The Support and the Prejudice

Getting support for all you wish and want to do becomes vital as you plan important things in life. You expect and know who all would give it to you, unconditionally and some even conditionally. Although, some times, surprisingly enough you get it from places and people from where you had least expected it from. We have prejudices about people and we almost know very well about how they react to things. And this happens more if you know the person from a long time but not if they are not so close to you. I know it takes a long time to understand a way someone thinks. But this is just one of those days when I'm realizing that its not that good to form prejudice or a mental picture of a person in a certain (wrong/negative) way. The person may have a golden heart but probably just doesn't know how to show it to you or the way they show that, is different from what we want to see. But finally you will come to see, I hope as I did, people are different certainly, and they can be the best support you have when you really need it. I initally felt its about accepting people as they are but this is more than that, this is about accepting that they do really care for you and accepting the real strength that their support gives us and makes us stronger in some or the other little way !

Words of Veracity

My new blog

I'm back to my poetry...with 'Words of Veracity'. Speaking the truth in your and my life, I think many of you would relate to it some how. It's been some years I haven't written poems, so felt I should get back to it. But it might take some time before I'm really good at it again although I'm sure I'll work on it.
Suggestions and opinions are welcome !

Is there anything like love?

Yeah I know...interesting title....but I've been really thinking about this. Is there something like love? Does it exist really or have we humans just given it that name too relatively for some of the intoxicating feelings and experiences that happen to us?

But when that happens, our judgement gets clouded - like a tall glass of beer !. We only start seeing the beauty around. Suddenly things appear nicer, prettier than before, we start enjoying things we've never enjoyed before. We anxiously look at the cell phone just to see that name on the flashing light. The heart takes a big leap if its that person whose name you wanted to see there. We wait to hear that voice, to feel that hug and that warmth. And interestingly enough no one but that person becomes your first priority in life. You change decisions, plan out things...oh not things but the entire life probably, keeping that person in mind, think endlessly and care a bit too much about that wonderful person... its always "him" or "her" on your mind !
Life isn't just complete without your sweetheart. Thins go wild, crazy, emotions flow like a gushing river you are in love...and all of a sudden you land on the ground with a thud.

Something happens so suddenly (for you not the person) that changes all those things. And all you think of is why/how/what did I do...what happened? I did so much and cared and loved. But why was I treated that way? But its just not done, you can't work on love, like you work on exams or at work. It doesn't come to you when you crave and want it, it comes when you are just not willing to fall in it ! Until you find your true soul mate and lover, you wish for and want all those people who don't wish to be with you and all those people who wish to be with you are no way on your mind that time because you are so much into chasing and craving for the love of your life. Believe me, all of us pass so much of time in making it work with the one we are in love with and by that time the ones who wait for us walk away. If you now imagine us to be in those who walked away, you'll see that way we too were so much into someone the same way that person was into someone else ! Complicated isn't it?

SO basically I feel...it's a cycle, you fall in love with someone and that someone doesn't love you the same and then that person too probably is waiting for someone else who is again waiting for someone else !

So you just drown yourself in the ocean of blunders and feel disgusted because finally its just about the person...but we all got to understand this simple equation - if he/she loves you - they just simply love you - there is not a single explanation or reason for that and if they don't they just don't and don't waste your precious life and time thinking about why the heck! Just live your life and do what you love, be passionate about your ambition, see that you get it and life happens...steadily as time passes. You really don't need a lover or anyone to change your life or make your life better. Its just your hormones, brain and heart that is at tremendous work with your feelings and emotions so don't let them play around with you so much.

At the end its just you. And you can't blame and depend on others...no matter how close, for anything. You have to make that life for yourself.
There is love - yes I believe in it, but it is obviously very much relative. Don't work on it, it never happens when you do. I think love is something greatly practical, divine and eternal...when a person wants to spend his/her time and life with you and be there in your good and bad times.

OR Must I say...just be there for you - as your shadow, with some nice rough patches thrown in for some fun.

Choosing the Right Places to Hike

If you belong to the adventure loving category of people and want to know how to decide on where to hike or you have hiked a lot with your hiking group but planning to go hiking with your date or with your kids for the first time, you don't want to mess up. If you are still searching endlessly, the information that is going to come up is just for you!

There are some simple steps I'm going to lead you through, so that you can take the tips even if you are planning to go hiking on a short notice. So here we go...

Whom are you going with? A bunch of friends, just to unwind from your daily routine or a hiking group or your family including kids or with that special someone? You need to think of this as you would end up deciding on the place considering whom you are going with. Consider the physical stamina of the people you are going with and choose the terrain. You don't want to return home with injuries. Plan for a place that is not too dangerous, may be flat ones and ones that are less challenging if you are a beginner or going with unexperienced people or very young kids. At the same time, make sure the place is interesting and lets them explore and enjoy! If you are like me and love water, make sure all in your group know how to swim.

Then comes what activities you want to do. Do you just want to chill out, read and have a barbeque, read books, spend time talking to friends and family, or do you want to really be on a physically demanding hike, do a bit of kayaking/rafting or swimming? Or you might just want to walk around a lot. Your kids might be interested in trying out fishing for the first time. So basically, just think about what you want to do. A lot of people like to explore the flora and the fauna, but be careful about all the risks associated with that. If you are going with your special someone, you obviously want a place that would let you have all your adventure fun but also let you both spend quality time being with each other amidst the beauty of the nature!

And if you want that real hike, research and find out all the information about the place thoroughly before you depart as that would certainly help you in packing and planning for the hike. Also try finding out for detailed maps if you plan for difficult trails. Find out if you need to do any advance bookings for your stay at camp sites etc.

Consider your budget, how much are you willing to spend for that hiking weekend? You surely would like to have great arrangements if you are going with your special someone or family and kids, so think about the cost and then make your plans, some seasons might just be too expensive for those particular places, but if you have the money and want to spend then why not? You also need to consider what is allowed at the places you want to go to. Some places might not allow you to carry things like bicycles, some might not allow fishing, some might not allow boating and kayaking or even phones!

Think about your conveyance, if the place is too far, you might want to book your flight or train or coach tickets up to a certain point in advance or you might want to do the car hire well before you depart if you are not driving yourself.

Some interesting sites for international hiking:

Best places to hike in the US

Best places to hike in the UK

Best hikes of Asia

Canada Hiking

Have a good time planning your hike and plan smartly !

Variety + Availability + Weather = Pleasureable Experience...

Variety + Availability + Weather = Pleasurable Experience... Don't know if I'm right on this, but I guess so. UK has been the country where I really got to know what cake baking is - a lot more than just party cakes and home made cakes. It combines of baking a lot of stuff like muffins, puddings, pies, teacakes, scones, the English crumpets, the hot cross buns, crumbles, biscuits, cheese cakes, special Christmas cakes, other cakes for different days and festivals and a lot more than just birthdays and weddings. Remembering muffins, England was the place I fell in love with muffins and other simple cakes. All the more, the weather made it impossible to stay away from such hot, fresh and filling lovely baked stuff.

I could never resist the temptation of getting myself a hot banana and chocolate chip muffin if I ever went to the railway station...be it waiting at the station for a friend who was going to arrive, be it in the Virgin Train from Birmingham to London or at the enormously huge and grand Victoria or Euston stations where I was so confused about where to go the first time I traveled from Birmingham to London alone. Although I must say, the British railway system is awesome with it's instructions and helping staff so I ended up getting into the right train on time. I used to never give up on a hot muffin even when I had to rush for a train. And what was more tempting than having a fresh muffin with a hot chocolate at Starbucks or even at any other place, on a typical English cold and rainy day ? So that was my bit on muffins (even a little bit about trains) in the UK. There are a number of things I could write about in terms of cakes, but I won't be covering everything here as I'm not writing recipes but just giving a glimpse of my experiences.
Millies Cookies, I think, is a must try for cookies, muffins and a lot of food as I think any body would end up liking it and becoming a devout customer!

When it comes to the regular cakes, my favorite one in the UK is a carrot and walnut or a orange and walnut cake or a orange and carrot cake with the white cream topping, that comes packed in boxes at any local M & S or Tesco stores. They seem so simply irresistible as they have the real carrot and orange taste and smell. Personally I feel they have an absolutely lovely taste and are certainly baked very intelligently. I think they are good enough at any time - be it for breakfast, after lunch, as an evening tea time snack, as a dessert after dinner... moreover, I loved to have a slice or two even at late nights or very early mornings when I worked on my dissertation or studied for exams in the university halls. Oh, and they are surely good enough to buy as a birthday cake if you are an international student living on a tight or I think the right way to say is - "well-planned budget", where you don't want to blow away your money in Pounds!

Some of the finest cakes I bought from the supermarkets in the UK also include the £1 - £3 cheesecakes and sponge cakes at Sainsbury's. It was indeed the first time in life that I had delicious baked food items like the traditional crumpets, hot cross buns, short breads and tea cakes. Though I did not enjoy having all these regularly, having them a few times was definitely worth the treat. All these are also a very good snack during traveling or before leaving home for work or even when you are out for shopping on the high street and really hungry but don't want to go to a restaurant. This is a perfect time to grab something from Gregg's. They have a lot of stuff and I'm sure you would want to get into it even if you are just passing by as you can't help but get in because of the hot baking aroma of their fresh Cornish pasties, wraps and sandwiches. which you can sense from far away. You get the smell and you know you are going to come across a Gregg's soon. This is also a great place to just stop over for lunch and pick up something sweet like cakes, pastries, doughnuts or scones to take home.

I should say that the UK has an amazing variety and availability when it comes to baked food. There are a wonderful bunch of options to choose from which can make it a severely daunting task if you adore experimenting with food and trying the variety everywhere ! And therefore, I kept the title of this post as it is. The variety and availability coupled with the English weather makes you go for the pleasurable experience. The only and the most important point we must not forget here is to make sure we try and choose wholesome and healthy options wherever it's possible and to exercise adequately, if not, walk a lot, as I seriously think UK is one of the best places to do so.

You would never really get tired... neither of trying the baked food nor of walking all the way for any distance!

Thinking about birthdays & especially Cakes!

All my birthdays have always been unique and cakes are a very interesting part of birthdays for me, I hope for you all too. If I write the kinds of birthdays that I have had, you would be surprised. Each one of them was so different. I wanted to write this post a day ago, just after my birthday, but I wanted ample of time to analyze and write as I wanted to give you all something about my cake experiences in different countries that I have lived in. If not the whole world, I can write about the 3 countries I lived in - India, Brazil and the UK. And I'm sure it's going to be a lot to read. I wanted to write something analytical than just being descriptive. I wanted to give you all something that would show you how cakes link to our lives and how we can really analyze a country and its people with cakes. Seems weird right? But I'm going to write it...and hoping you all would enjoy it. Why I'm saying analytical and not descriptive has a very big reason. My professors at the university (Birmingham) used to always say that everything that we do - assignments, research papers and dissertation should be very analytical and not just descriptive. Otherwise there is really no use of whatever you are writing ! And so that became my strategy - Don't just describe, analyze it ! Something that was not quite well taught to me in the Indian education system, but have made it a core line for my life today.

I would also like to mention here that, before starting to write this....I had almost completed writing the whole post :( but since this is just my second post, I did something by mistake and the whole thing got cut or deleted, pufff....vanished in thin air, rather, in thin interface :) So, I'm trying to get the flow back again, and I have decided not to include the whole thing in one big post!

So starting with the cake experience in India, a country that is normally associated with chapatis, parathas and naans than cakes! I'm sure, like a lot of other things, cakes were brought to India first by the British and the other European rulers. Even the Parsee and the Irani communities are said to have a very distinguished baking tradition here. They still own the old bakeries. Some of them have now given makeovers to their shops and made them look quite modern. They traditionally baked in furnaces, called "bhattis" and a lot of them still do. The moment you walk into these shops, you get a fresh and smoky baking smell. A lot of them bake delicious breads, cakes, pastries and buscuits. The difference between these and the other very western like baked foods is that, these taste quite like the home made ones. The cakes are not too soft and are very filling if you have them for breakfast or at tea time. The ones that have cream are also different. The cream is sweeter and thicker than the typical western party cake cream which is much finer and very soft. A lot of these bakeries have now began baking and selling party and decorated cakes of different flavours, though they are not as popular with the new generation aware of the branded cake shop chains in big cities. Besides, these bakeries don't sell egg less cakes, which a lot of Indians prefer, being strict vegetarians. Its quite worth eating from these traditional bakeries once a while as it gives you a true homely taste, if cake baking doesn't happen at home, as for a lot of Indian homes.


This a picture of traditional Indian baking.
There are branded cake shop chains in big cities all over India which sell the softer party cakes just like the ones in Europe and America. They are a bit wet and very professionally baked by expert bakers. You can get a wide variety from cars, dolls, Disney cartoons, ships, wedding and party cakes, black forest, pineapple etc. These shops also have an egg less option for most of their cakes. Besides cakes, they also keep pastries, pies, tarts, tramisu, sandwiches, biscuits, puffs, other snacks and deserts. I have had interesting cake experiences in Goa. But Goa, as a lot of you would know, was a Portuguese colony and they ruled the state for more years and left even later than the British. So, they still have one of the best traditional baking industry in India according to me. There are a lot of hotels and other shops that are even more expert at making the party cakes. The baking I like in India...in general, is the home one again, mom being an expert baker :) I love the freshly baked chocolate cake and plain cake that she bakes and a lot of other things she used bake when I was a kid. She had baked 2 party cakes for one of my childhood birthdays, I still remember how happy I was! Thereafter, my dad always bought different cakes for each of my birthday, once a ship, once a mickey mouse and a lot of other kinds.

Now going to the Brazilian cake experience...which was one of the best and touching ones of my life. Brazil has a mixture of European races. This obviously makes it a very developed baking market. I had all types of cakes in Brazil, home baked ones and outside ones. All of them were absolutely awesome. Brazilian chocolates, according to me are the best in the world. I have had all European and American chocolates. But personally, none have beaten the Brazilian taste. They have a extremely powerful, lovely aroma and an everlasting taste. This leads to a very fine black forest taste indeed. Having a black forest in Brazil is quite different than having it elsewhere, though I haven't tasted the German one, which is perhaps the best.

The Brazilian black forest has big and dense chocolate flakes on it. The forest is thus denser and deforestation has not yet begun there which is very, very good indeed ;) I used to adore the yummy home baked cakes baked by the maid of my host family - Maria. She was a gem of a woman, as all of them in my family, of whom I would surely write in my posts to come. Every time I came back from one of the Rotary exchange student trips to city I was living in, I was welcomed with a big home baked cake on the kitchen table, no one used to eat it till I came... as soon as I entered the home, my host dad used to scream out loud, "Amruta, a Maria ja fez um bolo para voce, vai la ver!" (Amruta, Maria has just baked a cake for you, go and have a look). It was the warmest welcome that I had ever experienced, a big hug from my host parents and Maria's mouth watering cakes. She generally baked a chocolate cake or a milk cake or a carrot cake.

(This is a typical home baked Brazilian Carrot Cake with a chocolate sauce topping, very common in a everyday morning breakfast.)

I have had a lot of funny and loving experiences with Maria and I still remember her though I'm not in touch with her like the other people I know in Brazil. A lot of times my host mom would walk into the kitchen around 4 pm to have a piece of cake and when she used to open the lid of the container, she found only a quarter of the cake that was just baked 2 hours ago. The thieves - my youngest host brother and myself :) I also learnt to make orange cake, though with a Brazilian cake mix, from my second host family's maid - Aparecida, another sweet woman, quite younger than the motherly Maria. I have had cakes at innumerable amount of occasions in Brazil and I can say they all were absolutely delicious and had an emotion to them. There are a lot of things I think we can learn from the people in Brazil, about truly loving family, friends and the other people in your life whom you consider to be important, and then loving your country. About my cake experience in Brazil, I can just say one thing - you would never want to stop with having a few pieces of cake, or must I say, homely love?