Riding 'round

Today's blog post is brought to you by studies - "We won't let you reach your stress busters".

I do love irony in it's many and continuously morphing forms. Though it is a tad bit annoying when you become the subject of said irony.

Such a case is the fact that I've never really used Dubai's Metro system until a month (or so) back. [While we're on this topic, I'm quite oblivious to some facts about the city that most enthusiastic tourists would happily let you know about. I also fare poorly in directions. By a whole new level.]

Back to the topic at hand, this wasn't my first experience on a metro/monorail system.
Flashback to '02. Singapore.
This was my first experience. My bro took me around and showed me how it worked. And I was left enthralled in fascination. Who could blame me? I was a kid on a rail system - that wasn't anything close to a train in India [Chooka-chooka-wooh-wooh]. 
The days that followed had me indulging in Singapore's cuisine and it's McDonald's variation. Watching 'Hi5' and playing Beyblade with my cousins...those were the days.

Next:'06. London.
My next experience was getting LOST in the London Underground. If it wasn't for two locals who happily handed us a map of the place, we would probably have ended up in some remote area hopelessly and utterly confused. 
[This, again, was caused because nobody wants to listen to the logic of the kid. Why not? Let's ignore the fact that it makes sense.]
We did however reach our destination - in the rain - and enjoyed a warm mushroom pastry.


On a side note, if you ever do go to London, the Bagels are AMAZING. I kid you not. Especially the ones at the airport. 


Next: '08. Japan.
Took a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. Wow. Nothing's quite beaten that ride. You don't hear anything, nor do you feel anything. It's akin to walking into a room and taking a seat on a set of sofas/seats. It's like you're stationary - until you look out of the window and see the landscape whizzing by at a startling speed. A blurry Mt. Fuji also looks interesting one might say.
The timing is impeccable. Down to the very second.


On another side note: We indulged in a few local Bento boxes during the ~2 hour ride. These are picked up from the station and are quite delectable - at least for me - including the 'sticky rice'. Fair warning: Only for those with an adventurous palate.
For those who want to start of slow and mellow, there's always the wonderful dishes made found near - even at - temples. The 'Dango' and 'Udon noodle soup' with that lovely fried tofu on top is heaven :) [And for Vegetarians, the two dishes I mentioned are suited to your dietary restrictions. Bento boxes are offered in Veggie options - but I haven't tried that.] These are always served with a side of green tchai.
McDonald's [Macadonardo in Japan] also have interesting variants in the menu.


So, after much digression, let me get to Dubai's metro. 
It's quite crowded, 'aint it? But it's quite nice. Convenient, and the timing 'aint half bad either. The layouts of the stations (interior wise) seem well thought out.
So, yes, it does go well with the bars that previous metro's and stations have set.


Where's my NOL card?

Desensitisation

First off, Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!

As we all know, the winter break is, or was, upon us. So, the day before yesterday my Dad called me to come and watch a movie with him.

Why not? It's not like I'd choose sitting with the same subject that I was with for the past two hours over that.

So I joined Dad and watched "Saving Private Ryan".
Fair warning, for those of you only acclimatised to 'chick flicks' and such, this movie is not for you.
I however, do enjoy movies of the action / thriller genres and such and since the title didn't quite betray much [Here, I thought it might be one on PTSD] I presumed quite a lot.

As usual, presumption pulled a rug from under my feet for this one too.
"Saving Private Ryan" is a war movie. And it takes gore to a level way above a bare minimum. 
But it wasn't all this that evoked a blog post. It was the fact that I didn't seem the least bit horrified by people getting shot, massacred or even being blown apart. Even places where my own parents would've cringed, I kept a straight, maybe even slightly amused, expression - to my own disbelief.

It would seem that years of watching movies with such scenes [I remember watching "Die Another Day" when I was in 2nd grade] I have become desensitised to violence of the projectile weapon persuasion. In this day and age, even acknowledging the amount of violence in video games, I couldn't be the only one in this unnatural predicament.

It reminds me of another incident where my little brother was gaming. He bounded up to me in all happiness to show me "how cool" shooting people was. I'd expect as much from a guy in the late teens...but a kid who just finished primary?! This evoked a stern lecture from me on why he shouldn't find that the least bit amusing. Consider it a pre-requisite for passing a level - but nothing more. Contemplating the number of kids that might come to the same conclusion, we really DON'T need a generation full of trigger happy morons that glorify violence and run around with the idea that they suddenly wield power over life and death.
 [Here, I imagine a person running through a mall shooting people and abruptly shouting "Where's my unlocked achievement?!" - But I digress]

All in all, while I think it's great that people should understand that life has it's thorns along with the roses, I think there should be a common understanding that there is an age for it all. I can comprehend that all the violence going on is nothing but wrong - but what about the people who can't?


Also, I want to say that "Saving Private Ryan" is quite a wonderful movie because of its characters and storyline. With 5 Academy Awards, a director like Steven Spielberg and actors such as Tom Hanks and Matt Damon, it definitely is one for movie buffs.