Finally and eventually have just got back to my room and everything is working !! Such a delight !!

It felt like the umbilical cord between us had broken and now come together !!

Jaya and I wanted to take the EuroStar train from London to Paris. But a few days ago there was a fire in the Chunnel and this disrupted all operations. People in their wisdom advised against travel by train, because the fire had occurred on the train while it traversed under the English Channel. So the flight in.

Paris… magnificent as always. A nip in the air in the evenings, but the sun bright and strong by the day. Not too much traffic on the streets as well. And Madonna performs at the Stade de France over the weekend. The Stadium built somewhat modern in nature, for the World Cup, Football.

At night a drive through the streets on to ..yes.. Eiffel Tower.. as it sparkles and I take some pictures which I shall post tomorrow. After dinner walk in the cool around Trocerdero, with the hawkers selling battery lit miniature Towers.

Before turning in there is trouble in Islamabad, Pakistan and a bomb at Marriott. A comment on the blog informs me and we all sink into depression again. One of the readers had a narrow escape episode to narrate on one of their relatives. Similar happenings, similar stories, innocents killed - only its on the other side of the border.

For me suffering is universal. No borders exist here. Another lot of our brothers and sisters victims of senseless killing. One can only pray and hope. Pray and hope. Or am I being too defeatist.

The afternoon today was spent in a quaint little small cozy restaurant by the street. The sun came in brightly through the windows by the door in a little corner of a covered niche. And in the middle of the meal… a ’satsri akal’ !! I am surprised. The entire staff is from Punjab and the owner from there as well, in partnership with an Algerian. So photographs and autographs abound among strains of exited French spoken in an unmistakable accent from the ‘pind’ in Punjab. Amazing !!!

Next stop.. theatre des Champs-Elysees to witness a modern fusion ballet.

Venue built in 1920. Seating in chairs much like the tradition in those days. Nothing has been tampered with. Solo and combined artists perform exquisite routines. It is simple and without any production inputs, but just unbelievable performances. One young ballet dancer, looking much like the great Barishnikov, stealing the entire show by his exquisite presentations.

Eastern Quarter next. Boulevard Saint Germain. A cafe where the elite writers and artists gather each afternoon. Karl Lagerfeld, the great designer walked out as we got in. Chiara, daughter of Marcello Mastrioni and Catherine Deneuve, strolls along without any fan fare. Such a delightful few hours spent watching Paris go by. Catherine Deneuve, one of my favourite French actors and one of the most beautiful in the world. And Marcello - great performer and great charm on screen and historic association with some of the most important films ever made. And among them an Indian hawker selling ‘mogra’ !! ‘Mogra’ in Paris. On the street. Much like a visual from a  traffic light stop at a suburb in Mumbai. India is everywhere. Ten days from now there is to be held an Indian crafts exhibition. Sold out.

Ravi Shankar and Anushka played a few days back at a theatre in Paris. Not a single Indian in the audience. Packed. An audience listening in rapt attention for three hours without a single cough or murmur.

Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, the great flautist. Huge here.

I walk out and three to four French ladies in the upper 20’s run up for an autograph and photo from the cafe. Indian Cinema is everywhere. Two middle aged ladies, French, at the ballet had walked up in the house for signatures, smiling and excited. Had seen ‘Sholay’ and ‘Don’ and ‘The Indian Family’ - the English translated title for ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’  !!

There is a special fondness for things Indian among the French. A hidden love affair. And I would never want to discourage that.. ha.. ha… Ha !!

And more quotes before we end. Quotes previous and now are not constructed by me. They come to me on my mobile. Voluntarily and with amazing regularity. I share them with you -

“The road to success is always under construction”

“Memories are crazy.. sometimes they leave us alone, when we are in a crowd.. and sometimes when we are alone they come to us as a crowd..”

“You are only as good as your word”

“The heaviest thing one can carry is a grudge”

“Experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes”

“Success will not lower its standard to us. We must raise our standard to success”

 

More love and more later..spelling errors for the surnames to be generously excused

Amitabh Bachchan