Golpoguccho...

Jab Jab Dard Ka Baadal Chaaya

2012-02-08T23:59:00.000-08:00

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was indeed a wonderful movie released last summer. One of the underrated parts of the movie was the amazing poetry penned by Javed Akhtar and recited by Farhan Akthar over the course of the film. The scenes where poems are recited in Farhans head in the midst of total silence (sitting on a boat after going diving, admiring the surroundings, driving away from the love of your life, around a campfire in the middle of the night) are the kind of scenes which we can all relate to in our lives, via different, often simple and unexpected experiences, and all have special significance for us for our own personal reasons.

My favorite poem from the movie was when Farhan is coming to terms with how cruel, and irresponsible his father was after meeting him for the first time. The poem is as follows:

Jab jab dard ka baadal chaya
Jab ghum ka saya lehraya
Jab aansoo palkon tak aya
Jab yeh tanha dil ghabraya

Humne dil ko yeh samjhaya
…Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai
Duniya mein yunhi hota hai

Yeh jo gehre sannate hain
Waqt ne sabko hi baante hain
Thoda ghum hai sabka qissa
Thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa
Aankh teri bekaar hi nam hai
Har pal ek naya mausam hai
Kyun tu aise pal khota hai
Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai

These days, I often listen to these words and try to tell myself that everything will be alright. Thank you Javedsaab for putting into words what I often think about, but fail to emote.

Restaurant Review: The Reef

2012-02-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

The Reef
4172 Main Street
Vancouver, BC

The next new cuisine to try, after some thought, was Jamaican. In all honesty, I never realised that Caribbean folk had their own cuisine, and in fact, it is really a bit of a fusion between all the different ethnicities which inhabit the islands. However, I was glad that we went and explored these new tastes.

The specialty about Jamaican food is their use of 'Jerk' Marinade. Jerk Sauce is a garlicy, spicy marinade with a strong hint of ginger which is used to flavor most meat dishes which are served. Additionally you will find liberal helpings of Indian spices mixed into the cuisine, such a various curries, and Roti, which is often served on the side.

I ordered the 'Jamaican Bun' from the 'Special Tings' section of the menu, which was basically a chicken patty marinated in jerk sauce and served on a bun, along with coleslaw and plantain chips on the side. I particularly like the taste of the plaintain chips, as they were different from the french fries you usually get with a burger at most restaurants. We also managed to finish off a pitcher of rum punch between the two of us!

I liked this restaurant. The location is a bit far from campus, but the ambiance is warm and friendly, meant to replicate the Caribbean, and there is a DJ playing reggae music late into the night. The prices are not too bad, and of course, how can you say bad things about a restaurant which serves drinks with umbrellas in them? ;)

Location: 3/5
Service/Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 3.5/5

Restaurant Review: Vallartas Mexican Restaurant

2012-02-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Vallartas Mexican Restaurant
2991 E. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Long time since I have blogged. Why you may ask? Well, I have spent a considerable amount of time EATING! :D More specifically, trying out new cuisines with a friend who shares the same interests...

Well, finally, after much searching, a good Mexican Restaurant has been found in Vancouver. I present to you, Vallartas Mexican Restaurant!

Vallartas is a family run, small restaurant, located at the corner of Broadway and Renfrew in Vancouver. While from the outside, the restaurant looks quite shady, and in fact, was a bit difficult to locate, since the signboard is not clearly visible, but this actually ads to the charm when you get inside.

Food is cooked by an elderly Latina woman and was served by her daughter. While the spoken English is a bit weak, the food is prepared and served with love. And what PORTIONS! I don't think I have been to restaurant which has been so generous with their serving sizes.

We ordered a bit much, not realising the portion sizes were so much... Quesadillas for appetizers, Chicken Burrito for my friend, and a Roasted Chicken Platter for me. Topped off with a Corona for good measure. In all honesty, we could have done without the appetizers, as ultimately, we were unable to finish our meals and took them home for lunch the next day.

Perhaps because of the individual attention given to each dish, and the authenticity of the restaurant, I really enjoyed the meal, and was happy to finally discover a place where you could get a decent Mexican meal in Vancouver. Considering the portion sizes, I would say that the prices are also quite reasonable.

Location: 2.5/5
Service/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5

Susu Kumar

2012-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

Before the 2010 Commonwealth Games, New Delhi launched a civic pride campaign featuring two characters: ‘Susu Kumar’, and ‘Thuthu Kumar’. The intention was to try and admonish Delhiites against two public national pastimes… urinating in public, and spitting in public. This kind of behaviour is of course in no way limited to Delhi, and it is a common sight in ANY Indian city to see men lined up along the side of the road relieving themselves in public, or to see walls with red stains all over them due to Paan spit. But what to say, its just the ‘Indian’ way of doing things, and to suggest that the ‘Indian’ way of doing things is incorrect would be anti-national…

I recently had to make a trip to an Indian Courthouse to deal with some paperwork. I had drank a lot of water along the way, so as soon as I got to the Courthouse, I needed to go to the bathroom. I asked a gentleman working on the second floor where the facilities were, and he pointed to the far corner of the room. He gave me a funny look, as it seemed as if I was the first person who had ever bothered to ask him the question. I walked into the bathroom, and hastily staggered out. The stench was absolutely unbearable, and it seemed as if no one had bothered to clean the toilet or urinal in weeks. Same story on the first floor… now what to do? My bladder was about to explode…

I walked outside hoping that there might be a clean toilet somewhere, and of course I found one. Of the open air variety. Public urination is the great Indian equalizer. Judges, advocates and peons alike were lined up along the side of the courthouse doing their business. And of course, Sudip joined in… I really didn’t have a choice. I never in a thousand years could imagine the same scene going on in Vancouver. I just can’t see myself standing alongside a Provincial Judge on Howe Street in front of a Government building taking a wizz…

58% of the worlds public performing public defecation lives in India. To compare against other countries, 54% of Indias population performs public defecation vs 4% for China. 60% of Ethiopias population performs public defecation. So while India strives to compete alongside China, it follows hygienic practises at par with a famine stricken African nation… no doubt India will one day be a superpower, but at this rate, it will have the dubious honor of being the worlds filthiest superpower.

Certainly, one can rightly argue that part of the reason for the unacceptably high rates is due to a lack of facilities, especially in rural areas. A nations true progress can be judged based on the provision of basic facilities being made easily available to all levels of society. However, what the public also needs to realise is that is responsible for changing its attitudes at the same time. Where facilities are available, they should be used, and they should be properly maintained so that they remain useable. No one wants to use a toilet where the previous user didn't bother to flush. Its a question of self-respect, civic pride, and public health. Its time for the 'Susu' Kumars to become 'Swasthya' Kumars, India!

9/11 in Retrospect

2011-09-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

9/11 is a phrase which just needs to be said, and not explained. I still remember this day, 10 years ago, napping on the Skytrain, on the way to my classes at UBC, blissfully unaware of the horror that was unfolding on the other side of the continent. I heard a few people discussing planes slamming into buildings and the Pentagon being attacked by those around me, but I just figured they were discussing an action movie and so I went back to sleep...

It wasn't until arrived on campus and found a group of people huddled around a radio that I came to hear of 'America under attack', and what had earlier seemed like fiction, suddenly became reality. Needless to say, the rest of the day, no one payed any attention in class, and we all were more interested in finding a TV during breaks to find out just what was happening.

10 years onwards, undoubtedly America has changed. Minorities, in particular Muslims, I feel will never be trusted again. Security in normal places is just incredible. The sense of freedom, which I observed as an outsider, is now lost.

There is no doubt that not one of the many thousands of innocent lives which were lost that day deserved their fate. But many innocents have died in retaliation throughout the world as well. And I have a feeling, this was the gripe that many throughout the world had before the whole attack took place anyway. Rather than engaging in a dialogue to find out what the cause of the anger against it was, America has just gone about trying to crush it. In my opinion, the world still looks upon the USA, and in particular their foreign policies, with disdain... the goodwill and sympathy the world shared 10 years ago is now lost.

Osama bin Ladens goal was to terrorize the western world into accepting his philosophies. That has not happen. The USA is resilient enough, and will never be forced to act as cowards. Moreover, Bin Laden is now dead, and Al Queda is not the force it once was. Coupled with the slow self democratization of the Middle East, it seems as if people are slowly turning away from Radical Islam, and more towards tolarism and peace.

So where are we? Back to Square One? I don't think either side here has been a 'victor'. Will we forever maintain the status quo of respecting America for its might, but privately cursing them for the arrogance, and the ambivalence they often show? I hope not... if the wounds continue to fester, I worry it is just a matter of time before a new Bin Laden emerges, and a new chapter of fiction becomes a frightening reality.

Restaurant Review: Mirch Masala

2011-09-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Mirch Masala
9545 120 St
Surrey, BC

As a follow up to the previous post, I suppose I should review one of the restaurants we WENT to, after our last hike.

Mirch Masala is a restaurant I had generally heard good things about, and as we were passing through Surrey on the way back to campus, we decided to stop there for dinner.

In all honesty, I felt that the quality of the food did not live up to the hype. We ordered Malai Kofta, Prawn Curry and Chilli Chicken, along with Rice and Naan for everyone. Although the restaurant was clean, the service was prompt, and the amounts were plentiful, I felt disappointed with the taste of the food... there are definitely better tasting restaurants in Surrey, and that too, at lower prices.

Location: 2.5/5
Service/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 2/5

Hiking

2011-09-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011 is almost over, and the one thing that has stood out in my mind is the number of amazing hikes I have gone on this summer. I managed to find a nice group of people on campus who share the enthusiasm, and we went on 6-7 hikes located all around the Lower Mainland. They were all of varying amounts of difficulty, but at the end, I think we all felt a certain amount of satisfaction (along with exhaustion). The interesting thing is, prior to this summer, although I have always been a fitness enthusiast, I have never been much of a hiker. I am happy that this summer has changed that. I also came to realise just how blessed we are to live in such an amazing place where there are amazing natural landscapes to be discovered all within two hours of the city.

On a side note, I now accept that the post-hike meal, is undoubtedly the most satisfying meal one can enjoy! :D

Just call me 'Bittoo'...

2011-09-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize something... I may have chosen the wrong profession. Rather than 'Civil Engineer', I should have gone for 'Event Planner'.

Over the past few months, I have been working with the Graduate Student Society (GSS) at UBC as their 'Orientation Coordinator'. The work was part time, entailing a few hours a week. Basically I was responsible for helping to plan, arrange, and coordinate the Orientation Events which occur during the first week of September for new Graduate Students who arrive at UBC for their studies, along with the other GSS execs. It kind of took me back to my days on the UTSAV-ISA exec, only that we were dealing with a higher volume of students.

Orientation week was last week, and over the course of the week, I became a Tour Guide/Laborer/Manager/Waiter/Secretary all in the name of Event Management. All in all, everything went off with almost no problems. I sometime think this might be something I am naturally good at! Now just to find a 'Shruti Kakkar' for a partner... hmmm... ;)

Stampede Time

2011-08-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I went to visit some old friends in 'Cowtown', AKA, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One of my good friends had just moved there, I had a free ticket, and accommodation and food paid for, so it was a no brainer. On top of that, it was time for the Calgary Stampede, which is one of the truly Canadian Events that I have heard a lot about, but had never been to.

Calgary is basically a city in development. Given the proximity to abundant energy resources, it is just a matter of time before the infrastructure/population develops to the point where it becomes a major international destination. Unfortunately, there are very few social activities for people to partake in, other than the Stampede. Basically, it is a chance for Calgaryites to let themselves loose, and pretend like they are back in the old west. There is a huge fair put on at the stampede grounds, with a mainly agriculture theme. I don't think I have ever seen so many farm animals in one place at once. Lots of usual amusement park kind of things, like games, rides, and plenty of junk food. There are modern 'saloons' serving alcohol which are set up in tents around the ground which seemed pretty rowdy.

The main events which go on during the stampede everyday are the afternoon rodeo, and the evening chuckwagon race, followed by a stageshow and fireworks. While we missed out on the rodeo, we did get tickets for the race and evening show.

In all honesty, the chuckwagon race got a bit dull... essentially four horses are hitched to the front of a wagon and raced around the track at high speeds. It gets a bit repetitive after a while. Rather, we enjoyed the show/fireworks which followed. The show was a bit like 'Cirque de Soleil', with acrobats performing truly phenomenal physical feats, and even the fireworks were pretty good. All in all, it was a good day. :)

Bachelorlife Timings

2011-08-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Just some amusing timings I have noticed about myself, and are probably applicable to any single guy living alone.

When will he go out to buy household supplies?

When he is out of toilet paper...

When will he do his laundry?

When he is out of clean underwear...

When will he cook something?

When the fridge is completely empty.

When will he clean his place?

When he knows a pretty girl will be coming over.

Restaurant Review: Anatolias Gate

2011-08-02T02:30:00.001-07:00

Anatolia's Gate Restaurant
7084 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC

Anatolias Gate is a Turkish Restaurant located in Burnaby. It had been recommended to me by a friend of mine, so when the opportunity came this past weekend to go there for another friends birthday celebration, I decided not to miss it.

Turkish food is somewhat of a fusion between Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines. You get spicy meat kebabs, and oven roasted breads combined with interesting uses of vegetables, and delightful desserts.

I ordered a Lamb Shish Kebab plate, which came with roasted Lamb Shish Kebab, Lavash Bread, Side Salad, Rice and Yogurt. Before this we had also ordered a unique type of appetizer, which basically was a vegetable casserole. I hadn't expected this, and must say it was done quite well.

The food was made fresh, and promptly, and I had no complaints. The portions were adequate, as we had out bellies filled. For dessert we rounded off with Baklava and Turkish Tea. The ambiance leaves a bit to be desired, as it isn't exactly an Arabian wonderland type of setting.

Location: 2.5/5
Service/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 3.5/5

How adult are our parents?

2011-08-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Was watching the movie 'Delhi Belly' last weekend. For those of you who have not seen it, Delhi Belly is Bollywood Comedy, but what makes it unique is that it is one of the first mainstream Bollywood Movies which has humor which is truly 'Adult'. The characters speak in profanity laden sentences, and the humor is generally crude, dirty, and often related to sex. This is unlike 99% of Bollywood Movies which are generally family friendly entertainers. The movie is definitely pathbreaking, but won't be getting laughs from everyone.

Having been previously warned about the content matter, I decided to watch this movie a bit later at night, after my parents had gone to sleep. Unfortunately, the movie had me in stitches, and I was laughing quite loudly. My mom woke up, and walked into the living room only to be greeted by a scene where one of the main characters was engaged in an act which left him in an 'interesting' position, to say the least.

Mom was a bit shocked, and asked me what the heck I was watching... I sheepishly told her that this was an 'Adult' movie and that she probably wouldn't enjoy it... she gave me a bemused look, and I kind of realised that she technically IS an adult, just somewhere along the line, I seem to have forgotten that!

Sometimes we forget, our parents are 'Adults' too! They are much more mature, understanding, and generally better able to compromise than us, but sometimes we forget this. I am still not going to be comfortable watching 'Delhi Belly' with my parents, but its not because they are not 'Adult' enough, just that there is a generation gap, and my sense of humor is actually probably not as 'Adult' as theirs...

Sustainability and Society

2011-06-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

Sustainability and the environment are not topics that I have seriously thought about up until the last few years. This has changed for two main reasons. Firstly, these two topics are always in the news these days, so they are impossible to avoid. Secondly (and more importantly for me), my PhD Thesis topic has to do with sustainability and infrastructure. Consequently, I have learnt alot about how infrastructure affects the environment, and in a vicious cycle, how the environment affects our infrastructure.

I was attending a Symposium last week which had to do with 'Sustainability in Engineering'. One of the keynote speakers was a gentleman named Mr. Peter Robinson who was with the David Suzuki Foundation, a group dedicated to Environmental Issues in Canada, and around the world. He was one of the better speakers of the day, and I enjoyed his talk very much.

One statement he made really made an impression on me. He said that he felt Environmental Sustainability could never be achieved without achieving Societal Sustainability first. The two go hand in hand. That is, unless Society develops in a sustainable and responsible manner, Environmental Sustainability will be a dream, and our Ecosystem will continue to degenerate.

I felt this was a very poignant remark. We can engineer as many solutions as we want to Global Climate Change and environmental issues, but as long as we, as a society, do not have the will to sacrifice and adapt ourselves to living a sustainable lifestyle, technological innovation will be pointless. We may claim we want to save the Rainforest, but how many of us check if our coffee beans are certified by the Rainforest Allaince? We may claim we want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but how many of us would prefer to drive a hybrid vehicle over a high-powered BMW? We chide the 3rd world for developing in an unsustainable manner, and take pride when we cut our emissions by a few percent, but our frame of reference is so narrow that we forget that we are the ones whose excessive consumption has effectively caused the crisis we are in in the first place!

It is one thing to talk big, and to maybe develop a few potential solutions. It is another thing to act on our words and implement them. If we are serious about saving the planet, lets stop just talking about it, make some sacrifices, and actually do it.

Restaurant Review: Chilli House Thai Bistro

2011-06-08T00:28:00.000-07:00

Chilli House Thai Bistro

1018 Beach Avenue

Vancouver, BC

My blog has been woefully unattended to the last few months, and I figured it was time to update with a restaurant review. Went out for a lovely evening last weekend for a friends birthday, part of which involved dinner at the Chilli House Bistro located at the edge of False Creek almost directly underneath the Burrard Street Bridge.

The Chilli House Bistro is kind of an upscale Thai Restaurant, located in a beautiful part of Vancouver. The surroundings and the atmosphere are really lovely, as you can enjoy your meal and get a great view of False Creek at the same time. Unfortunately, this comes at a premium as the prices for dishes here are $4-$5 than most other Thai Restaurants around town.

In terms of quality of food , it was quite standard. I ordered the Pad Bai Grapua (Stir Fried Chicken and Vegetables) with rice, and found the taste to be good, but nothing extraordinary. The portions were good to full the stomach, but not excessive.

Overall, a nice restaurant, but overpriced.

Location: 5/5

Service/Ambiance: 3/5

Food: 3/5

A question of happiness...

2011-06-08T00:23:00.000-07:00

A thought has been passing my mind a bit these past few days.

What is true happiness?

Yes, that is actually quite a deep, complicated question, but I would like to narrow it down a bit.

Specifically, should one be happy if they are content with what they are given, or should they be happy if they get what they desire? Does the former inspire lethargy, and the latter inspire greed? Maybe there is a happy medium in between?

Not really sure of the answer myself, but would like to hear some thoughts.

A Short Rant

2011-04-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

Something is irritating me today... and it is actually quite silly. And it has to do with Social Networking.

1) Why are there people who insist on adding you to their 'friends' list, login regularly to check up on what everyone else is doing, and yet insist on keeping their own profile totally private? What is the point of social networking, if you refuse to be social yourself?

Guess what... all you are doing is being creepy, and are nothing better than a snooper.

2) Why are there people who login to regularly check up on what everyone else is doing, and yet take forever to respond to their own postings?

Guess what... we all know you are jobless enough to be logging into Facebook like the rest of us, so stop trying to act like you are too busy to be doing so.

That is all.

Restaurant Review: Desi Dosa Madras

2011-04-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

Desi Dosa Madras

8859 120 St.

Delta, BC

Went out for South Indian food last weekend, and thought I would write a quick review. Desi Dosa Madras is a veg/non veg South Indian restaurant located on Scott Rd in Surrey/Delta. Unlike most South Indian Restaurants in Vancouver, the place has more of an upscale, refined feel, yet, the prices are kept very reasonable, and the cuisine offered is quite thorough. Everything from Biryani to Dosa to Uttapam to Idlis to Coffee is offered, and if you so desire, alcoholic drinks may also be ordered.

I must say, I was highly unimpressed with the service. Our order was not taken correctly, it took forever to get a seat, despite the fact the restaurant was half empty, and the waitress seemed to be a bit snooty. However, the lack of quality service is made up for by the plentiful food, the taste and the prices. I must say of all the South Indian restaurants I have been to in Vancouver, this place probably offers the best 'bang for your buck', as the food is tasty, and so plentiful that you can hardly finish it.

Be prepared to be frustrated by the service, but otherwise, definitely worth a check out.

Location: 3/5

Service/Ambiance: 1.5/5

Food: 4/5

Restaurant Review: Show Case Restaurant and Bar

2011-03-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

Show Case Restaurant and Bar
1122 West Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC

I think for the first time ever, I am going to be doing a review of a 'High-End' restaurant. I guess the reason I have not done one before is because I never can afford going to such pricey places.

Show Case Restaurant and Bar is located in the lobby of the Marriot Hotel in downtown Vancouver. As most of the clientele who stay at the Marriot are usually well-to-do, this restaurant has been created with them in mind.

Walking in, you get the feeling you are walking into a place which is quite opulent. The waitress is exceedingly polite, and for the first time ever, someone offered to take a coat for me in a restaurant. I was in fact feeling a bit underdressed in my shirt and jeans.

As with such restaurants, while the service and ambiance is excellent, and the food is usually of good quality, the proportions are quite small, and the cost is really very high. I ordered the 'Seared Black Cod', which came with a side salad, and found the dish to be adequate, but not spectacular. After appetizers, main course, and drinks, you should not be expecting to spend less than $35-$40 per person. In all honesty, it probably isn't worth it, but considering that I wasn't the one paying the bill, it was okay.

Location: 5/5
Service/Ambiance: 5/5
Food: 2.5/5

Dancing!

2011-03-02T18:37:00.001-08:00

Okay, blogging after a looooooooong time. Why you may ask? Well, believe it or not, Mr. 2-Left-Feet actually got on stage last weekend, and grooved to a Bollywood Beat:

Not too bad if I do say so myself...

Anyway, I must admit, that when I first was asked to do this, Ihad a very good laugh. I am infamous amongst my group of friends for being a notoriously shy and incompetent dancer. However, ultimately, I decided that since I have never done anything like this before, and probably never will again, it would be a good experience. And what do you know, I actually enjoyed myself! Despite the sore legs, and losing 5lbs over 2.5 weeks of practise, but its nice to make new friends, and more importantly, its good to push yourself out of your comfort zone once in a while. You never know what you are capable of, and as long as you are not doing something dangerous, stupid, or immoral, there is no harm in trying out something new every once in a while.

It was a wonderful night, something I will always remember! Thanks to the gang for 'discovering' me and having a blast!

Online Reunion

2011-01-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

I published a blog in 2010 about the drawbacks of online social networking. Over the holidays though, I had a very nice experience of the positive aspects.

When I used to go to India for prolonged periods as a child, I had made a friend who was basically a young university student who lived in my cousins apartment complex. I was about 7-8 years old at the time, and while it may seem weird to people here, it wasn't that uncommon for boys/girls to befriend someone who is elder to them there as an adopted 'big brother/sister'.

After my return, we kept in touch via letters, and he sort of became my pen pal. However, as with most things, over 20 years, we slowly lost touch. I had heard that he got married and had moved to the US. I remember him occasionally, as I used to have alot of fun going to his place and irritating him especially over game after game of Carrom Board (strangely, he never complained though).

Last week, out of the blue, I got a Facebook Invitation from him. I was totally shocked and pleasantly surprised that he had managed to track me down. He is now well settled in the US, and ironically now has 2 kids, who are close to the same age I was when I used to visit him as a kid. It was really a joy to get back in touch with him, and see how his life and family had progressed. I would love to meet up with him in the future, now that we are back in touch. It was indeed a very nice online reunion. :-)

Restaurant Reviews...

2011-01-01T21:35:00.001-08:00

Alright, well the holidays are almost over, and I have officially gone way off my diet, and indulged in 4 different restaurants over the past 2 weeks. Sacrificing my waistline so that you can read my all important (abbreviated) reviews of these four places. Here we go:

1) Tropika

2975 Cambie St.
Vancouver, BC

To start off with, my officemates and myself went out for a Christmas lunch at this Malaysian/Thai restaurant. I had been there before, but wasn't impressed then. I definitely liked the place more this time, partially because we did a better job of ordering. We ordered pretty much every course, including appetizers, soup, lunch and coffee after, too many things to list in this review. I do however very much recommend the Eggplant Dish from the vegetarian menu. It is rated as one of the best prepared Eggplants in Vancouver, and I highly agree. We were all in good spirits and had a very pleasant lunch. This place is a bit expensive (especially for a lunch), with the cost coming to $22 /head. However, the food is very good, and the service is excellent.

Service: 4/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5

2) Vancouver Tibetan Kitchen

6591 Fraser St.
Vancouver BC

Vancouver opened up its first Tibetan restaurant 2 months ago. It is located on Fraser St and I noticed it when I went for a grocery trip a few days back. A few friends and I decided to sample what Tibetan food was like.

While the food itself was not bad, it was not what we expected. There were only two dishes which were 'Tibetan' the Momo (steamed dumplings) and Tibetan Soup. Everything else was just Indian style Chinese Food. I don't know if that is what Tibetan food is really supposed to be like, but in a way, it was disappointing.

Service: 3/5
Location/Ambiance: 2.5/5
Food: 3/5

3) Maurya Indian Cuisine

1643 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Christmas lunch #2 (because 1 is never enough). Maurya is a higher end Indian restaurant in Vancouver. We have been here plenty of times before, as it is an office favorite. As usual, we went for the lunch buffet, which is priced at $13.99 per person, which is probably a bit expensive for a lunch buffet.

The food itself is completely North Indian, but the buffet is quite wide ranging and very decent tasting. All the standard North Indian Veg and Non Veg dishes are included (Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Mattar Paneer, Choley, etc). There is also appetizers and desert included.

A bit pricey, but worth stopping in.

Service: 3.5/5
Location/Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 3.5/5

4) Bengali Fish and Curry

13030 76 Ave.
Surrey, BC

Phew, last one. My waistline must have expanded at least an inch. Went here for a family dinner out of curiosity, just to find out how authentically Bengali the place was. We got our answer. Not AT ALL.

It is a decent restaurant, but there is absolutely nothing Bengali about it. There is one 'Bengali Fish Curry' dish on the menu, but there is absolutely nothing Bengali about how it is prepared, and they don't use a common Bengali fish either (Cod, in place of something like Rahu or Hilsa).

The food itself is decent, although the restaurant service is lacking (one waiter for 25 odd people). The price is a bit high ($12-$20 per dish). The Chicken Methi Malai is really very good. However, they should definitely rename this place to Punjabi Fish and Curry.

Service: 2/5
Location/Ambiance: 2.5/5
Food: 3.5/5

A Lunch Conversation

2010-12-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

I had a discussion with our departments new Safety Director last week. It was the first time I really had the chance to talk with him personally, and we had a very interesting discussion over lunch. Turns out he was an ex-engineer at Ballard Power Systems, and was layed off after working there for 14 years. When I asked him about if he was happy in his current position, he replied that although the pay was not as good, the piece of mind he got here, the lower stress levels, and the extra time he got to spend with his family more than made up with it. Essentially, no matter how successful he had been in his professional life, it did not compare to the enjoyment he was getting from having a successful personal life.

The other thing I queried him about was about the future of Ballard. For those of you who don't know, Ballard Power Systems was a Canadian startup that in the early 1990's developed a Hydrogen Fuel Cell which produced ZERO harmful emissions. The invention was supposed to revolutionize the transportation industry and solve all our worries about climate change. The company ballooned from a few zealous inventors to a huge company of 300 engineers based out of Burnaby, BC. Ford Motors invested 750 MILLION dollars into the technology and the idea was that in about 20 years, all cars would be running on Hydrogen Fuel Cells.

Well, things haven't quite worked out as imagined. Ballard is now OUT of the automobile business, and has downsized to about 100 employees. There is even talk that this uniquely Canadian company may be sold off to foreign investors. But what went wrong?

Essentially, the problem was that although the technology worked perfectly, and was tested in prototype cars, buses and other modes of transport, no matter how much convincing was done, governments have not supported the production and supply of readily available Hydrogen to fuel these vehicles. The expectation was that once people saw how wonderful the technology was, Hydrogen would be readily produced along the same scale as Gasoline, Diesel, Propane and CNG is now. The problem is that at present, production of fuel Hydrogen is not economically feasible. Other types of fuel are cheaper. Think about it... we have the technology available to massively reduce greenhouse emissions, and perhaps solve our problem of Global Climate Change and yet, we ignore it.

The advice our director gave me was quite telling. With engineering problems, it is important to think things through from beginning to end. Ballard had a brilliant idea, and successful implementation, but they never considered human nature, and how selfish we can be. Until the effects of climate change begin to seriously affect us, we will not pressure governments to support sustainable technology as long as it is expensive. No matter how brilliant the idea the engineer comes up with, and no matter how serious the problem is, ultimately, it comes down to the bottom line, and the power of what is in your wallet. Every individual needs to think things through from beginning to end, because no matter how brilliant your idea may be in the beginning, other factors may come to dictate how successful it is in the end. And I think this is a lesson that can be applied to may of the decisions we make throughout our personal lives as well.

It is good to listen to those of us who have life experience, and I was quite lucky to be given the chance to learn something from this person just over this simple lunch conversation.

Spicy Koffee

2010-12-01T00:03:00.000-08:00

Last week I was watching an episode of the Indian Talk Show, 'Koffee with Karan', Season 3. The two guests for the episode were the gorgeous Deepika Padukone an the lovely Sonam Kapoor. In all honesty, I had never actually watched an entire episode on TV until last week. Before this I had only watched clips and bits online via YouTube. I must admit, of the various Indian talk shows, Koffee with Karan is definately the most entertaining. It seems his guests are more at ease on his show, and it seems as if they are more free and open to discuss all aspects of their life. This was illustrated quite nicely in the following clip (7:39):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFA-HtSSrM

And t his was one of the reactions to this episode...

Hmmm... well, I must admit, as a guilty pleasure, I did find this episode amusing and entertaining. However, two things struck me... there is most definitely a difference in the way that this generation of actors and actresses deal with the media and the public. I could never have imagined anyone like Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, or Rani Mukherjee ever making such candid statements in an interview 15 years ago. And secondly, it makes me wonder about the kind of responsibility celebrities have to the public. While these two went on the show to enhance their popularity and promote their own movies, I wonder if at the same time they should try and set some sort of example for their followers? In particular, as Koffee with Karan is a show watched by family members of all ages, I was a bit surprised that Deepika and Sonam would make such 'interesting' statements, and how younger people might interpret their remarks. I am not advocating a morality police be instituted, but I kind of think celebrities should show a bit more common sense as to when and where they make certain remarks.

The Great Indian Conundrum

2010-11-19T00:25:00.000-08:00

Since my last blog on relationships was fairly well received, I have decided to push my luck and write another blurb on the great dilemma which South Asian youth face, usually sometime in their twenties. That being the conundrum of marriage... and more specifically, what TYPE of marriage?

To my non desi readers, let me explain... to most of the world, there is only one type of marriage... where a boy and girl meet, fall in love, and get married. Simple, right? Well, Indians like to complicate things. This usual type of marriage throughout the rest of the world is classified in India as a 'Love' marriage. However, the more predominant way of getting hooked up in India is still via a process known as the 'Arranged' marriage.

Yes, this is the truth. Indians believe love should have nothing to do with a marriage. After all, most couples end up hating each other after a few years anyway, so why bother with love in the first place? It is just more efficient that way. :-D

Okay, so maybe I made that last paragraph up. But essentially, the belief is that love is something which develops over the course of a marriage, and therefore, it is more important that the two people should have a compatible lifestyle, family, and culture, and if these things exist, then love will develop soon after. And of course, whom better to decide who you should eventually fall in love with than your parents? :-S

Welcome to the concept of the 'Arranged Marriage'. At this point, some readers may be getting freaked out. But thankfully, the process has modernized quite a bit, and it is not as bad as it seems. Things have progressed, from where the bride and groom to be were not allowed to even see each other until the wedding itself, to the point where now, generally, they meet, date for a few weeks, get to know each other, before agreeing to the union. Other criteria such as caste, and societal status are slowly diminishing in importance. It is not really so much arranged marriage now as it is arranged dating. Only that usually your parents choose who it is they feel would be best for you to date. The internet has helped. Whereas before match making would be limited to alliances brought forth from within a certain geographic area, and generally by family and friends, now the entire world is at your fingertips. This is probably a good thing, as in my opinion, it would be kind of weird to be asked to date someone whom you knew as a childhood friend.

So which is the better option? Undoubtedly there are advantages and drawbacks to both sides. Proponents of the Love Marriage will say that couples may not get to know each other well enough before the marriage, and the person you agree to could be totally different from the person you thought you were marrying. Proponents of the Arranged Marriage will argue that couples can mislead each other even if they have found each other on their own anyway, so what is the difference? (See the ABCD Theory for more info) Proponents of the Arranged Marriage will argue that there is less stress via this method as they don't have to worry about any searching, but proponents of the Love Marriage will point out how stressful it must be to be spending the rest of your life with someone whom you don't even know that well? Love Marriage supporters would probably classify Arranged Marriages as dull, dreary, archaic and oppressive, while Arranged Marriage supporters would probably point out that statistically the proportion of Arranged Marriages tend to be more successful. We can continue the debate and go on, and on, and on...

Ultimately, to me, I think it is a question of maturity, and those who have accepted reality, and those who haven't. Reality is not perfect, and therefore, it is unrealistic to go around searching for the illusion of perfection while ignoring the fact that you are not perfect yourself. If you are mature enough to understand this then I think EITHER option will work. Some people realise this on their own, others come to a dead end and realise this after repeated failures, and there are those who still have not come to accept this.

In my opinion, the idea of the 'spark' is complete nonsense. True compatibility is something which is beyond an instantaneous attraction. The 'spark' is nothing but lust (ABCD Theory again), and I don't think that is something on which a happy marriage can be based upon. Usually the 'spark' is something you WANT to believe in just to tell yourself that you are involved in some sort of a fairytale relationship. In fact, I believe that things such as lifestyle, family, and culture are ultimately more important to a successful union. Believing that love will sustain you through everything is unrealistic. That initial heat and mindless infatuation is bound to die down eventually. Down the road if your partner is not financially secure, or you have married into a family which doesn't understand or accept your customs you will most likely end up regretting your choice.

Although it may sound that I am in favor of the Arranged Marriage system, this is not the case at all. I really think that if a person is mature enough to realise what true compatibility is, and that their partner, and circumstances are never going to be perfect, then they can surely find that person on their own, without the help of their parents and family. Certainly for every happy, successful arranged marriage, there are couples which were poorly matched, and are staying together just for the sake of it. Ultimately, an individual can understand his or her self the best, and if they can find a compatible partner on their own, and select him or her based on the values are important to them and will keep them happy in the long term, without getting carried away about how they may feel in the short term, then there is a good chance for success and THAT is probably the best route to marital happiness.

Phew... this was a long one. Once again, my usual disclaimer. No offense intended towards those who are single, divorced, in arranged marriages, love marriages, dating, hating, asexual or bisexual. Your feedback is gladly appreciated, and would be welcomed. And to those of you who are facing 'The Great Indian Conundrum'... good luck to you!

Christmas Commercialism

2010-11-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

I happened to be at the mall a few days ago (November 11) to pick up a few supplies from Zellers. While nothing out of the ordinary happened at all, one thing struck me. The Christmas decorations at Oakridge Mall had already gone up, and some stores were advertising Christmas sales. This really irritated me.

I understand that the economy is not doing so well, and stores need to turn a profit. And the holiday season is the most profitable time of the year. But my goodness, when stores are bombarding you 6 weeks early, you can't help but wonder if Christmas has just gotten too commericalized. Furthermore, are we really so out of touch that we would rather worry about Christmas Shopping than take at least ONE day to remember our fallen soldiers on November 11?

Commercialism and advertising is fine, but when it starts up before Remembrance Day, it is just a bit too much. I wouldn't be surprised if soon stores advertising for Christmas in July, and we as consumers take the opportunity to shop it up.

Bald Eagle

2010-11-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

I decided to shave my head today... no particular reason, it is something I have done a few times before, and I feel that the hair which re-emerges is healthier and (hopefully) a bit thicker. Over the past 5 years or so my hair has been thinning a tad (which ironically is the time I came back to Grad School), and in the past year, I think it has started to get a bit noticeable to those who look closely. Since it looks like I am headed down that route anyway, I decided to have a bit of fun and see what it would be like to be bald...

Unfortunately, I picked a bad time of year to do it though, as it is becoming quite apparent just how much warmth hair provides to your head. I feel like wearing a cap all the time as my head is so cool! Overall though, its not so bad... I have started thinking about the advantages of being bald... saving so much money on haircuts... so much money on shampoo... the nice massage you get in the shower when the water falls directly onto your scalp... no more worrying about how to style your hair in the morning... and of course there is that 'badass' look you kind of get by being man enough to shave your head...

Maybe being a bald eagle isn't so bad after all... ;)

Restaurant Review: Cafe Mumbai

2010-11-06T01:59:00.000-07:00

Cafe Mumbai
2893 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Well, its been a while since I have written a restaurant review, as unfortunately, I haven't been out to a restaurant for a while! I guess this is mainly because in the process of writing so many restaurant reviews this year, my waistline expanded a few inches, and I decided to try and cut back a bit.

However, a few friends were in town for lunch last weekend, so decided to stray from my diet (which wasn't that difficult to do anyway), and went to a place I had been meaning to try out, as I had passed by many times. Cafe Mumbai restaurant is one of the more well known Indian Restaurants in Vancouvers west end, and shame on me for waiting so long to try it.

I had heard mixed reviews about the restaurant, as some people felt it was overpriced. However, I must say, that overall, I was impressed. One of my friends in particular was in a carnivorous mood, and so we ended up ordering mainly non-veg dishes, namely Chicken Tikka Kabab, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Vindaloo... and for good measure, we ordered a Butter Paneer, along with sides of Rice and Naan. For starters we ordered Papri Chaat for everyone.

Overall, I was very impressed by the taste of the food. Not too oily, nice and spicy, but not overwhelming. The proportions were good, as all 7 of us ended up with full tummys. Furthermore, the cost of the dinner was fairly reasonable, only $15 per head. The service was very prompt, but this was mainly because we had gone in during off peak hours during the late afternoon.

Definately one of the better Indian Restaurants in the West End of Vancouver certainly. I would recommend this place for lunch or dinner anytime.

Service: 3.5/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 3.5/5

Busy Month!

2010-10-31T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been over a month, and I haven't posted anything! In truth, it has been a very busy month. However, nothing blog-worthy has happened, and I haven't had any thought provoking ideas to write about either. Nevertheless, be it weddings, pujas, dandiaya nights, farewell parties, reunions with friends, movies or ISA events, I must say this has been one of the most enjoyable and socially active months I have had in a while!

Hopefully next month I get time to rest my old bones and perhaps blog something more noteworthy...

IST

2010-09-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

This post is about a pet peeve of mine... and ironically although it is a pet peeve, in all honesty, over the past few years, I am very much guilty of having become quite accustomed to performing this peeve... which I guess makes me a... hypocrite!? :S

Every Indian knows what IST is... 'Indian Standard Time' means that no matter what the occasion, you always show up late for an appointment/meeting/get together... sometimes, it is being 'fashionably late'... but more often than not, it is just being irresponsible, insensitive and too lazy to actually show up places on time.

Now, why am I writing about this today of all days? Well, it is one week to the start of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and the venues and accomodations are still not ready. Any other major professional world sporting event would have had their facilities ready and tested 6 months in advance, but not in Delhi... because, after all, IST is the norm. It just wouldn't be 'Indian' if things were done professionally and on time for a change. Heaven forbid you question it, because if you did, it would be 'Anti-National' to do so. Instead it is better to blame foreign contingents for having standards which are just overly high. It is far easier to make excuses than accept your mistakes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9025907.stm

The Indian middle class has eagerly bought into every western vice thrown at it over the past two decades. It is about time that it learns to accept some of its virtues, and those are of punctuality and professionalism. I really genuinely hope that somehow Delhi manages to get things done at the last minute, and that the games go off smoothly, because if not, it will really be a major embarassment.

Ironically, India was ranked as the '3rd most powerful nation in the world' just a few days back. Well, perhaps it is time to start acting like a powerful nation, rather than just flaunting the title.

Journey to the middle of nowhere...

2010-09-15T01:27:00.000-07:00

In what will likely be my last trip outside of Vancouver this year, a group of friends and I took a road trip to a small town in Northern BC called Tumbler Ridge. Tumbler Ridge is a small mining town located north of Prince George and just south of Ft St John in the Peace River district of British Columbia. Despite living my entire life in this province, I had never been north of Kamloops on the mainland, and so the trip was kind of an eye-opener.

In fact, we had gone to drop a friend of ours off, as she had recently gotten a job there, and would be there for at least the next few months. We arrived in the town/village after a 16 hr drive from Vancouver. Although I don't appreciate it as much as I should, I must say that there is definitely a good reason as to why BC landscape is considered to be spectacular. Sections of the road between Pemberton and Lilloet were truly breathtaking, and we were really in awe of the land that god had sculpted.

Tumbler Ridge itself is basically a mining town, where most of the residents are transient, and no one really lives there for more than a few years at most, mainly due to the remoteness of the town, and the harsh climate (it goes down to -40C in the winter apparently). There are quite a few activities that you can take part in the summer, namely golfing, fishing, hiking, and hunting (none of which I had really ever done before). Unfortunately, the winters are not as pleasant, as the residents are basically confined indoors in front of their TV sets.

I must say, that the residents of this town are quite different from Vancouverites. While they may not be as metropolitan and refined as city dwellers, I really found them to be warm, open, funny and genuine, which is not always something you can say about Vancouverites. I was afraid that they might be stuck-up, boorish rednecks, but I was really pleasantly surprised to see that this is kind of a myth, and racism was not an issue at all. Essentially, if you were willing to adjust and blend into the community, the community would do its best to respect your values and traditions. This was really great to see.

I don't know how often I will be going up there to visit my friends, but it turns out that a small mining town is not as intimidating a place as it seems, and it was really a nice change from the mundane.

Random News...

2010-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of items in the news have caught my attention lately. Of one, I have a definate opinion. The other... not so much.

Ground Zero Mosque
9 years ago, after 9/11 there was much discussion and debate over what would go on at the site of the former World Trade Center. At that time, I don't think anyone ever would have imagined that a plan to build a mosque at the site would ever possibly be considered.

To be clear, the mosque would not literally be constructed at the site where the World Trade Center was located. However, when the buildings collapsed, there was massive damage to the adjacent areas, even blocks away. And it is at some distance that the Islamic Center would be located.

This is a tough one. On one hand, America espouses itself as a bastion of democracy, tolerance and freedom of expression. Therefore, there should really be no opposition to the project. But I can understand the sentiments of New Yorkers, and why they would be so upset with the idea of constructing a mosque in such an area, after the events of that terrible day. You would also think that perhaps Muslims would be a bit more sensitive to the sentiments of those opposed. Its a crappy deal, but unfortunately, 9/11 has made the world tougher for those who follow Islam. It will be interesting to see which side backs down ultimately, and what the reprecussions will be.

Match Fixing
On this issue, I have a much clearer opinion. What the hell is wrong with Pakistani Cricket, and more precisely the Pakistani Cricket administration? After their fellow countrymen greeted foreign cricket players with bulletholes in their buses last summer, it now seems as if the players themselves are determined to go abroad and completely screw up the game. Although nothing has been conclusively proven yet, a decade after match fixing first surfaced, it appears to have resurfaced, and it seems as if some of Pakistans best cricketers are involved.

In the midst of the suffering caused by the terrible flooding there right now, it is quite sad that the countries players would abuse the national pastime like this. I have always had a lot of respect for the talents of Pakistani fast bowlers, and it is really a shame to see that rather than throwing cricket balls around, they are throwing their careers and their integrity away instead.

All izz well?

2010-08-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

'Aaaaaaaaal izzzzz wellllllll...'

That is the advice Amir Khan gives to his friends in the movie '3 Idiots' to make them feel better. Just tell yourself that 'All izz well', and eventually, all will become well. It is an advice that I am given quite often, and I know friends who swear by it.

All izz well? Yeah right. What good does it do to tell yourself that all is well, when things are not well? Life is not a Bollywood movie. Things do not magically work out on their own. You are in control of your actions and not the results. Since you are in control of your actions, why not try and take control of your destiny as much as possible and try and make things well, when they are not going well? There is no guarantee that all will become well, but I think it is much more sane advice than just being a happy-go-lucky foolish optimist.

So should you be pessimistic? Absolutely not. No one ever got any where by being full of negative energy. The first step to making your life better is to believe that it can be better, and that will never happen if you are convinced that nothing in the world can go right.

So friends, my advice to you, is don't be a foolish optimist, and don't be a negative pessimist. Be a realist, allow yourself to be depressed, and allow yourself to be happy. Both emotions will make you a stronger person in the long run. Make your own decisions, but never have such a big ego to not be able to take good advice.

Remember, not to look at the glass as being half full, not as being half empty, but recognizing that you have the capacity to fill it upto the brim.

And that is the gyan I have to give today. :)

One Year

2010-08-17T00:16:00.000-07:00

I was just looking through some of my old blogs today. And I came to realise that it has been exactly one year since I started this blog! My first original post to this blog was on August 17, 2009. I have several postings before this as well, but those were just old notes that I had imported from Facebook.

Why did I start this blog? Well, I don't really know. I had come back from Europe about this time last year, and felt as if I had alot of things to say. I think people were getting irritated with my many Facebook notes, and I decided this would be an interesting thing to start up. I enjoy writing, as I feel it lets me vent off some steam once in a while, and I think I communicate better through written words than spoken sentences. Of course I realise alot of the stuff I write would be quite boring, but I hope that occasionally, I come up with something which holds the readers interest.

To those of you who read my my blog on a semi regular basis, both to those whom I know, and to those who follow anonymously, thank you and I hope you enjoy reading about my thoughts, experiences, and mindless drivel. I shall try to keep doing this for as long as I have interest and the time. Cheers to you, and cheers to the year ahead!

Restaurant Review: The Naam

2010-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

The Naam Restaurant
2724 W 4th Ave
Vancouver BC

The Naam is one of Vancouvers more unique restaurants. About a 20 min bus ride from UBC in Vancouvers trendy Kitsilano Area, The Naam is a purely Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant which was started up in the 1970s. This is quite evident in the decor of the restaurant, which is decidedly 'hippie'-like. It is one of Vancouvers few 24/7 restaurants. The service is a bit poor, as the servers look like they are out numbered and over worked. Still, the attitude is very chill, and no one seems to mind if the food is delivered to your table a bit late.

A group of friends and myself were coming back late after watching the Fireworks at Jericho Beach a few days ago, and since were feeling hungry, decided to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately at that time of nite, there are few to no options available in Vancouver. The closest place open was The Naam, and as we hadn't been there in a while, thought we should drop in.

Although the place was quite packed (even at midnight), we managed to get a seat. Were quite tempted by the yummy looking pastries and cakes which are near the front entrance, but we held our nerve and ordered our main courses. I split a small pizza with one friend, while my other two friends ordered the 'Buddhas Feast', and 'Crying Tiger Thai Stir Fry'. We enjoyed the pizza very much, but I felt the other two dishes were quite bland and need a bit of salt, pepper and hot sauce to improve the flavor. But on the other hand, since the food being served was supposed to be healthy and nutritional, perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised.

The Naam is an interesting eat out, and worth a late night drop in.

Service: 3/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 3/5

Restaurant Review: Congee Noodle House

2010-07-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Congee Noodle House
141 E. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Will make this review a quick one. Went with a some friends to this restaurant a few weeks ago. The main reason for going here is that it was a bit late at night, (10:30PM), and there are very few restaurants in Vancouver that are open past 10PM on a weekday night.

Congee Noodle House seems to be quite a popular restaurant, as when I walk by it, it is usually quite packed. After eating here, I feel the main reasons for this are the reasonable prices, and the late night hours. The food itself is strictly mediocore. We tried the Pineapple Chicken, Soy Chicken, and Vegetable Chow Mein w/ Black Bean Sauce. The Pineapple Chicken and Soy Chicken were not too bad, but I do not recommend the Chow Mein at all as it is far too salty. The service was quite prompt, and the premises are clean and hygenic.

For fine dining, do not go here. For a late night meal, you can consider this place.

Service: 3/5

Location/Ambiance: 3/5

Food: 2.5/5

The ABCD theory...

2010-07-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

I tend to avoid writing very much about relationships. The very subject tends to stir up emotions and is a magnet for controversy. And I end up taking alot of flak. However, I haven't posted anything original in quite a long time, and as such, I am going to put forward one of my theories on Male-Female relationships. I am sure girls are going to get upset with me as it may seem I am belittling them, and guys are going to get mad at me for giving away our secrets... still, presented for your consumption is the: "ABCD theory"

Postulate 1:

There exist 3 classifications of guys in the world...

Class 1: 'Nice Guys' (~20%)
Class 2: 'Normal Guys' (~60%)
Class 3: 'Jerks' (~20%) (I could use a more colorful phrase here, but this IS a family blog)

But how do you place a guy into one of these classes? Let me continue...

Postulate 2:

Almost every guy mentally places each girl they meet into four different categories, ABCD:

Category A: Someone whom he genuinely likes/loves and is interested in pursuing a serious relationship with.
Category B: Someone whom he finds physically attractive, and is purely interested in fooling/around with, nothing more.
Category C: Someone whom he likes and respects, but only as a friend. Not interested in a relationship at a given point in time, and probably never.
Category D: Someone who irritates him, and whom he doesn't want to have anything to do with.

Now, you notice, I said ALMOST every guy. In fact, this categorization is used by 'Normal Guys' and 'Jerks'. 'Nice Guys' do not have a Category B. They are nice enough to respect girls enough either to be seriously interested, or are happy just being friends. But their proportion is very low. Why?

Postulate 3:

Girls want nice guys for friends, but never in a relationship.

Honestly, I don't know what the reason for this is. Maybe girls find nice guys to be too much of a pushover, or maybe they prefer a challenge, I really don't know. Furthermore, I think many girls tend to use 'Nice Guys' to satisfy their own egos. Regardless, upon this realisation, most guys tend to try and act like 'Normal Guys' or 'Jerks'.

So how do you differentiate between these two categories?

Postulate 4:

Someone who plays 'The Game', and misleads a Category B or C girl into thinking they are an A to him, only to end up using her like a B is a 'Jerk'.

Please make note. For 'Normal Guys' HAVING a Category B is not an issue. There is nothing wrong with lusting after a girl as long as the feeling is mutual and she realises nothing serious is going to happen. They are both just in it for fun. On occasion, things might progress down the road, but if not, no big deal. However, a 'Normal Guy' will not lead a girl on. If he does, he has crossed over and become a 'Jerk'. 'Normal Guys' play 'The Game' exclusively with 'B' girls, while 'Jerks' are pretty much desperate losers who will do or say anything if they think they can get a girl.

Postulate 5:

'The Game' very much exists, but only in lust.

When you play a 'Game', it doesn't matter if you lose. Since it is lust, there will always be other girls to score with. Notice my use of sports terms... 'play', 'lose', 'score'. Thats why we call it 'The Game'.

Postulate 6:

Girls don't know the difference between love and lust.

Because girls don't know the difference, they end up misunderstanding a guys true interests, and end up being unable to tell the difference between 'Normal Guys' and 'Jerks'. They think a 'Jerk' is in love with them, when really, all they want to do is screw around. 'Jerks' are exceptional at playing 'The Game', and girls end up falling for them, even though 80% of the population is better than them. No one wants to admit they are wrong... and every girl wants to believe they are involved in some sort of a fairytale relationship. So consiquently alot of girls stay in relationships which are doomed to failure. Ultimately, it isn't fair to either gender, but I guess thats just human nature and how we are.

Well, there you have it folks. Guys, Girls, Egos, The Game, Love, Lust. I have tried to explain it all... My intention is not to offend anyone, so I hope no one takes this personally. Feedback, comments, and criticism will be graciously accepted...

The Ramakrishna Mission

2010-07-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Swami Vivekananda travelled to North America in 1893 to represent India and Hinduism and spread the word of Vedanta to the west. He gained tremendous respect all over the world through his lectures, and helped restore a sense of pride amongst Hindus by teaching the purest, unadulterated form of the religion, and dispelling the myth that Hinduism is an idoltarous, mysoganistic, caste-ridden system. The mission he founded in 1896 has chapters throughout the world, and is dedicated to improving health care and education, promoting spiritual and cultural uplift, rural welfare, and youth development. The mission has stayed free of controversy by disengaging itself from politics and remaining secular.

What very few people know is that Swami Vivekanandas port of entry into North America was actually at Vancouver. He stayed here for a very short time before departing for Chicago, and not much is known about his activities here. However, we are blessed that his point of entry was at our lovely city, and every year, the local chapter of the Mission celebrates his arrival with a small function at a community hall. This year, about 100 people attended the celebration with talks by eminent religious leaders, a North Indian classical music concert, and a delicious vegetarian dinner. I enjoyed the concert very much, and the food was scrumpcious.

I encourage you all to visit the Ramkrishna Mission in Kolkata, India. The Mission is located at Belur Math in Howrah, and is truly a bastion of serenity in an otherwise chaotic, orderless city. Listening to the evening Aarti truly lifts the mind to a different level. The link is given below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Ovw6sG3sE

Restaurant Review: Saravanaa Bhavan

2010-06-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

Saravanaa Bhavan
955 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Was feeling hungry on my way back to campus last Tuesday evening, in the mood for vegetarian, so I decided to convince a friend to join me for dinner at Saravanaa Bhavan restaurant. Have been here plenty of times, but this is my first blog review.

Saravanaa Bhavan is a well known chain spread throughout the world, with locations in Canada, the USA, Australia, Europe, Singapore, and India which serves authentic purely vegetarian South Indian food. Originally based out of Chennai, I had the good fortune of being able to eat at the original restaurants there, and must say the food was mouth numbingly good. I guess the local touch makes a difference.

The restaurant here is not quite as good as the one in Chennai, but is still most definately worth a visit. I am in fact more impressed by their non-dosa dishes. I think there are better places to get a dosa in Vancouver. However, the items like Uttapam, Idli, and Vadai are excellent. The Vancouver location has expanded its menu to include North Indian vegetarian dishes as well. The service that day was a bit poor, as we had come near closing time, and the waitress seemed to be in an off mood.

After much debate, my friend and I both decided to order the South Indian Thali, which gives you about as much food as you can possibly eat for $10. Rice, Pooris, Papadum, Sambar, Rasam, 2 Sabjis, Choley, Curd, Raita, and a Sweet Dish are served to you in steel vessels. For the first time in my life, I asked for a second helping of RASAM :S. I was pretty close this time, as only one of the Sabjis managed to survive the wrath of my rampaging stomach. I topped this off with a cup of filter coffee. If you think Starbucks, Blenz or Seattles Best is good coffee, you really need to try authentic South Indian Filter coffee, as it is simply amazing. I could write a separate blog on that alone.

Veg lovers rejoice, Saravanaa Bhavan was made for you.

Service: 3/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5

Restaurant Review: Green Lettuce Restaurant

2010-06-13T22:52:00.000-07:00

Green Lettuce Restaurant
112-6350 120 St
Surrey, BC

Time for a review that I probably should have done months ago. This is a review for Green Lettuce Restaurant, a restaurant I have been to dozens of times, and is one of the most well known restaurants, especially amongst the South Asian Community in the Lower Mainland. Why is it so well known? Well, this is one of the few places outside of India where you can get chinese food which is authentically prepared in Indian style. Surprised? Don't be. Eastern India has a sizable Chinese population, in fact, Kolkata has a large Chinatown located in a part of the city called Tangra. Of late, these Chinese have begun to migrate throughout the world, and many of them have come to Vancouver and have opened up their own restaurants serving Chinese food which has been modified and enhanced from their own experiences to make the Indian crowd happy. So when you enter the restaurant, don't be surprised if you are greeted in Hindi or Bengali, rather than in Mandarin or Cantonese! Although there are no less than 6 different Indo Chinese restaurants now open in the Lower Mainland, Green Lettuce is probably the most well known as it is the oldest (open for 11 years now) and has served many famous Indian celebrities when they come here from India. In fact, there are a pictures on the wall of Bollywood royalty like Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan and Lucky Ali chowing down at the restaurant on their plates of Gobi Manchurian and Hakka Noodles!

As I have been to this place many times, I think I have tried most items on the menu. However, this time, I went with my office colleagues in a group of 10, many of whom had not tried this food before. Consiequently we ordered quite a few dishes. Cream Corn and Chicken Soup, Vege Pakoras and Chicken skewers were the appetizers, Hakka Vege Chow Mein, Hakka Chicken Chow Mein, Gobi Manchurian, Bombay Style Chop Suey, Chili Paneer, Ginger Fish, Dai Ching Chicken, and Pineapple Chicken were part of the main course. Afterwards we were too stuffed for dessert, although experience dictates that one should try the Almond Kulfi if you have room.

I definately recommend you try the dishes which are spicier and have more of an Indian twist to them. No other chinese restaurant serves paneer as part of their meals, and the Gobi Manchurian is unique and I have never had cauliflower prepared in a better manner. The Dai Ching chicken is also particularly good, although some might find it a bit too spicy.

Good, friendly, service and reasonable prices combined with the fantastic food make this place a must visit for all visitors and residents of Vancouver.

Service: 4/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5

The Big Fat Indo-Canadian Wedding

2010-06-05T02:03:00.000-07:00

Several of my very good friends are getting married this summer, and I guess I get to take a more active role this time around. I have attended a few weddings in India, but mostly as an outside guest, and not a member of the 'inner circle'. Perhaps for this reason, although I have enjoyed the weddings I have experienced in India, I definately have more knowledge of what goes on at the Canadian version.

One of the nice things about the Canadian version is how it is possible to try and blend the old traditions in with the new. Mehndi/Haldi is commonly done, and the ceremony itself is usually held at the Mandir/Masjid/Gurudwara. But along side of this, things like the 'First Dance', Cake Cutting, and Introductory Slide Shows of the happy couple have been silently incorporated into the festivities.

No doubt the Indian version is purely authentic, but the Canadianized version can be quite a blast. In fact, people go all out to try and imitate the glitz of the posher Indian weddings, which I am quite sure is inspired by what we are exposed to in Bollywood movies. While it is difficult to copy the wedding ceremonies themselves, mainly due to lack of time, and facilities, it seems as if a concious decision is made to try and outdo one another at the wedding reception(s). These days, things are stage managed, with professional photographers, videographers, the most glamorous of dresses, expensive jewelery, color themes (yes, it is imperative that the seat covers must be color coordinated with the grooms tie apparently), slide shows, stage performances, DJs, bad jokes by the MC, etc, etc, etc... The lowest cost I hear of these days at a wedding is not less than 50k, with richer couples spending upwards of 6 figures on their wedding festivities! Wow, with costs like that, it is probably good to remain a bachelor!!! To be honest, I am sure that in the midst of trying to impress family, friends, relatives and strangers the families of the bride and groom are probably stretching themselves to the limit, but heck, they want us to enjoy, and enjoy we do to the max!!!

The food... ah the food... the quality of a recpetion is judged not by the happiness of the bride and groom, but by how many appetizers are served (usually not less than 3). You have heard of a 6 course dinner? Well how about a 6 course appetizer? Vege Pakoras, Tandoori Chicken, Fish Pakoras, Paapri Chat, Tandoori Rumal Rotis, Gol Gappe... yes my friends, this is quite common. And I haven't even started with dinner yet.

To wrap up, just a list of stereotypes which I find applicable to most, if not all Indo Canadian wedding receptions (and I am sure those who have been in my position can add to this list, so I would like to encourage you to do so):

1) Butter Chicken. I have not encountered a wedding reception where this has not been served. Even if the bride and groom are vegetarians, to keep the meat eaters happy, somehow, this dish makes it into all of the dinner menus.

2) Michael Jackson. I do not understand why, but for some reason when playing the English Music, most DJs are obsessed with playing 'Thriller' as many times as possible during the night...

3) Crazy Dancing Aunty. There is always one crazy aunty who rocks the dance floor (or at least thinks she is rocking the dance floor). You can recognize this aunty as there is usually a circle of wide eyed younger people who dance in a circle around her in a mesmorized trance.

4) Drunk Uncle. There is always one alcoholic uncle who has a few too many during the night and ends up on the dance floor trying to do the Macarena while balancing a half-empty bottle on his head. It never works... you can recognize this uncle as the tie he is wearing usually starts off around his neck, and ends up around his forehead.

5) The Performance by a Relative. Sometimes good, usually a snooze, the bride/grooms nephew/niece/brother/sister/6th cousin is inevitably forced to do a dance performance during the reception. The good thing for the performer is that no matter how the performance is, he/she is rewarded by crazy dancing aunty (see number 3 above) who will come up, and join in the dance near the end and reward the performers with no less than $20.

6) The hopeless MC. I have attended very few weddings where the MC has actually been good. Usually its not even his/her fault, as people are too busy eating/gossiping/getting sloshed at the open bar. Usually he/she fades into the background, and their lasting memories are unfortunately of having made bad jokes, and dealing with poorly functioning A/V eqpt.

7) Irritating glass tappers in the audience. One of the weirder rituals that seems to have been picked up from western weddings, is that of someone in the audience tapping on their drinking glass loudly with their silverware during the reception. This is to indicate that it is time for the bride and groom to publicly display their affection for each other in front of everyone with a kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, with Indian weddings, the bride and groom are usually too shy/terrified for any PDA, and so instead, are forced to uncomfortably sit still while the irritating glass tappers tap on their glasses until they finally run out of strength in their wrists...

On Top of a Mountain

2010-05-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

Went for a camping trip this past weekend to the provincial capital of Victoria. As I have seen most of the sights about 9 times there, wasn't really much to be excited about. However, quite often, the group makes the trip, and got to go with a great group of people, to have a memorable time.

Undoubtedly for me, the highlight had to be the hike to the top of Mt. Finlayson, in Goldstream Provincial Park, just about 30 min outside of the city. I hadn't gone hiking since my Europe trip last year, and was a sobering reminder of just how out of shape I have become. On the other hand, next time I go hiking, I should probably remember to wear good shoes, not wear jeans, and keep some water IN my water bottle before starting up the hill.

More than anything in the world, I appreciate silence. There is something special about 5 guys sitting totally silent (although one of them was not quite silent) at the top of a hill just admiring the view after a sweaty journey. Since the feeling is kind of indescrible, I shall let the picture do the talking...

Special congrats to one member of our group who went hiking for the first time, and almost made it to the top! :) Well done!!!

Restaurant Review: Sala Thai

2010-05-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Sala Thai on Cambie
3364 Cambie St.
Vancouver, BC

Another Thai restaurant, another awesome experience. Went out for a group lunch with my office colleagues last week, to another Thai place. As usual, food was absolutely superb. As there were Vegetarians, and Non-Vegetarians amongst us, we tried a variety of dishes, both Veg and Non Veg, including some new surprises. I would like to recommend 2 of them:

1) Gai Hor Bai Toey: Tender pices of chicken marinated in a honey sauce, and wrapped in pandamus leaves. A unique twist on the common chicken skewers, with larger pieces of chicken marinated just enough to make them sweet and spicy, and wrapped in pandamus leaves. Delicicous to look at, even more delicious to eat!

2) Thai Iced Tea: Yes, even their Iced Tea is awesome. It is served with the milk and black tea separated into two layers. Mixed together, forms the sweetest of nectars. A must order.

Obviously, go here.

Service: 4/5

Location/Ambiance: 3/5

Food: 4/5

Commercials

2010-04-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

Question... why are North American TV commercials so crappy?

This has come to my attention each and every time I travel outside of the continent, come home, and am forced to subject myself to the unimaginative, unentertaining drudge that pops up every few minutes on my TV screen.

North American TV shows are followed around the world, and are so popular. Why then, can't the commercials be of the same quality? For some reason, people are afraid to push the edges in some cases, or in other cases, prefer to convey the message in a direct, uninteresting way. Commercials in India or Europe, are to me, far wittier, cute, and comedic, and actually stay in my mind after the ad is over. Someties the ads are better than the programs.

I don't think a North American commercial has EVER enticed me to buy the product after watching the ad. Even the Super Bowl ads are usually nothing to go gaga over. For a continent so rooted in commercialism, our commercials are definately a drag...

Restaurant Review: Lacasita

2010-04-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Lacasita
101 W. Cordova St
Vancouver, BC

Why is it that I can never write a good review about a Mexican Restaurant in Vancouver? Hmmm... I wonder...

Lacasita is a Mexican restaurant located at the edge of Gastown in downtown Vancouver. I suppose the idea was to make the restaurant look as authentic as possible, and as such, it is decorated very nicely with a Spanish Movie playing on a flat screen TV, Sombreros on the wall, and a very cozy feel. However, it is equally important that the food be of the same high quality, and unfortunately, that is where Lacasita has fallen short.

I ordered a combo meal which featured 1 Quesidilla, 1 Flauta, Beans, and Salad. Neither was the taste impressive, as I found it to be quite bland, nor were the portions, which were far too small. I decided to order an ice cream to fill my stomach, as it was quite deliciously described in the menu, but turned out to be nothing more than a scoop of ice cream which you could purchase at any neighborhood Safeway with a bit of whipping cream and cinnamon on top. It actually didn't taste that bad, but I was just expecting a lot more.

I would suggest if you are in the area, avoid Lacasita, as there are better restaurants around in Gastown to enjoy.

Service: 2/5
Location/Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 2/5

'Dreaming with a Broken Heart'

2010-04-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

I listened to this for the first time a few days ago... normally don't like John Mayer, but I read the lyrics and thought they were worth a post...

'When you're dreaming with a broken heart, the waking up is the hardest part...
You roll out of bed and on your knees, and for a moment there you can hardly breath...
Wondering was she really here?
Is she standing in my room?
No shes not... cause shes gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...'

'When you're dreaming with a broken heart, the giving up is the hardest part...
She takes you in with her big, brown eyes, then all at once, you have to say goodbye...
Wondering could you stay my love?
Would you wake up by my side?
No you won't... cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...'

A year in the life of an Exec...

2010-04-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

My term as Vice President of Utsav: The Indian Students Association at UBC came to an end a few weeks ago. It is quite ironic that I feel a bit nostalgic about it being over considering just how hesitant I was to become an executive this year in the first place. I almost had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the position!

By no means were we the perfect exec, but I do think that we did manage to set a new standard in terms of professionalism, organization and execution for the club. Not all of our events were a success, but the ones that were, will certainly be remembered for years to come. Of course, it helped that we were able to piggyback off of some of the good ideas of previous execs, but in general, we were quite satisfied with out performance. It is actually a good life lesson as you learn alot about team work and time management when you are put in such positions, and guess what, we even managed to have a bit of fun as well! :)

To the next team, I wish you the best of luck, and hope you are even more successful than we were. To our team, I won't name everyone individually, but it was truly an honor and a joy to work with you all, and I am happy that I was able to make 8 great new friends this year! Cheers!

(Anti) Social Networking

2010-04-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

I read a very interesting billboard sticker the other day which got me thinking. It read, "Why do we have more Facebook Friends than Real Life Friends"?

To be honest, I don't even remember what the sticker was advertising, but the question was quite relevant. I have nearly 300 friends on Facebook, and to be really honest, I think I would be lying if I said I was actually in regular contact with any more than 50 of them at any given moment in time.

Social Networking is an interesting phenomenon. Undoubtedly, it has its advantages. It has allowed me to get in touch with and rediscover what long lost friends are upto. It is a nice time pass. And I guess moreover, it satisfies the secret desire we all have to find out what is going on in each others personal lives.

The question that we must ask ourselves is when is it too much? Is social networking actually making us ANTIsocial? Where I once used to phone or meet my friends to pass on my birthday wishes, it has now become far more convenient to leave a message on their wall. Real life discussions these days seem to always make some mention of what someone posted on some social networking site. It seems our virtual lives are taking precidence over our actual lives. Given the astonishing rate at which the internet and social networking sites are becoming integral parts of our lives, it will be interesting to see just how social or anti social we become.

Restaurant Review: The Afghan Horsemen

2010-04-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Afghan Horsemen
202-1833 Anderson Street
Vancouver, BC, V6H 4E5

Located at the entrance to Granville Island, The Afghan Horsemen is one of Vancouvers better known Afghan restaurants. Shame on me that it happened to be my first visit here! It is a favorite restaurant of a friend of mine, and we happened to head there for her birthday.

Well, one of the nicest things about the restaurant is its ambiance. They have tried to maintain an authentic 'Afghani' feel. If you come in a group big enough, you can get your own room where you sit on the floor and eat off of lowered tables. There are fine persian carpets and decorative hookahs everywhere, giving you that 'Lawrence of Arabia' feel. I am told that apparently you can hire a Belly Dancer to perform as well, but unfortunately, she was not on the menu that day... :(

Well, as for the food, I tried the 'Karahi', which is an authentic Afghan dish consisting of Lamb Shish Kebab with sauteed onions, green peppers, tomatoes, onions and fried eggs, served sizzling hot. The food has a somewhat Indian feel to it, is somewhat spicy, and I liked it very much. I don't know about how healthy it is, but there is no doubt that Afghans and Pakistanis have mastered the art of Non-Veg cuisine.

I must say the price is a bit lofty. My dish cost $20, and after, taxes, tip, and drinks, an individual bill can easily come out to $30. So be ready to leave with a lighter wallet when you enter. A quick note about the service. Although in general, the service was friendly and prompt, we had a bit of confusion surrounding paying the bill, which took about 15 min to resolve. The problem may have been because we came in a large group, but still, isn't really excusable.

Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 3/5

Pride and Prejudice

2010-03-29T01:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted anything. In truth, the past few weeks have been not too eventful... nothing earthshattering has really been happening in Vancouver/on campus, and I haven't had any great revelations to share with the world.

I have been having some random thoughts lately about peoples preconceptions, and essentially our prejudices. I have written blog articles in the past condemning people for being racist/biased against others for no reason. But I wonder, is it okay to have a prejudice if that prejudice is not hurting anyone? I have my own prejudices against people, thoughts, and ideas... but as much as possible I am tolerant of others, even if I don't accept/agree with them. Usually, I just dismiss anything I don't agree with, without actually considering the other side of the argument. I don't think that makes me a bigot, but I wonder what it is about this mind block that keeps me rooted in my mental comfort zone. Sometimes, I wonder if it has stunted my growth as an individual... hmmmn...

Sorry for the boring post people... next time, I shall try to write something more juicy.

Restaurant Review: Andales Mexican Restaurant

2010-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Andales Mexican Restaurant
3211 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Andales is a small Mexican restaurant located in Van West. We went there for an office lunch last week. While generally I am positive with my restaurant reviews, I have to say that there is not much to be positive about here.

We went in at 1:00PM, the restaurant was fairly empty save for one large group who was paying their bill. Unfortunately, there was only one waitress serving at the time, which meant that we had to seat ourselves, get our own menus, and were not even offered water to start off with. Given that the service was this bad when the restaurant was empty, I shudder to think what it may be like at peak times.

As for the food itself, nothing special. For more authentic mexican taste, I would recommend other restaurants in Vancouver. I tried the Soft Chicken taco, which came with Black Beans and Green Salad as sides. The taste was really rather bland, and far too mild for Mexican food. While the prices were reasonable (around $10 per plate), I felt the portions were too small.

I do not recommend this restaurant... there are better Mexican restaurants in Vancouver which you should explore first, and there are better restaurants around in that part of Vancouver.

Service: 1/5

Ambiance/Location: 3/5

Food: 2/5

The Olympics

2010-03-02T21:43:00.001-08:00

The Winter Olympics just ended 2 days ago in Vancouver. I wasn't totally sure what to expect, but have to say that the city did an amazing job, and I say to any person around the world, that the Olympics spirit is truly something that everyone should experience. The idea of the Olympics was to promote peace and unity through sport. Now I won't say that watching the athletes has inspired me to try and unify the world (in fact, I think I became highly biased towards a particular country when watching a sport), it was wonderful to see people of different colors, races, genders and cultures come together in one city, for no other reason than simply to get together and celebrate. In that respect, the Olympic ideal was very much successful in Vancouver, 2010. Each person who was here will have their own 'moments to remember'... here, in no particular order, are mine:

1) Watching 'Sid-the-kid':

Lets face it... it didn't matter how many medals Canada won, the one that really mattered was in Mens Hockey... GOLD. After 60 heartstopping minutes, the game was forced into sudden death overtime... everyone in the country was on the edge of their seats... the stage was set, the circumstances couldn't have been more perfect, as Sidney Crosby rose to the occasion and became a Canadian legend for the ages by beating Ryan Miller shortside to send the country into a state of pandemonium. You couldn't have scripted a better ending to the Olympics.

2) Livecity Yaletown

Sadly, due to laziness and lack of money, I didn't actually get to attend any of the sporting events in person. No matter, as there was plenty of other free events going on throughout the city. The Olympic Cauldron, Robson Square, Street Parties on Granville Street, The Art Gallery, Livecities Downtown, Richmond and Surrey. Of all of them, my favorite was the site at Livecity Yaletown. The Coca-cola pavillion and the Panasonic pavillions were here, along with a huge stage, and live music. at 10:30PM every night, there was an amazing highlights show, with fireworks, which was shown on two humongous screens and projected onto a fountain of water streaming out of False Creek. You had to see it to really appreciate it. Two big thumbs up to the organizers at this site.

3) Steamworks Brewery

For some reason, every night we went out we seemed to end up here at the mouth of Gastown for a drink (or two). It is ridiculously expensive, but was still loads of fun getting together with different groups of friends and then heading home ridiculously late at night. Avoid the prawn tempura though... ;)

4) Canadian Nationalism

I read an interesting article describing that Canada woke up on Monday morning with a 'sense of ease' about itself. I think that was a very good way to describe it. To some extent we definately have a complex about our neighbors to the south. Consiquently, we tend to get swept up into their identity and forget about our own. It was wonderful to see so many Maple Leafs flying everywhere, all the smiling faces, people randomly breaking into the national anthem, high fiving and hugging for no reason. Canada was patriotic, without being crass. It is at ease with itself knowing that it has the capacity to compete and succeed with the rest of the world without having to dominate the rest of the world. Best of all, Vancouver proved that it is truly multicultural... I saw people from every community, Persian, Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, African, Latin, etc, all celebrating being Canadian proudly.

Feeling sick...

2010-02-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

Its the Olympics, and I know I shouldn't be feeling blue, but I feel sick... not of the physical variety...

Sick of research... sick of Undergrads knocking on my office door... sick of answering questions about life I don't know the answer too... sick of people... sick of egos... sick of lies... sick of telling myself the glass is half full when I know its half empty... sick of putting on a smile for the world...

Sigh... I need a doctor.

I-Buds and Bouncy Balls...

2010-02-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

I was in a Fast Food restaurant a few days ago... after finishing my meal, I went to throw out the condiments into the garbage, and I noticed that by the trash can, there was one of those mechanical 'toy' dispensers. Basically, it is meant for little kids to put their change in, and out would pop a trinket for them to play with for a few days until they get bored with it.

Of course, when I was a kid, I had collected quite a few of these trinkets. The toys only cost $0.25, and I would end up with a toy car, maybe a candy, or my favorite, a small rubber bouncy ball (yes, I am a simple creature). So you can imagine my surprise when I noticed that the cost had gone up to $2.00, and even more interestingly, you don't get toys out of these machines anymore... for $2.00 kids can now buy earphones for their Ipods... 'Ibuds'!

Now I understand that times are changing, and kids are definitely more tech savvy than when I was a kid, and I was probably more tech saavy as a kid than my parents, and so on and so forth. But seriously? I sometimes wonder if kids even know what it is like to a 'non-virtual' toy, or actually go outside and play 'non-electronic' games. I have noticed that even my students have stopped using paper and pencil... most of them take their notes on a laptop, and 'jot' down information quickly into their cell phones. Perhaps I am getting old and cranky, but for some reason, this kind of worries me...

Keep your Ibuds kids... I prefer my rubber bouncy ball.

Restaurant Review: Stephos Greek Taverna

2010-01-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

Stephos Greek Taverna
1124 Davie St
Vancouver, BC

Good food, good friends and good conversation. In my opinion, those three things are the key to a wonderful evening. While you will have to discover the latter two on your own, if you go to Downtown Vancouver, on Davie St, I guarantee you can find the first in plenty.

Stephos is one of Vancouvers most famous restaurants. It has become so legendary that no matter what day you go, you will always find a lineup of at least one hour outside. And believe it or not, it is absolutely worth it. I think Greek food is healthy, balanced and delicious, and at Stephos, this is even more so. The lamb dishes here are known to be the best on the West Coast, and the best part is, that the prices are extrodinarily reasonable. You can have one of the best meals in Vancouver for no more than $15, including a glass of wine. And by the way, I don't think I have ever had a meal in which the house wine complimented the main course so well.

On this occasion, I had a Souvlaki Platter, which consisted of skewered lamb, rice, pita/tzatziki sauce, and a salad, and as I said, the taste is definately the best Greek food in Vancouver. Although I have not yet tried it, I am told the Roast Lamb is heavenly, and I also would recommend you end the meal with a piece of Iki Miki (Baklava).

As for the latter two things I mentioned at the beginning of this review, on that particular evening, I was blessed with having them both in plenty, and although one of them was a bit inebriated, made for a memorable dining experience. ;)

Service : 3/5

Ambiance/Location: 4/5

Food: 5/5

Helplessness...

2010-01-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

The scenes that I have seen unfolding on the television in Haiti over the past few days have truly been heartwrenching. You cannot help but feel despair when you think about the kind of hell Haitians are being subjected to. I feel a special sense of despair being a Civil Engineer, and that too, one with a good knowledge of structural engineering. It frustrates you when you know that the knowledge to minimize death and destruction due to earthquakes exists, but unfortunately, not the political backbone or the financial resources.

They say an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. While I certainly encourage western governments and people to give wholeheartedly, I think it is time we took an effort to ensure everybody in the world has access to proper, safe infrastructure, as a human right and not a privellage. The west should exercise its influence to minimize corruption and provide the means to do so in countries such as Haiti, rather than just providing bandaid solutions later on. Of course, it is easy to say, and much more difficult to do, but I really hope that someday we develop the will to minimize the fallout from such natural catastrophes, rather than look onwards afterwards as helpless bystanders.

Restaurant Review: The Mongolie Grill

2010-01-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Mongolie Grill
467 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

It has been a looooong break between blogs, so decided to catch up a bit tonite. Firstly is a restaurant review for a place I went to a few weeks ago, 'The Mongolie Grill'.

Mongolian food is quite interesting to eat. Not so much in its taste, but in its preparation. You prepare the meal yourself, and have them cook it for you. So, essentially, the amount, taste, and ingredients are upto you. Which means if you are frugal, you can end up making a heafty sized meal for a low price. Essentially, you are given a bowl which you are allowed to pile up with as much noodles, meats, veggies and sauces as you want/can fit, and then hand it over to the chef, who grills the concoction up right in front of you. The benefit is that you get to see your food being prepared. The drawback is you can't complain if it doesn't taste good. The taste is really highly dependant on the types and amounts of sauces you put into your bowl. This time, I got Akila to make my bowl, so it ended up being scrumpcious. Past experiences have not always been so yummy.

The cost per bowl is $9.95, and with a bit of experience in making a bowl, you will be able to build yourself a tasty, filling meal. The taste is not quite chinese, or japanese, but quite unique. Bewarned however, that there are times when it takes quite a while for the food to reach from the grill to your table when there are alot of customers. So it might be a good idea to go during off-peak hours.

Service: 3/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food: 3/5

How do you change an ideology?

2010-01-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I will start off with my first blog of the year on a bit of a depressing note... I suppose the biggest item in the news right now is the renewed emphasis on terrorism due to the bomb scare on the plane that was flying from Amsterdam to Detroit... I am quite thankful that I was able to get all my travelling done in 2009 before this incident. As I understand it, airline security is now absolutely horrendous. No more carry-on luggage, no more blankets, no more in flight location tracking, enhanced screening devices... all in the name of preventing more possible attacks.

But where does this all end? Just how many more measures can we put in place in the name of preventing terrorism? I am sure that at this rate, we will soon see the day where passengers are forcibly strapped to their seats in nothing but their underwear and the only in flight refreshment would be a glass of water which is sipped through a straw in the presence of a AK-47 bearing security officer. Is it really going to solve anything? Just how much more of our liberties do we give away in the name of counter-terrorism? And then what... once we have secured our planes, what about the dozens of other targets which could just as easily be attacked and destroyed by the 'evil doers'...

I suggest we go on the offensive. Not literally by guns and bombs, but by fighting the root cause of the problem. Not the terrorists, but the terrorist IDEOLOGY. I firmly believe that although human beings are naturally a bit crazy, there is always some reason for when we start to do things that are highly irrational, illogical, and dangerous. The way to curb the behavior is to diagnose the reason, or the cause, and not just protect ourselves from the symptoms... to simply blame the person as being crazy and fight with them is in neither individuals best interests... if you really want peace, you have to find out what it is the root cause of the problem and try and solve it. Killing one terrorist is only going to breed 10 more. Rather, you have to kill the terrorist ideology, and not just the terrorist. Generally, terrorism is bred out of poverty and a lack of education... the young men that are boarding these planes with the hopes of blowing them up these days typically are from good homes, with at least a basic level of education. And that is what makes this problem even scarier. Exactly what the grievences are and how you address them is beyond me, but I just feel that it is in the USAs best interest to swallow its pride and at least attempt to figure out just what it is which is causing all this animosity, rather than maintaining its status quo and ignoring the root cause of the problem.

The Obama administration promised to do things differently, and given that this is its first real test with regards to issues of national security, it will be interesting to see whether those words we heard 2 summers ago were just empty promises, or if politics in America has really changed.

Restaurant Review: Green Basil

2009-12-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

Green Basil Restaurant
4623 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC

Okay, well, my parents are away, and I have been eating out alot, hence all the restaurant reviews. Back to a favorite, Green Basil Restaurant in Burnaby, located just across from Metrotown. They serve my favorite cuisine, Thai of course.

Green Basil, is very clean, very neat, and the service is excellent. It is (as unfortuantely most Thai places are) a bit on the pricier side, but I guess that is to be expected. Myself, and two of my friends ordered a combo, consisting of chicken skewers, soup, salad, green curry chicken, tiger prawns in a sweet and sour sauce, and chicken in black bean sauce, and ice cream for dessert (my apologies, as I forget the Thai names of all these dishes).

I never speak ill of the taste of Thai food, and this restaurant will live upto your expectations taste wise. The chicken skewers when dipped in peanut sauce are delightful, and I enjoyed the chicken/black bean combination in particular, as I had not tried it before. The soup was a bit bland compared to other Thai restaurants I have visited, but other than that, all the dishes were superb. Its a bit pricy, but still reasonable, compared to other Thai restaurants in greater Vancouver.

Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 4/5

Restaurant Review: The Eatery

2009-12-21T23:51:00.000-08:00

The Eatery
3431 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC

I used to absolutely detest sushi, and made fun of people who ate it... who in their right mind could enjoy raw fish... 3 years later, I am eating my words... I now ravenously consume the stuff, and am an absolute addict.

I got a chance to go out with some friends tonite to a upper-end sushi place, located close to the UBC campus on W. Broadway. 'The Eatery' restaurant, is sort of a funky, high end sushi place, with not quite your typical surroundings/ambiance. In fact, its more of a restaurant which has a club feel. I was not at all impressed with the service though... we had to wait about 45 min for our food to be brought to the table, which I think is unacceptable on a Monday nite.

In keeping with the theme of not quite being your typical sushi place, they offer some not so typical rolls... 'The Eatery' is probably the only place where you will find the 'KFC' (Fried Chicken) Roll, 'Mango' Roll, or the 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. And of course you can get your regular sushi rolls as well. However, all this funkiness comes at a price... the rolls here are quite expensive, starting at no less than $5 per roll, with the fancier ones being upto $8 per roll. So if you come, be prepared to shell out some dough.

I ordered a California roll, a Spicy Tuna roll, and just to fit in, decided to try a 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. No doubt the quality of the sushi is absolutely superb, much better than the cheaper sushi places. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with the 'Jalapeno Popper roll' and I would have prefered to stick to the regular sushi rolls. Having said that though, my friend raved about his 'KFC' Roll, so perhaps the adventerous types should keep experimenting with the funkier rolls.

The sushi quality found here is superb, but I am still not convinced it is worth the money you pay out. But if you want to try sushi thats a bit 'out of the box', the by all means, stop by 'The Eatery' restaurant.

Service: 2/5

Ambiance/Location: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Restaurant Review: Thai Terrace

2009-12-21T23:34:00.000-08:00

Thai Terrace Restaurant
2872 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

As almost everyone knows, my favorite cuisine in the world is Thai... I just love the taste of basil and coconut milk, and I find the food to be far less greasy and oily than other East Asian cuisines while still being flavorful. Which is why it is nice to be able to review a restaurant which is one of the best Thai places in Vancouver... Thai Terrace.

Thai Terrace is in my opinion the best 'Bang for your Buck' Thai restaurant in Vancouver. Located at the corner of W. Broadway and Macdonald, in a very friendly neighborhood and pleasant surroundings, the restaurant itself is very small, and the furnishings are sparse. However, by saving money in this manner, they are able to offer wonderful food and very decent prices. Typically, I go for the dinner combo, which consists of a Salad, Soup, Spring Roll, One Dish, and Rice for $9.25. The taste is at par with most Thai restaurants I have been to, and the portions of food are very reasonable.

This time, I went with some office colleagues to celebrate the promotion of our office manager. As an added bonus, one of my officemates is Thai, and so when we got to the restaurant, we let him do all the ordering, and he did a great job. We started with the House Salad, Tom Yum Koong Soup, Pad Gra-Prow (Chicken sauteed with pepper, onions and basil leaves), Pla Sam Rod (Fish marinated with peppers, mushooms, and basil leaves), and of course, the standard Yellow Curry Chicken.

In fact, all the dishes were superb. I love the dressing they use on the House salad, and I find Thai soups to be far better than Japanese Miso soup. The three main dishes were plentiful, flavorful, and absoultely delightful. The service is also quite prompt. I really don't have anything bad to say about this restaurant, as it is a students delight. Good food at very reasonable prices. Only the ambiance lacks a bit, but for me, it doesnt matter.

Service: 4/5

Ambiance/Location: 3/5

Food: 5/5

Dreams...

2009-12-17T22:57:00.001-08:00

I have never been much of a sound sleeper... although, as most people who know me, know that I am not a 'morning' person, and would much rather prefer to be under the covers, for some reason, I do not sleep that deeply during the night, and tend to wake up at the slightest disturbance.

Perhaps for that reason, I rarely ever have any dreams... honestly, the topic of dreaming has always been interesting to me. Some people take dreams quite seriously, and go to great extents to analyse and interpret what they have experienced in their sleep. Personally, I find it quite amusing... when I do dream, I rarely have nightmares, and my dreams are usually non-sensical and somewhat comedic in nature.

For the past two months, I am not sure why, but I have been dreaming on almost a nightly basis... some have been lovely reminders... spending time with old friends, and relieving good memories... dreams that I have been disappointed to wake up from. Some have been the usual non-sensical type... leaving me with not much to think about. And on occasion, I have had the terrifying nightmare, where I have literally woken up in a cold sweat.

I am not really sure what to make of the sudden change in my nightly neural activity... not sure if it means anything at all actually. So instead, I would like to pose some questions to the few people who read this blog... what do dreams mean to you? Do you take dreams as some sort of spiritual message, or is it just your brain playing tricks on you? Do you enjoy dreams, or do you just wish that you could get some rest in peace...?

Restaurant Review: Ming Tak Hongkong Style Restaurant

2009-12-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Ming Tak Hongkong Style Restaurant
8363 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC

Okay, so this is probably a review with the longest restaurant name I will ever write...

Typically when I go out for Chinese, it will be to an 'Indian-Style' Chinese restaurant, with the food liberally seasoned with Indian Spices and Chillies... however, for a change, I agreed to go out with some friends for a more authentic Chinese experience.

The restaurant is located in South Vancouver, on Granville, in a fairly easy to reach area by car. We got there at 8PM, and for some reason the restaurant was totally empty... but perhaps this is because we went there on a Wednesday night. Consiquently, the service was very good, and the food arrived promptly as the waitress was not distracted with multiple orders.

I ordered a combo consisting of sweet + sour shrimp, chicken with mixed vegetables, rice, and a spring roll. For dessert, I ordered green tea ice cream, which I had never tried before.

Now, I am not too sure what the specialty of Hongkong style is, but to be honest, there didn't seem to be anything too special about it. Compared to Indo-Chinese, the food tastes a bit bland, but still is pretty good in its own original way. I particularly liked the sweet and sour shrimp, and the proportion of food was very good, and is just enough to fill your stomach. Personally, I wasn't terribly impressed with the ice-cream, and would prefer to stick with regular flavors like vanilla/chocolate, and save my green tea to be served steaming hot in a mug. We all ordered different dishes, and looking at the menu, I would admit, there are alot of different items to choose from, in fact, more than I have seen in most Chinese restaurants.

If you are in the neighborhood, and craving some Chinese, feel free to drop in, as you get a decent bang for your buck.

Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5

India... The Bad, The Good, and The Great

2009-12-09T01:25:00.000-08:00

So I just got back from my 3 week trip to India a few days ago… probably my nicest trip of the year… Just a few thoughts, of the bad, the good, and the great of what I saw…

Lets start with the bad. And I hope no one takes offence to these comments… remember… ‘Koi bhi desh perfect nahin hota hai… perfect banane parta hai…’

The Bad

There is absolutely no question that India has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years, and has modernized itself phenomenally. But I wonder, what is the best definition of modernization? Is it westernization, or something else? The reason that I ask, is that while I feel Indians have gone out of their way to emulate the negative aspects of western culture, they haven’t been so forthcoming in emulating the positive aspects. Everyone wants to eat, walk, shop and talk like westerners… everyone wants to date and party, and essentially do all the fun things that we corrupt westerners do… but where is the emulation of the good practices? What about punctuality? Everyone still shows up late to everything… What about professionalism and courtesy? No one has the patience to wait in a lineup… everyone just pushes and shoves their way to the front of a line (which makes sense since everyone is late to begin with)… What about civic sense? It is shameful how people still just throw their rubbish, or spit on the road, rather than having the common sense to find a trash bin.

A funny example I can think of is the construction of pedestrian overpasses in Kolkata… no doubt, a very good idea… the idea is to provide these overhead walkways so that people aren’t running across the street, risking their lives and clogging up traffic… a very good idea… at least in theory, anyway. In fact, what I observed was that people would still rather risk their lives and scamper across 4 lanes of traffic rather than simply climb up a flight of stairs and easily walk across… is it stupidity, laziness, or just a lack of sense… I wasn’t quite able to figure it out… however, what made the situation even more hilarious, is that these newly constructed structures turned out to be very good spots for guys to take their girlfriends up for a bit of privacy… after all, they were essentially deserted, I guess the view was better than that at street level, and was the perfect spot to share a bit of intimacy I suppose… now there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to do so, but it just seemed like a total waste of resources. My point is, if people have decided that they are modern enough to follow the essentially western traditions of dating, then they should also figure out that a overpass is to be used for walking first, and PDA later…

The Good

I happened to be in Kolkata on the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. While I have noticed that in the past, in the aftermath of such terrorist attacks, there will be a bit of an outcry, over time, general public apathy returns, and all is forgotten. Such was not the case after 26/11. There is a genuine sense of outrage, anger, and disgust over such a shameful act, and I felt that everyone was united, regardless of age, religion, and language in condemnation. Contrary to what the terrorists hoped to achieve, I really felt there was a sense of unity and solidarity amongst the people. It is really a wonderful display of strength, and was very much heartening to see.

The Great

I also had the good fortune of being able to travel to Southern India this time. What outsiders don’t realize about India is that travelling to a different region of the country not only feels like you are travelling to a different country itself, but in some cases, feels like you are travelling to a different planet! Mannerisms, dress, language, religious practise, everything changes. And yet, there is unity. It is still one country, and to me that is absolutely amazing.

Europe may pride itself on its culture… but the fact is, despite essentially being of the same ethnicity, the continent was, and continues to fracture itself along the slightest difference in religion or language (think Yugoslavia, or to a smaller extent even the current situation in Belgium). What culture is there, when immigrants are expected to assimilate, and you can’t coexist with anyone who is even slightly different from you? North America may pride itself on its high standard of living… but I wonder if some of the ethnic minorities in the USA feel the same way, having spent their lives growing up in a Ghetto?

Despite the tremendous differences, and difficult situations Indians have had to face, in the past 62 years, democracy has triumphed, and the country has remained united… this is something absolutely unique, and something every Indian should take pride in.

I have done a lot of travelling this year, and have logged a lot of miles. I have travelled extensively on 3 different continents within the same year, and not many people can say that. After all these travels, I can say that without a doubt, that although there may be umpteen problems with the country of India, there is still something magical about it, and I am really privileged that my roots were based from such an amazing place.

Lest We Forget

2009-11-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

November 11 is Remembrance Day. The day is meant to commemorate the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces in times of war. However, honestly, to most of us, November 11 is really just a day off... most of us are probably sleeping in at 11AM, rather than taking part in any of the myriad of memorial services around town.

Sometimes I ask myself... does it really matter to me? None of my family members or friends are in the military... nor do I have a family history of anyone being in the armed forces. I have never remotely been affected by war, or the grief that comes with it.

Well, when you think about it, that alone is reason enough for me to remember... the fact that I am lucky enough to live in a place in peace, and be lazy and arrogant enough to take it for granted. That is what members of our armed forces have served and died for... for pricks like me to be able to lead a charmed existance. No matter what your nationality, or what the cause, all these men and women who have served their country faithfully deserve to be commended for what they have done.

This Remembrance Day, do take the time to try and remember... the rest of the year is for us, but maybe we can take a moment this one day to be thankful for those who spend sleepless nights protecting us, so that we can sleep peacefully at night.

Restaurant Review: Red Sea Cafe

2009-11-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Red Sea Cafe
670 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Red Sea Cafe serves authentic Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine. Never tried it before? Well, it is a definate must. This was by no means my first visit here, and will not be my last.

One of the curious features of Ethiopian cuisine is how the food is served to you. Apparently, back home, the food is meant to be eaten and shared together. And that is how it is served to you here. The different vegetarian and non-veg cuisines are spread out of a large piece of 'injera' (a flat, pancake like bread), and everyone at the table dives in and pigs out. Most would agree that the non-veg dishes are probably a bit better than the veggies, although I do like the spicy lentils quite a bit.

Of the Ethiopian restuarants in Vancouver that we have tried, this is probably the best. They are open late, and the owners are very friendly. The price of Ethiopian food is not bad... approximately $15, and you will leave with a full stomach.

Service: 4/5

Ambiance/Location: 3/5

Food Quality: 4/5

Restaurant Review: Atithi Indian Cuisine

2009-10-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Atithi Indian Cuisine
2445 Burrard St
Vancouver, BC

After a while, I went out with a friend to a new restaurant... Atithi is a somewhat upscale Indian restuarant that was opened a few months ago... I had been meaning to try the food all year, and finally got a chance last nite.

The restaurant is actually owned by a Bengali... since we shared the 'Bong Connection', I was treated very well, and was very impressed by the service... they really went out of their way to make us feel at home. I also liked the ambiance... not too fancy, but still very chic.

We ordered the Chicken Biryani, and Jackfruit and Potato Curry... while I felt the portions were a bit small for the price, the taste was superb... the Biryani mixed with Raita was heaven, and it was nice to get an authentic Bengali dish like Jackfruit served in a nice restaurant for a change. We were also served with some lovely complimentary Kheer at the end, which will remind you of the type your mother makes...!

If you are looking for a nice nite out, and want to savor some excellent Indian cuisine in a wonderful environment, I highly recommend this restaurant. I know I will be headed back!

Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 5/5
Food Quality: 4/5

Deepmala 2009

2009-10-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

After days of hectic preparation, we finally put together Deepmala 2009 last Saturday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwi5za6VlrA

One of the reasons I joined the UTSAV exec is because I felt that the club was not really achieving its true potential. I think we took a very positive step towards this last week. The turnout was a record high, and I don't think there was even one person who left dissapointed. We managed to take the good ideas past exec teams have provided, and combine them with our own. We spent alot of time in scouring for the best South Asian performances in Vancouver, and I think we managed to deliver. For the first time I can remember, we had people talking/asking of when the next UTSAV event would be... I even had one person tell me that this reminded them of their college functions back in India, which to me was an absolutely huge compliment...

Speaking for myself, although most of the day I was totally stressed out, until around 9PM when the food service was over and we realised just what we had accomplished, I finally was able to let loose and enjoy myself... dancing like an absolute maniac until I literally couldn't walk anymore, it was really the most fun I have had in a really long time. We stayed up all night, and I finally got to bed the next day at 2 in the afternoon...

And of course, I had my own seranade... ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o0DxQQ0fHY

What a night!

Lecturing, and Murphys Law...

2009-10-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Murphys Law: "Whatever CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong..."

At the start of the semester, I was assigned a marking TA for the 3rd year Construction Materials course in the departement. While typically, a marker would only be responsible for marking assignments and recording marks, the prof informed me that he would be away for a week during the semester, and inquired as to whether I could take 1-2 of his lectures that week. I thought it would be a good experience, so I said yes.

I was originally scheduled to give my lecture on 'Concrete Durability' on Wednesday, Oct 7, while a Guest Lecturer from the industry was scheduled to come in on Friday Oct 9. On the night of the 6th, it suddenly hit me that I had never actually lectured to such a large audience before (class size was 150, and I had never done anything larger than a Lab Tutorial of not more than 30 students), and that I should probably get a bit of practise on my slides. So I stayed up until 2AM that night, giving mock presentations to my audience of Soda Cans in my lab. The lovely thing about Soda cans is that they always pay attention, and never ask any questions.

Anyway, I promptly arrived at 7:45AM the next morning ready to dazzle the audience with my knowledge of concrete cracks. Standing outside the lecture hall however was an elderly gentleman who clearly wasn't a student. He informed me that he was the guest lecturer, and showed me an Email sent to him by my prof. Apparently, my prof informed him that HE would be lecturing on the 7th, while I was to lecture on the 9th... wonderful. I bored my Soda Cans for no reason. Obviously, since he had taken the day off, and would not be able to come on the 9th, we decided that he should lecture, and I would postpone till Friday.

Fastforward to Friday morning. After another late nite lecturing to my Soda Cans, I arrive at 7:45 again... I decide I would try and be the 'cool lecturer' and would start off with some jokes. When I get to the lectern, something curious popped up on the screen... 'The system has been disabled'. Interesting... I couldn't load up the computer or the projector to actually show the slides I was going to present in class. Well, no worries, I would just go upto the main office and get someone to come down and help me. Of course the office didn't open till 8:30 AM, which wouldn't really be of much help. I came back down, and it was 8AM... damn... no time for my jokes. What to do now? I walk out into the hall, and find the janitor. He offered to come down and take a look, but after noticing his blank look, I realise he would be better at cleaning the console than actually getting it working.

8:10 AM... now I am getting worried... the students are starting to give me dirty looks for getting them to show up to an 8AM lecture... again, I go out into the hall... I walked into the classroom across the hall, and to my delight, it was totally empty! I can shift my class there! Eureka!

I go back into the original lecture theater, apologize, and tell everyone they have to shift to the room across the hall... despite the dirty looks, I am happy, as I will at least get to lecture. Interestingly, my class was for 150 students... and the entire class managed to fit into a lecture hall for 94 students. Point to note... not more than 1/2 of a 3rd Civil Engineering class has the dedication to wake up for an 8AM lecture on concrete.

I boot up the computer in the new lecture hall, and thankfully, everything works fine... until I slip in the USB with my lecture on it. 'Device not readable'. D**N it!!! At this point I am ready to throw a hunk of concrete through the lectern. What to do, what to do?! I decide to give it one last shot... when all else fails, restart the computer... 2 min later, I am back at the main screen... I slip in my USB, and thankfully, for the first time in 3 days, SOMETHING goes right!!! The slides loaded up, and I was ready to go. Only 2 days and 20 min late I suppose!

Turns out I am an okay lecturer... I only put 2 people to sleep during my talk (one of whom I had to wake up after the class ended), and people actually asked a few educated questions. I managed to speed through the slides and finish everything on time, and thankfully, nothing else went wrong. However, I am seriously going to think twice the next time my prof asks me... 'So what are you doing at 8AM next Wednesday?"!!!

Should my mouth be this bloody?

2009-10-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

Just a short unplanned rant... I went to the dentist yesterday... I generally have good oral hygene, and haven't had a cavity in years. However, yesterday, I met the dental assistant from hell...

I think she was a new trainee, and she decided she wanted to experiment on my gums. 2 quick questions...?

1) Why do dentists/dental assistants insist on talking to you when they have instruments shoved in your mouth so you can't have a conversation with them anyway???

2) Why do they ask you if they should stop when you yelp in pain when they are just going to continue on with whatever they were doing to make you yelp in the first place???

Anyway, to make a long story short, this was the first time when I got out of a dentist chair for a routine cleaning and was actually spitting out blood... and was STILL spitting out blood this morning. Apparently she wanted to make sure that there was absolutely no tartar/crud on my gumline and she did a VERY good job of it.

What a lovely profession... you get to torture your client for 45 min, and then collect 45 dollars from them at the end of it... MAN I picked the wrong line of work... :S

Desi Titanic...

2009-09-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

One of the gripes I have always had as an UTSAV member is that we always seem to do the same thing every year... very little innovation, because in general people are too lazy to try new things. But seriously, how much Antakshari can you play? Secondly, I have always felt that the general membership should play an active role in organizing and suggesting events... not just the executive. After all, we are there to execute, but the membership is really what matters.

This year, I was approached by a member about putting together a team for the annual Longboat race. Almost every other club on campus takes an active role in UBC-REC events such as Longboat, whereas UTSAV has always lagged... maybe due to changing club demographics, this trend is changing, but whatever the case, I was pleasantly surprised and happy to try and oblige.

I was even more pleasantly surprised when it turned out that membership was actually more enthusiastic then expected. We had originally planned to subsidize only one team, however, we had enough participants to put together two teams, one mens team, and one coed team. Another UTSAV first! One minor issue for me though... although in general, I like anything sporting... there is one major exception. I really don't like swimming!

I took a few lessons as a kid... my parents insisted on it, as they said I would make use of it later on in my life. Consequently, I did actually learn the basics... how to float, doggy paddle, backstroke, and swim a few lengths of the pool at least. Not an expert, but enough to not drown I guess... However, over time, for some reason, I developed an adversion to water... I once actually almost drowned when I went fishing at a lake (long story, maybe for another blog entry), and had to be pulled out by an uncle... secondly, I was a bit fussy about swimming in public pools with people releasing god knows what kind of fluids into the water. Finally, and most importantly, I just didn't find it to be much fun. So whenever my friends were enthusiastically diving into the water for a swim, I preferred to remain poolside or laze on the beach.

Now, Longboat (unfortunately for me) is a water-based race where 10 team members enthusiastically paddle around a race course in English Bay, and ends off with the boat landing on the beach, and one of the team members running upto the finish line and banging a gong. While I was cool with the gong part, not so much with the boat part... what if we fell in? Well, I decided that I would be a hypocrite to encourage others to try new things, and then chicken out myself... besides, what were chances of us ACTUALLY flipping the boat?

Well, we had a pre-race clinic one week before the race so that everyone would know the rules and get accustomed to rowing the boat. Was pretty simple... I was selected to be the 'driver' who steered the boat, while everyone else was responsible for providing the propulsion to motor along on the water... while initially we had trouble paddling in sync, before we knew it, we were paddling around right in the middle of English Bay... we developed an 'interesting' 'R'-rated chant to keep us paddling in rythm (which I shall not mention as this is a family blog), and after a while, we got the hang of turning the boat left and right... despite the waves, we did quite decently! Satisfied, we decided to head back to shore, and THAT is where things took an interesting turn... literally!

About 100 m from the beach, one (unnamed) teammate decided to enthusiastically turn around and yell at another one of our teammates seated in the middle of the boat... unfortunately in his enthusiasm, he gave the boat a sudden shake which tipped it one way... and without warning, my worst fears came true and the Pacific Ocean which had until then managed to stay OUTSIDE of the boat, now started to pour INTO the boat! Within a split second, the boat was almost completely submerged, and flipped right over, and before I knew it, I was floating in the middle of English Bay!

In the ensuing panic, it was like a desi version of the 'Titanic'... bodys in the water, everyone screaming and shouting at each other! Thank god for our life jackets which kept everyone afloat! Not to mention, the waters of the Pacific Ocean are much colder then I ever imagined, and I was afraid that if I wasn't pulled out in minutes, some of my body parts would freeze and start falling off... However, despite my water phobia, I actually managed to stay relatively calm, and shouted at everyone to try and relax... one of my teammates sprawled himself on top of the overturned boat, while the others clung onto each other and the sides of the boat for dear life... I was genuinely worried for one or two of them who were shivering scared... I was barely staying afloat myself... what would we do if one of them went under? Well, thankfully, I didn't have to find out, as after what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality not more than 2 min, the rescue boats arrived to pull us out... one of the rescue members chuckled at us and told us we were the first boat of the day to flip... I chuckled back, and cursed at him in my head as I swam over, away from the flipped boat and into the rescue raft. One by one, we all climbed on to the rescue boats, and headed back to the beach... when we got back on dry land the spectators on shore gave us an enthusiastic ovation... not know what to do, I bowed back!

At the time, when the boat was submerged, the whole incident did not seem funny at all... but in retrospect, I think for some of us, the unexpected swim in the Pacific was maybe the funnest part of the entire event! Morals of the story, boys and girls?

1. Your biggest fears are often not as bad as they seem...
2. When in a boat, always wear your lifejacket...
3. Mom and Dad have an uncanny way of always being right!

(PS, We DID compete in the actual race today, successfully finished, and most importantly, this time we did NOT flip the boat... )

The Soundtrack to your Life...

2009-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

The type of music I load onto my playlist everyday in the office depends heavily on what my mood is that day... if I feel peppy... maybe some R&B or Pop... if I feel angry, maybe some Rap or Rock... if I feel sentimental... maybe some Old Classics, or Religious music... Sometimes even listening to a certain song can change the way I am feeling at that instant... or reinforce the feeling even more.

Its unbelievable the power that music has over us... it has the power to generate emotions, or completely change them. These feelings are gripping and seem to emerge from nowhere. Music is perhaps the simplest medium which can colour our mood, affect our perceptions, and subsequently control the way we act around others.

Personally, I am most affected by music which not only sounds good, but has lyrics which mean something... of course, we all enjoy the songs which make no sense, are completly generic, yet still sounds good to the ears, but in terms of songs which we actually remember and love, I think lyrics which we can relate to are essential...

Which songs are unforgettable to you, and why? Which songs are the ones which have affected you, and maybe influenced the person you have become? What is the soundtrack to your life?

Today, I am feeling melancholy... so I am going to say, 'Bittersweet Symphony' by 'The Verve'... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx3m4e45bTo

Free Food!

2009-09-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

The new term started up on Tuesday... which means that the campus is now flooded with Undergrads... Graduate students have this arrogance about them... we go out of our ways to mock and ridicule these lowly minions... probably just to blow off some steam after our professors mock and ridicule us. :P

As wonderful as it is to hear drunk Undergrads screaming like banshees until 3AM on every street on campus, and as fun as it is to be pestered with questions about Undergrad courses that we actually don't have the answers to, and as great as it is to no longer be able to get a seat on any bus because they are all filled with our young friends, there is actually genuinely one great thing about the term starting... the FREE FOOD!!!

Cooking is the bane of every student who lives on campus. However, come every September, we gain a 6th sense, the sense which allows us to detect all the free pizza partys, bbqs, orientation coffee, cookies, donuts and all the other free giveaways that come part and parcel with the start of the new academic year. As a student, we consider it our god given right to abuse the system, and go back for seconds, thirds, or even fourths until our tummys are filled... (or maybe thats just me).

Of course I am a special case... I have been doing this for years... my friend and I discovered this free food phenominon waaaay back in first year Undergrad when on the way to the arcade, we stumbled across the weekly Biological Gradute Students Society party which provided ample pizza and beer to all those who attended. Henceforth, we made it our business to pretend like we understood the discussions, and knew everyone who was there, all in the name of a few slices of Freshslice pizza every week. The days have gone where I acted like a Grad Student to get free pizza, and now the roles have reversed... yesterday I happily acted like an Undergrad so that I could score some free Dominos on Main Mall during Imagine Day celebrations... old habits die hard I guess!

So Undergrads, bring me your noise... bring me your questions... but above all, and never forget this... bring me your free food!!! :P

Restaurant Review: Novelty Sweets and Restaurant

2009-09-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Novelty Sweets and Restaurant
6665 Fraser St.
Vancouver, BC

Was in the midst of whirlwind fundraising for UTSAV with my executive friends this afteroon, and consequently, was in the Main/Fraser area. After a few hours of soliciting/begging, it occurred to us how hungry we all were, and so we decided to stop at Novelty for lunch.

I generally don't like any of the lunch buffets in the Main/Fraser area, but I find this one to be bearable. It wasn't the first time I had been here, and I always go for the $7.99 lunch buffet. The buffet includes Naan, Rice, Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer, Aloo ki Sabji, Choley, Dal, Samosas, and Jalebi.

The thing I like about this buffet, as that for this price, the taste is very decent. Generally low price buffets tend to be made with low quality ingredients, and are bathing in oil, but this is not the case. Of course, Novelty is no high end restaurant, and the taste shouldn't be compared with places like Maurya, Raga, or Samosa Garden. However, for the price, I think it is an excellent place to drop in and fill your stomach without regretting it the next day. Personally, I tend to fill up on the Naan and Butter Chicken, but the choice is yours...

One thing though... the service is distinctly lacking. Although the place was very clean, we had to wait forever for fresh Naan and Samosas. We were seated at a table with not enough plates, glasses and forks, and had to help ourselves.

Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5

What the puck?

2009-09-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

I was sitting down yesterday scheming of ways to spend the ridiculously few dollars I have in my bank account... do I go to the U2 concert? Naah... not worth it. The Kailash Kher concert? Well, unfortunately, the concert falls right in the middle of Durga Puja, and I probably wouldn't be able to attend... then it occurred to me... I hadn't been to a Vancouver Canucks game for a while... I wonder how much tickets cost now?

Logged into the Canucks website, and was shocked... the prices for tickets in the nosebleed section are $55... imagine that, the CHEAPEST seats were $55. However, despite the insanely high prices, I am still seriously considering going, provided I can convince a few other of my friends who are as foolish as me to part with their money as well...

Why on EARTH am I even considering this? I have already done way too much travelling this year... both in and out of the province... and I really shouldn't be able to afford this. But what on EARTH is it that draws me to go to a game when I am not even sure if I am going to see my team put up a decent performance. Hockey doesn't have any cheerleaders, so its not as if I am going to get to go and stare at any cute girls to get my moneys worth...

The last game I went to was with my friend Mohit, and it was the first time he had been to a Canucks game. They were actually complimentary seats, and we had to work as 50-50 ticket vendors for the first period, so really, we only got to see half the game. But for that 1/2 he was absolutely mesmorized. For a while, I wasn't sure if I was the one who had been watching this game since I was a kid or him! We were perhaps 200 m away from the action, but we were roaring at every goal, groaning at every hit, and screaming at every opportunity possible. When a fight broke out, we felt like we wanted to jump over the boards and join in the melee!

The Canucks slogan is 'We are all Canucks'. For every Canucks fan, believe it or not, this is true. We live and die with our team. We treat the players like gods when they win, and curse them when they lose... and even if they lose year after year, we still come back to them the following year, because well... 'We are all Canucks'.

I don't know what it is about this game that has the capacity to unite a city together, or at the Olympic level, unite an entire country together. India has cricket, most of the world has soccer, and well, Canada has hockey... actually Canada IS hockey... we may not be the games superpower anymore, but without a doubt are the games most passionate followers. And I suppose the passion is what makes fools like me consider spending money on tickets which I really can't even afford...

On a sidenote, does anyone have $55 that I can borrow for ummm... textbooks next week? ;)

Restaurant Review: Main Kabab Hut

2009-09-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Main Kabab Hut:
219 E49 Ave
Vancouver, BC

I had heard about this place from a number of my friends recently, and since I was in the neighborhood, decided to try it out for dinner.

The restaurant is essentially, a 'hole in the wall' kind of place... very tiny, with only 3 tables, and a kitchen directly behind the counter. Essentially, the restaurant specializes in North Indian/Pakistani non-vegetarian cuisine, including Biryani, Nehare, BBQ and Kebab.

My friends who had been there all raved about the Chicken Biryani in particular, so I decided to give it a shot. I didn't have to wait very long, since the place was practically empty, save for one other customer, probably because most people were fasting due to Ramazan... the cost for a plate is $8.00

The food was very good, no complaints. But to be honest... not spectacular. I have been to my Muslim friends houses on Eid, and quite frankly, that Biryani was better... the mothers touch was missing I suppose. However, having said that, this Biryani was also quite authentic, and better than that which would be found at more expensive restaurants. I was very impressed by the quantity, as I was barely able to finish the plate. The Biryani also came with a small bowl of Raita, which was a nice touch to aid digestion after consuming all that masala. Considering the portions, and reasonable price, I do recommend anyone who is in the area and craving some non-veg to drop in and sample some of the delicacies.

Service: 4/5

Ambiance/Location: 2/5

Food Quality: 3/5

Fall in Vancouver...

2009-08-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

September is almost here... the unofficial end of summer, and the beginning of fall. I used to absolutely DREAD this time of year in grade school, as it meant the end of holidays, sleeping in, and playing around all day. When I came to university, it started to matter less and less, as I usually used to work in the summers, and then when I came to grad school, then I had to work year around as a research assistant anyway...

Strangely, I started to appreciate the fall season more and more, after I got over the fear of the 'first day back to school'. Why? There are many reasons... firstly, I think Vancouver looks absolutely beautiful in the fall. The leaves begin to change color, and the weather usually stays fairly decent; minimal rain/no snow, so that you can still go out for a brisk walk and appreciate everything. Secondly, it is the Indian festival season. Now of course, it is celebrated here a fraction of how it would be celebrated in India, but it is still nice to see everyone with smiles on their faces, it gives friends and relatives an excuse to get back in touch and wish each other the best, and finally, most importantly, my mom goes into the kitchen and makes up some delicious sweets and snacks that we eagerly await year around. :P

Last year I wasn't able to appreciate the fall that much, as I was busy with alot of things going on in life... this year however, I plan to enjoy all out, and of course, since I am the UTSAV VP this year, there is the added bonus of helping to organize and then partying like crazy at Deepmala this year... hope everyone can join me!

Biker Boy

2009-08-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

I bought a new bicycle a few months ago. Was inspired after I finally went and biked the Lions Gate Bridge/Seawall back in the spring (yes, I have lived in Vancouver my entire life, and didn't bike the Seawall till now...) Besides, it seems to be the IN thing to do these days, and I got a really good deal. It was a second hand bike, bought from a Chinese guy who I think was dealing in stolen bikes, but hey, a deal is a deal right? Only $30, plus a new helmet, lock and waterbottle holder, ended up costing me $60 in total.

Bike riding in North America is definitely not as popular as most other places in the world. I have seen pictures of streets filled with bikes in China, and one thing that really impressed me about Europe is how people prefer to get out of their cars, and take their bicycles, or public transit. It is definately a nice convinience, and lets you go a bit further/faster than if you were just travelling around on foot.

Its nice to be able to zip around campus on my bike, but I can't help but be reminded about how much fun it was to ride bikes when I was younger. Back then gaming consoles were too expensive, so we actually used to go outdoors and stay active in the summers. Games like 'Cops and Robbers', or 'Hide and Seek' in the forest behind our house were quite standard, and then there was the manditory daily road hockey game between the kids from one end of the street, against the kids from the other end of the street, which only ended when it got too dark, or somebody got hit in the head with the ball and started crying.

And of course, we all had our own bikes... ah... our bikes. Although I doubt any of us ever went faster than 10 km/hr, to us, we felt like speed demons, going not less than 120 clicks. My first bike was actually a bit bigger than I was. I was 5 years old, and my parents bought me a second hand yellow Schwinn, with the old style foot brakes. For the first few months, I pedelled around with training wheels until one day when dad decided that enough was enough, and he took them off, took me to the field at the back of our house, so that even if I fell off, at least it would be on grass, and told me to start pedelling. Thankfully, all went well, and I didn't fall, although convincing me to stop was a bit of a challenge, since I was petrified that if I stopped moving I would take a tumble.

Of course we all took our share of spills... I think all of our mothers had purchased the mandatory Dettol bottles to clean off all the cuts and scratches we sustained, and of course had those perfectly shaped bandages which covered up the skinned and scrapped knees, and road burnt elbows which were pretty much a weekly occurance. My most spectacular crash happened to be when I managed to run head on into a parked car and ended up sprawled over the front windshield. Not exactly my finest moment...

What did we do on our bikes? Well, of course, there were the street races... at first from one end of the street to the other. Then, when we were a bit older, around the block. And then, finally, when we gained enough stamina, the races became all the way around the neighborhood. One of our biggest accomplishments was the construction of a ramp we used to go airborne on our bikes and pretend like we were Tony Hawk, when in reality, I doubt we got more than 2 ft off the ground. When we finally started getting a bit of pocket money from our parents, we would sneak off on our bikes and spend $0.50 on an Ice Cream from McDonalds, or a Slurpee from 7-11. We felt like kings.

Well, Ice Creams/Slurpees cost more than $0.50 now... our old biker gang has disbanded, and since I can drive, when I am home, I kind of prefer that means conveyance these days. These days, its just me, alone on my bike using it to go around campus, usually to the office, or SRC. Once in a while, I will take it a bit further, maybe to Broadway to have dinner, or down to the beach to watch the sunset. I may have grown up (well, physically at least), but every so often, its nice to be able to ride my bike, and pretend like I am 5 years old all over again...

Back to the Future?

2009-08-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Its time… its time to go back and put myself through unnecessary torture… its time to head back… to the gym.

It was recently pointed out to me by a ‘family member’ ;), that all the good work I had done this year by going to the gym has basically been undone in the past few months. I had gotten a bit side tracked over the past three months, and especially with all the travelling, I just gave up on going to the gym. Now, the love handles are making a slight return, and the shoulder pimples/biceps which had developed have receeded back to where they came from…

I used to be in excellent shape. In fact, I am still in very decent shape, but not in the phenomenal condition I once was. 6 years of my life were dedicated to the martial arts. Furthermore, I am proud to say that I trained at one of the finest schools on the West Coast, where Black Belts were not handed out as party favors. I was a different person back then… unbelievably disciplined, and my life basically revolved around two things… undergrad, and training. Why did I do it? Well, because I loved it… as sadistic as it sounds, there is an indescribable pride which you gain from pounding on someone, and then being able to get up after taking a heavier pounding. Most people think that we do it to be able to show off… to throw some ‘Bruce Lee’ style kicks, when in reality this is not the case at all. The mental strength one develops from training in the martial arts is unparalleled. Only by getting humiliated and being pushed to your physical limits in the dojo did I realize what my actual self worth was. Your ego is destroyed, and you realize the meaning of humility. But believe me, it is not a bad thing… you learn to learn from others, rather than staying in a delusional state, you actually strive to improve yourself, and most importantly, you learn to never give up. By the end, if you have been persistent, you will never feel the need to show off to anyone what you can do, because in your mind, you already know you can do it all. Beyond being able to break a wooden board (which is surprisingly easy to do actually), these were the lessons which I felt were actually the most valuable, which I have tried to use in every corner of my life. After all, what is there to prove to anyone, when you have already proven everything to yourself?

It has been 5 years since I have regularly trained, and I think I have changed as a person, but maybe not necessarily for the better… lets face it, although I like going to the gym because I like feeling fit, there is also that little part of me which has developed which also enjoys the compliments I receive when I look fit. And although there is nothing wrong with that, it shouldn’t be the primary reason I go to the gym. Maybe I need to remind myself of the lessons I learned a few years ago, and go back for the reasons one should be working out. To be strong, to stay healthy, and of course, to have fun. And hopefully, if I have inspired some of you to take up the martial arts on your own, or better yet, give me some company at the SRC gym starting this fall, then all the better!

The Circle of Life

2009-08-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

My Dad went in for a surgery last week. He had been having difficulty breathing through his nose, and essentially, the procedure was to clean out/remove some sort of blockage. I talked with some friends ahead of time, and was reassured that the procedure was fairly minor, and in fact, I wasn't too worried, as it was a day surgery, and he would be out by the evening.

Thankfully, everything went well... however, when I went in to see him in the afternoon, I was a bit taken aback by what I saw. He was totally sedated, hooked up to a IV, and face was heavily bandaged. It was alot more than what I was expecting. I am very lucky to say that I haven't had to spend much time in the hospital myself, as my friends and family have for the most part always been healthy, and maybe thats why I was a bit taken aback.

We took him home, but for the next 12 hours or so, he was totally disoriented and groggy... his nose was bleeding quite profusely, as we had to change his bandage every hour or so. Basically, he was in an infant state, and was unable to do anything on his own. Of course Mom and I were there to look after him, but it felt a bit weird...

I have always been closer to my Mom in the family... she is kind of the strong silent type, and has really always been the leader... we just let Dad think he is though... ;) But still, it kind of hurt me to realise that my Dad has aged and become somewhat feeble. It isn't the first time that he has come back from the hospital, but it seemed as if this surgery really took alot out of him.

A few weeks ago, I was travelling through Europe... I spent alot of money, and vacation time on myself, exploring... I am wondering if those resources could have been better used elsewhere now... at some point kids reach the age when they begin to take on the responsibilities of their parents... the 'Circle of Life' I suppose... I guess, I didn't even realise it, but maybe my time to start walking on the circle has come as well...

Restaurant Review: Dakshin

2009-08-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

Some people do movie reviews… some people do book reviews… being a food lover, I have decided that for this blog, I will provide the occasional restaurant review. First up:

Dakshin Hyderabadi Cuisine:
8077 King George Hwy
Surrey, BC

Dakshin is an Indian restaurant which opened up in Surrey about 6 months ago, but I hadn’t had the chance to drop in and try it out. Finally went with my parents on Sunday nite, and was pleasantly surprised.

The food is basically South Indian cuisine, but with more of an Hyderabadi twist, which means that much of the menu is in fact, non-vegetarian. Consequently, I decided to try the Lamb Thali, consisting of Biryani, Lamb Curry, Zucchini Sabji, Dal, Rasam, Pooris, Papadum, and a Gulab Jamun for dessert. The price was fairly reasonable, $11.95, and the proportions of food were quite filling.

As is standard with Andhra cuisine, the food is quite spicy. Personally, I love the spices, so it wasn’t a problem for me, but those with more sensitive tongues should probably keep that in mind and let the chef know before ordering.

The best part of the meal was by far the Biryani… the touch of Jaffran was absolutely heavenly, and I wish that they had served up a bit more Biryani as part of the Thali. I also found the Rasam to be quite good, as it wasn’t too salty, not too watery, and the squash pieces were a nice touch. I didn’t like the Dal too much, as I think I am a bit more used to having Sambar as part of a South Indian meal.

Overall, we were quite happy with the food, and the service was prompt and polite. It wasn’t quite the usual South Indian restaurant I was used to, (there were no Idlis, Uttapam, or Porota on the menu), and I wouldn’t recommend the place too highly if you are a vegetarian. However, for the rest of us, it’s definately worth checking out.

Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 4/5

Bengali Music...

2009-08-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

Bengali is a wonderful language... sure, we may be obsessed with our 'sh' sounds, rolling everything into 'o's, and adding 'chi', 'che' or 'cho' to the end of every sentence, but in general, I think it is quite pleasant on the ears. I speak and understand it fluently and love its nuances and expressions.

Why then did I never get into Bengali music? I always prefered English or Hindi, and don't really enjoy Bong music at all... :( Every time my dad pops a Bengali music cassette into the tape player in our car (yes, we still have a tape player, CDs are too advanced for my dad), I cringe at the 'Adhunik' (modern) sangeet which he seems to love. For me, it sounds absolutely awful and the lyrics are in some cases quite ridiculous... Then we move onto the genre of Bangla rock which seems to be quite popular in Bangladesh. The problem with Bangla rock is that while the acoustics and getup is such that the songs sound like that they should be about death and destruction, the lyrics seem to be about love and peace... so I am not sure whether to laugh, cry, or change the channel.

Bengalis have a knack for music, and the region has really produced some of the greatest composers and musicians in the country. We can go back in time and the list is endless... Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Bankim Chandra, RD Burman, Hemantha Mukherjee, and Kishore Kumar, all the way to todays stars like Shaan, Abhijeet, Babul Supriyo or Shreya Ghoshal.

Classical Bengali Music, like Rabindra Sangeet or Baul Sangeet is phenominal for those who understand it, but it has its time and its place. For some reason, we seem to be lagging about 50 years behind or are badly out of place when it comes to modernizing Bengali music... on occasion, I hear the good Bengali album... I thought Anjan Duttas work in 'The Bong Connection' was quite decent, and 'Majhi Re' is a song which every so often pops into my head...

But I digress... to the Bongs reading this blog, am I a lost cause? Can you rescue my faith in Bengali music by recommending some nice songs, or will I be lost to the likes of Himesh Reshammiya for ever???

Dog Parathas...

2009-08-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of: MarriedtoaDesi.com

My mother spent 6 years growing up in Chennai... she says it was the happiest time of her life, and has always had a soft spot for Tamils. Although she never managed to pick up the language, she retained her love of the food, and so even when I was growing up, she would every so often experiment in the kitchen with Dosas, Uttapam, Tamarind Rice or Upma.

Coming to campus, I became good friends with many Southies, and picked up a few more pointers on the quirks and quarks of South Indian cuisine. I was introduced to a new dish many months ago called Kothu Parotta. I wish more people knew about this dish because it has become an absolute favorite. Those of you who have tried the Malaysian dish Roti Canai would be familiar. The Parotta itself is a bit thicker, butterier and flakier than a regular Paratha, but the genius of it is that it is served chopped up into small pieces, mixed with Chole and other selected vegetables like Onions and Tomatos, garnished with Cilantro, and then served with Raita. The word 'Kothu' itself apparently means 'minced' in Tamil, and was the source of a good laugh a few months back...

I had gone with a new group of friends, only one of whom was actually South Indian to the local Sarwana Bhavan. While I ordered a Paneer Dosa, one of my friends decided to order 'Chopped Paratha with Mixed Vegetables', not knowing the surprise she was about to recieve. Just before her plate arrived, she got up to go to the washroom, and when she got back, her plate was at the table...

My Friend : Whose is this?
Everyone else: Yours.
My Friend: But I ordered paratha?
Me: That is Tamil style paratha.
My Friend: But where is the paratha?
Me : That IS the paratha.
My Friend: Is it UNDER all this? {Starts poking around in the dish}
Me and South Indian Friend: In Tamil Nadu they chop up the paratha like that and mix it with veggies...
My Friend {Eyes wide, with a confused look on her face}: But WHY would the DO THAT???
Me {Starting to snicker} : Try it, its actually really good! They call it 'Kottu Parotta'.
{Rest of the table quietly murmurs}: They made this out of chopped dog?
South Indian Friend: {Giving everyone else at the table dirty looks}...
Me: {Ready to fall out of my seat laughing}...

I can vouch for it to be an absolutely scrumpcious dish... but perhaps, my South Indian friends, for the sake of better promotion, you would consider remarketing it for the rest of the us with a slightly different name? ;)

Gems from Ghalib

2009-08-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I was introduced to the works of Mirza Ghalib... given my exceptionally poor communication skills in Hindi/Urdu, at first, it was quite a struggle to translate and comprehend most of his cuplets... however, it is a rewarding process. Some of his poems are truly beautiful, and these are some of my favorites:

1)
हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी के हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निक्ले,
बहुत निक्ले मेरे अरमान लेकिन फ़िर भी कम निक्ले...

Not just the name of a movie, as I originally thought. Describes my thoughts exactly sometimes... no matter how much I get, I still desire more... and for some of these desires, and at times, so stubborn am I, it feels like I would be willing to give anything!

2)
शराब पीने दे मस्जिद मैं बैठ कर,
या फिर वह जगह दिखा जहां खुदा ना हो!

Sometimes his work is really abstract, but at other times, it is crude, and yet beautiful. I love the way Ghalib illustrates that even a drunkard knows that god is everywhere in this verse.

3)
ना था कुछ तो खुदा था, कुछ ना होता तो खुदा होता।
डूबोया मुझको होने नॆ, ना होता मैं तो कया होता ?

There are times that I seriously question what the point is of what I am doing... what is the point of my existance... Ghalib has considered the same... god was there, is there, and will continue to be there. Sometimes it seems like we are drowning in our own existance/sorrows, but really, even if we were to not exist, life would continue to go on. What is the point of leading a pained life, when really, in the grand scheme of things, us, and our problems are quite insignificant?

A sobering thought, and I hope nobody becomes suicidal after reading this verse... and hopefully, you consider that it is much better to lead a happier life then a pained one, so that such thoughts do not come to the mind. Maybe ignorance really is bliss...

नींद उसकी है, दिमाग उसका है, राथ उसकी है,

जिसके बाज़ू पर तेरी ज़ुल्फें परेशान हैं ।

Originally, I wasn't terribly impressed, until someone explained a double meaning in this verse. Apparently, 'परेशान' has a double meaning in classical Urdu, which makes these lines even more meaningful... I shall leave it to you to find out what the second meaning was.

मुहब्बत मैं नहीं है फ़र्क जीने और मरने मैं,

उसी को देख के जीते है, जिस काफ़िर पे दम निक्ले...

Somehow, Ghalib shows his genius by taking two contrasting elements (love, and death), and blending them together to make it seem incredibly passionate! I am not much of a romantic, but this for some reason is my favorite of the bunch.

Europe Memoirs, Part 5: The Eiger Trail

2009-08-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: August 12, 2009

Before leaving for Switzerland, I did a bit of research on the web and found out that one of the most recommended scenic hikes to do in the Bernese Alps is known at the 'Eiger Trail'...

The trail starts at a place called Kleine Scheidigg which is deep in the heart of the alps. From there you hike up approximately 300 meters to the base of the Eiger Mountain, known as Eigergleister. The hike then continues along the foot of the Monch, Eiger, and Schrekhorn mountains and you slowly descend down to the village of Grindelwald. Total hike time, with breaks, was approximately 6 hours. I travelled from Gimmelwald to Kleine Scheidigg via cogwheel train, and upon disembarking, was absolutely blown away... three of the highest peaks in Europe were on one side of me, and green, but rocky landscape beckoned from the other. I spent a few minutes admiring what I will probably never have the chance to experience again, and then decided to commence with the first part of the hike upto Eigergleister.

300 meters... not even a single lap around a standard running track. Now I like to think that I am a person who is in pretty good shape. But let me tell you, when you are breathing the thin mountain air, and carrying a 30 lb pack on your shoulders, you suddenly realise you are not in as good shape as you think you are... it took me a solid hour to make this elevation difference, and by the time I reached Eigergleister, I actually was ready to pass out. The only thing that kept me going was the sight of two elderly Swiss women who had actually passed me as I was hiking up and were now happily chatting away and looking at the summit. Of course neither of THEM were carrying a 30 lb pack and had probably been doing this as soon as they popped out of their mothers wombs, but I shall conviniently digress...

The rest of the hike was strenuous but enjoyable... I simply put on my headphones, stayed in tune with the music (Lucky Ali is really good hiking music for the Swiss Alps by the way...) and took in the sights around me... Every so often I would stop for a water break, snap some pics, and chatted with my fellow hikers. I was also continuously seranaded by the light clangering sounds of cow and goat bells from the animals which had come up to graze on the cliffs. 5 hours later, I found myself descending into the village of Grindelwald...

Have you ever had a meal which fed not only your body, but also your soul? Well, this happened to me in the village of Grindelwald. I spent the night in a farmers barn there... (hey, it was cheap, and how often do you get to sleep in straw?) but was running low on cash. Realising that an ATM was not easily accessible here, I ended up going to the local Aldi supermarket, and bought a loaf of Pumpernickel Bread, a hunk of Cheese, some Swiss Chocolate, and a liter of Milk. Total cost? Only 8 CHF... :) I took my bag of food up to a field beside the barn and proceeded to have myself a little picnic... The meal? Well, I just described it previously... My dining mates? Two goats which were grazing in the field... The setting? An unobstructed view of the Schrekhorn mountain... I happily gorged myself on the contents of my bag of food, and proceeded to watch as the mountain turned from the color of granite, to a hue of pink, and finally, as the sun bid me adieu, it became darker and darker, and faded from sight.

Every so often the mind reaches a place which is difficult to describe. Tagore wrote a famous poem, the opening lines of which are "Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high"... The Bodeans wrote the song for the 90's TV show 'Party of Five' known as "Closer to Free"... poets, musicians, and scholars have described this place using various words, but whatever that place is, as I lay in a farmers field on the other side of the world, body aching, but stomach full, I think my mind reached it, and I had a peaceful nights rest after a long, long time...

Europe Memoirs, Part 4: Gimmelwald

2009-08-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: August 12, 2009

Interlaken Ost is considered the gateway station into the Bernese Swiss Alps. Upon disembarking here, you transfer to the Jungfraubahn, the system of cogwheel railcars which take you high into the Alps, wherever you want to go. The first stop beyond Interlaken is known as Lauterbrunnen, which lies at the entrance of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. As the train pulls into Lauterbrunnen, and you get your first glimmpse at what lies ahead of you in the valley, you literally have your breath taken away by the awesome sight of the mountains ahead.

The valley is known as the 'Valley of 1000 Waterfalls', as every few 100 meteres there is a waterfall cascading down from the valley cliffs on either site of you. I hiked from one end of the valley to the other, the total time being about 4 hours, but it flew by, as I simply absorbed what I saw around me. The grass and trees are lush green, and all the while you are surrounded by the snow covered trips of the mountains. Clouds lazily meander across the background of the deep blue sky... the air is crisp, and every breath you take invigorates your senses.

Ultimately, my destination for the night was a small village known as Gimmelwald. The village of Gimmelwald lies 2000 meters above the valley, in a remote part of the alps, at the other end of the valley. It is accessible only by cable car, and by the time I reached there, I realised I was actually exhausted. But there are no materialistic pleasures to be had here. In Gimmelwald, there is basically nothing. No stores, no restaurants, no banks, nothing. There are 3 small guesthouses, the attic of one of which became my place of shelter for the night. After grabbing a quick nap, I spent the rest of the day exploring the village. Cows and goats graze in the fields, young men with their pants rolled upto their knees toss hay on the hills with pitchforks. Young, blue eyed, blond haired boys and girls kicked a soccer bell around in the only street in the village, as their mothers looked on, and chatted with one another. There are no Playstations, no IPods here... kids still ride their bikes and play on the swings in the playground. There were only 2 jeeps in the entire village... and a total population of 150 people. I came to the conclusion that the people of these village must have been exceptionally hardy to survive and propser in a location such as this, especially in the wintertime.

Seeing a place like this, where there are minimal facilities, and yet, the people are happy and prosperous makes one realise that maybe not all good things in life are fancy and expensive. It is nice to know that there are still places like this, and people like these... I had been questioning humanity alot lately, and it was good to see that it still exists in remove places such as the village of Gimmelwald...

Europe Memoirs, Part 3: A Canadian in Europe

2009-08-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

Original Post Date: August 8, 2009

I began my 3 day hiking expedition by leaving Berne early in the morning and heading for Interlaken Ost station by train. At Berne station, I was standing on the platform minding my own business when I was approached by an elderly gentleman. He told me he saw the Maple Leaf on my backpack, and asked me where I was from (I was pleasently surprised to see how well the Maple Leaf is recieved throughout Europe). We got to chatting, not just on the platform, but all the way to Interlaken, as it turned out we were going to the same destination. In fact, he was extremely friendly, we ended up exchanging contacts, and I promised I would come and see him the next time I was in Berne. The gentlemans name was Hans, and he happened to be a retired professor, who used to teach at Berkeley, and had travelled throughout the world, including Vancouver. This was really the first chance I had gotten to talk to a Swiss person freely, and we started discussing the differences between North American and European Culture. I told him how much I loved the relaxed lifestyle, personal fitness levels, and excellent infrastructure. However, I started to think to myself... despite these benefits, would I want to actually settle here? By the end of our conversation, something sort of dawned on me... as a tourist, I was extremely well treated and welcome, and I had an excellent time travelling, but as a foreigner.

Europe has its own history, its own language, and its own set of values, of which each European country is quite protective. To stay in Europe, I felt an immigrant would really have to change themselves and BECOME European. People in general tend to set their own boundaries, and it isn't until they are pushed do they tend to redefine these boundaries. But I wonder, do we sometimes forget who we really are, and justify redefining ourselves, just so that we can fit in? Do we become blissfully ignorant, and is it really even worth it? Given that I have never been pushed too far out of my comfort zone, perhaps I don't have the right to ask these question, but it was a thought that popped into my head quite often during my travels.

In North America, perhaps because of the lack of history, I think the choice is still optional... speaking from experience, if an Indo Canadian wants to retain Indianess and be proud of being Canadian at the same time, it is entirely acceptable. The Canadian identity is that that we don't actually have our own distinct identity because we have come to accept a myriad of identities from throughout the world into the country. I suppose you could say that you are free to define your boundries in whatever way suits you best. Whether or not this is a healthy approach is debatable, but perhaps this is the reason why I think most minorities would still prefer to come to North America first before heading to Europe...

Europe Memoirs, Part 2: Sleeping Around

2009-08-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: August 4, 2009

Get your heads out of the gutter people... this note is about the myriad of different places I stayed at/slept in during the Europe trip. From a farmers barn to a 4 star hotel, I did it all...

Haus Justinus, Student Hostel, Zurich, Cost CHF 50/nite.

Haus Justinus

I was pleasantly surprised by this place... stayed in it during the conference itself. I was expecting a student hostel to be like Thunderbird, or even worse... Totem. But it was very clean, very quiet, and the breakfast buffet was absolutely to die for. I give it 4/5 stars.

CKs Place, Lausanne, Cost CHF 0/nite.

CKs Place

Floor was a little hard... also, the pillow was kind of lumpy... ;)But jokes aside, CK, had a blast hanging out with you, and really appreciate you letting me crash at your place... sometimes comfort doesn't matter, and its about the people, and not the place. 5/5 stars.

Hostel International, Berne and Lucerne, Cost CHF 45/nite.

Hostel International

By far the crappiest places I had to stay. Although both places were clean, the rooms were a bit smelly and muggy, and there was always someone snoring loudly. 2/5 stars.

Village House Attic, Gimmelwald, Cost CHF 25/nite.

Village Attic

While in the tiny village of Gimmelwald, in the Swiss Alps, I found a place which the owner had converted into a bed and breakfast. While the individual rooms were quite expensive, he had converted the attic into a sort of dormitory with 4 cots on the floor. The nice thing was that the night I was there, the dorm was empty. The place was cool and clean, and the view out the window was mindblowing. One too many flys buzzing around though. 3/5 stars.

Weiss Family Barn, Grindelwald, Cost CHF 25/nite.

Weiss Family Barn

The most adventerous place I stayed. Yes, I slept in a farmers barn. DDLJ anyone? Unfortunately no Kajol/Simran to dance around with all nite... The straw was actually too soft, and I think I got bit by a few insects... but hey, who cares... I slept in a barn. 3/5 stars.

Mercure Airport Hotel, Amsterdam, Cost Euro 80/nite.

Mercure Hotel

I decided to shell out a few extra bucks and stay in a nice place for the last part of the trip. I was a complete stranger to the city, and given the state of many of the youth frequenting the Coffeehouses in the Red Light District at night, I think it was well worth spending the extra money to stay at a really comfortable place rather than cheaping out at and meeting some of these youth at 'Bobs Backpackers Hostel'. 5/5 stars.

Bench at Heathrow Terminal 3, London, Cost Euro 0/nite.

Heathrow, Terminal 3

Running low on cash, and anxious to get home, my last nite in Europe was spend on an airport bench in London. Was actually quite chilly, and I wish I had my sleeping bag, or at least a blanket. However, the bench was quite comfortable, and the janitors were not the least bothered. 2/5 stars.

Europe Memoirs, Part 1: AmsterDAMN!

2009-08-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

Original Post Date: August 2, 2009

My European adventure is coming to an end soon, and I have had alot to think about and write about... so here is the first part of my memoirs from this trip... I have a lot more to say, so be prepared and, stay tuned! I thought I would start off with the city which I originally was not too keen on visiting, but I somehow ended up here, and decided to make the most of it. It ended up being quite an interesting experience, and I am glad I made the stop.

Arrived in Amsterdam early in the morning via an overnight train from Zurich. Frankly, my first impressions of the city were pretty negative. The landscape of all of the Netherlands is as flat as a pancake, and the weather was dull and gray. It is very depressing looking, as basically the entire country is farmland/dikes, with the occasional small town which pops up in between. Furthermore, when you first see the city of Amsterdam, all of the buildings seem to be made of brick and mortar, which almost makes the city seem as if you have arrived in a prison in the midwestern USA. The Dutch language itself is a bit funny... it seems to be a combination of German and Nordic Languages, and kind of sounds like the people are grunting and gargling from the back of their throats in short, loopy bursts, with every 3rd sound being a "sh" (The Dutch pronounce 's' as 'sh').

The Dutch are an odd bunch. They REALLY know how to relax. Apparently no one works past 4PM and 8 weeks of vacation a year are quite normal. While the Spanish and the French are flamboyant and passionate about partying, and the Swiss and the Germans are a bit more orderly and classy when they relax, the Dutch are just chilled out, about being chilled out. Nothing seems to phase them, and they judge no one.

People are absolutely obsessed with bicycles. They have a parking garage for bikes and not for cars right beside Amsterdam Central Station. You are far more likely to get hit by a bicyclist than a car here. I guess it makes sense with the land being so flat and all. Some other interesting quirks I noticed... these people have really weird toilets with very little water in them, which basically forces you to inspect your business, after you have conducted your business. Also, they seem very keen on eating healthy. Dutch cuisine is a bit bland, and if you order french fries, expect to pay extra for your ketchup/mayonaise on the side.

Anyway, dropped my bags off at the hotel, took a shower, and headed out early in the afternoon on a tram to explore the city. Before I left the hotel, I had an interesting debate in my mind... what should I wear? I decided to go a bit formal and wear a pink shirt with a sweater... the pink turned out to be quite appropriate. I did not plan this at all, but by chance, that day was the gay pride parade in Amsterdam. I discovered this while walking to the city center and I noticed huge crowds lining the sides of one of the main canals. I asked what was going on, and someone in the crowd told me that the parade floats were about to come down the canal... imagine that... Sudip from Surrey standing bemusedly on the side of a canal as hundreds of drag queens, drag kings, and queers in general gyrated to techno music as they floated down a canal, while tens of thousands of Dutch enthusiastically cheered them on with cans of Heineken in their hands... I actually had to pinch myself when one of the floats stopped right in front of me, the mayor of Amsterdam climbed on board, and conducted the marriage ceremony of two gay Jewish men from the USA. Beside me someone held a huge sign which read, "Dutchify the world... gay rights for all..." Quite the interesting start to the Amsterdam experience.

Marijuana use is quite rampant and accepted. Interestingly, I don't think the Dutch get stoned as much as tourists from abroad do. Weed is sold upto 30 grams at once in small 'Coffeeshops' which are located in almost every block of the city. Most are pretty chilled out, but the ones located in the city center were filled with some pretty freaky looking stoners... People pretty much go in, get high, and then come out as if its part of the normal routine. Although smoking in public is prohibited, I went to a place called Vondelpark, where I noticed many youngsters smoking joints as they chilled out along the side of a lake... and of course, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in public are totally acceptable.

The Red Light District is something else all together... in fact it is not that big, only about 4 city blocks. However, what was amazing to me was how much a mainstream part of life it is. It is only about 5 minutes from the Central Train Station, and tour groups, families with kids, and party goers happily stroll along, admiring the sights and 'pleasures' which are being openly offered within...

Amongst all the wildness, there are also some nice museums here... the Rembrandt Museum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House are all here. I really wanted to see the Anne Frank House, but unfortunately, it was closed due to the parade.

I'm not sure about how nice it would be to settle here, and some of the things I saw were sort of a shock. But I think if you are mature enough, you should definately come here once just to experience the incredible aura the place has. I don't know if Amsterdam is representative of all of the Netherlands, and may just be more of an experiment. In fact, Rotterdam and Den Haag were an absolute bore in comparison. While the Dutch may in fact be very conservative in the personal lives, (I'm not sure, as I amen't here long enough to pass any judgements), the way they are willing to live and let live is admirable, and I am impressed by how they refuse to judge absolutely anyone...Coming up soon... Hiking in the Swiss Alps... stay tuned!

AR Rahmans Top 5

2009-08-11T02:12:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: July 14, 2009

As I sit around trying to understand Matlab code, my mind wanders, and I decide to do the thing that all grad students do when they want to procrastinate... Youtube.

I came across the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCEMB5Eqbc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPtpVEBz9DI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HBwXz7p1CU

Wow, this man (AR Rahman) really is a genius. I agreed with some of the list, but not all... but I can't blame any list maker, all of his songs are so good, it is tough to choose!Anyway, just for fun, here is my top 5. Am wondering what everyone elses top 5 lists are, and whether you all had as tough a time as me picking it!

5) Dil Se Re - Dil Se
4) Tere Bina - Guru
3) Yeh Haseen Vadiyan - Roja
2) E Ajnabi - Dil Se
1) Saathiya (Title) - Saathiya

Curry Bashing, Kangaroo Bashing, and Canada Bashing

2009-08-11T02:07:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: June 17, 2009

I am sure most of you have by now heard of the ‘Curry Bashing’ incidents which recently went on in Australia. Interestingly, I have actually found it somewhat difficult to form an opinion on this subject. Let me tell you why…

Supposedly there were 20 incidents of assaults against Indian students studying in India due to their ethnicity during the month of May…

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/20-incidents-of-attacks-on-Indians-in-a-month-in-Sydney/468521

Absolutely disgusting… it must be horrible for an Indian student to be living in Australia right now… I can only imagine what it might be like for one to have to go out at night with the thought of an assault hovering over their heads. Pretty straight forward, right?Well…

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/we-re-even-more-racist

Hmmmn… to be honest, the writer of this article makes a lot of sense… anyone who has been to India knows of the obsession over fair skin… the castism and regionalism which is still prevalent in many parts of the country, the use of derogatory terms for those who don’t look Indian. For shame… for shame… who are Indians to criticize others??? But wait… there is more:

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Free-Kick/entry/racists-indians-no-way

This is very true… why should Indians show restraint!? For years, people of the subcontinent have been treated shabbily by their European counterparts… its time they started standing up for themselves! Foreigners criticize India, why should Indians back down when they are being targeted outside of the country? The racism which may or may not exist within India is a moot point… well said! Okay, so now the question is, who are the real racists…? Oh wait, I know, it’s the CANADIANS!!!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Indians-Abroad/After-Australia-racial-assault-on-Indians-in-Canada/articleshow/4638419.cms

Wow… considering the recent goings on, anyone reading this article in India would probably come to the conclusion that I live in a racist country where I am in danger of being beaten to a pulp any second because of the color of my skin… of course as far as I can remember, no redneck has had the guts to try and slur me in the past 15 years, and when it happened, a couple of my friends and I sent him scampering out into into the school playground in fear of his life... It sounds even stranger considering that I was born in a city where the majority religion is Sikhism, in a region which has countless Temples, Gurdawaras, and Mosques, in a province which has had a South Asian as premier, in a country which has literally dozens of South Asian MPs and MLAs and where pretty much every South Asian festival is joyfully celebrated in some form or another. Damn… now I am totally confused.

Being bombarded with so many different opinions, arguments, and view points, I stop and ponder for a second… maybe, just maybe, it isn’t really that complicated… when it comes down to it, perhaps it is as simple as this:

Racism of ANY form in ANY country or region of the world against ANY ethnicity is simply wrong and should be condoned. Be it beating up Indian students in Australia, monkey chants against Australian cricketers, or assaulting tennis players in Canada, all of the acts are immoral, and there is no excuse for any of them. There is no point in sensationalizing any of the incidents, there is no need for finger pointing or rationalization, there is simply the need for people to realize that we are all human beings, and to discriminate against one another on the basis of our ethnicity is criminal.

Forgive me if I am being a bit too simplistic and idealistic, but is it possible that this is really all it boils down to?

Turning Failure into Success

2009-08-11T02:01:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: June 1, 2009

I was reading a friends blog a while ago about life’s funny twists and turns… and one of her stories led me to think back a bit about how I got myself into the predicament I am in today.

I graduated from UBC with my B.A.Sc in Civil Engineering in 2004, and worked for over a year in a small structural engineering consulting company in Surrey. However, after some time, I found myself wanting to come back to school due to the crappy pay, poor working conditions, and lack of job satisfaction… I figured getting my masters degree would be a good way to increase my credentials so that I could get a job at a better company after I completed. I spoke with one of my old professors, and he suggested that in order to guarantee entry into the program (as for some reason, it was quite competitive at the time), I apply for a non-thesis based M.Eng, rather than for a thesis based M.A.Sc, do well in my course work, and then if I wanted to, transfer into the M.A.Sc later on. Essentially, the plan was that within 18-24 months, I would be done with my studies and back in the work force leading a regular, mundane life… but it seems life has a funny way of playing tricks on you…

Now it had been well over a year since I had been out of school, and the first semester I was back, I found myself really struggling with academics… I just wasn’t used to the routine of sitting/sleeping through morning lectures, working through insanely long assignments, and then cramming for tests. Also, I was a bit depressed because it seemed as if all my friends from undergrad were moving onto bigger and better things in their lives, and here I was stuck in reverse, back in school. To top it off, the program advisor suggested that I take 3 courses in my first semester… and those three courses happened to be the most difficult courses in the program, and in my opinion, quite possibly, contained some of the most difficult subject material you can take in engineering in general.

I somehow managed to slog my way through two of the courses, but the third became the absolute bane of my existence. No matter how much I studied, I just could not understand the subject, and it showed in my poor midterm mark, as well as in my assignment submissions. I studied like mad for the final exam, and prayed like anything that I could just pass the course so that I would never have to think about it again… unfortunately this was not to be. Although I passed the course, my grade was not high enough for me to get credit for the course towards my program… essentially, I would have to retake the course in a year (thereby delaying my graduation), or take another course over the summer in order to make up for it.

Now I had usually been a pretty decent student. In fact in high school, I was one of the better students in the school, and even during undergrad, in the instances when I actually did do some work, I usually managed to get pretty decent marks. So being told I had to retake a course was absolutely mortifying for me. At the time, I think I considered it my biggest failure ever… however, left with no choice, I started looking for a professor who would give me a research project over the summer so that I could make up for the missed credits. And this is where my life took a turn in a totally different direction.

That summer, I met with my current Ph.D supervisor. I had always considered research as kind of a waste of time, but since I didn’t have a choice, I asked him if he could take me on as his directed studies student. I had done pretty decently in one of his courses, and so thankfully he agreed. At first things started kind of slow, but for some odd reason, I found myself beginning to develop an interest in the subject area, and in doing research in general. I did well in the project, and he agreed to accept me as his M.A.Sc student. Over time, I guess I continued to do well, and he offered to take me on as a Ph.D student.

Now, never in a million years, had I, or anyone around me imagined I could possibly have the title, “Dr.” associated with my name. And even I was EXTREMELY hesitant at the idea of sentencing myself to another 3-4 years of school… however, the idea was intriguing, and since I did seem to share a good relationship with my supervisor, after many months of sweating over it, I decided to accept the offer, and I guess the rest is history…

I am without question the worlds most unlikely Ph.D candidate, and when I tell people that if I can do a doctorate, then ANYONE can do a doctorate, I really mean it… think about it… a distinctly mediocre undergrad who failed in his first semester as a masters student, and was never too keen on research anyway, is now somehow on the road to a Ph.D…

If I hadn’t failed that course years ago, I would never have started looking for a research project, and I would never would have gotten where I am now. Of course, for that matter, I am still not sure if I have even taken the right decision, but I suppose time will tell.

Your attitude can be your biggest friend... or your biggest foe. In my limited experience, I have found that while a positive attitude does not necessarily guarantee success, a negative attitude will pretty much guarantee failure. I suppose the moral of this post is that one should always try to stay positive, never give up hope, and try to turn your failures into successes… life is a trip, and things seem to have a strange way of working out…

5 Things I have Learnt in Grad School

2009-08-11T01:40:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: April 29, 2009

Found this online... and I agree whole heartedly with each statement!

1) The longer the title of a scientific paper, the lesser the relevance it will have to its actual content.

2) The more time you spend researching papers online, the higher the probability you will end up surfing videos on YouTube.

3) The weather improves dramatically as deadlines approach.

4) Your 30 minute presentation should be ten minutes long. That way, the audience has five minutes to ask questions. And the first fifteen minutes can be spent trying to get the projector to work with the laptop.

5) And finally… Murphy’s Law is probably the only undisputed law on the planet.

Delhi-6: Arziyaan

2009-08-11T01:35:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: February 23, 2009

Thought the movie was strictly okay... but for some reason, I can't get the lyrics/tune of the first few lines of 'Arziyaan' out of my head...

I think this is the feeling we all get when we sincerely go to a Temple/Mosque/Place of worship...

'Arziyaan saari main chehre pe likh ke laaya hoon,
Tumse kya maangoon main, tum khud hi samajh lo...'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEip7lBz6UI

Beauty in its simplicity... Rahman really is a genius. If not for Slumdog, he definately deserved an Oscar for his dozens of other brilliant compositions. I don't know who wrote the lyrics, but he deserves as much credit as well.

Dosas in a Snowstorm...

2009-08-11T01:11:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: December 22, 2008

So some friends and I made a plan to go out for Dosas at Mayuri a few days ago. Of course, at the time, no one realised that Vancouver would decide to do its impression of Calgary. Going against common sense and better judgment, the Surrey boys decided to show their Surrey nature by risking their lives, and going out for dinner. 5 us of went, and we had the option of picking from 4 different cars to take.

We learnt a very important lesson last night. If you are going for dosas in a snow storm, never pick a 15 year old Toyota Corolla with bald summer tires on...

A 20 min drive suddenly turned into a 40 minute crawl, but after a wrong right turn, and several exchanges of profanity, we ultimately reached our destination...

What a precise parking job!

After thoroughly enjoying our meal, stomachs full, we happily walked back out into the parking lot, only to realise that getting out might be a BIT of a challenge. But of course, we had total faith in our driver...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8I0oe9F5_s

Despite the fact that it took us 15 min to move the car 15 m, at the insistence of one particular Surreyite... :), it was decided that we shall continue the evening by going for bowling at Excalibur Lanes. Of course where we were coming from required navigation down a mildly steep hill to the bowling alley. But then, when the hill is covered in ice, and visibility is poor, the hill all of a sudden seems much steeper...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJFZBqQmHr8

TOTALLY worth it though... I bowled my best game ever!

Final Balance Sheet:
Dosa, Coffee and Mithai at Mayuri: $18.00
Bowling at Excalibur: $8.00
Throwing common sense out the window for a night, and having fun with the boys: PRICELESS

PS. If you are easily offended by profanity in the videos... too bad. It's 5 brown guys from Surrey. What do you expect? ;)

The Perfect Poem for a Dreary Sunday Afternoon...

2009-08-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: November 9, 2008

Let that come when it comes; all hope is lost
Of my reception into grace; what worse?
For where no hope is left is left no fear;
If there be worse, the expectation more
Of worse torments me than the feeling can.
I would be at the worst; worst is my port,
My harbour, and my ultimate repose,
The end I would attain, my final good.
My error was my error, and my crime
My crime; whatever, for itself condemned,
And will alike be punished, whether thou
Reign or reign not

-- John Milton (1667)

The Simple Things...

2009-08-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: October 10, 2008

So as most of you are probably aware of from my status messages, I recently completed my comprehensive exam, thereby sentencing myself to another few years of school... Studying for this exam, proved to be quite a challenge, and required me to spend alot more time on campus then I normally like to. I am lucky that my family lives in Surrey, and so usually I get to come home every weekend or every other weekend and just chill out. However, this exam basically required me to spend a heck of alot of time locked up in my room in Thunderbird, or in my office in CEME, at all hours of the day/night. I haven't gone home nearly as much in the past 2 months as I normally would. So I guess I was missing out on the benefits of sleeping in a normal sized bed, watching TV on a normal sized screen, and eating normal tasting food cooked by a normal person... ;)

Anyway, I finally got to come home today for the long weekend for a well deserved break. I've been looking forward to this since yesterday when I finished the exam. Just kept on thinking about how nice it would be able to sleep in a bed that I wouldn't be in danger of rolling out of... eating food that actually tasted like food... not having to do my own laundry for the next few days... getting to watch the cricket match on a normal sized screen instead of on the laptop, basically all those material things that I get to take for granted when I am at home...

So as usual, I got on the B-Line from UBC, overloaded with my backpack and duffle bag... then transferred onto the Skytrain, never getting a seat as usual... stumbling my way past all the crackheads at Surrey Central onto the 323, and finally getting off at 90th Ave and making the final trek home... The same journey that I made for 4 years during my Undergrad, and then for another year during my Masters...

It occurred to me today just how irritating it used to be to make this stupid journey everyday during those 5 years. I would have to wake up waaaay to early, only to never get a seat on the Buses/Skytrain, usually get drenched by the rain, and then end up getting to class late half the time anyway. But, for some strange reason, today, after a long while, I actually enjoyed the trip home. Still all the same irritants, and yet for some reason, today, it was different. Maybe I was just feeling relaxed, or enjoying the music playing on my iPod, but this time, after a long time, as I was crammed into on the bus/skytrain, I enjoyed looking at the diverse variety of people that makes up Vancouver, was amused by the antics of the crackheads at the skytrain station, and was enjoying the memories as I passed by my friends houses on the bus on the way home in Surrey. As I walked by my old high school, I couldn't help but be shocked by just how many years its been since I graduated from that place. When I was walking on the soccer field, I kind of missed the weekly soccer/football games we used to play with friends during the summer.

Anyway, I am home now writing this little note, and I guess I kind of feel a different respect for all those who have travelled from all corners of the world just to study at UBC. I am lucky enough to be only an hour and half away from my home, and can easily come back here pretty much whenever I want. Alot of people don't have that option. The respect is NOT because they too are missing out on big beds, TVs, food, and laundry. I am saying this because they are also missing out on those simple little things that makes home... home. The simple little things that we don't usually take the time to actually appreciate. And for each person, these things will be different. For me, I amen't able to get together with my old friends nearly as often I would like to. I miss those soccer matches, movies, retarted conversations, and stupid arguments. I miss being able to go over and talk with the neighbors, and join in with the neighborhood kids during the street hockey games. I miss being able to walk a few blocks for some hot samosas and chutney, and I can't help but get a bit nostalgic about how easy life was back in High School. I enjoy being able to live in this wonderful city, and alot of times don't appreciate how cool it is. And for all the advantages of the freedom I get by staying on campus, for some unexplained reason I think I even kind of miss getting into massive arguments with my parents about just about everything.

Life is too short, hectic and complicated. Unfortunately, you are going to hurt people, and get hurt yourself. It is going to be a struggle, and very few things come easily. People are basically bastards, and there is nothing you can do about them. No matter how much you think you know, the truth is, you actually don't know much at all. And frankly speaking, overall, things can get really, really depressing at times. But, for all the bad things, we can also get a great deal of comfort from the simple things that we take for granted. They will give you the strength to get through the adversities you will face. And alot of times, they are all you have.

The point of this long winded note is not to bore you with stories of my trip home. But, rather, to encourage you to take the time to step back, take a deep breath, and just enjoy the simple little things in life. The more uncomplicated, the better. Forget about what is wrong with the world. It will make life seem much more tolerable. I think that is what I am going to try and do this weekend... ;)

Bush and Rice

2009-08-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: June 3, 2008

Thought you all might find this interesting:
http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1365424

Apparently, it is okay for 350 million Americans to be obese and eat more than there fair share of food, while if 350 million Indians begin getting their mininium nutritional requirements and start to prosper, its a pretty big problem, and they are responsible for causing global food prices to increase.

According to George Bush, Americans are incredibly compassionate people... Yes, Mr. Bush, dropping food packets marked 'USA' from helicopters while starving Africans run around underneath like ants is incredibly compassionate. The decades the West spent neglecting and exploting Africa is a moot point. No, it is far better that we now send them a bit of food aid. But then again, the Indians are already eating too much... what would happen if the AFRICANS started eating too? Before you know it, Americans would soon be STARVING to death...

Now I am not saying that Canadians, or for that matter, any other group of people in the world are particularly brilliant... but if a countries leadership is a reflection on its people... then Americans are by far the biggest morons in the world.

Something for the Engineers to think about...

2009-08-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: April 10, 2008

Something to chew on for all the engineers out there...

Was having an interesting talk with my supervisor several nights ago.We were discussing the pointlessness of going to engineering school, as there was a very good chance that the neighboorhood postman would end up making more money than us. He suggested that in order to increase our marketability, we should introduce yet another course for students to take, 'Engineering Marketing 101', as it might help us sell ourselves. Didn't really think much of the comment at the time…

Yesterday morning I was happily killing time, reading through the news, and came across the following link:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1728893,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

It seems as if US water infrastructure is in serious need of repair, and billions of dollars need to be invested to bring the system back up to standard. Is the government willing to spend this money though? I sincerely doubt it… after all, there are still buildings in Iraq which need to be bombed, and that money for explosives has to come from somewhere, doesn't it?

But getting back to my original point, in North America, despite deteriorating infrastructure, we are generally lucky enough to be able to turn on the tap, and get clean water. But just how bad is it, in the rest of the world? The numbers are quite shocking:

Turns out 2.2 million people will die this year due to lack of access to clean drinking water. To put this in context, the number of people expected to die this year worldwide due to AIDS is estimated to be 1.9-2.4 million people. It seems as if lack of clean water is AS BIG a killer as AIDS. Yet, how is it that so many people know of the AIDS epidemic, and so few know the severity of this water crisis? There are plenty of 'AIDS walkathons', 'charity drives', and 'benefit concerts', but I have yet to hear of a 'Water walkathon'…

Is it possible that my supervisor was right? Do we need to start taking courses in marketing? Do Engineers need to start taking more pride in what they do, and start selling themselves, and more importantly, their services, to the public better? We have the 'cure' for dirty water, and yet, we do not advertise it well enough. Is it not frustrating then that while billions of dollars are invested in R&D for diseases, we don't invest money in implementing the 'cure' for unsanitary water worldwide? Ultimately who is at fault for not making sure that our services are actually put into practice?

The fact is that without electrical engineers, doctors would not have access to the biomedical devices with which they are able to perform their miracles. Without civil engineers, you probably wouldn't get any water pouring out of the tap when you turn the handle. Without mechanical engineers, we would not have the engines which run just about anything that moves. It's clear that engineers have power. But as Spiderman would say, "With great power comes great responsibility".

The question is, where does our responsibility end? Does it end with simply designing a system/component, or do we also have a responsibility to the public to see that our services are being properly implemented? Forget about marketing ourselves better in order to increase our chargeout rates... Do we need to 'market' ourselves better in order to see that our knowledge and expertise are being properly implemented?

Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai...

2009-08-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: December 15, 2007

Was watching the classic 'Anand' last nite after a long time. Although it has always been one of my favorites, this time I paid particular attention to the poem recited by Amitabh:

"Maut tu ek kavita hai
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko
Doobti nabzon mein jab dard ko neend aane lage
Zard sa chehra liye chaand ufaq tak pahunche
Din abhi paani mein ho, raat kinare ke kareeb
Na andhera ho, na ujala ho
Na aadhi raat, na din
Jism jab khatm ho aur rooh ko saans aae
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko"

Not to sound morbid, but I don't think death can sound more beautiful than this...

Snakes, Sadhus and Incredible India

2009-08-10T01:05:00.000-07:00

Original Publish Date: November 16, 2007

'Incredible India’… you have all seen the commercials… colorfully dressed dancers, ridiculously flexible people doing yoga, spectacular wild life. But does all this really make India ‘Incredible’? Is this what makes it unique? What is this invisible bond that draws us back again and again? They are questions which I sort of struggle with. I mean, if you want to see dancers, flexible people, and elephants, you can always go to the local circus, rather than traveling half way across the planet. I mean, really, why should one travel to India? As any Indian has to admit, it’s polluted, overpopulated, corrupt, and if you are not careful, the mosquitoes might just eat you alive. It probably makes a lot more sense to travel somewhere nice and safe… Europe, or maybe the Caribbean. You can always get your ‘India Experience’ by watching the latest Bollywood blockbuster. Right?

I beg to differ. If I may, I would like to take the next few minutes of your time, and briefly relate to you an experience I had last December, in Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India.

Anyone who has been to Haridwar knows of the many ghats that are on the riverbank. The water is quite clear, and at times, the setting is quite peaceful. One fine afternoon, I was just sitting along the shore, minding my own business, when I was approached by a somewhat shady looking Sadhu. I had seen many Sadhus in Haridwar, but what stood out about this one, was that he had a particularly large snake wrapped around his neck. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, let me tell you that I’m not terribly comfortable around 7 foot long snakes, especially those which seem to have a habit of hissing at passer Byers as they stroll by. The Sadhu proceeded to walk up to me and held out a small can in which he was collecting alms. I took a 5 rupee coin out of my wallet, smiled, and dropped it into the can, hoping that he would be satisfied. Apparently, this was not the case…

He asked, "Beta, kya tum Ganga Maiyan ke bhakt ho?” A bit taken aback, I nodded in approval. He then proceeded, "Agar tum sach mein bhakht ho, phir jev se ek note nekalo, aur ‘Baba’ ko chuo." It took me a few seconds to try and figure out what he was talking about, when I realized that by 'Baba', he was referring to the giant snake wrapped around his neck. Now, at this point, partially out of curiosity, partially out of faith, and partially out of fear, I again reached into my wallet, pulled out a 50 rupee bill, hesitantly stuck my fingers out and touched the snake. Pleased, the Sadhu began to recite some mantras and after some time, he asked me to repeat after him, "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!" which I did without hesitation. At this point, he removed my hand from the snake, took the bill out of my hand, crumpled it up, put it into his palms, and then started rubbing them both together. As he rubbed his palms together, he asked me to place my hands under his palms, and after some time, 'magically' out of his palms plopped a Rudraksha bead. At this point, I thought the ordeal was over. Apparently, I was wrong.

The Sadhu now REMOVED the snake from around his neck, and much to my displeasure, proceeded to place it around my neck! At first, I hesitated, but the Sadhu calmed me by saying "Darro mat beta, Baba kuch nahin karega". I now sat there, frozen, with a large snake wrapped around my neck, hissing, and the Sadhu continued to recite more mantras. After what seemed an eternity, he again asked me to repeat "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!” which I did with a terrified yelp. Finally, mercifully, the Sadhu removed the snake, 'blessed' me, and proceeded onwards, as I sat, somewhat shaken, not sure of what just happened to me.

What is really weird about my experience (other than the fact that I didn’t pass out when the snake was wrapped around my neck) was that for some strange reason, I didn’t feel cheated. A shady looking Sadhu had just practically threatened me with a snake, took off with my money, and for some reason, I felt richer for the experience! Perhaps I’m some sort of fanatic. Maybe I’m kind of a fool…

Over time what I have come to realize is that for the same reason that I can’t explain why I actually enjoyed being cheated, no one will ever be able to describe in words what it is that makes India, ‘Incredible’. It’s just something you just have to go and experience on your own, be it the good, the bad, and the ugly. People of Indian origin, and Indians themselves, travel throughout the world to experience different cultures, to view different relics or monuments, or just to party and have a good time. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, often, they neglect to travel their own country. In the midst of the daily grind, and the myriad of problems which plague it, one forgets about just how spectacular and unique India really is. It is a fascinating country with a fascinating way of life. Most importantly, it will always be your country, and I suppose what I have come to recognize is that one should try and discover their own country before they go around exploring others. For me, apparently all it took was just took a shady looking Sadhu, a 50 rupee note, and his seven foot long hissing snake to make me realize this!