Ponto de Vista

Stockholm presented a face that was picture postcard perfect. The weather was warmer than my app had predicted, the sun was out, the sky was cloudless and the waters bluer than I’ve seen anywhere in a long time. Everything was welcoming, everything seemed to whisper, “Stay, stay, this is where you belong.” I didn’t fall for it (see what I did there?) Good weather is always followed by ridiculous cold. (And it was.) Anyway, I got in at about 1:30 on Saturday afternoon — sans luggage, that’s a different story — with the rest of my afternoon free and a rumbling tummy, so I hoofed it up the street, maneouvering sort of by instinct, kinda by map, away from Vasagatan (more…)

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But, first a nap.

Oh, and all the rooms are named after places, our room is Damão, the Portuguese name for Daman.
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Sigiriya. Monastery turned fortress/palace turned monastery –1,200 stairs of which I did several twice (don’t ask) and I have to wonder, how athletic were the monks and courtiers who did this multiple times a day? Or did they just lower baskets down for their groceries? Then I end up wondering about how they found footholds to paint these beautiful (very non-celibate) pictures on the sheer rock face.

Clockwise from the right:
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#Animals #amazing #compassion #beautiful #dogstarred #blog | February 02, 2016 at 08:02PM”>

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I spent an afternoon poking around the sheds with the engineers while researching a story on the Indian Railways’ mandate to switch from the very unsanitary drop-chute toilets we inherited from the British to zero-waste bio-toilets. It was totally fascinating. I was fully enthralled by all the various maintenance sections and tasks — rakes on elevated tracks, being painted, welded, shunted. All very cool.

And everyone at the Central Railways was delightful. I’ve never dealt with a branch of the government so efficient and eager to help. I’ve come away not only equipped with more respect and understanding for what they do (and how uphill a task it is to cater to our great unwashed junta) but also impressed with the engineers and the CPRO. Ask me about my contrasting *other* experience to really get why I’m so floored. 😉

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The sibling and I went to Caumsett State Park — everywhere we looked was glorious.
In foreground is the Long Island sound, and beyond is the Atlantic ocean.

Days like this, walking out amidst trees and breathing in the cleanest air, ducks on the water, geese overhead winging it south, the only sound the whisper of the breeze and the lapping of the gentle waves … I miss living here where there is space to get away to (though I love my life in Bombay.)
Anyway, what a view!
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