Soaking in the new...bracing the strange with ease. Fading in with the crowd, not quite, but comfortable & very happy in my own skin!
I've taken to my changing surroundings with enthusiasm, my body apparently has not. It goes to shutdown mode just as I have important people to meet. It refuses to eat when the most interesting fare meets the plate in front of me.
& then my body surprised me as my nose led me to a very modest Indian restaurant. The buffet spread was ravaged by a hungry Indian soul...the flavours burst into action, awakening the taste buds who were out of a job in recent days. The overwhelming flavours & aromas made me feel physically happy!!
My latest passtime is observation...seconds, minutes, more minutes, fleeting flashes...on the tube I'd soak in hands one day-rings, hard working hands, dainty hands, rough hands, ugly hands, pampered hands & one day I'd only watch the shoes-formal shoes, stilletos & boots, flip flops worn with ugly stockings,a really nice pair of mocassins (ones I'd like to own) & one day expressions-tired, bored, judgemental, in love, scornful, interested, chatty, overworked.
London definitely has more stylish dressers than NY...anyday! The clickety-click of heels on the London Bridge at rush hour was a memorable experience.The city has so much history and almost fairytale-ish charm. Those gorgeous buildings, the palaces et. al. make you hold your breath with happiness.
Seattle froze my enthusiasm away. The cold went piercing through my ears. Watching Seattlers (is that what they're called???) braving the rain and running/jogging/cycling around almost ignoring it was inspiring. The beautiful trees were just about blooming, bringing the spring in.
New York, the melting cauldron of the world is a terrific maze of streets & avenues. One street map and a pair of happy feet are all you need. The busy rush of the cabs and people walking with purpose interspersed with the merry tourists with a lazy leisurely gait make such an interesting contrast. And then the daze of the lights-those broadway shows, billboards, lit up skyscrapers it takes you on a spin.
Where else will you find a cab driver from Dominican Republic who wants to take you out to the disco, a hotel receptionist who scouts around for the nearest Indian restaurant & gets your their number, the shoeshine man who runs after you pointing out that your boots need a sparkle, a mexican tourist who showers you with all his maps (with scribbly notes/bus & train schedules) on his way back home, a grandmother-daughter duo who randomly sit next to you at a historically famous deli and share a cheesecake with you & leave you with blessings for your marriage???
Remind me to be a bit more easy on myself and just let my hair down, will you?
This world has just too much fun & adventure in store for you. Just let it get to you!
3 comments:
Loved it!!
Having lived in Seattle for 3 years it struck me that I didn't know what the word was for people who live there! Probably, none exists...
But yes, it is cold, cloudy and rainy for the most part...not a coincidence that Starbucks came from there...Also, so did Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix...
The summer is really beautiful though, exactly like Bangalore winters in the 80s/90s...
Ah, you've left your footprints in Seattle on the Pacific, New York on the western Atlantic and now London on the eastern Atlantic. And I'm sure Indian Ocean and its ports/beaches wouldn't be alien to you as well. SL, it's fair to say you've traveled across oceans. Isn't it? Any visits to Arctic?
A few thoughts strike again on visiting thought-pourri. I bet you are a very observant traveller - 'wanderbugish' is a testimony. May I request that alongwith those beautiful words, please capture the world in images. Images of the landscape - natural and built, of random natives, of confused, enthused, surprised as well as contended tourists, of the outsiders who have made London their home, of that one Indian who loves London but loves India more, of that Indian who is indistinguishable from the British, of that British who is more Indian than an Indian, of the England's rain and its sun (unlike here where rains are welcome and the sun is despised), of the varying moods of weather in a single day (there is no climate of U.K.), of the London's historical past and its effervescent present, of a mirroresque Thames, of impressive hats and the 'clickety-clack' footwear, of the small cafes, of the old buildings, of a toddler and an elderly each with deep blue eyes......
oh...I got carried away....I just hope to see the world from your eyes. Professional photography is too perfect unlike life and the world around which is imperfect. It is difficult to find a pal with a keen eye but with amateur's finesse (is that an oxymoron?) to capture the world around. So, deliberate on my request...please don't dismiss it non-chalantly.
And SL, second on my thoughts, I was just wondering whether London is a stop-over or has charmed you for long. Well, Seattle and NY clearly couldn't court you successfully.
And thank you for extending some kind words over my last comments.
looking forward to your next post...cheers
@Mango Man: life hasn't stopped to keep.me.on my toes. Between getting married, a new job and New York city, I am now finally going to do a little photo project (hopefully with some amateur finesse) for New York. Thanks for the idea and keep watching this space. Would love to get your comments. Cheers and may you find yourself in interesting times!
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