Tuesday, January 11, 2011

A walk to remember

I've always wanted to go on one of the Bangalore Walks but hadn't for lack of company. Last Sunday on a cold foggy morning, I signed up for the Victorian Walk. I must admit having lived here for 20+ years I know very little about the city's past (Ok, so I don't know about the city's present, heck I cant find my way around here!) The walk started at the Trinity church which I had never entered before, with an enthusiastic group of about 30 people from all over the world. I was one of the few (ignorant) locals present. Arun, the man behind the walks was the guide for the day taking us back in time and enlightening us on little known facts about this city. For eg. How many of you know the significance of the names of the roads - Infantry road, Cavalry road, Residency road. Or can identify the statue erected in front of the Mayo hall and know its significance? The metro construction played spoil sport not only making it difficult to walk but also obstructing some beautiful spots along the walk. He was generous in his praising Bangalore, I didn't mind it one bit and was beaming all through out. It ended with a surprise breakfast (and was I surprised!) on a positive note with him saying we are a 'forward looking' city. The metros, the IT boom are all a promise of a better future.

For me, this city other than being home means so much more for the same promise it holds now - A bright new future!

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Books 2010

I kept track of all books I read this year. Not an impressive list but here it is. The ones in bold are the books I couldn't finish reading.
1. Roadrunner - Dilip D'Souza (Travellogue & Only non fiction that I read)
2. The Kalahari typing school for men - Alexander McCall Smith
3. Animal Farm - George Orwell
4. Dork - Sidin Vadukut
5. Lunatic in my head - Anjum Hasan (Must read)
6. Wizard of Oz - Frank L Baum
7. The Girl - Sonia Faleiro
8. Chasing Harry Winston - Lauren Weisberger (chick lit!)
9. Pride and prejudice and Zombies
10. Piggies on the railway - Smita Jain (chick lit!)
11. Neti, Neti - Anjum Hasan
12. Confessions of a listmaniac - Meenakshi reddy madhavan
13. Madam Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
14. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Must read)
15. Sputnik Sweetheart - Haruki Murakami
16. Sam's Story - Elmo Jayavardhane
17. Confederacy of dunces - John Kennedy Toole (Must read)
18. Carrie diaries - Candace Bushnell (chick lit!)
19. Diary of a wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney
20. Love in a Torn land – Jean Sasson (still reading)

Update - forgot to add this one!
21. Turbulence - Samit Basu.

Wanted to write a one line review on all the books but that will have to wait. Am glad I discovered Anjum Hassan and Murakami, beautiful writers both.

Happy new year folks!