Wet Weather Skills... and other things

The regular readers (both of them) of this blog may be aware that a little while ago a cycle was purchased to enable me to get to campus on time at least once in a while.
And until I get myself a car, this bicycle will have to get me to campus through rain and shine and in weather fair and foul.

In a way its a good thing. It gets me exercise that I wouldn't normally get and for that I shall remain grateful.

However when its 2am and when its pouring down and when you have to escort women home and when you have an 8:30am class the next day for which you really need the bike, even when its the last thing you want to do, you HAVE to cycle home.

Cycling home this one past night involved hoisting my backpack over my shoulders, shielding my ears using the windcheater hood and using my right hand to hold onto an umbrella while I bravely endeavoured to control the bicycle with the left hand, in the driving rain.

Its true... its all true.
B-school is truly an experience and yes, it does teach one new skills.

Life for the next few weeks will be an endless blur of late-night job applications, campus presentations, schmoozing to company representatives, CV selling and ordering Bangladeshi take-out.

This past weekend, pick-up cricket games were organised, after which some resolved to get more ppl involved and play a more formal, traditional version of the game (i.e. runs on both sides of the wicket, taped ball, runs behind square) the coming weekend.
Just for a much needed distraction, I hope that happens.

Speaking of distractions, managed to watch 'One Flew Over...' for the first time. Another movie gets knocked off my imdb Top 250 list.
As it happens, another 140 remain un-viewed. They include a significant number of Kurosawa and old Westerns and even some modern classics, such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Monty Python (Holy Grail, Life of Brian), Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting and some by the Japanese animator (whose name I can't immediately recall) who did Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. A visit to the Virgin megastore may be imminent.

Getting Around in Paris

Just needed to make another post to put up further photos from my trip around the city.

Various modes of transportation taken... buses, trains and a lot of ground was covered just walking around.

Some of these photos were part of a theme that I thought was worth developing: Paris through windows.
As it stands, these are just a few more random photos.

Hmm... I think I like photo blogging.

Mother of all Museums

You just know I'm talking about the Louvre which is now ever more popular thanks to the story telling abilities (or not) of a certain Dan Brown.
Almost everyone who goes in there heads directly to the Denon gallery where the Mona Lisa, Madonna on the Rocks etc. find their place.
No photopraphs are allowed in the art and paintings section and certainly none of the Mona Lisa.

Photos though are present of the famous glass pyramids, the Palais Royal, the Winged Victory, the hall of sculptures, Louis XIV's Apartment.
There are more photos mind you but with a five-photos-a-post limit and my laziness, all you're getting is a tiny glance.

The Stained Glass of Notre-Dame

Commisioned during the reign of Louis VII, construction of the cathedral, its chapels, graves and the famous stained glass windows took place between 1163 and 1250.

There's a lot more information available through this link.

Photos below are of the cathedral from the outside, of the carvings above the entrance, of one of the windows in the north wall, of the lit hall during a service, and a sculpture of Charlemagne in its courtyard.

Eiffel Good - You knew that I would

Determination and a newly married couple who would have liked company ensured that this Sunday I found myself on my way to Paris for the first time.
For someone who has immersed himself in foreign culture, English movies as much as I have, the there was tremendous anticipation to see 'live' the stuff I've only seen on movies and TV thus far.

Will make several individual posts on the sights covered yesterday because a single post only appears to allow a max. of 5 photos.

Le Tour Eiffel is excellent... everything it is made out to be and a bit more. We couldn't quite catch it with the lights on and photos of that will have to wait till another day. It really is magnificent when you get out of the subway station, walk about a block and a bit and suddenly see the structure looming above your head. You probably need to walk another km to get the entire thing in one perfectly framed horizontal shot. All this is exhibited as evidence... photos below.

p.s. some are sepia, B&W attempts at high-art.
The couple in the last photo are Shreela and Abhi, whose wedding I attended in Cannanore about 2 weeks ago.

The Walk

The walk to campus takes me about 25 mins, if I really hurry. On a cold day, this can be especially painful and even the windcheater can be a curse.

Ever had the zipper flick you on the knuckles during a brisk walk on a really cold morning? I didn't think so.

However when its sunny and right about now it is (touch wood, touch every piece of surrounding visible wood) its abso-blooming-lutely delightful.

The walk takes me through the Fontainebleau town center, the focal point of which is this Carousel or Roundabout around which the cinemas, restaurants, bars, hotels, Post Office, Town Hall are all located.

The Carousel



The Hotel of the Black Eagle (L'aigle Noir)



My walks though are now seemingly at an end with the purchase of a 2nd hand bicycle worth 45E. Comes with locks, bicycle pump and other standard fixtures.
Yes! (small fist-pump)

Entry about cycling to campus next up.