It's the Journey not the Arrival that matters...

Cool Coffee Video!

2011-12-11T10:47:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4UKwCW5m7w&feature=player_embedded

Melitta Coffee

2011-11-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

Check out an interesting blog and great videos...

http://www.melittametime.ca/30-in-30/blogs/view/225

Etihad Airways - NEVER AGAIN

2010-04-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

The National Airlines of United Arab Emirates! Traveled by Etihad from Toronto to Cochin and had the worst experience ever. In comparison, United Airlines trip to Singapore was luxury. I was happy with my flight until the time I landed in Abu Dhabi. Due to security breach, we were booted off the aircraft (Abu Dhabi/Cochin) and cordoned off in an area with no washrooms, drinking water and supremely unfriendly crew. The passengers included infants, older people and couple of men in dire need of medication. "Bathroom" breaks were restricted and an airlines staff informed me in a condescending way that I was fortunate to get a one! I protested on behalf of the unusually quiet passengers and the police asked me for my passport. I couldn't believe this was happening. Taking care of security is understandable and paramount, but treating everyone (including new born infants) the way Etihad did, was unforgivable. After a long wait, we were finally lined off to board the flight. As the plane took off, I began to wonder if the passengers would have been treated the same way, say if the flight was from UK and predominantly "white". Apparently, the security breach was a box of chocolates the unfortunate Etihad employee passed on to one of the passengers traveling on the flight to Cochin. My heart goes out to him.

Aotearoa – Long White Clouds | Your Big Break

2010-01-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

Aotearoa – Long White Clouds | Your Big Break

This will be my first break in filmmaking and I need your votes... Thanks for your support...

Venice - You don't have to break your bank!

2009-09-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Venice, like Gius says is a Living Museum. It can be however, formidably expensive. Well, if you are not too worried about your skyrocketing credit card bills, you could really enjoy the city like a Venetian noble. But if you are anywhere as broke as us, you may want to read a few tips on how we saved some precious pennies while enjoying this beautiful city.

First of all, hotel prices around Venice is expensive. Follow the Shoestring rule and find a place in Mestre. For a short bus/water taxi ride, you will save tons on your hotel stay. Moreover, you will be in midst of authentic Venetian life as Venetians have moved out of Venice for the aforementioned reason - skyrocketing prices. You will also find excellent food, shopping and nightlife in this area. Someone suggested Padova, but I would skip it if you are short on time.

BUY a 12 hour vaporetto ticket, which will cost you 13 Euros. This will allow you to ride the water taxi to your hearts content (To max out on the romance take the vaporetto at night, while cuddling up with your honey bunny). This ticket will also allow you to visit six churches, 50 palaces, four bridges and the open air markets of the Grand Canal.

Ditch the tired pizzas and try out Chicheti treats (delicious skewered treats) - Best places to try these treats are Pronto Pesce Pronto, Osteria I Rusteghi or at Alla Vedova.

Sip a glass of wine (2 Euros) at Un Mondo Di Vino, Improntacafe, Aurora Caffe, while watching the world go by. Happy hours at these place comes with free (did someone say FREE?) nibbles between 11am - 3pm and 6.30-8.30pm

Ferrara

2009-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

A city of bicycles, the renaissance capital of Italy, an architechtural gem, UNESCO World Heritage site...

The Demon King

2007-07-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

You are greeted by his fearsome personality in the arrival lounge of Suvarnabhumi international airport. His blue green face, a snarling mouth, and curving tusk-like canine teeth makes you shudder. You meet him everywhere in Thailand, in form of Khon masks, souvenirs, paintings and as guardian of all major temples. Have you wondered about this fierce character?
He is Ravana, or tosakanth in Thai, from the Indian epic Ramayana; its main protagonists are King Rama and his wife Sita and the antagonist, the dreaded evil personified, Ravana. Of course, the main theme, as in any classic drama, is the victory of good over evil. The saga began when besotted by Sita's beauty, Ravana, known for his weakness for beautiful women and virility, abducts and whisks her away to his kingdom.
There are two significant encounters that would shape the course of Ramayana: Ravana molests Vedavati, the beautiful hermit and forcibly takes her; and, Vedavati prophesied, before killing herself in a pyre, that she would return to mortal world as the cause of his death,. She is then reborn as Sita, wife of king Rama, who defeated and killed Ravana.
His second encounter happened with the divine Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Her lover cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off his head if he forced himself upon any woman again. Sita's chastity was protected while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year, thanks to this curse.
Ravana, to his credit, had many good points. He was benevolent and effective king of Lanka and it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off. Amongst his many virtues, the foremost was his knowledge of sacred books, medicines and magic. He was considered as a reformer, revolutionary and just ruler who opposed the caste system. A great devotee of Shiva (Phra Isuan), his penances had borne many fruits. Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge spanning all the ten directions.
In the Thai version of Ramayana, Ramakien, the essence is the same but there is a 'Thainess' added to the story such as clothes, weapons, and nature. Ramakien dates back to the 13th century and in the past 200 years, nine kings of Thailand have been named Rama, after the main protagonist King Rama. For 400 years the capital of Thailand was Ayutthaya (ayodhya), Rama's kingdom in the epic.
The Rama legend is remarkably depicted in the wonderful murals of the Emerald Buddha temple on the grounds of the Grand Palace built by King Rama I in Bangkok. In the gallery surrounding the temple there are beautifully restored sections of paintings which depicts the entire story of the Ramayana.
Ramakien has appealed to Thai people over centuries making it the national epic. Many other Asian cultures have adapted the Ramayana, resulting in other national epics. Kakawin Rāmâyana is an old Javanese rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana from ninth century Indonesia. It is a faithful rendering of the Hindu epic with very little variation. Phra Lak Phra Lam is a Lao language version, whose title comes from Lakshmana, Rama's younger brother, and Rama. The story of Lakshmana and Rama is told as the previous life of the Buddha. In Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Dasharatha, Rama's father, is the great-grandson of the Prophet Adam. Ravana receives boons from Allah instead of Brahma.
In its different hues and colors, however, the universal themes and ideals of righteous behavior, loyalty to family and kingdom, the balancing of good and evil, self-sacrifice for the betterment of society, and morality remains the same.
And coming back to Ravana, love him or hate him, without him this epic would have been impossible.

Finally in Thailand

2007-07-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

After months of dreaming about visiting Thailand, I find myself living in Ao Nang, a beautiful little village by the Andaman Coast. Its idyllic beaches, limestone cliffs, emerald waters do not seem real. I have to pinch myself at times. The village itself is not spectacular in terms of architecture. The legendary friendliness of Thai people is not an exaggeration though. They welcome you into their hearts and homes, which is a bonus as you get to sample the delicious Thai cuisine - home style…

But true to my blog name 'wandering gypsies', I feel restless in my one bedroom villa. I feel too settled. I even have a cat named Trouble…

My backpack seems to be gathering dust… it beckons me and yesterday I stuffed it to the brim and it felt good on my back. Maybe it is time to move on again.

The unofficial "National Drink" of India

2007-04-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

Stepping out of my warm bed, I make my way to the kitchen. I fill the kettle with water. Bleakly, I wait for the water to boil. I add black tea leaves, crushed cardamom and cinnamon. The water comes to a full boil. My body, mind and senses start tingling as the smell of tea and spices waft from the kettle. To this dark decoction, I add generous amount of milk and sugar. I let the tea steep for a minute. I pour out a tall cup of the sweet tea, or Chai - an invigorating way to start my day. As I sip my Chai, my mind wanders back to my travel in India.

Chai is the beverage that is the common thread that runs from the length and breadth of India - Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Surat to Patna - “unity in diversity.” The whole country is dotted with numerous Chai stalls and from dawn to dusk, thousands of people converge into these stalls (think about the squares in Europe) – office goers, laborers, philosophers, poets, writers and occasional tourists. Anytime is an occasion to have a cup of Chai.

The subtle differences in Chai from different regions are amazing. In North India, the “Chai” is creamier, sweeter, and spiced with Cardamom, ginger, cinnamon or pepper – the result, the delicious “Masala” Chai to warm one’s cockles on a cold winter morning. In the East, “Cha” is served in a Kullhar or Mutka, tiny clay cups, which give the Chai a distinct earthy flavor. An experience to die for, whilst you sit and enjoy the fragrant breeze from the endless green rice fields. Down south, “Chaiya” is served in shot glasses. Your jaws drop as you watch the “Chaiya Master” beat up a creamy froth (did the Italians steal this idea for their equally delicious cappuccino?) by pouring the tea energetically back and forth between two glasses – the result of this rhythm is a tiny shot glass of purely delicious frothy “Chaiya”! The Indian Chai experience is not complete without the “Irani Chai”, the recipe that was imported by the Iranians living in Hyderabad. The tea is distinctly Iranian (the tea leaves are processed in a different way) but the Indians have heartily adopted this foreigner as their own.

The crowning glory of my Indian tea experience was the Kashmiri tea Kahva, a green tea infused with crushed almonds, green cardamom, cinnamon and strands of saffron. This aromatic tea becomes a exhilarating experience when sipped aboard the Shikara’s (a wooden boat) elaborately carved wooden verandas while drifting across a crystal clear lake high in the Himalayan Mountains.

Wherever you are in this country, you can be sure of one thing – a cup of good ole’ Indian Chai!

2007-04-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

My six months of travel in India is culminating today with a visit to the holiest cities – Varanasi. The “holy” status is conferred upon this city, along with Benares, Kashi and Rishikesh, due to the fact that the river Ganges flows through them. According to the Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga descended from heaven in response to the prayers of King Bhagiratha, whose ancestors were reduced to ashes by the curse of Sage Kapila. Lord Shiva agrees to break Ganga’s fall to earth by taking her on his head and safely knotting her in his matted hair. From there Ganga continued her journey to the place where the ashes of King Bhagiratha’s ancestors lay, liberating them with her magical waters.

Millions of devout Hindus throng to these holy cities to bathe in the Ganges, believed to wash away one’s sins and ensure a smooth journey heavenward towards moksha, the eternal freedom. The riverbank or Ghats are a sight to behold with saffron robed sadhus (holy men), devotees, flower sellers, half naked children and cows wearing haughty expressions (I assume due to their “sacred mother” status). Early morning is the best time to see the Brahmins preparing the puja, the sacred offering to the river, the chandals, lowest in the caste system, preparing the funeral pyre later to be consigned to the holy river. Children splash in the almost ashy water and women gossip while washing their load of clothes, oblivious to the ghoulish preparations nearby.

As night falls, the inky waters are illuminated with little oil lamps set afloat and sound of the temples bells and the arti, the sacred chant, reverberates through the still night. Hypnotized by the magic of Ganges, I watch the little oil lamps balanced precariously on wide lotus leaves, float merrily heavenwards.