lets move to Paris!!!

The French absolutely love their delicious baguettes and their intoxicating wines.. and why shouldn't they if you and i can almost immediately fall in love with them too. The French capital of Paris on the banks of the Siene is an eclectic mix of conventional and contemporary ideologies. And for the fashion lovers its paradise on earth with every possible fashion label in the world adorning its streets (both original and fake) :)... every possible street in Paris is worth exploring... just leave you hotel room in the morning and just start walking in any direction that your heart leads on to... it will never happen that u didn't enjoy the day or didn't create an unforgettable memory.
So here's a list of must try things to do in Paris...
- try the delicious crepes at one of the cute little open roadside cafes.
- getting a bird's eye view of Paris from from the third level of the Eiffel Tower.(a visit to the third level is must. )
- taking the night cruise on the Siene.
- attend at least one performance (either Moulin Rouge or the Lido)
- visit the Louvre for a date with Mona Lisa
- Getting a peak at the Eiffel Tower at midnight when a million tiny bulbs that adorn it glitter for 15 minutes like millions of diamonds.
- Stroll down the Champs Elysees (one of the most elite streets of Paris.)
- Visit the Arc De Triomphe to pay homage to the ones who died during World War I.
- Dine at one of the Michelin Star restaurants (that is if your pockets permit you to)
For all you romantics at heart visiting Paris with your lovers, do hell with the list... just enjoy and do what you feel like. Its one of the most romantic cities on earth. Who knows maybe you can give me a list things to do that you enjoyed doing the most with your lover that maybe I could try when i visit Paris again with my lover...

So till then au revoir...

switzerland is the heights of capitalism!!!!

Could you ever imagine a private person owning a mountain or further even a waterfall?
No right... but it's true!!! how many of us have heard of the famous Jungfraujoch(pronounced as yoong-frau-yok)- the third highest mountain in the Bernese Alps south of Interlaken. but does anyone know that the railway that takes you to the summit from the base and the peak itself is privately owned? amazing isn't it?
just imagine owning a mountain...
but it doesn't end here... the Trummelbach falls which also originate in the Bernese Alps is also privately owned by the Trummelbach family... the melting of the Jungrau flows through these falls...
even though the ticket to the summit is a bit expensive, it's definitely worth it... the transformation from the lush green landscapes to the start white snowy landscapes as you move towards the summit is breathtaking...
when i reached the top the temperature dropped to a numbing -33 degree celcius. a snow blizzard had hit the peak which is why we couldn't enjoy the various winter sports that the peak offers but still all was not lost...
the purpose of the ice palace as a legend goes is precisely this - for the tourists to have something to watch put for when the weather conditions turn bad...
and trust me its definitely worth it...
The palace's ice sculptures include vaulted rooms, birds, animals, penguins, people, automobiles, furniture, and even a bar. The palace is an amusing novelty and is worth visiting when you're on the Jungfraujoch--especially since it's free to Jungfraubahn passengers. :)
on the whole this entire experience definitely gets a must visit flag from me...
so until i take to anotther unforgettabel journey ciao!!!

a day in the snow capped alps - Mt. Titlis

Mt Titlis is the first peak in the world to have a cable car going all the way up to the peak from the base with one of them being a revolving one...so hop on the small cable car which sits only 5 to the first stopover post which you use the bigger car to take you to the next level. The lap of the journey is the most awe striking as the rotating cable car provides you with 360 degree phenomenal views of the snow-capped Alps. Once you land right on the peak, you will surrounded by nothing but soft cottony pearly white snow. The tempuratures can get quite low so warm clothing is definitely recommended... once on the top there are a variety of adventurous activities that you can do including skiing(you need to know skiing though), you could even try the snow bike. There's this amazing thing that you could try!!! they make you sit on a big tube and you are pushed from behind and down you go...woosh... down the slope... its an amazing experience... a must try... i would definitely never wanted to leave the peak to come back down through the three different kind of trolleys again... but unfortunately i had to...
so see you again for another chilly experience... till then Ciao!!!

the land of the yummy yummm.... black forest cake and the amazing cuckoo clocks!!!

The dark green coniferous trees that crown the German Alps are a sight to watch out for. The amazing Heidelberg Castle is a must visit. It has a thousand year old barrel which matures the most delicious wine. Try a free sample... ;)
The bakeries on the edge of the Black Forest make the most delicious Black Forest cake which look so tempting and mouth-watering glazed with snow-white cream and perfectly red cherries. A must try!!!
Its nothing like the extremely sweet,dry no cherry layer that we get here.The cake gets its name from the Black forest of Germany.
The cuckoo clocks that are made from the wood of the pine trees from the Forest are the cutest clocks in the world with the cuckoo peeping out of the small cute door every hour.
The Rhine Falls on the border of Switzerland and Germany are beautiful. I recommend for anyone who likes the sound of flow of water juxtaposed with the serene, pristine beauty of the Alps.

Thats it for today... so till the next time we visit another sight for the eyes in Europe...Wiedersehen!!!

My Travels

This is the first part of a series where m going to share my experiences about the places that i have visited so far. Hopefully, it will help you plan your holidays in the future....

Let me begin with my trip to Europe(i don't remember about any trips before that... :)).

Lets start with the city of windmills, cheeses and of course how can i forget tulips. The moment you land at Schiphol, you are definitely in for a ride.

The mini Amsterdam created in the confines of Madurodam is a fantastic and very realistic replica of the city. i recommend spending a good 2-3 hours at this place.

Next comes the world of flowers- tulips to be specific - the awesome world of the Keukenhof Gardens. Mind you this entire estate is still privately owned and managed by the Keukenhof Family to be precise. Its acres and acres of colourful, eye pleasing paradise.

If you are a cheese lover then Amsterdam's the place for you. You could even visit a factory where they manufacture cheese and get free tastings.

The canal cruise on the River Seine is a must. It lets you witness the the world's smallest house by width... :). Experience the charm of Dutch architecture through the various structures by the bank of the river.

Apart from this Amsterdam has various Art museums which exhibit some brilliant works by Van Gogh.

So, thats it for this city.

So, until next time on a journey through another wonderful sight in Europe. daakh!!!

Why do Indians lack civic sense i wonder...

i was walking on the main footover bridge of Dadar station today(the main one that is used to cross over to change the railway lines) and i saw a woman spitting right in the middle of the bridge not even bothering to go to on corner and spit there not that i think that is justifiable but its definitely lesser of the two evils.I felt like slapping her and nauseated seeing her spit like that.

Why is it that we never stop ourselves from doing something like that? Why is it that the innumerable cigarette butts are stamped upon right on the spot where people smoke rather than using ash trays or the trash cans? Why is it that even the educated and civilised throw wrappers and fruit skins right out of train,car or bus windows?

Is it because we Indians lack a sense of self-discipline and will never impart it unless its thrashed upon us. I think it definitely works that way. Lets say tomorrow BMC announces,'The person spitting on the road or not disposing trash in trash cans will be charged a fine of Rs. 100' Post the announcement it employs officers at public places just to catch people who violate this regulation.I'm sure it will be a very good income generating activity for the government provided we dont bribe those officials too. Why don't we litter when we go abroad in cities which are extremely well maintained and clean by whatever means that they employ? It will happen here also if BMC takes it up seriously and prosecutes us for littering. Why so? Why can't we realise on our own that its our city, ou country, our world. We are the ones living in it and that its like our home. If we dont dirty our own houses then why do we dirty our streets? Thats because as Indians we will never learn to do anything on our own unless someone slaps our backsides...

Speaking of bribes, we say our government is corrupt to the core. But what the recent Tata Tea Ad says is true, log khaate kyun hain...? kyunki hum khilate hain... We are the ones corrupting the system... Nothing can change on its own... we have to be a part of this change...

So the next time you see a person littering or spitting stop them making them pick it up or make them clean their spit by employing whatever means you want to... :).. like i said we are Indians... we won't change and we absolutely lack self- discipline unless someone whacks our backsides and makes us do it...

Lets bring about the change guys...

Oh! and last but not the least thats absolutely ghastly is that some of us dont even have public speaking etiquette. How else do you explain an Indian CEO of an MNC coughing into the microphone while making a speech to an audience of more than 500 people...

Indians seriously... buck up guys... lets bring about this change and its high time that the rest of the world changes the way it looks at us.

Ads that care but sell more

The Aircel campaign with Mahinder Singh Dhoni and Bhaichung Bhutia saying that there are just 1411 tigers left in India definitely ignites the bulb in the minds of wildlife enthusiasts but what after that? Social service ads are supposed to do more than just hold a candle to the cause. They have to provide an answer. The Tata tea Jaago Re campaign actually improved the voter turn out as people were provided with the platforn where they could be a part of the campaign and reduce the indifference to voting among the educated in India. The Aircel ad just helps to get rid of the guilt and the brand connect seems to be slapped on. Having a thousand fans on a facebook fan page will just make the people aware of the number of tigers left in India. But so what about that? Is Aircel actually doing anything to increase that number or see to it that the number doesn't fall more?If anyone knows then please tell me. This brings me to doubt about how true their intentions are or is it just an advertising gimmick. Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) is the need of the hour and corporates do need to expand their horizons beyond the profit making objectives. We need companies with a soul not materialistic hawks who can use even distress to turn to their advantage.