Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter

I visited the Notre Dame de Paris on my second day in the city, and met up with an outspoken Frenchman named Jacques there. We had worked together in Bangalore. Undergoing restoration for the past several years, the landmark Gothic cathedral still maintains its historic appearance even as many aspects of it have been modernized. The famous bells of Notre Dame are now rung by a motor, so a hunchback is no longer necessary to ring them manually. I walked in and around "Our Lady". Independent of my presence within it, the church contained a massive organ. It has around 7800 pipes and is fully computerized.

Jacques then took me to the Latin Quarter, a lively area full of restaurants. Located near several universities, the name of the district is derived from Europe's ancient language of learning. I enjoyed a donair at a food stall owned by South Indians. Jacques introduced me to the wonder that is Orangina. The carbonated beverage is a mix of several varieties of citrus. The French soft drink has high juice and orange pulp content, and I immediately became a fan. We went to a grocery store to pick up a large bottle before. Several drinks later we bade farewell.

***

"When a man understands the art of seeing, he can trace the spirit of an age and the features of a king even in the knocker on a door." - The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Pride

A friend of mine was leaving town so a goodbye dinner was scheduled for her on a Friday night. After wrapping up at work for the week I found myself with an hour to spare before I would rendezvous with my friends. The Vancouver Pride Parade was scheduled for that weekend. Parts of Davie Street, the heart of the city's gay district, had been closed to motorized traffic so that the "Big Night Out" street festival could take place.

I wandered the area, looking dazzling and attracting admiring gazes. Mayoral candidates were also out and about trying to gain favour with the community. A beer garden and a stage featuring musical performances had been set up. Beautiful men, muscular women, and others spanning the diverse spectrum of humanity were present. Almost 400,000 people attended the parade that Sunday, making it one of Vancouver's largest public events.

Finn Slough

On the south arm of the Fraser River lies one of the Greater Vancouver region's most unique communities. Finn Slough is a part of Richmond, but it has a character all its own. A slough (pronounced 'slew') is a marshy place or a side channel of a river. Finns are people hailing from Finland. A group of them first settled in this wetland area in the late 1800's. They built their homes by the dykes of the Fraser, fishing for a living. They could sail to the front door of their houses, which are built upon stilts or float with the tidal waves.

Nowadays many of the historic houses are in a state of disrepair. Some are still inhabited. Nature has also started to reclaim boats that lie abandoned in the marsh. the isolated community smoothly coexists with its surrounding environs, but its future is up in the air as the prospect of urbanization looms.

Morocco - Sands of Gold

After burning some of my vacation days in Portland and Puerto Rico, I decided to use up the remainder in a country that always intrigued me and a continent I had never set foot upon. Morocco would be my gateway to Africa.

I spent several days in Marrakech (or Marrakesh), escaping the hubbub of the city for a six day desert adventure and two separate day trips:

• Marrakech
  

Desert Adventure:

• Ouarzazate
• Tazzarine
• Merzouga
• Erfoud
• Tineghir
• Todra Gorge
• Dades Gorge
• Ait Ben Haddou
  

Day Trips:

• Ourika Valley
• Essaouira

Over the days I would cross a variety of unpredictable terrain, with sand, snow, shops, and sea within hours of each other. The weather cooperated during my visit, with not a rainy day to be seen. The desert climate left me very warm during the day and quite chilly during the night. My complexion and diet both became olive. I traveled solo and as part of groups, and enjoyed a few dates along the way.

The Wagah Border

In 1947 India was partitioned into two sovereign nations by the British. India and Pakistan were born amidst much bloodshed and suffering, and a rivalry has existed ever since. Lahore, the capital of Pakistan, is only around 50 kilometers from Amritsar. The only road border between these two is located near the village of Wagah at the Attari-Wagah joint check post. The border crossing hosts a daily flag lowering ceremony at sundown. Soldiers from both countries shout patriotic slogans, march, and simultaneously lower the flags as onlookers cheer on from both sides.

Following a quick meal in Amritsar, we caught a local bus heading in the general direction of Pakistan. After taking the public bus as far as it would go, Stein and I hopped onto a cycle rickshaw, before walking the final few hundred metres to the border region. There was a festival atmosphere complete with spontaneous outbursts of dancing, tasty treats being sold by vendors, and lots of families with children present. As the time for the ceremony drew near, the soldiers wisely divided the crowd based on gender. A limited amount of stadium seating is available to watch the ceremony, and it is subdivided into sections for men and women. The unruly male segment of the crowd started pushing and climbing over each other in order to get a prime viewing position. It was reminiscent of the grape crushing portion of the wine making process. As the ceremony came to an end, everyone spilled on to the street to take photos with the soldiers, the large gate separating the two countries visible in the background.

*****

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance."

- Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister on the eve of independence