Cherickel WHO?

End of the year

2008-12-14T23:18:00.003+01:00

This felt like another short weekend, something like the 'short year' feeling that I have had since summer this year. Inspite of having the most 'me' time in the last 4 years, I feel kinda time cheated. A fairly decent balance between travel, work, wife and life. No tearing deadlines, no foul speaking bosses turning up the pressure, very little cramped travel, no cancelled vacations and atleast a full week of lead time prior to business travel. Now for the not so great part, I have fallen sick 3 times this year almost matching record of not having fallen sick for as many years. Mystically all my bouts of infirmity seem to start right afterI get off a 12 hour overnight flight. My sarcastic colleagues are quick to point out that I am not as young as I used to be.

Christmas time usually means vacation time, I am so ready to hit 'shut down' on my PC for the rest of the year and then some. Come friday, I will execute that plan. Christmas time also means family time. Since we lack family in this part of the world, we have decided to import some of our American brethren to warm our otherwise frigid christmas. In return, we had to bribe with promises of trips to Italy and other exotic European that are otherwise generally out of reach.

Munich continues to reveal its frozen charm. The city is packed with christmas shoppers and Gluwein drinkers. I am currently experiencing an exodus of friends moving out. Typically you have people who live here for a few years and then they move on. At this rate I am going to feel like the Oak tree that everyone comes back to see.

Cooking Club weekend

2008-11-30T23:21:00.005+01:00

Among other things, our life in Munich includes membership to a cooking club. What was a suggestion to have more girlie bonding between a few friends (all women I assure you) birthed the idea of a cooking club, modeled along the very male Basque tradition of Txoko. Since it basis was male bonding and the activity's membership only criteria was gender, in this case, the spouses muscled themselves into the club too. Somewhere along our friends figured that I could cut vegetables and the designer could cook and so extended an invitation for us to join them. I do admit, its one of the things that I look forward to. We do it approximately every 6-8 weeks.

The menu is a suprise for all except the hosts and everything is bought in advance. Costs are added and then shared between all. It usually lasts 5-6 hours and we usually end up doing atleast a 3-4 course meal. The picture is the exploits from our last cooking adventure at our place this time. We made a fairly complicated chicken dish, carrot salad, stuffed Okra, chappatis and payasam. We admit we had a little pressure to cook something Indian but usually its a complete suprise to all who attend. The next session is in early January.

We have been trying to bolster the flagging consumer by ratcheting up capital goods spending, some of which was quite silly to not to have done so far like buying a washing machine. I have ordered boatload of christmas presents for myself (I love spoiling myself). Most significant is the move to an Mac, never owned one and I have sparingly used. The line drawer uses it at work so in the name ensuring that I stay ahead in the domestic technological curve, I took the plunge. Secretly counting the days to laying my hands on it. She can stay ahead by learning how to get a washing machine to work.

Off to the Cape again this sunday.

The blue man Group and me home alone

2008-11-21T10:06:00.005+01:00

Effectively trying to make up for the lost years of artistic immersion whilst living a city with a regular schedule for such activity, we overpaid for front row seats of Blue Man group hoping that my business trip gods would be kind as we picked a date 2 months in advance. However this time around, it was my car showroom building partner who had doubts about making it. After much drama and several expletives, she was able to confirm that she oblige me with her company for the show. So was it worth it, do I feel enlighted? Here a few comments from my facebook post

'I fell asleep after 30 mins' - Doctor from New Jersey
'It was our first annuiversary do, it sucked' - Leading Economist in the London Metropolitan area

I enjoyed it very much though, its certainly worth seeing it once however twice (like some architects I am acquainted with) could be taxing. They seem to mix it up a bit, however the theme is fairly constant which is anything goes.I took a video of the opening but reluctant to post as there maybe issues with rights etc.

Post monday night entertainment left me home alone for the rest of the week. The Business trip gods were kind to me, however the wife was the sacrificial lamb as she was off to the dunes in the middle east. I suspect she was thoroughly pleased to dump me at home and let me taste a bit of my own medicine. I had a busy week in any case. Its suddenly winter in Munich, hard to step out of the house without mits, glove and several layers of clothing. Not nice.

Its November already

2008-11-11T10:02:00.002+01:00

Come you for jobbing? So asked my cabbie

Yup, will be here for 2 days. Answered I in my pseudo american twang

Not long. Where from? Buzzed my chubby driver as proceed to take out a cigarette and light it (after he offered me one).

Munich, Germany.

'Sprechen sie deutsche?' in a flawless accent and thus continued my ignominy for the lack of german communication inspite of being in Greece. So far Athens seems like a calculus class gone really bad.

My language classes are progressing to an extent where I think my hearing and understanding have progressed however I still sound retarded when barking my germanic litany. Its interesting though, its really does feel like learning something new especially when you are struggling with homework (which I refer to as Hausaufgabe). Lets see how long I put up with it before I give up.

They have started showing some real news again on TV instead of the indepth analysis of Bradley effect and why the world does not need another republican. Economy and the new doom and gloom story seem to be the new mantra.

We had an action packed weekend, on TV. 6 episodes of 24 and Quantum of Solace left my better half stir crazy. The movie was outstanding for its graphics and stunts but very poor on storyline and perhaps even light on hot women. Mr. Bond continues to be enigmatic. The name sucks though. Sunday was great weatherwise, picnicked in the Engligh Garten and walked around town.

New President

2008-11-05T06:36:00.004+01:00

We have a new black President and its not in Africa. Time to change. Popular sentiment was for change however the last 2 elections did not reflect my popular sentiment so I must say there was always a nagging doubt till I saw confirmation this morning. Howevert the big question is if God will continue to bless America? Comments that I have heard so far in Germany

Secretary - ' Its a speacial day, I am very happy.'

Colleague - 'Is he really black or just partially black'

Colleague - 'Congratulations America'

Friend - 'Can he deliver?'

Family member - 'Not bad dude'

I made my first porcini risotto last night, it was a halfway success. The flavouring was more or less spot on however I had trouble timing the dish, as is always with my italian dishes, so final show was not upto to the mark. Next time. Though I did enjoy the complimenting bottle of Casalferro. Its risotto for rest of the week till I get it right :)

We were in Amsterdam last weekend

2008-10-31T08:50:00.009+01:00

We were in esteemed company last weekend and under patronage of our Sino-Bavarian friends in Amsterdam. Since the Bavarian has become a landlord we figured that it will be a good idea to see prosperity can do to good friends. Prosperity has certainly caught up with his mid-section. Our only itinerary item was to get our fill of Chinese food so no museums, no sight seeing and no coffee shops. We still think we can move to Amsterdam however not sure if we are upto another new language. We left with the intention to return to test the grill next summer.

No traveling for several weeks has left lots of time for me to pick up my squash game, though I am not sure my knees will hold up if I continue playing. Played some tennis also last week but weather conditions now require looking for indoor courts. Work is balanced nowadays, however the car showroom designer is all knotted up in line drawing stress. Her parturiency pains with her new project seem to make my job seem zimble.

We cooked and celebrated the recent engagement of K & B this friday by polishing a bottle of Champagne, two fine bottles of Hofstatter Gewurztraminer and a Vin Santo (complete with Almond cookies). We went to the BMW Welt, BMW's signature showroom for all its latest and greatest models, and the new BMW Museum. Not for the faint hearted and light pocketed but but dreaming permitted. Exited the premises with my dream of dreaming of these dream machines intact. The coup d'etat was an installation at the BMW museum, you have to see it to beleive it.

Breaking news

2008-10-28T11:44:00.004+01:00

Due to recent budget cuts and the cost of electricity, gas and oil, as well as current market conditions and the continued decline of the U.S. economy, The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Blog Number 101 - Book Update

2008-10-17T13:59:00.011+02:00

For some of us the easy way to keep our sanity in financially troubled times is to simply stay away from predator lenders (I love that term), the stockmarkets and shop at discount stores. For some others, its to run. For those who remember the Pathan (atleast he likes to think he is) who valiantly ran 650km across my homeland has once again embarked on another crazy adventure. Staying true to his vision, if I can walk it then he can run it, he is going to run through Lebanon. And he convinced his foolhardy cameraman, Des, to click his spurt through Beirut. Stay tuned here to record their progress.

Between work reading, articles from friends, the Economis t and my regular newspaper digests when travelling I don't seem to be able get much time for casual reading. I also seem to be shifting more towards non-fictional reading and biographies. The designer on the other hand continues to devours volumes by the dozen. We are thinking of investing in new shelves. It was not part of the dowry kitty.
The Agony and the Ecstasy - One word summarises this book for me - Inspirational. It records the painful toil of a great human being dedicated to only his work and who lived for his family. Inspite of being set in trecherous times, he seemed to coast above it and fulfill what he beleived in. I find it inspirational because of his work ethic and his focus on his vision on how things were to be done. No easy road for this man. However it is often tinged with his seemingly egotistical thinking which is often manifested in his temper. The book is often a bit patronizing such that sometime you get the impression that its written by a lover and not a biographer. Its also the best book to read before visiting the renaissance city of Florence. Inspite of not knowing a lot about the region, I think I would like to read a few more book about this period and its artists. This is definitely a top 10 book for me. There is however a lot of detail in book so it can be a hard read especially about his formative years. Warning - you may be left with the feeling that you're leading a passionless life after reading this book, such is the investment Michelangelo makes in what he beleives in. I would like to read this book again sometime.

The Elephanta Suite - This is not a feel good book. Its also the perfect book for the narcisstic Indian. I often meet brethren who cannot shut about what a fantastic place they come from and continue to extol the fine virtues of Indian to their attentive future euro/dollar pimping tourists friends . There have been many books to that effect also. This is perhaps one of the few that is against the tide. Not sure I am excited about the book but like it for it being different. Its a compilation of short stories, I would have changed the order of the stories, the latter stories are a bit more interesting. It needles together the religous rioting, the suave Indian career bugger, animals, the godmen, poverty, the uninitiated fumbling male and many other things that make my country special. Overall a book worth my time but a poor to read for those who are trying to glean some input to build a mental picture of India. Or maybe it is?

Disgrace - Coetzee is a well known author and is distinguished by winning the booker prize twice and in which Disgrace being the cause the second time around. Its a very hard book describe. It debases humanity's own very soul but it also is the sad truth that many refuse to acknowledge. Its conceivable storyline, especially if you are familiar with the new South Africa, is harsh and the contrasts it brings forward are even less palatable. Its comparable with the new South Africa. It seems like the country has moved ahead but forgot to read a few chapters in between but at the sametime grateful its ahead. It describes the clash of times in rural Africa. For example, rape at which one would balk at harshly but instead the argument seems to be between whethers its the price to pay for living in rural Africa or is it payment for the attrocities commited in the past. I think Coetzee has done a remarkable job in presenting the thinking of both races well and also the distinction in attitudes in the 2 different generations in these races. I connect with a lot that is in the book because it is in someway the Africa I knew while I was growing up and the Africa that I saw when I was there last. Verdict - Very nice but not for everyone.

Alto Adige

2008-10-07T21:28:00.012+02:00

I was depressed for all of September and all blame falls squarely on the truant weather gods. 2 Degrees in September is cruel and unfair. So for those who were wondering whats up with lazy fingers, you know why.

Courtesy Reunification day (do we need a holiday thanking the Americans and Russians for dividing us?), we enjoyed a 3 day weekend in the mountains in South Tyrol (Sud Tyrol). One of the strong appeals of living in Munich is its location, a couple of hours and u can be in very different locations. Italy being one of the popular and Sud Tyrol being the closest in it, popular logic would think we would have been there a couple of times. Alas this was the first time, we subscribe to converse logic.

For a change the line drawer organized the roadtrip. As marks most of our Italian vacation, wine was a high point of our agenda. I have graduated to underrated and fantastic Alto Adige region, my grand plan was to explore the famous white wines of the region during the summer as I tend to partial to white in warm weather. No such luck, more beer than wine this summer. Main difference from my other favourite region (Tuscany) being that instead of rolling hills you have steep mountains. Its afterall the Alpine region. For starters, there is nothing Italian about this place, its very German. The food is very heavy, the accent is thick and everything is very orderly unlike my usual italian experience of a sing-song language, filling food and what seems like organized confusion. However top marks for the locations and crisp alpine air.

A very comfortable bed and breakfast was our abode which also boasted a very good chef with whome we dined for the first evening. The heavy rains and bumper to bumper traffic did not leave much time to explore the first night. A late breakfast gave us the perfect excuse not to start the day with any hiking and instead explore vineyards ( I am still smirking about that one). First stop, Hofkellerei. Small vineyard but more famous for its family imports and I am not talking grapes here. Elena Walch married into the family that runs Hofkellerei and then went to build one of the best vineyards in the region now under her own name, Elena Walch. The line drawer got a thrill out of knowing that she was also a former architect. Her husband also runs his own Winery called Willem Walch. Several tasting and hundreds of euros later we decided to explore one of the Vineyards and so we headed to Castel Rindberg. After lots of grapes, steep slopes, green apples and multi-hued lizards we decided it was good time to break for lunch. We hit the lake, Lago Di Caldaro, later in the afternoon. Dinner was at the J. Hoffstätter estate restaurant, a simple meal of pasta and liquid gold.

On the second day my excuses did not find much appeal, I finally had to trek up the mountain. Lunch was in Bolzano at a restaurant to which we seemed going back to often though I am not sure why. We were back in time in Munich to go to P's Favourite indian restaurant for her fix of dosas. My curry was disappointing.

Happy Birthday!

2008-09-08T22:00:00.003+02:00

Another year, another 9/9 down and none the wiser (she is still sticking around!). My Aurora Borealis continues to sparkle and shine when I manage to send the right electrons across (I am getting better at this) and rest of the time continues to be my northern light. Life with wife is definitely better than life without wife.

Conversation with a Pharmacist in Cairo
Me - Coughing and with a spinning head I say - ' Excuse me'
Pharmacist - 'Aiwa'
Me - 'I think I have bad cold, I ate some strepsils but its not helping and now I have a headache. It could also be a fever'
Pharmacist - Looks at me blankly
Me - Can you give some Tylenol Flu or some sort of Flu medicine'
Pharmacist - 'Can you speak English'
Me - Was my fever that bad that I could not speak english anymore. Not wanting to look like a fool, I ask my colleague to translate my language into English. Ihab obliges.
Pharmacist chuckles to my colleagues and says - 'Don't tell me he does not have an accent'

Moral of the story- When a Mallu is sick in Pyramid land, get a translator.

Another weekend away from home

2008-08-29T17:12:00.007+02:00

This year has been pretty good, this is only my second weekend away from home. This has been a long week and not a good one to check my carbon footprint, I am a bit winded and sorely missing my bed. South african meals are also not helping me with belt holes either.

Interesting conversation with a waiter the other day about weigth loss. He was commenting that the lounge in the hotel is very quiet and it explains why the waiters in the lounge don't get fat. A bit puzzled, I asked him what he meant. He explained that since the lounge is so quiet all the time, it causes the waiters to keep their mouths shut and as a result feel more depressed. This depression reduces the ability of the body to ingest food and direct consequence the waiters are thin. Have I accidentally discovered the new wonder slimming formula? Is becoming a waiter in quiet lounges the new weigth loss rage?? Does it explain my extra pounds, I am sure my sister would agree as she thinks I can't keep my mouth shut.

I had to 'support' a discussion at senior management retreat last week. It turned out to be a waste of time but it took me to Stellenbosch. My first reaction was - move aside Toscana and Hello Stellenbosch. With postcard like views and very colonial looking farms, this has certainly made its mark on my list of must see places. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to explore as it was flyin-flyout trip. But I will be back.

Ramadan Karim to those who plan to skip lunches for the next 30 days. It turns out there are opportunities for arbitrage for those who want to minimise the hunger pangs during the fasting days. Europe and certains part of the US have on an average 3-4 hour later sunsets than the middle east. So best to be closer to the equator if u are planning to fast. Cairo was lively during the night but dead during the day. Even the notorious and noxious traffic jams were taking a break.

On another important note, I finally did it. I had an African Rock python coiled around me for all of 60 seconds, photographic proof included. It took a bit of nerve calming but it was not so bad except when it started slithering on my neck. That freaked me out a bit. Its not slimy but soft and smooth. Its not cold either. A side adventure included cuddling with some Lion cubs and petting a 3 year old Cheetah. Cheetah kept makings a throaty purring noise while I was stroking him and cuddling his ears. It even licks your hand if you are courageous enough to put it near its mouth. Benefits of spending a working weekend in South Africa. That was the only highlight as I managed to pick up a virus while I was there.

Glad to be back home, its fish curry and rice for dinner. I am still croaking and coughing.

Lousy Summer

2008-08-25T21:07:00.005+02:00

Feels like Munich went straight from a very good spring to autumn, sweat glands were on standby most of the summer. We were told we missed the scorcher days while we were vacationing. Like I care, why doesn't it happen while I am here. Believe it when I see it. This crappy weather is also a sore reminder for what is in store for the months to come. You never win with the German weather gods.

The desert run (aka my trip to Dubai) last week was tiring. Was staying near the beach so I figured I would take an early morning dip (also an excuse to gorge at the buffet breakfast) not bad idea eh! Ever swam in a hot soup, never doing that again. Found a good chinese joint. I slept all of Saturday to shake off desert weariness. Household was not pleased.

Went to the beergarden with some soon-to-be wedded friends yesterday. Much to my amusement I found that in order to fulfill the basic reason of coming to a Bavarian beergarten, you must first wash your mug. Thats right, 6.60 Euro buys an unwashed mug and once you have thoroughly rinsed it you get some beer (on the house). You must wash the same mug again when you go for seconds and this time it cost 6,60 Euro. Sounds like cost cutting? Sounds more like cost cutting plans hatched after a few bouts of beer. Always something new just when you think u have figured it all out after 3 years.

I have 2 weeks of beef and pinotage to look forward to, back in Joburg. Thats my flight boarding, more from the bush later.

My big fat Belgian Wedding

2008-08-16T13:16:00.008+02:00

We were greeted by mountains of luggage in Brussels airport, thanks to baggage union flexing their muscles, more pay for the baggage handlers was the main reason for all the vexation. We found our luggage without much stress.

Met the friendliest Finn that I know, Jouko, for dinner at a Brasserie down the road from our hotel. He was clearly floored by our humble hotel, said he knows now how the other half lives. I told him we are also very grateful to the nice Mr. Hilton for all the points that I have accumulated and allowing me to use them. The Conrad Hilton was great, fit for a King, but not my style. I got my steak Tartar fix that I have been craving for more than a year. Of course we had mussels and frits for appetizers. All of this with the friendly Finn.

Our wedding day started with a 9.15 am pickup from the hotel and drove to Marc's to-be inlaws place for champagne and photos. Many shutter clicks and gulps later, the bride and the groom mount the silver opentop 80's Mercedes roadster and head to the townhall for the wedding registration. The Mayor, who consummated the wedding, officiously welcomed us in and did a great job by keeping the whole wedding party giggling again. Jouko was the official clicker. The wedding was solemnized with rings on a volleyball ( they met at volleyball match), we cheered, the bride smeared lipstick on Marc and the rest stared at the happy couple. Flooded with emotion, we drank more champagne.

A bit tipsy and happy, the wedding party gracefully exited the Municipal office and headed to the ‘surprise’ location for the photo shoot. It was in a very old and well run farm surrounded by radish and wheat fields. Some bride and groom throwing (no jokes) and many flickers later, we went down the road towards the fields and clicked some more group photos. I got some great pics of the horses. Looking at the very picturesque wheat fields, I felt like Van Gogh – Inspired (and not thinking of shooting my ear off). An hour and half after noon, we decided it was time for some Belgian lunch. More champagne and very tasty food later we headed to the venue of the evening festivities at about 4. There were 2 receptions, a short round with those who were not going to stay for dinner and the gala dinner. The whole affair was very stylish and the evening festivities were precipitated by a river of champagne that never stopped flowing. We drank some champagne otherwise our host may have felt offended. We were less successful in not offending the wait staff because we kept turning down the entrées, ate too much for lunch.

There was a small ceremony for about 45 minutes before dinner. Friends and family told stories about the 2 while a guitarist and solo singer hummed in the background. Friends also sung. Though we did not get much of what was said, it was really personal. The ceremony was closed with atleast hundred balloons released into the air. Filled with all this nostalgia, we just had to drink some champagne.

We sat at the INSEAD table for the 5 course meal. The bride and groom danced, the groom and bride danced and then we all danced with the bride and groom. The star of the evening was UDO. Now this guy can sing, he was a finalist in the Belgian equivalent of American Idol. Very nice touch by the parents. Imagine Sanjaya at your wedding? We partied till about 4:00 in the morning, the party closed at 6:30am. I switched to beer after midnight, no more champagne for a while.

We have done many weddings this year, this one stands out in my mind for many reasons but most of all was because how friendly people were to us. We met everyone at the wedding for the first time (excluding the INSEADers) though that did not stop Marc’s friends and family giving us company the whole time we were there and made sure that we were attended to all the time. We really felt welcome there. I suspect it has a bit to do with Belgian hospitality.

Child in the house

2008-08-10T10:49:00.003+02:00

Priya (of the Budapest fame) was in town with her bundle of joy (or angst depending if he drinks his milk or not). She came with a checklist of things to do which consisted entirely of eating (great minds think alike) and included a veggie burger from Burger King. It was awesome having them around. We also miserably failed the childproofing test at home though not much got past the hawkeyed accountant.

Lots of babies around, everyone I know seems to be in some stage conception or rearing. And we are worried about population growth?

We visited the Dieterichs the previous weekend, our picnic plan ended up being dining at home thanks to weather but we did have tea and cakes in the woods. Very good cake. The highlight was not not only cakes but boomeranging. It actually works, its not an urban myth and the learning curve is quite flat. Throwing one and watching it glide back makes you think, would have been nice to have paid a little more attention in physics class. Need to get me one.

Ever seen a billion people smiling at the same time, click here.

Going to Brussels over the weekend, Marc is getting married. Looking forward to it. The last couple of times that I have been to Brussels it has been raining and true to form the weather man predicts it going to be pouring again this weekend.

My South African experience

2008-08-01T08:17:00.008+02:00

I am still suffering from last night's prime rib overdose (only 650grams)and grape indulgence this morning as I wait for my early morning flight back to Munich. Second time in Sud Afrique and I'm lovin' it..

Most of my experience has been centered around our office park in Centurion and a suburb of Jo'burg called Sandton. Car is a necessity to get around and certainly for the first few times. Safety is a concern though not as bad as I was expecting but it also means that you have to be vigilante at all times. People are very nice, office folks are friendly and generally civil. Class difference is also painfully obvious as is in most of Africa. Race integration is still far away from ideal but still progress seems to be there. To be fair it does take a lot of time before all is equitable and things seem to be moving in the right direction.

This is definitely a big spot on the global foodie map. Lots of great food and gin joints. Beef and seafood being the main fare however not to be ignored is the very good wine. South African wine from price to quality ratio is outstanding value. I am thinking of writing some restaurant reviews.

The Euro goes a long way in this country.

After dinner last night, I went to the Fashion TV cafe for a nightcap with some colleagues. My eyes are still recovering. This was clearly the place to be if you are into wildlife and I am not referring to the ones in the bush. However the crowd was predominabtly white, mostly blond and very tall. The drinks were cheap too but the line outside was quite long. Lots of Charlize Theron lookalikes in this place so beware. Tough and rude to say that you were in Africa.

I had a good week professionally, fresh ideas and very good cooperation marked what was to be an otherwise dubious week. The working atmosphere in South Africa is very anglo saxon and very professional. The average cost of skilled labour is higher than I would have expected and I think as a result has a impact on the quality of life for the working professional - its impressive . Office facilities are also very impressive, standards are high. Everyone seems to own their own houses and have good quality cars.

I had steaks for 2 of the 4 meals that I was there for to make amends for the disappointing meals the last time I was there. This time around the steaks stacked up quite well. Prime rib and T bone medium rare seems to work out for me but perhaps I will try just 'rare' next time around. Carnivore is a popular hangout for gluttons in Jo'burg and its food portfolio includes all the usual staples like chicken, beef, lamb sausages and some exotic game meat. It also had the biggest barbeque pit I have ever seen. Here my take on exotic meat that I tried while I was there

Elan- tastes a bit livery. Sirloin consistency. Fills the mouth flavour which lingers.
Zebra- Tastes like a good t-bone, not so gamey. Would be an easy substitute for steak and it would be hard to guess. I like. Explains why the lions like the black and white stripes
Crocodile-It tastes like greasy chicken. It has lots of bone and meat is hard to get to. Tasty though.

Glad to be home for the next 2 weeks, next trip is for Marc's wedding in Brussels. I have not been in Munich for more than a week since the end of May.

So who coming to Munich for the Oktoberfest? Time to reserver seats..

Time to Samba

2008-07-23T16:58:00.002+02:00

Oi. It means hello. Thats the sum total of my Portuguese after 5 days in Brazil.

Just as the body clock was recovering from the -4 GMT timezone and getting accustomed normalized quantities of food (after 3 weeks of supersize me in the US)it was again sinfully subjected 13 hours of bad air quality and further debilitated by copious amount of food. Then came the Caipinrinhas. Enough said, I am quite glad to be getting a break from all of this and heading back home to further tickle my internal clock.

Brasileiros - Courteous, loud, friendly and always seem to be swaying to an imaginary samba beat. Happy people. They eat well and drink equally well. The place is not cheap, at the very least the prices are comparable to the US and in some cases I would say as much as Europe. However its only fair to say that I was not looking for cheap places.Infrastructure is good but not world class, wear and tear is apparent. However its light years ahead of India but a tad bit behind South Africa. Drinking seems to be permissible at all hours of the day. Safety seemed to be a general concern. Rio more than Sao Paulo(pronounced San Paauulo). At six in the morning, traffic was at standstill going into Sao Paulo, Rio seems to have similair issues but not as chronic.

Overall a place to be, to see and to eat at- the food (not just the meat) is world class. Party Joints also seemed to be a killer, off season so I could not conclusively tell. Need to come back.

Played my first game of tennis after my knee operation. My knee is not completely quite fixed, still nags every now and then especially after long journey and walks. Want to watch the new BAT movie but movie schedules in Munich suck.

Next post will be about the Brazillian vs South African beef face off..

Casting crew from last post

2008-07-19T19:10:00.003+02:00

Riju- aka 'Dada'. Chief Mothering officer, chef extraordinaire and is secretly in love with Roger Federer. Often plays the 'good cop' during kiddie tantrums. Angst of local restauranteurs. Moonlights at a local pharma company. Of nigerian descent.

Anu- Also commonly referred to as Ranjith's sister-in-law. House Manager- fulltime occupation. Will clean anything. Dessert wine is her preferred beverage.

Ethan- He wears the pants in the Thomas family. Does'nt like uncle wanjith unless its convenient. Digs chinese babes and can live on anything that has chocolate or is from the yellow arches company. Dislikes tennis.

Zach- He is a mean sucker. Cannot sleep more than 2 hours at a stretch. Will hopefully like tennis. Yet to learn to speak.

All was well in America

2008-07-18T20:35:00.002+02:00

Safely back in Munich where it feels like mid autumn with rain intermittently. At the end of it all I was quite glad to be back after weeks of eating from paper plates, sleeping in numerous beds (including hardwood floors), contributing significantly to America's green house gases by tripsing up and down the I95, vainly trying to win the loyalty of a 3 year old and watching reruns of the animal planet. There was also a significant amount of Italian wine consumed as byproduct vinic re-education of my FIL.

Ajit and Ruth wedding was great, tastefully organized and (most importantly for Indian wedding) it was on time - you could reset your watch. It was also heart warming to meet so many people who care about you (no Bavarian influence there). Ajit and Ruth look great together, pre-made for each other? Together they look like they will make the world a better place to be in. Congrats guys.

The other major event this trip was the baptism of Zach (Product line # 2 from the union of Anu and Riju). He was better behaved than his brother who seemed to be going through teens while we were in Connecticut (I think they call it terrible twos or something). The quality of vegetables and meat in Connecticut have not done any damage to Riju haute cuisine, the shrimps were outstanding. Beef was no disappointment.

Once in Connecticut and that too Oakdale Connecticut, the only way you can keep your sanity is to

play tennis
pretend to be Ethan's playmate
EAT
watch 'Maneaters of India'
run off to the mall
and Gamble

Of all the above the only unique selling point is to be able to Gamble. Denizens of that part of town claim that the local Casinos have the largest gaming floor in America (frankly thats not verifiable). Anyway a few trips to the casino left the Cherickels richer. I lost, my wife won. So if there is one reason you are not considering moving to Connecticut then think again cos - you could be richer or a lot poorer (depending where you buy your property)

Would love to scribble some more but I think thats my boarding call to Samba Land.

All is well in America

2008-07-04T15:30:00.003+02:00

Its official, no nostalgia to be back except frantic scrambling for the shopping malls. A few trips on I95 (lifeline for those on the eastern seaboard) and the familair rumble through NJ burb's failed to produce any throbbing of the left ventricle. Though I must admit being back in Bestbuy was a good feeling. Observations worth mentioning..

1. Jay Leno and David Letterman are visually a little older
2. Vegetables are tasteless
3. Gas prices are crazy but no shortage of jams
4. I can still recognise most of the cars on the road
5. This is still a shopping paradise
6. Learnt how to double in Blackjack
7. Riju's cooking still rocks
8. I still miss NY.
9. Dress pants suck
10. Ruth and Ajit are happily married

My daily schedule consists to sleeping, eating, gambling, tennis and animal planet . This was enough of a diversion, need to get back to breakfast.

Vegetable of the year - Fennel

2008-06-20T11:11:00.004+02:00

Learnt about this vegetable when flipping through our Italain cookbook. We did a Toscana wine tasting at home a month ago and wifey boldly added it to the menu. I say boldly because neither was she familiar with consistency of the vegetable nor the recipe especailly since it was from our italian cookbook. In any case it was a hit. After which it has consistently shown up in our salads, beef fry and stand alone fenkel sautee. Good stuff.

I am waiting for yet another airplane while I scribble away though this one is of my own volition as its porting me to my well deserved vacation (a bit of aggrandisation?). I am quite sure I fell sick this week because of the consistent poor air quality in the flights that I am on. Getting better but still have a blocked chest and a heavy head.

Later..

America here I come...

2008-06-16T18:01:00.003+02:00

3 more days and I am back in Joyzee, looking forward to R&R. The todo list is long a distinguished for example

lots of shopping

mexican food

Visit the MET

Rekindle memories of NYC nightlife

Play 56

Ruth's weddding

Zach baptism

Gamble at Foxwoods

Barbeque

Eat Dosas and steak

Visit our old neighbourhoods

Life in general is quite OK. Lots of travelling this month too - however most of it is quite pleasurable. For example I don't mond going for client meeting when you have go past 5000 year old pyramids enroute and layover weekends involve safaris.

The last couple of weeks have been characterised by an overindulgence in beef. South African beef being my latest notch. I had it for the first time at the 'Butcher Shop' in Jo'burg and I should have heeded the warning on the menu which clearly said - 'We do not take any responsibility in the guarantee of satisfaction of our meat being cooked beyond medium rare'. The meat tasted good but it was completely dry and deprived the juicy consistency that I like with my ribeye steaks. Could'nt finish it. My second attempt was at a sirloin, this time I asked for medium well, better but I was left with feeling that it a bit rarer would have been tastier. The official verdict on SA beef will be delivered after attempt #3. However I did find out why Sa beef get so dry when overcooked. Its a very lean meat, its has only 11% fat compared to almost 23% for American beef.

South Africa was an myth buster for me. More when I have some time.

I am also feeling sick, hate being sick.

Half the year is up..

2008-06-05T09:47:00.004+02:00

For those who decided to hang out at cherickel.com over the weekend were left a bit confused when they saw the advertisements for apartments instead of whining scribbles :) Thats what happens when you don't pay your bills ontime. Alls well now.

Toscana was many bottles of wine ago, my daily life and blog content correlation is turning for the worse. No excuses other than too many wine bottles.

The month of May was essentially a travel month. Italy was the clear favourite however Cairo turned out to be quite popular also. If you live in Europe for more than a couple of years and you have not visited the cities of Paris and Rome, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Our family ignominy was not visiting Rome. To make amends, we did a long weekend in Rome.

I will spare the details but in general the idea of an open museum springs to mind after spending a few days there. People are a lot more pushy and taxi drivers are not to be trusted. The Roman kitchen is not bad but not the best in class. Tripe is a local specialty though the second time around I was not able to persuade my taste buds. The Colosseum and the Roman forum are must see and the mandatory Michangelos sites. The coup d'etat was the Basilica of St. Peters - Vatican and its monstrous museum. Warning - carve out atleast a day for both. Of course the other must see was our hotel room - priceless!

I have been to Cairo a few times and its worth a few visits, will scribble about it in a bit more detail some other time. Interesting city, loud, polluted, decreipt and teeming with people however lots of character.

Day 2 in Toscana

2008-05-19T23:12:00.007+02:00

Rolled out of bed belatedly in true May 1st style and stopped at the first coffee shop to be served by a stunning smileless bella. The coffee was good but the croissants looked burnt. We got to the Piazza del Campo a little before 11. Magnificient. Seeing is truly beleiving why this city is called Medeival (the narrow cobblestone streets was the other clue). The layout of the Campo is unlike any I have ever seen and to know that it was done several centuries tinglesof genius. Just seeing the Campo was worth the 7 hour drive. Did the obligatory stroll through the museum. I presume the museum also doubles as a civil marriage hall as we were able to see a wedding being conducted too. Instead of 'Here comes the bride' tune, a large Italian tenor made voluble operatic sounds to welcome the bride in.

My friendly wine sommelier had recommended visiting the Italian Enoteca in Siena so we decided to have lunch there. Even though I wanted to have some Tuscan white wine, the waiter insisted on opening a bottle of wine from the North. Good decision not to resist as the fermented juice was impecable and especially so when sipped on the ancient medici fort under cover of the inveigling tuscan rays.They also served the best pasta we had the whole trip. The place was quite empty for lunch though. Fed and burped, we headed to see the real deal that we came for - the Chianti Classico vineyards.

To understand the term 'rolling hills', a short drive through the Chianti Classico route will suffice. There lots of uphill climbs and equally steep downward slopes. In support of the Green world , I religiously drove in neutral where ever I could (cheap thrills to beat the OPEC cartel was also an important factor). We were able to hit many of the importants spots along the route. We were also able to go to Castello Di Brolio, checked out the castle, listened to our guide and admired its trees. They have hollow tree (from Japan I think) which is nice but is said to be dying, you can peer through its trunk and see the sky above. Settled for dinner at Castello Fonterutoli Osteria.

Day 3 and Day 4 were similar gastronomical experiences so less said the better else the president of my Blog club will get upset. We were able to visit hilltowns of Montalcino and Montepulciano both of which were very special and well worth more time than what we had. I have a new definition for the word 'Posh'. We were driving through the Montalcino hills when I chanced upon sign board showing signs to Biondi Santi vineyards. Being one of the few wines Montalcino wines that I know, I broke several traffic rules (like the italians know the meaning of traffic rules) and swung the car towards entrance of the estate. The driveway into the estate were lined with these tall Cedar trees for about 300m. Through this green growth you can see a large mansion covered in Ivy up ahead. The house itself is surrounded by a large garden and lawns. Parked at the side is the family fleet of Mercedes and Jaguars. As we stepped out of the care we were greeted a very large white dog which seemed to have just finiseda dip in the lake on the property. Money could'nt buy this.

Worth mentioning that we got stuck for 4 hours in traffic and had to crash the night at a hotel.

Also worth mentioning is that my bloggin is slow and news stale as since this trip I have already been to Dxb, CAI and FCM. Room for improvement as my teacher would say.

Tuscany

2008-05-10T09:30:00.003+02:00

I never wanted to leave but alas a rent bill, life's other aspirations and rental car forced us to end our 4 day tryst with Toscana. But we will be back. If you are an alcoholic and foodie like me then prepare to get seduced by her rolling hills and succulent Zuccinis when in Tuscany.

With our wagons hitched we headed straight for the Italian town of Montova (with help the of a GPS of course). Got stopped on the way by an Italian policeman who asked me if I was an American and I said no 'Indian', then he waved us through. Strange, since when did being Indian allow you to get Green channel treatment. Inspite of the initial huffing and puffing at home to decide which roach motel to stay in, the place was comfortable and clean. Had to play to the gallery and agreed to go into the Montova since its designated as a 'cute town'. Like most of Italy, the place was a walk-in Musuem. Old castle with an impressive moat and a large cathedral in the background built on a lake. The Piazza itself was medeival and the town looked like it was bustling with tourists. We walked around the lake and observed a fishing competition in progress, saw some very strange fishing rods. We had lunch at Cantina Cannosa where we served by a waitress who was endowed with a gravity defying upper body. The food was excellent and Piazza ambience was very relaxing. We sat out in the sun, I had water with gas and the wife water without. Lots of pictures and many exchanges of adoration later we left in sizzling afternoon sun for Toscana. Stopped outside town to take more panoramic pictures.

First stop was Greve in Chianti, part of the Chianti Classico route. Small but famous for its wine, we had salami and wine in the town square. Priya was eyeing the table across whose occupant were gorging on sheep cheese cheese on honey and figs. Yum. My first binge wine buying also started in an Enoteca in the Piazza which also claims to have the oldest Chianti Classico bottle. You can clearly see sediment at the bottom of the bottle, could not make sure how much wine was still left in the bottle. After a quick run to the butcher shop, we headed towards Siena to make sure we did not lose the room. Next time a guide book says cozy and romantic then it means cramped, old furniture and a crazy receptionist. Actually not so bad, we were hardly in the room anyway. A friend of mine suggested Osteria Le Logge so rushed over and managed to sit down for dinner at 10:00pm. A fine bottle of Fonteruttoli and 2 courses of meals were hauled our tired bodies back to the hotel.

Day 2.....

And whats new with you?

2008-04-25T06:24:00.005+02:00

I have started using this new Dopplr applications which helps you share travel dates with your friend online. Its also linked to my facebook page, so as a result it send out updates to all on facebook of my travels. To some it may seem a bit like a bit of PR campaign to let all know what a road warrior I am (I would certainly think so) but it would be nice to get some company on the road i.e. meet other friends travelling so I thought who give a *#$% and decided I am going to continue updating it!

The discovery of the year for me has been Facebook, its really cool. It has been on my todo list but never got around to it till February, as a technology fiend I always try to dedicate some time to new trends and innovations that are popular. I was never skeptical about social networks however thought it would be hard for people to stay interested in them longterm. It can be a bit addictive as I found out but its really cool way of keeping up with friends that you care about but don't have enough time to get in touch with. With some of those on, its a bit of a soap with all the hourly updates about their mood and what they had for lunch. Though I must admit, its also a trend that will eventually taper off into regular use with no novelty. It all started many years ago with email, crazy valuations and all folks its the biggest money spinner ever blah blah and trying to build a money spinner and not a utilitarian application. It continues to dominate our lives but its still free. Then came instant messaging with a similair tagline but also failed to convert usage into big bucks. Blogging was the next trend (which I think is quite dead now albeit persistent few like my cousin- Roshin) and now its social networking which if I may be so bold to say will also not convert into the next Fortune 100 company.

KL was very wet this time and a lot of my regular food joints were disappointing. However there was a new discovery, Fatty Crab in Taman Megah. Recommend the Chilli crabs and spicy prawns. I had forgotten how stressful it is to work in Asia, I had barely landed and blood pressure started going up just listening to crap from the customer and my colleagues hammering away. I remember now why last year professionally was so miserable. May have to go a few more times and hopefully be be able to transition over to someone else.

We are off to Sunny Tuscany next week. I hope to use that long weekend as a good way to bring closure to my unending love for Tuscan wine. I can already feel the pounds just coming on, all the food and great wine makes one like a swine. Classic Cherickel style, we have no booking yet.

Family reunion in the NJ this June, the Africans and Europeans are going to plant themselves with the Americans. Family reunion for both the Cherickels and Mathews.