Wopswede, Germany - Deepak Mashinder and Abha visit

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Wopswede, Germany - Deepak Mashinder and Abha visit - July 2011

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Wopswede is a lovely little town near Bremen in Germany - I. Mashinder and Abha visited it and spent the entire day walking around it - savoring the flavor of the times and Abha bought lots of beautiful little souveniers from the quaint little old times shops there. It was a really very happy and satisfying day and reminded me of the good old days when things were beautiful and life was simple and uncomplicated. Good friends are really a gift from the Gods.

Wopswede, Germany - Deepak Mashinder and Abha visit

Wopswede is a lovely little town near Bremen in Germany - I. Mashinder and Abha visited it and spent the entire day walking around it - savoring the flavor of the times and Abha bought lots of beautiful little souveniers from the quaint little old times shops there. It was a really very happy and satisfying day and reminded me of the good old days when things were beautiful and life was simple and uncomplicated. Good friends are really a gift from the Gods.

BREMEN - ABHA MASHINDER DEEPAK - JULY 2011

http://deepakdemoninlove.multiply.com/photos/album/58   - YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTOS IN THE ALBUM ON THE SITE
Mashinder dove us in his car to Bremen - and on the way we enjoyed the impeccable German landscape - precision is the word that comes to mind when one thinks of Germany and we arrived at Bremen in good spirits. It is really a very fine city! We roamed all around the town area and savored the wonderful architecture of the buildings. many many wonderful statues, beautiful gardens and flowers, fascinating bylanes of old Bremen where there were quaint shops -each different from the next and each selling its own brand of goods. The cobble stones and the bicycle tracks were so nice to see. And the discipline amazing. No one - I repeat - No one every violated a traffic rule even though we seldom saw the traffic police!

BREMEN - GERMANY - DEEPAK ABHA MASHINDER JULY 2011

Mashinder dove us in his car to Bremen - and on the way we enjoyed the impeccable German landscape - precision is the word that comes to mind when one thinks of Germany and we arrived at Bremen in good spirits. It is really a very fine city! We roamed all around the town area and savored the wonderful architecture of the buildings. many many wonderful statues, beautiful gardens and flowers, fascinating bylanes of old Bremen where there were quaint shops -each different from the next and each selling its own brand of goods. The cobble stones and the bicycle tracks were so nice to see. And the discipline amazing. No one - I repeat - No one every violated a traffic rule even though we seldom saw the traffic police!

My Favorite Things - Julie Andrews

This is one of the most wonderful songs of the immortal Musical :-
The Sound of Music - and it is a lesson to all of us - always remember
your favourite things and you will never feel sad .....!

State Bank of India - Info | Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/State-Bank-of-India/109615492390053?sk=info
And this is something about the great bank where I have worked for over 30 Years!

Berlin, Germany - Abha Rumi, Mashinder, Karan and Deepak - July 2011

Mashinder with his wife Rumi and son Karan, drove us in their car to Berlin and it was really a wonderful city. The Autobahn ride was in itself an experience as always. They took turns driving and finally after driving through wonderful countryside all like paintings of the masters, we arrived at Berlin. We first walked through a wonderful park with beautiful flowers and a great Old Windmill right out of Cervantes. And then we took a bustop tour of the great city of Berlin! We saw the Berlin wall. We saw the beautiful buildings. We strolled through amazing Malls. We saw wonderful architecture, We walked all around the famous Checkpoint Charlie where the Russians and the Americans came face to face when Berlin fell during the Second World War. There are no ends to the wonders of Berlin steeped in History. I will try to add more to this blog as time passes - but one is well advised to read the History of Germany and the 2nd World War too and then go to Berlin and savour its flavor!

6 Degrees Warming - Global Dimming

6 Degrees Warming - Global Dimming

Deepak's Site - Neu Schwanstien - The Schloss - Abha Deepak Mrinal - our visit to Germany July 2011

http://deepakdemoninlove.multiply.com/photos/album/56/Neu_Schwanstien_-_The_Schloss_-_Abha_Deepak_Mrinal_-_our_visit_to_Germany_July_2011
This album has some photos of the most incredibly beautiful Schloss Neu Swanstein in Germany where we went with Mrinal. I have posted a description also on the photo album. Click on the link to go to the album!

Neu Schwanstien - The Schloss - Abha Deepak Mrinal - our visit to Germany July 2011

Mrinal drove us from Innsbruck, Ellbogen, Austria, to this beautiful Castle in Germany one day. The drive through the Austrian Alps was amazingly like a drive through the mountains of our dreams. Lush vegetation, beautiful villages and towns, incredible tunnels - one was 14 KM long, with lighting and superb roads and speeds of 80-90 KMPH even inside the tunnel - WOWEEEEE!
And then finally we had our first glimpse of this most beautiful of Castles of the world. In Germany they are called a Schloss - but I will use the word Castle. Lush meadows led us to the beautiful town at the base of the hills where it was built.
Everyone who has seen the great musical movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" must have been enthralled in the scene where the flying car flies over a castle and that castle was Neu Schawanstien! Find the You Tube link to the song - and enjoy the castle!
I will add to this blog in a while - but enjoy the photos till I manage to put in a more comprehensive description! We were not allowed to use the Flash in the Castle and it was not too brightly lit from inside to preserve the paintings and fresco in the Castle, so I am only posting the ones which were clear. Unfortunately the part of the movie where the car flies over the Neu Schwanstein Castle has been removed from You Tube due to some copyright infringement - but you all can see the movie all right when you get it.
AND ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, I saw a calender of the castle and was so impressed by its pristine beauty that I PAINTED THE NEU SCHWANSTIEN CASTLE WITH A ROCKY FACE, never having seen it and not knowing that one day I would actually be standing inside it.. I am posting that painting my me also in this album - albeit with a little artistic license ha ha
Deepak and Abha!!

SELIGENSTADT, GERMANY - ABHA DEEPAK VISIT WITH MRINAL PETRA ALBAN DANIEL

We went with Mrinal and Petra and their kids Alban and Daniel to SELIGENSTADT which is a beautiful Monastery near Frankfurt. We had great pastries at a cafe also. The most beautiful thing about that Monastery, aside from its beautiful medieval architecture, were the gardens. I am sure that the variety of plants and different variations of apples can not be found in any single garden anywhere, other then the Botanical Gardens of the Universities or the Government.
We were so happy there with the wonderful weather and the company of Petra and Alban and Daniel, that we remained smiles all the way. The Monks had cultivated an incredible assortment of rare medicinal herbs too. In a way it was like the Dream Garden that Abha carries close to her heart.!

REMBRANDT HOUSE MUSEUM - AMSTERDAM - MASHINDER ABHA DEEPAK JULY 2011

Mashinder drove us from his house at Hepstedt, Germany, to Amsterdam, which happens to be among the best and most wonderful cites in Europe we visited. Suffice it to say that it is "DIFFERENT" as I have described in the other album on Amsterdam.
The highlight of our visit to Amsterdam was the Wonderful Rembrant museum, which has been made in the very house he lived in.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈrɛmbrɑnt ˈɦɑrmə(n)soːn vɑn ˈrɛin], 15 July 1606[1] – 4 October 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history.[2] His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age.
Having achieved youthful success as a portrait painter, his later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial hardships. Yet his etchings and paintings were popular throughout his lifetime, his reputation as an artist remained high,[3] and for twenty years he taught many important Dutch painters.[4] Rembrandt's greatest creative triumphs are exemplified especially in his portraits of his contemporaries, self-portraits and illustrations of scenes from the Bible. His self-portraits form a unique and intimate biography, in which the artist surveyed himself without vanity and with the utmost sincerity.[2]
In his paintings and prints he exhibited knowledge of classical iconography, which he molded to fit the requirements of his own experience; thus, the depiction of a biblical scene was informed by Rembrandt's knowledge of the specific text, his assimilation of classical composition, and his observations of Amsterdam's Jewish population.[5] Because of his empathy for the human condition, he has been called "one of the great prophets of civilization."[6]
The tour of the museum was fantastic, and we were given Voice Recorders which gave a running commentry on each painting in each room we visited. Rembrandt also had a great collection of busts of the head including a skull which must have helped him to paint the human face in true perspective. His studio where he painted showed all the original tools and brushes and palates he used along with the original paints he mixed. Once one has seen any of his paintings, one can but understand why he has been the greatest of the Dutch Master School of Artists.
We took many photographs, but since the lighting was dim and flash lights were not allowed, some are not so clear. But still they are all precious memories of a wonderful unforgettable visit to Amsterdam, and testimonials to the power of friendship which brought Mashinder and us together after 35 years without any contact!
Thank you Internet and technology which made it all possible.

AMSTERDAM - DEEPAK ABHA MASHINDER - JULY 2011

Mashinder put us in his car and off we went to a drive of over 500 KM to Amsterdam. And what a wonderful city it was. Just when we finally parked the car and had walked a little way across a bridge, the rain clouds loomed over the sky. We took refuge in a little shop and were pleasantly surprised to find that besides souvenirs, chocolate, coffee and trinkets, they also sold tickets for a Canal Cruise. Soon the clouds receded after a slight drizzle and we were on the Cruise Ship, cruising along the canals of Amsterdam.
I was amazed to see the extent of canals which crisscrossed the city. We passed many monuments and other constructions along the way and covered a very large portion of Amsterdam. The cruise ship was completely covered with glass covering so we could get a great view on all sides. We admired the many bridges the most. At one point one could see 7 Bridges simultaneously while going down one of the canals. Amsterdam is a city meant for Tourists.
Everyone spoke English so we did not feel like strangers. The entire town was full of hundreds of shops selling an amazing variety of things ranging from dolls, postcards, paintings, do-it-yourself kits, coffee, great confectioneries, great food, and what not what not - not to forget the clothing stores. The roads were perfectly maintained. The whole local population of Amsterdam seemed to be riding on bicycles. No one ever crossed the road on a red traffic light, including the pedestrians. The architecture was enchanting. Mashinder had been there many years before, but he remembered the narrow by lanes of Amsterdam and took us across to that sector of the city.
Marijuana is allowed to be used in Amsterdam and there were shops selling reefers of Marijuana. We also bought one to smoke when we reached Hepstedt for the experience, but no one remembered it so it was never smoked ha ha.
The day was reaching a close, but we had time because Mashinder had booked us into one of the Hotels near the Schipol Airport, and we could get a train to town very easily from there. The hotel also had a bus which took passengers to Schipol and back, so we could roam all around Amsterdam till late night.
The next day we again went to town and saw new areas. In one of the lanes there is a house which has many many bells covering its walls and all the bells ring simultaneously at a particular time. Many tourists were waiting for the bells to ring. Amsterdam also has lots of famous places like Madame Taussads, and many museums where the Great Dutch Masters great paintings are displayed. Since we had only a two day stay there, I chose to see the Museum of one of the Greatest of the Dutch Masters - Rembrant!! I will write more about that museum which is in the original house where Rembrant lived. Suffice it to say that it was an experience like no other!!

Visit to Mashinder Rumi and Karan at Hepstedt North Germany - WONDERFUL11

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Visit to Mashinder Rumi and Karan at Hepstedt North Germany - WONDERFUL11

Our friend Mrinal put us on a train to Bremen via Hanover, in the nick of time after we arrived at the wrong station ha ha. The train was wonderful and so was the trip. I wonder how they manage to coordinate the entire system so efficiently. We passed through beautiful countryside, tunnels and little hamlets and towns on the way - they were all like one would see in a fairytale.
For the first time in many years, the trains were delayed due to some problem on a bridge but we were met at the station by Mashinder and he drove us the short distance of about 35 KM to Hepstedt where he and Rumi have a beautiful house.
This album is about them only and perhaps I may have to write a tome someday about this beautiful family. I am going to post some photos which will give every one an idea of this heaven on Earth.
AND CONTINUING NOW - the stay with Mashinder and Rumi was more and more enchanting hour by hour. Abha said that the couples marriage was so perfect that the marriage must have been arranged in Heaven. The days when we did not go out, they cooked up wonderful dishes including a PERFECT birthday party for me at Midnight on the 26th! Rumi had quietly baked a cake par excellence and they had the Champagne chilled to perfection - all done without me knowing about it!!
The day before we left, they made a wonderful Barbeque with coals in their beautiful garden .. I wish we were not going back to India ... and finally, just the two of them maintain that heavenly house as though some fairy waves a magic wand every day to keep it so perfect - imagine keeping a house with garden with 40 Trees and myriad other things so perfectly speck free ...

A short update of our Europe Trip

We landed at Frankfurt on the 4th of July, were met at the Airport by my old friend Mrinal - and over the next couple of weeks we have seen a lot of Frankfurt, Been to Paris, Zurich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Venice, Rottemburg, and so many other places including a wonderful Medevial Town, The Neuswanstien Castle with the incredible Mrinal - and will write in detail and post photos and descriptions of all the places by and by
We then came by train to Bremmen via Hanover and are now at my great mad friend Kundi's place in Hepstedt, North Germany. Mashinder is in a heaven built by himself here - I think that I will have to post a separate blog about his incredible house itself.
Today we drove with Mashinder and his very very wonderful wife Rumi to Hamburg, We walked around the beautiful city centre area, ate a great lunch at his favourite Chinese restraunt there and then took a City tour on the open top of a bus which showed us all the major attractions of this city of over 2 million people. The architecture is incredible and warrants a very detailed report which shall follow. Mashinder just booked rooms in a hotel and we shall be driving around 450 KM tomorrow to Amsterdam, Holland for a couple of days with him..
We hope all of our family and  friends are well and shining and happy and healthy
Adieu
Deepak and Abha 
 

PARIS - DEEPAK MRINAL ABHA JULY 2011

Details will follow - Mrinal drove us to Paris and we all had the time of our lives - This album is dedicated to Mrinal and Alban

PARIS - DEEPAK MRINAL ABHA JULY 2011

Descriptions will follow -these are some photos of our trip to Paris with our wonderful friend Mrinal

Winsor McCay's Little Nemo: The First True Animation, 1911 | Brain Pickings

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/06/30/winsor-mccay-little-nemo-first-animation-1911/comment-page-1/#comment-132562
This is the comment I just made on this site about Winsor Mckay :-
Quote :I just saw the incredible genius of Winsor Mckay in that great video on the making of “Little Nemo” and I was astounded at the greatness of the man – I am certain that no one in our present generation could possibly have conceived such a concept and even if they could have done it – I doubt that anyone would ever have the patience or the skills of imagination to break open the world of cartoons in this way – this is a Path breaking video and I think I have to salute Mckay as well as your website for this glorious experience!
Bow’s and exeunt
Deepak
Unquote