YES WE CAN!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

Dubai

Home to 25% of the world’s construction equipment, the worlds only 7 star hotel, an indoor ski slope, man made islands, the tallest building on the planet and more luxury cars (which are more affordable due to the fact there are NO TAXES!) then I have ever seen in one concentrated area are all manifestations of this the economic powerhouse. The rate and type of development that has occurred over the past 15 years is phenomenal. This link illustrates what an architectural and development marvel Dubai is: http://www.dubai-architecture.info/DUB-GAL1.htm


While there for business I also had the opportunity to connect with Aline, a friend from High School who I had not seen in over 14 years. She lives in Dubai and was kind enough to show me around and schooled me on the Arab culture which I find fascinating.




After my trip to Dubai it is clear that the dream of an oasis in the desert has become a reality.

The Land of OZ

With not even enough time to get over my jetlag from travel between the US and India I was on the road again…This time to the land down under and I must say it left a favorable impression. Its outgoing and humorous people, visually stunning landscape and ease of navigation made is a spectacular place to explore.

My 1st stop was Melbourne, a city that offers a vast menu of options that can satisfy any traveler’s appetite. Home of the Yarra Valley which produces excellent wine, neighborhoods oozing character like St Kilda a bohemian coastal area where the hip hang out, inviting restaurants and pulsating live music scene. Melbourne is a fine blend of Victorian roots and diverse blooms of new world culture that can rival any major city in the world. I happened to be in Melbourne for the Super Bowl which started at 10am and was happy just to get the opportunity to watch it as the two years prior I missed it. Watching the Super Bowl in a foreign country is like eating Indian food in American. It tastes good but it is not an authentic experience.

After a few days in Melbourne I flew up to Cairns in Queensland. Cairns is a Mecca for scuba divers, backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. It provides access to lush rainforests, the incredible Great Barrier Reef and numerous other treats.



During this my 1st trip to Australia I scratched the surface of such a rich, diverse and intriguing country. I am looking forward to future visits.

R&R: Recharged and Ready

I have been fortunate to spend the last month and a half in the U.S. (4 weeks in Colorado and 1 in both DC & NYC). The time was well spent recharging and connecting with loved ones before heading back to India for more exhilarating experiences.

Consumption

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Germany: The Melander family of BargteheideFood expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina. Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuerna vaca Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo Food exp enditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village. Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

The year in review - Oddball Style

This link will take you on a silly ride through humerous media clips of 2007: http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=msnbc&vid=66e01328-b3eb-4831-8c3e-e313b7cffbe2

Shuffling of the Deck

Goodness Gracious It Is Almost 2008!

Father Time has kept things spinning once again.While Mother Moon silently soothes...

I offered these questions to be answered for anyone who was game last year and thought I would follow suit before another shuffle.

Completing This Year -2007

What was my biggest triumph?

What was the smartest decision I made?

What one word best sums up the year?

What was the greatest lesson I learned?

What was the most loving service I performed?

What is my biggest piece of unfinished business?

What am I most happy about completing?

Who were the 3 people that had the greatest impact on me this year?

What was the biggest risk I took?

What was my biggest surprise?

What important relationship improved the most?

What compliment would I have liked to receive?

What do I need to say or do to be complete about the year?

CREATING THE NEXT YEAR - 2008

What would I like my biggest triumph to be in the coming year?

What advice would I like to give myself?

What are my financial aims to the year to come?

What am I most committed to completing?

What major indulgence am I willing to experience?

What would I most like to transform within myself?

What am I looking forward to learning?

What risks will I be willing to take?

What is an undeveloped talent I am willing to explore?

What brings me the most joy?

How will I experience that in the coming year?

Who or what am I committed to loving and serving?

What word will I have as my theme in the upcoming year?

I wish all of you a delightful 2008!

The cookie is crumbling..

http://www.truemajority.org/oreos/

The Joy of Music

Feeling a little down the other day I heard some music and walked toward it. I was pleasantly surpised with what I found. A family band was performing on the street and their presence and music instantly lifted my spirits. Ahhh the power of music....

The Beginning

Have you ever felt drawn somewhere you have never been or when you go to a particular place you feel like you have been there before?

This week I was in Europe and spent a few days in Brussels where I was born. I lived there for around two years as a baby and then my family relocated to Washington, DC. I have always been drawn to explore the country as some of my personal history rests there yet I have no memory of it. So this, my 4th visit to the country (counting my birth). I returned to the hospital where I was born. Walking the halls of the maternity ward gave me a surreal feeling and I relished the experience. If you have never visited the hospital you were born in you might want to give it a go…

Drunk All Over...

I just finished reading a fascinating book about something I have loved but not really understood… Natalie Maclean’s book Red, White and Drunk All Over is a must read for anyone who is a wine enthusiast or would enjoy learning more about a topic that has captivated the hearts, minds and palates of people for centuries.. Much like wineries blend various grapes to make a good wine, Maclean takes snips of history, interesting stories, fun facts and personal reflections to make a tasty concoction the mind will savor.
In one of her many adventures Maclean heads to the Bonny Doon winery in the Santa Cruz valley of Northern California. Napa and Somona are the famous valleys of Cali for wine, however San Cruz is a hidden gem with a handful of great wineries. After reading about MacLean’s experience at Bonny Doon I was eager to check it out. I used to drink one of their wines often that I enjoyed for its taste, fair price and creative packaging. You might have seen and drank it. The bottle has many fortune cookie sized messages stuck inside of its clear transparent bottle for reading pleasure and used to be easily assessable.
The creator of Bonny Doon doesn’t have a pretentious cell in his body, something hard to find in wine lovers. Randell pokes fun at the often times pompous industry with quirky names (in French) and labels for his wines. Bonny Doon was also revolutionary as one of the 1st wineries to bottle their wines with twist off caps rather than corks. As a cork collector I understand how not having that part of the wine drinking ritual could cause dismay, however there are reasons to go with the twist off cap. You can read more about this if you like but for now I will leave it at that. Just for the record I still prefer corks.
Luckily I didn’t have to wait long to check out the winery as I was in the bay area for work this week. To get there I drove down the twisting lanes of ice cream road…If there was a flavor that kids sold from a stand on the side of the road it would be called Christmas, which comes from the omnipresent smell of the pine trees that I inhaled as I cruised with the windows down to my destination. I was pleasantly surprised as I pulled up to Doon’s tasting room which is a quaint cottage with a small picnic area. As I explored the inside I was equally impressed by the laid back staff and friendly fellow tasters. I sipped 8 of their diverse wines, had nice conversations with the staff and other visitors, none of which were over snobby or trying to flex their wine connoisseur muscles. After being warmed by the vino and company and getting a to go box I headed back on the road for some desert.

https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/index.html

Singapore

Normally I travel through Europe on my way back and forth between India and the US. I decided to break that pattern and head the other way via Singapore to San Francisco. Never visiting the country I chose to take advantage of the route and stop there for a couple days. I have been doing a lot of research on culture lately and to spend some of my time constructively I coordinated a meeting with an organization I have worked with, have always respected and are world renowned for research in a vast array of subjects, The Gallup Organization.


The name Singapore is derived from the Malay word “Singapura” or lion city. It is a home to around 4 million people comprising of mostly Chinese, Malays and Indians. There is also a big group of expats as many large corporations have an Asian/Pacific hub here. Just to give its size some context its population is 1/5 that of Bombay, India and it is one of the world’s smallest countries in geographic size; the US is about 15,000 bigger. It is also the 18th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP.

I felt like Michael J Fox in Back To The Future as I stepped off my 150 seat time machine from India into Singapore. If there were any potholes in the road, I would have bit my tongue off as I was flabbergasted by pristine and lavish environment Singapore provides.

I was lucky to have a friend of mine who worked with us in India and is now living in Singapore show me around the city. It was great reconnecting with Ozana and she offers interesting perspective on life being from Romania, and having lived in the US, India and now Singapore.

Before I knew it the time arrived for me to board my flight back to the US. Not looking into the details and thinking it was a direct flight from Singapore to San Fran, I almost choked on my peanuts when I heard from the captain that we were stopping in KOREA!?! The most eventful part of my hour in Korea was trying to communicate with the currency exchange lady as I tried to get some Won...

So here I am, back in the US.