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LGBT – LONDON Pride Parade – 2013 – P1
To all those curious vivid and imaginative people in the world – I bring to you the amazing and colorful collective collections from the London Pride Parade of 2013.
It is so true that each picture is worth a thousand words and why not – at the end of the day, it is just these pictures that remain in our head – sometimes its still and sometimes its motion pictures.
To those curious ones, LGBT stands for Lesbians Gays BiSexuals and Transexuals. To celebrate this in London – here we go …
Don’t Forget to give us your LIKES on our Fb Page, please.
Beginning with a teaser, more on the way & the videos underway in editting.
Keep watching for this space & I thank you to all you viewers across the globe.
Spread The Love
Hugs, Peace and Smiles
World Naked Bike Ride – #2013
“We are all born Naked, We all have the same skin and We are all same deep inside”
The main thought being nude is not a pervert thought that sparks and soars in everyone’s imagination. To be able to see beyond one’s wild thoughts there is a deeper meaning and a greater feeling in it. Now that all said, I have been part of something that not only makes me think, write and share what I feel but also see the world from the different side of it.
When you are spectator, you see things differently from the mainstream. You see what passes in front of you with either an awestruck wordless speech in your head or you simply rejoice in seeing what you have seen. Yes, that is true and exact explanation of what I noticed but not from being a fixed spectator but by being an active participant. It does not take time to get used to seeing the world from different eyes once you are part of it. To many of those this world has different perception when you are naked – most feel what the visual world of modern vision shows them – Not real – A fake – Distorted vision.
I was participating in the WNBR, LONDON 2013 – As it stands for “World Naked Bike Ride” – A ride that had a bigger meaning than just being naked – this is where the sensible meets the practical – A protest of human that encourage the Protest against Oil dependency by celebrating the body freedom on the real leg power. Yes, it is true that cars don’t run on air but fuel that kills our natural resources. Now that said, I don’t have a car but I still have a motorcycle which does leave me with fuel users but if I have a reasonable choice – I am bicycle lover too. I do and have been a lover of nature since I have taken a control of my own senses. Everything apart from what we have known so far – the challenge lies in the beginning. Where does one go and gets started with it – It is no big deal but a deal within your own mind and soul. If you are ready for it – you know you are in it. It was not too hard for me to be ready rather I just felt the part of it – once you see people around you who are getting ready for it – it took me no time to join them.
We started this from the LONDON King’s Cross going through major tourist routes and finishing it at Wellington Arch in Hyde Park Corner. Not a huge challenge in this when the excitement starts to build up. Everything starts to go away from the thoughts once you start pedaling and become part of the group. For me, it was initial few minutes that I had to get adapted to being naked with nothing more than a camera hanging down on my neck and shoes to ride the bike. It is 19C, with still a little cool breeze but the excitement soon takes away all the other things that comes to one’s mind. Our organizers had it all planned so well that it was just a fun ride to be part of one. We had people in all age groups.
Being a participant, I was quite amazed by some of the people reaction from the spectators as if they have never seen naked human bodies or may be not so many at the same time. Hold on, you see yourself naked each time you take shower so don’t hold me to it – I love my body and it is something I am proud of. Clothes is just something a secondary which for me only serves two purposes – one, to cover up – second, to protect me with weather. Ha ha ha… Jokes apart – this world had logically such a shock and interestingly that some were just so shocked to see that they even went closing eyes of their partners. How interesting, the contrast – A guy closing the eyes of his female counterpart while he can look at other naked females. Now, this is something which was one that I came across but the most I noticed was that big wide open mouth with that expression of “AWWWWW!” Yes !!! I am sure you will find most of it on the full video coverage on my YouTube Channel.
But all in all, the facts stays that your body is something you cover up but the reality of it is true – it is just the same flesh, same meat but different structures. Being naked is not same as being in porn so to those who looked so shameful seeing naked bodies – I have one advice for you – Participate next time and see how you feel because this guilt feel is not what you want to live for. To all those who participated in this, thank you for making it such a relaxed, wonderful and amazing experience. The reason to “Celebrate the Body Freedom”. So before you look at the pictures and think anything else – It should all be a mature content and no harm done to anyone who is anti-nudes protagonist.
& I am your host, signing off !!
& the full video coverage is HERE
Paris : An Experience – Part VI
Did I really say it is over !?
No, I didn’t which means I have a reason to continue from where I left. I have been pretty much busy, sick and above all voiceless struggling human to get back full functionality of my throat. It sucks pretty much to know that I have not slept in past all these nights coughing to the worst and finding myself not able to relax. Well, these things in life come and go but this one very much has decided to not really leave me.
Anyways, so as we were saying about Paris & in rain it just has another dimension. The whole architecture gets a good wash, all the old dust and birds shit gets washed away – what better way to see a clean neat architecture. As I have been hovering in the vicinity of Notre Dame – this post pretty much goes around couple of hours spend around, in and away towards Cite station before making my stop in Paris Auto Show(that is for laters) but for now we go back to NOTRE DAME of PARIS.
Nothing makes it more majestic than the dull days. Of course the reality is very dull but who wants to live in reality – we all have our own imaginations to paint, create and be who we are. Being colourful to be being romantic – talking of romance – Yeah – it is a city of love, for those who come to this city to only fall in love or just may be make love – it ends up really very colourful even in the rain.
But it has not only got anything to do with age, we can still be in love regardless we are 18 or going towards 80 – All it takes is a courage to hold hand – find someone you can enjoy the life with and share your endless crappy jokes(No, they do not have to be crappy all the times) but in the end you still feel the pleasure of enjoying life.
It just simply shows in how we want to see life. Some people are always the way they are never willing to look beyond their visions and some people are slaves of their own lives. I do not belong to any of the ones I mentioned but rather I believe in seeing the unseen and exploring the unknown. Besides not all the people with camera want to do that – they are bound to the rules of third or even the rules which their minds never allow them to change. I just want to see this world in a way we all have not really seen.
For once the views don’t really do the justice. I have to have birds, I have to see the freedom, I have to have emotions in a picture even though in cities the birds rarely exist – their flights don’t really go far but then again – It is how I said earlier – I want to see the life differently.
As I walk along the little path on near side to the wall – it all looks even more dull and gory. It is not really how one shall visit Paris, because it just keeps reminding me that I am getting wet and should have brought more water protected clothes unless of course you have plenty of latex to cover you in from the drizzling rain.
Walking under the bridge and then over the bridge, NOTRE DAME is calling me. It has been a while that I have been lurking around its corners from far and away but it needs to be seen. It needs to be stamped on my life book – I have been there or I have actually stood under it – in rain and I shot it before it was long lost in the busy modern life of virtual presence.
It does gives me thoughts of what this world would have been – let us assume 200years ago when the power of Church and life of poor farmer would collide to say – I have never seen anything as amazing, as huge and as powerful as NOTRE DAME of PARIS. On the serious thoughts I really respect the architecture this city has still survived with through the period of world wars. Notre Dame is not just to do with the religion but it is marvelously crafted piece of architecture which needs more than just one look at it. You need to stand under it for hours and ask yourself each one of those statues and their emotions put together to create this huge living wonder – it is just simply astounding to appreciate it. Sometimes we just want to see what we are shown and beyond it – we are blinded by faith, religion, books or even our own minds.
It does spark me with the questions in my head, the authority of Church and its existence through all these human years – this has been one huge evolution which nothing else has survived. Anything else that has survived has to be these faces standing still on the great architecture. Each of these faces bears a different emotion, each one has different direction but a single faith. The wheel of life always moved in a circle. The bigger the faith was the bigger its believers – the huge its presence. For some to look up even in the rain seems challenge but this is what is the essence of traveling light. You get to see the faith under its own glory in its own style. For I must not soak all the water from standing outside and there has to be way inside of the Church too.
Interestingly noticed that there is a huge long queue to get inside and then alongside someone just walk inside without even getting noticed by the people in long 300mtrs queue – This is really to the disbelief but I got to try it myself now and I managed to just walk through the crowd without even getting noticed. For heaven sake – it is heavenly, or call me whatever you may want to. Not every one tells you the full story.
So the insides, there is welcome corner with you to buy your souvenirs of the Notre Dame, some tickets for additional tours and for others they can rush through the huge architecture on their own. I preferred to be on my own – the best way to explore, ask and to collect new stories. I have not been so amazed but for few seconds I didn’t realize that my lens had a plenty of mist on it – producing its on foggy light effect without any effect. The deeper you will see the more you will be pulled into it. Each pillar, each window, each block of dome has stories embedded into it from the times of past.
If you are very much unaffected by the size and the depth of what this place offers to the human vision – you must be quite unappreciative of the beauty in architecture. I am not just “wow” but fully amazed, enjoying this glazing colourful painted windows, the huge radius of the dome, the size of the doors, the pillars which are beyond imagination to consider this was constructed in 1345(fully) after almost the period of nearly 200 yrs – Now can you imagine at the time when there were no modern machines – the humans still managed to make something as marvellous, huge and beautiful – which stood ages of its destruction, alterations, vandalism and restorations. On the serious note this is not just for the purpose of religion but to me it matters to understand how humans shaped this planet in the name of god. God – the beauty that is integral in each of the living creature and not just if you believe in one god. God exists in you, around you and in your nature – Just that for me GOD has a different meaning.
Getting back to the essence of NOTRE DAME, isn’t this getting amazing. There is a reason for you to even leave your imprint of being here just in case if your children, grand children or even their grand children want to come here tracing you – only if you leave a note for them somewhere that you have been to NOTRE DAME in 2012 .
For once, this place has something about it which makes me really wonder. The story behind the architecture is one bit but the story even today in front of our own eyes is something nothing less than a masterpiece of human creation. We “The Humans” never deter to impress when it comes to be being god creations. Humanity only loses itself when they go battling out in wars, living out in ego, raging their anger and hurt for others. Over and out with this chapter of Notre Dame and I must proceed back to the rain outside.
For once, I must have been still standing in rain if I was being very queue person. The proof of getting wet is quite subtle, I just did not plan for a full wet weekend still I did plan for full use of my camera and its shutter.
Good luck to you if you plan to visit Paris in rain, it generally is quite impressive if you get to see some sun. Out of my two trips, I never managed to see the sunny side of Paris and yet I have possibly enough shots to call it a Paris well shot. Ah, yes – Indeed – “Paris – Well Shot” Candidly hasselblad shot 🙂 Only if I had a umbrella like him and patience to wonder under my umbrella – I would have brought you 10 shots in total. Photography is always about being candid – for others must stick to the studio and to their magazines which they subscribe life long.
My views are not the one of a photography magazine but of one who goes out, does it and share without being worried of who is going to see it. Cry all my life if I never won a “Photographer of the year” award because that is what happens now – you get a camera, you take pictures and you scream all along the way I took 2000 pictures for once – I feel the count is merely a number and with someone who started at 13, you stand no chance to compare – so move on like me and keep shooting. Ha ha haa… “Photographic Slap”
We say the “Goodbye” to Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France.
For I must now find a place to dry up myself, clear the water from the camera and carry on calmly to my next destination. For once this day is really amazing – it does not seems to be coming to an end. Even the whole city seems to have spring back to life even under the rainy skies.
Like any other city, this city has its own charm – the charisma and its own flaws. City of Paris, some call it city of love and for me it is just another city. City like many others this one is one for those moments when you are thoughtful, rich and with time to enjoy the busy pace of non stop life.
For now, I have next destination to reach.
Lets take you there too …
Paris people, would certainly know where this is leading me to.
More on the next post. Till then I have got to plan, pack and ride to North of England just a little south of Scotland.
Paris : An experience : Part I
For travelers, Paris is just another historic exotic city that has its own charm attached to it. It for no matter should not be confused with anything else you see or come across in other cities. Life is vivid all across from architecture, history, colours and people that make this city. Lot of changes in the last century has changed the way this place actually must have been one time. For a minute – let’s give it a polished note before I write more about it in further details.
Paris – A city of love, A city of attraction, A city of architecture, A city of unending long queues, A city full of tourists, A city with crazy traffic, A city with oldest Metro in the world, A city with most expensive shopping stores, A city with youth kissing, A city with couples looking for excuse to uncork their wine bottle, A city with pebble streets, A city with oldest Renault cars, A city with endless list to do things, A city with history and the list is endless.
There are things which do not tell what else this city has which I shall also not tell but should offer enough for you all to figure it out yourself. My journey was smooth and to say it this way that Eurostar operates on precise minute to minute service in terms of both arrivals and departures so do not expect anything less than a great service from Eurostar. Nothing on this front to offer besides you may get a good neighbor or a couple sitting opposite your seat who will either be indulged in their phone screens or two hours of cuddle sessions to keep you either shy or totally entertained – the choice is yours to make. I had a reason to choose the middle seat with the table so I can play a movie to keep myself engaged. Found that I had a boring selection of the movie with Scarlett Johansson playing in Girl with a Pearl Earring
Almost with darkness surrounding there was nothing to view out of the window. Getting off at Gare Du Nord, Paris was quite rush like everyone trying to leave and run away but why not – it is Friday evening. Everyone had a reason as the train seem to be full with usual weekly commuters doing London – Paris regular weekly routine dressed in their business casuals. I had to take a RER E (Pink – girly line) to get into Zone5 where I was to spend my next few days(/nights). Gare du Nord had a old classic look which somewhere reminds me of the renaissance roof from Frankfurt railway station. A bit of modern extension but still quite classic in its own way. I managed to get my ticket for RER on the counter after a long queue where some Japanese students had a bulk tickets to buy. The guy on the counter understood my english quite clearly and without any delays I was on my way to find RER E line. For my dismal shock it smelled like a smell of piss as soon as I crossed some of these blocks and alleys going down to the platform 53. I couldn’t believe for my sake that it can be anywhere like this outside India and somewhere in Europe – that too it in a capital city of France. Well, that was my first shock to be surprised with – how can Paris especially Gare du Nord be so stinky and carelessly un-kept. Anyways, it was the first time in Paris via train so I was bit in a surprise. Last time I visited Paris was on a motorcycle so it does appear to be a shock. Getting down to the Magenta station where I can take the Pink line the train was in general words quite the same I would come across in England. Not much of a difference except it was the first time on a double decker train which is not so common or rather I have not at all seen in UK at all.
Interesting enough it is Friday evening and the city seems so quiet and all dull. Am I sure this is still Paris or am I just too lost in this illusion of comparison or expectations. Ignore my words if you cannot take the criticism but this is how it all is – may be you should read Lonely Planet guide for polished words. Train was largely empty at 2100hrs more like a ghost train running from Paris. I reached Émerainville – Pontault-Combault and just another two minutes walk from there I was in friend’s house.
Size-wise Paris is a bigger geography compared to that of London and its english counterparts. I let the rest of the evening watching TV and being a couch potato with my friend’s daughter. Kids really get me to nerves especially when all they wanna tell me is – “Patoush” – A word that went down my vocabulary list quiet well which means “Don’t Touch”. Kids needs a lot of energy to deal with – one is 3 and the other one 6 – so both gave me hard time but it was fun besides there was another third one who was a part of the house crash party. Three kids and one soul to handle the hassles of three children. I am sure parenting would be a challenge when it happens but I hope that it would be in a language where I can deal better.
I was well sure I am going to be a bed crasher this night and will not be willing to wake up anytime soon. Beside the next morning it is one of the girl’s birthday so there was a certain feeling of happy birthday around this home. kids and Birthdays are I suppose the biggest thing for them in the year so.. a lot of Balloons filling and decoration and helping them set it up for the big thing. I am always at home when it comes celebrating with kids – just become one of them and forget the age of how time has made me grow older – time never stops.
Going back to my trip, the weather is really horrible. Heavy rain and it feels drastically chilly for this time. I had no mood stepping out but to wait till this rain would eventually settle down – would it settle or would it not – I think it possibly will not but I should still step out. For most of the way I would be in train (RER), and Metro so it should be just about fine.
I decided I wanted the Louvre in this weather. Rain had settled down but not completely stopped. From Gare du Nord, I hopped onto Metro to get off at Palais Royal – Musee de Louvre. As the name suggest Louvre – it was good to point me in my direction. Metro has a very well connected like a web network across most of the major cities in the world. Stepping out at the Palais Royal – it lands you into this shopping mall where you see the inverse Louvre with the hanging base tip of it and people just do not want to leave it 🙂 something quite interesting for tourists to be at this spot.
A bit further as my excitement to shoot the louvre was getting a bit bigger. I step out to find myself on the right side of the mini Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Splendid views with Eiffel in a distance and a mild drizzle. At first I would think – oh come one, it is just a drizzle then I forgot it all very soon as I started to indulge myself in the pictures and made the rain soon a thing of the past. Wooh – rain is not a big pain 🙂 I have a weather sealed kit – what for – abuse it. Yeah so here for your eye candy some of the louvre shots. I really feel sorry for people who think photography is everyman cuppa tea but how can you use a flash for something like louvre from 80mtrs away. I think I need to share some more on that account but on the next blog post may be.
& here comes my master piece of a picture.
I call it real emotions – for some it is just a shot but for those who have eyes will look into the details of this makes it to my faves of the shots. This shot has what it calls for – emotions, love, solitude, music, expressions, hugs, kisses and above all the views from beyond inside but even outside.
Reverse or Inverse Louvre.
Finally.. all that I was waiting for !
More shall follow in the Part II …
FreeBirD 