Well, Leuven my home away from home. Usually, wet cold and dark. Your typical western Europe kind of a climate.(If you see any movie, if they show Spain/ Italy, it is always bright and a lot of sun. But western Europe, rain and people walking around in umbrellas. Covered from head to toe.)
But, the last 1 week has been nothing short of spectacular. No rain, and a LOT of sun. Temperature has been constantly in around the 30 mark. It is wonderful. Went for a 70km cycling trip last saturday. Mind you i am not a cycling person. But it was extremely satisfying and simply awesome. I never thought I had it in me to cycle that long. Next 100km. But will need a better bike.
Football world cup in europe is very different celebration from any sports event I have seen. There is so much passion and every one is so knowledgeable. They know the in and out of every team. Wonderful to watch it in this kind of atmosphere. And yea the Brazilians top it in terms of having fun during a game. The vuvuzellas are blaring at the cafes here also :). Yet to see a Germany game in Germany. Taking care of it this weekend. Going to watch Ger-Arg game in the border city of Aachen.
I know this is not going to last for a long time. Rain, cold and darkness are just round the corner. The WC will end in a couple of weeks. But who cares. 'Be in the moment' and enjoy it :).
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
India - Pakistan
Back after a long break and with a what else but a cricket post :).
I think every Indian and Pakistani cricket fan would remember that shot. This is what Ind-Pak encounters are made of. It was long over due that it was repaid to our most respect arch rivals. Who better than an equally vocal and eccentric player of the modern times as the great Miandad to repeat the effort.
Thanks Bhajji paji. Now i guess Chetan Sharma will sleep properly at nights. It is amazing how the emotional reaction is similar in both cases.
I think every Indian and Pakistani cricket fan would remember that shot. This is what Ind-Pak encounters are made of. It was long over due that it was repaid to our most respect arch rivals. Who better than an equally vocal and eccentric player of the modern times as the great Miandad to repeat the effort.
Thanks Bhajji paji. Now i guess Chetan Sharma will sleep properly at nights. It is amazing how the emotional reaction is similar in both cases.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Modi: modi vilyadu papa
The social networking age as come to India. As I write this blog it could take down the most powerful man in Indian(World) cricket.
But why 'modi vilyadu papa'. Translation of this is something like "you me outside now". Modi tweeted it to Tharoor. He did take down Tharoor, but i think he might have gone down with him also. The next few days will answer it. But now I am interested in knowing how many more big people is it going to take down. But more importantly will we know the full picture. Guess time has to answer the question.
But why 'modi vilyadu papa'. Translation of this is something like "you me outside now". Modi tweeted it to Tharoor. He did take down Tharoor, but i think he might have gone down with him also. The next few days will answer it. But now I am interested in knowing how many more big people is it going to take down. But more importantly will we know the full picture. Guess time has to answer the question.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The year I had to re-learn to walk and cycle
Well it has been a horrible winter so far. It started as i was sitting in my office and started snowing. I was like nice. This is so beautiful. I left office, and the whole road outside my office was grid locked. Also found out the next day that most of the highways were also grid locked. Woke up the next morning to see everything white. It looked beautiful to the say the least. I was happy.
But the snow did not melt for a week, and it had slowly turned to a ice. And every time it melted a fresh layer of snow followed and the cycle continued. With a layer of ice on the road and side walk, cycling and walking became a huge challenge. Every step I took I had to be extra careful, and the back wheel of the cycle was going anywhere but straight. It just got worse when turning. So I had to relearn both the arts (is it right to call it an art?) and I must say it was fun.
The winter seems to be coming to an end. I have had enough of the snow. The last 3 months have been difficult to say the least.
Looking fwd to spring and summer 2010. But i do rialise that the next winter is just 9 months away :(.
But the snow did not melt for a week, and it had slowly turned to a ice. And every time it melted a fresh layer of snow followed and the cycle continued. With a layer of ice on the road and side walk, cycling and walking became a huge challenge. Every step I took I had to be extra careful, and the back wheel of the cycle was going anywhere but straight. It just got worse when turning. So I had to relearn both the arts (is it right to call it an art?) and I must say it was fun.
The winter seems to be coming to an end. I have had enough of the snow. The last 3 months have been difficult to say the least.
Looking fwd to spring and summer 2010. But i do rialise that the next winter is just 9 months away :(.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Pisa and Florence.
Well my latest trip was to Pisa and Florence. Finally Italy baby!!!!! Have wanted to go the country since the day I landed and must say it was no way disappointing. But the journey to Charleroi was an ordeal. Had to battle some cold wind, snow, delayed bus and a bus which refused to start and get moving once it reached.
Land at Pisa airport and luck finally changed. Got out of the plane had some warmth. Mind you not warm by a summer standard, but warm as in not low single digits. Also the forecast had predicted snow and rain. So that is why I say the luck finally changed.
We headed straight to the famous Leaning Tower from the airport. Had some pizza for lunch and learnt something very interesting. Till a few years back it was frowned upon to eat pizza for lunch in Italy. If there is some community in the world which is as passionate about its food as Indians then they are Italians.
After food clicked a lot of photos of the square on which the tower was. There is not much more to see in Pisa. But I must say, the town looks very similar to an Indian town. But was easily one of the most beautiful squares I have visited so far.
From there we headed to Florence. Upon reaching Florence we had dinner and rested. Next day morning we walked towards the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. The ‘P’arty boy kept insisting that you will be amazed by walking out of a small street and seeing this huge structure. And he was so right. Walked out of a small street, and out of nowhere this huge structure pops up. It just feels so out of place, which became even more evident from the Piazzale Michelangelo ( a high point in the town which gives a good view of the town). It is so much bigger than the surrounding.
From there we headed Uffizi Gallery. I am not a museum kind of a person, so did not enjoy this so much. But the view of the town from one particular window was perfect. The brilliant part about most of the European towns/ cities I have visited is the there is always a river/ stream flowing right through it and they have some of the most beautiful bridges over them. Florence was no different.
We could also climb the dome of the basilica. The view from the top was breath taking. Also since it the highest part of the town, the sun had a direct view. We sat on the sun and enjoyed the view from there. Very peaceful and warm :).
Now for the nit picking part of the trip. The food for as good as it was, it was also equally pricy. I would say same rate as Leuven for a meal. I was expecting it to be a tad cheaper as was the case from my previous trip to the Canary Islands.
But over all a wonderful trip with a wonderful group of people. Let me exploration of Europe continue.
Land at Pisa airport and luck finally changed. Got out of the plane had some warmth. Mind you not warm by a summer standard, but warm as in not low single digits. Also the forecast had predicted snow and rain. So that is why I say the luck finally changed.
We headed straight to the famous Leaning Tower from the airport. Had some pizza for lunch and learnt something very interesting. Till a few years back it was frowned upon to eat pizza for lunch in Italy. If there is some community in the world which is as passionate about its food as Indians then they are Italians.
After food clicked a lot of photos of the square on which the tower was. There is not much more to see in Pisa. But I must say, the town looks very similar to an Indian town. But was easily one of the most beautiful squares I have visited so far.
From there we headed to Florence. Upon reaching Florence we had dinner and rested. Next day morning we walked towards the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. The ‘P’arty boy kept insisting that you will be amazed by walking out of a small street and seeing this huge structure. And he was so right. Walked out of a small street, and out of nowhere this huge structure pops up. It just feels so out of place, which became even more evident from the Piazzale Michelangelo ( a high point in the town which gives a good view of the town). It is so much bigger than the surrounding.
From there we headed Uffizi Gallery. I am not a museum kind of a person, so did not enjoy this so much. But the view of the town from one particular window was perfect. The brilliant part about most of the European towns/ cities I have visited is the there is always a river/ stream flowing right through it and they have some of the most beautiful bridges over them. Florence was no different.
We could also climb the dome of the basilica. The view from the top was breath taking. Also since it the highest part of the town, the sun had a direct view. We sat on the sun and enjoyed the view from there. Very peaceful and warm :).
Now for the nit picking part of the trip. The food for as good as it was, it was also equally pricy. I would say same rate as Leuven for a meal. I was expecting it to be a tad cheaper as was the case from my previous trip to the Canary Islands.
But over all a wonderful trip with a wonderful group of people. Let me exploration of Europe continue.
Violence News it is
Has news reporting become all about reporting violence. The top 3 headlines on today's news were all on violence all as a result stupid govt policies. What can we do about it?
Monday, December 21, 2009
Adios great bowlers
Well this is a small report of what is happening in world cricket. A lot of people have already written about it and yet i had to write about it because i am seriously dis-heartened by what i saw. In a recent ODI between India and SL there were 800+ runs scored. To a few people it might have been great cricket. But to me it was utterly disgusting. Cricket to me is a contest between bat and ball. But the t20 format and certain ODIs on flat dead track is so boring. It has become a contest to see who can hit the ball harder and longer. Cricket to me is a beautiful where a reverse swinger from a Waqar and Wasim is bending into the batsman foot and a really talented batsman like Tendi or Lara digging it out. That makes for super viewing. If this is how cricket is going to be played i am sure in the near future if I am given the responsibility to lead a side, I would play 11 batsmen. And hope that 10 of them can turn their arm (one keeper). Not bowl those amazing in-swinging yoker or a nice drifting leg-spin. But just turn their arm. Coz anyway the batting side is going to score at 8-9 an over. I would atleast be confident that I will be able to chase down that target with 11 batsman on my side. Adios great bowlers of yesterday. The likes of you the world might never see again. They say proof of the pudding lies in its taste. Just look at world cricket and how many great bowlers do you see. There are a lot of good bowlers, but no great bowlers. Most teams till the recent past did have great bowlers. So there you have the pudding and the taste also.
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