Amidst the Bavarian Alps

Ever wondered the castle behind the Walt Disney logo might be real. Well, we all have seen this castle hundreds of times in many of the Walt Disney’s motion pictures. Remember the childhood fairy tales- The Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, The Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. A haunting palace was generally shown on a distant hill as the refuge of a reclusive witch. Ever wondered where on earth that castle could be.

Three miles north of the Austrian Border on the German side there is a beautiful city of Füssen. The city is located at the edge of Alpine foothills having lakes all around and surrounded by the colossal snow covered peaks of the Bavarian Alps. An hour away from Munich and situated at the southern end of a theme route called Romantische Straße, the city serves as one of the most travelled destination, in the whole of Bavaria for a weekend get-away. Three miles to the south-east of the city, situated on the top of a mountain is the famous fairy tale castle, the Neuschwanstein. Regular shuttle busses operate between the Castle and the Füssen Station.

At 5:15 in the morning I was freezing on the platform of München-Pasing station.I was waiting for the train to Fussen with a change at an intermediate station.Last few days had been extremely taxing.With a day long excurtion into the Back Forest a day before and a 4 hr overnight journey from Kalsruhe to Munich, I was dead tired.Half an hour later the train rolled in.I stepped inside, found a seat and was soon deep into sleep. An hour later,I continued sleeping as the train crossed the intermediate station at which I was supposed to alight and catch the train to Fussen. Moments later when I woke I found I was out of my way.Fortunately, I took the next train back, managed to reach the intermdediate station and then to Fusssen.

Misfortune continued and I missed the shuttle bus to the Neuschwanstein Castle. As the next bus was an hour later I decided to walk down the 5 km road to the Castle. It was a refreshing experience. I passed by the beautiful lakes and rivers of the Alpine forest, took pictures and relaxed for sometime in solitude.

Neuschwanstein castle was opened to public in 1886 after the death of a reclusive Bavarian King, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig. The Castle consists of several individual structures erected on the top of a cliff ridge with magnificent towers, turrets, gables, balconies, pinnacles and sculptures all around. The castle stands amidst the breathtaking views of the Bavarian Alps.

On my way back to Munich I was sitting beside an old lady who was an English teacher at a school in Munich. She was delighted to know that I was a Maths major and was on an internship in Germany supported by the DAAD. More interestingly and to my utter surprise she had heard of the IIT’s and its prominence in the world. She had spent few years in San Francisco, US and knew a few Indians from IIT’s working there. She acknowledged the contribution of Indians in the prosperity of the Bay Area and said that she would be more than happy to see people from India studying in Germany and contributing to the German economy. I felt proud being an Indian. Unfortunately the conversation couldn’t go for long. I had to alight and take the next train to Dresden.

From the Third Reich

My last trip in Germany was the trip to the Rugen Islands.I always wanted to end my European sojourn in the same way as Michael Palin did in the "New Europe"-standing on the shore of the Baltic Sea and looking nostalgically to the relentless sea.

It was a bright sunny day with the chalk cliffs of the Jasmund National Park glistening at a distance in the afternoon sun.Around me was an air of indolence.People were lazing around in the beach amidst the soporific effect of the warm breeze.Few were reading books others basking in the sun .A group of young adult were busy speaking German and driking beer,a frivolous child ran frenzily here and there apparently in an attempt to draw the attention of his parents who appeared unwilling to pay any attention.Couples were busy careassing and kissing each other.The sea laid silent throwing itself into periodic weak tides. The cold water swept under my feet occasionally leaving behind shells and flotsam as it receded back.I turned around and gazed incredulously at a huge building; mesmerized and awed by its sheer size.In front of me stood a clossal building complex,obscure and downtrodden amisdt the tall grasses around it.

I was in Prora in the north-eastern corner of Germany and the mammoth building infront of my eyes was the last existing monument constructed by the Third Reich.This Nazi building complex was built between 1936 and 1939 as a Kraft durch Freude ("Strength Through Joy") project. The buildings extend over a length of 4.5 km and are roughly 150 m from the beach.It consists of eight buildings which are identical.They were planned as a holiday locale but remained unused forever.The buildings were never occupied.Now, as it was then,no one knows what to do with it.The buildings stands defiantly unwilling to crumble.The daunting structure brings with itself ghastly memories of human sufferings associated with it.

I ventured inside one of these buildings but was soon overwhelmed by the stink of rotting wodden planks strewn all around. I returned back from Prora with heavy head thinking about "Hitler" and the era under the Third Reich.

A bygone Era

Ever fancied taking a stroll down an English countryside.Well, not far from here on the way from the IIT campus to Kharagpur Railway Station,we pass through the Waynne Avenue ,First ,Second and the Third Avenues.Today, neither the streets are known by their fanciful colonial names nor is a speck of the Britishness to be seen around.As usual the streets have now taken the names of some obscure local personalities and the landscape remains distinctly rustic typical to a downtrodden communist town of West Bengal.Above and below are some of the picture from an era lost into the sands of time.

Mail from Emanuel Derman

[Emanuel Derman is one of the biggest name in the contemporary world of quantitative analysis.Details can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Derman . ]

Amidst the unending saga of load and mugging the night before exam, a mail from Emanuel Derman pops up in my inbox.Though a general mail sent to all the selected students of the MFE program (Columbia University NY), the very name of 'Derman' undersigned with the mail brings a nice respite before the inevitable infliction due to happen couple of hours from now.

As for the news today,I will comment on my subsequent posts.Following are today's top stories in brief.

1.As expected Indo-Pakistan Secretary level talks ends without a joint statement.

2.Environment minister cries about his thankless job!!

3.Economic Survey 2010 conducted by the Finance Ministry advices to roll back economic incentives.

4.MF Husain finds peace finally being a Qatar national.

5.World wide clamor after Israel puts into effect an ultra secret high profile execution in Dubai.

This post is written just couple of hours before the M&A exam!!

And finally a double century in ODI

This is not about sleepwalking but of late I have contracted sleep disorder which is apparently benign to my fullest conviction.As the randomness in my mind surges to its peak every early morning,I decide from now on to scribble my thoughts.The title has been set as "Somnambulism" as most of the posts will be written at night though of course not in sleep.

Today was a momentous day.India wins the second ODI against Proteas. Sachin puts up a double ton first time ever in history as India records 401/3 in a spectacular display of talent.Not to mention the blazing innings played by Dhoni.Watching Sachin bat is not only mesmerizing in itself but also evokes memories of my old days and young ages.To name a few the 1993 Hero Cup match against SA,the indomitable innings against the Aussie at Mumbai,World Cup '96 Mumbai, Sharjah 1998 -the sandstorm and the phenomenal blitzkrieg, 'World Cup 03 at Centurion Park against Pakistan etc are only some of the matches of my endless list.

Sachin's innings today,finally in some sense nullifies the profound anguish created by Saeed Anwar's 194 against India in Chennai '97.I still remember Anwar's 3 consecutive sixes to Anil Kumble.I always wished Sachin to score a double century in ODI since then.

Following lines has been taken from a post on cricinfo

"Through proxy-wars and floods, through terrorist attacks and droughts, through living under corrupt politicians and battling for survival at work or school - through it all, it was one man that brought us hope. One man who needed only to wield a bat to unite the most diverse country in the world. A hero who did not need a script, arc-lights and endless retakes to have the audience gasping in awe, but played out his dramas in real-time."