A Day in Paris

Today is the first day of third decade of my life and what could be the best way to celebrate this grand day than to blog about the day I walked aimlessly around Paris,  one of most romantic cities in the world. My journey to Paris started with a long journey of seven hours of bus ride around midnight and ended in the early chilly morning at the heart of Paris. Since it was my first trip to Paris, I was kind of lost in finding metro to Eiffel Tower so after having English breakfast in cafe, I asked around for the direction and was more confused due to language barrier. Nevertheless, one man saw my confusion on my face, I suppose because he gave me the proper directions to get to metro station and I rushed towards it, he yelled at me, 'don't lost' which I understood as 'don't get lost'. After hopping on the train, I was so amazed and mesmerized by the varied and beautiful architectures. I can still feel the excitement and chill when I think of that exact moment I saw Eiffel Tower. I had been dreaming my whole life to catch a glimpse of the tower and when the fantasy turns into reality, I had difficult time to realize that it is happening. I had to pinch myself several times and blink my eyes uncountable times. The first time I laid my eyes on the magnificent Eiffel Tower I was on the cloud nine. Standing in the long queue with chilly wind giving me Marilyn Monroe moment with every piece of my clothing flying in every direction. But when I was on the top of Eiffel Tower, the wait in cold weather was worth. The whole city of Paris could be seen like tiny town of ants in a very cute way. While I was enjoying the view of Paris from the top, I overheard someone crying and turned around to see a girl sobbing and her boyfriend consoling her. I still wonder whether her cry was of joy of being on the top or out of fright and phobia of height. I was also touched enough to shed few drops of tears but I was busy with appreciating the beauty of the Eiffel Tower and the city of Paris.



After being on the top of Eiffel Tower I went to an open restaurant to have lunch and was being serve by one of most sexiest and handsome French waiter. I flirted a bit with him till I had to drag my arse out of the restaurant. Rest of the afternoon, I walked aimlessly around the city and by the river Seine. The breeze was chilly but it relaxed my nerves but at the same time it made me feel the urge to pee. I wanted to take a break to attend nature's call and landed up drinking wine in one of the open restaurants. As I sipped the red wine I watched beautiful people walking around with their cute dogs. In that moment I could really live in the moment and was grateful of all the things that was happening to me. I wasn't done with the city yet so I roamed around the city and visited few shops but couldn't purchase anything as the main aim of coming to Paris was to explore the city. I was walking and window shopping till my feet ached. I again visited an open bar and ordered a beer and flirted with the handsome waiter for a while. I am still unable to comprehend why the waiters are so fucking good looking.



I was meaning to witness the flickering Eiffel Tower and had to wait for that one minute of beauty while the cold winter tortured each and every bone of my body. When the tower finally flickered, it took my breath away and it was one of the most beautiful things that I have seen in my life. As the flickering light went off, the tower regained its original beauty and with this I walked back to metro station to reach me to bus station which will take me back to Amsterdam.



The trip to Paris was worth the money, time, energy, and pain. The most fascinating thing about Paris is the Eiffel Tower and French men, I tell you French men are the most good looking which left me swooning over them. I had been dying to visit Paris and with my visit, one list from my bucket list is finally ticked. Paris, you are magnificent!



And here are some of the beautiful pictures from my collection.
                                           

Delhi, Capital City of India

I lived in India for five long years but I never got a chance to visit the capital city of India for various reasons. Nevertheless, on the second month of the year on my way to Amsterdam I had an opportunity to halt at Delhi for three days to process my visa. In this blog I will be writing lessons that I learned from my trip and stay during at Delhi. Before I get into the details of the trip, I should let you [my wonderful and faithful readers] know that I have never traveled in group. I was more of a solo traveler. I love traveling alone as it let me explore places on my own pace. This trip to Delhi involved twelve individuals, including me, so it was a very big group. Now the thing about group traveling is that everything needs to be planned beforehand elaborately with everyone present which at times prolong the planning with one or two persons coming late. Gathering is a big problem and coming to a common understanding is problematic as well. After a lengthy process of planning, when it's time to implement it into action, there is always an executive who turns up majestically late with no hint of guilt and shame for letting rest of the group members wait. Traveling in group can test your patience and teach you to accept individual differences.



But the good thing is whatever happens, there are bunch of people to back up and we can bank onto them for aid as and when necessary. For instance, while we were inside the Netherlands Embassy one of our friends had some problem in reading his fingerprints for bio-metric test and rest of us were supportive and understanding of his problem. I clearly remember how one of us went to help him by taking few tissue rolls to dry his hands to show his fingerprints. Incidents like this makes me feel thankful to be a part of group. The chances of getting lost is also very minimal. And not to forget, the charm to explore the city in group is uniquely refreshing.



In short, Delhi trip made me patient, felt strong bond/sense of belongingness, sink-or-swim attitude, and gratitude.



The area where we put up for the duration of three days was in Manju-ka-tilla, Tibetan Colony. The place looks very similar to that of Bhutan. People looks the same and cuisine is of palatable. I had been feasting on Korean cuisine and I very much miss Sushi and Kumchi here at The Netherlands. I am kind of fed up of having sandwiches within few days over here. And coffee is making me feel pukish [let me take a blame for over-consuming to get over my jetlagged bodily function]. Even now, I am jetlagged FYI.



I always wanted to visit Agra to see Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, since we were extremely busy with visa processing. Hopefully, I shall get a chance to visit Taj Mahal if I ever come to Delhi in future.



The thing that bothers me the most is ever since I left Bhutan, I didn't read even a page. I have two thick books in my handbag but never got a time to read. It kind of breaks my heart but I think I read more than enough. I am still trying to manage my time well to slot in the break for reading. I feel incomplete without reading. I can't wait for the training to get over and get back to Bhutan so that I can read in peace.



Until then, hoping to make the best use of my stay here at The Netherlands and to learn the most from the training. BTW, Amsterdam is very cold and we have to walk everywhere. I have hardly seen most of the parts of my body for it has been under the thick and warm clothes. Much love from Amsterdam!

First Month of the Year

I always believe the first month of the year kind of set the flow and mood for the remaining eleven months therefore I make sure to carefully say and do things which brings peace and positive vibe to me and people around me. As the second month starts I couldn't help reflecting on how the first month of the year went by. And what could be the best way to reflect than to write on the happenings of the first month.



The year started with a bang in professional field and I have never been so busy and preoccupied with academic work, which of course denied me of holidays but intellectually provided me a chance to explore and to learn something very new. I have spent endless waking hours with researching and reading literature related to the work I was assigned with. There were times when I was tempted to give up but stubborn part of me wasn't  willing to give in to the temptation, which had me reading countless literature making me more confused with each reading. Nevertheless, I was very much satisfied with the end result with me learning and widening my horizon in terms of intellectual areas beyond my comfort zone and forte. Looking back on the quantity and quality of academic work I have done in the first month, I am cent per cent sure that professionally this year I am yet to learn and grow as a person. I live by the philosophy: 'Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.' Learning never stops and every single day I learn with great enthusiasm. I might stand as a proud and happy person professionally but I am not so happy for my inability to devote time to my parents and family members. While others went to spend time with their respective families, I was struggling to make sense out of complicated literature readings. I used to have days and nights all to myself and once it strike me that I haven't spoken to anyone and uttered a word apart from self-directed speech. It was scary to reach to that realization that I had been living like a sole person who have cut all contacts with people in the world. The moment I realized that I called my mommy dearest and spoke with her. Now when I reflect on those days, I never forget to thank Almighty for keeping me safe and sound. Yet, I shudder with fear for living isolated and lone life. I ain't extrovert but more like an introvert type. I would prefer alone time than to socialize with people. I party with my books than with people. Most of the nights I would be reading with either a bottle of beer or wine (selecting the liquor based on my mood). Living alone made me a strong person with an acceptance of being happy in my own company.



Readers tend to lead a lonely life as if you happen to be a reader then you have to  choose the company of books over humans. My target for this year is to read 70 books and I have finished 15 books in the first month. I had been reading as if my life depends on it. The main reason for putting so much efforts in reading was that I will be in sync and won't dare to break the flow of reading. Half of my monthly salary goes to purchasing books and if I am left without unread books on my bookshelf then I panic therefore I land up buying books as an emergency stock. The only thing I would leave behind after my death would be those most cherished and treasured books. The books on my bookshelf aren't just books those are my babies. And my babies are the only thing which will break my heart to depart with. Every morning I stand in front of my bookshelf for few minutes to admire the collections of the books.  I spend my free time in cleaning and decorating of bookshelf. Apart from reading I had been encouraging others to make a habit of reading by letting them lend them book, of course with a warning to take good care of my baby. I always try to convince people to read at which I fail so miserably. Nevertheless, I shall not cease to encourage people to read.



It has been almost 7 years since I started my life as a working woman and for the first time in 7 years I am right back to square one. I am living in an empty space of my house with no furniture. I am yet to buy furniture for my house. Though it is a thing of pride to give away old furniture to my siblings, it feels so incomplete to walk into a empty house. I will start all over again with baby-steps. I won't mind not to own any furniture but the scary thing is at times my empty house looks like haunted house. The experience of spending a month in an empty house taught me how to find happiness in nothingness. Not owning things can be blissful and instill non-attachment feelings towards everything in this physical world. Now, the task and focus of the year is to ensure to purchase necessary and required furniture for the house, if only I could spare some amount after spending on books.




For forthcoming eleven months I wish to be busy with my work, to read countless books, and be happy with what I have. The first month has been one of the kind. And I had been truly blessed with such a wonderful life.