Summer of '09

" Oh when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life"

Ah....Sigh! I am back to the grind after two AWESOME months in Bangalore . The city , the IISc campus ( where i stayed ) , the clime , the food ( a gastronomic adventure to be precise : put some Chinese from Chungs ( or Chunk's :D ), some unparalleled Italian from Freska's , a much forgettable outing at Cafe Pazcuccino , heavenly Pizza Hut and to top it all the deadly DeathByChoc ( i have died thrice :P )and the gelato at Italicks ( where a certain much-feared Count happily glutted himself with Strawberry Sundae :D ) , and most importantly new-found buddies ( who are the REASON the entire experience was so much more memorable ) have left an indelible mark on my mind . The long walks through the canopied roads to the lab , the mess and back to the hostel , the mess-food :P , Tea-Board , Nesara, Gobi Manchurian etc. followed by infinitely long yaking sessions at midnight in Gym Cafe , associated lukkhagiri ( :P ) at JVH helped maintain an equipoise in my head which was just short of getting holistically screwed by the burden of my research project . This hurriedly-written post is dedicated to Bangalore and the folks ( especially N & S )there !!

Cheers ,
Count Grishnackh

Bangalore Blues

Ah!! What an awesome week this was !! It all started last sunday when i was pulled out from my typical languid couch-potato- like state ( my comfort zone :P ) at home and thrown (literally!!) into the mandatory summer-project groove . So , i took a bus from Mumbai to Bangalore ( a not-so-bad duration of 15 hrs ) and landed at IISc . For the unitiated , IISc ( Indian Institute of Science ) is a 100 year old premier research and science education situated on a 440-acre lush green campus in Bangalore . I was allotted a room not in a hostel but a Guest house and without a doubt , the Guest House is amazing like the pic will tell you . Besides the Guest house , the mess here is amazing . Never knew ( esp. After 3 yrs of Hostel food in VNIT ) that mess food could atleast match the satisfaction of Home-food .

After 5 days of hard work in the project ( which btw is super-exciting but super-tough too ) , i finally got a chance to chill out outside the campus today . Whoa ! The city impressed me to no limits. If i were to make a list of the fantastic things i found in this city it would be :

1. The Buses .... pretty good . Either equal to or better than BEST of Mumbai .
2. The Malls .... amazing . Definitely better than Mumbai .
3. The Chicks in the Malls and in the surroundings...the best these eyes have ever seen :D
4.The Rock n Metal Culture ....it runs in the blood of the youth of B'Lore for sure . I walked into a McD which was full of families and the usual Bachha party and the music being played to everyone's enjoyment was “ System of a Down “ etc. Where else my friends can you see such unabashed public appreciation for Metal Music ??
Went to a shop on Brigade Road ( recommended on Facebook ) .The shop had a bloody collection of shirts , posters , caps and wat not of every frickin metal band that has ever existed . Even the rarest of the Black Metal Band T-shirts were available all under one roof . I have checked out Metal T-Shirt Shops everywhere Mumbai , Madras , Nagpur , Delhi and even Himachal but abs. No match for this place !!
THIS IS THE METAL CAPITAL OF INDIA ( undoubtedly !)
5.The Pubs ...almost one springing out in every corner of the city . Heavy Metal Pubs inviting you to pitchers of beer or be it the usual Hard Rock Cafe , Sports Pub , Guzzler's Inn etc.
6.Etc. Etc. Etc . :P

This was my 1st week in B'Lore and it was mind-blowing to say the least . Have 8 more weeks to go . Lots of work surely , Lots of fun too hopefully !!
Ah... i am tired . After a day of pigging on pizza from Pizza Hut ( after 18 months :P ), Juices , Shakes from various parlors , 'Cookie Man ' Australian Cookies and Ice-cream , McD's etc.etc. And lastly writing this painfully long blogpost , I finally decide to call it a day .