Yes, yes and yes, finally I have been able to cull out some time to post the splatters of ink, colors and memories from my Germany trip that I did in July 2016. And today happens to be 17 of December, that is approximately 4 and half months after. Also i realise that the last post I made was almost 8 months before. I must confess that the delay has just not been caused by me being a panda but because last 8 months have been extremely fast paced and almost life changing for me.  I decided to step up from being an architect to be an urban planner, joined a graduate school in US, shifted to Austin, met new people- some good some bad and once again gathered persuasive courage to challenge the mundane course of life.

Right now as I find myself snuggled in the bed in Houston’s stormy weather, straining my memory muscles to recapitulate all experiences that I garnered walking, thinking and absorbing some hues of Berlin, I have decided to structure this post quite differently from all the rest of posts I have done before on this travel blog. It shall be in form of prose-poetry. When the selective instances percolate into memory and blend in to define existential experiences, I try and draw my readers to the vivid details and craft of the moments, for I find the details are the strongest tool of rendering the complexity of vicariousness. But at the same time, I run the risk of being too verbose and lose the reader. The prose poetry as a tool seems to address this dilemma diligently.

Days spent in the polished world …

Of my rambles on the streets of Berlin, Prague, Dresden                                                                                     I did stumble upon spaces created by great architecture                                                                              And places curated by its long standing tradition of genius loci                                                                    Its spirit which dwells and evolves with the notion of culture, practice and ‘will of times’      

As a citizen of Third world Urbanity  I saw our cities as a plexus of commotion, activity and celebration of the intangible                                                                                                                                         I grew up in cities which were not as stunning or visually sophisticated or ordered but were perhaps more humane and humble                                                                                                                                            The cities of West which celebrated ‘the tangible’                                                                                          This celebration is manifest in a strong visual and functional framework, backed by an well curated and robust governance machinery                                                                                                         But as I become more acquainted with the cities of West, my infatuation with the celebration of the tangible is fading into a critical dialogue                                                                                                            But as this universe is conspired to accept differences, these exists                                                                 And we the people, have found beauty in both of them        

While growing up, on my travels across India,when I saw foreigner travelers tread Indian landscapes, in search of exploring their attitude towards cultural diversity and cognizance, I often questioned what was the stirring factor ? Didn’t their land have more wealth, beauty and etiquette.

Today when I have been ably exchanged shoes and would continue to do so for however long I could afford, I realize that traveling these unrehearsed lands makes me appreciate one things. And that is there are multitudes of ways of asking questions, creating conversations, stirring cultures and being citizens of an unequal diverse worlds.

The above written piece is a drop of the sea of thoughts  that crossed my mind during a month’s travel in Germany. I spent majority of my time in Berlin, traveled on weekends to Prague, Dresden and Leipzig.  I walked to most of the  touristy attractions, used public transit and enjoyed the serene cityscape / landscape across. I drew most of those memories on a blank calendar and sent it to my parents in India as a souvenir. And I hope when I travel back Home I get to relive those vivid moments because drawing the place abstracts its construct in my mind and I can revisit those moments like being in a time machine :)

 

 

How much ever, I enjoy sketching, cellphone photography still remains an enticing option to capture memories and here is some proof ;)

The market Plaza, Prague

The Jewish Memorial Museum, Berlin

The Hackescher Market Plaza, Berlin and the Museum Island Cathedral, Berlin

 

The Brandenburg Tor, Berlin

And in case you are inquisitive as to why I am not there in the picture frames of any above photos, I must confess that I was on the other side of lens :)