Washrooms

It is interesting to see the different signs that are put up in the washrooms of hotels and restaurants.

Some are very simple like these

 

These are from a hotel in Amsterdam.

 

The entrance for this one is a common one (for Men and Women) This was in California where we had brunch at the Cliffhouse. The type of art used here is from the early fifties.

This is from La Bularia, an eating place in Amsterdam. From the drawings, one can make out that it is a Spanish joint.

 

 

One that I saw in France

 

 

I don’t know where I clicked this but the braille letters at the bottom indicate that they have thought of the blind people too.

 

In case people can’t read the “Ladies” sign, there is a picture of a girl alongside it. The drawing of the girl is in Mario Miranda style, but not actually by Mario. This is at the Baga beach, Goa (Hotel Britto)

 

Talking of toilets, I found this feedback system installed in Singapore airport (Changi) very interesting. After using the toilet, you can give your feedback by just pressing a button. What a simple and effective way for instant feedback.

 

Like me, all must have pressed “excellent” as can be seen here.

Coming back to washroom, this is one sign which needs no description. Every Indian anywhere in the world will know the meaning of this. Clicked this in an eating place in the suburbs of Mumbai.

 

 

 

The Clarinettist

A person who plays the Clarinet is a clarinettist so says the Wikipedia. Why I looked it up was because I came across a clarinettist when I had been to the church in Goa. Actually I was leaving the church after the Holy Mass when this man entered with a small rectangular box. The way he was holding the box, I realised that it had to be some musical instrument. 

He was holding it with such care and reverence that I realised here is someone who cares for his instrument and surely he must be a good player too.

So I followed him and reached the choir section. I stood in the side lines and observed him, the way he was still holding on to the handle of the case, waiting for the congregation to leave the church so that he could open his case and assemble the clarinet.

I am not an expert in these wind instruments, but I think he had a saxophone and a clarinet (correct me if I am wrong).

Very reverently he assembled all the pieces and tested for the note clarity.

They say that when you go to a new church for the first time you can make three wishes and this was a real quaint little church. This is the Holy Family Church at Alto-Porvorim, Goa.

I liked this statue outside the church, something different from the normal statues.   

The choir was supposed to sing for the first Holy Communion and I thought what better way to capture some music and song.

I managed to get some footage and put it together to make it into a 2 minute video.

Here it is for those who want to hear him play. 

Reis Magos (Part-I)

For a long time, I had been thinking of writing about Mario Miranda and his work, but some how I kept postponing it for some reason or the other.

Now I have the perfect reason to write and that is the historic Fort - Reis Magos in Goa.

Visited this place last month and I must say I am really impressed. It is a perfect example of how a place can be restored with out loosing its identity.  Thanks to Gerard da Cunha, who has done a wonderful job in bringing the place alive. In the first instance you may get the impression that he has done nothing, and that exactly is the highlight of the restoration – to maintain its original identity. In his own words “old monuments are just like corpse but unless you use a building you cannot maintain it. We can reclaim our heritage and earn from it”

The income from the entry tickets may not be substantial but think of the tourists that come from all over the world helping in the economy of the state.

Old materials and old methodology of restoration has been used to give the fort its air of authenticity.

I was also impressed by the staff present at every point, quietly doing their work. After you buy your entry ticket, there is a small vehicle which takes you up to the main gate (as its a steep climb)

Just before the main door of the fort there is this banyan tree. Its interesting to read the history of the tree.

It grew as a parasite on a coconut tree, eventually strangulating it. In 2008 the coconut tree caught fire. Without a core the banyan tree began to buckle and collapse. It was trimmed and held with steel ropes and a reinforced concrete column was cast in the hollow of the tree. The tree stabilized and the stays were removed in 2010.

Just as you enter you will notice a big hole in the roof. This was used to shoot (or throw hot oil) at the enemies who managed to reach that point

Inside the fort, time stands still and you are transported back by about three centuries.

I saw this canon which was mounted on carriages. These gun carriages were copied from the original that were found in Diu fort.

This was how it used to look before restoration.

There were originally 31 canons of which 7 are now left.

A close up of one of them shows some inscription, probably the date of manufacture and the insignia.

Reis Magos is the Portuguese name for the three wise men from the Bible.

The view from the top is magnificent with the Mandovi river in the forefront.

While we were going through the place there was this friendly parrot who was very interested in my friend’s camera.

I showed my camera to the parrot, but he did not even look at it. Nowadays even the birds know the difference between a DSLR and an ordinary camera.

 On the way out one has to go down a flight of steps (about 100+) and its real steep. Thankfully hand rails have been provided for safety.

Coming to the best part is an exhibition in the main hall and that brings us to one of my favourite cartoonist Mario Miranda.

More on this in part –II,  meanwhile a preview of the pictures that are coming in  part-II

Photographers and wedding

Weddings are one thing and wedding photographs are some thing else. I mean the ordeal one has to go through, to please the photographer. You have to pose in different ways over moats and in boats, holding hands looking into each others eyes . . . . .the list and requirement is endless. “No no, don’t get out of the car now, wait, slowly look to your right (with a smile) yes now slide out” comes the instruction. The poor girl is all ready to snap at the snapper, I mean the photographer but she has to grin and bear it.

Group photos with the couple look good, but getting the family members together at the right time is another big task. “Where is Kevin? Hey anyone saw Kevin? Just hold that click one second, our Kevin is coming, ah there he is, Kevin where the hell did you disappear? You and your cigarettes .. . . . .”
Come to think of it, I have even seen some priests in the church giving the Holy Eucharist “once more” as the photographer was “not ready” Where is the sanctity of it?
Why oh why can’t they just photograph the event as it is. It’s a moment of joy for the couple and all that are gathered there, and it should be captured as the event flows.
Here are some clicked at Bombay, Pune, Goa and Kerala. Some of them were clicked from the side line when they were actually posing for the official photographer. In the third one, the bride is with her cousins.