Sunday 10 August 2008

Belgium

After Germany we went to Antwerp in Belgium. We reached there late in the evening, so we checked into the hotel and did not go out.

The next morning we went to Brussels. We got off the coach and went to The Grand Palace or Grote Markt Square. It is a vibrant part of the city where one can find people from all over the world. At the square one cannot miss the Godiva shop and the beer cafés and pubs! The narrow medieval streets around are lined with shops selling diamonds, crystals, souvenirs, and not to forget the awesome waffles.

Just a short walk from the Grand Place-Grote Markt is the Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue thought to represent the ‘irreverent spirit’ of Brussels. On the way to Manneken Pis one can see Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock painted on the wall of a building; a statue of Van Gogh and a man dressed like him.

Having been playing western classical music on the piano for 25 years I could not miss the statue of Béla Bartók near the central train station in a public square. He was a Hungarian composer and pianist, and was considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.
The Atomium adds splendor to the colourful city of Brussels.









































Paris!












Abhinav Bindra The Golden Boy!

It is the moment of truth for India... the first ever individual Olympic gold medal! Yes, someone has finally done it! Abhinav Bindra is the face for the new sporting India.

I was lazing around when Joy sent a text saying that "Abhinav Bindra wins gold medal in 10 m air rifle event. this is the first individual gold for India." The next moment I was up and turned on the television. I am still 'listening' to the television while I'm writing this! I am ecstatic! I'm no sports person, I have never played any sport in my life, yet I'm just thrilled. And that's how I feel every Indian should feel.

It was just yesterday, I was cribbing about the Indian players' not-winning attitude and the Indian government's lack of support to the participants. And, just a day after, what a twist of fate, a gold medal! To rephrase what Boria Majumdar said that from now on we should start to think big, get disappointed, and that disappointment will turn into victory. I am congratulating myself for being an Indian, and I am congratulating every Indian for this glorious moment.