1500 done :)

Completing this list item only took approximately a gazillion years! No biggie.

1000 done, 1500 left

#40 on my list is to complete a 1,500 piece puzzle. I am working my way up by doing 100, 500 and 1000 pieces puzzles. I finally finished the 1000 piece puzzle a couple of weekends back and can see the light at the end of the tunnel :)


make gifs

Wandering in Vienna

Obligatory travel book and beer shot! And yes, R wears his ring on the wrong finger

We visited Austria in September of last year for a very short trip.
From my history classes in school, I knew the country was once the center of power of the vast Austria-Hungary Empire, the pivotal role it played in the First World War and of its participation in the Second. I was also well aware of the country's invaluable contribution to music and art.
However, nothing in my history lessons would prepare me for the majesty of Vienna's palaces, the eccentricities of Sissi and the Habsburg family, the beauty of Melk Abbey and the pure joy of listening to a Viennese Opera or seeing Klimt's The Kiss in person.

Paris, Je t'aime

This one speaks for itself

# 30 on my list, (hold up, why is it number thirty on my list? I think I've wanted to go to Paris since before I was born, if that were possible. I think it should be 1 or 5 at worst. But too late, what's written is written!) Anyhow, as I was saying, #30 on my list is to visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and sit in a cafe and be all French. I am going to save you the suspense ... we finally did! :)

We also visited Austria in the same holiday, so will write more about both countries along with our itineraries soon.

A Separation

# 39 on my List is to watch all of the Oscar winners for Best Foreign Film from 1980 till present.

A saw A Separation (2011, Iran) a few months ago. I'll only be adding to the volumes of high praise for this film - but it deserves all the adulation and more. It was poignantly written, beautifully shot and brought to life by characters that are so flawed and real that despite it being set in a country that is foreign to me their reactions and emotions so universal.

A portrayal of modern day Iran, the conflict of the letter of religious law vs. the spirit of law and a family that struggles, fighting fiercely for what each believes to be right. The film is exquisite and shot almost like a thriller with a fast pace and a lot of sequences in confined spaces of a small apartment, a stairway or the corridors of court.

Amongst many images of the movie that I still remember so vividly, a dialogue that has stuck with me is between Nadir and Simin, the couple around whom the story centers. They live in Tehran with their 11 year old daughter and Nadir's father who has Alzheimer's. In principle, they have agreed to eventually move abroad for their daughter, where they hope her prospects might be better. Simin is ready to move but Nadir wants to stay for his father's sake.
"But he doesn't even know you!", his wife says. "No, but I know him."

No Man's Land

# 39 on my List is to watch all of the Oscar winners for Best Foreign Film from 1980 till present.

Rohit and I saw No Man's Land (Ničija zemlja, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2001) a couple of weeks ago.

I know there has been a whole tide of movies exposing the absurdity and utter futility of war regardless of how justifiable it may be and No Man's Land is part of that genre - but just when you think you know how the movie is about to develop the director, Tanovic, douses all your optimistic expectations with cold, harsh reality.

The film is about three men trapped in a trench in No Man's land between Serbian and Bosnian lines. The trench becomes a microcosm of the Serbia-Bosnian conflict and the exchanges and relationship between the three men is so compelling and honest that it is at times difficult to watch. The other part of the film highlights the impotence of the United Nations and the conceit of the omnipresent media which is in equal parts frustrating and sad.

Darkly satirical, the film is intelligent and ferocious and I think an important one for our generation and the ones ahead to watch. 

Peru- The Amazon Forest

There is something strange about having made this list,  I find that I am actually finally doing all the things I've always wanted to do. I don't know if it has some fatalistic reason behind it all or just simply putting things down on paper (or in this case a blog!) makes you focus on what's important but that does not explain how things happen almost accidently - whatever the reason it makes me happy so it can't be all bad!
No 10 on my list is to photograph an endangered species.
I did it while in the Amazon forest in Peru. The beautiful Giant River Otter.

Peru - Machu Picchu

After our amazing train journey, we arrived in Cuzco late Monday evening. The city is lovely, all cobbled stones, old buildings and friendly people. We drove down to our hotel in Urubamba, Tambo del Inka. If you are planning a vacation to Peru, I couldn't recommend this hotel more - it was perfect in everyway.

Cuzco
 

Peru - The Andean Explorer

After a couple of days at Lake Titicaca, we left for Cusco by the Andean Explorer - which was so much more than just a journey.
We took the train from Puno to Cusco and the experience was exquisite with the most stunning views of the Peruvian countryside. After the jump, there are a lot of pics because words are pretty much inadequate.

Peru - Lake Titicaca

Remnants of the recent election

It has been a tough couple of months so I haven't felt like blogging much but I wanted to write about our trip to Peru before I forget all the little details that very often make the journey. 
We started off our journey at Puno, Lake Titicaca and stayed at the Casa Andina private collection. The hotel sits right on the Lake with an unbelievable view every morning and the service was exceptional (something I noticed throughout Peru).

The Andean Trail

#2 on my list is to visit Machu Picchu 

 

I remember seeing pictures of this lost city of the Incas while flipping through the National Geographic Magazines in our town library as a young girl and later on watching the History Channel programs on the Inca Empire - and while I admittedly put it on The List I never really thought it would be something I would be seeing anytime in the near future. 

Fast forward to December 31st 2010, when Rohit and I were making our New Years resolutions, on a whim we put visiting Peru on there (Sidenote: If I'm on it and completely committed I usually only manage to complete about a quarter of my resolutions so I wasn't entirely certain we'd manage to visit but I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping like crazy!). 

Peru - Why yes, I need to get my US Drivers license and Rohit gave up writing his resolutions after 4! 

However, in August of this year, it somehow all came together and Rohit and I planned, crossed our fingers and toes, planned some more and got on a flight to magical Peru. 

Machu Picchu: 16-17 Aug 2011: So happy! Also, while there wasn't much to be scared of, I was terrified sitting on the edge of this rock! 

I'll be back with more pics and stories from the trip over the next few days.

"In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle." - Hiram Bingham

Babette's Feast (1987)

# 39 on my List is to watch all of the Oscar winners for Best Foreign Film from 1980 till present.

Babette's Feast via Google Images

I saw Babette's Feast last weekend.
It is a gentle, charming and quiet film. The performances are impeccable and it is one of the most beautiful films I've seen about food. However, while I enjoyed Babette's Feast, I'm surprised it won the Oscar. The only other film I've seen from that year is Au Revoir les Enfants (which was also in the running for the Oscar) and I thought it was far more moving and dramatic with a climax that had me bawling.

Have Moscow Does not Believe in Tears next in my Netflix queue and I'm really looking forward to it!
 

Mr Darcy.

Source: theneotraditionalist.com via Shreya on Pinterest

On a related note, I restarted Mansfield Park, I felt I wasn't doing it justice and while I still wish Fanny had a backbone it's now a more elder sisterly feeling of wanting to stand up for her while still wishing she had backbone!  

Piece of mind

As my many extremely observant blog readers would have noticed, I did pick up the 500 piece puzzle a while back but just hadn't gotten around to doing it. I know my excuses seem cliched but I truly feel like I've been on a roller coaster and I just want the ride to stop and want to get off. now. please. pretty please?

So anyhow, last weekend, I had time to finally attack the puzzle!

I think I have a strategy down (sort of), I create the outline with all the pieces that are easily recognizable with the flat edges ...

And then slowly fill in the puzzle ...

All done - It definitely took me longer than the 100 piece puzzle, but it was actually kind of fun! The whole each part in its place really appeals to my organized mind. 

100 down, 1500 to go (via 500 and 1000)!

Getting there ...

Almost ...

Done!

En route to #40 on my list, I decided to do a couple of smaller puzzles (100, 500, 1000 and finally 1500); just tried the 100 piece this evening which was pretty easy and also fun.

Puzzled

# 40 on my List is to complete a 1,500 piece puzzle.

via Google Images

What is important to note here, is that the last puzzle I did was approximately 103 years ago and I think it had a total of 7 pieces, so I'm completely at a loss as to how I even begin. I'm planning to pick up a 100 piece puzzle and then progress to a 500 piece puzzle and then a 1000 piece one and finally a 1500 piece one! 

(Sidenote: I will dismantle and donate all my ladder-rungs-to-the-real-thing puzzles hopefully to a little kid somewhere or a puzzle enthusiast and will keep only the 1,500 piece one - assuming I get there) 

For the 100 piece one, I am planning to get one of the Map of the USA; having been in this country for about 4 years now I am unfortunately still not completely confident about parts of its geography so this ought to help (!) and I figured it would be useful to the previously mentioned little kid somewhere once I donate it!

Nowhere in Africa

via Google Images

# 39 on my List is to watch all of the Oscar winners for Best Foreign Film from 1980 till present.

Last night I crossed another one off my list when I saw Nowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika, Germany, 2002).

The film is based on an autobiographical novel by Stefanie Zweig and it tells the story of a Jewish family who flee the Nazi regime and emigrate to Kenya during the second World War. The movie is a lot of things, an expansive romance, a coming of age story a slice of history ... but at its heart its the story of a family, their fear, confusion, love and constantly shifting desires.

I thought the movie was understated, graceful, touching and had some really beautiful cinematography. The performances were flawless and tender.

Making History

# 11 on my To Do List is to Spend a Night in a Historic Hotel.

I completed it last week, but it was entirely unexpected and looking back on my list, I realize its one of the few items I could actually do without any planning or concerted effort on my part (however, now that I think about it, I could technically end up diving with a whale shark entirely without my knowledge!) I was delighted when I realized where we were staying and couldn't stop jumping up and down (I literally jump up and down when I am happy!) 

The El Convento in Old San Juan is over 350 years old and was originally the Monastery of Our Lady Carmen of San Jose and is situated right across the (lovely, blue, cobbled) street from the San Juan Cathedral. In the early 60's it opened as the El Convento Hotel.

Hotel El Convento

The hotel was elegant, timeless and filled with so much old world charm - I fell in love with it at first sight and all the wonderful little details left me spellbound - the tiled stairs, the terracotta floors, the wooden antique chests, shuttered doors & windows and that lovely mustard color that complements all the beautiful greenery around!

View from outside the rooms

Tiled Staircase

San Juan Cathedral

Old San Juan

:)

All About My Mother

# 39 on my List is to watch all of the Oscar winners for Best Foreign Film from 1980 till present.

I saw 'All about my Mother' (Todo Sobre Mi Madre, Spain, 1999) last weekend.

It was a beautiful movie - a highly emotional journey of loss, grief, comedy, friendship, family and love. A tale of women supporting each other through life, and as it so often happens, the absurd tragedies it brings. Almodovar has a gift for writing women's roles; and in this tribute to women, each one of the female characters in the film (including the drag queen) is so effortlessly real, tender, vulnerable and full of grace.  
I though La Agrado (Antonia San Juan) and Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes) were incredible but the movie belongs to Manuela (Cecilia Roth) who infuses the film with warmth and heart.


On a partially related note, I am eventually going to finish Mansfield Park but have sort of (willingly!) got side tracked by The English Patient which has me transported into a world I don't want to leave just yet. Also, Fanny Price in Mansfield Park, unfortunately, has to be my least favorite Jane Austen heroine. 

p.s. I just realized I'm halfway through #39! (yaaaay!)

Northanger Abbey

# 19 on my To Do List is to read all six of Jane Austen's novels.

I love Jane Austen because of the wry humor, charm and deeply perceptive observations of human nature that is her writing.

Jane Austen in Bath via Pemberley 

I just finished reading Northanger Abbey a couple of days ago. It was her first novel but the last one to be published. The book is largely a parody of the gothic novel, a genre that was extremely popular in Austen's time.

I liked the book a lot, maybe it wasn't as polished as her later novels, but it had an innocence about it and I enjoyed the parody, the relationship between Catherine and Henry and the "villains" getting their comeuppance. I also really liked it because with the frequent interruptions from the author I felt there was so much more of Austen in this book.

I cannot wait to read Mansfield Park which is next on my list!