Barely few hours inside St.Petersburg, we decided to go out and see what the local area is all about. After walking for about ten minutes, we reached Historic Palace Square, which has seen birth of many revolutions that shook the world. We took some photographs with Alexander column in the background...spent a few more minutes in this wide open area and then started walking again. We enquired few people on the streets to find out whether there is any good place closeby to have a few drinks....Most of them spoke Russian and we had no clue except saying "Spasibo" i.e. Thank You to whatever they uttered.
Eventually, we entered a bar called 'Bubble Bar'....dont know the logic behind that name. I was personally feeling very irritated with all the bubble shaped lights being flashed on the walls...Anyways, bar had nothing special...music was loud...environment was ordinary... but we had to start somewhere so there we were. It was barely 8 p.m so it was too early to have a good crowd in the bar. To make the matters worse, we had one of our serious lady professor enjoying our company. We ordered some mild drinks before vodka shots arrived. Few shots down and we started to open up a bit. Lady Professor also started enjoy our company....I heard her saying "you guys are well mannerred compared to previous batches in the past"....I felt sorry for her :) Another half an hour went by and we started chatting about various things we experienced in the past.....some experiences were really interesting :)
We noticed a mid-aged person (looked like security personnel) watching us all the time, so we were tentative in whatever we did or said..you never know....KGB...By the time our session ended, we became favourite students of our professor. She did not knew that one of my friend had already started hitting on the curly haired waitress (looking more Spanish than Russian) behind the bar...Around 11, it was time to move on to a better club. We came out and started walking....Anther 20 feet....and there we see some really tough looking bouncers/security standing outside this club and not allowing anyone to go in....
They would not let us in as well.....because we were not with pretty girls, we did not dressed in white shirts and jeans, we did not had a table reserved, we didn’t look familiar, our skin color was different ..basically we all looked like aliens to them. Few minutes of smart talk and they let us in....Pounds do speak ;).
We did not knew we were about to enter into one of the Russia’s best clubs named 'Arena'. That night we rocked the club....had some great time...danced after a long time...reminded me of my days when we did some serious partying.
Monday 28 July 2008
Warm Welcome
Before we flew into the former capital of Russia on a consultancy trip, we were briefed that although this country is changing and its economy is now in transitional mode....things are different.
For some reason, I was not too excited about travelling to Russia....I never heard anything which interested me. We (few batchmates) planned to go a a day earlier and do some sight seeing so we were on direct morning flight off to Russia. We landed there about 4 p.m local time and the weather looked great (much better than where we get in London).
Airport did not gave any signals about the booming local economy, it looked like any other average aiport around the world. I saw different adverts with weird russian alphabets. To make things interesting we were all from different backgrounds and nationalities....British, American, Nigerian and a few Indians with a common feature of "Londoner".
After speaking to a few batchmates, immigration officer came out if his shabby cabin and told us to stand aside from the queue. Couple of weeks earlier, one of my British colleague told me that his passport was seriously damaged when he went to Russia on a personal visit. Some pages on his passport were torn, some pages were badly scratched. ...So I was expecting something similar or worse. Few anxious moments went by and then I saw some serious looking men come (they looked more like men who hang people and less like senior immigration officials).
After asking a few questions....they let us in into the country. It was clear signal that we are getting into a country which is different and things are not straight.
For some reason, I was not too excited about travelling to Russia....I never heard anything which interested me. We (few batchmates) planned to go a a day earlier and do some sight seeing so we were on direct morning flight off to Russia. We landed there about 4 p.m local time and the weather looked great (much better than where we get in London).
Airport did not gave any signals about the booming local economy, it looked like any other average aiport around the world. I saw different adverts with weird russian alphabets. To make things interesting we were all from different backgrounds and nationalities....British, American, Nigerian and a few Indians with a common feature of "Londoner".
After speaking to a few batchmates, immigration officer came out if his shabby cabin and told us to stand aside from the queue. Couple of weeks earlier, one of my British colleague told me that his passport was seriously damaged when he went to Russia on a personal visit. Some pages on his passport were torn, some pages were badly scratched. ...So I was expecting something similar or worse. Few anxious moments went by and then I saw some serious looking men come (they looked more like men who hang people and less like senior immigration officials).
After asking a few questions....they let us in into the country. It was clear signal that we are getting into a country which is different and things are not straight.
Thursday 17 July 2008
Brick Lane
Few weeks back I had a small party at my house and I wanted some Indian sweets for the occasion. My friends informed me about a famous shop named "X" based in “Brick Lane”. So for the first time in UK, I visited this place also known as “Banglatown” famous for curry joints and Asian sweets.
After getting down from a cab, looked around first to see what the place is all about and then slowly started walking. As I progressed down the street when I heard an old Hindi song ..."Noorie Noorie..Aaja Re". I had not heard this bollywood song for years now, I guess last time I heard in 80's when I was a kid and probably watched repeatedly on "Chayageet" :)
I started smiling because it was played loudly in a Travel Agent Shop (wondered whether it was a new way to invite customers by saying “Aaaaja Re…dil ki pyaas bhuja ja re". I walked a few yards and I saw this small restaurant with a board outside "Free first round of drinks plus thirty per cent off" and then underneath it "Special VIP table available". I saw a 45+ guy, standing there wearing a old oversized coat and geared up to welcome the customers....No wonder restaurant was empty"
Anyways, I found the sweet shop 2 mins later. As soon as I entered this shop, I was struck with mesmerizing smell of “hot Punjabi samosas”. I had not tasted one since ages...it also reminded me of my college days where literally they were like "lifeline". I almost forgot why I came to that shop and straight away ordered a samosa...1 down ...2 down and then I felt a bit better and started checking out sweets...Suddenly, I heard someone speaking in Hindi…so I looked around and saw this young guy in his mid-20's, standing a few feet away and having a conversation with the shop owner.
Owner : "Angrezi mein baat kar lethe ho"
Young Guy : "Thoda Bahut"
Owner : "English log bhi yahan aathe hai..unse baat karna zaroori hai"
Young Guy : "Haaan saab....jaldhi seekh loonga"
Owner : "Seekhne ka time nahin hai..waise bhi abhi nahin chahiye"
Young Guy : "Meherbani saab"
Owner : "Ramzaan ya Diwali ke time pe aana..Abhi mushkil hai"
Young Guy : "Part time bhi chalega"
Few minutes of silence, when the owner asked him to stand aside and let the customers shop freely. I gave my debit card and the owner said "saab yeh card machine baraber kaam nahin kar raha hai" I wondered it ever worked because I have heard that statement a million times…and you would never see those machines working. Anyways I expected this...Paid him by cash and made a call to a
cab company.
I waited there for a few more minutes before the cab arrived and I finally got inside into it....I could still see this young chap standing there like a beggar with a hope that owner will change his mind and offer him a job.
After getting down from a cab, looked around first to see what the place is all about and then slowly started walking. As I progressed down the street when I heard an old Hindi song ..."Noorie Noorie..Aaja Re". I had not heard this bollywood song for years now, I guess last time I heard in 80's when I was a kid and probably watched repeatedly on "Chayageet" :)
I started smiling because it was played loudly in a Travel Agent Shop (wondered whether it was a new way to invite customers by saying “Aaaaja Re…dil ki pyaas bhuja ja re". I walked a few yards and I saw this small restaurant with a board outside "Free first round of drinks plus thirty per cent off" and then underneath it "Special VIP table available". I saw a 45+ guy, standing there wearing a old oversized coat and geared up to welcome the customers....No wonder restaurant was empty"
Anyways, I found the sweet shop 2 mins later. As soon as I entered this shop, I was struck with mesmerizing smell of “hot Punjabi samosas”. I had not tasted one since ages...it also reminded me of my college days where literally they were like "lifeline". I almost forgot why I came to that shop and straight away ordered a samosa...1 down ...2 down and then I felt a bit better and started checking out sweets...Suddenly, I heard someone speaking in Hindi…so I looked around and saw this young guy in his mid-20's, standing a few feet away and having a conversation with the shop owner.
Owner : "Angrezi mein baat kar lethe ho"
Young Guy : "Thoda Bahut"
Owner : "English log bhi yahan aathe hai..unse baat karna zaroori hai"
Young Guy : "Haaan saab....jaldhi seekh loonga"
Owner : "Seekhne ka time nahin hai..waise bhi abhi nahin chahiye"
Young Guy : "Meherbani saab"
Owner : "Ramzaan ya Diwali ke time pe aana..Abhi mushkil hai"
Young Guy : "Part time bhi chalega"
Few minutes of silence, when the owner asked him to stand aside and let the customers shop freely. I gave my debit card and the owner said "saab yeh card machine baraber kaam nahin kar raha hai" I wondered it ever worked because I have heard that statement a million times…and you would never see those machines working. Anyways I expected this...Paid him by cash and made a call to a
cab company.
I waited there for a few more minutes before the cab arrived and I finally got inside into it....I could still see this young chap standing there like a beggar with a hope that owner will change his mind and offer him a job.
Wednesday 16 July 2008
Never Give Up
For a change I picked up this free newspaper on my way to office. Although it is filled with gossip, sometimes it is fun to read especially when you commute back from office. Although information is very limited, you can still find some TP news.
9 out of 10 times you would expect headlines on some infamous kidnappings or stabbings, which I hate to read. So I quickly flipped over and went straight to sports section on the very last page i.e. Page36..I saw news about some footballers changing clubs and being paid obscene amount of money (roughly INR 1.1 crore per week) I already hate my job ...Page 35 - local cricketing legend criticising a cricket pitch on a famous ground (as if they win every other match played elsewhere) ...Page 34 - ECB not happy with Indian venues (dont know why ...they can still drink beer in Indore and Guwahati and get into a brawl ....Page 33..32..31.....21 when suddenly I saw a guy in a turban and the news title was "74 yr old Indian fails 40th time in Class X exams"
This old man seems to have decided not to marry till he passes his X grade. I am pretty impressed by his motivation, cant imagine how one can give this exam year after year for 40 years, expecting one day he will pass and get married. Although I am convinced he must have tried for few years before he realsied it is too late to add more chaos in his life :)
But it is great to see some people who never give up...no matter what.
9 out of 10 times you would expect headlines on some infamous kidnappings or stabbings, which I hate to read. So I quickly flipped over and went straight to sports section on the very last page i.e. Page36..I saw news about some footballers changing clubs and being paid obscene amount of money (roughly INR 1.1 crore per week) I already hate my job ...Page 35 - local cricketing legend criticising a cricket pitch on a famous ground (as if they win every other match played elsewhere) ...Page 34 - ECB not happy with Indian venues (dont know why ...they can still drink beer in Indore and Guwahati and get into a brawl ....Page 33..32..31.....21 when suddenly I saw a guy in a turban and the news title was "74 yr old Indian fails 40th time in Class X exams"
This old man seems to have decided not to marry till he passes his X grade. I am pretty impressed by his motivation, cant imagine how one can give this exam year after year for 40 years, expecting one day he will pass and get married. Although I am convinced he must have tried for few years before he realsied it is too late to add more chaos in his life :)
But it is great to see some people who never give up...no matter what.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Lost and found
I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I got a facebook invitation from one of my college mates. We have not been in touch for almost 10 years now....and I could barely remember him. Just to make things bit more interesting he mentioned in his invitation that "If I dont remember him ...hint is "Pune". I think he did not realise that he had his profile published with his snap.
As soon as I saw his photograph...few things struck me. This guy "Anupam" used to live on the same floor during my hostel days. Although we were not best pals, meeting your college mate in another country after so many years makes you happy.
Anyways, I accepted the invitation and to my surprise I got the call from him in 10 mins...It was a local UK call...As soon as I picked up he said "Hi Gummadi". I greeted him as well and then there was silence for couple of seconds (I guess both were trying to recollect more information about each other") ..Slowly the conversation took off and we laughed and joked about our college days.
Since he is a Londener as well, we have decided to catch up soon. He mentioned a few names (some more batch mates) who also live in London but are out of touch.So it would be very interesting when I make the similar initiative to contact them and go through the same emotions.
Monday 14 July 2008
Monday Morning
It is 9 O clock on a monday morning and as usual I know I am going to be late in office. Mondays's have been a struggle for me right from my childhoold. I remember I used to have all kinds of excuses for not going to school on Mondays.
If my boss carefully looks at my leave history he would be shocked to see the pattern. Glad he does'nt care....which is great.
Anyways back to being late....I catch three trains to reach my office. Each train takes 15-17 mins approx and I end up wasting 1.7 hrs of my life everyday commuting. But I am still happy because in the past I took same amount of time to just reach Bandra from Vashi on my way to Vile Parle. (Crazy)
I got down from my second train and started walking on an ancient underground tunnel near the Royal Palace...suddenly I see the entire world around me moving quickly....some people are almost running , some taking brisk walk, some using skate boards and some using weird spring like thingies....All these tricks are to get the earliest train or probably grab an empty seat in the tube.
I am not interested in any of those tricks so take my own time and by the time I reach the platform....I can see a sea of Londoners....I decided to take the next train...(add few more minutes to my Monday lateness).. Hate Mondays..
If my boss carefully looks at my leave history he would be shocked to see the pattern. Glad he does'nt care....which is great.
Anyways back to being late....I catch three trains to reach my office. Each train takes 15-17 mins approx and I end up wasting 1.7 hrs of my life everyday commuting. But I am still happy because in the past I took same amount of time to just reach Bandra from Vashi on my way to Vile Parle. (Crazy)
I got down from my second train and started walking on an ancient underground tunnel near the Royal Palace...suddenly I see the entire world around me moving quickly....some people are almost running , some taking brisk walk, some using skate boards and some using weird spring like thingies....All these tricks are to get the earliest train or probably grab an empty seat in the tube.
I am not interested in any of those tricks so take my own time and by the time I reach the platform....I can see a sea of Londoners....I decided to take the next train...(add few more minutes to my Monday lateness).. Hate Mondays..
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