How did you celebrate the new year? Hope you had a great start to another great year!! 

          With every new year, comes the list of resolutions in everybody's mind. I initially thought of 'giving up writing Euro Times' this year.. But immediately, my heart was full of big cut-outs of your faces in sorrow and desparation. (Don't you?) That was too bad a way to look at all your faces. So, I decided to go ahead with Euro Times.

         I know a friend who said he has given up smoking as a new year solution. Last week, I found him smoking, 'So, you couldn't keep up your resolution? Huh?', I asked.

         'What happened to resolution? its still intact. Didn't I add the clause when I told you about the resolution', he replied. 'What clause?', me puzzled.

         "That I will not smoke the 'Benson & Hedges' cigarettes. Now, I am smoking only 'Marlbaro', surely I will quit smoking this one too with next new year resolution". ( only to shift to 'Kings'?!) 

         Wishing you all a happy Pongal! 

Venice: A city with some strange characteristics: 

•    No speedbreakers 
•    None of the famous brand cars are allowed, however great they might be.
•    No bus strike

        That really sound strange. Isn't it? But it is true. A simple reason. You don't have any roads to drive. :-) 

       Well guys, Venice is a beautiful italian city comprised of 400 islands and 200 bridges floating in water, a natural wonder on earth. A city of lagoons and Gondolas.

       Venice is an old city with 1000 years of history. Once a important trading center of europe, now a destination for tourists from all over the world.

      There are no roads, no cars, no buses or not even bi-cycles. Buses & Flights stop at the other side of the shore itself, train alone goes beyond that but only till the entry point. After that, its the monopoly of boats. You can take a Day ticket and travel the whole day in any type of boats. 

         "Boat-stops for every 100 meters", "Point-to-Point boats", "Express boats","Special Services" etc. On the whole, transport is not Hi-tech but extremely convenient. 
         Police boats are faster, so do the Ambulance boats. You can hire private taxis (ofcourse boats!) which are normally expensive. Grand Canal is like the Main road ( like M.G Road), across which only three bridges are built, of which, Rialto Bridge is popular for its colorful shops. 

         People have their own private boats and parking place. Postman, Milk vendor, salesperson, beggers etc, everybody comes in boat. The whole city lives on water without any qualms. A strange feeling that your house are just 10 inches from sea which could be 20 meters deep. 

        Building looks old & battered but it adds to the color of the city and Venice is certainly the showpiece of the Italy after Rome & Pisa tower. Italy without pizza? Madras without Sambar!! Pizza shops are aplenty. (MacDonald, Burger King & an Indian restraunt - Ganeshji being the execptions) 

             St.Mark's square is the main attraction. Pigeons, pigeons everywhere!! Stretch out your hand, they will flock to pick the nonexisting grains. Tallest bell tower of Venice stands nearby. A great panaromic view from there will give you the view of whole venice with scattered islands & wandering boats!! The Piazza (Square) is an optical illusion, its not exactly square but a trapezium.

           Have you seen these masks? Symbole of Venice. U can see millions of such faces with different colors.

    Then, there is Morano island, which is famous for its Glass museum. (Note this name 'Morano', there is a car coming soon in this name!) We walked across the whole Venice is just 2 hours. (through the bridges!) 

Family: 

         During September & October, I was a family man in Germany. No, No!! Not that way. I mean my parents were with me for six weeks. 

            Using my long term visa, I could bring them to Europe on Tourist Visa. We visited many cities and my parents had a good time in Germany. 

          Talking of home & parents, I can't help but think of home made food I had those six weeks. Till then, I was eating PAST food in the name of FAST food ( how else should we call the 2-day Sambar, 3-day Rasam..) Long live refrigerators & Microwave Owens!!

           I was kinda qualifed for Doctorate in Fast food cooking. 'Bread Poriyal', 'Aval Briyani', 'Paal Payasam', 'Egg Noodles' (Check out old Polish times for the recipe of last two items!) were added to my repertoire of fast food recipes.

          Cooking is the simplest thing in the world, anybody can cook. But the real problem comes when you have to find someone to eat it or yourself have to eat it. Unfortunately, the last said parameter is considered while judging your cooking abilities. How unfair!

          During my parents stay, I got myself into this (rather bad) habit of including the breakfast in my daily routine of life. Result: Wheat bread, Croissants etc for breakfast. ( I always thought that Bread is only for sick people!!) 

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Quote for the week 

I've been on a diet for two weeks and all I've lost is two weeks.

-Totie Fields
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That's all folks!! ciao!

Your Friend,
Chandru
Editor, 
Euro Times
http://eurotimes.50megs.com