Some more Germanisms

1. Trust is king - making for a very stress free travel experience - of the 15 cities visited - all by rail our tickets only got checked thrice - once on a side trip to Salzburg, Austria to experience what Julie Andrews described as hills that are alive with the sound of music.

2. Every little town has a turnip - as in the black gilded dome that is shaped like one - on top of their local kirche aka church...this is like an elaborate version of dagdusheth ganpati vs. dashbhuja ganpati in Pune..

3. Graffiti is an eye sore - many public buildings have been lavished with splotches from mindless spray painters gone wild episodes in small locales to large cities

4. Industrial might and access to raw material like coal and iron is visible in the fancy manhole drain covers in each city - more on that in another blog

5. Every town or city had a similar footprint - the details varied - a main market place or marketplatz or central square which is usually cobblestone...surrounded by wonderfully painted houses or administrative buildings - interestingly referred to as the Rathaus with the road leading out to one or two major church buildings - each a stunning architectural masterpiece

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Of chocolates

I like chocolates. Godiva Dark with Almonds - not sure of the naked woman on the horse to be the icon of some choice cocoa based products but tastes good. Started in Belgium but now owned by some Turks. Cadburys - Fruit and Nut Milk Bars - awesome combination of dried fruit pieces along with a medley of nuts makes your toungue dance - started by a Brit now owen by Kraft USA. Lindt Hazelnut spheres - made by a Swiss confectioner are divine balls that melt in your mouth with a lingering nutty taste Ghirardelli Milk Crisp Squares - crunchy and light these milk squares are easy on the palate but pack some serious calories - all good I say! Originally founded by an Italian who moved around till he landed in SF Bay today also owned by the Swiss Lindt empire.

Columbia SC

The Palmetto state. One of the confederate kinds. History dating couple centuries back. We visited the capital yet again this time to take in the SC State Museum. Occupying the former digs (literally remodeled) of an erstwhile cotton mill this structure is an amazing piece of reimagination. Four floors of excitement for kids and young at heart alike. Located on the shores of the Congaree River formed when the Broad meets up with the Saluda River, this edifice is approx. 60 years old. The front of the building has a more modern planetarium that was added about a decade ago. The museum itself has different areas of interest segregated on each of its four floors. The first floor has gift shop and a diorama of some of the local geography including the swamps and the state beaches with audio guides to help understand what fauna thrives locally. The second floor is all about natural history and showcases animal kingdom that may have survived on this latitud...

But What If We're Wrong?

I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language. Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds. The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic. Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'. This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...

Brown Motion

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