Campbeltown Loch: I wish you were whisky

Published in December 30th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Scotland, Music, UK, Travel

Campbeltown Loch is a sea loch in Scotland. As legend goes, this was famous for its whisky distilleries. And when the tax collector came, people hid their casks of whisky in the lake tied by long ropes. These casks were retrieved when the tax man went away. But as expected, some of the casks would […]

Hamish- the Hairy Coo

Published in December 29th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Scotland, UK, Travel

2 Comments

Hamish McKye Denovan. Born 8 Feb 1993. Well guys, that’s not the name of another Scottish gentleman- but of a famous Highland Cow. In Scotland, with their adorable accent, this giant yet gentle beast is known as a ‘Hairy Coo’.

Hamish with our fabulous guide Patrick

We met Hamish enroute to Stirling Castle in Killmahog. All tourist […]

Lingo tango

Published in December 29th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in India, Our life and times

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India is a country which boasts of twenty two official languages and over 400 living languages. So trying to even feel comfortable in another region of the country where an unknown language is spoken can be a real pressure situation. And often, not knowing the local language can create disastrous scenes.
I remember one scene from […]

The most heartening moments of 2008

Published in December 26th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Our life and times

1 Comment

Here are the top moments (in no particular order) in 2008 when I had a smile in my heart and a warmth slowly snuggled through my being Optimistic for that moment! And though I am no sports buff, I find that most of those glorious moments came from the sports arena.

Gold at last!: […]

Shabash? Nay… shoe-bash for Bush

Published in December 25th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Our life and times

3 Comments

The recent incident where Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi flung not one but two shoes at US President George Bush seems to have caught the fancy of the people. While Zaidi cools his heels in prison, nursing a bruised rib or two, makers of the now famous Ducati Model 271 ‘Bush shoe’ seem to be minting […]

Dawn at the Promenade at Pondicherry

Published in December 23rd, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Travel, India, Waxing lyrical

1 Comment

                           Click the pics to enlarge

DAWN
I try to flee away from darkness
The leashes of propriety to free
To rush to the shores unbridled
And express my mirth and glee.

The waves reflect the turbulence within
A realization of my insignificance too-
A glimmer of crimson at the horizon
Lines the unending expanse of blue.

It’s a new morn, an awakening-
A promise of a bright new day
Wash away […]

Auroville: The city of humanity

Published in December 22nd, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Travel, India

5 Comments

I have just returned from a place very close to my heart- Auroville. Auroville seeks to be a universal town- a town bereft of boundaries of nationality, religion or caste. It propogates humanity- it is a town which welcomes everyone who seeks peace and goodness to dwell in harmony.
Placed on the outskirts of Pondicherry (now Puducherry), this town […]

Rab ne bana di jodi: Sur(i)-Taan(i) ki kami thodi

Published in December 13th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Film reviews

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Aditya Chopra does his best to churn out a screenplay like DDLJ, and almost succeeds until a Japanese Sumo wrestler pulls the mat under his feet.
Rab ne bana di jodi starts off with a predictable done-to-death sequence of a dying father marrying off his ‘responsibility’- a chirpy young lass, Taani (Anushka Sharma) to his eligible student Surinder […]

The Repercussions of Terror

Published in December 7th, 2008

Posted by Anshu in Our life and times

6 Comments

The Mumbai carnage echoes in our memory. The thought of those three days when the nation was held ransom to ten wayward young men makes one cringe. I have never felt so vulnerable before. And feel more insecure as I see no viable solutions in sight.
Terror attacks can be planned. Terror attacks can be implemented. But preventing […]