Back after a long time !! US ramblings

It definitely does not seem like yesterday . The last blog posting I made was a few years back . A lot of water has flown under the bridge as they say in these years . Hope to be more consistent going ahead as all my friends insist I should be ..:)

Here are a few poems I wrote during my recent trip to USA- coffee etc and its spelling etc did not bother me much...

The Statue

The great statue of liberty and enlightenment

Swinging with the winds and the changing times

Reminds

Us that freedom is not free

But it is important

To break the shackles

Both within and outside

That’s the time when

The real liberation

Happens

Both from within and outside

The internal outdated thoughts and patterns

The outside distractions and obstacles

And even screaming priorities

Its upto to you

To choose, select

Or just do a ctrl+alt+del

That’s creating your

Personal statue of liberty

That stands tall and mighty

In the ocean of life

Learning to Relax

I am learning to relax .

To look at things and not think .

To see and yet not reflect .

To enjoy the sun ,the wind ,the chill

and yet not dwell about any hidden meaning .

to simply live in the casualness of the Moment

and enjoy this beautiful

Journey called life that goes from one destination to another

 I Am learning to enjoy the moments

Without any learning  

Water..

By the Brooklyn water front and bridge

The water front resonates with me

the ripples are like the hundreds of thoughts coming to my mind time and again

some reach the shores

some don't or do they .

That's the mirror of the mind -the water front

There are embankments

And some open areas

We don't know when 

The flood happens though

Most of the times it's calm

Seemingly Calm

A thousand waves are created and broken

 in this calm Mind daily

My Selfie Moments

I have had my selfie moments with myself and my thoughts . Uninterrupted undiluted me .

That's working to understand the real me .

The stuff that I hide from myself

the things I just want to keep below the carpet

In the womb of time .

I wish they weren't there but they do gnaw

I better deal with them.

It's these selfie moments which show the real picture warts and all the blemishes sans make up that's what I sought

In the crowds of Manhattan

The cheers and claps at Broadway

The causal conversations and aimless walks there was an aim

For sure 

Way... ward and Journey series

In transit

As the people come and go

So do the thoughts

Headed some where

But can land anywhere a times

Else most  of the times a safe landing is assured

The body in in transit’ but the mind could be static

Or vice versa

This journey indeed

Has many dimensions

A new place

A new view and new landscape

With new voices and words

Yet the theme of meeting and parting

Of meeting again

Discussing the different and same things continues

There is a new hue yet everytime

You step in this place

Which is then no more new

On Paris

A  quiet vibrancy

That underlies the

Silent activities

A life brimming with life

Seems same

Yet so different

The warmth

With a different hue and sophistication

The newness of the place continues to charm

The traveler  or one and all

Way

Which is this way

Which I don’t know

That I  am on

As the thoughts take form of words

And later some insights

Capturing the multiple essences floating

All around 

Our Journey

The journey

Of exploring questions and answers

Is a long one at times

Short one depending on the

Nature of the questions posed to you or by you

Nevertheless the wheels are in motion

Moving fast at times

At times inching ahead

With a dreary slow pace

Yet covering an important ground

Even if you are not aware of it

The journey despite all variations

Still continues

Travels...

January and February took me twice to Pune and the new property that has come up there – Ishta ( which is actually a branch of the famed Ananda resort and spa ) was quite nice for a weary business traveler . The food spread is huge and the spa ( though a bit expensive ) offers lot of good services and facilities – reflexology oriented massage , use of ancient ayurvedic treatment like shirodhara etc .

Then March it was Kuala Lumpur at a glance . Petronas towers , China town market , malls etc are the usual suspects where any Indian goes - but as part of our meet we were taken to Songtek -a quaint restaurant where there was a cultural show . The show displayed influences of all cultures in Malaysia(no wonder they call it truly Asia )- Chinese, Indian , Malay .

One note of caution though which any hardcore Indian vegetarian has to pay attention is that the food served to you actually has only vegetarian elements !!

Oh Singapore !!

With its smartly managed construction and busy moving traffic Singapore almost reminds you of a military parade- everything in perfect precision . Wish we had more and more of that kind of discipline and the ensuing comfort that comes along with it !!! At . least we in Mumbai can learn a lesson or two from there .

The Chijmes area in Singapore where I went today is a foodies delight with multiple cuisines served under one roof. A particular Brazilian restaurant servies tons and tons of meat . The premise being that you are given a card once you want any meat preparation the red side of the card should be up. Once you have had your fill the green side should be shown by any individual patron . There were some Brazilian attractions like fire dancing etc !!

But there is flurry of constructions activities in Singapore and my sense is that all small quaint structures will not be visible in times to come . The space crunch and increasing needs due to commercial expansion is the inevitable cause .