Students from my institute are taken for seminars to different countries around the world. Like everyone else in my company, I too have to accompany the students for these trips about once every year. This time I went to Helsinki and to Madrid and yep, I did make about 40 new friends… I wonder if it will ever stop being weird though. Had a guy trippin’ over me in the last trip, had another in this trip too… I so need an engagement ring! Showed the bunch how to go about the metros in Madrid… made it just in time for the feast of Madrid’s patron saint… Was happy to have a friend along with me for at least half of the trip…

I fixed up an interview with Ferran Adria for which I travelled 11 hours in a train to Figueras – the home of Salvador Dali – where I reached at about 9 in the morning. Had a lovely breakfast in a café, which was a few steps away from the railway station, and then I tried to understand the map so that I could head towards Dali’s museum. Tried going left, then retraced my steps and went the other way, unsure I went back again, a little further this time. Walked into a car rental shop and asked directions using signs and pointing to my destination on the map… Thankfully I understood the man and retraced my steps again, 10 more than my last attempt and I saw a street sign directing towards the museums in the city : ) A vegetable market in the open had people in this rather slow town shifting and shuffling from vendor to vendor. As usual only the candy stalls got my attention, but after some muddled-up reasoning in my head, I let them be and walked on. There were no signages at two cross roads, and the foolhardy me confidently selected a path and walked on. My guesses turned out to be all correct, if only it were a reality show and my guesses had won me a couple of lakhs! :P I was amazed to see Dali’s works. Awestruck, bewildered, I walked out with new respect for the man. Being one of those tourists who just cannot leave a place without picking up souvenirs, I ended up purchasing a tie, with very cool paintings of Dali’s for my bro-in-law : )

I got a cab from Figueras to take me to Roses, which was about 30kms away. A 40-something cabbie agreed to take me there, and strangely, I wasn’t nervous or afraid all this while.. considering I was alone and with just a couple of clues about how to get to Ferran’s restaurant. About 30 minutes later, and about 5 hours early for the interview, I reached the town at the outskirt of which is elBulli (Ferran’s restaurant). From the tourist centre I got myself a map, and for the nth time realised that I’m really bad with maps! It started raining and I found refuge under a garage door. A lifetime later the rain turned to mere drizzling and I walked on towards a fort like something. The entrance gate had a sign that didn’t allow entry for people from there. Considering the fort was mentioned in the tourist map, I reasoned that if I walked along the fort’s walls, I would soon find the entry gate. After walking for about 10 mins, I found myself walking along a highway, though still next to the fort! A car almost stopped next to me, I stared right ahead and ignored the 2 men gesturing at me from inside. Thankfully they moved on. Five minutes later an old man rode his bike up onto the pavement and came speeding towards me. He then took his tongue out and snarled at me! The man freaked me out. I realised I was not about to find the entry to the fort in this lifetime, but before I could turn around, it began to pour again, too hard and too strong for me to walk back immediately. So, I went ahead where a couple of buildings stood and found refuge before the entrance of building that had about 6 apartments. There I stood for about 20 minutes, and when a couple of the residents walked out without a smile or a reassuring hello I felt all creeped out again. I began making my way back as fast as I could and reached the city centre in less than 10 minutes. Small, weird town with such a pretty name. I regained my composure sipping on tea, and then went for a platter of kalamaris with renewed zest. I still had about three hours to while away…

It was afternoon and most of the shops were closed, siesta time I guessed. Found a lovely bag in one of the shops, it had a rose attached to it… : ) The narrow streets were dotted with shops on both sides, and just for that day, paintings had been made on the roads using flowers. Found my way to a church, which too was beautifully decorated with flowers. Unwilling to explore more, because of the afternoon’s incidents, I sat down on one of the benches that were placed a few metres away from the sea. An hour later I finally got up and got another cabbie to take me to elBulli. The road to elBulli was bewitching as it wound its way between green hills and the sea stretched out on one side through almost all of my way. An unassuming board indicated that I was at the world’s best restaurant, and shortly after with an interpreter by my side, I began interviewing the world’s best chef…

The story is out, it has a mention on the cover too. India Today’s lifestyle mag was quick to copy, and in its very next issue featured elBulli! : P Rat races, not interested in them, am nothing more than a piggy afterall :S

Saw a pic of mine, from 2005, look about 10kgs lighter than I am right now. It has motivated me to give up chocolates and jazz once more, and while I begun exercising with a lot of excitement, my work schedule made me miss on some days, and am now losing steam : (