The Big Picture

Google Earth's eye from the sky reminded me of something I stumbled upon in Nicosia en route to Turkish Cyprus.

Yann Arthus Bertrand's open-air exhibition titled "The Earth from Above" is a stunning collection of 120 prints from more than 75 countries across the world with a common theme - all of them are shot from the sky!


Heart in Voh, New Caledonia

This and many other prints in the collection are a veritable treat for the eyes. Probably because the men in them are either invisble or too insignificant to mar the picture perfect beauty.



And then there are images like the one above of Mexico, which at first glance looks like a vibrant mosaic of latino colours but on closer inspection reveals a huge rubbish dump. Understandably this ruffled the feathers of quite a few Mexicans.

"Many Mexicans were disappointed that one of the main images I show of their country is that of a rubbish dump, when Mexico has one of the richest biodiversities in the world. But through this photo, I wanted to condemn the frenetic production of rubbish, which is common to the whole planet, and does not only concern Mexico."

Which is also why he's brought his exhibition to Nicosia, the last divided capital in the world.

For, as he says, from the sky he doesn't see any line dividing Nicosia.

Click here to view "The Earth from Above"

(All the above info has been collected from the net. We didn't stop for the exhibition as we were in a rush to get into Turkish Cyprus. We never made it into the Turkish north but then that's another story. Grist for another post.)

UoH from Above

Google Earth just gets better and better. Along with the controversy surrounding Indian Military establishments being clearly visible on every PC screen across the world is the wonderful news that Hyderabad can now be seen with jaw dropping clarity.

So clear infact that I was happy to note that the flyover/runway/launchpad at Tank Bund finally managed to make it's ends meet.

It's all there. The Buddha Statue, Hitec City, TCS' Parliament style building, IIIT, ISB, the National Games Stadium..and voila! There's good old HCU. Nostalgia kicked in and the lack of work gave me the impetus to put up these snapshots. (Click on the pics for a bigger view)



The Entire Campus
(or at least the part that's inhabited. The whole looks like it can fit in a couple of stadiums more and an F1 race track to boot)




The Main Gate
Open Sesame!




Ad Block
I think I can see a bit of red tape sticking out.




Shop Com
Namaste! Reddy Garu.




Science Complex
There's a brainstorm developing somewhere.




Seminar Hall and Library
Blah blah...Zzzzzzz




SSB, AI Lab and Open Dais
Fun! Fun! Fun!




School of Management Studies
CEO Ahoy!




Open Dais
Arrrrreeeeeeee youuuuuuuuuuuuuu reaaaaddyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!




Humanities and Folk Arts
Where Art thou?




Ladies Hostels
Fools rush in...




Men's Hostels
...where angels fear to tread!




Peacock Lake
Forget Peacocks where's the lake?

The Greatest

Clay comes out to meet Liston.
And Liston starts to retreat.
If Liston starts to retreat any further
He'll end up in a ringside seat.
Clay swings with a left,
Clay swings with a right.
Look at young Cassius
Carry the fight.
Liston keeps backing
But there's not enough room.
It's a matter of time.
There, Clay lower the boom!
Now Clay swings with a right!
What a beautiful swing.
And the punch rises the bear
Clear out of the ring.
Liston is still rising,
And the ref wears a frown,
For he can't start counting
Till Sonny comes down.
Now Liston disappears from view,
The crowd is getting frantic,
But our radar stations have picked him up:
He's somewhere over the Atlantic.
Who would have thought
When they came to the fight
That they'd witness the launching
Of a human satellite?
Yes the crowd did not dream
When they laid down their money
That they would see
a total eclipse of the Sonny.

I am the greatest.

- Muhammad Ali, before his fight against Sonny Liston