Clebrations of life!!

Dears,

I was just thinking what brought me up on this beautiful Sunday afternoon to pen down the 'celebrations of life'.. Well, please allow me to unfold the stroy on a slow note:-). Been busy as usual with work, and the holidays were just appearing on calendars.. Namesake, thats is..But then, the brighter sides of life bring folks up to speed; thanks to this beautiful summer in Basel, where the day ends just a couple hours before mid-night:-)

I have never seen such a vibrant life and society than this unruffled town in summer. Just step out to the banks of river Rhein on a Friday evening, and you would see the real celebrations of life.. Families come packed up with light evening snacks to giant sandwiches for dinner.. Cans of beers (and hot for those who would prefer to be a little pepped up), and an endless array of mineral water bottles.. The adults settle on the beautifully carved pavements on the banks, while the kids play around.. Filmy like romantic scenes unfold everywhere, couples, lovers:-)

The adventure seekers prefer to wind surf, or hire a cannoe and explore the much deeper waters far off the banks.. Fishing rods are on rent and you could lay your hands on them anytime.. A number of small time eateries on either side of the banks sell baby hot dogs to giant grilled sandwiches.. Fitness freaks jog, and the runners preparing for the upcoming Basel half marathon keep their nerves up for yet another rigour.. The straight tracks on the banks take you to the much visited Three Countries Corner, where Germany, Switzerland and France borders meet..


And this completes the celebrations of life; eat, drink, and have fun, as if the day is never gonna come back, and even if it does, it is not going to be the same..What a wonderul philosophy! Take each day as it comes, and enjoy life! Sorrows and miseries are bound to be there, but then this is life and we gotta face them!

On a sign off note, the beautfiul summers would not wait for anyone, they just pass by, parting way for the monster winter:-)

Love
Roy

Life in BASEL Part? Sorry I forgot to count:-)

Life is on a fast pace, I didnt myself realize that my very first
month in BASEL is coming to an end.. Landed here on Sept 05 and on
this Sunday am going to celebrate that moment:-)

On a side note, I would believe that the best way to understand the
society and culture in a new country would be to explore as much as
you can, with a little one's open mindset and that never ending
curiosity.. Having set this ground rule, I am now free to explore, and
of course to write about those experiences..

The weather has drastically changed; the mornings and evenings are
chilly and the day brings in that cool, soothing sunlight and
brightness everywhere.. It rains too, but they are so mild and gentle,
just to reassure the fact they do exist in this part of the world as
well.. You can easily survive without an umbrella here, with a heel
touching rain coat and a hat.. Believe me, umbrellas here are pretty
expensive.. I had to buy one, and it came with a price tag of close to
20CHF:-) Yeah, but that didnt kill the beauty that I enjoy in any
way..

My apartment's french window is full open now, and I could see this
Sunday morning lean traffic..

I had a whole set of experiences last evening, running through the
Swiss country side.. Badisher Bahnoff (The German Railway Station) is
just about five minutes walk from my apartment, and the track 2 there
takes you straight off to Germany.. Running along this side of the
tracks, I could cross the road and enter the relatively narrow stretch
that leads to the runners' paradise..Long, straight stretch of running
tack on the bank of a river, with thick country woods on the other
side.. It is just breath taking beauty... The serene waters of the
river, the hitherto unseen water brids floating along, the
meticulously pruned lawns on either sides, and of course couple of
small time Swiss Cafes off the banks.. A world of its own, and you
just pause for a moment and wonder.. Why am I here for work? Why not
just wander around these wilderness to relish this unblemished beauty
of nature? Well, life is weird, and it provides you with enough wisdom
to choose the priorities in life..And wandering penniless doesnt seem
to be fun either:-)

Well, the philosophy apart; hats off to Swiss Local government, who
maintains these country sides with utmost care and commitment.. They
love their country, and would also want to make sure that anyone who
drops in would share the same feeling.. I stopped mid-way and had a
large Swiss beer from a small cafe run by a swiss couple.. We talked a
lot, they in German, and I in a mix of English, Sign Language, a
little bit of writing, sketches etc.. The old lady kissed me on my
forehead when I called the day off and stepped out.. Come next week
end, and here I come..

BASEL is a small city, pretty laid out, and calm.. The night life here
is not so boisterous, people prefer to be in a resaturant and have a
traditional dinner, with lots of small talks.. For the young (and old
too:-) and adventurous, there is a dance bar nearby, just
couple of crosses from my apartment.. Retaining my audience is a tricky
business, and I need to play all my cards:-)

Looking forward to one of those lazy week-ends to explore yet another
whole bunch of new experiences.. Will be right back!

So long!
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 3

Going back to life in BASEL... The third week is eventless, by any score.. One of the best entertaining ones was the party we had at Pickwicks. This is a traditional British pub in BASEL, and the majority of the crowd is British. Wines, plethora of drinks in array, endless servings of snacks jolted our spirits up right through the wee hours the next day.. It was a fabulous experience!

Staying alone is tough, and I bear the pains everyday.. I do whatever it takes to kill that bordom, and monotony. Read books, browse the Net, talk to family and friends, listen to music whatever.. I miss everything about home:-)

The best change in life is that I started running, running along the banks of river Rhein that is, with cool breeze kissing your forehead.. I would like to believe that the winds convey the immense love of my family and friends back home, with their gentle kisses, and warmer touches!

So long and you take care.

Cheers
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 2

Life has changed so much since day1 here, mostly because am getting used to this place, the folks around, my work, the weather, the shopping malls, travel by
trams, buses, and the cosy week ends. I was terribly homesick in the
first few days, and the feeling has come down a little:-) Life is a
great teacher, it teaches you to adjust, compromise, bear pains and
sorrows, express happiness, and communicate love more clearly when you
are away. So, I talk with my family with a a sense of passion,
commitment and lots of love:-) And of course, they reciprocate the
same.

I found a new house here, and moved in this morning. A small one
bedroom apartment in a tranquil streat. It is furnished, so I didnt
have to run around setting it up from the ground up. Still, had to do
a little bit of shopping to get stuff that were lacking. There is a
wonderful shop called AIKEA in the countryside; a one stop
place for all your home needs. It sells napkins to refrigerators, from
diapers to televisions, from toilet soaps to 16 seater dining
tables:-) Their range is awesome... And the train and tram ride to
that place was like a trip to the wilderness, on a quite sunny day.
There are streams, forests, small hills, bridges, traditional swiss
wooden houses dotting the hilltops etc... A pleasure to watch, and a
feast for the eyes!!

So long... and will write more in the sequel, would be titled Part 3.

Cheers
Roy

Life in BASEL Part 1

Finally, I am kind of settled down, and am ready to write to you
folks.. Here you go..

Into the second week, and I am in love with this beautiful place. Now I
really understand why people say this is the heaven on earth.. The
city and the outskirts are stunningly marvellous.. The only bother is
the exorbitant prices everywhere:-) Sans this, life looks pretty cool.

I am put up in a small cosy apartment, on the main street.. Right now,
I am sitting on the window, facing the tram station.. TRAMS pass by
every few minutes, and you could see aimless, casual travellers,
flocking around. The best part is that you dont need a car to live
here.. TRAMS are pretty efficient and they ply almost all central
points in the city. The place I live is called Haltingerstrasse, a
small street with a bunh of apartment complexes and shopping malls...

Beer is comparatively cheaper here, and I do have a good stock in the
kitchen now.. Beers, and a bath immersed in the tub rejuvenates the
whole body:-)

And last week, I went for an ONAM Sadya arranged by the malayalee
association here.. It was in the outskirts of the city, and the train
ride itself was a life time enjoyment... The filmy like scenes and the
small, tiled, houses dotting the hilly areas on both sides of the tram
rails were just captivating:-)

On the other, not so rosy side, work is real hectic..The only solace
is that the office is around the corner, and I dont have to struggle
to reach office every day..

More later... in Part 2.

Cheers
Roy