@rgumental @dvisor

"Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in freedom, most people find sin" -- John Green Amsterdam has quite a few of the things that many parts of the world consider immoral or illegal. But the beauty of this is that,  if you go through the crime statistics you tend to realize that the Dutch have found a way of alternative Governance suited for them. As Rick Steves puts in one of this travel videos (The Value of Travel - A gem of a ted talk that you should watch )  , it is a different way of addressing a common problem. Indeed in Amsterdam, you run a higher risk of being knocked down by a cyclist than being a victim to a crime.  Apparently, about 15000 cycles are retrieved every year from Amsterdam's canals The 12th century dam on Amstel river that gave rise to this teeming metropolis of modern world is a treat for tourists. It has evolved from a trading outpost to one of the most liberal cities in the worl...

To feel the conflict that Europe is going through, you need to visit Brussels ( Bruxelles ) .. Armed military Police in practically every sensitive location, visitors always mindful about their surroundings even while munching the delicious waffles. Refugees begging in some street corners, yet the humanity helping them - food coupons being distributed in many places, many of them getting employed in local shops. In restaurants, you could hear a plethora of languages - Flemish, French, German, English and much more. Being the head-quarters of European Union and a multitude of other International organisations, one of the places that a visitor should not miss in Brussels is the European Union HQ building and the associated museum explaining the European history. A continent ravaged by wars from the times of Crusades to the World Wars and cold war moving into a concept of economic & political union permitting free movement of people and ideas.  The humanist ideals are deep...

In the by-lanes of Prague , next to Charles Bridge is this wonderful relic of cold war - John Lennon wall .   Originally the paintings started appearing following the assassination of John Lennon, known for his liberal views & love for humanity. Gradually, this morphed into a rallying point for opposing the oppressive communist regime. Painted in white by authorities many times, the caricatures on this wall, which includes Beatles lyrics & many other humanity oriented phrases is now like a magnet that pulls travelers in Prague. John Lennon Wall - Prague I wish Trump begins constructing this wall. Few years later, caricatures will begin to appear on that, at-least on Mexican side. It'll become a rallying point for tourists to flock into Texas & Chihuahua, popping up the local economies of those states. ( PS - The wall is estimated to cost anywhere between $15 billion to $25 billion , with the bulk of it going to the man-power required to build this.  And ...

"Okini", said the clerk who issued us the tickets & subway card at Kansai airport. I had to google what it meant afterwards. It means 'Thank You' in Osakan dialect , but not so commonly used by the young generation apparently.. They prefer 'Arigatou'  ( Thank You ) and 'Domo Arigatou' ( Thanks a lot ) . Little did we know that we were set to hear these phrases an innumerable number of times  accompanied by bowing as a mark of respect..   That's Japanese society for you. Extremely polite, welcoming & helpful. Couple of days later, a gentleman who was rushing to his office, went extra-mile to help us locate a hotel that we were looking for. He even accompanied us right to the entrance of the hotel. Okini was perhaps an early indicator for us towards another thing as well. Japanese society is rapidly aging. Due to strong work ethic , career focus & extra-mile loyalty towards the companies that they work for, lesser number of marriages...

"Till she was about 10 years old, she grew up like just another girl. She was strong & was a  member of athletic team in her school. In 1954, she developed swellings in her neck , ears and upon being admitted to hospital, was diagnosed with Leukemia and was given maximum of one year to live..  It was in hospital that she learned about the legend of folding a thousand origami cranes to have a wish fulfilled.. She completed 1000, but her wish to live further was not fulfilled. She died in 1955, when she was 12"   --  Remarked our guide Nobu (a native of Hiroshima) in an emotional, yet composed tone,  as she detailed the poignant story of Sadako Sasaki, a survivor of Atom bomb who went on to die later due to the effects of radiation she suffered when she was barely two years old Sadako's Origami Cranes Hiroshima Atom bomb dome seen through the peace memorial & flame Immortalized by a monument dedicated to her next to the Hir...

Indian PM made a highly risky political & economic move by removing 500/- & 1000/- rupee notes from circulation. The move aimed at curbing black money & fake currency seems to be getting equal amount of support & criticism from different quarters at the time of writing. Currency is the lubricating factor on which economy runs. The Indian currency base as of Mar'16 is represented in the table below Currency Note     Value ( In Rs Billion)    Volume(In Billion)  Value%     Volume%     10                            320                               32                            1.95%       40.8%    20                       ...

Excerpts from a conversation with a person who works as a cleaning staff in Dubai. Actual conversation happened in Hindi.  Me: So how do you save money in India? Him: I transfer money to my uncle’s bank account. He takes it and gives it to my father. He keeps it. Me: So, a person keeps the all the money of earning members in your family? Him: Yeah, and he lends out money at 2% interest to our immediate & extended family members & friends when someone needs it Me: (My finance mind starts to work) Well, why don’t you open an NRE account? You get 4% interest tax free on savings account and 7.5% on fixed deposit (Thank God, I didn't advise Stocks & Mutual Funds) Him: Banking doesn’t work for us Sir. Our financial needs are different Me: Can you explain? Him: Sometimes for my daughter’s school fees, I need some money urgently. Maybe for some agricultural expenses, I may have some unanticipated need. If I go to banks, they ask for many paperw...