countdown

2 weeks to go..

incredible india

One of the best things to happen to tourism in India was the Incredible India campaign. A friend sent me some of the new print ads. Picking five for your viewing pleasure; Wildlife, Nature, Adventure, Religion, Culture. My favourite, exhibit no.3. For best results; read the copy (click on each picture to enlarge).

countdown

3 weeks to go..

it has begun

So the WC has finally begun. I had managed to catch a couple of games since Friday before I sat to watch the Australia v/s Germany match last night and what a joke of a match it was. The joke was Australia and I had a warm fuzzy feeling watching them get thrashed by Germany. They looked like a bunch of out of control grumpy children who just couldn't get a decent shot at the goal and hence were resorting to blatant fouls cause they didn't have game. The Germans were not just hammering goal on goal (4-0 was the final score) but they played some great team football and never once seemed to be missing their star captain Michael Ballack. Personally I am not a huge fan of the straightlaced strategy driven European method of playing football but I have no complaints about last night. I wont be surprised if the mighty Germans go far into the competition. Makes me want to buy a German Shephard and name him Ozil.

I have two favourites to win the WC; one is logical and the other emotional.

Logical Favourite: Spain for two reasons; they have a great team and they have never won the WC. Okay the 2nd reason is not logical and falls flat without reason 1 but it is still a good reason why they should win or at least want to win. The Spainish team has little wrong with it so hopefully they don't do an India in WC cricket and for once go all the way.

Emotional Favourite: Argentina for two reason; Messi and Maradona. Messi for the simple reason that he is the brilliant. Maradona for the simple reason that he was brilliant and that it is a monumental achievement being at the top and then falling into a deep chasm called cocaine and then getting out of it. The last one being the most monumental according to me. It shows character and strength and I respect that. 

So in the end let me say that if these two teams were to somehow reach the finals then I will be rooting for Argentina 'cause I am a romantic and sports like life is nothing without emotions.

the last ballerina

The first thing I remember wanting to be as a kid was a ballerina. I was under the influence of my brilliant cousin who loved reading Russian fairytales of ballerinas and princes. Both of us used to sit and look at pictures of ballerinas and long to be as pretty and as perfect as them. As I got older my aspirations grew more suited to my body type but I still admired the grace and beauty of a ballerina. They speak of a lifetime of an intense love for dance and the steely determination to stretch a little further everytime.

I read a beautiful piece about the great Balanchine and his last ballerina (Darci Kistler, in pic below). Hope you find it an interesting read too. Sharing it here.

Have a wonderful weekend.