Don't-Forget-Your-Passport!

www.Bharari.net

2011-02-22T22:42:00.004-05:00

Hello, this blog has been migrated to:

www.Bharari.net

Please update your bookmarks/subscriptions/favourites/etc :)

Here are direct links to some of the popular posts. Click on links below for post on:

- G20 Summit in Toronto
- Report on Anandwan
- Report on Hemalkasa
- Beyond Rangoon: Myanmar and Laos
- Retrospection
- Reminiscences of Southeast Asia

Delay

2011-02-17T22:52:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to post the link to my new blog, but unfortunately I will have to delay the release for a few days while I work on some minor fixes. The blog won't be 100% when it's released, but I want it to be at least 50%. It's currently standing at 45%. I hope to have it out this weekend!

Picture of the Week #77 will be on the new blog.

Changes

2011-02-11T12:00:00.046-05:00

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. The last grains of Don't-Forget-Your-Passport! will run out on Friday, February 18th.

I'm happy to announce that I will be releasing the new look of my (Wordpress powered) blog as first announced late last November, on Friday, February 18th! I will be adding many new features that I'm quite excited about.

The migration from Blogger to Wordpress is complete and my new blog is online already, complete with a new name (Why a new name? I'll explain later). However, I'm giving myself some time to make some fixes. I'm not a developer or a web designer, and don't have any experience in Wordpress and PHP. So, it's taking me some time to tweak my theme.

The blog will not be 100% at the time of release on next Friday (February 18th). But, if I wait for it to be 100% before telling everyone about it, then it will never happen. So, I pulled the trigger last Friday (February 4th) and purchased a domain and a hosting plan.

Once released, I will look forward to getting your feedback. No doubt, there will be many things to improve and your feedback will be invaluable.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing my pictures and articles with you.

Picture of the Week #76

2011-02-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

A scene from the weekend when Toronto hosted the G20 Summit (June, 2010). Never in the history of Canada were the police officers given such sweeping powers to arrest and detain anyone they liked. I was almost arrested myself when the riot police surrounded a major intersection that had a handful of protesters and hundreds of spectators (like me). The price-tag for the Summit weekend security? Only a billion dollars.

I think the Indian police in Kashmir need equipment like this to fight the stone-pelting "little terrorists".

Picture of the Week #75

2011-02-04T00:00:00.008-05:00

A monk talking about Buddha in Bago, Myanmar. Seen in the background is part of the largest reclining Buddha in Myanmar (Burma).

Picture of the Week #74

2011-01-28T00:00:00.004-05:00

This is the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon/Yangon, Myanmar (Burma).

Picture of the Week #73

2011-01-21T00:00:00.002-05:00

This is the beautiful city of Toronto on a mid-summer afternoon... and look at it now - it's so cold!

Picture of the Week #72

2011-01-14T00:00:00.004-05:00

Gotta love the vintage public transport bus (seen in Kolkata, West Bengal, India)! The nice thing is it actually has an "emergency exit" as opposed to the newer buses.

Picture of the Week #71

2011-01-07T00:00:00.005-05:00

Mingalaba from Burma! That's 'hello' in Burmese. I'm in Burma (Myanmar) right now with my wife. :)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T00:00:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope you shine like the rising sun in 2011!

Picture of the Week #70

2010-12-31T00:00:00.011-05:00

As we draw a close to the year 2010... the weathering heights of the Sahyadri mountains. I hope 2010 was a good year for you and hope you met your goals for the year. Here's to reaching new heights in 2011!

My Everything

2010-12-28T00:55:00.002-05:00

Today is the day I marry the most beautiful woman in the world.

The loneliness of nights alone

The search for strength to carry on

My every hope had seemed to die

My eyes had no more tears to cry

Like the sunshine from up above

You surrounded me with your endless love

All the things I couldn't see

Are now so clear to me

You are my everything

Nothing your love won't bring

My life is yours alone

The only love I've ever known

Your spirit pulls me through

When nothing else will do

Every night I pray

On bended knee

That you will always be

My everything.

Now all my hopes and all my dreams

are suddenly reality

you've opened up my heart to feel

a kind of love that's truly real

a guiding light that'll never fade

there's not a thing in life that I would ever trade

for the love you give it won't let go

I hope you'll always know

You are my everything.

There's Magic In The Air

2010-12-25T00:00:00.015-05:00

The beautiful Swarovski crystal topped tree at Toronto's Eaton Center mall, complete with a "fake" snowfall show in the evenings.

I think Christmas is as much about shopping and gifts as it is about family. Those who disagree should visit any mall during the pre-Christmas season.

These days when everyone has everything they want, it is becoming increasingly difficult to give them gifts. Compounding the difficulties are people's tastes for brands; a Philips MP3 player will not be appreciated by someone who only wants Apple's iPod. Those who want Android, do not want an iPhone.

So, what do you give to someone who has everything he/she wants?

Picture of the Week #69

2010-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Seen at a corner of a busy intersection in Girgaon, Mumbai.

A Ghostly Sight at 3:00am

2010-12-21T03:00:00.000-05:00

I had a wake up call at 3:00am on early Tuesday morning. I got out of my warm bed and stepped outside in the freezing weather. Why, you ask? For a chance to see a total lunar eclipse (i.e. Moon falls in Earth's shadow) on the same day as the winter solstice (i.e. when Sun is farthest away from Earth).

I read somewhere that the two events are happening together after a few hundred years and will not happen again for another few hundred years.

So how was it? Beautiful! I had never seen a "coppery" moon. Earlier in the night the moon was bright white, and during the eclipse it was totally orange... a ghostly sight indeed. I didn't take any pictures. The beauty of some things just cannot be captured in a camera no matter how hard one tries.

I just captured the sight with my eyes and let it sink in me.

It was beautiful. This is what life is all about.

Picture of the Week #68

2010-12-17T00:00:00.026-05:00

A typical tut-tuk seen on the streets of Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic (also known as Laos). The tuk-tuk has become a sort of trademark of travel in Southeast Asia. It's cheap (don't forget to negotiate), convenient and fun to ride!

Picture of the Week #67

2010-12-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Entrance to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Picture of the Week #66

2010-12-03T00:00:00.005-05:00

Mmmmm... mouth watering snacks seen on a road-side hotel on way to Aurangabad from Pune.

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You!

2010-11-29T19:52:00.000-05:00

"Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed."

- Irene Peter

Articles / Posts

I've realized that it is quite difficult to write good quality articles or posts. Being in the office from 9-5 does not leave me with enough time (or energy) to spend time writing/editing articles, and I don't like to write something just for the sake of posting something new.

As a compromise, I started my Picture of the Week series last September. The series is not a new or unique idea by any stretch of imagination. However, the series allows me to reminisce about my past travels and treks. In addition, I get to post something that is meaningful to me. I'm trying to make my picture-of-the-week more relevant to world events. Here's an example. In the future, I will try to be more consistent about writing little blurbs under the picture that will help tell the story behind the picture, like this one.

New Look

The days of this blog on Blogger are numbered. I'm working on a new site that will feature a revolutionary new look and feel for my readers (i.e. me). Alright, I'm exaggerating - but only slightly (hah). I'll be moving to Wordpress and a custom URL. I will move all content from this blog to the new one. I'll also be adding a couple of new series and features that I'm quite excited about.

Stay tuned!

Picture of the Week #65

2010-11-26T00:00:00.022-05:00

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorist attack on Mumbai. Taj Hotel, seen here, was one of the many places where well-trained AK-47 wielding Pakis let loose their hatred on innocent people. This time they came via the sea route to carry out the attacks. I don't know whether to be more upset about the actual attacks or on the incompetent Indian government for doing nothing about the attacks.

Picture of the Week #64

2010-11-19T00:00:00.010-05:00

Khotachiwadi - in the heart of old Mumbai (Girgaon). Enter Khotachiwadi and leave behind the chaos of Mumbai. I envy the people who live in this century-old Heritage alley.

Picture of the Week #63

2010-11-12T00:00:00.015-05:00

Seen here are riot police on the weekend of the G20 Summit hosted by Toronto (June, 2010). I was there to catch all the action on my camera. I must say, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seoul, Korea hosted the Summit of the G20 nations on Nov 11-12.

Why once-in-a-lifetime experience? Because the G20 is anti-tourism. Nobody goes to a city that is hosting the G20 Summit. Toronto was a ghost town during the G20.

Picture of the Week #62 - Happy Diwali!

2010-11-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Diwali and Happy New Year everyone!

Picture of the Week #61

2010-10-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

A typical road-side chaiwala in India. Between having tea in a 5-star hotel or at a road-side place, I would prefer this any time!

Picture of the Week #60

2010-10-22T00:00:00.012-04:00

The glittering Thaniya Mall in Bangkok, Thailand. All that glitters is not gold!