Ongoing Belfast experience

I normally pen things down when one major event happens but here in Belfast things are slightly different. Events are not that large nor are they small to be ignores. its like good things come in small packages. For a person who has been waiting for one major outing every few weeks this is a welcome change.

Carnmoney hills: There is a lad from Bangalore whom i befriended recently and just like all Bangalore boys, we all are the coolest dudes (forgive my ignorance , but let me indulge). We decided to head out for a short hike and we picked out the Carnmoney hill.
It was a short ride on bus to the outskirt of the city. There were different trails on it and we have to macho, so took the toughest. It was not too big a byte we took but was a mouthful not because of the steepness but for the fact that the previous night it had rained well and the forest floor was covered with leaves which along with muddy soil beneath challenged the sole/soul of the shoes.
The treat was a great view of the city from the 200 meter high hill. Way down we took to the trail that less frequently used and we realised why it was unused because it was unusable! Thats how thick the undergrowth was which we had to move with our bare hands and almost wade though the ankle deep slush. Glad we were out of there on to reassuring tarmac and paved side walks.
For pictures: "http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289302&id=651679539&l=dde52f45a3"

Belfast Botanic garden and Ulster Meusem:
Right by the side of Queens university is this botanical garden. The glass house was built in the 1800 and still functions as it did 200 years ago.

It housed some good art work donated by artists. An Indian artist had donated a status of Goddess Saraswathi. I seriously doubt if it would be ever be permitted to be installed any where in India because it was so imperfect Some of the non vegetarians plants were amusing to watch. Nature at its best. These plants had some kind of trap door into which the draw in the tiny insects and end up digesting them!
just as good it can get inside a glasshouse the outdoor was just as scenic as it could get. The green carpeted park with the trees with their reddish orange leaves marking the end of autumn was spectacular. In a few days all the trees would have shed its leaves and stand bald prepared for the winter. Picturesque is another word for this experience. Just around the corner is the Ulster museum. This Museum is very different in the sense that it has science, natural History, Art, Fashion and everything rolled into one. It took us a couple of hours to visit every floor. Finally we had to stop because our legs stopped functioning. The top of my mind recall thing that i saw there was the prehistoric remains f the native Irish reindeer. It was so massive in size that end to end the antlers was 10 feet in width.
The stuffed native animals all looked so real and it felt like I was in a zoo where time has frozen. Stuffed birds and animals looked so real, it was like almost they are looking straight into your eyes. One section of the museum also explained the unique geographic history of this emerald island. One can clearly notice that the west coast is nothing like the east coast of Ireland. There were a class of arts students who were so engrossed in watching the art pieces there that we were dazed. Some of them read aloud poems that were written about some of the paintings. The fashion section of the museum is something that I least expected. I though all you need to do is take a walk on the high street and one would get a live ramp walk fashion show. To sum it all up; Great day!!
"http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289298&id=651679539&l=be4db18dc9"

Causeway tour again: In the spirit of proving my high quality companionship to my friends here (excuse me) i joined on them on the tour that i took an year ago in the same month. We went around to some of the most stunning coastal routes witnessing the rope bridge and the causeway. The most unfortunate incident was that i went solo on exploration of the coast by the sea cliffs without my camera .Everyone else went on the rope bridge, but the most beautiful view was that of the 100 meter high vertical limestone white cliffs raising from the short beach. The turquoise blue ocean splashing on the white boulders was stunning. The oceans had carved caves into the cliffs on cave big enough for me to crawl into it 20 feet in!! That picture has just en-grained in my brain never to be erased. It would simply have been the best picture that i would have ever taken and thats exactly when I did not have my camera. May be the best picture is not stored on hard drives and servers but in the mind and heart.

"http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=266478&id=651679539&l=e018743ef3"

Halloween Fire Works display: Just a few hours ago from now I had been to my first professional fire works display. I did not have much expectation but I must admit the entire display was much beyond what I could image. All the Metro buses had pulled over; over the bridge. Traffic came to halt and it was a well worth the 30 minute stop.



For more beautiful pictures:

" http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289531&id=651679539&l=9ad3f996c7 "

Cave Hills

Few of the lads who works for my previous employer this January were being adventurous and decided to hike one of the hills that encapsulates Belfast. Bad planning i guess they were stranded and finally two NI rescue helicopters had to come down to rescue them. Thats because there were ten of them and all of them idiots! The pilots thanked them instead of the gesture being the other way around because for each rescue they get one point and thanks to ten jokers they got 10 points in one go. The moral of the story the worst thing that can happen on a hill hiking mis adventure is a free helicopter ride and a contribution to the rescue teams appraisal.
Win - Win.Now thats not too bad according to my standard. So pulled in my room mate into this mission. Destination Cave Hills; en route to the Belfast castle.

The castle is mid way to the hill top so its an iconic castle that can be spotted from anywhere within the city. As we walked towards the bus stop we decided to step into the George's market. This has been a market place since centuries for the local farmers to sell what every they had to sell. The belief is prices are cheap and quality is great. I can agree on the Quality aspect. From fresh soiled vegetables to fresh sea food, from bonsai plants to home made oils and bread.
Everything was there. bustling with people and tourists the ambiance was great. A perfect market place. Nestled amidst all this conundrum is a coffee shop. Some people do like to have coffee is a crowded place I guess.
We headed off on a four mile journey on the first seat on the second deck of a double decker bus. Bus driver was good enough to stop at the closest point to the castle for us blokes. After a sort walk we did get to the castle, which i must say is not that impressive in size.
It was built late 12th century and handed over from lords to other lords over generations. Now its in the safe hands of the Belfast council which rents out the premises for conferences and marriages.
A noteworthy structure was an Italian designed staircase where one lord gave it as a present for his wife. I must try that with my future wife. "Look Honey, I have a marriage anniversary present for you, a beautiful stair case !!".
I did notice statues of cats in various pose lying around in the garden. I guess the previous owner did love felines.
Done with the castle, now up the hill.
It was one of the most serene and splendid hikes. Under lush green cover with sunlight playing games through the leaves was a smoothing experience. For the kind of brainless work we do in front of a screen for eight hours a day this absolutely rejuvenated my senses.

Six hundred meters above the sea level gave us a good view of the city which is not that large in area. The hill gets the name Cavehill due to a man made cave. This cave once sheltered localities during the WWII blitz. I find that hard to believe because once I got to see the cave I for one sure can say that it could not accommodate no more than thirty. Then came the most interesting bit getting to the top of the hill and to spice things up, find your own path. I being an ignoramus myself thought the path carved out by rain water to be a trail but realised it was too steep. At one point i had engage four wheel drive. I had to cross a twenty feet section of just plain muddy slope at forty five degree gradient! I kid you not, thats too steep, one slip of the foot and like Jack and Jill's rhyme will be tumbling down hundred meters. While at this point , when I was on all fours I was in a dilemma to go back or to take the risk. If I take the risk then who will have to bear the trouble of my ignorance. That is when I had the Epiphany. I take the risk and I cross the section at least I will live further with the thought that I have guts to do that crazy stunt. I live as a happier man. Or I could go back and come to the top of the hill on the beaten track and feel nothing special about it. "Option one please". My roomie with bated breath watched me with his finger ready on this mobile to call 999 if the unpleasant happens. But, hey I am writing this blog! So did make it through. I feel that age has not got the better off me. The kid in me is alive that is a very reassuring feeling. My room mate spent the next twenty minutes trying to do the same while I was on stand by with the 999. Later be back tracked and got to the hill top. The view was spectacular. Thanks to the Irish weather gods it was perfect. For a more thrilling experience I sat at the edge of the cliff with more than 100 meters of high quality breeze between my feet and ground. Took some snaps to cherish this accomplishment thinking of another day to hike another mountain. Thats what makes us all tick. Hiked down the mountain with one disappointed; No free helicopter ride this time.
for more pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/badri.nair/BelfastCastle#

Jai Ganesh, Jai Belfast

This is the third town I have moved into in my life after Pune and Dublin.I am glad that it started off well. I was able to get the accommodating sorted out even before I got to Belfast. Work place was close by. I must say everything in the city is close by because this city by Dublin or Bangalore standards is very Small (please notice the capital 'S'). Met a couple of cool guys at work place who were also friends of my friends and by the way friends of my new Flat mate. The splendid networking capability of lads for Andra Pradesh, India sure beats the crap out of CISCOs' and Junipers'.
That being that,first weekend of my first week at work came across a flyer on my desk. It was about the celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi at the Indian Community Center in Belfast (ICC), but completely sponsored by Telugu association of Belfast.
I aint no Telgugu dude, but am a true Indian and a religious broad minded Hindu; so I was all game for it. With my mates headed to ICC to be promptly at 11, but as I must have expected things were running late. But I am glad that I got the opportunity to pitch in my two cents worth of effort. I was lucky enough to go on a tiny procession with the idol of my favorite of the Hindu lord. The Elephant headed lord who wards of all evil. There was some chating and pooja. I was immensely glad to have the 'Prasad'.
I felt at home during that brief time i spent there. On the way back with a little bit of coercing effort from my friend decided to go and shop and I must thanks all my good stars or Luck that on the same very street I was a year ago to witness the Hare Krishna "Ratha Yarta" (pulling of the chariot) and now i was there to Witness the same auspicious event again and in spite of the rain jumped in to tug the ropes of the massive chariot. I did feel sanctified and the act of getting drenched in the rain doing a holy work.Indeed very gratifying. Post shopping we walked around to see a little bit more of Belfast and decided to walk into the Belfast cathedral. Four of us waltzed into the silent place with "kum kum" on our forehead. it would be clear even to a dodo that we are not Christians. But the priest in the Church did welcome us in and asked us to take a look around. The place was silent and massive. And speaking of massive the worlds largest Celtic cross is here. A world apart from the place where I had just been a while ago where there was loud ringing of the bells, 'Dhools' and chants.
Thats how we have different cultures in this world but all seek the same thing. peace and goodness. No matter how different we look or who we pray to the quintessential need of every soul is Peace and a happy life.
I say I did have a great first weekend in Belfast. Hope this city brings much more happy memories in the time to come.

Goodbye Dublin

I was counting down the days since three months for an occasion that would mean that the routine i have done day in and day out for two and a half year stops. It was pretty exciting at the same time saddening as well.
I did a few things to make these last days in this great city stay cherish able.On the last but one weekend in Dublin.I took part in the Frankduffy 10 mile marathon. The very marathon that i took part last year which I completed in 1 hr 58 min. it was a pathetic time , but for a first timer its fantastic time. This year i did train well and then i must say that I am impressed by my own time though its not the target I wanted to achieve. I out did last years time by 18 minutes!!
(www.dublinmarathon.ie/results select frank Duffy 10 mile and race number is 7776)
T my surprise the next day i had no aches or pain what so ever!!



The days in office went on and a leaving lunch was organised and I did not want to go to an Indian restaurant again. So we all went to Maiya, and italian restaurant. Had a wonderful Veg pizza and on the way back did the most instinctive thing that I always do, peer into the glass front facade of the Mercedes showroom and this time I saw a bicycle. its a Merc Bike priced at a reasonable 1300€.
The weekend has dawned once gain pretty quickly and i remember that onceI had promised my good mate Antony and his girl friend that I will come over to their place and show them how good ol Kerala puttu is made. So on the final weekend I headed down to their gaff. Gewn who is half Italian was making cheese raviloi an Italian dish and an Irish veg soup and chicken stew. The puttu was ready and I was delighted to know that enjoyed it and ate it with their hands which is the right way. There is something nice about squishing banana into the rice and coconut for a great taste.
Then it was my turn to set up the leaving drinks day. Had to co-ordinate with two other best buddy's of mine Paula and Noreen for a date and it was the Monday. which is definitely not the day anyone wants to out for a Drink here. The fact that we had the entice Paddy Cullens for ourselves was a testament to that.
None the less, nothing can stop for few good lads having fun. Anthony always cracked us up with this is hilarious ways of narrating prosaic stories. Everyone was keen on buying me a Drink and i had to play along and trust me the next day i did feel that I must not have played along.
Noreen, Richard and I made sure that the pub as closed well till 12:00 am after finishing out heated debate and argument about religion and faith because we had catholic,a Hindu and an atheist!! perfect concoction for a great debate.
The final day, 31-st of August flew past me as it was the busiest going about doing the regular business of coding and then the gong had struck to bid my final good byes to all. My client managers had called to thank me and it felt so good to hear that. managers whom i have not worked with since one year called me up to say at any time they would be proud to give me a reference. End of the day thats all what I needed. With gratitude to a great institution instilling a hope that i will be remembered in there for a good work.
I love this city so much and more so the people so much, that I dont mind saying I am an Indian and an Irish :-)

For more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/badri.nair/LeavingDays#

Blown away by Berlin

I got off the airplane into the train at 10 pm and the first thing I did was doze off!, only to be rudely woken up by the announcement that the "Train terminates here". Realised that i was at a deserted station at 11:30pm. Pulled the maps out and caught a couple of trains to finally arrive at the hostel at 1 am. Ladies and Gentlemen this is how i begun my fantastic journey in Berlin. One of the most memorable ones I will cherish.
On the first day I wanted to take a walking tour of Berlin, but was unable to find the guide. So I hopped on to a hop on and hop off tourist bus and went around looking at the City, midway i saw a crowd following one overly excited guide. I got off the bus and followed the group. The new Zealand guide had extensive knowledge of the city and took us to the French opera house and later on to the the place where the Berlin wall once stood. Its such an irony that the wall that once divided Berlin the whole 145 km of the wall was taken down by the people in the 80's and now a little bit of the wall has to be protected for tourism.
I did have a huge surge of information on that small trip on how the allied forces decided to split up Germany and Berlin. Trust me even a 20 hour history course on this subject would not have given enough information as compared to being on the ground and seeing it for real. I guess when one sees the pictures, see the monument and hear the narration there is a little bit of emotion involved that makes registering all these stories in our brains much easier.
We moved to a parking lot and realised that under that was a bunker where Hitler committed suicide along with this newly wed, 36 hour ago wed wife. We then moved to the holocaust memorial and walked though the concrete blocks and truly felt the sense of the the carnage that Hitler brought upon Germany. 6.3 million people were killed under his regime and walking through these 2700 odd blocks which deepens in the middle made me realise that each of the distinct block is a person of a different character and the tall imposing blocks in the middle empathized on the gravity of the tragedy.
We then walked to the Brandonburg gate to relasie why it has such an iconic status. It was stolen by napolean and then it was reinstalled. Had a look at the famous Atlon hotel, thanks to MJ and his kid dangling off the balcony act.
I wanted to make the best use of the bright sunny sat and sun, hence I wanted to stay outdoors and explore.
The next day the first thing in the morning I got to the Raistag, which is the German parliament to beat the long queues. Its open for public from 8 in the morning till 12am and its free. I got into one of the largest lifts I have ever seen. 50 people!! At the roof stood this fantastic glass dome with a spiral walk way inside.Got a view of Berlin skyline and realised that the building was 80% self sufficient. The light through the dome was reflected by mirrors into the chamber. So the entire building is flooded with natural light all the time. The warm air coming out of the building is used to heat water. Solar panels every where and they even use bio diesel to power the generators. But what stood out was the that everyone one could look into the hall and see the politicians go about their business of running the country. its a true example of people over power. This building had so much history to it, that it was once raised to the ground by a massive fire and it was built up again, and then in WW2 blown to smithereens by bombs and yet it stood up again. I think no other building in the world has seen so much as this building has. No other building stood for so much value for democracy as this one has.
I went on the holocaust memorial and trust me, the sense of the tragedy truly strikes one to the heart. How the people in millions were killed mercilessly. For example,Jews were forced into a van without window and the exhaust was re directed to poison them. Once they were dead the bodies just dumped to the side of the road and the van moved on to catch the next crowd of Jews. Thats how merciless it was. I got to see the van and anger just boiled my blood. I read letters written by the victims to their family on their last days. There was a video room where every individual victim's name was read and what ever back ground information they had off him was read out. Apparently t go through the entire list it would take 7 years!!
Its such an unbelievable even tin human history where man looses the value of life. Not at one single place in the musem is a picture of Hitler, because thats how much they hate him. I sometimes even feared to take his name out there.
From there I moved to the dreaded site where all this natzi Germans planned this atrocities. It was the site where the official SS and secret police building once stood. There was an elaborate display of various pictures taking us chronologically though that ill fated era. Many of the official Natzi documents were displayed. Some of them simply read, kill all Jews of that town under 24 hours. Thats all!!
I moved then to Charlie's checkpoint.
An iconic gate where the Berlin wall once stood. There were many meters of tall bill boards that explained pictorially all that planning and the mis adventures that Berlin had gone though post WWII.
Apparently JFK is worshiped in Berlin. I headed to the Berlin zoo and honestly i was not impressed, but i did take the effort to get there to see the Polar bear. He was a lazy bugger who did not want to work for his food. He holds a German passport because he was born in this same very zoo.
I even got to see another spectacle that I did not expect to see, that was a heavy weight hippos swim effortlessly in a huge glass tank and trust me folks thats some sight to behold.

I then took at tour of Berlin's central station and i say tour because its that huge. It was built in 2004 to impress the visitors for World cup and god did the Germany get it right! One can look down 40 met into the subways and international trains that is at least a kilometer long arrive here. This place is packed with shops that I sometimes got confused if it were a shopping mall or a train station. Its the magnificent all glass Haupbanhhof station.
I had set aside the gloomy Monday for the Museums but being the ignoramus I am , all museums were closed on Mondays. I took a one hour long boat trip along the river spree and then headed to the only paid museum called Story of Berlin and it was a well laid out, well planned exhibit of the history of Berlin. Then had a guided tour of the bunker which was built during the Nuclear holocaust. It was spooky place to be in. more than 3600 beds and a small kitchen and a door less toilets and shower rooms.
I tried to do a little bit of shopping at Alaexander platz, but i am not that types.
The last place I waanted to see one of the dominant structure of the Berlin skyline. Its not a historical structure but one that called at the holy mountain of the Japanese. Its the "Sony Center" . Its a massive independent 900 tonne structure shaped like a mountain made of fabric and metal only. The place has seen its fair share of celebs. Celebs from Tom cruse, Will smith, Tom hanks, SJ parker..hope you get my drift .
I spent some time watching a huge TV screen and then once when I was bored with that decided to headed back to Hostel to get my stuff out all set to bid good bye to Berlin.
back at the airport the party never stopped because I was amidst a group of school students who had come for band competition. In spite of all the noise and crazy talk of these kids I was cherishing all that I had experienced and see and felt in Berlin. Trying to make sense of it all, at the might of Germany and how it was and how even greater it has become now.

I guess every nation has to go through a phase of complete destruction for the people of the nation to integrate to build a better nation. I can see that in japan and in Germany. Like they say, every forest fire is utter carnage for the wild life , but once its done life returns to even more splendor and greater grandeur. That is Germany, I admit I was "Blown away by Berlin"

For more pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/badri.nair/BlownAwayByBerlin#

Airspectacular at Bray

it was the 25th of July and I had been waiting for this day since 2 weeks. Reason; The air show of Ireland. It was called the Air spectacular to be held over the beautify Bray coast. This event was a free public so did the public under stand that so well that sixty five thousand turned up to witness.

I had to take the train, and we were packed like sardines. with my nose scraping against the glass door of the train every time it opened !! Finally made it to the super busy coast which was set with many fun games.
Now let me stop before i start describing the show. I have been to the air shows in bangalore, three of them to be exact in Bangalore. The largest air show of its kind in the East. Air show where we had F 16, F18 Hornets, C-180, Antnov, Sukohoi 30, Raphel, Mirage, Euro fighter Typhoon, Harreir jump jets and the list goes on and on which all performed like an over excited dog in air for the audience. Now you know, my expectations was high and the bray air show was no where close to it.
The only impressive display was of a massive B 52 bomber with its 8 thundering engines just do a slow fly past.
There were a few not so famous helicopters with the rescue team who managed to pull of a parachute crowd to get an occasional WOW and applause.

I headed back home a little early to beat the crowd and even more important to retain my glorious memories of a true air show fresh

Kilmainham Gaol

You must be puzzled at what the title means. Honestly when I was leaving to visit this place enthusiasm in me was a little below nothing, but now after having being there I feel that I should have visited this place much earlier. I have a new sense of respect for the Irish, I feel more connected not only due to our flag appearing similar but also to the agony and struggle our forefathers faced. Listening to what the tour guide has to say actually struck a chord in me because India and Ireland both have undergone the same kind of history thanks to the "Empire". For hundreds of years Irish have strived to get a republic and finally when it was given in 1912 they did what they did to India; split the nation and hand it over so that peace will never remain. The loyalists and Unionists of Ireland do engage in constant conflicts.

Kilmainham is Ireland's oldest prison. Built in 1700's and closed down in 1912. It was reopened as a museum in 1962 by the then president of Ireland who was an inmate in the same prison.

In 1916 the Easter rising was a land mark event in Irish history where fighters occupied key buildings in city center which was nerve center for British control in Ireland. But they were subdued and many of the freedom fighters were sent to this Prison. Out of them fourteen of the leaders were executed. Everyone this death is the end of everything but i now believe it is the start. The news of the execution spread like wild fire which motivated every single Irish soul to fight for a free Republic.In 1922 the glorious day did arrive, the day the flag unfurled symbolizing the green unionist and the Orange Loyalist living in harmony with peace as pristine as White in between. Outside the prison in commemoration tot he 14 great souls of Ireland you can find an artists impressions with holes on the chest. Those 14 lives were taken by a firing squad!

This prison left its mark in 50 Hollywood movies and Ireland's own son Bono made an early video of his song 'celebration' here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TLkbrQBhaU

For More pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/badri.nair/KilmainhamGaol#