Sunday, November 10, 2013

Metz Snippets

sparrows: Two days back, the people above our apartment threw down their fungused rotis from their window. At first we thought that giant mushrooms had sprung overnight with all the rains, littering the lawn with brown and cream dotted circles. On a closer look, I knew these were food rejects of humans. I looked up at the closed window above. Two days later, the rains have continued and softened these human fungi. Now flocks of fluffed up winter sparrows nibble on these - and fly to the cedar, when I creep for a closer look. Now, the silence is filled with chirps.

chinese food: Across from us, and a little down our corridor, live a bunch of chinese students. I have seen them a few times, fleetingly, closing the door, walking out, in and out of laundry room. But most of all, I know them through the smells. As soon as I step into the corridor, I am assailed by smells that emanate through their closed door. Intense, unmistakable smells of really good chinese food. I salivate, drool, pause and then move on. I have now resolved to cook better - good indian food. Today I made patties-chole with coriander-mint-tamarind chutney. Yummy…I wonder if these smell reach their noses too? Maybe I should open the door.

fort queuleu: is only a short distance from our current home, 2 km on google map.  The other day, we took a walk to there.  There is a dense green forested park inside the stone fort - very few people around, only a couple of cars parked. We crossed this family of four, returning with large sacks of tree logs. We were surprised, that one could remove wood from a public park; but we were really shocked that all the wood they carried had been cleanly sliced, clearly cut from trees. As we returned, we saw the family loading into a posh SUV and drive off. So this happens, also in France, and also by rich in France - same as in India, huh?

Watching Films

I am a film buff. Love movies - especially one that tell a good tale, make me think, heighten awareness about a wider world - inner as well as external. In India I usually watch foreign films, downloaded from the net. So, it is strange that now, in France, I have unconsciously turned to watching hindi films, on youtube…and they all blow me away. Here is a list of what I have watched over the last few days - all of them powerful in their myriad different ways.

Khamosh Pani
Ek Doctor Ki Maut
Gaman
Lunch Box
Sooraj ka Satwa Ghoda
Manthan

The one waiting next in my queue is Dance of the Wind.

PS::Just finished watching the last one…can't recommend it like the previous list..beautifully shot, but the point was lost to me.