Holiday Times : United Arab Emirates

Had been to the Dubai on a 10 days vacation from January 12th to 22 nd 2014. I landed and stayed in Uncle's Home at Sharjah travelling to other places on need. The winter was about to end and it was a pleasing weather all along the stay like in  good old days at Bangalore.

This post is mostly of facts on what I have observed to be different from our country and interesting facts I heard from people there and is not a writeup/travelogue. 

Travel

The travel time is 3.5 - 4 hrs from south India by air, depending on which state you take off from.  There are direct flights to Dubai as well as Sharjah with their air ports 30kms apart.I went on tourist visa provided by a travel agency costing around 6k INR.  First time visa holders were subjected to retina scan at the airport.

Need to mention that it was my uncle, who works there for the past ~9 years took me to all places and shared his wisdom about the places and culture . It is really difficult to commute without a car. He owns a Mitshubishi Pajero, very different from Indian versions, in which I loved travelling.

Location

To be more generic it was a tour to the UAE.For those who have confusions about UAE/ Gulf/Dubai etc, there are six countries under the Gulf Cooperation council (GCC) in the middle east Asia namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the  United Arab Emirates. Visa on  arrival for citizens among these countries.

Dubai is just one of seven emirates (states) in the UAE. Abu Dhabi being the capital and Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajmaan, Ras-Al-Kaimah, Um- Al- Kwain are the other emirates.

The size of UAE can be compared to a size half of Tamil Nadu. Historically it was just a  Desert land with fishing and pearl hunting as  bread winners, until oil exploration started. Though Dubai generates some revenue with tourism and trade, still  the country's economy is purely oil driven. Dirham, the local currency,remains pegged (fixed) to US dollar value as 1USD= ~3.6Dhms

Monarchy, driven by the Khalifa (President/King), UAE owes all he credits to its founder, Sheikh Zayed who integrated the individual states under single crown in 1970s. 

Geographically, the whole country is a Desert with few cities civilized here and there.  notable ones are the Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. The metropolitan of Sharjah and Dubai are almost same cities just separated by a line on road , but with great cultural differences.
Desert soil in the UAE is fine sand forming patterns and dunes with wind direction which might even completely change the shapes and location over night.

Sun seemed to appear larger in the west. I was able to view and click some of  colourful sunsets around there.

Dubai

Dubai is all of western and open policies. Architectured by UK minds, it is a busy city with well planned roads, Sky scrappers , Theme parks, themed malls and entertainment. That defines it. A truly multinational, open economy with Arabs as sponsors for all investments. Sponsors , here is just name sake. The investor is the one who pays yearly for the sake

Without any doubts, UAE has the best of civil , electrical , HVAC, Oil exploration engineering.  Dubai has motorable tunnels with sea and airport runways ceiling them.

The Dubai creek dividing the city into two, can be crossed by  numerous ways with tunnels, Metro, Floating bridges etc unlike here, where our politicians eat all our money leaving one bridge in our towns to cross a river that too built by Britishers. 

Navigating in the city would never give a feel it is a desert. They spend enough money to maintain landscapes and flowers on road sides which are grown elsewhere  and brought to city.

 

Dubai Airport has multiple terminals and they are massive. Three terminals with each  having over 50 gates.

The state run luxury operator "Emirates",  with direct flights to so many intercontinental destinations, operates  from its exclusive terminal. They own one of largest fleet of airliners along with 45   AirBus A380s. 

Dubai aims to be the Air transit hub to west next to Frankfurt and London and grows towards it.  

The Jebel ali port , claimed to be the world's largest man-made harbour and the biggest port in the Middle East.

The state of Dubai has fully automated metro services running from Jebel Ali to Al Quasis close to Sharjah. Unlike the tradition of stations being identified by respective area's name, they are in names of corporate sponsors on yearly contract viz Etisalat (The state run telephone operator), Emirates (Airlines) , Dubai Mall etc  
 
They take all measures to generate revenue. Dubai has Airport free zones, where multinationals can set industries without taxes and some less law constraints where they can manufacture, export and re-export goods without marketing inside the country.

Sharjah

Sharjah is relatively conservative emirate,  supported by Saudi. No alcohol and a bit crowded. Less housing rents and entertainment facilities make it primarily to be used as a residential city for people working in Dubai.

Sharjah airport is really smaller. Mostly of state run budget airliner  "Air Arabia"  and other budget flights. Air Arabia fleet is only of Airbus A320s.

There is a considerable traffic jam sometimes taking hours to  commute  from sharjah city  <-->Dubai city  due to unplanned sharjah roads, claimed to be designed by Egyptians. It is really a bottle neck  where 8-12 track roads of Dubai meet 4-6 track Sharjah roads at peak hours

Abu Dhabi

The capital city with the mix of wealth and peace. Not much of places to visit but it a well planned one. Public transport is free.

Ruwais, a place close to the Saudi border in the south west of Abu Dhabi city is notable for its oil drilling and exploration activities.

Cars and roads

In a way  it can be called  as "Land of cars". Almost 60-70% cars are SUVs and gaint sized cars. GMC, Nissan, Toyota , Ford, Hyundai share the major pie other than traditional luxury vehicles.  No sign of two wheelers at all. Happened to see two motor bikes of courier delivery personnel all along my whole stay. The number of vehicles can be assumed from the fact that the vehicle registrations are in 5 digits while Mobile numbers are 8 digits. They fill 58 litres of petrol for 100 units of their local currency.

Important roads spread upto 12 tracks wide , Emirates road , the one connecting all Emirates and the Sheik Zayed road are the important ones. Driving is right sided , and every one follows proper lane discipline, Only  auto transmission vehicles with SUVs being the most common  around. 

Automated Tolls called Salik read RFID codes on car to collect toll fares just by crossing the toll arch and no waiting involved in the name of toll booths.

Arabs and wealthy people around also have their own cruise or small boats to go  into sea to relax.

The countries Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are connected by  road and could see cars flowing in and out casual.

Power and water

There are countries which try to generate power from water, wind, waves etc. My cousin working in the SEWA (Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority) says that  Emirates generate their own electric  power from oil.  Sanitary as well as drinking water is from respective desalination plants in their states.    

People and Places

The natives are known as Bedouins and the natives  population is less than five lakhs and major others constitute Indians , Philippians, Pakistanis, Egyptians. 

No matter how many ever years you stay there, by laws, no foreigner can get a citizenship or own a property in the arabian land.

Falcon is their national bird and symbol. 

 
With mosques everywhere, even in all Petrol stations. A dedicated FM station reciting Quran 24x7.

 First half of Fridays are completely deserted. Completely organized driver-less metro also doesn't function till the Prayers get over in the afternoon.

Food and Tradition  

Museums depict recorded development history from 1970s, i.e. after the oil business kicked off.

Their traditional food is spiceless. Arabian breads like  Kubboos, Hammus, Arayas, Olive oil, Chilli and Garlic paste, Falafel , Dumplings ,  Salad form their diet.

Unlike we switched to Jean from traditional dresses, arabs stick to their traditional dress. Males go with a dressknown as thawb or Gandoorah a long white robe over the body till feet with a head scarf.
Finding a native arab is locating a Black band over his scarf with the thawb. Others don't use the black band.

Places of interest I visited

Most of  tourist and vivid city life starts late afternoon and ends early morning just before sunrise.

* The Grand Mosque at Abu Dhabi , definitely one of man made marvels for the architecture and interiors. Aimed at building the biggest Islamic cultural centre, this mosque stands tall for the amount of art and wealth it holds. Those massive minervas, dooms and the chandeliers are fascinating . 

Could see many US naval flights monitoring the area and later came to know from my cousin that UAE has outsourced the  state Navy security on agreement  with the USA

* The Desert safari starts in the afternoon. We are taken to city outskirts to the proper desert area and it starts with a SUV ride jumping and bashing around in the sand dunes and finally dropping in a tent.  With a desert Sunset view,  are served snacks followed by a recreation activity, usually a Belly dance show along with dinner in the night.

* Global village, a  seasonal (October - April) massive international exhibition on culture, food , articles, arts and works of countries with their own stalls.

* Khorfakkan, a small peaceful town in Sharjah state which has a port and a clean beach.

* Miracle garden. A place of  epic gardening and horticulture to show the largest human made flower garden. I used to wonder how flowers are maintained in Lal Bagh, But they do it in a far bigger scale.Really a miracle in the desert.

* Had been to the Aquariums at Sharjah Maritime Museum (Educational), Dubai mall and the Atlantis one.

It was a coincidence to be there in the Dubai Shopping Festival time,that  happens every Jan - Feb with the malls offering great discounts and cultural shows around the city like a festival with special Fireworks over Abra creek.

Tried Scuba diving at the Jumeirah open Beach along with my brother. We had reported in the Noon and given a training on various instruments to be used and signals to be followed inside the water and taken into the non wave part of the sea. A 20 minute of a wonderful stay inside.

Dubai Marina, The walk, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah are the other places I got to visit.

I did not visit Al Ain, said to be a little  elevated hill station  in the UAE where the people usually go to relax and escape from the scorching  sun during summer.  A lot of Arabs have  holiday houses in that area.

Dark side
 

There can't be any country without a Dark side. There is a lot of news around fake employers/contractors who take people there and cheat. Interacted there with a mason from a remote village in Tamil Nadu working for a construction company with a two or four years contract. His vages are 40 dhms per day. Overtime work fetches him 8dmhs per hour.His regular work timings start at 5 AM and go upto 9PM .  The packed labour camp which he stays in, is beyond sharjah and his work site would be near jebel Ali  travelling 70kms one way for work. Self cooking and other expenses to be borne. He  would get leave Once in two years for a month to visit his native. Above all  he gets a ~15k INR saving to send home.

My take

Human civilization is beleived to have been started across river banks for the reason of water availability. UAE  has defied the fact and  attracted all the world population for work, stay, tourism and business, indeed an achievement.

Their principle is to Be the best in everything they do, no wonder to say they grew up from  "Nothing to Everything".

No way that UAE can be compared to a country like ours in terms of area, population, economy, politics and corruption. It is a really small country but with the strong economy, they do their best to have higher quality of life.  It was worth the visit and some more places left to see, Never mind travelling again.

Full moon day Beach trek from Gokarna to Kumta

Once upon a time on Earth, there was water and only water/sea/ocean.Every living thing originated there and we rightly call "Sea Mother". Thanks to volcanic and tectonics,  later we got some land and some new mountains too. Since human inception climbing mountains is a sense of individual achievement for the time spent away from civilization close to the nature, the  hurdles crossed and the persistence involved. My love for sea goes here (Tamil).For the same reason  Sea and mountains are two different, never boring but obsessive locations to hang out.And What if we get to do it together with a fun filled group?

Briefly, most mountains are generally formed from settled volcano magma or two earth crust plates on land colliding each other and one rising vertically over the other.It also may be a reason that we dont find muuch  peaks or ranges  along sea sides.As like, there are exceptions. Some part of faulted Deccan plateau (Western Ghats) around areas of Gokarna are among them. Had a chance to trek along the beach and mountains from Gokarna to Kumta on 15th and 16th of March 2014  with Chennai Trekking club.(CTC)

Organised by Balaji  and Vinodh, 33 people including 10 year old  little girl Sanskriti, started from Bangalore in a privately booked bus  from Majestic Railway Junction where a group from Chennai joined us. Had a  gala dinner in a hotel at Rajaji nagar and it was close to midnight.  Cut cakes on eve of the CTC's  6th birthday, the journey towards Gokarna commenced.

Close to 500kms travel north west of Bangalore, it was a long but pretty comfortable travel. Luckily, 22 kms ahead of Sirisi, the bus suffered a flat tyre in the morning which paved us to see one of beautiful sun rise from a village among the green paddy fields. It was foggy cold to walk around and worth spending time in such a place.

 We had our breakfast at Sirsi and reached Gokarna around noon.

The geography of the area is that from Gokarna down atleast till Honnovar there are mountains alternating sea shores, some of them which are commercial beach and  remaining are isolated shore stretch.

We started from the Kudle beach after having some loaves of bread and rusks as lunch.Hiked and crossed to the OM beach. Then similar hike and descend to half moon and paradise beach. Paradise beach had a rocky terrain with boulders. It was scorching hot and we had random dips in the beach.   It was almost 4.30 PM. It was spectacular from the hike giving a elevated bird view  of the ocean.

With one more ~80m hike and descent we reached a fishermen village, had lot ofs ice creams which quenched our thirsts, collected the preordered fish food for dinner and proceeded to the ferry area. The full moon was rising with sunset on the other side.

We got a ferry and crossed the backwaters and boarded our bus that was waiting to take us to the nirvana beach stretch. It was dark and we crossed the calm village on our way to campsite on the beach.

Made tents which could hold a few. People there were kind enough to provide fresh water and some place for cooking.  Picked firewood and managed to make soup and boiled rice.

Had a perfect full moon light dinner. Campfire and then sleep.

Probably it was my wish to sleep on an open beach from the first day I have ever been to sea.It came true. Lied down under the stars and  lost in them. An experience that cannot be described in words. Could not help waking up in the middle of the night to see where the full moon is.

Day 2. It was warm in the night but towards dawn it became cold.  We planned for a tea but made payasam and Poha for breakfast and left the campsite.

 It was ~8km isolated sea shore walk till we reached one more mountain in the noon.

 Hot sun ofcourse, but the sea breeze and the birds flying around here along with us was soothing.

A little hike and descent we reached a small, isolated beach connected to a private farm near to  Kumta.  Cooked rice for lunch, rested sometime under the coconut trees, had hours long beach dip, celebrated holi on the shores and finally had a fresh water bath in the farm house. The person there was kind enough to provide water and offered some sea food to taste.

It was almost sunset we started walking after a little hike towards Kumta along the shore viewing  a colorful sunset.  Boarded our bus and had dinner in a restaurant at Kumta and started towards Bangalore.

Pulling legs, making fun etc, it was a lively journey  all along.  Lots of friends and definitely a memorable trip.  I believe we all live and love to create memories to cherish for ever. One of best spent weekends with nature. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers who made the trip wonderful.

Rest of the pics from my camera can be found here

2013 - The Path traveled

Time for some blabbering here

Take a man to a deep forest or some highly isolated place. Leave him there as such for long. Slowly he will loose the sense of age, calendar and time. It isn't inherent or natural.We created so called time and calendar and calculating ages. We run behind it, curse or celebrate. For the universe, nature or whatever we call, the concept of time is infinite or non existent.

 Why this lecture now?

There is nothing special in a New year or so. Just YET ANOTHER DAY.

But still as a formal mark I just could not neglect looking back or forward a year.

Was trying to understand why I did not do this all years?
 Inference is  I usually keep looking back and repenting for my actions and planning and worrying about future day by day or even hour by hour.So never felt like recalling a year or planning , as so called making resolutions.

But this year was quite different.Did quite a few things and lost track ,  planned few failed or some unplanned events were cherishable.

இரண்டாயிரத்துப் பதிமூன்று - நான் கற்றதும் பெற்றதும்... My Path on 2013.

Friends:
Not much of change. My close circle has remains the same.

Social:
 Grew more open. Circle has widened I should say.

Family:
Good side is, I was able to communicate and be open to my parents on my views of life like never. First time I spoke out to them on something of my dreams., I usually dont communicate much with cousins. Esp female ones. Thanks to whatsapp it has totally changed. We stay connected.
Bad side, One of my aunt passed away.

Personal/Passion:
 2013 is a mark. Pretty emotional. I bought the camera on January 16th 2013 without even approval from parents. Later told them though. Almost one year. So much of learning and much more to go. This litle light capturing box inspired me to travel more.Did travel too.

Donated blood 3 times. (September, June, March)

Munnar trekking was an achievement in my scale. Read more here

Learnt to neutralize my view on people. Ongoing still. Less judging on them.Got some idea of what not to expect from people in general.A major overhaul in my thinking pattern about relationships.

Got in touch with few NGOs for some grass root work. Though not much of progress, kind of feels good to look back moving with younger unpreviledged ones.

Career:
Last quarter of the year proved to be the best.Undaunted working with interested project. My work being showcased at CES 2014.
Learnt some technical things personally too. Building my own android for my phone. Quite a deep learning curve. Feels good.

Studies:
This went down. MS in cyber physical systems hanging in air. Did not pursue after 2 papers.

Fitness:
Not upto mark. Bought cycle but could not ride regularly.
That concludes. It was mix of good and bad.

Overall I got lesson of life, people and more and more inspired to travel.

Moving onto 2014, not much. Will keep short. All related wishes. I never make it as resolution

1) Fall in shape. Probably am at m peak of my physical ability. Have to grow fit. Fit enough to trek and travel longer.
2) Learn swimming and one foreign language.Probably  should start cooking.
3) Visit two countries
4) Complete the Himalayan trek
5) Restart the MS course
6) Read more books
7) To make difference in a tleast in one unprivileged person's life.
8) Mentally get prepared to move out of country for work. Try for possibilities which are readily available in my company.
9) 4 times of blood donation
10) Last but not least and most important. Stay immune to all emotional pull down and turn offs, which has affected my past and has potential to make all my above listed wishes will go null and void.

Major travel plans:

1) Dubai - January.
2) Himalayas Sar pass trek in May
3) July- Ladakh/Leh (Proposed)
4) One island Andaman/Maldives in last quarter.


Just a journal which I shall revisit by the end of the year to see my progress. :) :)

Moments : 4 days Munnar - Bodi National Trekking expedition 2013

This was my first trek with YHAI . There were 43 heads in the batch.  50% were from Maharashtra and a good composition southern states. Atleast 80% of  the gents were above 40 and all ladies were above 35. Mostly retired people and  central govt employees who get special casual leave for these treks. I was the youngest. 

Day 1 ( 24 October 2013 ) :

 Reported at the base camp in the afternoon after a long ghat travel via Cumbum to the National Adventure academy at  Devikulam near Munnar. A kerala State govt. maintained institute. The brochure claimed pucca accomodation and sanitation facilities were  missing.Many werent mentally prepared to this like me.It was raining too. Then somehow tamed the comfort longing mind to fit the place.

By 4.00PM we went for a acclimatisation walk in the Lockhart Estate area.The moment we were on the full mist covered road, it started raining heavily. We walked and hiked small steep slopes for a long time till sunset and later came to know that it was a 8 km stretch

When the walk ended rain too stopped.Then dinner and  sleep.

Day 2 (25 October 2013)

Early morning warm up walk/sprint jog and exercises again in rain.

After breakfast, there were some official formalities like a small talk , flagging off session by some cheif guest etc.Then we were taken in  jeeps to a village called Yelapatti  which is the base of a hill. 40- 50 minutes journey.

The actual trekking started from there. We hiked around 8 kms to a place called Top station.  The path was full of leeches waiting to suck blood.

Though many in the batch were experienced trekkers on Himalayas, all were screaming and jumping around when they see leeches climbing their pants. Many leeches were successful quenching their thirst.

One of Western ghats notables is leech prone moist soil. The keep wobbling their body like worms in 3D  sticking on to us. Even shoes or pants doesn't matter,they somehow find ways inside.The person going in front will disturb it from rest under leaves and people behind feed them.

We reached Top station by Lunch.  That falls under Tamil Nadu , actually a mountain view point. Food was arranged at a hotel there.

Then  climbed down ~8 kms to middle or central station on the other side of the hill. 

 This was a  terrain down hill with spectacular view of a  green majestic massive chain of mountain range in the oppsite which we would climb the day after. The clouds floating over the peak with sun setting behind was just a priceless view.

Deep in the jungle was our campsite.A small blue concrete house could accommodate 12-15 ppl for a days stay.Maximum were packed inside and remaining in tents put outside.

Staying in tent was a new experience. Felt so good. That house had cook who prepares food if we take things with us. They plant coffee nearby and have a small grinding machine. The stay was awesome. Needless to say how calm it would be and how glittering the sky will be with stars.

Climbing down a hill is presumed easy but the fact is fingers hit shoe walls often and create pain.

That too i have a broad foot with no appropriate type of shoe to fit,  got my fingers injured. More than tired it was pain..

Day 3 (26th October 2013)

Starting in the morning we climbed another ~8 kms to the hill base cvillage named Korangani. That was our camp too.Carried packed lunches and had them in the banks of a stream we crossed. We reached there late afternoon. Stay in forest guard quarters.

About the village, one must be lucky to be in a place surrounded by green peaks with floating clouds, clear water stream  fairly big enough filling a dam. It is a 400 + houses village 16 kms away from Bodinayakanur

Bus comes one and an half hour once. No mobile signals. Paddy fields n coconut trees around

 They said only a staff nurse will be there in the hospital for day hours.Any emergency they take jeeps to Bodi.

We talked to a boy there and found ways to play and bath in the stream inspite being tired. He took us to a nice place. That evening was fun again.

That village is was where kumki/Gajaraju was shot. That elaphant and village sets. The elephant watch tower place all were korangani.

Had a tired sleep and everybody was warned the subsequent day's trek will be toughest.

Day 4 (27th October 2013 )

Some left to base camp in morning and we sent our unwanted luggage with them.

8 km rough terrain 50% of which was so hot at a  65 degree slope. Sweating like hell. Everyone ran out of water. I  There was a time difference of at least 20 mins for the first and last person moving in the group

Half way we got a news that one diabetic person is being carried in shoulders down to korangani by our sweeper guide  as he could not climb.

By Noon  we found a very small stream just a leak through rocks.Had lunch there and filled bottles.

It became dense from there.

The path was very narrow slippery moving in zigzag on mountain.Not to mention that the trekking view was again majestic to see the top - middle - base station hill range which we climbed down a day back.

It was evening and 8 hrs since morning a sudden view came in to  picture when tall trees ended.A beautiful tea estate and  village called kolukkumalai.

Worlds highest tea plantation processing the organic way.Tea leaves are generally plucked then weathered and then oxidised , dried and ground.This estate factory does them without adding any chemicals

Had a garden fresh milk  tea there. We saw the tea processing machine.Then a view point nearby

Then had   travel downhill in four jeeps back to our  base camp at Devikulam.

Our guide Shaju Lawrence was a Munnar localite and a naturalist. 

It was 7.30 PM we stopped at a view point to see Munnar .It was spectacular to see a town from a height

Just looking above i was like WOW! Never saw so many stars at night anywhere.A light trace of milky way was visible with naked eyes. Venus looked like a LED bulb

Reached Base camp and left to home immediately.

That was an experience.Four days. Simply ones city and so called decent or cultured mask will peel off

with less resources.Far from home.No connectivity. That was a sense of accomplishment in spite of problem , pain faced.

200 years of Munnar history in short. 

Our guide  was telling all about flowers plants birds vegetation weather geography economy etc during the treks.

Britishers started tea plantations and took people  from TN through the top station trek route for work

Let stay there and trained them at a place they called "Oozhiyaan chathiram" ஊழியான்சத்திரம்

Then keralites joined. This trek route was first historical gateway to munnar from East. Transported tea down from hills though rope transport with facilities in 3 stations named Top, Middle and Bottom stations.

1930s the rope transport system destroyed by some calamity. We saw the remnants

After Independence the Tea estates sold to private companies. 

Now only 3 companies own the whole tea estates there

* Harrison malayalam,a cochin based company owning all estates named lockhart

* Kannan devan hills tea planters association

* TATA tea

All hill areas are owned by government but leased to  companies like these in a damn cheap rate for price in paisas per year for an acre for 100s of years.

 Most of the time we were in rain or just below or into the clouds. No much Photos but I just loved clicking than ever.

Other Photos can be found here

Bodh Gaya

 First time I stepped down in Bangalore to join my college, this was the only place I  visited with family  as "Places of Interest" inside the city. That was July  2006, Never bothered to visit again in the four years of engineering. It was just a land mark to me till I came back to Bengaluru in 2012.

Some thing preventing me  from liking malls and the window shopping culture, beach was my most haunted place in Chennai which I  still miss a lot in Bangalore.

Searching for a calm  place in the city free to move around without much of the disturbing  human crowd, the city sounds and commercial hoardings, I revisited here again. A place in the city to sit, roll down,  feel the earth  without footwear outside my room.

Now, I have breathed into this space countless times and it almost  has seen  all of my solitary Sunday afternoons.Almost like where ever I am in the city and I need some private time, then to me,

" All roads lead to Lal Bagh"

 Hyder Ali commisioned  and Tipu sultan finished setting up this 220 acre crown inside the city. Britishers added some more  jewels like the Glass house to it. Now maintained by Horticulture department of Karnataka.

Park the bike and start walking in,  Nature starts embracing in.

At least for me , its not a place to  visit once, just  walking around hasty to cover the park  for see everything one shot.

Houses not only Flowers, the huge bird community chirping and squirrels running around. Those lonely benches,  shaded trees and green lawns will make you forget that you are in a traffic cursed concrete jungle.

It really takes time to look into the colours, patterns, feel the petals of each and every flower and livelihood around and everything is new when I visit next time.

Lalbagh lake inside  is one of big lakes in the city.

The huge and century old trees.Touching  and  hugging around their huge barks tell a lot of unltold stories. It feels like Avatar :-P

Many of the trees have finished reading Vairamuthu's  Kallikkaattu Ithikasam and some more books  with me :-D :-D.

After buying the camera, the story is different.Its common that people who slowdown, feel the nature and things around to frame and photograph them. its the other way around  for me.

Mindlessly walking in and start clicking whatever I find. Once, a visitor mistook me to be a regular cameraman there, who clicks and gives instant prints to visitors.

 Doves assemble and feed in a place in late evenings in a place. It was long wish to click them on flying.

It feels different when people give odd stares on me suddenly go on knees to click at eye level of something or having my  head into the random bushes :-D :-D

You can sometime artists who find subjects and draw to their heart's content.

Recently got into the vast nursery. They have so much to sell. Seeds, saplings and accessories to  guide for self gardening.

Any friend or relative visits Bangalore , the first place suggested by me is to visit  Lal bagh .

 Kind of similar looking roads and signals at all gates of the park confuse most times .

Had been umpteen number of times, yet haven't seen fully . Definitely one of the places that occupy a special place in my soul.

"Lal Bagh - Inner Peace"

PS: Where ever I read about gardens I read more about its  Mughal background. Wonder why others were not interested in  gardening.