:-((((((((((

Tweedledum shouted at me......and I wasn't even talking. It was Shy person and I got the firing for disturbing him.

Warmers

This is one of the howlers that I recieved from mami. I'm going to start saving all the pics that I really like. Wish I had done the same with the tooth brush and the toilet paper...and even the condom advert. One of a kind!

Am starving right now. Have lost count of the cups of coffees and chocolat I have consumed. In fact I am so hungry that I think I am actually going to allow Tweedledum to have his jiya noodles today. For some insane reason I feel less guilty eating these noodles as compared to Maggi. Love the curry flavour - with two eggs broken into it - YUM!

Work starts seriously

Now that the holiday is over, we are back to planning the future and discussions on career and money making.

Tweedledum has his own set of activities lined up. As for me, have started shortlisting the sector that I will be aiming at. Research jobs with a focus on the telecom sector. If they specify CFA, that's even better. efinancialcareers seems the best site for me right now. The only question is whether I should start right away or wait till Tweedledum has his work permit. That will mean Feb next year. But its the logical way to move. Right now, I say eligible for......it doesn't mean anything. Have started studying again. Would like to be up with telecom ratios and market information.

Another headache is housing in London. As soon as Tweedledum decides on his job, our living area will be finalised. It could be anywhere from Swiss Cottage to Islington to Hammersmith to Canary Wharf. I know Canary Wharf is East End but thats where my heart is. I have no love lost for Victorian houses with antiquated furniture and even more antiquated heating and plumbing. Give me modern construction with all the modern day gadgetry, powerful shower, wooden floor - no wall to wall carpeting, and I am a happy person.

Lets see how it goes. I should know by the weekend.

No Internet

No phone, no Internet. Welcome back home! Anyway, wont even go into the foul-ups of France Telecom - don't want to remember them.

We're back

Its over and what memories to go over - at least for the next ten days. Where did I leave off...Konigsee...

After the trip to Konigsee and our unexpected trek, noone had the energy to continue with the other tourist attractions of the place. So, it was straight to bed. The next day we headed to Kehlsteinhaus. The second headquarters of the Third reich, Hitler's summer resort gifted to him by an admirer who didnt know he was scared of small spaces and heights. The car drives up to OberSalzburg from where you catch a bus. The bus takes you up a steep road which is supposed to be an engineering marvel to the top of a mountain. You walk through a tunnel to get to an elevator drilled right through the mountain to get to the absolute peak. Konigsee on one side, Salzburg on the other, your head in the clouds, your feet on top of the world. The place is majestic. I was so lost that I completely forgot to take pics for my blog. This is the only one with noone recognizable. Thats the ferrottes pausing for a breath. After running up and down a bit, we had to head back for our bus and the remaining part of the day in Salzburg.

Salzburg - lunch in Hotel Stein - good. City - more Mediterranean than Austrian. Plain cream walls. Lots of platzs, cobbled stone streets however and a whole lot of people playing a whole lot of music everywhere. Saw the gardens forever linked with the 'Sound of Music'. Could practically picture 'I am Sixteen going on Seventeen' and Captain Von Trapp and Maria dancing together. But the best was the liquer we tasted - I had Apple Strudel liquer - and I am still regretting not buying the bottle straight away. By the time I got back after our diaper dash across town, the shop was closed:-(....For all future visitors to town, the shop is very close to Mozartplatz and the ice cream and the liquers are must haves...and I mean...MUST HAVES!! Tasted the apple strudel and something called toppenstrudel - tasty - but a little less sweet for the punj in me though that can be attributed to the place where we had it. Back to bed for a very hectic day ahead.

7:30 in the morning and we were out, headed for Munich and then Colmar. 2 hours and we had covered Munch:-) Marianeplatz, Glockenspiel (another clock though this one was much better than the one in Strasbourg', the walls of the city - Isitor, various churches. One of the churches had pictures of the place immediately after the war. Total destruction - sought of bought back not only the impact of the war but also the determination of the people to have rebuilt it all. The Ferrottes stopped to feed the babe and Tweedledum and I headed to Viktualienmkt - Loved it! I bought lemons and chillis (will post some pics of the chillis). Tweedle had a fish roll, then meat balls, then honey sucksee sweets - loved seeing him enjoy himself:-) Munich has lots of these cuckoo clocks all over. At one road crossing, when it struck ten, a black statue started dancing. That one was really nice, cute actually.

Then the drive to Colmar. Kept waiting for the Black Forest. Got a bit of it - multi-coloured trees and clouds wafting through the car but by the time we got to the beautiful parts, it was dark and had started raining. Tweedledum had a really bad time of it on slippery, mountainous roads. One wrong Ausfarht but other than that we stuck to the right road.

Colmar was another very pretty Alsacien town. What I will remember however is the kugelhof and the Tarte flambees we had for lunch. C'etait la vie!!! Petite Venise - very pretty. The church tops even lovelier. Will try and post some more pictures. I love Riesling!!!

But somehow Colmar fades in comparison with what was to come. On the way back one highway led to another and another. We just kept chatting and going along...and then we reached a toll and she charged us a little lesser than she should have, which rung the alarm bells in my head. What do you know. We were to go to Fonty and we had reached Lyon!!! How I love Tweedledum...and the Ferrottes too. Not a word of recrimination. Just laughter, turned the car and headed back home.....

...the things I need to learn.

What a place

Just making the entry at an Internet cafe at Berchtesgaden. So far the trip has been mind blowing. Tuesday evening, the Ferrottes asked if they can join us. I had got talking about the trip over the Indian dinner we went to on Saturday. Well, the dinner was just Tweedledum and me trying to act like mature adults and interact a little more with people. Had no idea it would lead to this amount of maturity. They asked if they could come along. We couldnt possibly say no and besides we thought it will be a good exercise for the two of us also, not to mention that it would help the budget.

Well, so far, it has been going great guns! I have to say I am amazed. We had just started from Fonty when the female ferrotte mentioned how the male ferrotte got to play his music for ten minutes on their previous holiday and it was so bad - he played something called Janis Joplin. Tweedle and I jumped with a yeah! Lets play joplin! And then between our three yeahs and the one Noooo! the babe started crying and all our energies got redirected. But he is an adorable babe - most travel friendly. Anyway to get back to the places.....After 5 hours of driving and No getting lost (almost no getting lost), we arrived at Strasbourg. Checked in, washed up, realised there is no train station close to the Etap, drove to the nearest P&R, parked, found the counter closed, bought costly tickets and headed to town. The night was a general reconnaissance and french dinner. Mine was good. For Tweedledum I had recommended Choucroute Alsacienne. I'm suprised his dirty looks didnt give me indigestion the next day. Anyway, Thursday was a proper tour of Strasbourg, boat ride included. First stop, the only sandstone cathedral with this dude of an astrological clock. Bah!! A cafe with chocolate cake and coffee/ riesling was a much better utilisation of time. Barrage Vauban, Petite France, Kugelhof - all lovely. When it was time to leave for the hotel, what do we find but all the loos in town locked. Tweedledum and I had to rush into a bar, use the loo and of course, down 2 bottles of beer. Honestly, the most refreshing beer I have had, perhaps because it was the first of the holiday.

Next day, thats yesterday - on to Berchtesgaden. German road side cafes are the best ever. What food! All of us relished our meal down to the last morsel. I had schnitzel with black dal, Tweedledum some form of beef, Female ferrotte Poulet Grillard and the male, well the male ferrotte is a vegetarian. All he gets is pasta. But he insisted that it was good. Our highway took us through the Black Forest. Can't even begin to describe the autumn colours on the mountains. On the way we stopped for fuel where a frenchman mistook us for Parisiens. It actually felt like meeting someone from home talking to him in french when all around there is only german, german and more german. Though in defense of the Germans, they do speak english. All of them. And their public loos are amazing. Very clean and after usage the seat rotates and gets cleaned. For a frequent user like me, it was miraculous. Anyway, we have taken two rooms in Pension Berganone in a place called Schonau am Konigsee.

And now today - ahhh! The day started with a walk to the Lake Konigsee. Everyone was convinced that it must be something like 2 kms - 4 is closer to it. Then there is a boat to get to a place called St Bartholoma. Silent mountians - orange, red, yellow and green leaves. The pictures are doing absolutely no justice to the beauty of the place. They are all taken from the boat. Once we got to the island, I completely forgot about a blog. We took a recon of the island and then thought we'll try a short trek. Boy o Boy o Boy! Short trek. It was closer to two hours. Tweedledum with his hurting foot, Male ferrotte with a baby and female ferrotte with...believe it or not, heels!! They insisted on going on and we did. It was gorgeous! Finally when they gave up close to the top, I just ran ahead and had a look at the glacier. Am so glad we went up to the top - it will be the best memory of the trip. I think I understand the meaning of the lines - 'They flash upon the inward eye and my heart dances....'.

The grande finale was coming down to find a cafe which catches its fish from the lake, steams and serves. Fisherie St Bartholoma. The two of us practically gobbled up our fish and bread with huge pitchers of beer! What is it with german beer - the taste is fabulous! Why couldn't Insead have been in Germany. Beer Courses is so much more up my alley....though I love my riesling too.

Anyway thats been the holiday till date. Now broken down we are all at an Internet cafe post which we'll search for dinner. Btw, yesterdays dinner was in a lovely restaurant in Schonau am Konigsee recommended by our landlady. Will post the name when I remember it.

So much

After the hard work over the year, the last few days have been feeling like a Roman orgy. Good food and wine everyday. Have been trying to cook new dishes everyday - chicken tikka, biryani, pork masala, tenga anja - you can see the common thread - all meat dishes....

And then yesterday was absolutely brilliant! The talk was on that lets go to Paris. Tweedledum is on such a high that he actually agreed to drive into Paris and I was relaxed because we had Alchoholics Anonymous with us. He's driven to Paris a dozen times. Didnt even think of issuing a map till about 6 in the evening. Of course, it was already issued out. But I still hadn't panicked...till I met AA and he tells me he can get us to the highway and then he's zilch...OOPS!! Anyway, we brave souls - went to viamichelin and got out the directions till Saint Germain. Thought, if we can park somewhere there, we'll be fine. And lucky us, things just kept falling into place! Entry into Paris fine. At one junction, we were in the left most lane when I asked the car next to us for directions and it seems we had to take a right turn from that crossing itself. How I love Paris!!! Can you imagine, we actually did it and no honks!!! Drove on - got lost - Tweedledum kept getting calls - he kept taking them - and we would sort of gesticulate all kinds of mixed directions and he would take the one road we didnt point at:-/

Now, the wonder of wonders. As we drove close to Saint Germain, what do we cross but the fountain I have been searching for all this while - The entry to the Latin Quarter!!!!! Thats exactly where I had wanted to take Tweedledum and we saw it because we were lost...divine intervention or what;-) We didnt stop right then, but ploughed on for parking. Which was smart...saw the beautifully lit up Eiffel tower, crossed the Seine, gawked at the Louvre - all in all a lovely drive and then we finally found our way to the underground parking too.

Now, the aim was to re-find the fountain. Crossed the Notre Dame (by foot, this time), showed Tweedledum 'Shakespeare & Co' (the cat was still there), asked people for directions to the Latin Quarter while I crossed my fingers that they wouldn't send us to the Rue de la Huchette. Well they did, but that was the one bit of geography I seemed to have missed out on - the fountain is on the other end of the Rue de la Huchette! I had to drag these guys through the touristy bit promising better wonders further ahead. Shy person was promised he would be bought back to 'Haagen das'. They loved the real quarter...but by now everyone's tummies were growling and we got into the first Lebanese joint we found. Great Food!! A funny waiter/ maitre'd/owner. I asked for the menu/ carte and he points at himself and says I am the card. Why do you want anything else? We must certainly have looked like students cos he gave us a simple enough option, delicious but simple - Shy person and I kept staring at the platter on the table next to us. They were having koftas (beef unfortunately...wish I hadn't known). From there on to ice cream and then a pub with music, sports and beer. Lots of beer!!

After every molecule in my body had been relaxed, the heading back process started. First and foremost, we drove to the Eiffel tower where Tweedledum could also sit and watch the lights. Poor guy - always driving - never gets the view. After his viewing satiation, we started home. Fortunately again, there was hardly any traffic on the streets. Post all kinds of errors and tribulations, dropped the 'cargo' at school and we headed home for 'us' time.

And learnings from the underground parking. Always carry the ticket with you - it permits entry back into the parking. We didnt carry it. Had to come in with the cars. Thank god I speak french. The guard seemed most unhappy with this sudden entry of a bunch of drunken students. And if that wasn't enough, in a sudden burst of a thirst for knowledge, Shy person had lifted up the barrier behind the car so that noone could take our car away. Well, now we had no idea how to get the damn thing down. Struggle, struggle, struggle. Get the guard. He calls for a replacment for his desk. Shy person manages to crack the thing. Tell guard he's not needeed. He insists on coming to see the place. But the guy was real sweet. Just smiled us away. Which, I think, is a super achievement, being able to smile when you have to work at that time in the night......

Sweet memories..

Pure Genius

What an ad! Tweedledum is, of course, enjoying his breakfast even more now. I think I'll make sausages and baked beans a staple part of the meal from now on ;-)

The day after....

I dont think I ever want to forget the feeling of today. Its certainly not my achievement but I couldn't care less. Basking in his happiness is more than sufficient for once. After months and months, could keep lolling around in bed because there wasnt another interview or tension filled session to run to. Well, that doesnt imply, of course, that term work is over - far from it. But...the main reason for going to school today was his moment of achievement. The sweetheart - he actually said it - with a grin of course - I want to go to school to just meet people. How can one grudge him that.

He came home early because we wanted to have our tandoori chicken and a bottle of wine together - just us - but I dont think that will be happening for a while now. Shy one and the sardar mallu joined in. They lost their way and we had to go get them from the other end of bourron marlotte. Trying to give directions for these french villages is an art we still havent mastered - past the bistro on the right and the coiffeur on the left and the obelisk des morts and the mairie, third cobbled street on the left - and then you get a call - 'So do you live in Bourron Marlotte or Sorques....' and you have to go rushing out of home in search of your guests. Masti evening - good music, good food, good talk - and amazingly enough sardar mallu with the sardar out of town doesnt fall asleep immediately after dinner. Tweedledum and I got all yawny but he was still going strong.

Finally had to say good bye but we are going to fall now......

When will today get over....

Just had lasagna at Pizza Pazza and am back in the library. Should never go for Italian when I'm really hungry. I tend to go too heavy on the bread and cheese and then I feel sick.....as I am feeling right now. Moreover I have Half Blood Prince waiting for me back home.

But....this one's for you babes...you are amazing!

Am continuing this blog quite a while later. The call just came through. Our man called after landing in London. No wonder, there was a delay. THROUGH!!!! This guy, Tweedledum, that is - is a dude! No London experience, thats what we were most worried about - that didn't even matter. He's flying and I don't think I have my feet on ground either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjav5ReExm8

Lage raho - munnabhai

Tweedledum to school, sat on the computers for a while, went for a walk, tried jogging in a skirt, shopping in Champion, where I dutifully forgot the most important purchase, aka garbage bags, back to school, got dropped home in time for a little bit of yoga and then....time for my first Hindi movie in over a year! And I liked it! All the emotions you would expect from Bollywood packed into two hours - action, anger, humour, tragedy, cliched love, neglected parents - you name it. And, methinks, the best way to package Gandhiji for this generation of yuppies - Gandhigiri!!! I'm sure there are a few who at some point on 2nd October have wondered - 'So, was he born today or did he die today?'. Unfortunately, I have friends with that level of ignorance. But, I know, they catch every new release of a movie. So what better way to educate them than this. and, I'm sure, I will be using the word too.

As for living upto the principles...well, at least, I try....

A few quotes:

'Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony'.

'The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong'.

'Speak only if it improves upon the silence'.

Cultural Similarities?

Was speaking to mum today when I realised this coincidence. Completely different lands and religions but look at the similarity. One of the new Japanese girls had taken a cooking class on Friday because it was a Japanese festival called Jugoya. She told everyone how to make Mitarashi - Dango and Ohagi. They are made of rice and in the autumn season to celebrate the most beautiful full moon of the year.

http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/autumn_02.html

And then there is the Jewish festival of Sukkot for which they were selling the 7 spices at Rue des Rosiers, which is also celebrated on the same Friday.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot

And most importantly, the Indian festival of Sharad Poornima. The reason this commonality struck me when talking to mummy was that on my own, I had no idea about the festival or how it is celebrated (am not proud of it, I swear). It seems we consider the most beautiful full moon of the year also. You get together with friends in the open so that you can see the moon. Kheer is consumed and you are supposed to leave some in the open - it will turn into 'amrit'/ nectar. I know they are all antiquated beliefs but I just found the thought of it fun.......

Million dollar words

Quoting one of the new girls on her reason to join her husband:-

"Absence doesn't make the heart go fonder,
It makes the heart go yonder"

Brilliant!! And oh, how I agree with the thought process - to Tweedledum's exasperation:-)))

Too much MDS

When Tweedleboy starts working on weekends, the fatigue seems to have a failover effect on to me. With the result that the only lines in my head right now are...
"I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink
No,no,no.
I'm so tired I don't know what to do
I'm so tired my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you but I know what you would do....."
...I guess, I know what you would do..."khoks, can I call you back":-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjH50O94hSw

Some crappy trivia:
Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sneezy, Bashful, Sleepy, Dopey - who are the dudes:-)
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen - and who are these dudes? It seems the most famous 'Rudolph' made an entry much later as the ninth.

And, I know that Grimm's fairy tales are for children. Read them myself as a child. But, if I stop to think about it, only someone with a name like 'Grimm' could write stories like Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel for children. Dark, sinister, evil.....wonder who wrote Little mermaid. That doesn't even end on a happy note.

Checked - Hans Christian Andersen.

Festivals

Tel Aviv and I had planned to go to Paris almost a week ago and well, yesterday, we finally did. Had an absolutely marvellous day. I love days when they just keep flowing along smoothly without any hic-ups and well, not too much distortion to the way I would like them to be;-)

I managed my walk in the morning, managed to buy Tweedledum's tickets to Paris (he's in London till tonight) and when I got back, Tel said lets walk to the station. No problems till here - love the exercise.

But then....the only hitch with catching the 11 o'clock train is that it gets you to Paris when you dont know whether to have morning tea, afternoon lunch or first go see a museum. So we had to spend a good amount of time debating our next move. I really wanted to go to Sacha and had thought we would go in the afternoon. But since that was the only place we were sure of, we decided to head there right away. Now comes the beauty of the day as far as I am concerned. We're walking along and we come to this beautiful lane with absolutely charming restaurants, so then, there's a change of plans - lets have lunch first. 11e for a platter and a coffee. I had their tagliatelle, Tel aviv their roast chicken with oranges. But, well, I make the same mistakes again and again - should never order Italian in a french restaurant. It is the blandest food ever - had to keep adding salt and pepper. Felt like telling him to take it back and add a dash of curry powder. Could practically see him turning up his nose, which in the end, I did see, the turned up nose that is, when I asked for milk in my coffee. "Une noisette, n'est ce pas", he asks...no, a huge dollop, I answer.

But then there was Sachaaaaa. The vetruchka (i think thats what is was called) - lemon cheese cake for the unrefined;-)...heavenly!! Had two slices of cheese cake (and I dont even like cheese cake!) and a something else, which was supposed to be apple strudel. I generally love strudel but nothing could have stood its ground in front of the cheese cake. It was so so divine...I can practically taste it even as I type. Should have had some packed . Anyway, then we moved on to the rest of rue des rosiers. It is a jewish festival today and yesterday, they were selling something called the seven spices. Tel Aviv had a long conversation in hebrew with one of the sales persons. He had the cap and the beard et al and our woman in her jeans and jewels..it seems he told her you're not Jewish. She continued talking to him but then I had to listen to the subsequent harange. Fortunately, we chanced upon a really beautiful boutique and she decided to try on some of the outfits. Of course, our antiquated salesman went right out of her mind - thank god!

From there, on to the Opera. Very beautiful - will post the pictures when I get them. As usual, I had forgotten my camera. Will have to wait for Tel Aviv to post the pics. Since we were already at the Opera, I got it in myself to find the Japanese shop. Wont take readers through a detailed process. Suffice to say, one travel agent, 2 japanese restaurants and a french boulangerie later, we finally did find Kyoto - opposite the Starbucks. Now for my horse radish. Had no idea what its called in Japanese. Went up to a woman and asked in french - I need a sauce thingy which blows your brains out. And she looks at me, smiles and says - "Wasabi!"
Bingo!! The umeshu was 13 euros and I wasnt even sure of the brand - so decided to take a rain check in the drink department.

On the whole, a lovely day.

And before I forget, we took the wrong train (again) and ended up in Fontaine le Port. Haifa had to come pick us up:-/

Saturday night

Progressive rock's wife has recently joined him and we had called them over for dinner last nite. A long session of just talk, alchohol and dumb charades. Dinner was biryani, raita, salad and spinach dal. Tried to keep it the dinner light but in the end it ended up a little too light on the meat in the biryani. I think I took too much rice. Should have stuck to the 500 gms. I thought that would be less and had topped it up some more. Wrong move - not to be repeated in the future.

Our guesting in this new house will have to reduce a little. Its no fun having to go and drop people every time after dinner. I dont mind doing that for shy person and alchoholics anonymous but the others cant believe it to be their birth right. Anyway, just yesterday and no more.