Turkish Ice-Cream

Hi Folks,

Updating after a long time. What better way to update than with a hilarious video!!! I was subjected to an unique way of "getting" ice-cream in Istanbul and the video is perfect proof of that..!! No wonder i did enjoy the ice-cream but what caught my attention was the "tricks" used to serve the ice-cream..!

Watch it to believe it..!

(Special thanks to my friend & colleague, Kunal, who captured this on his BB & shared it with me!!)

Comments are welcome while I will update more in the coming days...!

Romania - Snow :-)

Hi folks,

Reached Romania (Bucharest - OTP Airport) on the 24th Jan 2010..There were very few travellers on the DXB - OTP route (For simplers...its Dubai - Bucharest route operated by Tarom - Official Airline of Romania) and after being quizzed & looked on as an alien by both Immigration & Customs..came out of the airport only to be hit by a Wave of Cold Air..!!

I couldnt imagine myself being amidst -20 Deg C..Yeah that negative 20..!! I was warned by my counterpart that Bucharest had received 50 cm of snow and I had "brushed" it off..!! The first picture (taken in the parking lot with my fingers trying their best to locate the "click" button :-))

The Ground is infact all muddy and you may observe the heap of snow in the backdrop..!! Perhaps more than 50 cm mightve dropped in..!!In a nutshell...its all White and all Snow..!!!!!

This photo was taken just while leaving the parking lot..!!! Tons & tons of snow everywhere...!! 

Just to give you an idea what real Snowing means...here's a picture of a car "draped" in snow..!!!! I was simply amazed and went "click-happy" while the taxi driver was probably thinking "one crazy nut snapping at regular happenings"!!!!!

I could manage to reach my hotel (Hotel Ibis - Gara De Nord) while savoring the scenario as probably for another million years, this sight wouldnt be available in Mumbai :-) :-) Checking out from the room, the view of the road & the surrounding, more pics.. :-)

The below pic shows a car draped in snow (will write more about that) and you can also see a stairway leading down (thats the way to reach Gara De Nord station) from where you can take a train straight to either the Palace (parliament) or the Airport. The Hotel is located in central city with easy access to station, city centre & the airport (Airport is approx 20 kms away).  Also the box with blue coloring is actually the bus / tram station..!! Again...you may note its not having white "lids" but they are covered in totality with snow :-) :-) (Too much of Snow i guess!!)

This picture shows more cars bearing the brunt of snow 

So, I guess ive spoken too much..!!! Quite logical as this is the first time Ive seen snow and believe me..im simply amazed..!! This might be a common phenomenon & regular experience to most folks overseas but for a person like me, having spent a major chunk in Bangalore and Mumbai, this is indeed a "welcome surprise"..!!I'm also finding finer aspects to capture & put it in my blog..!! I havent mustered enough courage to discover the city that is reeling under negative temperature..but I'm sure the week ahead holds exciting happenings..!!

So as the week lingers on, I'm sure I can add to this list of snaps, unless I find myself turning into a "Smiling Snowman"..!!! :-) :-)

Finally..Happy "Snowing"..oops...Happy Reading and as usual

Comments Are Indeed Welcome..!!!!

Visit to San Francisco - Santa Cruz

Writing after a long time..!!

In fact..always wanted to keep the blog alive but somehow other priorities took over..!!! This video (shot for a brief time) was taken when I was in San Francisco on 20th Sep 2008. Instead of wiling away the time @ home we (Rashmi - Sister, Kishore - Brother-in-law & Arya- nephew) went on a cruise to Santa Cruz..!! Pretty hectic though it was (in terms of milling crowd), we found time to experience a few "rides" that in literal terms took us on a "Scream Ride"..!! 

Both me and Rashmi were screaming our lungs out sitting in this virtual FIREBALL..!!! The various twists, twirls & swoopings just made me wish that....

"GOD, LET IT GET OVER SOON"..!! I'm also sure i wouldn't have prayed in god all my life, the number of times I prayed in this single session...!!!!!!!! ;-) ;-)

 The hard fact is that the arm of the FIREBALL went even deeper after i had finished shooting..!!!!Though the video is shot for a brief period, i'm sure you can imagine the situation that we were in..!! When it finally ground to a halt...i can bet a million that all of them were happy that it was a  "Safe Landing"!!!!!!!!!

More posts to follow...!!!

TURKEY...!!

No....No...I'm definitely not referring to the bird you serve on a Christmas..but I wish to write about the country, that is rich in Heritage and Culture!! Having a population of somewhere between 12 - 15 Million, its history dates back to as long as 900 Yrs..!!! Perhaps, this is one unique country which has its locations in 2 continents. I mean..One end is in Europe while the other end in Asia..!!!!

My fascination with any new country that i visit is perhaps related to Roads & Cars..!! Thats how I would like to explain my first snap taken, just after we embarked on the journey from Ataturk International Airport to the Hotel, located on the European Side. The roads are just wonderful and you feel like being on a cruise..!! Can you also see the greenery on either side of the roads?? Its just heavenly being amidst the natural beauty here..!


Going by what ive said earlier, my fascination for cars never seems to end..!!! Always taking photos of these beauties..and yeah...I could see lots of Volkswagen, Hyundais, Toyotas, Mercs...and if u can see the big white beauty on the left side..its a Merc (Mercedes for short!) who has a manufacturing plant in Turkey for buses.


As we drive along the wonderful road amidst zipping cars, I happened to take this photograph. This served as the "Water Carrier" and dates back to 900 Yrs. The sole purpose of this construction was to transport water from the "dams" to the inner cities..!!! The structure still stands stong though other means of water transportation is being used in Turkey. But all said & done..its indeed a lovely structure and yeah..we didnt drive "through" the wall but on the left side..!!!! :-) :-)


Once I reached the hotel..I did call it a day..!!! The next morning was even more eventful...as I looked out the hotel window..to see the city..!!And this is what i could capture..!! A lovely stadium..the beautiful city..and the river Golden Horn (I suppose!!) flowing right across..!! An amazing way to begin the day..!!! If you can see the houses, all of them are tiled with sloping edged roofs. Reason?? It snows quite heavily in the European Parts and this tiled roof would help "unsettle" the snow..!!


During our way to meet customers, we saw a Traffic-Jam..!! I was just too happy to note one as I've spent most of my driving being in traffic-jams..!!! There's a big length of cars and they are awaiting their turn to enter the bridge, that connects the European Side to the Asian Side. Don't fail to note E-toll card in the car..!! Another feature, that im yet to see being implemented in India..!!! :-)



No..No...This is not the San Francisco Bridge..!!!!! Though it does look a lot similar, the charm of SFO bridge is far beyond comparison..!! This is the key bridge that connects the European Side to the Asian Side of Turkey. There are 2 bridges (including this one) and people use this to commute to the different sides...be it for business or pleasure..!! Though Ankara, is the capital of Turkey, the entire limelight is on Istanbul as it has carved a niche in itself as a city, filled with flea markets, breathtaking natural beauty and business hubs.

And if you are wondering, how the ropes are held onto place...just see the next snap that is self-explanatory..!!!!!
On the background, you may also see a wonderful & most popular mosque in Istanbul, that is conveniently located on River Bosphorous (Hope I got the spelling right)..!!!

As we finished a good day, our representative drove me back to the hotel and in order to beat the rush-hour traffic, we took another route and this magnificent towers were simply irresistible to be captured on camera. This happens to be the building that houses the offices of the VP's, CEO's and other powerful business magnates..!! Hmm...someday..sometime...somewhere...probably an office like this might be awaiting for all of us..!!!

More updates as i can take some time-off from my business commitments to capture the beauty of Turkey and have them relayed to you all..!!! Till then.. Hoşça kalın Pronounced ( Hosh cha kaluhn) that means Goodbye..!!!!!
Dont forget to leave ur sweet comments..!!!:-) :-)