Author Archives: Kalyan

Paris Underground

Oblivious to the world above ground, is another world, hidden below the ground, which is the Paris underground metro. The first time I came across underground metros, it was in Hong Kong and I thought it was as complex as it could get, but boy was I wrong. I have never ever seen anything like this before in my life. Entire city of Paris sprawls with underground stations, situated at several underground levels, below historic monuments, beside rivers, inside hills, below buildings, basically everywhere. The rail lines pass through the city from one end to another, in several levels, never intersecting, going under every possible imaginable structures and water bodies.

Some of the metro stations themselves are so large, that for an outsider it would take an easy 15-30 minutes just to get to the right platform, that is after you have figured out the entrance to the underground, most of which inconspicuously blend into the streets, sometimes with the only indication being a staircase leading into the ground, in places where they strangely appear to have no business of being there. Trying to use connecting trains to get from one place to another is an entirely different deal altogether. In my 5 day stay, I would have walked almost 5-10 miles just underground, while trying to get to the right platform.

What I can neither understand nor comprehend is that many of these rail tunnels that are still in use, were built almost a century ago in the early 1900s, for electric locomotives – talk about having vision! Few routes are now completely automated and are devoid of any human intervention. That for me represents the culmination of old meets new.

Enough words. Here are some pictures…

Not knowing that the french word ‘Sortie’ meant ‘Exit’ in english, caused quite a bit of confusion the first 2 days, when I tried to find my way out, until I realised it can’t be possible to get to a station named ‘Sortie’ from every corner of the city.

Queens Day in Amsterdam

Queens day happens to be one of the most important holidays in the Netherlands, this year even more so, as the queen was abdicating in favour of her son and from next year the day will be the King’s day, which hasn’t happened in over 200 years. The event originally started to commemorate the birth of Queen Beatrix, but for people its an excuse to drink, party and vandalise the town.

The royal family’s house is Orange and Nassu, which makes Orange the predominant colour of The Netherlands, also the reason the entire country unanimously drowned itself in a sea of orange.

Orange was everywhere. People painted their cycles and vehicles

Shops and stores painted their logos in orange

Street vendors and hawkers were everywhere making a killing

People were sporting orange caps of all kinds

Even restaurant’s were following the suit wherever they could

Flags were placed at every nook and corner – outside monuments, buildings and houses.

Some spent their time either basking in sun, smoking up or going about their normal business, or all of them.

Amsterdam was completely crowded and littered everywhere! So much so it almost reminded me of India.

Even the flower beds on the streets were turned orange

Some even resorted to playing with orange color, which took me by surprise, as the only time I’ve seen it happen was during the Festival of Holi

Amidst the city up in chaos, with people on drinking binge and party spree, some found their moments of quietness

They even managed to organise a cheesy concert at the center of the city, where the only played songs of praise of the King and Queen and their children (ridiculous and preposterous IMO)

Keukenhof

With millions of tulips planted just in the main garden alone, keukenhof stands as the worlds largest flower garden. That is not even including the hundreds of acres of private tulip plantations around the main garden. To say it was a lovely sight is a gross understatement and its something only pictures can convey.

Tulips were not the only attraction, there were lot of art pieces all around the garden, not that anyone cared to notice them.

Along with tulips there were other kinds of flowers too, just enough to not bore people with tulips.

This was the sight right outside the main keukenhof garden

San Francisco

An enchanting peninsular city with deep blue skies and home to the iconic Golden Gate, the lesser known Bay Bridge which is often confused for Golden Gate by outsiders, hundreds of startups that keep the internets humming. It was one of the most amazing places I was fortunate to have had the chance of visiting. It was also the first time I have stayed the longest, outside the home country. Thousands of miles away from home and yet it felt like I was home. It was a place I wanted to be able to call home. Although, the trip was shortlived and it didn’t not happen, the memories of that place keep coming back, yearning me to go back, for it was the first place I was in love at first sight.