Thirty & Thinking! : Will you still need me, when am Sixty-Four?

Not too old to question, not too young to answer. Not too young to be married, not too old to love! Not too young to be serious, not too old to laugh!!
Thirty is, undeniably a turning point. A point where all young age confusions end and the old life crisis have not yet begin. Yes, there is this weird upcoming concept of 30+ or mid-life crisis. But why kill the beauty of this beautiful thirtieth birthday!
Looking around, seeing everyone treating me on different scales of life, based on the relationship we share, is amusing!
That beautiful statue of the Divine, that loving Krishna, whom I have always held in my hands, or have always wanted to be held by Him in His hands. As a child, I thought he was my sibling; as an adolescent a friend, I saw him as a lover and as an adult, He looks like a child to me. To him, every birthday, I send every year my wish lists. From cycles and frocks as a child to Porsche and Lamborguines, the wish list is increasingly both in value and volume. But my sweet Lord, every year, looks with the same intent, passion and love into my eyes and says that He will always provide me with what I need the most, rather then what I want the most.
Ma & Pa calling early morning, wishing the thirtieth birthday, as though it was matter of fact ‘only the third’, made me feel so small. ‘You know, when you were born, your dad scattered away all the salary as tips to the staff at the hospital! You know when, your pa said, you are his dream, that you are Indira Gandhi!’ And also those same words, same tone, same endless love that I have heard from those lovely parents each every year on this day.
And then the friends, who still believe in the eternal existence of college days! ‘You know how we celebrated your 16th, 18th, 21st birthday.’ Alas, as if it was only last year!
But I was worried about my hubby dear. He has for over sixteen years made me feel like sixteen and the only birthday I remember celebrating was when I turned sixteen, the rest are like some memories! So when he lovingly wished me the birthday, the only question that still lingered in my eyes was, ‘Will you still need me when I am sixty-four?’ or should I have asked, ‘Will you still make me feel 16, when I am 64?’

Zurich: A visit to the home of Bollywood!

Home to the modern day symbols of affluence, the SWX Swiss Exchange, the seat of World Bank, the UBS, the Credit Suisse, Swiss Re, Swiss Life to name just a few, my pre-conceived notion of Zurich was a mix of emotion and rationality, love and business. Thanks to the Yash Chopra movies and the beautiful Bollywood beauties serenading in Chiffons at sub zero temperatures in the Alps, the word Swiss in the mind and heart of an average Indian evokes love and beauty. The adrenaline starts running faster with the letter ‘S’ of Swiss!

The Zurich airport is a reflection of German engineering. Simple, precise & elegantly designed with no frills attached and in plain pastel colours, it did not take a genius in me to realize that Zurich has to be a German canton of the Swiss! It is said that there are two degrees of precision: there are Germans and then there are Swiss Germans!! And the world famous Swiss German marvel the Swiss watches too, were omnipresent at the airport. The beautiful and the most populated canton of Switzerland, Zurich, has about 400,000 habitants, 30% of whom are foreigners. The canton has an old and long history, but the short German name ‘Zurich’ is quite recent dating way back to the ninth century. And voila! we started our day.

Even the fast train connecting the airport to the city had her sense of humour. An announcement that the train had reached the central station was followed by the mooooo! sound of our bovine friends, the cows!

The Swiss central station is a symbol of Swiss opulence with its panoramic architecture and huge grandeur.

Landing in the city at 6 in the morning, we were welcomed by a cool breeze which was soon followed by clouds. Seemed like, looking at us, the two starry-eyed Indians, even the weather seemed to be ready for a little mischief, a Bollywood rain & dance number!

Our hungry stomach made louder noise then our greedy eyes to have a view of scenic Zurich. And we headed to the first café we found, situated right in front of the lac de Geneva. The chocolate croissant with the cappuccino café at that French restaurant was one of the most sumptuous breakfasts we ever had in our lives. Exorbitantly priced, but justified by its taste and the view, we sat there for another couple of hours, looking aimlessly at the drizzling rains and sipping cups of coffee!

Situated at the backdrop of the pristine, titanic and expansive Alps with the swift Lac de Zurich flowing through it, Zurich presents a divine experience. A touch of heavenly Alps with a feel of ethereal Lac de Zurich, the place evokes a sense of two worlds coming together: where the sensory perceptions of sight and touch unite to give an experience surreal. Founded from an ancient valley glacier, where the river Limmat is born from the Lac de Zurich and then follows her path to join Sihl. Schanzengraben7, another important water body, curvaceously meandering through the city, adds not only the mystic aura to Zurich, but also provides the much needed source of sustenance, water, to her habitants.

Content and serene with the beautiful beginning, we started our day. Like a pilgrimage, we made a quick detour to the usual touristy museums and churches.

A visit to the Swiss National Museum is like a quick, crash course about the history and culture of the Swiss. Another museum, Rietberg is a rich and interesting with a huge collection of oriental art works.

Situated at the heart of the city, the 1200 year old Church of Fraumunster has beautiful stained glass works by Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti. Another architectural masterpiece is the roman styled Grossmünster Church, that took around 120 years to complete.

But I was yet to discover the Bollywood effect! Enamoured by the lac de Geneva, I felt, the visit would be meaningless without a boat ride. Firmly seated outside, we sat on the deck to capture the moments, sing songs and feel the charisma of the place. The eternal hour long drive seemed dreamlike. The cool breeze, followed by splashes of dew drops and then intermittent sun, it was a melody of seasons, a meeting of the celestial Alps with the earthly lac de Geneva. It was our date with each other in the lap of nature. Stroked gently by the breeze of wind, the oneness with nature could not just be seen but also felt. It seemed to last forever!

On the way back, we decided to walk. The trouble was worth the visual delight that followed. Walking through the cobbled streets, crossing over bridges and drinking freely flowing natural water we were back rejuvenated.

We also discovered some artistic richesses of the city on the way. Zurich has been a capital of art, culture and literature. Many prominent composers like Max Frisch, Johann Heinrich, Füssli, Gottfried Kellera, Thortin Wilder and James Joyce were born or lived there.

My heart knew no joy to be in the beautiful city when I discovered that my revered author and the creator of my favourite 'Siddhartha', Herman Hesse lived here. I wanted to stay longer and with some sense of clairvoyance feel the artistic soul of the city. But in this long journey of life, it was just a little stopover. And it was time to run to the airport and catch another flight to another city..........

Only if one could tag in blogs!

Writing is like breathing the fresh thoughts, speaking the unspoken, penning the thoughts invincible. Facebook came up with this novel concept of tagging people, friends and places. What if one could tag the same way on blogs! Tag we do, by give words to our thoughts. A picture they say is worth a thousand words. But the charm of penning what a picture says in one click, is simply inimitable. What is it about words that makes them so special? ‘Words’, thought Shakespeare, ‘are rascals and bonds disgrace them!’. Being with someone special is a moment treasurable. They are moments when words are so very meaningless. But long they last as memories and sometimes the desire to pen them down is so invincible that words become sentences, sentences expressions penned on the sands of time, like memories sweet and bitter, long and short, corporeal yet ethereal. And every memory is tagged with a name, a person, a place, a moment; impressed particularly for that one instant, that single individual and the very special situation.
Till I start tagging it all in my reminiscent blogs, long rest those thoughts, those memoirs in the tenuous scaffold of my spirits!

Kabhi alvida na kehna! ...

Touched, untouched, nostalgic, aloof, wrapped in a melody of memories moistened with the dew drops of déjà vu, I landed in my motherland. The honking horns, crowded streets, dusty lanes, fuming buses brought back a flood of memories that my dreamy mind had almost forgotten. I could remember but not connect, I could sense but not feel, it was a sensory stimulation in an ethereal environ. I felt like a stranger in my own land.

Meeting my musketeer friends on friendship day will be a memory cherished for a long time. Every thinking mind took its amusing path. Graduating from one of the finest B-schools in India, we carried on our sleeves a big brand and a great dream in our eyes. The vision, the perseverance and the consistent efforts over a decade was what made all the difference. Some choose to be bankers, some consultants while some choose to devote themselves raising a family. It was beautiful to meet after ten years of graduating and see how little decisions in life make big differences. Finding little toddlers with my best toddler friends was like seeing the circle of life moving in front of my eyes. It was a realization that how we all come to the world like little seeds, grow into full blossom trees and then begins the degeneration, the final journey towards a life after life! Though whether life after life exists or not is an interesting thinking point for philosophers, religious scholars and spiritualists alike, what is most amusing is that though everyday we see this circle of life giving us energy, resources to grow and then once we have learnt our lessons and made our contributions to the world, it starts taking away the power, the strength; yet we all conveniently choose to close our eyes to this one most visible truth. Transformations nothwithstanding, the quaint evening left vivid memories in my impressionable heart. Till we meet again, kabhi alvida na kehna!

Kon-nichiwa! Sayonara!! … For Kayo

Being Japanese … precise, pristine, poised and yes, very polite! Japan is a beautiful culture with its courteous but reticent people. My introduction to Japan was ‘Oshin’, a Japanese television serial about a petite, delicate young Japanese girl called ‘Oshin’. What is in a name?! Well all is defined in a name. ‘Oshin’, means flower, love and heavenly. And presenting the modest, but attractively dressed Oshin in exquisite Kimono, the serial dubbed in Hindi became a household Indian name. The culture fascinated the little me and millions of Oshin-struck viewers across India who watched the little ‘Oshin’ grow up, fighting everyday with the struggle called life. Her simple but elaborate Kimono was fascinating enough, even for the culturally-rich, profoundly saree-clad, jewellery bearing Indian women. I grew up & I forget the fragile Oshin, but the impressions remained.
A fortuitous encounter with a charming forever young, Japanese friend was my re-introduction to the little Oshin. Blissfully, as we grew closer, my sweet Kayo, helped me appreciate the ornate Japanese customs in all its nobility. And when she suggested if we should spend a day like the Japanese.. dressed in kimono, following all the elaborate customs and enjoying the Japanese tea and cuisine, the proposal was too tempting. The idea of being one with a culture so mystifying because of its perfection, yet so simplifying for its politeness, was simply irresistible!
And the appointed day arrived.
I stood like a mannequin. And as my very patient friend, dressed me up in the elaborate kimono, I could not wait to see myself in the mirror. We dressed up in a special form of ‘Kimono’ called ‘Yukata’. The unpretentious Yukata in pristine white required special skills to carry, which I realized quickly. Everytime I tried walking with my brisk footsteps, the elegantly tied up ‘Yukata’ got completely dis-organized. The forever patient Kayo unwearyingly explained, it is not simply about wearing Japanese, it is about feeling the culture, walking tenderly, expressing politeness in your footsteps and mannerisms and emitting the gentle energy. It was difficult to begin with! But imitating Kayo, made it easy!! What followed was an ordinary day becoming extraordinary…. an effortless transformation into a delightful culture which I felt so much one with.
Thanks Kayo…for you recreated the magic called Oshin! You will always be enormously treasured, incredibly special….

A weekend date with the Green Gold of Luxurious Luxembourg

Luxembourg coming from the French word ‘Luxe’ which means luxury, interestingly, is not just all luxury. The myth called ‘L’ for Luxembourg and ‘L’ for luxury was completely shattered with our visit to the tiny Esch-sur-Sûre village & Vianden.
A small village with its history dating back to its ruined castled built in 927 AD, Esch-sur-Sûre village is inhabited by a little over 300 villagers.
Built on the stony terrain in the Sûre river, the uneven terrain of the steep, low-high-low village curvaceously meanders into steep cliffs as the soft mountainous terrains embrace the Sûre river. Far removed from the luxuries and riches of the capital Luxemburg city, Esch-sur-Sûre village is a conspicuous reminder how the Luxumbourgeans with their love for environment, choose to have more green spaces then gold spaces!
Visit to Esch-sur- Sûre is an unhurried date with nature, perfect for a lazy weekend to relax and feel close to the endless mountainous terrains surrounded by flawless & clean waters of Sûre river and the artificial lake nearby. Must visit for those hopelessly in love with nature.
To last our date with nature, we drove down to Vianden. The vivid & vivacious Vianden blanketed by deep dense forests, with little wooden houses as though wearing a wooden coverlet, obliquely snaking through the river Our presents a panoramic landscape. A walk down the river ‘Our’ on a bright morning or fishing with the locals on a warm sunny afternoon can bright up the subdued sprits out of their blues. For the more adventourous, a visit to the Indian forest, Vianden’s leading adventure park is a must visit.
That was the naturally luxe Luxembourg from the lens of wandering mendicant. For my luxurious side, we planned a date with the city for another day!

In Bruges

Scenic, picturesque & petite. 3 words to describe Bruges. The words sum up the essence but not the spirit. For the spirit, the magnanimity of this magnetic medieval town situated about 110 kms from the capital city Brussels , Belgium is too grand to be captured in a few words. If you are coming by car, the station would be a good place to park. There is a Park & Ride right in front of the station. 24 hour parking costs a measely Euro 2.5. And for those whose who park, a too & fro ticket to the grote is free. Thus paid parking & a free ride to the centre. Bruges is also well-connected by Brussels with a train running every hour and each train taking about an hour to reach Bruges. The station is just a stone’s throw from the central square or the grotte, as the Belge call it.

However, it would be sinful to take a bus ride in Bruges. Sinful because walking on the streets is an experience unmatched. On a warm sunny afternoon, with the moist wind blowing into your face, holding arms of your loved one, capturing the magical moments in the camera, appreciating architecture dating way back to 1200, is a surreal experience that no skyscrapers ridden modern day jungles of concrete can promise to offer.

A good start to this beautiful town is a walk on the old ancient cobbled streets, counting the cobbles and the years written and footsteps imprinted over those hundreds of year old stones. Looking at the cobbles I kept my foot on, I felt each had a story to tell. Story of those millions of tourists that had flocked this little Venice of Northern Europe over years and written on the sands of time, beautiful moments of love.

Divine white coloured swans numbering over 250 swarm over the lake of love or lac d’amour, as the French call it, making it look even more romantic in the beautiful medieval set-up, is a good place to rest & aimlesslessly look around to capture the beauty of the scenic town.

Right next to the lake of love is Begijnhof, undoubtedly the most priceless place in all of Bruges. The home to the religious community of unmarried and widowed women in the 13th century, Begijnhof to this day, has houses for the old & the unmarried dedicated to the religious cause. So make sure to maintain silence as you enjoy the celestial charm of delightful daffodils in this enigmatic quiet dwelling.

As we walked down the street, we came across the College of Europe. The lawyer in me, fell instantaneously in love with the College. Set-up on the banks of Den Dijver, Bruges’ most magnificent canal, College of Europe looks like a feminine figure enrapping in its structure the Beauty with Brains. Rated as one of the finest colleges for European Law, the college is not just a temple for learning the EU law, politics and policy-making, but the environs create a prefect set-up to evoke the poet in you.

Bruges is the heaven for sea food lovers. Lined up with restaurants, the cobbled streets lead us to centuries old fish market. About a stone’s throw away from the Burg square & gothic town hall, the fish market dates back to 1821 and the fishes from the nearby North Sea is available on sale from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 6 am to 1 pm.
Talking about food & love, Burges has one of the three most romantic hotels in Europe. Rated as the Best Charming hotel of Europe, the Pand Hotel, captures in its mansion the mystical charm of the 18th century Europe. Owned by the family Vanhaecke, the beautiful modern day hotel captures the longing medieval charm with its traditional fireplace, like an old English country house, historic classics with their old original versions neatly packed on the shelfs of the library and not to forget the collectors Louis Vuitton suitcases, wooden & glass collectables. The old day set-up is well backed up by modern day luxuries such as Wi-Fi, central heating etc to make the stay a complete holistic experience captured in space & time.

Another very romantic hotel, glorified further by the magical touch of Pieter Porters who has created a magnum opus in each room is the Hotel "De Tuilerieën". The 15 century maison preserving its historic appeal has all the modern day luxuries to make it an ideal stay. Overlooking Burges’ inarguably most beautiful canal, ‘Den Dijver’, Hotel "De Tuilerieën", is small Dutch House in an enchanting setting. Sipping Belgian beer or simply muching the world famous Belgian chocolates with an overview through the Hotels all original Venetian glass windows is perfect date with time.

Bruges has something for everyone. For the art lovers, Groeningmuseum, Memlingmuseum & Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk are a must visit. Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk or the Church of our Lady has Michelangelo’s 15th century masterpiece Madonna & Child.

The historic buildings of Burges are a savor for the eyes as one sees different kinds of architecture lined one after another, providing an occasion to cotton on the subtleties of architecture. The different forms of Dutch architecture followed by the Gothic with its pointed arch, ribbed vault & flying buttress, lined right next to the Renaissance architecture, present a spectrum of construction over centuries.

Bruges for the romantic should begin with a walk and finish with a boat ride. Watching the buildings, the attractions in Boat ride with the multilingual commentary from our driver, gave a feeling so profound, so intense that I felt a day that began on a good note ended on a perfect one!

Despite its tourist rush, expensive eating outlets, the city of canals is never too touristy for a second visit!