tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50583926020106263212024-03-18T21:11:23.991-07:00Mafeking Reflections - 2014Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-2192156115669738032014-07-11T13:05:00.000-07:002014-07-16T12:11:11.011-07:00…. That Ends Well<div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">When I took the flight from home to Africa (12 June), I remember catching the Brazil game (Brazil vs. Croatia) at the Dubai airport. The World Cup had just kicked off and the entire world was getting ready to get charged up for a 30 day-whirlwind-journey. I was getting ready as well, for a very different kind of 30 days-journey. </span><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Exactly 30 days later – 12 July, here I am – at the Dubai airport again – on my way back home. And guess what – Brazil is playing once again (!) – with Netherlands this time – for the 3rd place spot. The charged up crowd no longer appears to show the same energy to stand up and cheer Brazil in this dead derby, I feel chargeless too <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Jl490L39omE/U8Zfa67xjnI/AAAAAAAACsw/_mA8QEFpRms/wlEmoticon-smile2.png?imgmax=800"> . My 30-day journey has come to a close as well. </span><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Lightening never strikes the same place twice. But it seems some things do. And hence perhaps this is the perfect stage to script this blog. </span><br></div><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">It seems just yesterday when we all got started. And time flew with the blink of our eyes. Looking back, it seems time travel - </span><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">with flashes of Jo’burg, the students of Mafeking – the Professors – our lectures – the School – the Wilds – and also the not-so-wilds – all in front our eyes perfectly stitched collage ! </span></div><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">By Thursday (10/07), people had started to show signs of nostalgia and grim. 14 uncommon people, unknown to each other, had gathered together for 30 days and ended up discovering the common-ness amongst each other. Wonder what was the unique element that bound so many people – was it Africa or was it simple co-incidence – one wonders. </span><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">On my way to the Airport, I wondered whether most of us were under the same nostalgic attack as the protagonists of <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411008/" target="_blank">Lost</a></i> <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-rollingonthefloorlaughing" alt="Rolling on the floor laughing" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RXa57ARDlAc/U8Zfb909hAI/AAAAAAAACs4/wO5GPZTBT0o/wlEmoticon-rollingonthefloorlaughing%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> (the American TV Series), minus of course the super-natural stuff. </span><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Bulk of the team proceeded towards Capetown & Botswana, some towards Kruger and some like me flying back home directly. I don’t wanna watch the Argentina final anywhere else, and with nobody else other than my son – back home. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Very soon, we’d be in the <i>Real</i> world. A friend and I were discussing a weird concept today over breakfast – about co-existences of alternate worlds. </span><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Remember James Cameron – <i>Avatar</i>? </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">The smaller, <em>unreal</em> world appears in our dreams and is the most desired, but eventually gets engulfed by the other bigger, visible (&audible), powerful <em>real</em> world. And the engulfing is quicker than one realises. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Just a couple more days. Almost everyone is about to get absorbed into our respective civilisations. <em>Reality</em>. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">Just hoping that the memories of the ‘unreal’ one manages to leave a few permanent traces behind. <em>Priceless</em>. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"><br><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FP7bZMRwCP8/U8bNhkLB74I/AAAAAAAACtI/UBe2-8Y9DAU/s1600-h/005%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="005" border="0" alt="005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yPt0YQgzQoc/U8bNjEgG89I/AAAAAAAACtQ/BcpPNb2QRgM/005_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="310" height="238"></a></span></div> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-80783931223076560172014-07-11T10:27:00.000-07:002014-07-16T02:37:47.182-07:00The Last Supper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gSp7UXkf50w/U8YN3mcONII/AAAAAAAACpU/nc0OIt96q_U/s1600-h/_MG_4042_1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_MG_4042_1" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VE5s47Talco/U8YN40c8PCI/AAAAAAAACpc/_UOsPcBP_8U/_MG_4042_1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="215" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="_MG_4042_1" width="313" /></a>The last, but not by any means the least, supper was at <a href="http://www.moyo.co.za/restaurant-moyo-melrose-arch/map.aspx" target="_blank">The Moyo’s</a>. And it certainly was the best by any means. A perfect African ambience, dimmed lights, followed by a traditional African welcome and some Zulu face-designs that come as complimentary, this was an evening to remember. The entrance of the restaurant takes you through a small shopping arena which never goes unnoticed (needless to say, un-purchased). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L6adu_i_lu8/U8YN7O8bbwI/AAAAAAAACpk/_o-l2E4PGkA/s1600-h/IMG_40334.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="right" alt="IMG_4033" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--O6SOJUCOVY/U8YN8q_stJI/AAAAAAAACps/vq3BxLdYo1w/IMG_4033_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="180" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_4033" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Suro says goodbye to the team</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The entire team (including Professor Maaga, John and Muriuki) was there. The only person missing was Suro (for reasons known) who bid adieu to most of us by 5 pm itself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The food was awesome and elaborate. The relaxed mood of the team was very evident – it was clear that everyone was looking out for an evening like this to ‘break out’. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_td2MwYJY7M/U8YN_bO9jcI/AAAAAAAACp0/uXnV1xant7Q/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage1%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="PicMonkey Collage1" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lo9uRfnxIro/U8YOA1HvuVI/AAAAAAAACp8/p9Gy-_z5JhQ/PicMonkey%252520Collage1_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="375" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage1" width="544" /></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Everyone seemed to have been seeking for a chance like this to open up, like never before. The feeling of ‘adieu’ was also there – it was clear in many faces. After all, this was the most happening 30 days in most of our lives – 30 days that pushed you to open up, explore and discover one’s own selves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">But it wasn’t yet time for philosophy – so let’s try to capture the mood. And the food. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">First, the food was good. And the good food was very experimental. Our friends Aruna and Chandra were quite thrilled as well to find a good coverage of vegan dishes (<i>yep! I know you haven’t missed Chandra’s delight in the picture on the left</i>). Effie and Julie were our best wine-selectors as usual. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The restaurant folks soon turned up with some blankets for everyone (<i>watch Prof. Maaga with one on the lest picture</i>). The blankets gave a feeling of having dinner in a Zulu environment. The fireplace was at a distance and provided the perfect backdrop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Soon, the folks returned with painting brushes and palettes in their hands – to paint our faces and turn us into Zulu beings ! The team was quite thrilled by this and I remember nobody not wanting to have a go ! </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QcwppvDZxzM/U8YOC23D7xI/AAAAAAAACqE/PnFSx61xfvo/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_6%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PicMonkey Collage_6" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nEm9WLK45CQ/U8YOEQ9L9fI/AAAAAAAACqM/k5xTTb8qMxc/PicMonkey%252520Collage_6_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="337" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_6" width="337" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gS1zmKzcLpM/U8YOG1PjiPI/AAAAAAAACqU/oClaL8BJdNE/s1600-h/_MG_4217_1%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="_MG_4217_1" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QoYNSR45STk/U8YOIHRTLLI/AAAAAAAACqc/wo9Zr4ZiHS8/_MG_4217_1_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="289" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="_MG_4217_1" width="423" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uH8naRpbJeQ/U8YOU7l_MNI/AAAAAAAACrU/5iJgvfgbyoY/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_3%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PicMonkey Collage_3" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BJGHI74qr4M/U8YOWOKBuvI/AAAAAAAACrc/Pq4GgqXgLC0/PicMonkey%252520Collage_3_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="338" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_3" width="449" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dP2ZhH4vEzY/U8YOadGnU-I/AAAAAAAACrk/5d2ZxHYRD9Y/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_4%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PicMonkey Collage_4" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WM8dUt90BbA/U8YOcU-VPbI/AAAAAAAACrs/AcWDn356eSQ/PicMonkey%252520Collage_4_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="337" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_4" width="337" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UqqCFt78dFY/U8YOghP3a6I/AAAAAAAACr0/5-pIxLpOtZ4/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_5%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="PicMonkey Collage_5" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Yw9E1e7Linc/U8YOh7Gh2rI/AAAAAAAACr4/Ind_BIkMC1U/PicMonkey%252520Collage_5_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="357" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_5" width="410" /></a>But yet another highlight of this restaurant was the live music. The person who was performing with his guitar, soon broke out into a terrific tap dance! The Professor joined him too briefly (for the vocals, not the tap dance). Yes Professor, we know you could do that as well, when you were <i>young and beautiful</i>. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4i1c0qgkEmM/U8YOk_BXYTI/AAAAAAAACsE/8j2blnf_hWs/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_2%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PicMonkey Collage_2" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M0hoOOOqptQ/U8YOm3dzdJI/AAAAAAAACsM/uaHa0jjnWJw/PicMonkey%252520Collage_2_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="301" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_2" width="400" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PvjKtJGI2_U/U8YOpswi-PI/AAAAAAAACsU/wG_0SVUTlLY/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_7%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PicMonkey Collage_7" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ef5dzzW0Y-4/U8YOs0gKGhI/AAAAAAAACsc/HUPrj4LnVic/PicMonkey%252520Collage_7_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="348" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PicMonkey Collage_7" width="367" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A beautiful evening spent beautifully. <i>In the company of some of the most beautiful people</i>. </span><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-44824587557441585982014-07-08T23:33:00.000-07:002014-07-09T15:28:24.398-07:00Goodbye Mafeking !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">After spending almost a month in this sheepish town, tucked away in the North-Western corner of the country, we are heading back to Jo’burg tomorrow. But not before making our final presentation before the University – the respective Deans of Agriculture, Tourism, Comp Science and Media and the Vice-Rector of NWU. The response has been pretty awesome and we believe out recommendations has been well received. Hoping that the recommendations are implemented to take Mafeking to the next level of advancement. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It seemed the nature opened up to bid us Goodbye, as the morning welcomed us with a perfect (and a very rare) view right in front of our hotel. The temperature had dropped quite a bit – but at 8.30 on the morning, it was sunny. Yet – we find the tree right in front – <i>partially covered in ice</i> – yes <i>ice</i> (and not snow) while the rest of the tree showed no signs of any frozenness. There was no sign of any snow anywhere around as well. And since this tree-branch was right in front of the fountain, we had a wonderful view of a <i>rainbow</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">That was a real wow (!) moment. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7.9.14 ice (1)" src="http://notesfromthebrownbag.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/7-9-14-ice-1.jpg?w=676&h=507" height="507" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="676" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Icy Leaves on the tree + full sunlight + the rainbow. Pic courtesy: Effie Kakoutis</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It was an emotional goodbye over dinner tonight with the students, professors and the Vice-Rectors of NWU. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">World Cup update - It was an emotional goodbye to Brazil as well, as an epic scoreline awaited them. While the world watched them in amazement, they conceded 4 goals in 6 mins to give shape to a 7-1 (!!) scoreline. Germany moves to the Semis. Its Argentina vs The Netherlands tomorrow. Hoping to catching the match tomorrow from Jo’burg. </span></div>
Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-17613921189473336002014-07-07T14:51:00.000-07:002014-07-09T15:00:25.123-07:00A day to go before Adieu …<div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><font face="Palatino Linotype">Just a day to go before we say goodbye to Mafeking. While preparing for the final showdown tomorrow – preparing and finalising the deck – I felt it was time I made a short note on some of the most wonderful food we have been having all along. Hope this also acts as a food-guide for all future Jo’burg/Mafeking visitors. <br></font><br><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6Ew7NDhfdmo/U725dGEjI9I/AAAAAAAACiw/VYIFzVOJOTQ/s1600-h/IMG_208614.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2086" border="0" alt="IMG_2086" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yEfboYUQOR8/U725eRuOXbI/AAAAAAAACi4/Y1hMqFD9uBk/IMG_2086_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><font face="Palatino Linotype">Grilled <b>Kingklip</b> with Lemon Butter sauce, Peas and Fries. Had at <i><b>Tashas</b>, Rosebank Mall, Johannesburg</i>. Kingklip is a kind of eel found mainly in the South African seas. I had never heard about this fish earlier anywhere, and if you would really want to know more, look up for <i>Genypterus Capensis</i> (its scientific name) and you wouldn’t like to look back at it due to its ugliness. But thankfully I never was interested to look up in Google and boy ! – does this fish taste good! <br>I had this Kingklip for the first time in the Rosebank Mall in Jo’burg, but went on to have it several times in Mafeking. If you don’t specify, they usually make it fried (with batter etc.), but if you want to have it great – then request for it to be <i>grilled</i>. You would never regret it. <br></font></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rnoNLORt6g0/U725hb_4FyI/AAAAAAAACjA/bwkOJhAhOjM/s1600-h/IMG_20884.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2088" border="0" alt="IMG_2088" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8z4KYeZTkck/U725iYfft5I/AAAAAAAACjI/oqTdPWmuks8/IMG_2088_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><font face="Palatino Linotype">If you are ever in Mafeking, DO NOT MISS this. Not sure if you would get it elsewhere (at least my friends from 9 different countries said they didn’t) – this is African cuisine at its best. <b>Oxtail</b> with pumpkin and spinach. Yes – that is the tail of the Ox. Beautifully cooked and succulent, it’s a bit like <i>mutton kassa</i> which we have back home in India. This, by far has been the best dish in Mafeking we have had so far. <br></font><br><br></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" align="left" trbidi="on"> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gtfbDEIrdc0/U725ktOAp1I/AAAAAAAACjQ/qx8fc0-FZwM/s1600-h/IMG_20954.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2095" border="0" alt="IMG_2095" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OJKC6Tc5hdc/U725l9SDB4I/AAAAAAAACjY/uolaeGjc-gE/IMG_2095_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><font face="Palatino Linotype">We were invited for a special African lunch at the SABC (South African Broadcast Corporation), which they host every Thursday. Needless to say, we did go back to SABC after a </font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZRLSPo20gOA/U725oQuRZ4I/AAAAAAAACjg/pue3nKsz4bA/s1600-h/IMG_20964.jpg"><font face="Palatino Linotype"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2096" border="0" alt="IMG_2096" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-isK91QdEAYA/U725pdxnYqI/AAAAAAAACjo/-IBqRDSZEWU/IMG_2096_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></font></a><font face="Palatino Linotype">couple of weeks to have the lunch once again. Interesting menu that comprised of Chicken (grilled), Beef curry and Mashed Pork. Of course, no African dish is complete without some pumpkin and so we had them as well. <br>There was a nice mish mash of mushroom (at the lower end of my picture in the right), which my Vegan friends were simply thrilled to have. I liked it a lot as well. <br>However, on our 2nd visit to this place, I learnt that it was more than some mushrooms. But I’d rather not spell the beans now <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-berightback" alt="Be right back" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VJOi_6oXYd0/U725p3MVPpI/AAAAAAAACjw/HgTgs1v2N60/wlEmoticon-berightback2.png?imgmax=800"> – at least not before I leave South African boundaries. <br><br></font><br><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-I0iW12xh_Rs/U725rqiP-JI/AAAAAAAACj4/kAEDxLG5PK8/s1600-h/IMG_21054.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2105" border="0" alt="IMG_2105" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tnbyQXPjfH0/U725skGhsFI/AAAAAAAACkA/x4CJhaPISko/IMG_2105_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><font face="Palatino Linotype">That’s a <b>beef fillet with rice</b>. And yes, no prize for guessing – the yellow ‘thing’ is pumpkin paste. The amount was – how should I put it – <i>inconsequential ?</i> But tasted super great. <br>Venue – Tourism and Hotel Management Institute, Mafeking. <br></font><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pUxB0BxxjPw/U725uWcQJfI/AAAAAAAACkI/PrQN1dgLoRY/s1600-h/IMG_21185.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2118" border="0" alt="IMG_2118" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-p1V00ALyIVs/U725vm_q1ZI/AAAAAAAACkQ/1bN3CpFT9aY/IMG_2118_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a><font face="Palatino Linotype">This was called “<b>The Madagascar Steak</b>”. Basically beef steak medium-done. With pepper sauce. And with veggies and pumpkin (what else did you expect?). This was at a restaurant called <i>The Buffalo</i> in Mafeking, to celebrate the birthday of Daniel, our bus driver who has been our constant companion all throughout. The steak was – <i>absolutement, perfecto !</i></font> <br><br><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qEv4V7HQwI4/U725xmsK3_I/AAAAAAAACkY/SkU-r4k4gPk/s1600-h/IMG_21197.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2119" border="0" alt="IMG_2119" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ze2130MnBuQ/U725yfxBYLI/AAAAAAAACkg/yEpYBa3O0i0/IMG_2119_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a><br><br><br><br><br><font face="Palatino Linotype">This was a Veggie platter, ordered by my Australian friend Chandra. In <i>The Buffalo</i> restaurant, this, for a change, showed that the South Africans did know how to make a veggie dish look beautiful !<br></font><br><br><br><br><font face="Palatino Linotype">There was another place that deserves special mention – and that is in the Bakubung Lodge, Pilanesburg. The buffet and the food was s-i-m-p-l-y awesome. Italian, Indian, Greek, Lebanese, Beef, Veal, Chicken, Fish, etc. etc. and etc. They had it all and the quality was truly fantastic. They also a an open-air slow-roasted lamb thing – where they put in the whole lamb inside a covered grill and let it cook (reminded me of Obelix). Pity I don’t have a decent picture of this experience. </font></div> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-67379804575188043892014-07-07T04:10:00.000-07:002014-07-12T04:14:28.407-07:00Golfing<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-r1p49jxfuKc/U8EYBtorCcI/AAAAAAAACkw/cNiNVzICb4Y/s1600-h/2014_07_06_14_46%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_14_46" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_14_46" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lONShh31YCg/U8EYDI5qkYI/AAAAAAAACk4/lf-adcJzIpo/2014_07_06_14_46_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qa53ijfXuxs/U8EYEKvia0I/AAAAAAAAClA/JnnD1kixXxA/s1600-h/IMG_2278%25255B1%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2278[1]" border="0" alt="IMG_2278[1]" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MDEOG6k7x-8/U8EYFIfR3HI/AAAAAAAAClI/Zsp0vPqqkvU/IMG_2278%25255B1%25255D_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a>We were invited to play Golf for a local Cancer Fundaraiser this Sunday. And every bit of Thanks (!) goes to Savi for figuring it out. After all, none was aware that Mafeking had a Golf course ! </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AuoV8S5fGz0/U8EYGP--MjI/AAAAAAAAClQ/bXj6Sk4jJQI/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_16%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_16" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_16" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DvWS3HlTnrI/U8EYHLNEymI/AAAAAAAAClY/-ycjuaP_IwQ/2014_07_06_11_16_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gFaJJqE1WTE/U8EYIZEZGhI/AAAAAAAAClg/-my0oVl3P4o/s1600-h/2014_07_06_10_44-002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_10_44-002" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_10_44-002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5GWiYnr8fBg/U8EYJHjzbII/AAAAAAAAClo/-5c-TX1C0HM/2014_07_06_10_44-002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G2QiNzODwzY/U8EYKOZj3QI/AAAAAAAAClw/BHMrxC8WEB8/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_24-004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_24-004" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_24-004" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aioZ8dp0j5A/U8EYLCAtyWI/AAAAAAAACl4/PXKsKQBZ0uE/2014_07_06_11_24-004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UtEW9Fc8F3I/U8EYMHm9YYI/AAAAAAAACmA/c2X5VhASsMY/s1600-h/IMG_2219%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2219" border="0" alt="IMG_2219" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CvUV0MB58Q0/U8EYNO02uXI/AAAAAAAACmI/mln70LAMOvY/IMG_2219_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mvcInGq0S-Q/U8EYOCsEaZI/AAAAAAAACmQ/8YfhW8hQrC0/s1600-h/2014_07_06_10_52-003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_10_52-003" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_10_52-003" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SSxS4vnKxRo/U8EYPOzd0mI/AAAAAAAACmY/XHHEYCLfDYc/2014_07_06_10_52-003_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="265" height="204"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iJcfZi10_4Q/U8EYQbQLxuI/AAAAAAAACmg/xCR3ftfJDcE/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_13%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_13" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_13" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--uJf16hVjTE/U8EYRV3g_7I/AAAAAAAACmo/SvJ73QLju6k/2014_07_06_11_13_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a></p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hh3c8jKhXtg/U8EYSaZQCkI/AAAAAAAACmw/T0fcJ0weVlM/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_29%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_29" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_29" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-V-3ENfhx764/U8EYTThFMLI/AAAAAAAACm4/7PLstibXluQ/2014_07_06_11_29_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Toq3htayO1Y/U8EYUuGcZVI/AAAAAAAACnA/P_pCEOEOPk4/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_29-001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_29-001" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_29-001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-krsNhghdQL8/U8EYVtkPHNI/AAAAAAAACnI/DUSbJgqszV4/2014_07_06_11_29-001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xpi42rDxNQs/U8EYWgDzZUI/AAAAAAAACnQ/VT14G_NJLII/s1600-h/2014_07_06_13_14-003%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 6px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_13_14-003" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_13_14-003" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8vGe1w2WLnk/U8EYXhZ_90I/AAAAAAAACnY/iaMsCutKNP0/2014_07_06_13_14-003_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="283" height="195"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PUcBhcTdDP0/U8EYYY3c0LI/AAAAAAAACng/DLOuZhkZbWs/s1600-h/2014_07_06_11_15-003%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_11_15-003" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_11_15-003" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c9BqKHMj6gU/U8EYZb9qWbI/AAAAAAAACno/TQ77Z22atlk/2014_07_06_11_15-003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EqeSzdofUjo/U8EYaoVnuxI/AAAAAAAACnw/zLfyOmzQ8ww/s1600-h/2014_07_06_14_41-002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_14_41-002" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_14_41-002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-heqlk4zCwnU/U8EYbZsaFfI/AAAAAAAACn4/OnWs1JnnYuk/2014_07_06_14_41-002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="298" height="228"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Bb-a8h456C4/U8EYcX82yiI/AAAAAAAACoA/Z8pdqqltMRA/s1600-h/_MG_3843%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 6px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3843" border="0" alt="_MG_3843" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lxvR1gx4idM/U8EYdfbrYQI/AAAAAAAACoI/eJwcI5WoHpg/_MG_3843_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="260"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l2tsJLakD24/U8EYet-4r6I/AAAAAAAACoQ/6ZnGa6axLkM/s1600-h/_MG_3929%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 6px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3929" border="0" alt="_MG_3929" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6ZFN_g3PH-g/U8EYfriT48I/AAAAAAAACoY/lEXpfjC83L0/_MG_3929_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="290" height="200"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NP7ubML8ESc/U8EYgvQTMiI/AAAAAAAACog/teThwfOEC-w/s1600-h/2014_07_06_14_00%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 6px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_14_00" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_14_00" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uXXhlOyBOJ4/U8EYh_9Z94I/AAAAAAAACoo/EGyZvbp1ygk/2014_07_06_14_00_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="199"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YICy4oNIfQ0/U8EYi6C_GcI/AAAAAAAACow/lBZY_Xd6JQs/s1600-h/2014_07_06_10_57%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_06_10_57" border="0" alt="2014_07_06_10_57" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XIxaL2XRTcU/U8EYj83ejAI/AAAAAAAACo4/hYHhsEcCKFI/2014_07_06_10_57_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="200" height="260"></a></p> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-28031067768867310262014-07-05T04:43:00.000-07:002014-07-05T05:04:12.093-07:00Shine !<p> </p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Centuries before we even understood what the world is, Plato came up with the concept of two worlds. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">The one world that we are familiar with – is the <em>Visible World</em>. This is the world that is made up of physical objects. The sun is the entity that allows us to see physical objects. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">And then there is the <em>Intelligible World</em>. This is the world that is made up of the images and reflections of all objects that exist in the Visible World. This is the Invisible world, where everything is an image. And it is not the Sun, but it is <em>The Good</em> that allows us to see and understand things of the Intelligible World. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Not my words, but Plato’s. But it takes special situations in life to truly decipher the meanings of such words. Most often, we don’t even come across such events in our lifetimes. I was most fortunate a few days back to experience this and of course most thankful to life for the opportunities and events surrounding me in the last three weeks. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q1y1uOJwgWY/U7flGrpu-bI/AAAAAAAACgI/qnuMgxvOGOk/s1600-h/_MG_3435%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3435" border="0" alt="_MG_3435" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-r2ZRiBp5kCk/U7flH3yWOEI/AAAAAAAACgQ/kvvpGDjp7Og/_MG_3435_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a>The hours we spent in the Bophelong Special School (doesn’t even exist in Google Maps) would remain with us for ever. This is a school for children with special needs. The children were all decked up to greet us. After all, they all knew that some special people would be coming to meet and greet them! The initial hesitance broke into jubilation and joy when we danced, sang, drew, read and played (football) with them. But deep inside, I was feeling a hollowness which I could not express. Looking into the eyes of the little children, my mind was filled with a sense of desperation, anxiety and escapism. Are our efforts enough? Has humanity been fair to them? Most of them have a disability of some order, and having born with such disability in ridiculously poor families in one of the most neglected areas of the world – is this a start that you deserve at the beginning of your life? And I know there are millions of such children across the continent, across the world. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">My friends Tariq (US), Julie (US), Lucia (Brazil) and I tried playing a nice game. We drew up the “Hello” in charts in various languages and drew the respective country (in a world map) with the children. So an “Oi” in Costa Rican led to a dash of colour near the Panama Canal, a “Namaste” led to a yellow mark in India and a “Hi” led to a splash in the North American continent. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VSbi0Gdzpi0/U7flKzo6cDI/AAAAAAAACgY/Kwun_CprZOE/s1600-h/_MG_3460_1%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3460_1" border="0" alt="_MG_3460_1" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ALu-dzfn4AQ/U7flNLIaSRI/AAAAAAAACgg/q_xz4Q4wCSQ/_MG_3460_1_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="219"></a>Our children started to open up during a round of Musical Chair. And then they all broke out into a wonderful prayer, which their teacher helps them with, each morning. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aZA1d9ODSMk/U7flRTBf8_I/AAAAAAAACgo/PkJHF-vYqUc/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage_3%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PicMonkey Collage_3" border="0" alt="PicMonkey Collage_3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JFSD8hD79I4/U7flS_5buzI/AAAAAAAACgw/0BWAhm7kJ1g/PicMonkey%252520Collage_3_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="268" height="264"></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vFOLRBnl1Tk/U7flUvRY-xI/AAAAAAAACg4/9e0HCeIhc1c/s1600-h/_MG_3488%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3488" border="0" alt="_MG_3488" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AOW6JKIcjbQ/U7flVwtqDGI/AAAAAAAAChA/OddkLzvvniI/_MG_3488_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="172" height="250"></a> </p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"></font> </p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">But every barrier broke when we rushed outside, on the ground for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beautiful_Game" target="_blank">the beautiful game</a>. This game knows no boundaries, no language, no introduction, no teaching. All it gives you is sheer joy. How rightly said. Forget the drawing board, this is where you want to be, under the sun with a football with you. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SXTtQ5yT44o/U7flYFfB-jI/AAAAAAAAChI/G8mLm-E0jlw/s1600-h/_MG_3477_1%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3477_1" border="0" alt="_MG_3477_1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2uWuwg1Anvc/U7flZRZYSqI/AAAAAAAAChQ/lnoI-rhFzoI/_MG_3477_1_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="237"></a><font face="Palatino Linotype"></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e5yKQDZ_EAQ/U7flb3JMtDI/AAAAAAAAChY/_GRcSDuEehI/s1600-h/_MG_3465_1%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3465_1" border="0" alt="_MG_3465_1" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u-yhwBxXgH0/U7fldRsj4jI/AAAAAAAAChg/MW2v6ICZ88E/_MG_3465_1_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="347" height="238"></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OZH7OY25-MA/U7flfVlhFdI/AAAAAAAACho/n5c7hSzzKss/s1600-h/_MG_3512%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3512" border="0" alt="_MG_3512" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HzNJxZQVUHo/U7flhCF5iUI/AAAAAAAAChw/uPYNwvoqU08/_MG_3512_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="226"></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xpJsi2PRIVI/U7fliqL7XEI/AAAAAAAACh4/1IWTCcKKhmI/s1600-h/_MG_3451_1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3451_1" border="0" alt="_MG_3451_1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_L8v_wGWwzY/U7flj3hTTPI/AAAAAAAACiA/Ezeap-KRbEA/_MG_3451_1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="174" height="251"></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r-s5MlEXfoE/U7flljPWbbI/AAAAAAAACiI/1rqO5lt3c18/s1600-h/photoSpecialSchool%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photoSpecialSchool" border="0" alt="photoSpecialSchool" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mxVVTN-zDp8/U7flmtvspSI/AAAAAAAACiQ/72LxibT574k/photoSpecialSchool_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">While we drove back – to the <em>surreal</em> world, I kept wishing that these hours we spent together, stays on in their memories for as long it stays in our memories. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Plato’s two worlds coexist. And they would continue to coexist for ever. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">But the stupid question that kept on lingering in my mind was – how right are we to assume that the world we live in – the world that is familiar with the De Beers and the BMWs and the Multiplexes, is <em>not</em> the Visible World? </font><font face="Palatino Linotype">Perhaps it’s the other way round? </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VTk-vT8dSQk/U7flpUmLXiI/AAAAAAAACiY/ehjBZFuTtqc/s1600-h/IMG_2121_1%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2121_1" border="0" alt="IMG_2121_1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3KyAn0dS_3E/U7flq8ypWRI/AAAAAAAACig/iBse2s9ZvxM/IMG_2121_1_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="369"></a></p> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-32385126697380132842014-07-03T09:15:00.000-07:002014-07-04T06:23:14.471-07:00How about a BMW to play around with?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A stroll inside the NWU campus led me towards a nice little building where I spotted a (guess what) a swanky BMW parked inside. <u><i>Inside</i></u> the building that is.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekn5B3ADdUDShU1Cde5g-bQrKP3zljNRJPKv26FbHsO5dQgRl6U9EMbRXUrSuW4EILnvOqNNBjpQ0xs1_uB9559HQc7hlosHwagyLgQOO6Sad4LvPdPDIB_aR8gDw1slJyDcqfKuF0F8/s1600/IMG_2170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekn5B3ADdUDShU1Cde5g-bQrKP3zljNRJPKv26FbHsO5dQgRl6U9EMbRXUrSuW4EILnvOqNNBjpQ0xs1_uB9559HQc7hlosHwagyLgQOO6Sad4LvPdPDIB_aR8gDw1slJyDcqfKuF0F8/s1600/IMG_2170.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ETExNBZfYCzon5M58FhJea5ryqykDlGBJgDg9R1irYUEM-o-eM4kSgO6uMPIk4tfMAAawpu_yHS4CuAa6Iilzvj5W1iIr3OaS4eEaALZO-Lcj13Cn9As9MKXSBb2dnY2wfkTHkiGz2c/s1600/IMG_2171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ETExNBZfYCzon5M58FhJea5ryqykDlGBJgDg9R1irYUEM-o-eM4kSgO6uMPIk4tfMAAawpu_yHS4CuAa6Iilzvj5W1iIr3OaS4eEaALZO-Lcj13Cn9As9MKXSBb2dnY2wfkTHkiGz2c/s1600/IMG_2171.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As I entered through the doors out of sheer curiosity, I realised I am inside a science auditorium, targeted towards youth to popularise science. The BMW was for the purpose of showing a real-time demo of how a twin-turbo engine works. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There are numerous educational posters scattered around, with simple devices showing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli%27s_principle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bernoulli's Principle</a> for example, or posters and demos showing how cellphone signals work or how sound waves travel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Interesting initiative by the University indeed - specially when the local Government is leaving no stone unturned to engage students towards Maths and Science. </span><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-81270554071253145972014-07-03T07:35:00.000-07:002014-07-17T01:36:20.256-07:00An Alien from Space as the Lecturer<p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Only a person as brilliant as Aruna could produce such a picture yesterday. </font></p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="700"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dKuFJyCv7Rg/U8eK8E1sz2I/AAAAAAAAC0g/EpqguQ0VchY/s1600-h/2014_07_02_14_20-001_1%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_14_20-001_1" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_14_20-001_1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Hzu34EH5n9M/U8eK9cYIEpI/AAAAAAAAC0k/u1I9IbJ-R_A/2014_07_02_14_20-001_1_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="481"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="350"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Qft-tB8d9Hs/U8eK_EzARDI/AAAAAAAAC0w/zwdFy1WbXZs/s1600-h/2014_07_02_14_20-001_3%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_14_20-001_3" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_14_20-001_3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HGKnDWmXAR4/U8eLARpsY5I/AAAAAAAAC04/o78ayyjSHBM/2014_07_02_14_20-001_3_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" height="342"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-63287114842709117132014-07-02T00:14:00.000-07:002014-07-17T02:30:13.889-07:00Lectures at NWU<div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">It was lecture day again for me today and this time the audience was pretty heavy-weight. We had the topmost representations from the University including the Vice-Rector and several Deans. We had representations from the Provincial Government as well as the student community. The idea was to playback our findings and recommendations for the role of NWU in reaching out to the local community. Agriculture, Tourism, Media and Mining are our top bets. </span><br> </div> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="801"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="399"><a style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-w3k4JDHZ5sc/U8d4OagV3GI/AAAAAAAACzk/bry8l2V8hFs/s1600-h/2014_07_02_14_03-001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_14_03-001" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_14_03-001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-czA7Byg6a0A/U8d4P0GogRI/AAAAAAAACzs/uzQRtwm51JE/2014_07_02_14_03-001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="365" height="279"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="400"><a style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6MxozF_vdRE/U8d4R7fDu8I/AAAAAAAACz0/ZugVDJe6kpU/s1600-h/2014_07_02_14_04%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_14_04" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_14_04" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QcBSb_TAxgs/U8d4TOcxSPI/AAAAAAAACz8/uFI8x_cla-w/2014_07_02_14_04_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" height="280"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="399"> <p align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small"><i>With the Premier's Representative</i></span></p></td> <td valign="top" width="400"> <p align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small"><i>With Vice-Rector Prof. Lendle</i></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> </div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype">The response from the illustrious audience was fantastic. It couldn’t have been more engaging !</span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lWSFgkcM3xU/U8eXQKhGOJI/AAAAAAAAC1I/ACLDtA8EYiM/s1600-h/2014_07_02_11_35%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 8px 14px 8px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_11_35" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_11_35" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RnGrDagZmjo/U8eXR18JR9I/AAAAAAAAC1Q/_OUAifdKJZw/2014_07_02_11_35_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="320" height="421"></a>Meanwhile, a personal photograph I’d like to treasure for a long, long time. We have been working all along in this vast Senate Room, right under the watchful eyes of the Great Madiba. I wanted to make sure I had a photograph with him – to make these moments special. </span></div> <div style="text-align: left" dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br> </div><span style="font-family: palatino linotype"></span> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-7274211578865482032014-07-01T23:00:00.000-07:002014-07-02T03:29:24.575-07:00Virus Attacks !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We have been having a few virus attacks in our team since the last 3-4 days. It was Aruna first. But after a couple of days of anti-allergic pills, she was back. Was she? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Or did the virus get transferred to somebody else? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Seems the virus just changed hosts - Chandra chose to stay back in the hotel as he was down with flu.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But the next attack was on someone who wasn't prepared at all ! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Not me, but my computer (!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Before I traveled to South Africa, I remembered being told by one of my friends in India about how he struggled with computer viruses for months after his visit to South Africa three years back. Beware of visiting South African websites, he said. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So I did. And I stayed away from every " .za " domain name that I could think of. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Except yesterday, when (both Savi and I) spent extensive times in a few " .gov.za " sites (<i>these are Government sites</i>) to collect several reports and data. And by now we pretty much know exactly which site did us in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Computer viruses through Official/Government portals? Leads me to re-baseline my expectations :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So far, seventeen viruses killed in the night-long war between my anti-virus and them. Hoping there would be more casualties, as I head back to my bed. Can't take it any more. The only takeaway from the entire day has been the Argentina win against the Swiss a little while ago. </span></div>
Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-20646210310633631922014-07-01T01:15:00.000-07:002014-07-17T01:22:27.807-07:00Lectures at NWU tomorrow<p><font face="Palatino Linotype">The team is really working hard to shake the high and the mighty of NWU and Mafeking tomorrow. Hopefully the Premier’s office would be represented – need that desperately to bless our plans. </font></p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="500"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="498"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Hayw6CHUvIk/U8eHuncBN6I/AAAAAAAAC0M/nAYgRcbLG3Y/s1600-h/2014_07_02_11_36-001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_07_02_11_36-001" border="0" alt="2014_07_02_11_36-001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zWqCjYVR3_Q/U8eHwJ0fN7I/AAAAAAAAC0U/WeZ9q5aHpyc/2014_07_02_11_36-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="400" height="301"></a> <p align="center"><font size="1"><em>Picture courtesy: Aruna </em></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-90457595259097634062014-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:002014-07-17T00:01:41.552-07:00Call for Auditions !<p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Its true that North West University doesn’t attract the best talents from the country. Perhaps due to the socio-economic background of this region. And that’s why, I am told, that there the number of corporate clients visiting this campus to pick up students, is almost close to zero. At best, some pick them up for a 3 to 6 month internship programme. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">However, I happened to come across the following poster while I was walking down the corridor today. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bhK8eqfINQc/U8d0yaH24II/AAAAAAAACzI/eSWQiwdWURQ/s1600-h/IMG_2127%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 5px auto 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2127" border="0" alt="IMG_2127" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-baed7mkl5Io/U8d0zzukYcI/AAAAAAAACzQ/HDMS0ndxQJE/IMG_2127_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="233" height="310"></a></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">The South Korean electronics major has been in a different kind of search, it seems ! <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-Inlove" alt="In love" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IlmtvEJMJmk/U8d0062mRFI/AAAAAAAACzY/Qo0L8Ryl-BM/wlEmoticon-Inlove%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></font></p> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-74182877259014064692014-06-26T20:50:00.000-07:002014-07-18T00:14:03.781-07:00Presentation at the University<p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7s_JtWLactc/U8dyX6LBD3I/AAAAAAAACyE/40jq7vKys3o/s1600-h/2014_06_26_15_15%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_06_26_15_15" border="0" alt="2014_06_26_15_15" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-87d3EaAUBK4/U8dyZbyuzpI/AAAAAAAACyM/lTXdY_SuLyM/2014_06_26_15_15_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="232" height="310"></a>It was presentation time yesterday at the University. I must admit I was visibly surprised at the level of enthusiasm and interest from the students on subjects like Cloud Computing, Research opportunities and Emerging Technologies. The audience was mainly formed out of Masters and PhD students of North-West. </font></p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype">Valentina, Effie and myself held separate sessions on various topics. Valentina being a Computer Scientist herself – it could not have been a better speaker on Research oriented topics. Catch me in the picture below speaking on Cloud and Emerging Technologies. </font> </p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"></font> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="700"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="350"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto 7px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" border="0" alt="" src="https://scontent-a-sin.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t1.0-9/10401450_10152940927449325_6260462459070840734_n.jpg" width="457" height="305"> <p align="center"><font size="1"><em>Myself speaking on Cloud, Analytics and Emerging Technologies</em></font></p></td> <td valign="top" width="350"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5KOU7J-VMJg/U8jI1d1GgKI/AAAAAAAAC1g/7eVfTLymDwY/s1600-h/2014_06_26_09_39-001%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_06_26_09_39-001" border="0" alt="2014_06_26_09_39-001" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1lcEaLk5rsU/U8dyep3C94I/AAAAAAAAC1o/g-wuifY280g/2014_06_26_09_39-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="379" height="285"> <p align="center"></a><em><font size="1">Valentina speaking on Research, Genomics and Super Computers</font></em></p></td></tr></tbody></table> <p> </p> <p><font face="Palatino Linotype"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e1AR5fOBs-8/U8dygda5tBI/AAAAAAAACyk/AJrkmq7A2Ts/s1600-h/2014_06_26_09_52%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_06_26_09_52" border="0" alt="2014_06_26_09_52" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GommMsN0XmI/U8dyh-Z7IsI/AAAAAAAACys/FgL7TQjEg6M/2014_06_26_09_52_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a>Effie was at her graceful best when she took the audience through the best HR skills and practices. There were numerous questions on how to conduct oneself in front of interviews, etc. Effie handled them nicely. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8aq2ktSQ_Lc/U8dykQ-8hDI/AAAAAAAACy0/KIHFEIhQ7e4/s1600-h/2014_06_26_06_36%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="2014_06_26_06_36" border="0" alt="2014_06_26_06_36" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rn0AVJp88iI/U8dymZlq19I/AAAAAAAACy8/aVEjnu530Qg/2014_06_26_06_36_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="231"></a></p> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-58292471461041130902014-06-25T00:23:00.000-07:002014-07-04T16:52:54.282-07:00The Dash of Milk Cream on the Black Coffee @ Madikwe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
I thought I should mention it in a separate blog, because this experience deserves a dedicated chapter. <br />
The visit to the <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/jI3nI" target="_blank">Madikwe</a> game reserve was planned for obvious reasons – something Africa is known for. The wildlife. But while the days were exciting, the nights were mysterious. You need to look up – and what would follow would be silence. <br />
As I had mentioned in my previous blog, the <a href="http://www.taugamelodge.co.za/" target="_blank">Tau Lodge</a> was totally designed for the wild. Wouter and I shared a room which had no TV (thankfully), dim lights and silence. There was a balcony which I stepped into, while things were pitch dark. All I could see in front of me was pitch darkness as I was unsure whether I am all alone in this wooden balcony which ran straight into the plains/forest. <br />
But when I looked up, I realised I was staring at something I wasn’t prepared for. Several times in the past, I had come across pictures of it on the Internet but wasn’t sure whether those were photoshopped. But here I was – looking a the real thing. Somebody had spilled a bucket of milk on the otherwise dark platform ! No wonder they called it the <b><i>Milky Way</i></b> ! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dzkKeNmxWZs/U7c3xIQ_F3I/AAAAAAAACfQ/434RpJHOwDA/s1600-h/Milky%252520Way_1%25255B8%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Milky Way_1" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Bf1e7eOWYPQ/U7c3yMLipTI/AAAAAAAACfY/pSZoB-ftWgk/Milky%252520Way_1_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="282" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Milky Way_1" width="374" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Milky Way from our Balcony. Taken through a Canon F1.8. But I must confess that this photo stands nowhere near the actual stuff.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The <span style="font-size: xx-small;">black circular centre is <span style="font-size: xx-small;">a</span> supermassive Black Hole. </span> </i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We have read about it in the books, for ages. Learnt about about it as we grew up. And felt jealous of the blessed ones who went on a spaceship and saw it from outer space. Till recently (a year ago I think) I came across a website that splashed the best taken Milky Way pictures from earth. And how blessed I am to stare it right now. <br />
The phenomenon had puzzled astronomers for centuries. From Aristotle to Al-Biruni, astronomers had come up with n number of theories of what it actually is and what it is composed of. It was Galileo finally, who first came up with the most proper explanation of the Milky Way. Have googled enough, but haven’t so far been able to dig out the name of the person who came up with such an appropriate name. But its worth mentioning a few stats - <br />
<ol>
<li>It appears to be a static mass of stars and cloud matter, but - the gases and the stars in the Milky Way are actually moving at roughly 250 km/sec. </li>
<li>Much of the mass in the Milky Way does not absorb electro-magnetic radiation (hence Kepler’s Laws do not apply here). </li>
<li>Most importantly - The solar system is 27,000 light years away from the centre of the Milky Way. That means, the cloudy matter I was staring at is not from <i>now</i>, but that light is 27,000 years old ! Now consider the fact that the great migration (homo sapiens moving out of Africa to the rest of the world) was completed 35,000 years ago. Isn’t that a great connection? </li>
</ol>
<br />
<i>Isn’t it a marvelous feeling to realise that, when that piece of light started its journey, to reach me today, at that very moment my great ancestors had also started their journey (to explore the rest of the earth) – from this very soil where I stand?</i><br />
<br />
We all admitted, that whichever part of the world we have been from, none has witnessed a sky like this. The clarity of the sky, scattered with millions of stars, is probably a blessing. It reminds us how vast the universe is and how tiny we are. It also reminds us you don’t need to come to Africa to witness this scene – you can catch it from even your garden, or your rooftop. But it eludes us only because we choose to – by blinding ourselves with a blurry cover of smoke and dust. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vwMHkpik0b0/U7c3znlVtGI/AAAAAAAACf0/gPXIGFdtEko/s1600-h/IMG_3005_1%25255B11%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="IMG_3005_1" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-djXJ-DHlVU0/U7c30i-I-yI/AAAAAAAACf8/OXtPwfaDALo/IMG_3005_1_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="302" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_3005_1" width="452" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Another shot from our balcony. Shows the Milky Way over the vast landscape.</i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is also a revelation for us – that our ancestors only a 100 years ago, probably had this view too. And only because they had the privilege of witnessing this each night, that they picked up Astronomy as a subject. And hence we had the Platos and the Aristotles gazing at this their entire lives. How many children of our times desire to be an astronomer? They don’t, simply because they don’t get to “see” what the thing is like ! <br />
<br />
<i><span style="background-color: white;">Bring on our children, show our children this sky – and watch them all fall in love – what should remain forever, as their first ever love !</span></i></div>
Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-18625702467021664792014-06-24T17:00:00.000-07:002014-06-27T03:47:14.574-07:00Amen ! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On our first day in Mafeking, I remember a local student telling Valentina, "Jesus lives here!". We were quite amused.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, not any more !</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today, while I was walking down one of the long corridors of the University, (heading towards the Agriculture Dept.), I found out the student wasn't joking. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And now we know exactly where <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>He</i></span> lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzObT0SmeHWteyX3_O53C0ZVT8iw8eCGBKmPVyLBKvxSMVSiJkEJpjBxSeVGeLAQXgGq0wnFR12DBUkA7g8inCIdL7ZQN6AxEYQXwQmiQKuWc67vTkQGFGyxqixqyxi4G1XHEp9WzhahA/s1600/Room+God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzObT0SmeHWteyX3_O53C0ZVT8iw8eCGBKmPVyLBKvxSMVSiJkEJpjBxSeVGeLAQXgGq0wnFR12DBUkA7g8inCIdL7ZQN6AxEYQXwQmiQKuWc67vTkQGFGyxqixqyxi4G1XHEp9WzhahA/s1600/Room+God.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now we know where He lives !</span></i></span></td></tr>
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0North West University, Setlogelo Drive, Mahikeng 2790, South Africa-25.8236748 25.610445099999993-25.837967799999998 25.590275099999992 -25.8093818 25.630615099999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-65865876494991144902014-06-24T05:25:00.000-07:002014-07-04T06:47:19.290-07:00A guest in ‘their’ Kingdom<p><font face="MS PGothic"></font> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gIxwVKc0zIo/U7ap8bNOmdI/AAAAAAAACdA/1LJXvFEiMI0/s1600-h/_MG_3313%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3313" border="0" alt="_MG_3313" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B-ysarABxV0/U7ap9kqJvkI/AAAAAAAACdI/LbKD7hIaNWs/_MG_3313_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="260"></a>Years back, I remember, I was reading a certain novel back home where they wrote about Nigeria and how in Africa, they consider humans as guests. A guest privileged enough to stay in their kingdom. The kingdom of the animals. </p> <p>I have been to Forest Resorts earlier, but never have I felt the feeling which I experienced this weekend here. Here in <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/jI3nI" target="_blank">Madikwe</a>. Madikwe is a Game Reserve not far from Mafeking and actually a stone’s throw away from the Botswana border. What is a Game Reserve? It’s a Wild Life Park in our terminology. But still here they are not ‘wild life parks’, because here in Africa when they actually refer to “Wild Life Parks”, they refer to extremely huge parks (eg. Kruger National Park), which is almost the size of any mid-size state in India. </p> <p>Our host was <a href="http://www.taugamelodge.co.za/" target="_blank">Tau Lodge</a>, placed in the middle of the Game Park. Everything about this Lodge is to do with wildlife. Right from the entrance gate, you are escorted by a guided car, about 2 miles through the forest. As I said, everything about Tau Lodge is to do with wildlife – the wooden lodge, pictures of giraffes and lion everywhere, pin drop silence while we walked into our rooms - you quickly realise you are far far away from civilian livelihood. </p> <p>When it comes to the safari, I have decided that there’s so much to write about – that I choose to write nothing. Probably because it would take me lines, paragraphs, bytes and kilobytes – and yet I won’t be able to match up to what my eyes have seen. Perhaps the pictures can help a bit? For more pictures, please do visit my Picasaweb album. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yZlPMDY5LMQ/U7ap_IIVK4I/AAAAAAAACdQ/3wyRCLVojME/s1600-h/PicMonkey%252520Collage%2525201%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PicMonkey Collage 1" border="0" alt="PicMonkey Collage 1" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LkADdpl2F2E/U7aqAWM8NDI/AAAAAAAACdY/wjPsrtOZKY0/PicMonkey%252520Collage%2525201_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="414"></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DAJkffT1acc/U7aqCboUNaI/AAAAAAAACdg/fZLHsL4bGqk/s1600-h/Collage%252520from%252520Wouter%252520Pictures%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Collage from Wouter Pictures" border="0" alt="Collage from Wouter Pictures" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fn3sRy13z9A/U7aqD2l7zII/AAAAAAAACdo/pUTE6xbt1sU/Collage%252520from%252520Wouter%252520Pictures_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="383" height="332"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>We had three safaris in all, over the weekend and Megan (our ranger in the guys’ jeep) was our hero. The ladies are still drooling over Dylan (the ranger in their car) and the argument over who was the more knowledgeable one would continue for months now, I guess. But let us not go into that <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pSqS0y6HmXA/U7aqEtHoByI/AAAAAAAACdw/pM6Up8O7eWU/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> .</p> <blockquote><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0REOrxHQjzQ/U7aqF_2vYtI/AAAAAAAACd4/yML_7Fvzajk/s1600-h/_MG_3376%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3376" border="0" alt="_MG_3376" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0H-8zepiJOs/U7aqHTZTZpI/AAAAAAAACeA/eyDtKrLIbZA/_MG_3376_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="374" height="256"></a></blockquote> <p> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yvLGDjYdEn0/U7aqImM24MI/AAAAAAAACe8/jUFKRkaROtc/s1600-h/IMG_3024%25255B19%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Megan and us in our Jeep !" border="0" alt="Megan and us in our Jeep !" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YM_rmHz2uro/U7aqKA7UgcI/AAAAAAAACfE/XnBDqtWbXe0/IMG_3024_thumb%25255B16%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="209"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>The team was enthusiastic enough to do an impromptu <em>YMCA</em> ! Watch below …</p><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf" width="600" height="400" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F115074737185525832874%2Falbumid%2F6032148521402185921%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed> <p> </p> <p>I know the pictures speak for themselves, but there is one incident that I <em>must</em> mention. It was around 6.30 in the evening and it was already quite dark. Megan suddenly took out a large spotlight and flashes it around while driving. She continues to do that as we move on. The landscape was vast – with endless grasslands on both sides of us. The hills in front us should be beyond the South African border into Botswana and the sun that set a little while ago still leaving a reddish glow over the hilltops. Magnificent view – my hands desperate for a photo shot, but I decided not to due to the camera shake. But more importantly, there was this freakish feeling that something was about to happen – kept the entire atmosphere haunted-like. </p> <p>Suddenly Megan stopped the jeep. While we wondering why, she quietly makes a U-turn back. Driving back a few 100 meters, our jeep takes a right, right into off-road, now into the grassland. Dense grass scratching the chassis of the RangeRover, we move on, another 100 meters. And then the jeep stops. Megan is one-handed with the wheel and the other hand flashing the flashlight. The light is now not on the grass, but on two wild beasts right before us. Two maned male lions that eluded us day-long, is right before us, feasting on a new kill. The lights are on them, but they are absolutely un-bothered. Our jeep moves quietly ahead – right in front of the lions – I am now within 3 meters of the lion pair (!) </p> <p>While Megan was quick to spread the news over her radio, two other jeeps also moved in after a while. But what will baffle me for many many years would be how this lady cracked the code – in the middle of nowhere – in the middle of darkness – with no hint whatsoever. How? I’d never know. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UJ3RhRcr4qo/U7aqLTeHuuI/AAAAAAAACeY/Oi7cyJuQ5Hs/s1600-h/IMG_2189%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2189" border="0" alt="IMG_2189" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lJGduvN3vUE/U7aqMXTmc6I/AAAAAAAACeg/onh1mcBFkck/IMG_2189_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="200"></a></p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dwjd05VBwZo/U7aqNiCeJcI/AAAAAAAACeo/i5CbRs-XvKo/s1600-h/_MG_3405%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_MG_3405" border="0" alt="_MG_3405" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WQxpyvt2XTk/U7aqO097wiI/AAAAAAAACew/LRngC5YhcJE/_MG_3405_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="295" height="203"></a></p> <p> </p><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F115074737185525832874%2Falbumid%2F6031960256086789025%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed> Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-10830257627881463602014-06-19T22:30:00.000-07:002014-07-02T14:46:15.142-07:00Category SABC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A surprise invitation for lunch from SABC (South African Broadcast Corp.) takes us to their swanky office for some truly authentic South African food which make it every Thursday. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>At the SABC Studios</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Post lunch, we were taken to a tour of the studios by the CTO of SABC.This was a real experience - walking down the by-lanes of the studios that came up over the past 30 years. Music recording was in analog then. However, over time, everything moved to digital for the rest of the world and so did SABC. However, they retained some of the old instruments etc. - for the sake of nostalgia. Now, it is the time when the wheels of time are turning backwards - the world is rediscovering the merits of the analog recordings. And interestingly, SABC is flooded with offers from Europe to rent out their "old" analog recording devices (!) </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">On Air - Live !!<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">However, the real surprise waited for us at the live recording studio. The person on mike was probably on live (realtime) on a radio program, when suddenly he strokes up a short interview session with Valentina. I think it took Valentina some time to really understand that she is on live radio. But when she did, she did a truly remarkable interview, never losing her compose. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> In all, some great time spent. </span><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-27460319193457123022014-06-19T01:28:00.000-07:002014-06-30T15:30:46.070-07:00Did You Know?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A nice surprise awaited us today evening. We were informed that the Premier (equivalent to the Chief Minister of any Indian State) was eager to meet us. Extremely excited, we were off to meet him at the Tourism Office which was around a stone's throw away from our hotel. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"This <span style="font-size: xx-small;">is a special mo<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ment !</span></span>"</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>" Chillax ! "</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The wait was long and you could see the team getting impatient - <i> </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Would be or Would It Not Be</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">-<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>was the question.</span> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Don't be impatient guys !"</span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Unfortunately the <span style="font-size: small;">Premi<span style="font-size: small;">er could not make it at the las<span style="font-size: small;">t momen<span style="font-size: small;">t. But we<span style="font-size: small;"> were <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">pleasantly</span> greeted by Mr. Charles<span style="font-size: small;"> (the <span style="font-size: small;">would-be Head of Tourism of NW Pro<span style="font-size: small;">vince), the Director General<span style="font-size: small;">, his<span style="font-size: small;"> officials and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebo_M." target="_blank">Lebo</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebo_M." target="_blank"> M</a>. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQXnDA_xY4ZVbBVwO-vkSqxrnBS6tfyH86hQw24ivWaZeR7OaAuWPFvPa04D1ROJXmqoziP_tkCSxei1JKa-XHXxrsevuRRKI2HTozuM0CTNUAPR6OfmlnqT0_NJKjUB3cqOAJ4v5Ixg/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQXnDA_xY4ZVbBVwO-vkSqxrnBS6tfyH86hQw24ivWaZeR7OaAuWPFvPa04D1ROJXmqoziP_tkCSxei1JKa-XHXxrsevuRRKI2HTozuM0CTNUAPR6OfmlnqT0_NJKjUB3cqOAJ4v5Ixg/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From the Left<span style="font-size: xx-small;">: Muriuki, Valenti<span style="font-size: xx-small;">na, myself, <b>Lebo M</b>, Tariq, Aruna, Effie and Wouter</span></span></span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember <span style="font-size: small;">Lion King? <span style="font-size: small;">If you do, how can you forget the opening voice? That was Lebo M, also the music composer <span style="font-size: small;">of </span></span>the film. <a href="http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Lebo_M" target="_blank">Lebo M</a>, now a le<span style="font-size: small;">gen<span style="font-size: small;">d <span style="font-size: small;">within Disney and of course South Africa, <span style="font-size: small;">was also the composer of Black Hawk Down and all the other Lion King seque<span style="font-size: small;">ls. Quite thrilled, we made sure a photo-op session was not missed<span style="font-size: small;"> :) </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The Director General addressing the team</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyk8AzUMw0Jrj1_4eP7kuMWo3PTj7kwTAJsZ5zqNfFSu25ymz3g-90vU5NMMfvT2eOkAlMZasdz9tBnnfoLwhArEqRZOG_FxoApk-xY1uPCQNDXkjgLr0POSD0wL_g5hDEHqcKU8Jvug/s1600/Charles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyk8AzUMw0Jrj1_4eP7kuMWo3PTj7kwTAJsZ5zqNfFSu25ymz3g-90vU5NMMfvT2eOkAlMZasdz9tBnnfoLwhArEqRZOG_FxoApk-xY1uPCQNDXkjgLr0POSD0wL_g5hDEHqcKU8Jvug/s1600/Charles.JPG" height="320" title="" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Charles.</i><i> Did I Know that a politician could be so humorous? Certainly not !</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bu<span style="font-size: small;">t the person who stole the <span style="font-size: small;">thunder was of course Mr. Charl<span style="font-size: small;">es. Charles<span style="font-size: small;"> i<span style="font-size: small;">s <span style="font-size: small;">currently associated with the Minist<span style="font-size: small;">ry of Communication, but is due to take over the Tourism Ministry under the Premier's off<span style="font-size: small;">ice very soon. Widely <span style="font-size: small;">traveled</span> and <span style="font-size: small;">a</span> man with impeccable humour<span style="font-size: small;">, Charles enthralled the crowd with his sense of amusement. He is a great orator too, as he had the audience in his grip with his series of "Did You Know?" trivia. </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-79770315478365311422014-06-18T15:34:00.000-07:002014-06-24T16:12:29.908-07:00Tick Tick. Chop Chop. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Working on a stiff schedule already. Meetings with directors and faculties seem quite challenging as most seem to be ready with the exams. Each of our sub-teams seem to be very busy already. Of course, Chandra is always ready with his "Chop Chop" mantra and it seems to be catching up with most team-members already. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But am so far lucky to start my day with a straight appearance at the breakfast table - while some of the others are up and doing 'hup' right at 6.30 in the morning! Courtesy Godmother Katy. My lazy self has been able to hide in his bed, so far. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The late returns has been spoiling most of our World Cup screenings so far. But amidst everything, Spain crashed out with a second successive defeat today. Brazil had a goal-less draw with Mexico as well, yesterday. Hoping this World Cup warms up very soon! </span></div>
Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-33670006217277702832014-06-18T15:31:00.000-07:002014-07-16T23:13:58.844-07:00First day in NWU<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">A bright evening welcomed us in Mafeking after our 6 hour journey from Jo'burg. Hotel Mmabatho Palms, which is supposed to be our residence for the next 30 days seem to be quite nice. Prof. Modese Maaga, who is a retired Professor from the North Western University and also associated with DoT, would be our guide in our mission. </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tfJbrbOO-Dw/U8dokALSERI/AAAAAAAACws/qtBmMbWmB9Y/s1600-h/2014_06_18_15_31%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="2014_06_18_15_31" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fscV_Kgq890/U8dolSgOagI/AAAAAAAACw0/71RwmL-lQ_w/2014_06_18_15_31_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="260" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2014_06_18_15_31" width="200" /></a>Mafeking Campus is quite impressive. Not a huge rush of students as we seem to be heading towards the winter vacations. Cool breeze blowing during the morning makes the morning walks around the campus quite enjoyable, while afternoons can be quite harsh.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oafR5Mvbl8I/U8donjVzyQI/AAAAAAAACw8/lfzCgidrPAc/s1600-h/2014_06_17_08_54-002.jpg"><img alt="2014_06_17_08_54-002" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gMPKF6HMXcY/U8dopMMpSzI/AAAAAAAACxE/1UARSTP5sKE/2014_06_17_08_54-002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="188" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2014_06_17_08_54-002" width="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IATnyW1oSG4/U8dotUUyZWI/AAAAAAAACxM/FXM_CZP7a84/s1600-h/2014_06_20_10_34-001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2014_06_20_10_34-001" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-duOjsQMbVW8/U8dou5jKErI/AAAAAAAACxU/MscdseF_4Hc/2014_06_20_10_34-001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="200" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2014_06_20_10_34-001" width="260" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gvHq0i2jZj4/U8dowDmSIQI/AAAAAAAACxc/h4IXkDWdAAk/s1600-h/IMG_28603.jpg"><img align="right" alt="IMG_2860" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WOGQdXD9Q4A/U8doxdkdoOI/AAAAAAAACxk/vqt-NoAdpI4/IMG_2860_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="260" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2860" width="180" /></a>I must admit, I've been to many campuses back home, but never had such a grand reception! The Rector of the University along with several other faculty members from the University were at the reception, where we presented our workplan for the coming weeks. </span><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-90047731399859563032014-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:002014-07-16T22:51:48.350-07:00Life in Jo'Burg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Things are moving really fast ! </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The last 36 hours in Jo'burg (yes, that's what its called locally) has been literally zip-zap-zoom. Travel to Jo'burg has been pretty cool but felt like an alien when I landed there. That's because unlike any other travel, I would have a person waiting for me at the airport. Things happened according to arrangements as I did have somebody from the DOT team waiting for me. Met Lucia from Brazil at the airport - she'd be working with me in this assignment as well. </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Jo'burg is a very modern city with skyscrapers scattered around, though I believe our hotel is located a little towards the suburbs, with extremely posh bungalows everywhere around us. I am told some of the South African cricketers (including Jacques Kallis) is a resident nearby.</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">The entire team met each other in the evening at the hotel lobby - we are a team of 14 people from 9 countries, all committed towards a philanthropic initiative for an NGO named DOT (www.dotrust.org). Our aim is to establish a blueprint for establishing a Knowledge Centre for North West University, South Africa, located in the North Western Province of the country. </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">It is a wonderful team ! </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Different people from different countries, trying to target the problem from their own perspective - in 9 different ways ! I am sure we are looking forward to a cultural melting pot. </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">Today morning we visited IBM South Africa - not that we are going to work for them, but the purpose was mainly a security briefing about the country from the Security Officer of this country. Yolanda has just given us a set of scary instructions which has already freaked out some in our team! Don't walk alone, don't eat alone, don't shop alone, don't drive alone. Don't stop even if you are asked to, by a cop (because apparently a cop may not be a cop!). Its so confusing :) Well, I have decided to give it a shot - that's be normal as I always do and try to look at this country with an eye of optimism. It is, after all the country of Mandela and the country of F W De Clarke. And of course, if I get into trouble, I'd reveal that I am related to the </span><a href="http://goo.gl/OAtCqw"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;">girl with the pearl earring</span></a><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"> - I am sure they'd let me go. </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QWGvIJZ1DM4/U8dh8DwtyOI/AAAAAAAACt0/a8EH1BnbWu8/s1600-h/2014_06_14_09_27%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="2014_06_14_09_27" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sKbKN3lAPXI/U8dh9XrK92I/AAAAAAAACt8/pzqrA3JBpV4/2014_06_14_09_27_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="200" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2014_06_14_09_27" width="260" /></a>Interestingly, in the IBM office, I met Abraham Thomas - who is the country manager in SA now - but I had met him 12 years back in Calcutta when he was the country manager of IBM India. Old-timers would certainly remember why he is still remembered in India for pulling off some amazing stuffs in an November '02 evening in Grand Hotel, Calcutta. I did ask him over a cup of coffee whether he remembered that evening - he still does he admits :) </span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZR_EteSjrJg/U8dh_ea2LFI/AAAAAAAACuE/XKRJRsU33Lg/s1600-h/2014_06_14_12_48%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="2014_06_14_12_48" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jX73O_ZV5mY/U8diAzh4yKI/AAAAAAAACuM/wIVM9DC0JV4/2014_06_14_12_48_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="182" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2014_06_14_12_48" width="319" /></a>The trip to the Apartheid Museum and the Residence of Nelson Mandela was amazing. You are inside an amazing moving-timeline which takes you through the history of Apartheid - how it started, the atrocities and then the immense sacrifice and struggle of people that led to the birth of the modern SA in 1994. As an Indian, I have special personal memories of 1994 when the then banned SA cricket team visited Calcutta. India was the first country that had welcomed them. And then the world came to know about a speed rocket named Allan Donald and a cricketer-that-could-fly named Jonty Rhodes. The rest is of course history. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GhzL1IfFIQs/U8diDZiOeaI/AAAAAAAACuU/JzX6PEDWu8A/s1600-h/IMG_2754%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2754" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ueaE3jc8iGs/U8diE9TUo1I/AAAAAAAACuc/84ueaRFbeL0/IMG_2754_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="164" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2754" width="236" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TWeI2R-vpu0/U8diGhJ2S8I/AAAAAAAACuk/LB17YXvK1A8/s1600-h/IMG_2757%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2757" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lGwmIVOWQ4o/U8diHqp4qyI/AAAAAAAACus/nwIDTE-JEu8/IMG_2757_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="203" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2757" width="142" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hELq8hEp9GI/U8diJzlEh_I/AAAAAAAACu0/nkXlmTp6nZY/s1600-h/IMG_2759%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2759" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vWRJFhbdYQM/U8diLu5d5bI/AAAAAAAACu8/WHkAdLJED30/IMG_2759_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="145" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2759" width="208" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aWZFRZjo1tw/U8diNUTHQrI/AAAAAAAACvE/aI1_nk5RQWs/s1600-h/IMG_2762%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2762" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rJrpwe0yWBI/U8diO3B9zFI/AAAAAAAACvM/oB1CGjiC-aM/IMG_2762_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="260" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2762" width="180" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-krrpwVeyE-Q/U8diQlImiJI/AAAAAAAACvU/LuVAQQaVY7U/s1600-h/IMG_2761%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2761" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kycQqcttTl0/U8diRqvT-jI/AAAAAAAACvc/48ekN1elPdU/IMG_2761_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="260" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2761" width="180" /></a></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HNUybiqurrY/U8diUAd4XyI/AAAAAAAACvk/NqiIDfRcvVA/s1600-h/IMG_2770_1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_2770_1" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4Cud-MO6kAM/U8diVYVw9TI/AAAAAAAACvs/_VXIqp4Yq88/IMG_2770_1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="180" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2770_1" width="260" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Pt8sd4au39g/U8diXiYzuBI/AAAAAAAACv0/piVb5b7pq4o/s1600-h/IMG_2776%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="IMG_2776" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S4OO8_wGSoA/U8diY8MuzXI/AAAAAAAACv8/ETB4O-pGZcU/IMG_2776_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="180" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2776" width="260" /></a>Dr. Mandela's home was so very touching. The two small bedrooms are preserved as they were, but with several laurels and certificated around. One is instantly taken back in a time warp to relive the great man's struggle throughout his life while staying amidst a very below-moderate neighborhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YlFMltABABg/U8dia87uVRI/AAAAAAAACwE/I7cAJYe4UOg/s1600-h/IMG_2786%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_2786" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g7Ctsx1fMuo/U8dicAOWJsI/AAAAAAAACwM/Lea-52GZWcc/IMG_2786_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="246" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2786" width="166" /></a>Having done all the Jo'burg-seeing today, time to attend the customer meet tomorrow morning. Yep, tomorrow is a Sunday! But so what?</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LzWZ2iVkp78/U8dieWLp6PI/AAAAAAAACwU/IOnsmsRZUr0/s1600-h/IMG_2788%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2788" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Af06u7q_bLw/U8dify_3TMI/AAAAAAAACwc/71v0IOhILNA/IMG_2788_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="185" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_2788" width="274" /></a><br />
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Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com2Johannesburg, South Africa-26.2041028 28.047305100000017-26.432114300000002 27.724581600000018 -25.9760913 28.370028600000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058392602010626321.post-4240927990110467402014-06-12T03:08:00.000-07:002014-06-24T16:12:06.832-07:00One Step Away...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sitting inside the Calcutta International Terminal - waiting to jump inside the plane and heads towards Africa. Can't describe how excited I am and how much I have been looking forward to this one ! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But the last 7 days has been no less than a whirlwind journey for me. Had been traveling in and out of the Scandics over the last 3 months and managed to get myself the South African Visa just in time. Managed to pack my bags just in time after I returned to Calcutta 3 days back. And here I am. Back at the airport. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Destination Johannesburg. This would be my 2nd visit to the continent after my 2011 vacation to Egypt. But considering the fact that the Egyptians don't consider themselves as part of Africa (!), I guess this would be my maiden voyage to the great continent. </span></div>
Sanjay GThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508976199237958724noreply@blogger.com0