Some line - up! My first day in New York and Central Park. Had some pretzels from a South Indian who refused to give Tom any discount. Maud, Tom and I having seen death at close quarters in the cab decided to enjoy New York as much as possible. So as soon as we landed and checked in we headed out.

This is the dawn from Twickenham..yes. Would you ever guess that London might actually look like this?

1st June 2005 contd..

It has been ages since I have blogged or sat at my computer for recreational activites other than Stickcricket. In case you have missed this phenomenon and idly sitting at home try it out at www.stickcricket.com.
As I have a lot to update on I shall go back to the night of the 1st of June,2005.(This sounds like some crime thriller or mystery book probably because I saw Usual Suspects yesterday night. Nice movie Kaante was a poor imitation of it)
After I got ready and finished listening to Bill speak about increased interdependence in the world in terms of security, trade and health and the growth of NGO's we retired for dinner.All this was taking place in the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Its a huge building very imposing and has some of the most amazing collections of impressionist paintings in the world. They obviously re-opened the museum for us and after this talk we had dinner inside the museum at an exhibit called the Temple of Dendur.
The Temple of Dendur was built by Caesar Augustus in 15 BC when he had occupied Egypt. The entire temple (albeit small in Egyptian terms) was given to the USA by Egypt in 1965. It occupies this enormous hall (the size of my school auditorium, the new Essar one at Modern). There is a slightly raised square platform the size of a tennis court on which Temple of Dendur is exhibited. Around the perimeter of this platform is a gutter of water which gives it a nice touch.
The entire exhibit was lighted for us and we sat on the platform really close to the exhibit and had dinner. Absolutely great feeling!! It was fantastic just to be able to sit up that close to the exhibit but the lighting,soft music and ambience created just produced a very heady feeling. The lightheadedness was only enhanced by some lovely wine. Our waiters had been ordered not to allow our glasses to be empty. So, after every couple of sips they were refilled. Very nice wine, a Savignon Chardonnay from France and some Red wine from Jordan. Hmm...
I met some very interesting people at my table. Jeff who was a guy studying government in Georgetown or something. Doreen sat next to me which is always reassuring. Then met this lovely lady who had just finished her PhD from yale. Sweet german woman who was obviously there to have a great time. We chatted a bit about her work and other stuff. Also, there were some Oxford guys who were from my year I was meeting for the first time. Imagining going all the way to New York to meet someone from Oxford.
After the three course dinner (which was horrible vegetarian stuff..raw and boiled veggies) we had open access to the Museum's French Impressionist's collection. Marvelled at the collection of Cezanne and Monet's (amma dont drool!!). Also was really impressed by Rodin's sculptures. Its the first time that I had seen them. The "Thinker" and "Gates of Hell" were such amazing bronze sculptures. It was fantastic to see someone able to carve the entire curve of a hunched person so smoothly. Even the emotions and just the detail of the sculpture just brought the whole sculpture to life. Unfortunately, I did not take a single photograph. I thought I can always come back and see it.
Ok, enough writing. Now for some photo blogging.

June 1st,2005

I left Twickenham at dawn. I mean literally...I tool the first train from Twickenham to Feltham,the 5.36am and then the bus to Heathrow. I have had some strange experiences on Airlines, but never thought I would spend half an hour waiting to get a boarding pass. This happened because the world is a small place and every 6th person in the world is an Indian. The AA official decided that he was getting really bored and began chatting with me and elicited my life history. You know the one thing Indians can always talk about is cricket and Politics...and this trait doesn't disappear when you become an expat.
Some things I now know about the person who checked me in :
1. He has been in the country for 28 years
2. He has worked at AA for 15 years
3. He has two children
4. His brother-in-law's son's name is Sridhar
blah blah blah...


Anyway, to cut a long story short I reached JFK safely and passed through immigration easily and quickly. I was guinea pig for trainee induction, "This is his name..check it in the computer","This is the pasport number, enter here and see if it matches".. without any check in luggage I sailed through customs and shared a taxi with other Rhodies to the Peninsula Hotel, NYC. The taxi provided me with my first near-death experience. Our driver swerved into a car while coming out of an exit and was exactly(no exaggeration) one foot away from hitting another car which was trying to cut into the same lane. All this at about 60 miles an hour. Of course, he then proceeded to call up his friend and swear at the whole world and us in Punjabi!!

The Peninsula Hotel is without doubt the most luxurious and opulent hotel I have ever seen... My room is a suite and I am sharing it with another guy called Jeff from the States. We have a huge sitting room ( about the size of my whole sitting room back home) with a flat screen 51' TV. A sofa, working desk a couple of chairs and a small round table. This leads to a small corridor which ends with the bedroom(with a king size bed and another TV..Am I getting tired), a dressing area and a bathroom the size of my room.The bathroom has a separate TV just above the bath. That my friends, is true luxury!!!

After just about reaching the hotel intact, I picked up my tuxedo and got ready to head out into NYC. Went for a walk around Central Park with some people and got back in time to have a quick shower and get ready for our first event.

A quick student orientation where we were introduced to our host Catherine B Reynolds and we were whisked off in huge coaches to the MoMA. We were treated to a speech by President Bill Clinton, which he later repeated on Larry King Live later in the night. This man just exudes charisma and knows how to work a room. Obviously he had a prepared speech but it never once seemed like he had prepared it. He spoke about the increasing interdependence in the world today and then fielded questions.
Then we had Sr.Susan Hockfield, President of MIT(first woman Pres), Yogi Bear(baseball legend) who had this great quote for all of us.
He said,"When you come to a fork, take it!"
Then we had Catie Curtis, host of NBC's Today Show who really seemed to speak from the heart. I was really impressed by her although I usually am quite sceptical of these journalists.

Anyway, the treat was after..and all that in my next installment. Dinner at the Temple of Dendur and Rodin...

My world this week -1

I havent really blooged for the last week for a number of reasons.
1. Mother and brother here, who are the only people who read my blog apart from little one.
2. Was in London for weekend, no internet access
3. Wednesday applied for Canadian visa which I recieved without having any supporting documents. This story later.
4. Have been busy doing lab work during the day and socialiasing with mother at night.

Interesting things done this week:
1. Watched Lion King the musical at the Lyceum theatre. Got one ticket free and some great seats. I have watched a few musicals and plays at Oxford but have always resisted from buying the expensive seats which often meant that distance + myopia= never being able to see the performers face/emotions. I remember watching Swan Lake which featured this lovely girl as the lead, so I hired a pair of opera glasses to watch her closely but still was never able to distinguish any emotions on her face. For Lion King, mother and I had stall tickets about 10 rows from the stage and it was absolutely fantastic. I could make out actors' make-up, facial expressions and might be able to recgonise their photos.
The musical per se was a disappointment. The production was magnificent and the whole thing was a spectacle. It had the best sets and costumes that I have ever seen. Every performer had a puppet animal attached to him. So, there was this life size figure of the animal whose arms werre attached by strings to the actors, whose head moved when the actor moved his. It was great because for Poomba and Timon the acting included actually moving the animal while acting. very creative. The singing and dance were outstanding and the lady who played Rafiki had a voice to die for....


The acting was ghastly and the direction even worse. No character building, no emotive moments and very poor delivery. I often cat-napped in between songs, once between the "Can you feel the love tonight" song which had this semi-naked couple doing a very erotic dance. Bizarre!!

Ok, enough blabbering. Shall get back to my virus neturalisation assay and leave my visa story for another day.

babies,london and drugs

It has been brought to my notice that it was not three detectives, but investigators. I apologise and blame my pre-senile dementia for this. Further proof of this condition is evidenced by the incident where I chatted with a Rhodie from Africa, another medic for over an hour without remembering her name or country or any details about her. I also remember meeting her three days later after having looked her up and still forgetting her name.

Anyway, the weekend has been exciting with mother and brother reaching london although in the process of making this terrible journey from London to Luton I lost my youth rail card. So, will need to pay another 25GBP to get one made. I hate losing things.... On the other hand, had a great day out with family on Sunday. We toured St.Paul's, Covent garden on a sunday (witnessed a tight rope walker juggling knives and ate some really bad pasta), leicester square, westminister and the national gallery. Some advice about the fantastic Carvagghio exhibition - book in advance!! Very interestingly, we came across a rally in Trafalgar square which was protesting against the ban on marijuana. Hmm....I am not a rabid anti-drug use person, but I sincerely believe that it is wrong for people to extoll the virtues of a any harmful substance. I am therefore in agreement with people who ban alcohol and cigarette advertising.
Interestingly, I would like to find how the UK classifies a drug and why for example chocolate is not classified as a drug.

Also, Imelda delivered a baby boy on Monday morning. Yeah! Finally little Furqon in born! I am now officially "Uncle Saranya". Rachel and Julia spent the whole day and night with her and deserve a big pat on the back, which Halim and I gave them by getting them drunk on wine and chocolate cake. All this was tonight while discussing drug abuse, socialism and capitalism and the slefish nature of man.

Am really looking forward to the cricket match against Keble MCR tomorrow. Hopefully should get a good hit.

I learnt this nice quote from Julia today,"Democracy is the tyranny of the majority"!

Lists

Watching Lagaan yesterday made me decide to write down my top ten Hindi movie list. They are in no order of preference
1. Lagaan
2. Andaz apna apna
3. Padosan
4. Chupke Chupke
5. Dil Chahta Hai
6. Johnny Mera Naam ( this is my dad's second favourite movie)
7. Teesri Manzil
8. Sholay
9. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
10. Jewel Thief

I also finally recieved my FIRST AMAZON purchase. 6 Roald Dahl books. For those of you who have never been exposed to this master of children fiction, he is the greatest writer (in my opinion) of children fantasy.
He was amazingly gifted swinging between the truly macabre and scary books like Tales of the Unexpected to the fantastic,innocent and truly fantasimal BFG(Big Friendly Giant). Some of his best books are those he wrote for children :
Matilda , James and the Giant peach, Charlie series, Danny the champion of the world.
Matilda has already been made into a movie and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is due to be released this summer starring the gifted Johnny Depp.

I love his work, any man who can think of names like Oompa Loompa, Fleshlumpeater,Bogtrotter,Trunchbull, snozzcumber, frobscottle is very difficult to resist. I also decided to make my list of favourite children books :
1. Noddy
2. Famous five
3. The Three detectives ( Jupiter joe, pete and Bob Andrews)
4. Danny the Champion of the world
5. The illustrated abridged versions of the classics ( I cant remember the publications, but they used to be these books with the illustration on the page facing the text. Used to love reading those in the balcony with some snacks after school and before 5pm play)
6. Now, Phillip Pullman
I cant think of too many others. Might just be me.

Thats enuf, am off to have some dinner at New College, right or left? (see BFG)