Books and Travel

Books make wonderful traveling companions. While visiting Yosemite last week, I read The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, one of my favorite authors. It certainly sated my theological yen. This post captures the books that I like the most and that deal with religion. Obviously, the books don't praise or decry religions or aspects of it. These are just works of art that simply use religion as the background and leave a reader with many questions.

Christianity: The Power and the Glory - set in early 20th century Mexico about the only surviving priest on the run escaping obvious persecution at the hands of secular junta.

Islam: Siege of Mecca: a non-fictional work that grips a reader to the very end; about a very less known event.

Hinduism: Mahabharata translated by C Rajagopalachari. Quite a captivating ancient tale. I am still looking for a good translation of Geeta.

Sikhism: Unholy Terror by Ian Mulgrew. This ended my search of a third party view of the Punjab debacle of the 80s.

Death Valley - Beauty in the Unkindest setting

Must see during April every year - a layer of yellow shimmers in seething >100F temperatures along the entire valley floor. The background is more cruel, jagged barren mountains, an artist's delight comprising all hues raw earth has to offer. For travelers to Death Valley some of my newly discovered tips here: http://kiq.me/HD

Mexico City - 25million people

It is incredible that Mexico City's population is more than that of Bombay (at least officially). The business here is done like how it is done in Spain; meetings over long lunches that might get extended well into a late night dinner - with yum arachera meats and can't-count-anymore tequilas! Fascinating that Tequila's chaser is beer. The host mexican's were quite surprised when I nicely enjoyed a full jalapeno.
As for 'getting mugged', I was told not to use the ATM at the airport never venture out alone,etc etc. Didn't matter- as usual, common sense must be used by a visitor in a foreign land anywhere in the world. My last trip was of course marred by swine flu. This time around stuck to the hotel - not for crime but for virus' ;-)

Roma!

Italy's Rome - epitomizes fullness of life with a unique roguish panache! Romans history is proudly and abundantly displayed in historical monuments. Some are mankind's masterpieces. Like in other parts of Europe the best place to observe people is squares or Italian Piazzas.
..And in the side alleys of piazzas are hidden gems of restaurants serving the freshest of mozzarella and flavorful olive oil. Gastronomic indulgences must be generously washed down with local Chianti and aptly finshed with a cafe and gelatos.
Back to history..walking the the aisles of Vatican museums one does briefly think of Romans copying from Greek culture. But then that's the way its been for ages - Greeks to Romans and to (much later) French to British and to Russians to Americas. One also thinks of original ideas of Democracy, of Aurelius...; indeed a place to reckon but has it turned around since its fall millennials ago. Do civilization return to their peak - how long is the cycle?

Montego Bay

Southern Style

Being a New Orleans tourists was almost considered brave a year back. Now it's fully recovered - at least no signs of devastation in the FQ part, apart from wistful lingo refrences - 'since then..'. So bordering on adventure and craving for another southern vacation (the first being charming Savannah), we traveled to NOLA. A reconnect trip indeed with it's benefits - affordable Ritz, lovely weather (it hadn't still got grimy), and to top it all - a treat of southern delights - people, food and rich atmosphere.
There is a lot to re-learn from the distinct Southerness. Savoring life whether it is the beauty of life itself or beautiful creations of people - music and food. Why should this be just an attribute of southerners? Other leading super-fast hum-drum life must pause and enjoy too. True liesure must not be confused with idleness. One must not just alternate hardwork with party-hard lifestyle but strive to interweave work and liesure or better merge the two!

He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul's estate.
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Rio - Happy Green & Clean

Brazilians are not just beach bronzly georgious but also greenly beautiful. That is evident from ubiquitous ethanol and butane stations. What fascinated me more was the attention given to trivial areas such as conserving energy by making escalaters run only when people are on them at airports, hotels, malls etc. Survey proven 'Happiest People in the World' also openly discuss environment and how angry they are about the rainforest depletion related inaction. Such attitudes lead to a more real and sustainable growth. Given the relatively fewer number of Brazilians (170M) it is bound to come ahead in the race of the new global economic order

Sweden - quite impressive!

Just came back from a few days trip to Sweden. The usual business meeting with some additional time to linger around: an opportunity to soak in a bit of local atmosphere. Although visually just another European town (Stockholm) with the charming cobbled streets, centuries old architecture, quaint shops, and traces of royaly sprinkled all over, something was amiss. The people appeared a bit different. Quite pleasant is the best way to describe them. Europe is not the best place to be coming across smiles on the daily go - since they are not the best at pleasantries - which is perfectly alright - infact the cloying pleasantries of America are on the other hand quite superfluous.
Perhaps these the most pleasant western Europeans. With my limited exposure to western Europeans, as compared to others Swedes appear more positive in their dealings with people. My belief was confirmed when I heard my colleague told me what a recently immigrated African cab driver told him. He said that after trying London and Paris, where he felt inexplicit discrimination, he tried Stockholm. And so far (it had been a year) he loved it; the people are genuinely normal he claimed.
I landed in Sweden with fewer impressive adjectives - quite efficient, best mechanical engg industry, ikea with its charitable ceo, volvo's safest cars....... and left a lot more impressed.
I just googled - ikea sweden volve abb' and this is what I got - quite an interesting read
http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/SASTopic____2423.aspx?launched=true

Jamaican Rum!

Sunday night flight back to US

Doing business in India has its benefits besides cost savings for US firms. One gets to visit folks! You have to keep the excursion as inconspicous as possible (aka weekend trip) so as to ensure the personal agenda does not creep into the one day meetings trip.
This time around I spent a few days in my lawful town Poona. Besides the succesful meeting I got to meet Bathijas and had a lovely time sipping whiskey with usually yummy Poona food and medley of good conversations with inlaws ranging from wazwan in Shalimar the clown to Shalu's Telugu wedding. A brief stop at old town Laxmi road bazaar with Aunty was a shopping trip back in time and just as I was dreaming of Peshwas walking the streets the snarling traffic woke me up!
Chandigarh was planned for exactly 24 hours. Khushi, Bunny, Nikki, Sajju, Mom, Dad, Sonu, Babu, the whole regiment was there. Kids frolicking, Fish curries and Momos continously steaming in the kitchen, gupshup non-stop. The next morning kids drove us to Sukhna lake while the adults paddled them around. Icecreams, bungyjumping, pastries...arre baba the requests never ended...and then again aloo paranthas floating in butter with creamy sugared yoghurt and achaar!
All of this and 6 hour taxi back to the most incovenient 3AM Lufthansa flight!

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