Travelogues from the land of uncle Sam
Trains…
9 July 2005
To begin with how different can train rides be. I guess its a universal principle that trains have to always be late whether its the rajdhani or the amtrack. Well my rendezvous with trains
in the United states begins with waiting at the Ann Arbor station to board my train to Chicago.
Part of the waiting is because am early and partly coz the train is late. Well as i park my self at the station awaiting the train i want some coffee, i walk around and only find the sloppy vending machines this is where i miss the chai walas and the fruit walas who are present even in the remotest railway stations in India. The train ride reminds me of the one i had taken a couple of months ago from Ernakulam to Cochin( where i actually boarded a wrong train but thats a different story)
Its the same thing getting in the train looking for a seat for your self, well the difference is in India if i found the seat and wanted to reserve and have it to my self i would just have to bribe the ticket collector and get a reserved ticket. But over hear I get a seat easily coz i guess very few ppl travel in long distance train.
On board i find a seat easily but once i am seated i am reminded of the chaos, the jabbering mouths and curious eyes which engulf you if your a single on board on a train in India.
The view outside is similar to the train rides in India, forests, country houses but you cant see the children on the streets playing gulidanda and waving out to you.
When I get hungryi i miss the chai wala and the coldrink wala who come a zillion times on the trains in India enticing you to buy something or the other. Well i walk two coaches ahead to the cafe where there is already a que of people lined up. I look at the menu obviously very few options for vegetarians but i get some cereal and milk for myself. Getting off the train was similar to getting off at Bombay central station but bombay central station slightly more brighter
All in all whether its the rajdhani, the flying rani or the amtrack train rides are fun, they have some magic in them. I just completly enjoy the trains( Longdistance, local trains in Mumbai- bad idea) .
So are u upto getting on the train for your next trip
Monday, October 24, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
The theliwalas - Mumbai`s Little Rockstars
The theliwalas - Mumbai`s Little Rockstars
Yesterday i went vegetable shopping with my cousin to the shakgali ( veg market)in Grant road. Yes amidst normal chaos and hustle bustle of vegetable vendors added to the half jammed road due to the ganesh pandal i was stopped a couple of times by these 8- 9 year old boys asking me "' didi theli uthaiya" and this was not once but a couple of times, some of boys were even in the municpal school uniform. A further enquiry later i found out about this smart and hardworking boys unusual profession. They basically carry the heavy veg bags of the auntys, grannies whoever are shopping there and sometimes even carry it for them till their residences all for a meagre Rs 10- 15. I am so proud of these little boys they sure know how to earn their pocket money. Salaam Mumbai
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Yesterday i went vegetable shopping with my cousin to the shakgali ( veg market)in Grant road. Yes amidst normal chaos and hustle bustle of vegetable vendors added to the half jammed road due to the ganesh pandal i was stopped a couple of times by these 8- 9 year old boys asking me "' didi theli uthaiya" and this was not once but a couple of times, some of boys were even in the municpal school uniform. A further enquiry later i found out about this smart and hardworking boys unusual profession. They basically carry the heavy veg bags of the auntys, grannies whoever are shopping there and sometimes even carry it for them till their residences all for a meagre Rs 10- 15. I am so proud of these little boys they sure know how to earn their pocket money. Salaam Mumbai
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Dandiya Dhamaka
Navratri, is one festival which is sure to ensure, you to get u up on your feet. There has to be something in this amazing festivals, which everyone waits for. I went for one of the biggest and popular dandiya- Sankalp.0 The true Dandiya queen- Falguni Pathak`s voice definately has the power to get one`s foot tapping. As i stood, there reflecting at the thousands of people, present there, some watching just enjoying the music, some trying their first hand on the garba and some simply dancing to kill.
There has to be something about this festival that drives people from all communities to come and enjoy the thrills of navratri. Is it all about advertising and the hype? Is it about particpating in ones festival ? A youngsters excuse to go to a parents authorised disc or is it simply the festive spirit. I still remember, as a kid i always looked forward to navratri, which happend in our buildings. There wernt loudspeakers, but a simple dhol wala and people would sing.
I was never to good at the dandiya or garba, so i dont know whether it was the drive to learn it or was my fathers singing at these navratris that drived me to not miss even a single day of the navratri in the building. As time passed by the small celebrations in our buildings came to an end and it went on to the big disco dandiyas that happened, thus me taking seat in front of my television screen and flipping channels to watch the diffrent dandiya`s. But what i really love about navratri, is that brings out the folk culture of gujrat, Infact some day i would like to go and watch the navratri in ahmedabad or baroda. i have heard, the celebrations there have still kept the traditional elements intactThe Garba Rass for the year is over, but if you still want to give your hands a shot with garba and dandiya- Sharadpunam should be a day to look outcheersDD
There has to be something about this festival that drives people from all communities to come and enjoy the thrills of navratri. Is it all about advertising and the hype? Is it about particpating in ones festival ? A youngsters excuse to go to a parents authorised disc or is it simply the festive spirit. I still remember, as a kid i always looked forward to navratri, which happend in our buildings. There wernt loudspeakers, but a simple dhol wala and people would sing.
I was never to good at the dandiya or garba, so i dont know whether it was the drive to learn it or was my fathers singing at these navratris that drived me to not miss even a single day of the navratri in the building. As time passed by the small celebrations in our buildings came to an end and it went on to the big disco dandiyas that happened, thus me taking seat in front of my television screen and flipping channels to watch the diffrent dandiya`s. But what i really love about navratri, is that brings out the folk culture of gujrat, Infact some day i would like to go and watch the navratri in ahmedabad or baroda. i have heard, the celebrations there have still kept the traditional elements intactThe Garba Rass for the year is over, but if you still want to give your hands a shot with garba and dandiya- Sharadpunam should be a day to look outcheersDD
The Fake Business
The Fake Business
In todays world one can possibly buy any fake item, whether it’s an Armani suit, a Lui Vuitong bag, a Mont blanc pen. Fakes are popular worldwide. It’s a great tool for some to satisfy their desire for the best brands at not even half its original price. I remember I was walking down fifth avenue in Manhattan a couple of months ago, the street which houses the best of the brands and it was ironical to see a road side bags vender selling a fake Loui Vuitong bag just outside the Loui Vuitong showroom. Just to tickle my sense of pricing I asked the vendor on the street the cost of a particular Lui Vuitong bag, 45$, if u want ill negotiate was his answer, then I walked in to the store and enquired about the originals price which was a booming 750 $
Coming back to the topic of fakes, this question has been crossing my mind for quite some time. When we can have Fakes available in most of the luxurious products why can’t one find a fake car. Imagine a fake Mercedes Benz
I bounced this question to some of my friends and collegeous and came across some interesting answers
A car is one of the most complex propositions to construct, thus probably the money that’s goes in manufacturing is single fake car would be must higher than the actual cost at it is a single unit
A car is an expensive item, does no one really wants to take the risk of building something which may not sell
Any other reasons ? write in to add to the list
Cheer s
DD
In todays world one can possibly buy any fake item, whether it’s an Armani suit, a Lui Vuitong bag, a Mont blanc pen. Fakes are popular worldwide. It’s a great tool for some to satisfy their desire for the best brands at not even half its original price. I remember I was walking down fifth avenue in Manhattan a couple of months ago, the street which houses the best of the brands and it was ironical to see a road side bags vender selling a fake Loui Vuitong bag just outside the Loui Vuitong showroom. Just to tickle my sense of pricing I asked the vendor on the street the cost of a particular Lui Vuitong bag, 45$, if u want ill negotiate was his answer, then I walked in to the store and enquired about the originals price which was a booming 750 $
Coming back to the topic of fakes, this question has been crossing my mind for quite some time. When we can have Fakes available in most of the luxurious products why can’t one find a fake car. Imagine a fake Mercedes Benz
I bounced this question to some of my friends and collegeous and came across some interesting answers
A car is one of the most complex propositions to construct, thus probably the money that’s goes in manufacturing is single fake car would be must higher than the actual cost at it is a single unit
A car is an expensive item, does no one really wants to take the risk of building something which may not sell
Any other reasons ? write in to add to the list
Cheer s
DD
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