Having crossed 7 time zones and roamed about Rome, we were quickly off to sleep in the hotel on the outskirts. Early morning, we took one of the highways that connected Rome to Pisa. As they say, all roads lead to Rome, and it indeed true going by the traffic in and out of the city. We started off in bright sunshine and a couple of hours into the journey, it was all snowy landscapes. It was enchanting and dreamy to say the least. We did a halt in one of the expressway petrol stations, which doubles up as a food outlet. We have to exit through a shop selling chocolates, biscuits and the like, and are so enticing to buy. This we heard is the norm in Italy. We did get some chocolates to munch along the remainder of the journey to Pisa. The whole journey was a solid 5 hrs, but we did not mind.
We had to take the public bus to get to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was surprised to see a few blacks touting in Pisa with imitation goods like umbrellas and leather bags. We were forewarned about things to watch out for, including pick pockets, gypsies trying to mug you, as well as tout at popular tourist places. Since we were behind schedule, the plan was to have lunch first, followed by the tower itself. However, there was some issue with the place that the tour manager arranged, so we ended up at an ala-carte Italian restaurant nearby. We did spot Indian and Chinese restaurants as well near the Tower for those who are planning a trip there. We were three vegetarians in the group, so we ordered a pizza each. By the time the huge pizza turned up, it was too late to cancel. We could each eat only half the pizza in the allotted time before we had to rush to capture some hurried pictures of the leaning tower of Pisa.
The leaning tower of Pisa is a bell tower to a cathedral that is inclined at the 6 degree angle. The government banned tourists in 1990 once they realized it could topple over. They then used lead blocks as well as digging out some earth to stabilize it by 0.5 degrees. We heard that it was on the top of this leaning tower that Galileo used his telescope for his studies, before proposing to the church that earth orbits the sun and getting himself killed. But what’s more interesting is that the leaning tower of Pisa started leaning while it was built itself, with only 3 out of 8 stories having been completed! I was inspired that the ancient Romans never gave up.
Once Pisa was done with, we took a 2 hour trip to Florence, which was an ultra successful commercial hub built by Lorenzo the magnificent. Florence has a very rich culture detailing the innovative ideas executed by Lorenzo, including the introduction of the first Italian currency called Florin, trading in gold, establishing the working middle class with workers being employed by corporate rather than the church. This magnificent city also contains the biggest church in Italy outside the Vatican, has the first stock exchange and has a dedicated square for banks. This city was the 500 year old Wall Street and much more. The city itself derives its name from a flower, which is omnipresent here and still remains the symbol of pride. Lorenzo also developed key ties with other city states as it was the financial hub, helping him in times of war. He is said to have defeated Pisa and Venice. A big river Alba divides the city into two, which was used to separate the quiet residential and happening commercial parts. Bridges help connect the two parts for easy access. Work hard and play hard seems to have been the moto of this city.
We had a long walk by the river in the biting cold night, which was an experience in itself. We went for a stake dinner at La Casa, being entertained by classical Italian songs while we had our dinner. The dinner was the usual three course meal with Spaghetti with tomato sauce, grilled eggplant and desert. I was sick and tired of eggplant on Day 2 itself. By the time we reached hotel it was almost 10. It is no big deal back in Singapore, but here we were just dog tired and all we wanted was to get some valuable sleep.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Europe Day 1 – Amsterdam and Rome
We were both very excited about the Europe trip and here it was finally. The first day was kind of 2 days combined into one due to the time differences. It did not start off quite well though. On the way we realized our mistake of not getting any leather waterproof shoes as the others had done, but told ourselves that it was just a matter of time before we can get one in Italy. When we reached the airport, we heard the news that the flight was 1.5 hrs delayed and we could possibly miss the connecting flight from Amsterdam to Rome. That dampened our high spirits somewhat, and we had to find something to kill time. I did surf in some book shops, and found some saucy titles which I dared not buy.
Once we were onboard the aircraft, it was all exiting. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep. The first thing that struck me was the air hostesses, who resembled more the Air India variety rather than the Singapore Airlines variety that I was hoping for. Don’t know what the younger Dutch girls are up to. Made a mental note to check on this point later during my Amsterdam visit ;). But the service was definitely friendlier than Air India! It felt as if it was a cosmic game of hide and seek. Sun counted till 5 and gave us a 5 hour head start. However, the sun was soon catching us up and we were running within the shadows as fast as our big fat carbon footprint can carry us. Finally after 14 hrs, the sun caught us and we had to give up and land. 2 meals, 5 snacks, 2 Hollywood movies, 10 tries at solitaire, 100 tries to become a millionaire later, we ended up in Amsterdam.
I knew Amsterdam was predominantly white, but when I landed up, it was literal. A light snowfall of a few inches had given a white coating to the entire landscape and delayed countless flights, one of which was luckily our connecting flight. And I saw my first snow right when I landed. What more do I want :D Amsterdam airport is huge and it can only be felt. It took us a good 20 mins to get across the transfer area, with a bit of heckling happening with the duty passenger assistance officers.
The transfer to Rome was largely uneventful, except for the excellent in-flight service on this short 2 hour sector. The Dutch attendant was always smiling and very helpful. Smile does help to enhance how you are perceived. Once in Rome, the drama started. It so reminded of Chennai airport. The tour guide was nowhere to be seen even after 30 mins of collecting our bags and later learnt that 5 of the bags from our group are missing. I heard from the disgruntled passengers that the administrative staffs are as kind and helpful as the Chennai ones I heard. You can’t miss the sarcasm there! It was around 1pm, so we started sightseeing directly.
First up was Vatican city. This tiny city-state is probably smacked in the middle of Rome, so I don’t see the logic of it being a separate nation. The big central square is adorned with huge buildings made use of by the Pope and his staff. The quality of the buildings and St Peter’s church with all its beautiful sculptures by Michelangelo is a sight to contend. Walking back, we did get the first tingle as a sweep of the night chill hit us hard. Looking at the watch it was hard to believe it was only 5pm, given that it was dark and cold. Welcome to Europe during winter!
The freezing cold caught a few of us out, especially the poor souls who lost their bags and were without any warm clothes. We then went to a guided tour of the city of Rome. The Roman empire has done a tremendous job with their architecture. Every nook and corner is filled with historic buildings. The most infamous is The Colloseum, where tigers and humans were once the chief entertainers. We walked across to the Trevis fountain, which was fabulous. After a few snaps, we learnt that we need to throw one coin with your right hand over your left shoulder to wish for coming back to Rome, two coins to get married and three to divorce! Seems divorce was quite expensive even centuries back :P
We went to a Italian restaurant for dinner and got a taste of Italian vegetarian three course meal, namely spaghetti for starters, grilled eggplant and tomatoes for main course and Tiramisu for desert. It was different and the eggplant took a while to feel comfortable in my stomach, but what the heck, we are on a tour and need to experience different food. Whats the point coming all the way to Italy and searching for dosais and idlis?
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
Once we were onboard the aircraft, it was all exiting. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep. The first thing that struck me was the air hostesses, who resembled more the Air India variety rather than the Singapore Airlines variety that I was hoping for. Don’t know what the younger Dutch girls are up to. Made a mental note to check on this point later during my Amsterdam visit ;). But the service was definitely friendlier than Air India! It felt as if it was a cosmic game of hide and seek. Sun counted till 5 and gave us a 5 hour head start. However, the sun was soon catching us up and we were running within the shadows as fast as our big fat carbon footprint can carry us. Finally after 14 hrs, the sun caught us and we had to give up and land. 2 meals, 5 snacks, 2 Hollywood movies, 10 tries at solitaire, 100 tries to become a millionaire later, we ended up in Amsterdam.
I knew Amsterdam was predominantly white, but when I landed up, it was literal. A light snowfall of a few inches had given a white coating to the entire landscape and delayed countless flights, one of which was luckily our connecting flight. And I saw my first snow right when I landed. What more do I want :D Amsterdam airport is huge and it can only be felt. It took us a good 20 mins to get across the transfer area, with a bit of heckling happening with the duty passenger assistance officers.
The transfer to Rome was largely uneventful, except for the excellent in-flight service on this short 2 hour sector. The Dutch attendant was always smiling and very helpful. Smile does help to enhance how you are perceived. Once in Rome, the drama started. It so reminded of Chennai airport. The tour guide was nowhere to be seen even after 30 mins of collecting our bags and later learnt that 5 of the bags from our group are missing. I heard from the disgruntled passengers that the administrative staffs are as kind and helpful as the Chennai ones I heard. You can’t miss the sarcasm there! It was around 1pm, so we started sightseeing directly.
First up was Vatican city. This tiny city-state is probably smacked in the middle of Rome, so I don’t see the logic of it being a separate nation. The big central square is adorned with huge buildings made use of by the Pope and his staff. The quality of the buildings and St Peter’s church with all its beautiful sculptures by Michelangelo is a sight to contend. Walking back, we did get the first tingle as a sweep of the night chill hit us hard. Looking at the watch it was hard to believe it was only 5pm, given that it was dark and cold. Welcome to Europe during winter!
The freezing cold caught a few of us out, especially the poor souls who lost their bags and were without any warm clothes. We then went to a guided tour of the city of Rome. The Roman empire has done a tremendous job with their architecture. Every nook and corner is filled with historic buildings. The most infamous is The Colloseum, where tigers and humans were once the chief entertainers. We walked across to the Trevis fountain, which was fabulous. After a few snaps, we learnt that we need to throw one coin with your right hand over your left shoulder to wish for coming back to Rome, two coins to get married and three to divorce! Seems divorce was quite expensive even centuries back :P
We went to a Italian restaurant for dinner and got a taste of Italian vegetarian three course meal, namely spaghetti for starters, grilled eggplant and tomatoes for main course and Tiramisu for desert. It was different and the eggplant took a while to feel comfortable in my stomach, but what the heck, we are on a tour and need to experience different food. Whats the point coming all the way to Italy and searching for dosais and idlis?
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Kingdom - Day 2
The first thought of the day was that it would be tough to match Day 1 in excitement. So, I was bracing myself for a less than spectacular day. Yesterday started with the awe and splendour of Angkor Wat and the rest of the day just flew by. Today, we started off with Tonle Sap lake, a good 45 mins drive in a car that was "flying" at 30kmph. And it was the fastest object on the roads by a long way!
The drive gave me a glimpse of a normal Cambodian lifestyle. Houses were raised on columns of wood to prevent flooding during monsoon (May-Oct). The high-rise roads had seafood restaurants along the way, with all having karoake, although none of the locals are interested. It is to please the tourists, many of whom are Koreans. I am glad to bee in a place where I could spot only 3 other Indians in a day apart from my family. All the houses have a small spirit house at the front, where people offer their morning prayers to bring good luck to people and businesses. Depending on the status, it could range from some form of house made out of flattened coke cans, or could be mini houses in themselves. Almost all the houses (whether fixed or floating) has a swing made of cloth, where people take a nap whenever they can. The average Cambodian travel in mopeds or a cheaper version of a tuk tuk, which can carry 10-12 pax to the markets once a week for about $1. They have their own wood houses, a small rice field, a fruit garden and possibly a cow. They earn just enough to lead a life and never have enough to even travel to the next province. They eat at home everyday and are mostly self-sufficient. Only the extremely rich get to travel abroad. The people say they are poor with a tinge of sadness but they never crib or cringe. There are hardly any beggars around. I think Cambodians are rich in their captivating smile, amazing service attitude and their positiveness radiates everywhere in this country. It was a humbling experience having interacted with about 20-30 people in these 2 days.
Coming back to the first attraction of the day, the Tonle Sap lake is the largest (man-made) lake in Cambodia and links to the capital Phnom Penh. The travel is about 5-6 hrs only during rainy season. A manmade river links the mainland to the lake. A trip in a boat costs $20 a head, but its well worth it. Its not a lake, but almost a village in the middle of a sea, complete with floating residents, school, hospital, church, mosque and environmental organisation. The last one was a misfit as there was more environment than men at this place. The fresh air hustling your face makes one forget everything else and immerse in the surroundings. The climate was hot, but the heat hardly mattered. Floating shop boats touted for business, but we bought our souvenirs from a floating restaurant-cum-fish/crocodile farm. It was awesome to see a Vietnamese christians and Cambodian muslims float alongside each other yet have distinctive features. The Vietnamese fishermen have funded a floating orphanage school when they scarcely manage to eek out a living themselves. Top that for social responsibility! When the rains come down, everyone moves inland to avoid the high waves. It was a great trip and an eye-opener, showcasing how people adapt to their harsh surroundings and co-exist.
After the lake, we had a trip to Ta Phrom temple. It was another wreck characterised by hugh trees encroaching the walls, which have buckled under the immense pressure. Big blocks of rock were everywhere, like in the other temples. I again wondered how these temples were torn apart, but it looks as if large boulders were thrown from the top to create this crazy mess! The temple itself was dedicated by King Jayavarman VII (hailed the greatest) to his mother, and was used in times of victory to celebrate. All these temples were in fact walled cities, with thousands occupying each. Cambodia was landmined heavily, and people who have been injured by the landmines have formed a musical troupe. You can see these groups in every temple. They play on whenever the visitors are in sight. They have their own CDs and their placards request you to buy the CDs, but their shoulders never droop, even if we ask them for a photo without dropping a single note. The people here have real character. I did get a musical instrument as a souvenir from a tout outside.
Next up was lunch at the roadside Khmer Family Restaurant. The food and the service were good. Then, we made a longish trip to Bantray Srei temple in the outskirts. It translates into temple for women, but there were sannadis for Garuda and Hanuman, apart from the many unknowns. The temple was remarkably intact, with only a few broken blocks. It has definitely stood the test of time. Our next stop was Preah Khan, which is the translation for Jayasri, the original Sanskrit name bestowed upon it. It was huge, second only to Angkor Wat, with 7 concentric squares (prahara). This was also a walled city and a palace dedicated to Jayavarman's father. It has a dedicated dancing hall and demarcated areas for Apsara dancers. The innermost square contains a Siva Linga and a stupa. We all felt like explorers, navigating our way through endless blocks of rock. It is for this reason that we declined tourist guides in a couple of temples. We took our time at each nook and corner which interested us, went our own way, even got lost and had to get help to get out, but it was immense fun this way.
After numerous temples, it was time to try something different. On the suggestion of our taxi driver, we skipped the National Museum containing 1000 Buddhas and relics for a trip to the Cambodian Cultural Village. This is a one-stop to see the evolution of the Khmer culture, the different sections of people and their traditions and get a closer look at their living style. We watched a couple of dance shows, which were simple and elegant. Coming from a place renouned for its complexity and diversity, I did get bored of them quickly. The park inside was huge and had replicas of the important landmarks around the country. It was worthwhile browsing through.
The final stop for the day was the market and souvenir shop. Our driver mistook our needs and took us to a posh Indian souvenir shop trading Indian items. These were the last thing we wanted from Cambodia, and after a quick cursory glance, we were off. Dinner was great as usual, I told them as much and they were pleased.
As the trip came to an end, I was really happy with the way everything went on this trip. Everyone was equally pleased, which was a bit strange, but was much better than I anticipated. The Kingdom, especially the ruins of Angkor, is definitely a must-see for anyone worth their USD. No Riels please :)
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
The drive gave me a glimpse of a normal Cambodian lifestyle. Houses were raised on columns of wood to prevent flooding during monsoon (May-Oct). The high-rise roads had seafood restaurants along the way, with all having karoake, although none of the locals are interested. It is to please the tourists, many of whom are Koreans. I am glad to bee in a place where I could spot only 3 other Indians in a day apart from my family. All the houses have a small spirit house at the front, where people offer their morning prayers to bring good luck to people and businesses. Depending on the status, it could range from some form of house made out of flattened coke cans, or could be mini houses in themselves. Almost all the houses (whether fixed or floating) has a swing made of cloth, where people take a nap whenever they can. The average Cambodian travel in mopeds or a cheaper version of a tuk tuk, which can carry 10-12 pax to the markets once a week for about $1. They have their own wood houses, a small rice field, a fruit garden and possibly a cow. They earn just enough to lead a life and never have enough to even travel to the next province. They eat at home everyday and are mostly self-sufficient. Only the extremely rich get to travel abroad. The people say they are poor with a tinge of sadness but they never crib or cringe. There are hardly any beggars around. I think Cambodians are rich in their captivating smile, amazing service attitude and their positiveness radiates everywhere in this country. It was a humbling experience having interacted with about 20-30 people in these 2 days.
Coming back to the first attraction of the day, the Tonle Sap lake is the largest (man-made) lake in Cambodia and links to the capital Phnom Penh. The travel is about 5-6 hrs only during rainy season. A manmade river links the mainland to the lake. A trip in a boat costs $20 a head, but its well worth it. Its not a lake, but almost a village in the middle of a sea, complete with floating residents, school, hospital, church, mosque and environmental organisation. The last one was a misfit as there was more environment than men at this place. The fresh air hustling your face makes one forget everything else and immerse in the surroundings. The climate was hot, but the heat hardly mattered. Floating shop boats touted for business, but we bought our souvenirs from a floating restaurant-cum-fish/crocodile farm. It was awesome to see a Vietnamese christians and Cambodian muslims float alongside each other yet have distinctive features. The Vietnamese fishermen have funded a floating orphanage school when they scarcely manage to eek out a living themselves. Top that for social responsibility! When the rains come down, everyone moves inland to avoid the high waves. It was a great trip and an eye-opener, showcasing how people adapt to their harsh surroundings and co-exist.
After the lake, we had a trip to Ta Phrom temple. It was another wreck characterised by hugh trees encroaching the walls, which have buckled under the immense pressure. Big blocks of rock were everywhere, like in the other temples. I again wondered how these temples were torn apart, but it looks as if large boulders were thrown from the top to create this crazy mess! The temple itself was dedicated by King Jayavarman VII (hailed the greatest) to his mother, and was used in times of victory to celebrate. All these temples were in fact walled cities, with thousands occupying each. Cambodia was landmined heavily, and people who have been injured by the landmines have formed a musical troupe. You can see these groups in every temple. They play on whenever the visitors are in sight. They have their own CDs and their placards request you to buy the CDs, but their shoulders never droop, even if we ask them for a photo without dropping a single note. The people here have real character. I did get a musical instrument as a souvenir from a tout outside.
Next up was lunch at the roadside Khmer Family Restaurant. The food and the service were good. Then, we made a longish trip to Bantray Srei temple in the outskirts. It translates into temple for women, but there were sannadis for Garuda and Hanuman, apart from the many unknowns. The temple was remarkably intact, with only a few broken blocks. It has definitely stood the test of time. Our next stop was Preah Khan, which is the translation for Jayasri, the original Sanskrit name bestowed upon it. It was huge, second only to Angkor Wat, with 7 concentric squares (prahara). This was also a walled city and a palace dedicated to Jayavarman's father. It has a dedicated dancing hall and demarcated areas for Apsara dancers. The innermost square contains a Siva Linga and a stupa. We all felt like explorers, navigating our way through endless blocks of rock. It is for this reason that we declined tourist guides in a couple of temples. We took our time at each nook and corner which interested us, went our own way, even got lost and had to get help to get out, but it was immense fun this way.
After numerous temples, it was time to try something different. On the suggestion of our taxi driver, we skipped the National Museum containing 1000 Buddhas and relics for a trip to the Cambodian Cultural Village. This is a one-stop to see the evolution of the Khmer culture, the different sections of people and their traditions and get a closer look at their living style. We watched a couple of dance shows, which were simple and elegant. Coming from a place renouned for its complexity and diversity, I did get bored of them quickly. The park inside was huge and had replicas of the important landmarks around the country. It was worthwhile browsing through.
The final stop for the day was the market and souvenir shop. Our driver mistook our needs and took us to a posh Indian souvenir shop trading Indian items. These were the last thing we wanted from Cambodia, and after a quick cursory glance, we were off. Dinner was great as usual, I told them as much and they were pleased.
As the trip came to an end, I was really happy with the way everything went on this trip. Everyone was equally pleased, which was a bit strange, but was much better than I anticipated. The Kingdom, especially the ruins of Angkor, is definitely a must-see for anyone worth their USD. No Riels please :)
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
The Kingdom - Day 1
There are 3 kingdoms that I really want to visit. Thailand, Cambodia and Nepal. I am happy that I have made it to 2 out of 3 so far. When I boarded my flight, I tried desperately not to think of my last visit to The Kingdom - Cambodia. It was a business trip that gave me the creeps. All 3 days I was there with my Singaporean boss, we were being escorted by Z-grade security! People say its cool until they hear that I was in a meeting trying to negotiate with a big Don who owns a corporate with 10 guys with guns standing around us. The meeting was a real win-win, the guy got what he wanted and we still were alive!
Back to the present, I couldnt help but admire the nature along the flight path en route Vietnam into Cambodia. The mountains, valleys and meandering rivers gave me a sense of inner peace, especially the last one. Its been so long since I saw one. It has a sense of nonchalance, where time almost stands still and senses are forced to admire its beauty. A sense of calm prevailed, a calm not found in bustling cities like Chennai, Singapore or Hong Kong. Right from landing in Siem Reap, two things has stood out. The first is a lack of crowd, which naturally took me a bit of time to get used to. The second was a distinctive architecture, where everything has to have a pointed end.
As soon as I landed, I committed a big blunder. I had changed from SGD to USD, but I wasnt quite sure how prevalent USD was. So, I changed 100 USD into Cambodian Riel, but had to stuff 380,000 in my purse. The next girl changed SGD 10 and immediately I realised my folly. Outside the airport, it was pretty obvious. Everything was sold in USD, and if you wanted to transact in Riel, you will be so royally screwed that you wouldnt think twice to go to your friendly neighbourhood robber aka money changer. I was shocked at first that a foreign currency is preferred to local currency. Then the taxi driver explained that the locals do use the Riel and get "real Riel" rates. Who would cry over getting paid in USD? So, the USD rulez in tourist spots.
As a true blue Chennai-ite,I got an instant aversion to the taxi driver when he started driving at 20 kmph and touting for a 2-day sightseeing trip. I tried to bargain just for the fun of it with no intention of hiring his services (just like we have fun with autos back home) but he seemed strangely earnest. Then he pointed to the standard day-trip rates and feedback telephone number for complaints. The pangs burst and turned into pity and I gave into his demands (by stopping the negotiation at standard rates - $5 :P). Not often do you get praised from your family for your bargaining skills, but I actually felt sad for those $5. Anyway, I hired him for our stay here, and he was all eager to start straightaway.
It was a hectic day with Angkor Wat, 3 temples in Angkor Thom and a trek on a mountain for sunset. Not withstanding the fact that everything was broken, the sheer enormity of the structures and that all this was achieved 1000 yrs ago was breathtaking. Angkor Wat was first, but it really is THE place to visit. What a glorious reminiscence of the past millenia! The 200m moat surrounding the temple, the huge grounds inside, broken structures said to be libraries and army commands were all awesome. A blend of south-indian and Khmer architecture and huge (I mean HUGE) walls depicting scenes of Ramayana and Mahabharata were strange to be found in a remote nation. Yeah yeah, I know history and all that, but in a place like this, heart rules over mind. And I dont mind it in a place like this one bit. For the uninitiated and non-wiki geeks, the long and short of the history is in Wiki!
Back to the present, I couldnt help but admire the nature along the flight path en route Vietnam into Cambodia. The mountains, valleys and meandering rivers gave me a sense of inner peace, especially the last one. Its been so long since I saw one. It has a sense of nonchalance, where time almost stands still and senses are forced to admire its beauty. A sense of calm prevailed, a calm not found in bustling cities like Chennai, Singapore or Hong Kong. Right from landing in Siem Reap, two things has stood out. The first is a lack of crowd, which naturally took me a bit of time to get used to. The second was a distinctive architecture, where everything has to have a pointed end.
As soon as I landed, I committed a big blunder. I had changed from SGD to USD, but I wasnt quite sure how prevalent USD was. So, I changed 100 USD into Cambodian Riel, but had to stuff 380,000 in my purse. The next girl changed SGD 10 and immediately I realised my folly. Outside the airport, it was pretty obvious. Everything was sold in USD, and if you wanted to transact in Riel, you will be so royally screwed that you wouldnt think twice to go to your friendly neighbourhood robber aka money changer. I was shocked at first that a foreign currency is preferred to local currency. Then the taxi driver explained that the locals do use the Riel and get "real Riel" rates. Who would cry over getting paid in USD? So, the USD rulez in tourist spots.
As a true blue Chennai-ite,I got an instant aversion to the taxi driver when he started driving at 20 kmph and touting for a 2-day sightseeing trip. I tried to bargain just for the fun of it with no intention of hiring his services (just like we have fun with autos back home) but he seemed strangely earnest. Then he pointed to the standard day-trip rates and feedback telephone number for complaints. The pangs burst and turned into pity and I gave into his demands (by stopping the negotiation at standard rates - $5 :P). Not often do you get praised from your family for your bargaining skills, but I actually felt sad for those $5. Anyway, I hired him for our stay here, and he was all eager to start straightaway.
It was a hectic day with Angkor Wat, 3 temples in Angkor Thom and a trek on a mountain for sunset. Not withstanding the fact that everything was broken, the sheer enormity of the structures and that all this was achieved 1000 yrs ago was breathtaking. Angkor Wat was first, but it really is THE place to visit. What a glorious reminiscence of the past millenia! The 200m moat surrounding the temple, the huge grounds inside, broken structures said to be libraries and army commands were all awesome. A blend of south-indian and Khmer architecture and huge (I mean HUGE) walls depicting scenes of Ramayana and Mahabharata were strange to be found in a remote nation. Yeah yeah, I know history and all that, but in a place like this, heart rules over mind. And I dont mind it in a place like this one bit. For the uninitiated and non-wiki geeks, the long and short of the history is in Wiki!
The second stop was a bit further north in Angkor Thom, a region with a group of temples close together. It is here that I realised a trend. The temples were built out of 1m cubes of rock, assembled by hand or a not-so-accurate crane. But one thing baffled me. The steps were so damn small and steep that we can only place the foot sideways and need to reach the next step by hand in some places. You cant imagine it until you see it. Its tough for the oldies. But thoroughly enjoyable as its unique to this place. Bayon temple had faces as gopuras. But it is amazingly steep, with long dark corridors and stone-strewn outdoors. It was so surreal that I was thinking the temples were either bombarded by big boulders during a war or was deliberate sabotage of the highest magnitude or the workers were so frustrated that they left the job incomplete. Strangely, all but a very few heads of statues were missing in all temples. Whatever the actual reason, it does not seem to be nature's act. Its definitely a treat to watch though, in this war-torn country.
The last stop was a hill-top Phnom Bakheang, which has a spectacular sunset view on top of a, guess what, another temple. This has the steepest steps of the lot. The oldies missed out on the fun and sunset. It has a great view from the top of atleast a 100 miles. I could better appreciate the topology of the Angkor landscape from there. The legs became a bit weary after all the walking and trekking, so we came back to the hotel. The dinner was the best I have had outside India and Singapore. Every item was just perfect for everyone, a hard one for an Indian veggie family.
So, at the close of Day 1, it was just great and I am really looking forward to the stuff lined up tomorrow.
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
No frills cricket
Having unsuccessfully waded off my passion towards all things cricket, I subscribed to the IPL for the second year running. It comes with its own sort of entertainment that viewers back home sorely miss. So, I wanted to write a note on this. I have listed down the top three reasons why I am so glad to have subscribed outside India..
1. No advertisements
For the ordinary Indian in me, cant exphasise how pleased I am with this aspect! This is purely no-frills cricket. We get live feed all the time, without any advertisement (well, almost). This means that the overs still has 6 balls, and we can see which batsmen talk a lot, and which batsmen are content with just having a glove-smack.. And how the fielding captain arranges the field for the next over.
2. Camaraderie
We can get to see surprising camaraderie between players who are made out to be enemies by the media. Hayden-Flintoff focussing on the match at hand, Hayden-Harbajan having a laugh together.. Guys from various countries practicing and joking with each other.. It was encouraging that there is a sportsman at the heart of the increasingly commercial venture called cricket.
3. Inside stuff
We do get the inside story of the commentators and their thoughts and preparations. We get live audio feed too, which means a Richie Benaud pre-pitch report preparation, a Ravi Shastri banter, a Geoffery Boycott sigh, everything is spied on by the unsuspected mic left on. The other funny thing is that we can see every move of the umpires as they leisurely stroll the pitch and outfield in any rain delayed games, like the one today. Usually there is one Indian and one international umpire. The funny thing is that the Indian umpire behaves like a small kid who wouldnt go more than a foot away from the mother. This is in total contrast to the way they behave in local cricket leagues, as if they are God's representative, and everyone should comply to their whim and fancy.
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1. No advertisements
For the ordinary Indian in me, cant exphasise how pleased I am with this aspect! This is purely no-frills cricket. We get live feed all the time, without any advertisement (well, almost). This means that the overs still has 6 balls, and we can see which batsmen talk a lot, and which batsmen are content with just having a glove-smack.. And how the fielding captain arranges the field for the next over.
2. Camaraderie
We can get to see surprising camaraderie between players who are made out to be enemies by the media. Hayden-Flintoff focussing on the match at hand, Hayden-Harbajan having a laugh together.. Guys from various countries practicing and joking with each other.. It was encouraging that there is a sportsman at the heart of the increasingly commercial venture called cricket.
3. Inside stuff
We do get the inside story of the commentators and their thoughts and preparations. We get live audio feed too, which means a Richie Benaud pre-pitch report preparation, a Ravi Shastri banter, a Geoffery Boycott sigh, everything is spied on by the unsuspected mic left on. The other funny thing is that we can see every move of the umpires as they leisurely stroll the pitch and outfield in any rain delayed games, like the one today. Usually there is one Indian and one international umpire. The funny thing is that the Indian umpire behaves like a small kid who wouldnt go more than a foot away from the mother. This is in total contrast to the way they behave in local cricket leagues, as if they are God's representative, and everyone should comply to their whim and fancy.
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Sehwag - The Phenomenon !
A cricketer who is better described as a known unknown...
10 random things about this random guy...
1. Has an average of 30+ in ODIs, but has a maturity beyond what might come to mind with comparisons against Jayasuriya and Afridi
2. Has a strike rate of 100+ in over 200 ODI innings, and he did have 100+ strike rate in the recent test series..
3. Has crossed 150 the last 11 times he has crossed 100. He crosses 100 once in 7 innings, with an average of 50, comparable to his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.
4. Gets voted Wisden Leading Cricketer - 2009 and part of World XI
5. Gets voted #1 in The Confectionary Stall's unpredictable XI
6. Hits a 100 in his maiden test innings in South Africa on a bouncy track.
7. Hits a 201* out of team 302, playing the unplayable Ajantha Mendis in his maiden test series, which duly gets voted best innings of 2008.
8. Nobody knows what he will do next ball, including himself.
9. Has a simple philosophy - Hit every ball out of the ground.
10. The only guy to have brought up a 100 with a six, 200 with a six, and 300 with a six.
11. Looks like Inzi but he runs singles like a mad bull..
12. Amazing temperment for a guy whose instinct is to make every ball disappear
13. Has the audacity to feel pity for the bowlers bowling against him in a press conference..
14. Never plays without a helmet, just like his idol..
15. Has an amazing hand-eye coordination - while batting or slip-fielding. He has the best hands in slips after Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
16. The only guy I have seen hit the first 3 balls he has faced into the stands.. never mind it was the first ball of the first match of a series.
Yeah, I said 10, but hes Sehwag, and the numbers shud be a bit unpredictable at the least...
This guy has just been everywhere where cricket has been mentioned this year.. Go viru go - for a six, what else! IPL is worth subscribing, just for this guy...
Random Access
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Friday, April 03, 2009
MILK
I love kids.
I love being with kids.
I love playing with kids
I love being one of them
I love being treated as one of them
I love when they scold me
I love when they threaten me
I love when they play with me
I love kids who are playful and naughty
I love kids who are quiet and observant
I love kids who are ummmmm..
I love kids who blare for everything
I love to adore kids
I love buying them things.. if they ask for 1, i wanna give them 5.. i usually give them 10.. and the next time they want 100 :)
I love it when they speak
I love their slang
I love their touch
I love their spontaneous embrace
I love it when they run off when u wanna embrace
I love it when they have their way with me
I love to do whatever they want
I love to do whatever it takes
I love to enjoy with them
I love everything about them..
I miss kids a lot...
Mainly, I love kids.
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
I love being with kids.
I love playing with kids
I love being one of them
I love being treated as one of them
I love when they scold me
I love when they threaten me
I love when they play with me
I love kids who are playful and naughty
I love kids who are quiet and observant
I love kids who are ummmmm..
I love kids who blare for everything
I love to adore kids
I love buying them things.. if they ask for 1, i wanna give them 5.. i usually give them 10.. and the next time they want 100 :)
I love it when they speak
I love their slang
I love their touch
I love their spontaneous embrace
I love it when they run off when u wanna embrace
I love it when they have their way with me
I love to do whatever they want
I love to do whatever it takes
I love to enjoy with them
I love everything about them..
I miss kids a lot...
Mainly, I love kids.
Random Access
The search has just begun !!!
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