A new life; same as the old life?

I have a feeling that this one is going to make it onto a few blogs, but hopefully I will get there first. A good friend of mine sent me this, but I understand it is doing the rounds. It needs no explanation!

Here I am in Zurich, Switzerland, fresh off the plane from India via Frankfurt, the Diwali Festival and the Taj Mahal were excellent experiences, and some that I hope to repeat some day, maybe introducing Lorraine to them. The contrast, as you would expect, is very marked. My taxi driver from the airport drove like she was from India! I arrived at the hotel around 10:30am, 40CHF lighter. The hotel is right in the centre of town, right by all the shopping, the river and restaurants. My first impression of Switzerland is expensive. The hotel is almost $200 per night and the room is tiny. Breakfast is not included, and is another $20. I had a look around the gift shops and stuff on Saturday and the prices were outrageous! I continue to be disgusted by the blatant profiteering in this hotel. I have just ordered room service for my evening meal. Certain dishes are only available in the day time, the cheap ones! Additionally, I asked for a coke with dinner, but they won't bring one, ...

As you may know, I was in India for a week. We had an awesome time and we were able to spend a day at the Taj Mahal. I had always assumed that it was a religious monument, however it isn't. It is actually a tomb built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shāh Jahān to honour his favourite wife Arjumand Bano Begum, who is better known as Mumtāz . It took 22000 workers, 23 years to build, from white marble. There is an incredible amount of inlay work and carving, all cut by hand. It is completely symmetrical in every aspect except one, explained in the next paragraph. The gardens, the mosque, every jewel, every carving, is a complete mirror image from every side. The monument was built to house his wife's body He had actually planned to have a black version for built himself, and it was actually started, but his son felt that it was too costly and wasteful and kyboshed the idea. When he died, his son entombed him alongside his wife, who had been placed in the centre of the mausoleum, hence ...

This week was the Diwali festival here in India. The main days were Friday 20th & Saturday 21st October, and unfortunately Mike and I were not there to see the festivities and fireworks. All week long, preparations had been intensifying with lots of decorating, shopping and preparing for family gatherings. The office was a hive of activity, with decorations going up, a traditional dress day on Thursday and a food competition day on Friday. There is a lot of information out here on the internet with respect the festival, it's origins & history , traditions & customs , the meaning & significance and the associated celebrations . Obviously I cannot say whether the information on these web sites is accurate, but it makes fascinating reading, I would definitely head out and have a look if you get some spare time. I took lots of pictures in the office, including a lot of Diwali pictures. Check them out here . Shubh Diwali!

I have never been to India before, and was very excited to be able to do so for business. I have only actually been to Asia once before many years ago, when I went to Indonesia. It is probably a horrible comparison to make, but it feels very similar. The contrast between all the new posh buildings and lots of construction, side by side with the tents and makeshift structures. The quite clearly very prosperous rubbing shoulders with the incredibly poor. I flew out in the lap of luxury, business class on United and Lufthansa. Mike took a picture of me kicking back. Lots of space and chairs that recline and have foot rests, very comfy! The hotel is a marble edifice, a clear differentiator of the haves and have nots. There are some pictures of the hotel pool, and the vacant lot next door in the collection here . I think I was surprised by the western influences though, particularly on the women. In the city here, there are probably more women in western clothing than traditional. Cows wand...

Winter is coming to the US, with snow across a large part of the country yesterday, and temperatures in the freezing range. We had a few snow flurries here yesterday, but we didn't come close to Buffalo, NY . It is going to be quite the challenge, packing for my forthcoming trip. Leaving Chicago in freezing temperatures, a week in Delhi in the 90s, then Zurich in the goodness knows whats and probably a rainy November in the UK! I will be out of touch for a few weeks, but I will try to post from the road.

No one knows how the fire started in the cowbarn at the rear of the Patrick O'Leary cottage at 137 DeKoven Street on Chicago's West Side. A long investigation and many witnesses were unable to determine anything definitive. It was first noticed by a Drayman Daniel Dennis Sullivan, who just happened to be sitting on the sidewalk almost opposite the property. The O'Leary family were all in bed and asleep at the time. Theories include a stray ember from a chimney to arson of course. The blaze began around 9 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, 1871. By midnight the fire had jumped the river's south branch and by 1:30 a.m., the business district was in flames. Shortly thereafter the fire raced northward across the main river. The waterworks were evacuated although the tower was not badly damaged and is one of the very few original buildings still standing in the city. During Monday the fire burned as far as Fullerton Avenue. Rainfall which started about midnight helped put out the l...

All year we have been saying that we should head down to the city and cycle along the lakeshore. In the summer of course, it can be pretty hot, and so the spring or autumn is usually the best time. Additionally there are restrictions throughout most of the summer on taking bikes on the trains, due to summer festivals, parades, etc. We had planned this weekend for a few weeks now, hoping we would get good weather, and we could not have hoped for better. Mid 70s, light breeze and very sunny; perfect for a bike ride. For those who know the area, we started at Union station, went down Adams to the lakefront, turned right and headed South, via Northerly Island (a peninsula) and then as far as 31st beach where we actually paddled in the lake. The water wasn't warm, but it wasn't Scotland cold either! On the way south we passed the Chicago Fire Memorial Park, with a fabulous waterfall, and a stone replica of the Chicago Fire Badge. From there, passing behind Soldier Field, we also pas...