France

Whenever I used to see pictures of places in France in newspapers, magazines or travel websites, I was always inspired by the fascinating landscapes, the country's passion for art, food, wine and most importantly, its distinctive sense of fashion. I imagined what it would be like to spend lost days in the lush valleys of Loire or to get lured into one of the wineries in Bordeaux (well maybe luring S into these may be an easier task!) or to even simply roam around the gentle hills of Normandy...

We finally got an opportunity to visit France but lets say due to some ado on missing luggage, a bad knee injury and a chilly weather, we had to cut short our rather eventful trip to Paris and Versailles only, leaving my other dreams to remain a distant reality. Anyways, we found the "City of Lights" to be a perfect place to have our share of France, wine and cheese!

While on my trip, I read an interesting article on the Guardian, about the French. I had also heard and read that they were a bit rude and condescending, which made me a bit wary about them. But my personal experience was a bit different. I found the French to be highly proud of their language, at times annoyingly to the point that they would not respond unless you perfected to pronounce the words in its native accent! In a tourist city like Paris, I would expect the locals to speak or at least understand English, but that does not seem to be the case everywhere. However, leaving the language problem aside, I found them to be a helpful lot.

So here are some words/ sentences that may be useful while getting around in France. (I should thank my mom for insisting I take French as my third language in school!!):-

1)  Merci- Thank You. 

2) Je vous en prie- You are welcome (As a response to Thank you)

3) Bienvenue - Welcome (As a greeting- note the difference between 2 and 3)

4) Sortie- Exit (You will come across this word in most metro and train stations)

5) Bonjour- Good Morning

6) Bonsoir- Good Evening.....make it a habit to use 5 and 6 regularly when you meet people for the 1st time or when you enter and leave restaurants (depending on the time of the day). We had an incident at the Metro where we barged in and asked for 2 tickets (hurrying to catch the next train) but the lady simply said Bonjour and waited (till we responded with another Bonjour) to hand over the tickets!!Crazy but true!

7) Bonne nuit- Good night

8) Je ne parle (/comprends) pas français- I do not speak (/understand) French....Now this would be a funny phrase to say in French, but if you meet some one who doesn't speak English at all, you can try this as a last resort!!!

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Sweden

When S announced our rather long trip to Sweden, I was a mixed bag of emotions. I was a bit skeptical about going back to a country where temperatures went below 0 Degrees, given my strife with the -10's and -20 degree Celsius's, a few years back. But the fun part was that I had never been to Europe, although I always dreamed of being to that side of the world. Especially with the Schengen Visa, i was excited to see other places in Europe too. 

Ok, coming back to Sweden, March has set in and the weather is just about getting better. The temperature varies from -5 to +5 °C. On some days, the sun likes to play a cruel joke by being all sunny and bright, thus enticing us to come out, only to find the Wind God blowing on you with full force.  Anyways, with the ice melting, my mood keeps improving by the day and I am looking forward to enjoying a warm and fun filled summer here, especially at the mighty Malmo Beach festival in May.

I find the Swedes to be extremely polite and warm people. Most of the ones I met enjoy some form of sport and lead an active and happy lifestyle, despite the harsh climate, which is quite inspiring. Infact, it is almost a taboo to complain about the bad weather.....They go by the saying- There is no such thing as bad weather, just clothing ....:)

I hope to cover some of the major attractions during my stay here and I shall keep you guys informed along the way as well.....;)

Some Interesting Facts about Sweden:-

->Sweden (or Sverige in Swedish) has a constitutional monarch, although the government is run by a democratic parliament. In other  words, it has a system similar to England. with the reigning King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, acting as the Head of State.

-> Sweden is part of the 5 Nordic Countries, the others being Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway

->The capital city is Stockholm

-> Although most Swedes know English, the preferred language is Swedish.

-> Coffee to the Swedes is what Tea is to a typical Indian....It is a tradition (named Fika) here to bond over coffee and something sweet along with it.

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Aussie Adventure

'Australia is the only continent-country in the world'- I remember my Social Studies teacher's words as I flip through a brochure highlighting places of tourist interest in Australia. It was my first visit to this huge country and I was extremely excited as I boarded the plane bound to Sydney. It was a short visit this time, so I knew I would not be able to cover all the places the brochure recommended. But since I was based in Sydney during our tenure, I had promised myself not to miss the Opera House, at the least!

For some reason Australia always brings about images of cheerful, happy-go-lucky people cycling over hills and terrains, in my mind and a smile on my face! As with India, it may take another lifetime to cover all the places I want to visit in Oz, but hey, I am still making my list..:)

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Incredible India

Being born and brought up outside India, I always used to wonder what was so fascinating about India that made my parents want to visit it every year (apart from the fact that they had their family there...:)). I personally disliked traveling to India because I feared both the mosquito bites that scarred my skin and the dogs (both stray and pets) that were commonly found in almost every street in India.

It took almost four years (my entire college life) to get adjusted to the Indian lifestyle. But in these four years and in the years beyond, I learnt a lot about this fascinating country which I am proud to call my homeland. Today it is no wonder to me, that this land, with its diverse culture and historical places is one of the most sought after destinations for citizens and tourists alike.

With my busy lifestyle, it may take more than one lifetime to cover all the important places in India. But, I am trying to make a good effort at exploring as much as possible of this vibrant and colorful nation.

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