Rediculousness

Oh, Canada

Wednesday, September 28

Ok, so I'm a little patriotic especially when living overseas but I have to
say I just read the text from the speech our new GG (Governor-General)
Michaëlle Jean and it made my Canadian heart beat a little faster. For any
non-Canadians who might be reading this the GG is one of the last political
remnants of our colonial past. The GG acts as the Queen of Englands
representative in Canada. While they have no real power the GG has been a
strong symbol of Canadian values and a high profile appointed states person
that represents the values and makeup of Canada.

I liked our last GG Adrienne Clarkson. She was an impressive women who
supported the arts and being an immigrant born in Hong Kong represented the
diversity of Canada which we don't always see in Parliament. The speech
from the new GG was inspirational and made me proud to be a Canadian. With
it she put behind her any controversy about her affiliations with separatism
and her story about understanding freedom from growing up with tyranny in
Haiti made me think I take my freedom for granted. She talked like Canadian
determined to show us what we all can be and promote the solidification of
those vague ideals that make us Canadian. I wish her luck and hope that she
can live up to the expectations I have after reading that speech. Check it
out here if you're interested
http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4574

nicholas, 10:23 PM | link | 1 comments |

Polyphonic Horn Tones

So I was walking across the street today taking a long lunch when I realized
I am way to comfortable near death standing in the middle of traffic with
cars coming within inches on either side of me honking and sometimes
shouting. Back home if some one honks at me they are likely to get the
finger but now I barely notice. I think it's a common symptom of living in
Chandigarh called horn depthness. Mads and I were talking and it seems
there needs to be a new more noticeable horn.

Cell phones have polyphonic rigntones and now even MP3s so why can't we have
them in cars? Wouldn't it be nice in an auto rickshaw when that scooter cuts
you off the driver lays on the horn and out comes "Every buddy was kung-fu
fighting, those kids were fast as lightning ..." or maybe some Marley "Stir
it up, come darlin stir it up ..." I think this can be a hit product in
India and may help make driving in Chandigarh more pleasant. On second
thought everyone here will have some Punjabi or Bollywood song blaring from
their horns all the time, maybe I'll scrap the idea.

nicholas, 4:38 AM | link | 0 comments |

Been Awhile

Monday, September 26

So no one is reading this becuase I'm a bad blogger and never blog.  I'm going to be better though, I promise.
 
So last week we got back from Leh in kashmir.  It was so nice to get away from Chandigarh and see some of India.  I wrote everyone about that trip already though so this is about last weekend in Chandigarh.
 
Saturday night was one of those ridiculous things that happen in India.  After getting good and drunk plaing drinking games with my two friends from Denmark we headed to Arizona, supposidly the best night club in town.  Of course it was couples night.  A strange rule they have in Chandigarh to try to get girls to the bar where guys can only get in if they come with a girl.  This generally results in no one being in a bar since most girls in the city are not allowed out after 8:30.  So we argued with the bouncer for about 15 min before calling it quits to wander to another bar Blue Ice where the couple rule is less strict if you're white (I know it's awful but hey we needed more drinks). On the way we ran into a rickshaw driver party where they were playing instruments and singing on the sidewalk. There were about 30 of them and they offered for us to sit with them and gave us the instruments to try. Then the chilim came out (you can look it up if you want) and we all hung out for about 30 min singing and playing tablas which I'm very bad at.  Then the party just ended and the drivers started to set up their beds right there and go to sleep.
 
So it was off to Blue Ice for one more drink.  Again a brief discussion with the bouncer before the manager came and let us into the empty club and had to reopen the bar for us since it was past 12.  Anyway it was a surreal night and the kind of thing that just seems to happen around here.
 
Take care, love you all
nicholas, 7:57 AM | link | 0 comments |