I wanted to visit - think of it as a recce, because I did not get off anywhere. I realised that I would have to make some compromises, and my favorite part of any visit - the beaches, had to be dropped. That meant quite a lot, because there are more than 5 beaches on the coast, each more beautiful than the previous one. Instead on the day I decided to take the buses to go back up the hills and visit the Olympic stadium, the National Museum and get a beautiful view of the harbor!<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BH0K2WngFD9/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Such a beautiful Vista, just one of the many amazingly beautiful landscapes that can be viewed atop Montjuić</a></div>
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A video posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-13T20:31:19+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 13, 2016 at 1:31pm PDT</time></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BIhrEKBhVn_/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The Olympic Stadium, Barcelona. #travelgram #iphoneonly #spain #ig_europe #ig_captures #ig_spain #iphonesia #olympics #barcelona #photooftheday</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-07-31T12:38:39+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 31, 2016 at 5:38am PDT</time></div>
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Practicing Diving at the Olympic Pools! What a beautiful view to swim!<br />
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The National Museum is fantastic, and I highly recommend it over most of the other things, including the Gaudi Museum. what is also amazing is the three level fountain that goes from the mountain into the city, complete with escalators that are hidden away from normal view. What you must also do, is to head to the roof dome of the Museum to get a magnificient view of all of Barcelona. Or course there is a set time that the place closes down, but darkness hits Barcelona only around 9, so you have lots of time. The below is the view from the top of the dome. But honestly no photo can do justice to what the eyes can see.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BIm-PEfhscn/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The other end of the National Museum at Barcelona. Unfortunately the fountains were turned off. #iphonesia #iphone #iphoneonly #ig_europe #ig_captures #ig_spain #spain #museum #landscapes #landscape #city #photooftheday #barcelona</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maddy (@2emkay) on <time datetime="2016-08-02T14:02:22+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Aug 2, 2016 at 7:02am PDT</time></div>
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You can also experience this in 360 by using the google street view app and following this link (only on mobile) : <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.02px;">https://goo.gl/c7V7xi</span><br />
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Here's a picture of the Fountains before they were switched off for the day:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountain at Level 3 - Also known as the Magic Fountain - Colourful light shows are conducted on limited occasions</td></tr>
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I'm not a very knowledgable person when it comes to art and culture. I can't distinguish a painting from one master to another, and I have no clue what modernism counter renaissance culture means. But I must say that it intrigues me as to how someone could think and create something that expresses a feeling, or captures a moment that a mere mortal could not. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A scene from a war between the Spanish forces and the Moors</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each photo represents a kind of person. E.g. The second on top row is "The Optimist", the third in the second row is "The Spy"</td></tr>
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The museum is a must visit, and do try to reach there early in the afternoon, so you have enough time to tour the place as well as get time to relax by the beautiful fountains, and catch the sun setting atop the dome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See it in full screen, full brightness!</td></tr>
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As I came to the end of Day 2, I realised that I would have to miss a lot more of the beautiful Spain that I had expected. 3 days is just not enough to experience Barcelona - a week would be best! I couldn't catch any live performances nor visit the Black Madonna at Mt. Montserrat. I also missed going to Tibidabo, I've been told its a beautiful trek up the hill and the view from the Ferris wheel at the top of the hill is magnificent. What I really wished to do was cycling around the city. However, you need to prepare for this because you need id, addresses and a pre paid card to use the cycles.Of course this card can be used across Spain, and not just Barcelona so it's worth it!<br />
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The sun set in Spain is around 9pm, which means you can spend a lot of time around the city viewing its natural beauty and yet have enough time to chill in between. And most of the places remain open very late.<br />
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I found the city very relaxed, having a varied mix of people. In my experience, there is no "stereotypical Spaniard" - in the manner of looks or dressing. People from north Europe, South East Asia, South America all come together in this city and are essentially what makes this city so unique. Think of it as Mumbai, but with the world congregating there and making it their own.<br />
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And the way they have integrated modern living with culture is fantastic. At no point in the city would you feel overwhelmed by a " crowded claustrophobic City" nor feel overburdened by a lack of facilities at a world cultural site. Everything comes together perfectly!<br />
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There are many quaint thing everywhere - Old world drinking fountains, the emblem / crest of the city showing up on pavements and buildings, pigeons and doves walk around without a care in the world, and dogs - everywhere. The city is dog friendly to the point of a fault, they are welcome in restaurants, airports, shopping malls and even transport. And people are so into fitness! At any point of the day you can find someone or the other running around, either in the multiple parks or on the wide pavements. Traffic rules are followed like they were commandments, and if you stand at a zebra crossing then the cars will stop - even if it is a green light for them. The city is massively pushing for adoptions of cycles and has recently introduced Electric trams in the city. How awesome!<br />
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Did I mention free WiFi almost everywhere?!<br />
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Phew. Something I've kept for the next post - my roommates at hostel, the vanishing metro station and more on day 3 of Barcelona!<br />
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Cheers<br />
M<br />
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PS: Please like and share this post, and you can also subscribe by email on the top right. Follow the photo journey on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/2emkay/" target="_blank">@2emkay</a> or like my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmkayPictures/" target="_blank">facebook page</a> for regular updates. Thanks!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-92174732456104016612016-06-12T19:35:00.001+05:302016-06-12T19:41:13.231+05:30The one where it comes together<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
He slid open the sliding glass door of his book shelf, and looked inside. These were books that had a lot of sentimental value but didn't stand a chance against his collection of must read books just a shelf above. Most of them were notes or thoughts pen downed at moments of deep reflection or angst, and while time had erased the feelings and emotions, the books remained a testament.<br />
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(Read Part 1 here - <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-wedding-card.html" target="_blank">The one with the wedding card</a>)<br />
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And therefore knowing himself more than he'd known anything else, there it was. A dark maroon coloured, 1996 BMW yearly planner that had served as his diary for a good few years before it ran out of empty pages and more so his patronage of writing. It was a book that was gifted to him when he started his 7th grade.,But it found it's use only during his college days, when the need to relieve the immense pressure that only self inflicted self doubt and guilt could bring.<br />
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(Read Part 2 here - <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-tea-stain.html" target="_blank">The one with the tea stain</a>)<br />
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He opened the book almost as if his fingers had a memory of their own. Skipping through the pages where he meticulously penned down his daily expenditures, but stopping just before the pages were he scribbled the lyrics of his favorite songs. He started reading, but it was a very short note on that date.But with each simple word, he re-lived the exact feeling that he had when he did write it down.<br />
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She looked very ordinary on what should have been the most beautiful moment of her life. Of course, she was dressed very elegantly as she always was, smiling her perfect smile with her perfect charm at every person that walked up on to the dias to congratulate them. Funnily, he didn't remember her husband at all, in fact he had not even looked at his face. But he could remember everything about her, and what kept haunting him was her eyes that were just darting from one person to the other, as if in a hurry to get it all over with. When he went up on stage, he imagined he would hug her one last time, and remember how it could have been between them, and then smile and wish her the very best. But that was not how it happened. In the 5 seconds that he was in front of her, she rebuked him for getting a bouquet when she had asked everyone not to, quickly ushered him to her side for a photograph, and the next moment he was off the dias in a sea of people. And it was all over, and he never saw her again.<br />
<br />
But what he did do, was sit with the wedding card in his hand in his room for hours on end, as if encoding all his love, his pain, his misery, his joy into the white piece of paper, to be locked away for eternity until one day he would see her again, and be able to tell her what she meant to him.<br />
<br />
* * *<br />
<br />
She sipped her tea but her mind went back to the first monsoons in her college days. It used to be a 5 minute walk to catch a bus home, but that 5 minute walk was enough to get her half drenched.<br />
<br />
It was on one such rainy day that she first noticed him. He stood out oddly because of two reasons - one was the way he spoke which clearly showed a non town upbringing, but more importantly the ease with which he interacted with everyone seemed to be quite unique. Like a breeze that would go around and touch everyone on their shoulder before starting all over again.<br />
<br />
Oddly though, this breeze never reached her. She ignored this as an inconsequential anomaly, irrelevant to her existence in her own little world. But with each day this anomaly started getting wider and more stark. He'd talk to everyone but her, he see her but never meet her gaze, and in the rare moment she was in earshot he'd find somewhere else to be. Something was up, and she soon found out when one day one her way home, she ducked into an alley and waited to see who was following her - and there he was. She pounced at the opportunity, confronting him. As her glasses slipped down her nose, she resembled a stern matron at school, staring down her victim and it had the intended effect. She extracted a heavy fine from him that day - a cup of tea and lifelong memories.<br />
<br />
Over one such weekly tea break, as they pored over notes and talked about classes, she realised that she had spilled tea over her book. At that moment, she dramatically announced that anyone who could get the stain out of her book would be her prince in shining armor. They laughed hysterically as only two close friends can over something so ridiculous.<br />
<br />
She only saw that book again on the day she told him she was getting married, and gave him the first of her printed wedding cards. The book was left at her desk anonymously and when she had opened it, she found that the tea stain had considerably been erased, carefully. Perhaps with more time...<br />
<br />
* * *<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M<br />
<br />
<br />
Read Part 1 here - <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-wedding-card.html" target="_blank">The one with the wedding card</a><br />
Read Part 2 here - <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-tea-stain.html" target="_blank">The one with the tea stain</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-22641454721760693782016-05-15T22:04:00.002+05:302016-05-29T21:08:18.684+05:30The one with the Tea Stain <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Read the first part <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-wedding-card.html" target="_blank">here</a></i><br />
<br />
Moving houses was a pain. Packing was a pain. And doing it all on her own was an even larger pain. But she was grateful that at least it was happening during the break so the home was relatively calm.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWCA_QFt87I/Vzik2MP2obI/AAAAAAAAOgc/XIphteBPhGwSbpHsF_GQF-n3Wf3Ae9SbACLcB/s1600/main-qimg-cd2b031d0a60959d40a1e10ada522dee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWCA_QFt87I/Vzik2MP2obI/AAAAAAAAOgc/XIphteBPhGwSbpHsF_GQF-n3Wf3Ae9SbACLcB/s1600/main-qimg-cd2b031d0a60959d40a1e10ada522dee.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-cutting-chai</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>She was perched in her perfect little sitting position surrounded by dozens of half packed boxes, the contents of which were meticulously decided after running through its need, its history and if it deserved a place in her new home. There were photo frames, all sorts of books and handicrafts, some smaller knick knacks and all those wedding gifts, half of which she had never seen after having opened them years ago.<br />
<br />
The doorbell rang, rudely disturbing her reverie, resulting in a muted curse. That was her thing - muted curses which even in their worst would probably make a 8 year old laugh. She opened the door to find her husband grinning broadly at her.<br />
<br />
"Didn't think I'd let you have all the bubble wrapping fun by yourself, did you?"<br />
<br />
"Well ain't you a bundle of surprises" she said as she hugged him.<br />
<br />
They'd been married for long enough for her to know that if he had not carried his "official laptop case" on a weekday then he was planning on coming home early. And it takes only so much to connect the dots, especially after the house looked like a war zone, only strewn with boxes instead of buildings and targets.<br />
<br />
"I'll finish off the stuff from the study?" he enquired.<br />
<br />
"Uh huh" she confirmed as she walked back to her half done boxes.<br />
<br />
She took a minute to wiggle back into her spot on the floor, and tried to recall what she was examining before husband dearest had decided to announce his arrival.<br />
<br />
A wrapped set of books. But not just any books, there were her precious diaries. The one's she wrote a long long time ago, a detailed, neatly written memoir of days of happiness & sadness. And the latter being the reason she stopped writing, after she abruptly adjudged the memories too painful to be recorded. <br />
<br />
She paused a second and against her better judgement decided to take a look. She opened the second book, a blue one with a white border. A beautiful paper smell hit her as she she turned the pages that were locked up for more than a decade. She let her glasses slide down to her nose as she began reading out some of her pages.<br />
<br />
"<i>I don't understand why the hurry to get me married off. It's almost like Pa wants to throw me out and get done with it. It's just bloody irritating. If I had known this was their sinister plan then I would have not even bothered with this stupid place and stupid college and would have been happy in Bangalore. And to think I actually wanted to spend time with them and this is what I get. Anyways, its been ages since I spoke to Dippy, so I called her today. She seems to be happy and so far not a word from her parents about marriage, but her brother is very suspicious that she has a boyfriend. I shudder to think if only he knew who her boyfriend was! ha ha ha!..."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
"Hey! Do you need this stuff?"<br />
<br />
She looked up at her husband quizzically, her spectacles perched precariously on the edge of her nose.<br />
<br />
"This notebook of yours, an antique piece from college! Fancy how it landed up here", he said, tossing it on to the bed within her arms reach.<br />
<br />
"Hmm, interesting. Let me see." she replied, as her husband went back.<br />
<br />
She looked at the hard bound notebook. As if by habit, her fingers reached out and turned open a page from the middle of the book. An inconspicuous looking page undistinguished from the rest of the pages, with lines full of identical looking sentences in Parker blue ink. But as yellow as it had been with age, the pages could not hide the dark brown stain at the center of the book, that had by now turned her sharp eyes a bit blurry with emotion.<br />
<br />
She stood up and made her way to the kitchen, determined to cheer herself up with a Cup of tea. Ironically the very same drink that had left the stain not only on her notebook, but also on the pages of her heart that were long buried in a dark corner, till a few minutes ago.<br />
<br />
(to be cont'd)<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
<i>Read the first part <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-wedding-card.html" target="_blank">here</a></i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-4421295447767100852016-05-08T23:55:00.001+05:302016-05-15T22:05:50.738+05:30The one with the Wedding card<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He never understood it. Even till the last day, the last ride, the last handshake, the last rebuke, the last few steps away and the last fleeting glance, he would never, truly understand. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dsWX-seN2LU/Vy-D45bkjuI/AAAAAAAAOQM/I2r-EesFeqAG9MZt-XHMowUs7_g4tvGcQCLcB/s1600/white-wedding-place-name-card4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dsWX-seN2LU/Vy-D45bkjuI/AAAAAAAAOQM/I2r-EesFeqAG9MZt-XHMowUs7_g4tvGcQCLcB/s640/white-wedding-place-name-card4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<div>
---</div>
<div>
He cursed as he opened word documents and excel sheets on his computer to figure out the last time he had saved his passwords. These online trading accounts and codes and passwords - every single one of them had their own rules and it was terrible trying to remember them. This particular one - a demat account, was a torment. Every single page spawned a request for some new entry and puzzle to be solved, driving him crazy. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He knew he had some money parked in the account - yet he had no way of getting to it. None of the password combinations he had ever used seemed to work, and the site kept throwing jargon at him. Perhaps the original documents that he had got with this account opening form could help?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He was terrible with passwords and codes. But he was good at keeping actual documents in the physical form, nicely tucked away, organised, arranged alphabetically were required and more so, in tip top shape. The only challenge was he never kept them all in the same place. His first stop was his drawer but apart from all the food delivery menu's and bills he found nothing. Right below was the cabinet but all it housed was boxes of products that had long moved out of the original casing and now adorned various part of his home. For some reason, it made sense to him to retain the boxes and the bubble wrap and the little manuals. No one ever knew why, but he did. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the bedroom was his main safe. Housed inside was little knick knacks that were higher in priority than boxes, but not so important that he would lose sleep over if he lost them. Like the fancy stylus he bought for ipad but never used more than once. Or the folder containing the warranty documents of the expensive equipment in the house - the TV, Refrigerator and the newest member, the Microwave. But what he was looking for wasn't there either. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally he turned to the holy grail of safe keeping - a decade old suitcase at the bottom of the wardrobe. So dusty that the dark green of the cover could hardly be seen. He opened it gingerly , careful not to rake up a dust storm that would have him sneezing for a week. On top was a big brown envelope that had all his banking documents, some almost 15 years old. It was all messed up, but he was pretty sure it had nothing of significant value in it. The next was a White envelope, the former content of which included his first official job offer, though now that document was placed somewhere else. It now contained all the "investment" documents - something used once every year to show that you have invested in something. At the very bottom, was the big black Manila envelope - his favorite. Used as a resume holder for many an interview, and quite successfully too till someone borrowed it and returned it ripped. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He gently opened it - and right up front was the original document of the demat account. Heaving a sigh of relief, he looked through it, and spotted the number that would hopefully do the trick. Too lazy to carry it back to his room with the suitcase wide open, he copied the number on to his phone. The documents went neatly back into the chasm that the contents of the suitcase had made for it, after years of not being ever cleared out completely. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He pushed himself up off the floor but immediately felt an oddity under his palm. He paused and looked at this document that had failed to restrain itself to the confines of the place it had been allotted in his suitcase, and in the dark corners of his heart.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was a perfect square and faded white was the wedding card received a long, long time ago. For it's age and all the dust, it still remained quite white. A colour that went well with simplicity and luxury, and such was this one too. A textured border around the sleeve with a square card inside that held the name of the bride and the groom, and their parents, and a date. Quite original during its time, a stand out amongst heavily designed gold and red wedding cards. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He stared at it for a bit, expressionless, reading it over. He could have thrown it away, but something held him back. This card had survived even though his feelings were long dead. Confined, constrained, inconspicuous and silent all these years, without a sound and that made it even more profound, as if there was a purpose for it to be there. A cruel reminder, or a gentle nudge to let go of things that were not in his control perhaps. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He didn't feel anything, but he clearly remembered how he had felt when he got the card, and till the day the deed was done. There would be evidence in his diary, describing every single detail and the roller coaster of thoughts and madness. But did that diary manage to survive all these years as well? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He threw the wedding card back into the suitcase and walked towards his book shelf.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
(to be cont'd)</div>
<div>
<br />
Read part 2 <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/05/the-one-with-tea-stain.html" target="_blank">here</a></div>
<div>
---</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-68974180838656348712016-04-17T23:24:00.000+05:302016-04-17T23:24:18.072+05:30The one with Ending a Relationship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ3PgEdd82s/VxPMqM7l1oI/AAAAAAAANXA/d7uMu9ELbVsiXdXVaZceVgJDzA_Q5MAFgCLcB/s1600/Couple-Back-to-Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ3PgEdd82s/VxPMqM7l1oI/AAAAAAAANXA/d7uMu9ELbVsiXdXVaZceVgJDzA_Q5MAFgCLcB/s400/Couple-Back-to-Back.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: http://tinybuddha.com/blog/healing-heartbreak-lessen-pain/</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
For the last few months I've been having relationship issues. It's sometimes on, sometimes off kind of thing and its damn frustrating. To be honest it started off very well and when it did, things were rocking. I don't remember a single instance when we ever had the slightest of disagreements nor even a feeling of "is this what we want?" kind of thing. If anything, I for one just wanted more, and faster. But in the last three months things have come to such a standstill, that I have had to do some serious introspection and finally, today, with a heavy heart, I had to call it off. </div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
I had to disconnect my Tata Docomo Photon Max WiFi service.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes, you heard it right. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My relationship with Docomo started way back in June 2014 and at that time it was a match made in heaven. A great rental plan with super speed connectivity and a wifi dongle. No clinginess to a fixed router, worked with lots of space and had a good Data plan. Things went fine for a long time till the first hiccup in April 2015.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZpkZNq8PY8/VxPNCbACwVI/AAAAAAAANXE/9hbhPKMxkfoucsPxntUq6RqYIdk9snFTQCLcB/s1600/Tata-Docomo-Photon-Max-Wi-Fi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fZpkZNq8PY8/VxPNCbACwVI/AAAAAAAANXE/9hbhPKMxkfoucsPxntUq6RqYIdk9snFTQCLcB/s320/Tata-Docomo-Photon-Max-Wi-Fi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
My Wi Fi dongle had started acting funny. It would just stop communicating in between and I for one could not figure out what the passive aggressiveness was all about. It was driving me crazy to have to stop work or whatever else that I was doing to cater to this dongle and the sudden mood swings. Things were getting too hot to handle so I had to call in support. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tech guys are usually great with these dongles. I have no clue how they understand all these things (something I envy, I must say) and in just 5 minutes he was able to coach me into pushing just the right buttons to get dongle winking and blinking like it was when we first met. And things went on to be super smooth after that. I was really appreciative of the tech team who were able to figure out the exact same problem without ever having to ask me ridiculous questions like "How slow is it going?" or "Do you have problems all through the day?"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cut to March 2016. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was a difficult time for both of us. There was a lot going on professionally and personally which meant that we often had long hours and I was not in the mood to molly coddle anything or anyone. Of the little time I got free I needed to have quick access for a bit of relaxation, and honestly at this stage of life you know exactly what you want. I understand that sometimes you need to be a little flexible, what with options and all that, but there's a limit that neither should cross.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But on the 9th of April, I decided enough was enough. My nights had become miserable, and I decided to seek professional help for both of our sakes. I lodged an appointment with the Tata Docomo guys for some guidance. They said they would get an expert on to the problem immediately and sure enough in 1 day I received a call.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>"Hello Sir, you stated you are having issues with dongle..."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Yes, thank you. I think there's some issue which I can't seem to sort. Things are very, very slow"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Ok Sir, let me see if I can help. Which area are you located in?"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"I'm in Versova."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Ah. I see that there is some congestion in the area. The base of Docomo users of has expanded beyond the limit, hence we are having technical issues."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Goodness. When can this be resolved?"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir at the moment I can't tell you anything. Our Tech team has not committed to a date"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Wait I don't understand. I am going through this because of issues on your side. When will this be sorted?"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir at best you must check back in a few days."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Well, okay. I'll do that.</i>"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-----</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was worried. This was the first time I ever had anyone tell me that they couldn't solve my problem because they couldn't tell me when they could solve it. I let it go as an aberration and decided to make a call later. My issues with dongle continued, and I held out for sometime in anticipation that Tata Docomo would call me soon. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But there was no call. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And dongle was getting moodier by the day. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On 13th April, I lodged a second complaint. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir, you had lodged a complaint"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Yes, it was about slow speeds on the dongle"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir, have you checked the speed? Please log into speedtest.net"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Oh, okay. I'm just checking it right now."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>*15 minutes later*</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sorry am using your network and it's very slow to load. It says the speed is 0.98 Mbps but it surely doesn't feel like that." </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Oh. But sir, that's average speed. and our minimum guarantee is 512 kbps. So you are actually getting what is as per norms"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"What? Are you telling me that I am paying for slow speed internet?"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir there is a technical issue in the area you are in, but we can't say when it will get resolved."</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"How is that my problem? I am paying for hi speed internet, your issues at the back end is not my problem!"</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>"Sir I'm afraid that's all I can say right now. The rest is your call. But this is the normal speed."</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
---</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was mortified. For one, I was suspecting that dongle was not as loyal as I thought, and with all these new subscribers in the area perhaps networks were being "shared". Additionally, it was rather ridiculous that the tech guys had gone a complete 360 from helping me to now accusing me of lying. The audacity of them even telling me that I just had to wait for them to solve issues was unacceptable. And to ask me to be happy with just what I was getting since it was in their "terms and conditions". Sheesh!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By now dongle had become outright rigid and we were having days and nights where communication had just stopped. I wanted to get dongle to leave, but that would have been immature. I decided to do it the proper way and ask for a formal separation and called Docomo to end it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On Apr 17th, I called up customer care and asked them to officially end our relationship. Surprisingly though, they put me right through to "Priority Services." Now I do use an expensive plan and for some reason it never occurred to me to check out others. Of late my attention had been on this nice Airtel Hotspot in my area and in the few interactions we've had, it was just superb! Anyway, what I was saying is that I never knew there was a "Priority Services" and I hoped suddenly that they could make it alright again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh, how wrong I was.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At first they gave me the same spiel that there was an issue in the area and they were trying to fix it and all that, but I had to speak my mind. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"How is it that when I am in a different location, you are the first to send me offers on roaming and data, but you can't inform me when there is a problem with your services? For three months you've had bad connectivity but you didn't bother. How is your technical back end issues my problem? Why should I pay for your inefficiencies?" I snapped, trying hard to keep my voice down.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"But sir, you are getting the normal speed.."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"DO YOU THINK I PAID FOR NORMAL SPEED? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE RATES ARE FOR A LOCAL NORMAL SPEED CONNECTION?"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The change in tone seemed to work, and they went into survival mode. All of a sudden, the acknowledgement of their problem became explicit in what was to follow.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Sir let me help you. I will immediately change your plan to a lower rental so you don't have to pay the full amount.."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"No. You should have done that proactively. Which means you knew there was a problem. Now you just want to keep me paying."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Sir, instead just take a low end plan, and you can later upgrade.."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"No. Please terminate this immediately. I am done."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After what seemed like a prolonged silence, the termination procedure was complete. While I retain custody of dongle, it's soul would have been gone in the next 7 days. And I will be free again. And never again will I allow myself to ever get acquainted with anything from the House of Tata Docomo, ever again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just to let you know, last month I had voluntarily reduced my plan on the App. I wanted to make it work, I'm not one to quit on relationships so easily. But the app shows the request was completed, but it still does not reflect when I spoke to customer care. So basically the app is a joke. Additionally, I still don't have the service request to cancel my relationship on email, luckily I made a record of the number. Thank God, I ended it. </div>
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---</div>
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Of late, I've met this nice Hotspot Dongle from Airtel. It's nothing serious yet, but I suspect similar issues. I've seen the patterns, more popular they are at the start but they get nasty later. But there's also 7 Star modem too. Old School, but honest and quick. No fancy stuff, but I think sometimes you get what you need, and not what you want.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cheers</div>
<div>
M</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>TLDR: Tata Docomo network congestion seems to be an issue that they are not sure when they can resolve. This issue has been existent for some time but I've been paying up for a fast connection while getting really poor speeds on my phones and ipad. After a couple of complaints, they keep telling me to wait. Rather shitty if you ask me, to take my money and not give what you promise. I've disconnected the service. At the time of writing this, the speed test shows me 1.3 Mbps speed. Too bad, too late. </i></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-63617027042494708732016-04-03T23:45:00.000+05:302018-08-29T23:11:12.035+05:30The one with Divorce, Love and Relationships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If I were a popular content writer like some of the people at Thought Catalog, I'd have named this "16 signs that you shouldn't rush into marriage" and then follow that up with something like "16 reasons you should not listen to any advice about marriage". But I thought, why not? It shouldn't be that difficult to write a generic, feel - good, post about things I have no experience about.<br />
<br />
Even though I had some brilliant pointers like "Does she know which level of Assassin's Creed you are on?" and "Dump him if he forgets the number of dresses you have", I gave it up in the quest of a more serious topic of conversation, given that seems to be how my mind has been roaming around of late.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
In the last <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2016/03/the-one-with-what-scares-you-most.html" target="_blank">post</a> I wrote about how we never think about the most guaranteed of all events - death. Similarly, another worst case scenario (or is it?) of late seems to be the equivalent of death of formal relationships - divorce. Please do excuse my terminology in this post, I don't think any manner of terming it would be justified to everyone, so just go with it.<br />
<br />
I've always been pro divorce. Before you collectively gasp and pick up your anti-national & anti-cultural placards and black ink, hear me out. About 8 years ago, I first realised the impact a divorce can have on a family - in this case a possible positive one. A friend's relative was married to a guy who revealed to her that he was gay after they got married and her life had become living hell. No matter who she confided in, she was told to "make it work" and "it would get better" and all the while the guy had no intention of either coming out with the truth or of relieving her of her misery. She was quite young and her whole life was ahead of her, but "divorce" was not an option.<br />
<br />
Why you ask? Because culture. Because society. Because "What would people say?". Because her parents would lose face. Because she must be doing something wrong. Because she brought the evil eye with her. I don't know what happened eventually, but the questions in my head were - Why not get a divorce? Lying, Cheating, Fraud, etc were more than enough reasons, but what about "fuck society, she's my daughter " or "how will she be happy with these people" or at least "this is not even a marriage!"<br />
<br />
Over the years, I've seen a few divorces in my extended family and in my circle of friends. It's been for a multitude of reasons and I don't think I or anyone could justify them as right or wrong. But I for one have always been supportive of divorce when two people who should be in love with each other, no longer are. Or when there's harassment, violence, dowry, etc involved. There is no shame when you separate from a person who does more harm to you than good, either mentally or physically. When it comes to infidelity, that again is a no brainer, but I understand that people have their own ways of dealing with these kind of things.<br />
<br />
That being said, in the last two years things have changed drastically. Am seeing divorces being considered as the easiest option, the opening gambit to any problem. It's quite surprising how quickly people are willing to throw in the towel and let go. Am sure you have read the post on why <a href="http://www.mensxp.com/relationships/relationship-problems/29380-why-modern-relationships-are-falling-apart-so-easily-today.html" target="_blank">modern relationships fail so often</a>. If not, please do and see if it rings a bell.<br />
<br />
It's never been more difficult to understand love than it is this day and age when all it takes is a push of a button to "connect" and it's not surprising that you'd expect to disconnect just as easily. But that's not what relationships are like. That's not the way I see relationships building into something concrete. I'd like to believe that expectations are often not in line with reality. It's difficult to admit to ourselves that we are not sure of what we are doing, because it's easier to just "be in the moment" and not take responsibility of our own lives and actions.<br />
<br />
Relationships need time, investment and a desire to be part of something beautiful, meaningful. Do the silences make just as much sense as the laughter? Are the fights just as passionate as the love making? Is there consistency in the madness and honesty? If you don't know, that's okay. If you know that you don't know, that's even better. If you know then you've got a direction. Where I see people struggle is right at the start.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0tfmS2XZj4/UjNrNX7r7qI/AAAAAAAABlQ/xqEWUDg6u7IefaYaCikFa0abMYhg54kZA/s1600/DSC_0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0tfmS2XZj4/UjNrNX7r7qI/AAAAAAAABlQ/xqEWUDg6u7IefaYaCikFa0abMYhg54kZA/s640/DSC_0801.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are relationships about two of a kind?</td></tr>
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And to add to the confusion, there's all the analogies and the theories. People say that if you have similar personalities, then you'll be happy. Then they said, opposites attract. I actually think that people with complementary personalities (a combination of both of the above) have a really good chance. But irrespective, it's not going to happen by itself now is it?<br />
<br />
All I can say is that the relationships that really work, are the ones where you are honest with each other, know each other's flaws, weaknesses, vices (as cliche as that sounds) and are okay with that. That's important. You should know the stuff you hate about each other or you're setting yourself up for disaster. I've seen romance turn to dust in a day, and see love blossom out of nothing, turning into one of strongest relationships I know. If I was asked back then if these people would ever go together, using the above mentioned theories, I'd have said they have very little chance.<br />
<br />
It reminds me of a line from Coldplay's "Fix You" - When you get what you want, but not what you need.<br />
<br />
May we all get what we need.<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-77045664421538658102016-03-21T00:30:00.000+05:302016-04-05T23:25:42.405+05:30The one with What scares you the most ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A couple of weeks ago I was at Bangalore and found myself in the midst of a most unusual conversation. Most party conversations would include good natured leg pulling, gossip or something else of a more spirited nature, etc unless the first that came to your mind reading the word "party"was to do with any political one in which we case we can't be friends anymore.<br />
<br />
<i>Seriously, stop watching Times Now. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<a name='more'></a>The conversation I refer to was around the topic "What scares you the most? What would be your worst fear?". When I heard the question I already had an answer that popped into my mind. It was not the speed of the answer, but what it was that made me wonder why. Many around the table had answers that you'd expect - fear of losing loved ones, fear of missing livelihood, fear of missing respect, etc. But mine was none of that - which was oddly weird.<br />
<a href="" name="more"></a><br />
I sat back for a bit and pondered. And by pondered I mean flickered my eyes in anticipation of having an epiphany. Zilch. My mind was already pre-occupied at that moment which much more momentous heart wrenching things, not limited to but including "Where's my old Monk?" and "Was that the last piece of chicken wings? Did he eat the last piece? Argh!". Luckily though I wasn't pushed to answer. I probably had zoned out by then and it's quite easy to spot a zoned out zombie face like mine.<br />
<br />
<i>That doesn't mean I forgot. Nuh -uh. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
In order to re-validate my answer at that moment, I looked at some of the other answers. The most obvious one - death. Am I afraid of death? Well yes and no. There was this lesson we learnt at school in 6th or 7th grade which presented an interesting case for thinking about death more deliberately. It said that death was the only absolute thing, guaranteed to happen. Yet no one gives a thought to it, and the mere mention of it was taboo. Logically speaking, that's the one thing that you should be thinking about, and hence planning for what kind of death you'd like is probably the best way to go about it. The rest of the tale, the protagonist thought that if he could die putting his life at the service or benefit of others, that would be the best end. Because of this clarity, if there ever was such a moment, he would seize it and achieve his goal - a perfect death by his standards.<br />
<br />
Now I don't know about you, but death is scary. I've been an ICU once before, but the scare was more from what would happen to those who depend on me, things that I need done, etc. It hasn't been about not living anymore. Secondly, I have often pondered this question myself and one example of it would be - If I was close enough to a terrorist firing a gun, and I had the opportunity to let say tackle him or hit his head with a stone or something - would I?<br />
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Of course there is no right answer. Perhaps I would, perhaps like many others I'd run for cover to save my life, or I'd justify it as saving it for those who depend on me.You can't predetermine these things. The terrorist could have a bomb on him, or he could turn around, or maybe somebody else would do it. Though, I'd like to think that because I ponder so often on this subject, I've developed an inclination to follow the hero in the aforementioned tale, and perhaps will whack the terrorist bugger on his head and hope to damage him enough to end his killing spree, at the least. Or maybe not.<br />
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Another way to look at is what kind of death would you find scary. For example, being buried alive is terrifying, but the chances of that happening seems to balance it out.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Bottom line, death is scary, but probably isn't the most scariest thing.</i><br />
<br />
The next up - fear of losing your loved ones. Now this is tricky territory and sure to have many eyebrows raised. But then again your eyebrows won't harm me and so, you may carry on. There are about 10 to 15 people I could claim to worry about if something went wrong, per se. Obviously my parents are up there right on top, so let's address that as the main thing here. Needless to say, If something were to happen to them, that would hurt me a lot. Even more than I what I assume right now. I worry when they return late home because I want them to be safe. I get angry when they do things that are risky or could harm them or if they don't see a doctor quick enough, but this is concern and love a child has for his family. Or a friend will have for a buddy, a wife for her husband and so on. Perhaps I've made peace with the fact that one day the inevitable it's going to happen, and I need to love them and keep them happy every single day.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>That's a great way to live, if you ask me. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Never end a conversation incomplete or on a sour note. Say you Hi's and your bye's as if they were your last. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Louv conquers all!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Wait.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Where was I? </i><br />
<br />
A couple of other important things in my life, (and this probably isn't the case for most of you) is I have never been in close physical proximity to my family or friends for a very long time at a stretch, the most being 3 to 4 years in one occasion. The other, is that I depend a lot on myself and a few close friends when I need to.<br />
<br />
<i>Them be my rocks I say!</i><br />
<br />
In the same space, what about friends then you ask? Would I be scared of missing my "rocks" so to speak? It's a difficult one to ask, because over time, if you think about it, friendships widens, adjustments happen and compromises are made. Isn't that like losing the essence of a friend? If that's a reality, then the fear is meaningless. As a person I make friends easily, but the ones that really know me are about a handful. What about these handful? (And I know they are going to read this). Well I've lived every moment of these friendships as honestly and deeply as I can, and I intend to continue doing so for the rest of my life. But you can't fear inevitability, which is nature's areas of expertise.<br />
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One disclaimer though. I'm not married or in a live-in relationship, but perhaps the above logic does not hold good in that case, but let's see about that when we get there.<br />
<br />
<i>So no, Fear of losing loved ones is scary, but isn't the most scariest thing. Nope. </i><br />
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At this point, I think it's fair to say that I might be completely wrong. I might turn mad and get a panic attack if something were to happen to one of the loved ones. But my rational brain seems to say I'll get through.<br />
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So then what is it that I'm the most scared of?<br />
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I am scared of spiders - the black widow kind where you die. And of course the fear that strikes you when unexpected things happen. I mean If I found myself being chased by a Tiger in the the forest, standing and fighting with it would be my stupidity, not an indication of lack of fear. But these are things you can't fear in the same tone as in this topic.<br />
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<i>And tigers are charming creatures. No?</i><br />
<br />
The word that came to my mind that cool Bangalore evening was "Humility". The fear of losing humility would probably be the one thing I can honestly say I am scared of. Why? Because it's happened before and probably taught me at a very young age some of the most valuable lessons I will ever learn in my life. Because arrogance makes you a terrible Human being. Because a lack of humility is a lack of respect for others, and no one deserves that. And if you think about it, losing humility is like losing yourself, and losing yourself when you are living has got to be worst than dead. In this case all the other important people in your life suffer as well.<br />
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Being humble doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have pride in who and what you are, or to be overly modest. I can't explain why it scares me so much, but the fact that I'd ever be an arrogant prick to anyone is just unacceptable. Am not saying I've mastered it, or that am very good at it but at least I want to be able to look at everyone who knows lesser that I do, or more than I do with the same curiosity, the same willingness to learn or graciousness to teach.<br />
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I'll leave it to the following people who've probably nailed it far better than I could probably ramble!<br />
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"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but of thinking of yourself less." - C.S.Lewis<br />
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"Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." - Ezra Taft Benson<br />
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"Life is a long lesson in humility." - James M Barrie<br />
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"There is a thin line between Confidence and Arrogance. It's called humility. Confidence smiles, Arrogance smirks." - Unknown<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-71910350482493899032016-03-13T23:46:00.001+05:302016-03-13T23:46:55.248+05:30The one with God, Religion & Humanity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
The evolution of one's belief is primarily through what one has been taught, learnt and experienced over time. If you are one of those who has very strong beliefs on Religion, God or any related topics are are the easily offended, then you probably won't enjoy this post.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>*my blog, my rules*</i><br />
<br />
Religion is a very strange topic. People love to fight over religion using "God's" shoulder to fire from. It is rather ironical that the religions that we see today, have nothing to do with the virtue's and purposes that it was meant to eschew, or that's about as much credit as I would give it.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
My personal experiences have taken me across three vast, (and I'd like to think sequential) paths when it comes to these things. The first was when I was a child and God to me was a picture placed on a small pedestal on a height in our tiny apartment in Bahrain. There used to be semi annual celebrations, which very basically a lamp and some incense sticks symbolising something important. Am not sure what it was, but I wasn't the very curious or questioning type, and these occasions never needed me to do something drastically different from daily routine. I do remember maybe once a year we used to go the one temple (if you could call it that) that existed in the country, and get some prasad. God was this cool being who you offered acknowledgment and that was about it. I've also been to a few Churches for functions, and there too I learnt rather than prayed. Also, my parents deserve full credit for never holding out God as this mystical being that would punish me for doing something wrong, or as a threat to control me. Something I've seen grandparents still do.<br />
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<i>*bow your head and ask forgiveness*</i><br />
<i>*eat this to relieve yourself of sins*</i><br />
<i>*do this to get that*</i><br />
<br />
In Phase 2 of my life, personal setbacks meant that I went in search of meaning and support. I visited religious places, attended preachings regularly. Joined groups like ISKCON and tried to understand life as it was supposed to be, and began to find meaning and explanation of various life events. I am grateful for it, because it was what I needed at that time. But after a few months, I realised that what I was listening to, was my mind's convenient & self satisfying interpretation of someone else's interpretation, of perhaps even further watered down interpretations.<br />
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And this is only going to get worse because we don't have a culture of questioning & healthy curiosity. If we did, the people who do all these religious ceremonies would have answer to questions like - "Why are we doing this? What does each of these things mean? How exactly is this going to help?", and therefore themselves would had been clear about what they are doing, or better still, not practice it themselves.<br />
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I've realised today that many people in this day peddle soothing solutions and words, because it fits the bill. Individuals who understand human psychology, and the gullibility of the audience are quick to pounce upon the opportunity to lend a listening ear, offer solutions that have some pseudo - cultural - religious connections and in the process build a following. Some do it for power, some for money, and there are a few who do it for either but have done meaningfully well for society too.<br />
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It works on a very simple mechanism - everyone has some or the other problem in their life, the magnitude of how big it is depends on how they perceive it. And simply put, everyone needs to hear how to solve it. If you listen to me and it works, there's the "See! I told you so!" and if it doesn't then there's the "You've not done it properly!".<br />
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<i>Convenient right?</i><br />
<br />
Anyways, I was quite serious about religion having something to do with God, and it being very important to lead a good life. However, the last few years it has dawned on me that whatever religion is today, it definitely does not have a lot to do with God, or society for that matter. Any religion that preaches or demands violence or retribution, that believes in collecting money for building religious institutions, or indulges in anything other than real, tangible improvement of society is not doing God's work.<br />
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<i>That is, if you believe in religion. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Or God. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Today, I think the best I can do, is to do good for Humanity. And that is as pure and simple as it gets. If I needed religion or a God to tell me to help a Child study, or get a poor family food, then I honestly don't think I am much of a Human, and no religion or God can help me. It makes no sense to me to put a 100 Rupee note into a collection box, or to spend 1000's in prayers and rituals, when the same can do more for living people at the exact same moment. Imagine, billions of dollars lying in trust funds and sealed up vaults, just lying there, rotting away for nothing.<br />
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Every day, thousands of people are dying in the name of religion & God. I can assure you that these people are actually dying because someone out there who runs the show, is high on power, money and greed. There cannot be an all powerful being that would want this. There cannot be a God who allows this.<br />
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<i>Unless we are actually his toys, in which case we are just things, not humans. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I think God and religion were actually created to bring order or stability, to induce fear to get society to function, and there are perhaps really good lessons that were meant to be passed on, but have got corrupted over time. Perhaps they have become irrelevant and outdated for what is needed today - which may explain why new societies gain so much traction.<br />
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So what does that mean to me? Do I not follow religious practices? - I am trying to get my head around that. Many I have stopped - because I don't understand them. Some I do, out of respect for someone else's happiness (Till I know better). I think there might be a deep power within each of us, perhaps like a network of nature, like energy, but there's nothing I can prove about it. Do I believe in a God? I don't know. But if he does exist, he better have a damn good explanation for the mess that society is today. When I started my Facebook account in 2010 I think, I had put down my religion as "Humanity". I don't know why I did it, but today it makes a lot more sense.<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-36073240810810314652016-03-01T18:24:00.001+05:302016-03-01T18:50:47.993+05:30The one with Internet, Rickshaw Economics and Bangalore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello! And welcome
back to your favorite weekly commentary on the most inane things that go on in
my life. You may have missed the last 2 posts, but that’s because the last two
posts are yet to materialise and yours truly has been gallivanting about Bangalore
and the other town I call home. Technically, I’m still at home, but this time around
I have mobile – internet connectivity, a cause for celebration in itself.
Hence, I’m posting this blog post from my home – the first time ever, and
probably the first ever from this town even. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cue - Collective cheer and applause.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am bit disappointed
though that the charm of saying that oh-my-village-so-rural is gone now, what with
24 hour electricity (Ha Ha Ha Bangalore!) and network connectivity (Ha Ha Ha
Bangalore Airtel users!), but yay for development! (Ha Ha Ha Bangalore roads!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And of course,
while we travel there is always scope for an interesting story. Sometimes I
feel like I’m a </span><s style="font-family: inherit;">complication</s><span style="font-family: inherit;"> story magnet, what with Taxi drivers and
Auto drivers giving me regular fodder for thought. And Bangalore did not </span>disappoint. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G2Ai41IBWAY/VtWNze8YswI/AAAAAAAALiQ/5KukW5Li_H4/s1600/IMG_20160228_193854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G2Ai41IBWAY/VtWNze8YswI/AAAAAAAALiQ/5KukW5Li_H4/s400/IMG_20160228_193854.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driver has Mobile - TV enabled on his Rickshaw. Welcome to Bangalore, people. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My Auto driver
(in Bangalore they are called 'Auto’s' unlike 'Rickshaw’s' in Mumbai) had a very
interesting analogy to describe why the Bangalore Metro’s completion would
still not solve the burgeoning traffic </span><s style="font-family: inherit;">problem</s><span style="font-family: inherit;"> disaster. I shall try my
best to give you the same flavour as he did in </span>Kannada<span style="font-family: inherit;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">* * *</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Saaar, when
there is some food which is very spicy placed outside, there will be ten flies.
Those ten flies will go and tell ten other flies that this the food is spicy,
don’t go there. So no flies go there eventually, only the new ones who no one
has informed about the spicy food. You understand Saar?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">*I nod my head
solemnly. Flies and food – very solemn stuff. How can you not like spicy food? </span>Preposterous<span style="font-family: inherit;">.*</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“But Saar,
think of sweet food. What happens? When there are ten flies, they will enjoy
the sweet food. Then they will go and tell ten other flies that the food is
sweet, and they’ll come with more flies. Eventually every fly goes and tells
other flies, and soon there are too many flies. And they keep coming Saar. You understand
Saar?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>*OMG. It's a fly-armageddon*</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Saar
Bangalore is like the Sweet saar. It is capital of state, everyone comes here
and it is better than any other place. So whatever you do, people will still
keep coming here. People will stay here because it is sweet. How metro will
help, you tell me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t think
anyone has explained the complexities of rural-urban migration and its impact
on infrastructure & development as this guy just did. He should be at a TEDx event, I think to
myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've noticed, Auto drivers in Bangalore use only one foot for driving, while the other is neatly tucked into the seat. They're </span>almost<span style="font-family: inherit;"> facing the door and leaning on to the right, in terms of posture. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“So where are
you from?” I ask him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He ignores my
question. Either he gets the drift, or he thinks am not “Kannadiga” enough to
deserve an answer. A lot of time people are taken back when I speak Kannada. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Or Konkani. Or Tulu. Or even Hindi for that matter. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">But he wasn’t done yet. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Just look at America
saar. What kind of sweet that must be? Whoever goes to America, they don’t come
back only. I imagine as to what kind of standard they must have brought the
country to, for people to not want to leave. Even once in my life I want to go
to America, and see the place”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“But that’s a
factor of population and education as well, don’t you think?” – I offer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Saar, that’s
not the only thing saar. Here people don’t care about anyone. Today everyone is
out to dupe everyone – and you can’t blame them also. They are filled with hate
and anger, they have been duped and are filled with negativity. They do the
same as was done to them. Sister can’t see Brother’s success, brother want’s
all of parent’s property and Parents want to pull down their own children. When
families are rotting, how will society develop?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I understand,
but there must be a solution?” – I quiz him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Humanity saar.
We need Humanity. Without it, there is no development. Today if a man is dying
by the road because no one will help. If someone does help, the police will
harass him. The hospital will harass him. No one will support him. If it is like this why will
anyone help? But if instead of one person, 10 go and support him, they will all
individually start helping.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My stop has
come by now, so as I get off, he charges me Rs. 40. That’s 200% more than the
base fare – in all fairness something I had agreed to before I got in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Good luck Saar,
have safe journey” he says as he shakes my hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caught off guard,
I reply “to you too” and then quickly add on, reminding him to stay calm
in this traffic and not get his Blood Pressure up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“This is daily
thing Saar” he says grinning as he rides off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moral of the story – Flies doesn't like </span>spicy<span style="font-family: inherit;"> food?!! <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> * * *</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bangalore hasn't changed much apart from a city being a city - expanding in all directions, getting more traffic, and filling up with smoke. However, this does not feel like the city I left 4 years ago. Am not sure if it I wasn't paying enough attention when I was around, or if the city really did witness a shift of some sorts. Guess I'll never know. That being said though, I did not find enough time to visit all the favorite haunts and say Hi to everyone in Bangalore - perhaps soon enough. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I did visit the old HQ and meet some of the old gang, and had completely smashed a lunch at one of the</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> best places for Punjabi cuisine in Bangalore ever - Punjabi Rasoi. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzEWG0YR1nU/VtWLag5i6_I/AAAAAAAALh8/qvj564EoeDI/s640/IMG_20160226_143335.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UB towers - 7th Floor Represent! (PS - VJM quitting had nothing to do with me arriving the next day)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tPIlruvyyA/VtWMrTK2apI/AAAAAAAALiE/VbRKvp5-QOI/s1600/IMG_20160227_145241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4tPIlruvyyA/VtWMrTK2apI/AAAAAAAALiE/VbRKvp5-QOI/s320/IMG_20160227_145241.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato Chicken - Highly Recommended at Punjabi Rasoi. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, February has come
to an end, and with that some other things as well. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, for the first time
in many years, I feel a completeness that so much has been accomplished and experienced
in just the start of the year. And we're racing ahead for more. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also cooked up this piece - When you dig a hole in the ground and scoop out all the dirt, you've changed that space forever.You can put all the dirt and mud back meticulously, but it will never, ever be what it was. Isn't this so with the matters of the heart? Once there's a hole, it will fill up but never be what it was before. Something to ponder if you're on either side - digging or filling. Of course, no one is saying things won't be better off for it :) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile, need some spicy food. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">M</span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-3403199866287731442016-02-16T00:55:00.001+05:302016-02-16T10:36:18.551+05:30The one with the Good, the Bad and the Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xPYlU-bi3XA/VsIkSQzupwI/AAAAAAAAK8Q/By1gXS7zrYM/s1600/IMG_20160216_002547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xPYlU-bi3XA/VsIkSQzupwI/AAAAAAAAK8Q/By1gXS7zrYM/s400/IMG_20160216_002547.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at poor old me not even wanting to eat cake but being forced to. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'd like to take a minute and thank you for being here and reading this. And I'm talking to all the thousands* of my weekly readers because you make my keyboard go clickety clack every Sunday evening. So Thank you.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>*All 10 email subscribers, after 8 years of writing and all the beer I bribed you guys with</i></div>
<div>
<i>*Not you R, you've not even activated your email yet. You're a good for nothing, sneaky little rat. </i><i>Nevamind. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div>
<i></i><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
My sincere apologies for not being able to post in time this week. As you know, or might know, or now will come to know, it was my birthday on Sunday. Feb 14th,Valentine's Day. I'll give you newbies a moment to process this and go "What?! Seriously? WOW, that's amazing!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Done?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well I've got news for you. It's not WOW. It's not amazing. And if anything, it's borderline madness. Especially, if you've got to hide and dodge mad people calling St. Valentine an anti national, and love a "western product" that is denigrating our culture. Funny how that sounds coming from the mouth of some absolute waste product of love.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Remember the Pink Chaddi campaign? NO? Go google it. </i><i>But come back. Please. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And in a country with the second largest population in the world, and where creaky beds in the night invite more snide looks in the morning than peeing on your neighbours wall. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I'm digressing. The point is, being born on a special day (any special day) for that matter has no advantage whatsoever. If It's Valentine's day, think about it - first of all, if you're single (Not me, I am dating someone, she just doesn't know it yet) you're going to have a tough time with all the <i>Louv</i> in the air and with everyone wanting to sell you something to gift your Valentine.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Roasted Peanuts for your lady, sir? What about Samosa? </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Sir, please take rose for lady sir, beautiful sir! Please Take. Taaaaake!</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Valentine's Day offer for 2 hours! Buy one get one free on all plastic chairs.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Special offer on power banks for your Valentine!!! Buy now and save big! </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Guys, If you buy a power bank for your valentine, I will assume only two things. One, she's extremely practical and really really wants a power bank. Two, you're going to turn single very, very soon. In which case, you should share this post so others can learn. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Coming back, the other thing is that everyone who's someone with a better half, will vanish. At the last moment. After promising that they won't. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>9:00 pm </u></div>
<div>
"Dude any plans tomorrow?"</div>
<div>
"No da, lets chill and get some beer."</div>
<div>
"It's valentines, you both will go somewhere right?"</div>
<div>
"No man, nothing like that"</div>
<div>
"Fcker don't ditch last moment"</div>
<div>
"Tina and I don't have this formality of Valentine's day and all that. Beer tomorrow sure!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>7:30 am next day</u></div>
<div>
"Bro, sorry last minute change of plans, can't come. "</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>NEVER make plans with non-single people on Valentine's day. Never. #ProTip</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lastly, its not like there's a holiday on the day. It's not like you were born with Gandhi or Nehru that you'll be in the league of extraordinary gentlemen. You're in the league of stuff like "Wah, kya din paida hua hai" or "Kya timing hai" and so on and so forth. In school, it was extremely embarrassing because apparently there was a huge correlation between being born on the international day of love and being a chick magnet. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In grade 4 & 5.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Of course, I can confidently say that this is absolutely <strike>rubbish</strike> true. Remind me to tell you about the dashing love letter I wrote.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Special mention to the most unique birthday which came from Dr. P on Twitter - "Go home on all fours!" she said. I must say I've never heard that one before, so Doc, congratulations on winning an all exclusive expenses paid trip to Andheri West, whenever it is that you land in Mumbai from that Oh-so-far-planet-of-Pune. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This post was supposed to be a lot many things. A lot of philosophy, a lot about people, and so on and so forth. But then I thought, let's save some for later. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In parting, the year to come, is going to be "Unapologetically, yours."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cheers</div>
<div>
M</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-30464145321103664232016-02-15T00:42:00.001+05:302016-02-15T00:46:22.472+05:30Break Free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you ever felt<br />
A weight so heavy<br />
that you can't lift your head<br />
your hands want to bury deep<br />
into your pockets,<br />
At your sides<br />
worried<br />
<br />
Have you ever felt<br />
the hooks of the past<br />
buried so deep in your back<br />
the more you pull forward<br />
it claws you, hurts<br />
and you just want to give in<br />
tired<br />
<br />
Have you ever felt<br />
the urge to throw everything<br />
to break, destroy anything<br />
after being broken yourself<br />
for so long<br />
restless<br />
<br />
Have you ever felt<br />
to just scream your lungs out<br />
to listen, to do,<br />
what your heart cries for<br />
without a care?<br />
wanting<br />
<br />
Have you ever felt<br />
chasing after a dream<br />
a need, a desire<br />
but left disappointed<br />
unable to understand<br />
helpless<br />
<br />
Then its time,<br />
<br />
It's time you felt<br />
the sun shine a warmth<br />
through the eyes<br />
who see you admirably,<br />
for who you are<br />
Believe<br />
<br />
It's time you felt<br />
those arms reaching out to you<br />
Calling, embracing<br />
drawing you close<br />
Holding you tight<br />
Trust<br />
<br />
It's time you felt<br />
those smiles and cheers<br />
smother all your fears<br />
picking up those pieces<br />
to keep you together<br />
Strong<br />
<br />
It's time you felt<br />
the little song in your heart<br />
tunes and beats<br />
that only you can hear<br />
when you see<br />
who's with you<br />
Together<br />
<br />
It's time you felt<br />
that you are not alone<br />
let go of what was<br />
to let in what can be<br />
Love is beautiful<br />
possible<br />
<br />
Break Free.<br />
<br />
<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-10744231698143961562016-02-11T00:00:00.000+05:302016-02-11T00:08:31.426+05:30When Amazon & Flipkart could not fix what Gillette had done.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was near midnight and my eyes had starting going red. I spend a lot of time looking at screens but this was an all new experience. As I switched from browser to browser and site to site, a eerie emptiness started to fill my insides. I was good at this, yet what I was desperately looking for was eluding me. Amazon, Flipkart and every other known site in the world that sold toothpicks to SUV's had been searched through with every possible keyword, and yet as the clock ticked on, minute by minute the desperation was just getting higher and higher.<br />
<br />
The clock struck 1 am, and a bead of sweat trickled down my forehead. The whirring of the rented AC played chords to the rapid typing on the keyboard and the click of the mouse. With each scroll of the mouse, my misery worsened.<br />
<br />
*<i>tick tock tick tock tick tock</i>*<br />
<br />
Would I ever find....<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
*<i>clickety clackety clickety clack</i>*<br />
<br />
...a rapid beard growth cream?<br />
<br />
*<i>ddun ddun ddun</i>*<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
That fateful morning, as I strode into office looking forward to a sumptuous meal of half an Idli, 2 spoons of coffee and my 3 daily compliments of "hey you've lost weight", the security guard gave me a peculiar look. Now am not judgemental and all that, and any attention is always good, so I was quite appreciative of said person's appreciation. With a beaming smile and Coldplay in my head, strumming my Air Guitar and my philosophical drums, I walked on to the floor with an air of confidence that could only be second to Rahul Gandhi's when he gives his famous ZeroIQ speeches.<br />
<br />
<i>I was oh so, so wrong.</i><br />
<br />
The first woman who saw me, after some contemplation, cautiously ventured "Hmmm. It's good, but not really great."<br />
<br />
<i>I now know that that was the best I was to hear that whole day. </i><br />
<br />
This was followed up by the below comments, all from women:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">"WHAT HAPPENED?!!"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha,,,,,(coughing) New look?"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"NO."</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Hey Hi! What<strike>s up</strike>...HAPPENED??"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"This is not looking good"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Blank Stares"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"OMG What Happened?"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"No, this does not work. NEVER EVER again"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Arrre?!! Why?"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Hmmm"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Hahahahahahahahahahaha. (wipes away tears) It's cool, don't worry."</span><br />
<br />
Now, am not one to exaggerate (a lot) but this was not what I was expecting. The reaction, to put it mildly, to the loss of facial hair was exponentially greater than the whole campaign that Gillette ran trying to get Movember to end.<br />
<br />
Of course, the 2 men folk who dared to comment had the below gems to share:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">"Oh! so you shaved."</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span>
<span style="color: red;">"Shaved?" </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<i>No, my beard just shed off in the Winter.</i><br />
<br />
Needless to say, I was totally<strike> taken aback</strike> calm about this whole thing, until I realised that I have had a beard for almost a year now, in some form or the other, and I had suddenly become a living example of this famous meme.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5EC9PGyAMU/VrtmY2RXadI/AAAAAAAAKwk/bZ9XSpcOTlg/s1600/IMG-20160210-WA0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5EC9PGyAMU/VrtmY2RXadI/AAAAAAAAKwk/bZ9XSpcOTlg/s320/IMG-20160210-WA0003.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NO ONE WANTS TO BE MEME. NO ONE.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, the problem is that no one ever (EVER) told me that the beard was cool. No one. Zilch.<br />
<br />
<i>What is a guy to do, eh?</i><br />
<br />
Growing a beard is easy. You just let it grow normally. Just don't shave and it just happens by itself. Right?<br />
<br />
<i><b>NO</b>. It's not a freaking creeper that just grows like a face carpet.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
A beard is a responsibility. It's a statement. It's your pride and your ego. And all those other things that those guys in leather jackets say it is. But more importantly, it is effort (which I hate).<br />
<br />
You need to get over the mid 2 week phase where it's not exactly stubble, not yet beard and get over the damn itchy, irritating feeling while looking like you've just got dumped and lost a job.<br />
<br />
Then you have to wait for it to reach a respectable length so that the machines and tools can work on them and give them some shape.(which only you notice)<br />
<br />
Then you have to pray that once they grow out they don't look like its a frizzy concoction of an age old broom. If it does (and mostly it does) you need to buy expensive meaningless products that do about 5% of the job they claim to do at 400% of the price they ask you to pay for it. (Am looking at you Ustraa.)<br />
<br />
Once this is all done, then you go to a good barber to get those sharp cuts and finishing touches. You make decisions and choose what kind of crop, what kind of moustache, do you twirl? do you not twirl? Do you bend it like Butler? or do you medium fry it all around?<br />
<br />
<i>All the while your stylist / barber is trying to sell you some damn spa treatment and purple hair streaks.</i><br />
<br />
Then you wash it, feed it, keep stroking it and twirling it till finally. One day, it all comes together.<br />
<br />
A Glorious, Magnificent Beard.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqiiRRmTMrU/Vrt4EFZU38I/AAAAAAAAKxA/75kR8pV45Do/s1600/IMG_20151129_142849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqiiRRmTMrU/Vrt4EFZU38I/AAAAAAAAKxA/75kR8pV45Do/s320/IMG_20151129_142849.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>(Note: If you like his beard, tell him. For the love of God. Tell him. Please. They'll be forever indebted and will place you on the highest* pedestal of life.) </i><br />
<br />
<i>*terms and conditions apply</i><br />
<br />
And all this changed one fine day, when I fell to the wily guise of Gillette.<br />
<br />
As the gleaming Mach- WhatEverNumberIsRunningNow came into my hands.<br />
<br />
Beard is so historic they said.<br />
<br />
Smooth is sharp they said.<br />
<br />
Clean Shaved embodies confidence they said.<br />
<br />
Ooooooh clean shaved hunk! (I don't know who said that, but some one must have)<br />
<br />
Dravid (Namma Bengaluru 'heart' 'smiley') = Gillette they said.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Lies. All Lies. </i><br />
<br />
Today, as I recover from the results of this massive change, let down by my beloved Flipkart & Amazon, I long to stroke my beard thoughtfully on how to solve major world issues that no one has ever solved.<br />
<br />
<i>What's the cheat to eat pizza on diet?</i><br />
<br />
But as the wise old guy in Versova said 2 minutes ago - "Once shaven, twice shy."<br />
<br />
Mr.Beard will be back.<br />
<br />
<i>*ddun dun dun dun.</i>*<br />
<br />
<i>*strokes phantom beard*</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-1986347294286661892016-02-07T23:53:00.000+05:302016-02-11T00:14:14.000+05:30The one with Cobras and Royal Enfield <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There were actually three things I wanted to jot down today. But I realised that setting the standard with three sub topics every Sunday may not be the most easiest thing to stick to. It also happens that the third topic I had in mind is capable of being a complete post in itself (in an exaggerated, nonsensical kind of way).<br />
<br />
<i>You may also interpret this as "he's running out of topics already and relying on last minute improvs."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
So yes. What were we talking about? Ah, Cobra's. Also known illogically by these welcome gestures:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Hissss! (International version)</i><br />
<i>Dusss (Indian)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
To start off, let me relay this conversation that just happened with Dad a few hours ago:<br />
<br />
"You at home?"<br />
"Yup."<br />
"Didn't you go out anywhere today?"<br />
"Nope"<br />
"Dinner?"<br />
"Done"<br />
"So what else is going on"<br />
"It's the end of Sunday dad, there can't be anything happening here. You tell me what's happening there!"<br />
"Ah well, we had a special visitor today. Guess who?"<br />
"Umm. Just tell me"<br />
"A Cobra"<br />
"Ah. I see."<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<i>At this point notice the lack of any shock or surprise in our tone.</i><br />
<br />
"The fellow was out near the shoe rack, near the inverter battery. He's been sitting there all day and just refused to leave."<br />
"Oh. So is he around?" (Note: this is 9 pm conversation)<br />
"Nah. I got him into a pipe and left him near the Fort"<br />
"A pipe?"<br />
"Yeah, had got a PVC Pipe from the store and he seemed happy to get into it. One end was anyway closed. Once he was in, just took him up to the Fort and left him there."<br />
"Dad, couldn't you just get someone else to do it. It's a Cobra."<br />
"Nah, it was ok."<br />
"Okay then, but avoid next time, yeah?"<br />
"Here, talk to mum."<br />
<br />
Snakes are quite a common sight in our part of the world.I saw one the last time I went home, where this chap was cooly sunbathing away to glory till he decided that he didn't like my presence, and slithered away. In fact, our home is right in the periphery of the Western Ghats, one of the most densest and sensitive environments for a very beautiful and awe inspiring snake - The King Cobra. The last time I had gone home, there was a huge crowd gathered around an old tree trunk because someone had spotted a "God Snake" as it is more locally announced.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Buxjg8pT2bY/VreAfQpM8lI/AAAAAAAAKuw/4pWMlx9HcEE/s1600/3_head_cobra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Buxjg8pT2bY/VreAfQpM8lI/AAAAAAAAKuw/4pWMlx9HcEE/s400/3_head_cobra.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><u>This 3 headed King Cobra PHOTO is FAKE</u></b>. But the original was the above with just one head, which probably turned up due to disturbing road construction activities. (This place is a few hours ride from my home). Eventually, the offending rock that was being dislodged was left alone and a lamp was lit for a few days to appease the "God Snake"<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The other thing with Cobra's is that they are revered in Indian Culture and are often prayed to, and a sighting of a Cobra can mean different things.<br />
<br />
<i>Like in my scheme of things, it means keep an eye on that fellow, and if he hisses, just run. </i><br />
<br />
However, I've had history with Cobra's. More so my mum has too. She's had dangerous run-in's with Cobra's since she was a kid. I for one never had ones that were life threatening. I mean I've had to brake my cycle a few feet away from a road crossing Cobra, or pause picking up a cricket ball from the garden because this fellow would suddenly become "visible" and so on and so forth.<br />
<br />
But strangely, for the longest time I used to get dreams which had Cobra's feature in them. They've not recurred for a good 5 or 6 years now. But they were quite vivid and always ended in a bite that felt like a pin prick.<br />
<br />
<i>And apparently, a snake biting you in a dream is a good thing. </i><br />
<br />
<i>As long as a cobra biting me in real life is not, we're cool. </i><br />
<br />
These beautiful creatures are also quite misunderstood. Leave them alone, and they won't bother you. Even a slight tapping of the floor is enough to get them moving, unless they're being a little stubborn like the one dad encountered today. But give them a nice way to leave, and they will.<br />
<br />
Of course, lighting agarbatti or incense sticks, chanting mantra's, leaving human food etc are rather silly if you ask me. To be honest, I've seen mum yell at a cobra in Konkani, as if she was talking to a person and chastising "him" for "bothering" us after all the offerings and puja's we've done for "him". And I've seen the cobra slither away.<br />
<br />
<b>It's funny though, because Cobra's have NO sense of hearing</b>. Zilch. They feel vibrations, maybe low frequency waves, but definitely not "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!! GO AWAY NOW!!!" yelled in Konkani.<br />
<br />
<i>Honestly, If I was slithering on the ground, none of the above would lead me to believe that humans had my best interest in mind and I'd stay clear of them.</i><br />
<br />
These day's there's a popular TV show called "Naagin" on TV, largely revolving around the concept of "Ichadari naag" or "Do-as-I-Please Cobra" where the snake can shape shift into any form and is often found in Human form to take revenge on...*wait for it*....HUMANS!<br />
<br />
<i>Meh. Like really? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>PS: JKR & Harry Potter, India was shape shifting since ages yo! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
So anywho, now you know why my chat with Dad on him handling a snake, etc was all so normal.<br />
<i><br /></i>
The other thing I learnt from Dad was about his favorite bike "Royal Enfield". Way back when I was a kid, I had asked him what his favorite bike was and in typical guy fashion, he first replicated the sound the bike made, and then told me that it was a grand bike that everyone recognised from far away because of its sound. At that time the only bikes I had seen were BMW's that cop's rode (in Bahrain)<br />
<br />
Since then, I've had this at the back of mind that someday a bullet shall gleem in our porch. A few months before I left Bangalore, I had actually booked a Classic 350, which had a wait period of about 5 months. After I moved to Mumbai, I had to cancel that booking, and then re book a new one. However, I realised that a bike was of no use to me, especially since the local and public transport system is so robust here. Trust me, if you have lived by the <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2011/01/how-to-choose-auto-rickshaw.html?m=0" target="_blank">Auto Rickshaw's</a> of Bangalore, Mumbai is heaven. So much so, I actually wrote a <a href="http://www.madankamath.com/2014/02/a-guide-to-auto-rickshaws-of-india.html" target="_blank">guide</a> on the different rickshaw's of different cities.<br />
<br />
Now over the last few weeks I've been re-evaluating getting the bullet home finally. Third time lucky and all that. But a recent back sprain reminded me of all the perils that come with bike riding. So looks like that Classic 500 is going to have to wait a little bit more.<br />
<br />
<i>When the rider is ready, the bike shall come. </i><br />
<br />
On a parting note, these passive aggressive people I tell you! Argh. <br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-12553810407631885782016-02-02T00:24:00.003+05:302016-02-10T10:25:04.324+05:30Who we are<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rnxWH6LLAio/Vq-r4iGDaMI/AAAAAAAAKrc/NxdBZA-mqQA/s1600/person-110305_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rnxWH6LLAio/Vq-r4iGDaMI/AAAAAAAAKrc/NxdBZA-mqQA/s320/person-110305_960_720.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I've seen castles made of sand<br />
Met people who believe destiny is engraved<br />
on the palm of their hands<br />
I've seen people who changed their faith<br />
Sometimes we even get to see Love turn to hate<br />
I've seen people grow younger with age<br />
And a bird who wouldn't fly out of an open cage<br />
I've seen love sold for money<br />
And people devastated inside, yet outside they're funny<br />
I've seen a Unicorn fall in love with a toad<br />
People who owned the city, are now on the road<br />
I've learnt to expect the unexpected<br />
Perfection is unreal, we're all dented<br />
Everyone cries, some hide their tears<br />
Doesn't coal turn to Diamond, a thousand years?<br />
For some, you are one in a million<br />
To others, you remain a nobody in a billion<br />
So live life with all that you have<br />
Cherish everything, happy or sad<br />
Feel Blessed, Erase those memories, those scar's<br />
Life is too short, so try not to forget<br />
Who you truly are.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-55515768024218230192016-01-31T23:20:00.000+05:302016-02-01T00:27:16.824+05:30The one with Gulf War, Hostel & Betty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Everyone has been raving about the movie Airlift. And for good reason. Despite my best intentions I haven't been able to get myself into a cinema hall to watch the movie, even though this whole week has been about travelling cinema, workwise. Anyway, of late the standard of cinema is so bad that you could make a movie about Pani Puri and that would have a better story line. Of course you put SRK - Kajol in it and that would be a 400 crore grossing flop.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>What exactly is a flop? </i></div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
<br />
However, it struck me that I was actually in Bahrain during the Gulf war. While I was about 5 at the time, I seem to remember the events quite vividly. Those were the days where all our windows were criss crossed with big layers of tapes - I am assuming this had to do with shattering windows. We also had to keep note of the sudden alarms, and the lights all had to go off. Probably when fighter planes were crossing over (Bahrain is a prominent US Air base), but the most important was when we usually had tins of food stored and donated to the schools that we went to. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Tin food sucks by the way. </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>For kids reading - don't play bowling with the tin food stacked up in the sitting room. Mum's go ballistic for some reason.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
The other thing was the emergence of CNN. Till this war, BBC was always considered the numero uno in news. But CNN was clearly more popuplar, what with its "live reporting" and coverage of the war, complete with infrared shots (pun unintended) of bullets flying everywhere and bombs being air dropped on Iraq. Often the TV news would be viewed in darkness. Travel out of the house was limited, at least of what I could remember.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>For all we know though, like the controversial moon landing, maybe the video footage was shot in a Studio. Meh.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pEC1DnGL-1s/Vq4_3QsSl6I/AAAAAAAAKqo/zq82-nL6-Hg/s1600/IMG_20160131_211913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pEC1DnGL-1s/Vq4_3QsSl6I/AAAAAAAAKqo/zq82-nL6-Hg/s320/IMG_20160131_211913.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in 1993,<br />
I was made to write that name sign about 20 times to get it right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I also have a personal beef with the War, and what it set in motion. Till the war, the tension in the Arabian Gulf was very understated and diplomatically managed. However, the war opened the gateway for all kinds of tensions. And it wasn't long before religious conflict reared its ugly head in Bahrain too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In 1996, 6 years after the war, we left for a "family trip" to India. Little did I know, that this was the end of common life in Bahrain as I knew it. 6 months later, I was in a hostel in India, amongst about 100 odd kids, with trunks full of 'imported chocolates', and a general notion of WTF. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You see the problem in my impressionable head, was not that hostel in itself was bad. The problem was that boarding school was always held out as a punishment for bad grades. So when the time came where I really needed to go to hostel for sensible reasons, it felt that I had done something wrong.<br />
<br />
"Hey if you score less than 105 / 100 it s boarding school for you"<br />
<br />
"You better score all the 120 points in the basketball game, or its boarding school.. "<br />
<br />
"Better get full marks in the Hindi Grammar, or its boarding school.."<br />
<br />
I'm kidding. Even the teacher wouldn't get full marks in her own Hindi grammar test. No one ever wins over Hindi. </div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>Parents, never hold out anything as a punishment to kids. Even scaring them with ghosts to prevent them from going into a dark room and hurting themselves can have consequences. </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>By the way there's no such thing as ghosts, just don't go looking for them.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Also sleeping with lights on has proven health benefits.</i> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course I made my peace with the whole issue after confronting my folks and storming away from home early one summer vacation morning back to college, a good 2 weeks before college reopened. Probably the only time I've gotten mad at my folks. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Rebel max for life yo! </i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
The first year in hostel was hell. Of course whatever I am today, I owe a lot of it to hostel. Social skills are just one of the many things learnt at hostel, as well as the world famous concept of "Indian Jugaad". Like trying to crack open a natural cashew out of its shell over a candle flame for hours, just because you want to. Stuffing Idli and upma in coffee cups and turning them over on a plate so you don't get caught for wasting food. How to make innovative cricket balls out of paper, cotton wool, eraser, marble and a ton of other combinations so that we it would bounce, spin and yet not break light bulbs when played inside the room. How to subdue sleepwalkers with knives in their hands, how to sneak chits into <strike>exam</strike> umm, dustbin. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>No points for guessing where my general chill-can-fix-it-approach to life is inspired from. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On one occasion, the warden cut all the cricket bats because some were caught playing cricket inside the dorm. Needless to say, unfazed, very soon there was a massive spike in the interest towards volleyball and basketball! There's also this underlying respect that a student who has stayed in hostel has for another, irrespective of the hostel. Note, this is not the same as staying in hostel only at college. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U77yowVDmH4/Vq5DeK4uc5I/AAAAAAAAKq0/R0fvT-EE1Tc/s1600/IMG_20160102_114947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U77yowVDmH4/Vq5DeK4uc5I/AAAAAAAAKq0/R0fvT-EE1Tc/s320/IMG_20160102_114947.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
But enough of the flashback. I'd like to a few moments to introduce you to Betty.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>10 points if you thought Betty would be a girl and you get a lot of my good wishes. 5 points if you thought Betty would be a pet. And the rest of you, Kabhi to positive socho yaar. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Betty came home in the first week of Jan. Actually, way back in Nov'11 I had bought a guitar with the ambitious goal of learning from the internet. This experiment lasted about 5 hours on Saturday, and 3 hours on Sunday, 2 drinks on the next weekend, before it became best friends with the cupboard and eventually changed hands before I left Bangalore.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ironically, I had started learning the Piano just about a few months before leaving Bahrain. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>*Imagines being part of Coldplay-like group*</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But Betty is going to be lucky because a playlist is ready and the student is ready, and the strumming has begun.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On a parting note, the best month of the year is here. Hello February. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cheers</div>
<div>
M</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546312609117506276.post-84266979197116709082016-01-25T00:07:00.000+05:302016-01-31T23:32:32.227+05:30The One with MPD, Slimming & Sandhya Mridul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Welcome to another edition of Just Emkaying. You are just in time for the the third successive post on a Sunday evening, that too, at approximately the same time. That half of the people who I expect to read this do not exist, is a different matter.<br />
<br />
<i>But if you are performing, then why not perform expecting the President, eh?</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
I am currently running about a week or so behind the actual calendar dates. So if you have already heard some parts of this post in person, do keep reading. I exaggerate very well for comic effect when I write. Additionally I want to talk a little bit about Multi Personality Disorder that came up twice this week!<br />
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<i>Gasp! MPD? Is our Born in Bahrain - Grew up in Bangalore - working in Mumbai hero alright?</i><br />
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First things first. Last Sunday I met up with a tweep from Twitter at Leaping Windows.<br />
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<i>Tweep is a person who uses Twitter. No one was crying.</i><br />
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So as some of you know, for the purpose of anonymity or when I need to dissuade real life people from stalking real life me, I have multiple twitter accounts. Largely only one runs active at a time, but there are weeks when both are active. Sometimes even three!<br />
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So when I was told that both the personalities on Twitter are so different, I actually did realise that I may come across as being different. But it's actually more of a tone of voice change than having contrary points of views.<br />
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<i>Like Hot Stud vs Charming suave talker.</i><br />
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And recently a friend announced that the other real life me is actually a "Kaam wali Bai" who masquerades around as a marketeer during the day. Heh. (Why do people have to make things public, sheesh!)<br />
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(Also note the italic conversation across the blog posts being a secondary line of commentary, not so hard to believe eh?)<br />
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<i>Umm. Maushi?!</i><br />
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Talking of multi personality, I was at the RTO for my learners licence after I confrimed my personal details for data verification on the computer, and left, only to be tapped on the shoulder a few minutes later by a guy who said he had the exact same date of birth as mine, and hence the operator was wondering why the system refused to change the date. Mild Panic ensued.<br />
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<i>Laffs!</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrSlcH3Hh2s/VqUQRvrHdbI/AAAAAAAAKIE/i3_8E7c2tCw/s1600/IMG_20160124_195219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrSlcH3Hh2s/VqUQRvrHdbI/AAAAAAAAKIE/i3_8E7c2tCw/s320/IMG_20160124_195219.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheeba from Nana Nani park</td></tr>
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Off late I've been getting healthy. I have found it quite difficult to make people believe me when I tell them the truth of the how. So now I've decided to tell whoever asks me, that I stand on my head for 3 minutes before drinking half a glass of water with lemon and honey and then yell out "GO AWAY YE HATEFUL BULK" from the north west corner of the terrace (preferably 8th floor)<br />
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I am determined and hell bent on getting fit this year and my sole motivation has been Sheeba. She's pretty, kind and non judgemental. In fact, since I didn't meet her for a week, she gave me extra affection today, and almost scratched me when I tried to leave.<br />
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<i>Bah! Felines, so possessive I tell you!</i><br />
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Speaking of Weight loss, I highly recommend Raw Pressery's cold pressed juices and their weekly cleanse. At Rs 1500 bucks for a 6 * 410ml of fresh cold juice for a day, its expensive deal. But it definitely is worth it! If you can stick to this 6 bottle a day routine once in 2 weeks, you'll be seeing those numbers getting off soon! Not to mention that you probably will spend more than that on a weekend dinner outing.<br />
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<i>This recommendation also has nothing to do with publicity or getting discounts from RawPressery. Honest. *blinking halo*</i><br />
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Now, this is where Sandy (Sandhya Mridul) comes in. I had <a href="https://twitter.com/2emkay/status/683528609135370241" target="_blank">tweeted</a> out the below photo with she had "hearted". (check the tweet<a href="https://twitter.com/2emkay/status/683528609135370241" target="_blank"> here</a> and click on heart to see who liked it)<br />
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<i>Sudden new appreciation is coming for Twitter's move to change "likes" to "hearts"</i><br />
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Now ordinarily, Leaping Windows (the restaurant, not action) is quite a common place for celebs. But I have almost never seen anyone. So what are the chances that you are sitting with a friend at the place, which is uncharacteristically empty, and bang opposite I see Sandy come and sit down! And it was just the previous day that I had successfully completed the 6 drink a day thingy, so it kind of felt like encouragement.<br />
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<i>No there are no photos. One should not disturb people having coffee. It's sacred time.</i><br />
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Oh by the way, food was cooked at home today, so if the sun rose on the wrong side or if some places received unexpected rainfall, all I have to say is - You are welcome.<br />
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Actually, I've been mumbling on about how I believe driving skills is genetically passed on, I also think cooking skills are. So the act of cooking is not necessarily tough or complicated.<br />
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But.<br />
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The act of using a stove is.<br />
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<i>Why the hell is switching on the gas so complicated? Knob goes up? Down? Sideways? But wasn't that how it was originally? Was it on all this while! Where's my phone?</i><br />
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<i>*dials emergency number*</i><br />
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"Hi mom!"<br />
"yeah, all fine. Tell me how to switch this gas thing on."<br />
"Yes I know you told me a 100 times"<br />
"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MARRIAGE?!!"<br />
"down? OkThanksBye"<br />
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And in other news, the week was pretty awesome. I love the way the year has started off, and especially my spidey sense has been exceptionally on point. I hope this stays and I remain on this fab journey that has taken over my life.<br />
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Have you ever noticed people's eyes? You should. Look at them. Intently.<br />
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People with kind hearts have eyes that are fascinating :)<br />
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Cheers<br />
M</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">If you liked this post please do subscribe to Just Emkaying!!! Thanks!!!</div>2emkayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05893386967528303697noreply@blogger.com2