The Rockies Reloaded

"Back to the future"

I suppose as part of the 'Circle of Grad School', another one of my travels this year was to back to the location of my first roadtrip as a PhD student, the resorts of Banff and Jasper, situated in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

To be honest, I have seen more spectacular natural beauty in other parts of the world, but for some reason, the Canadian Rockies still appeal to me... Canada is home, and we are lucky to have such raw, untouched beauty within driving distance of Vancouver.

Ironically, during my first road trip, there were 13 of us who made the trip and this time there were 13 people as well... the only difference being was that 10 of us were newcomers, and some of the newcomers were 'new' to the concept of camping to say the least.

It is kind of funny, but in a way, this trip was disaster after disaster... there seemed to be some sort of mishap every day, and its lucky that no one got injured over the course of 4 days... and yet for some reason, amongst all the chaos, I still had a really fun time... the first time, it was an adventure due to NEW experiences... this time it was an adventure due to UNFORESEEN experiences... and of course, the chance to learn new things... to always carry dry wood to a campsite... to ensure there is gas in your car... and yes, even to learn that when you go somewhere as a group, make sure everyone actually STAYS in the group, are the things I learnt, just to name a few...

Sometimes, it isn't the destination, but the people who make the trip, and I am lucky to have found an exceptional bunch of people a second time around to make this trip just as memorable as the first.

An Evening in Paris

I think it is safe to say that I have traveled more in the past 12 months then I had in the previous 29 years combined... one of the best parts of graduate studies is the chance to travel to different parts of the world, experience new cultures, all under the guise of attending a conference. In September, I got to go back to Europe to present my work at a conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. While this trip was less adventurous then my backpacking journey through Switzerland 3 years earlier, I still had a grand time, and particularly enjoyed my time in Paris, France.

It turns out that this was a trip would test my preconceptions of the French, and their stereotypes...

First, what is not true... contrary to popular perception, the French are NOT impolite! We have all heard the stereotype of the 'snooty Frenchman', who hates foreigners intruding in their homeland, and despises the English language. Turns out this is not true at all! I found the French to be no less polite than any other nationality... as a tourist, I found that if I took the initiative to try a few broken words 'en Francais', most people were so impressed they would be extra friendly and respond to my queries in English... be it at a restaurant, a train station, or in a hotel, my impression of the rude Frenchman was totally shattered, and I must say that I found everyone there to be a friendly lot :)

Hmmm.... what is true? Well, the French are FASHIONABLE! I have never seen such a well dressed bunch. It was very rare to see anyone in baggy jogging pants, or torn t-shirts... everyone looks smart and sophisticated in their formal/semi-formal attire... everyone was well accessorized wearing their matching scarves and caps... really a very good looking group. I tried my best to fit in, and even did a bit of shopping along the Champs-Elysees to try and fit in, but alas, try as I might, I looked like quite the misfit in amongst a group of smart French blokes!
 

Oh.... and how could I forget... French food... and in particular French pastries, are DELICIOUS! Every morning, I would start with a cup of coffee (which was actually a shot of espresso), and a buttery, flaky pastry (the chocolate croissant was my favorite)... is there any better way to start your day? And of course anytime I walked by a crepe stand, it was impossible to resist... the sugary thin pancakes just called out to me, and I had to have one. At the end of the trip, I am sure I gained more than a few pounds, but who cares... it was totally worth it!

Paris really was a magical experience... I had a grand time. Trekking around for 14 hours a day, the memories of having my breath taken away with my first glance of the Eiffel Tower, taking a boat cruise on the Seine River, gazing down upon the city from Basilica Sacre Coeur, looking for hidden chalices in the Louvre, and imagining myself as royalty as I wandered in the hall of mirrors in the Palace of Versaille... they will all stay with me for the rest of my life.

Paris, je t'aime, and I hope to meet you again soon!

Oilsands: Boon or Bane?

Last week I had the opportunity to go and visit my cousin and her family who are currently living in Ft. McMurray, in Northern Alberta, Canada. Ft. McMurray has been in the news over the past 15 years or so due to its location as the hub of production and development of oil from the Athabasca Oil Sands.

From a frontier town of a few thousand people only 2 decades ago, the population has swelled to around 100,000 people, rapidly straining existing infrastructure. Therefore, along with development of the oilsands around it, the town itself has been extensively developed, with construction going on everywhere, from houses, commercial centers, roads and even a new airport. The promise of six figure salaries, and the ability to work on one of the most exciting and cutting edge engineering projects in the world has lured people from all of the world to brave -40C winters and converge on this once remote town in Northern Alberta. Honestly, I thought it was a nice place. The population  is diverse, all basic amenities are available, and at least in the summer, I thought it was a beautiful place to spend an evening.

After getting back home to Vancouver, I have spent a bit of time doing a bit more research about the oilsands and their development. It holds special interest for me, for several reasons. As an Engineer, I thought the project was fascinating and COOL. Getting the chance to see machines larger than the size of most buildings, and get a glimpse of a development site which is hundreds of kilometers in area is basically an engineers dream. Moreover, my current area of research is related to investingating some of the potential effects of global climate change. Production of oil from the oilsands is a carbon intensive process, and environmentally speaking, not very friendly. Undoubtedly, development of the oil sands has a significant carbon footprint and thereby is contributing to global climate change.
The following thoughts are just my opinion. I am no expert by any means,  nor do I have any vested interests in what is going on right now in Northern Alberta.

Socio-Economic Impact:

It has been recognized by economists that the development of the oilsands is probably the single biggest reason that Canada was able to avoid the worst of the global recession. At current prices, production and selling of oil from the oil sands is extremely profitable, and pumps millions of dollars into the economy, which in turn creates thousands of jobs directly in the sector, and thousands more indirectly in related services. However, some reports indicate that development of the oil sands has artificially made the dollar stronger than it really should be, and increases inflation. Therefore, the argument is that the economy is over dependent on the development of natural resources, and the strong dollar is weakening other parts of the economy, such as the manufacturing sector. Honestly, I am not an economist, and I wonder if it is simply a case of sour grapes, as power shifts within Canada from the manufacturing hubs in the East, to the natural resources which are abundant out West.

Currently, in terms of reserves, because of oil sand holdings, Canada is in posession of the second largest known reserves of recoverable oil in the world behind only Saudi Arabia. In terms of oil which is currently unrecoverable, it would have the worlds largest reserves by a long shot. It is only a matter of time before technology is developed to tap into these currently unrecoverable reserves and make Canada number one globally. With these kind of numbers, and the worlds current dependence on oil, it gives the country tremendous political clout, and may make our neighbors to the south a bit less condescending in terms of attitudes to the country. Proximity, and a stable political environment give the mouse a bit more of an upperhand against the elephant. In my novice opinion, I do feel that if we use this resource diplomatically and wisely, Canada can definitely use it as a power to improve our standing economically and politically on the worlds stage.

Environmental Impact:
At first look, the development of the oil sands is environmentally devestating. Swaths of forest are cut down to make the sites accessible, and toxic water from the extraction process is spewing into tailings ponds which are located throughout the oil sands. Pipelines need to be built to transport the oil away from Alberta and into the United States, or to ports along the Pacific Ocean for transportation to Asia. Moreoever, compared to conventional practise, extraction of oil from the sand is an especially energy intensive process, as the oil which is extracted is in the form of bitumen, which needs to be upgraded through a complicated process into conventional crude oil. Undoubtedly, the ecosystem of the oil sands is being disturbed and perhaps irreparibly destroyed.

My particular area of research involves looking at the effects of climate change on infrastructure. The main contributor to climate change is the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Therefore, I had particular interest in looking at how much carbon dioxide was being emitted as a byproduct of the extraction process. The results were rather interesting. First of all, clearly, it is an energy and carbon intensive process, and a major contributor to emissions. However, if we look at things on a larger scale, surprisingly, the oil sands were not as bad as some people make them out to be. 5% of CO2 emissions in Canada can be attributed to oil sands development, which is equivalent to about 0.1% worldwide. In the scheme of things... that is a very low number. Looking purely at the numbers, there are other sources of emissions which are much greater and it would make more sense to try and reduce them, than to worry about 0.1%. I still strongly believe that we should not blame China and India for trying to develop and consume in a way that the west has been doing for the past century. Per person consumption levels in the west are still faaaaaar to high, and I think we can make a larger dent in emission levels by consuming less ourselves. Rather than driving prices of oil up by cutting down supply levels, to me, it make more sense to try to drive them down by reducing demand.

Environmentalists fear that development of the oilsands will provide a ready supply of oil and thereby discourage the use of greener forms of energy generation. However, realisticly speaking, I feel that not making this source available will only drive up world prices further and at some point we would give into human greed and start extracting anyway. If not here, then extraction of oil sand would surely be done in other parts of the world. Rather, after giving it some thought, it would make better sense to make use of this asset to improve the countries standing, but to try and develop it in a more sustainable way. How we should do this is something that a proper policy needs to be worked out, and it needs to be done soon, as we are rapidly heading towards the tipping point at which we will irreversibly change our planets ecosystem.

Susu Kumar

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!

Hiking

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

Stampede Time

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. :)

Journey to the middle of nowhere...

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.

On Top of a Mountain

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!!!

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

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.

Europe Memoirs, Part 5: The Eiger Trail

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

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

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

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...

#1

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.

#2

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.

#3

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.

#4

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.

#5

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.

#6

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.

#7

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!

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!

Snakes, Sadhus and Incredible India

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!