Sail through...

Sail through... Visiting my friend, who lives in Hertfordshire was always a joyous moment. First, he lived away from the main city- that gave me an opportunity to see the country side and he lived in a big apartment- that accommodated all our friends..so, basically, it was party time. On our evening walks to the nearby playground, we saw a group of people training for a sailing event...I knew they would sail through.

~VJ~

The Act

The Act Strolling with my fellow classmates, we were intrigued by the crowed gathered at the corner of the street at St. Germain, Paris only to learn that a young lad was displaying this balancing act using a glass sphere. The show lasted for 15mins but the memory , I think, is going to last for ever.

~VJ~

Looking thru the glass

Shillu :: On our way driving to Mysore, I suddenly noticed this beautiful Chinese charm hanging in my colleagues car. I was fascinated by the intricate details on charm. The patterns you see in the center are the details on brass, surrounded by woven red strings.

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VJ :: Humming Bird. Somewhere in North Carolina, on the way to Grandfather Mountain, my cousins and I stopped for a quick snack. The restaurant had a choice of seating inside & on the terrace. We chose to sit on the terrace to be a step closer to nature and enjoy the misty weather outside. What we spotted were a series of these nectar cans ( dunno if they are called that way) specifically for the humming birds.

Colors of nature

VJ :: Red Currants. Amongst the many things to do on my tick list while I was in London, Fruit Picking featured as the 'Top 10 Things to Do'. Last summer, my friends and I took a train to this garden in Kent to complete the wish list. We picked everything from fruits to vegetables and red currants were just one of them.

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Shillu :: One early morning we were at Lalbagh on the way to Mysore. A lady selling these flowers in a basket caught my eye. For those of you who are not from India & if this is not a common sight, what you see here is different variety of flowers woven into a garland.

Engrossed

Shillu :: This lady caught my eye selling these coconut & fruit baskets outside a temple in Mysore. The Saree she is wearing is as colorful & bright as the baskets she is selling!

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VJ:: Engrossed in deep thoughts - Walking in the streets of Shravanabelagola, I noticed this granny..(paati), sitting on a bench outside the house, engrossed in deep thoughts..You want to know what she was pondering about?....may be the current situation of the global markets..just kidding..she was posing for me.

Walking

VJ ::

Walking on the Pier,
Location: Isle of White.
As soon as you get off the ship from Portsmouth, you walk this pier to reach the mainland- Isle of White. the pier is wide enough to accommodate vehicles, pedestrians and a train line. Walk it to enjoy it...
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Shillu :: Juti's - Leather crafted foot wear for sale at a crafts fair in Bangalore. Though all of them look alike, you need to pay attention to the details to choose which one you like the most. I love all of them!

Statues

VJ :: Statue of Gomatheswara - When you climb 650 steps, you are on the top of the Chandragiri Hill, where the statue of Gomatheswara is located. I was told that this statue was carved out of a single monolith. However, what appealed to me was this a statue made of bronze that was placed at the foot of the giant statue. Notice the bronze bell placed next to it..have we all seen it somewhere and does it ring a bell ?

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Shillu :: One more picture from the temple series. Unfortunately the head of this statue is missing - I am sure there is a story behind this...An invasion, a battle maybe?..

Bells

VJ :: Have you heard the legendary Dr. Chitti Babu's composition called- Temple Bells..when I took this picture, those were my first thoughts..I have seen in many temples in South India lately where it is forbidden to ring a bell.

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Shillu :: Handmade copper bells in various sizes & forms for decorative purposes for sale.

Different people, different thoughts

VJ :: A random picture taken at Southend-on-Sea. look at the picture as 'Different people- different views' or 'Different people- different thoughts'....

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Shillu :: People waiting at a railway station to reach their destination.

Fruit vendor

Spotted this vendor in T-nagar, Chennai. What attracted me is the interesting display. What you see here on sale is cucumbers, Raw mangoes, Pineapples, water melons.

~Shillu~

Unity in diversity

VJ :: I woke up early on of the Saturday morning and started wandering with my camera and spotted this old mosque, which was probably 300 years old, if not more. What next, captured it and here you go...the rising sun coupled with a faint light played the perfect backdrop for this image.

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Shillu :: A busy Indian railway platform . This picture was taken in Hyderabad when I went home to meet my parents. You can see how this railway station looks from outside here. You get to see/meet so many diverse people from different classes on any train journey which is an experience in itself.

Beat the heat

Shillu :: Vj has been busy relocating & preparing for his wedding. Hence we have not been good at updating the blog. I have decided to go ahead and post "solo" till VJ is back in the groove.

What you see in this picture is tender coconut. Best refreshing drink on a hot summer day. Vendors pile these up by the road for sale. You can choose which coconut you want & also mention your preference - Coconuts with more water or ones with water & tender flesh. I prefer the first choice, what about you? You can read more about them here.

Architecture from different parts of the globe

Shillu :: This is the picture of Kachiguda railway station in Hyderabad taken early in the morning. I love the way the morning sun rays are trying to peep out in the background.

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VJ :: Millennium dome- A memorable landmark that was visible from my office on 8 Canada Square. This signature space plays the host to some the most prestigious concerts and exotic restaurants. All in all, I would say that it my must see place in London...

Peaceful sights

VJ :: Swans- I captured these swans one clear afternoon at a local amusement park near Hertfordshire. The place, water and the swans...'Serene' is all I can say.
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Shillu :: Buddha Mural on the wall of a Chinese restaurant. Great food & relaxing ambience, what else can one ask for.

Caught on camera

VJ :: Bird's Eye View- I mean literally..you can view the bird's eye...just kidding!!! Just see how this seagull is posing for this picture and shaking a leg at the same time.

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Shillu :: Roasted peanut vendor on commercial street - a busy shopping area in Bangalore. This guy makes a cone with a used news paper piece to hold peanuts to deliver to his customers. Good fun specially when its raining.

Drive across the city

VJ :: This is 'Chatsworth' castle. You get here after a very scenic drive through the valleys of the Lake District.Once you get here, it feels like being a part of a Bollywood film shot in Europe.
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Shillu :: Advertisement billboards at a busy cross road in Bangalore. Familiar sight across any city/town in India. Some of these ads are customised to suit the audience in that state, language spoken & culture of that state.

Vibrant?

Shillu :: Feels great to pamper yourself once in a while. Haircut with a couple of friends, a little shopping & a beautiful lunch. What better way to spend a sunday?

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London at a Stretch- Making my way through the umpteen number of people enjoying the sunshine, I was looking onto the bridge that ran parallel to the suspension bridge when I captured this. This is London for you. Its got a little bit of everything- from Double Decker Buses to Ships, from high rise modern marvels to iconic hertiage properties, there is something for everyone.

Hustle Bustle

VJ :: Standing on the suspension bridge by the London Eye, I was looking at the hustle and bustle below. It was a nice and sunny Sunday afternoon and Londoners were making the most of the sunshine by spending time at the cafes.

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Shillu :: Busiest shopping street in Bangalore - Commercial street. The by lanes of this area are forever packed with shoppers looking for bargains irrespective of the day/time. I love shopping here for the variety of stuff & I love bargaining for a price I think the stuff is worth!

Innocent & amused

VJ :: Making the most of the weather one afternoon were these artists by the London Eye, who entertained and enthralled the pedestrians with their little tricks. Look at how the kids in this picture are enjoying what a very recognizable look alike is trying to show them.

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Shillu :: In the apartment where we stay, every evening all the kids go downstairs to the play area to play with their friends under the supervision of their parents. These cute kids caught my attention as they were holding hands and running around the buildings. I asked them if I could take their picture and the cutie to the left was very enthusiastic & was smiling/posing while the other two kids were shy.

Sights in "Red"

Shillu :: Decorated car on an Indian street. This is a pretty common sight here. Vehicles are decorated for special occasions like weddings, festivals etc.,. In this particular case looks like this car is decorated to carry the bride & groom post the wedding.

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VJ :: London telephone booth- must have seen it in a movies and now I present this piece of infrastructure that stands at the end of any street and connects people, who are miles apart.