The Fragrance of Speed

From what it seems, I've tried to keep motorcycles as far away from this blog as possible, and for no good reason actually. So to put that to an end, here's a post on motorcycles. I was at the racetrack recently to ride a few motorcycles that had just rolled off the assembly lines at their respective factories. An enthusiast will know how the aroma of a new motorcycle laying rubber on scorching tarmac sends their olfactory senses into a tizzy. I feel it each time i look at these images. Hope you smell it too!

From PB TRACKDAY

From PB TRACKDAY

From PB TRACKDAY

From PB TRACKDAY

Thanks to ScorpNews for the riding pics.

City of Blinding Lights

It's been a couple of months of down time and I'll admit I was just plain lazy. But none the less i found time to shoot a couple. It's odd that you take things in your city for granted, but through the lens they find new life. Here's Mumbai City through my looking glass.







The Victoria Terminus is probably one of the oldest, busiest railways stations in the country. And for those of you who feel the need to remind me that it was renamed i feel the need to raise a suitable number of questions and fingers. Anyway, this building was designed by Frederick William Stevens after he saw a sketch by Sweedish draughtsman Axel Haig. They say the draughtsman's spirit roams freely in and around the building. ;)




I bet nobody knew this little piece of information. The Asiatic Society of Bombay (pic above) which was founded in 1804 houses one of the two surviving manuscripts of the Divine Comedy written by Dante in the early 1300s. The leather bound manuscript was donated by Mountstuart Elphinstone, who was the Governor of Bombay, to the society. In 1930 Mussolini of Italian fame offered the Society one million pounds for the book. Of course the Society declined and we have what is the best kept copy of the Divine Comedy in our city. Yes it's condition is even better than the other one in Milan. Bet you didn't know that!!

Stereotypical Assumption

Trees are green, the world is round, motorcycles have two wheels...Stereotypical assumptions, they really get my goat. I'm gonna try disprove them as they come along and here's a first. The next time someone tells you trees are green, point them here.

The Dog Days of Summer

This is a collection of pics i took this summer at the lake nearby. Unlike the ancient greek traditions, the Yanks, don't believe in dog sacrifice to appease Sirius, the dog star. The only stars being appeased are their four legged friends who are out frolicking.

From PTC LAKE

From PTC LAKE

From PTC LAKE

From PTC LAKE

Butt Cracks are not uncommon here in the south, even the dogs don't spare you

From PTC LAKE

Sharing is having what the other dog has...

From PTC LAKE

...even if it means you've to walk funny.

Aviation urinals

Signs over urinals have been around, but low manifold pressure? Really? Isn't that caused by a vacuum? Check this one out at 82J, Ferguson Airport, Pensacola.

Jack O'Lantern... My first.

It is my first 'real' Halloween, and what better way than to spend it with an all-American family carving a pumpkin. It was tons of fun, and i got a little carried away towards the end trying to enhance the eyes on my bumpkin head. But as Beth and Ash kept re-assuring me, there's no such thing as an ugly pumpkin. And boy, those pumpkin seeds are 'tasty', aren't they Jimmy?




Jimmy was at it like a pro, his Irish ego made sure he picked the most complicated design, his American ways made sure his Jack O'lantern kept up with the times




Here's what the Pumpkins turned out to be. Mine a little more traditional along side Jimmy's state-of-the-art design. Beth was right after all, there's no such thing as an ugly pumpkin, just scary ones.

Time Warp

It's 1943 and America had the ration system. Who would have ever thought? This little grocery store was a one-stop-shop complete with an in-house post office.



Somebody should bring retro back. Kelloggs boxes looking cooler than they ever did.


Nestle's Crunch? 1943? The first time I saw it was a whole 50 years later.


Beef Stew: a dime and 4 ration points. Heinz Apple sauce: 11¢ and 2 ration points.
A glimpse of the 15¢ price tag on a pack of Lucky Strike: Priceless.


Not only did this nice old lady, narrate exactly how the ration system worked but how it first started with the Great Crash of 1929 and then the war. She gave us great insight to how the yanks struggled through it and how she was seeing history repeat itself. Hats of to this resident of Michigan for doing a great job at the museum. She told me that she did her little part to help the US economy too. Her new car was one from the 'Big Three'. I'm all for Patriotism, but as far as cars go, I'd rather be Japanese