wanderlust

January 12, 2017UncategorizedBerlin, blogger, Blogging, borders, culture, destinations, disrupt, entrepreneur, europe, flag, fun, Germany, identity, instapassport, instatravel, latergram, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, startup, Stories, story, trade, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

We learn from history that we don’t learn much from history. I read that somewhere and it stuck to my mind.

At the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, erstwhile army gear and flags of nations become props for photo ops for visitors.

For a small fee of course. In battle, people pay with their lives, to defend the flag, which is a different matter altogether.

Amongst other thoughts it struck me that it is part of identity, isn’t it?

If that is so, what defines us, automatically excludes a lot more.

Well, what defines you? What else could you possibly become?

What are the borders in your mind that you seek to overcome?

What are the borders in your mind that you don’t even know, exist?

(at Brandenburg Gate (Potsdam)

January 11, 2017Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, bridge, commerce, conversation, culture, destinations, disrupt, entrepreneur, fun, instapassport, instatravel, latergram, Life, Love, Madurai, Metaphor, ordinary, startup, Stories, story, tamilnadu, trade, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

What are you working on? And how are you working on whatever you are working on?

The Albert Victor Bridge in Madurai was built in 1886 and was supposed to last a 100 years! It’s still standing. Being of value and use to the day. Long after the engineers went back and the river ran dry.

Good work solves problems. Great work solves problems, through time as well. The option to do both exists all the time. The choices are ours to make.

(at Madurai, India)

January 10, 2017Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, commerce, culture, dad, daddy, daughter, daughterdiaries, fun, instapassport, instatravel, kids, lessons, Life, Love, mehndi, Metaphor, ordinary, Parenting, parentlife, Play, Stories, trade, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

A bird in hand is worth two in a bush they say. But what happens to a kid’s heart when a picture of one emerges in her hand?

The flutter in her eyes and the urgent joy that the twitch in the corner of her mouth gives away are flights of joy that no bird can match!

It’s not the big toys that cause the greatest joys. Sure they bring in their own levels of happiness. But the moments spent laughing and waiting for something to emerge are the ones that are green in the mind.

January 9, 2017Uncategorizedblogger, commerce, conversation, culture, destinations, disrupt, entrepreneur, explorer, fun, instapassport, instatravel, journey, latergram, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, road, startup, Stories, story, Temple, trade, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, Village, wanderlust

The gates lead to a brief courtyard of four pillars. Which leads to a ruffle of a mud road. That leads into the lake. Beyond which are great trees. When you persist post that pristine rolling hills invite.

The village temple has many celebrations through the year. But when this city dweller gets and looks at the world, the roads his parents have walked become clearer. Long roads that we’re never roads.

Journeys that start by looking out of giant doors and not wondering if there is a road. Whose dreams were never limited by the question : “Is there a road?’

(at Madurai, India)

September 10, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, community, conversation, culture, destinations, disrupt, engine, fight, highway, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, memory, Metaphor, motorcycle, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

There is something unique when a community moves. Especially when the movement is on bikes.

On my drives across the US, there were several groups of bikers. You know they are coming when you heard the roar of the engine from afar. For a few seconds they would be visible and then they would be gone.

Perhaps it is in their hugging the road, the sound waves and the eyesight, they evoke a strong memory and serious love. Ah, what it must be to soak in fresh air and let your heart throb to the tune of a revved up engine.

(at Mt. Washington,NH)

September 4, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, commerce, conversation, culture, destinations, disrupt, entrepreneur, instapassport, instatravel, latergram, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, paulrevere, startup, story, trade, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

Some people live a life that goes beyond their own lifespan and extend to generations. Paul Revere’s was one such. Imagine a life story from the 17th century that still captures attention laced with reverence.

Paul Revere was a successful silversmith who played a defining role in the American Independence struggle. A role that centred around devising a system that alerted and kept a watch on the British army. His heroics mounted a fame horse and rode away to glory, when Henry Longfellow wrote a poem called “Paul Revere’s ride”.

He wrote

“Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year”

I stood along with a set of curious folks who had got to the Granary Burial Ground in Boston. To look him up after reading his exploits the previous day.

For a gent who was born in 1734, that is some recognition, isnt it?

(at Granary Burial Grounds- Boston, Ma)

September 1, 2016Uncategorizedarts, blogger, Blogging, bridge, character, culture, destinations, goldengate, Happiness, History, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, soul, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

It is illegal to go to San Fransisco and not post a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge. At least it would appear so, just going by the number of questions that you get when you dont post one. 🙂

The bridge is beautiful and its been standing since 1937. The bridge took more than a decade of overcoming opposition for it to get built. People opposed the very building of it for a number of reasons. Today those reasons seem submerged in its practical and symbolic value.

The awesome doesnt get built overnight! And the awesome doesn’t appear awesome when it is still in the mind!

(at Golden Gate Bridge)

August 29, 2016Uncategorizedabrahamlincoln, blogger, character, culture, destinations, dream, Happiness, History, ihaveadream, instapassport, instatravel, lincolnmemorial, Love, martinlutherking, memorial, Metaphor, peopleoftheworld, skyline, slaves, soul, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust, washingtondc

Its the anniversary of one of the best speeches made. On the 28th of August 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his “I have a dream’ speech, standing on these very steps. The speech moved America and the rest of the world too.

The Lincoln Memorial has seen several speeches. But the speech by ML King, made to commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that freed millions of slaves, is perhaps the most remembered. At least, the most significant to me.

Some steps have helped mankind climb higher. This is one such.

(at Lincoln Memorial Monument)

August 21, 2016Uncategorizedberkeley, blogger, Blogging, California, campus, clocktower, culture, destinations, education, fossils, History, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, ucal, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

Every campus has a striking image. The Sather Tower in the University Of California, Berkeley hogs the sky and the eye.

It’s the third tallest Clock Tower in the World. But it stands for far more than just its function. Shaping the identity of scores of bright people who have walked or have aspired to, walk the ground below, gives it far more heft.

By the way, the tower houses more history than circa 1914, when it became functional. . Did you know that the Department Of Biology stores it’s fossils inside the tower.

(at University Of Berkeley, California)

August 19, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, boston, college, culture, destinations, education, harvard, harvarduniversity, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, statue, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

John Harvard sits pretty in the Harvard Yard at Harvard. He is often thronged by visitors who want to rub his left shoe. Theres a story there.

But there are bigger stories. The first is that John Harvard is not THE founder of Harvard University but a large donor. The second, this statue is not that of John Harvard but another man, for by the time they decided to put up a statue for John Harvard, no one knew how he looked like.

But this, I am told, is the third most photographed statue in the US. After the Lincoln Memorial and the Statue of Liberty. Now, that is some height isnt it?

(at Harvard University)