Brittanto

One of the signs of Spring in Toronto is that people start saying on every sunny day, "Well, thank GOD winter is over. No, really, this time, I MEAN it!"

The second of course is the Univ of Toronto BSA show, which this time was held on March 14 (last Saturday) and which I haven't blogged about because I was extremely busy with some laziness.

The show was called Brittanto and it featured stores. It reminded me a bit of the movie Crash, with different stories woven together and the common theme here being karma. Overall, it was quite fun. Everyone acted really well (the performances looked well rehearsed) and while I would have liked some more songs and dances, it was quite a good show.

The national anthems of Bangladesh and Canada

The show started on time (and not Desi Time) which was an achievement in itself, although UofT BSA shows regularly start on time. And bonus, this time no one mangled the national anthems. It helps that both Bangladesh and Canada have really melodious anthems, although for some reason as soon as the Canada anthem ends I want to just start clapping two imaginary longish balloons together. Too much Hockey Night in Canada for me!

Bangladesh Idol

I like songs, singing and dancing. Bengali culture is a lot about music and so it was nice to see a bit of fun with a Bangladesh Idol setting while at the same time hear some unplugged vocals.

When I was a student, BSA was just a bunch of guys going out to ski, it's nice how big, and diverse, and multi-talented, it has become in 10 years.

Nitol Paye

This "band performance" was the highlight of the show for me. A beautiful song, sung beautifully with no fuss, just plain talent.

Fashion Show

It used to be that (and still is for some) BSA fashion shows was just a bunch of good looking girls walking down the aisle with the best desi dress they have in their wardrobe and guys in the audience hollering. Used to take guts and lots of persuasion to do the fashion show!

The UofT BSA fashion shows, for the last quite sometime, has been different. It is a choreographed skit all on its own. This year featured a mannequin! It was set in a sari store and the "customers" going through the store all feature different fashions. To me, however, it was all about this "mannequin". I had force myself to realize it was actually some one "live" but man could she have convinced me! Her performance was just outstanding.

More Fashion Show

In fact, come to think of it, I never saw any show in BSA more professionally choreographed, performed, or organized better than this one. In my mind, the show two years ago, Ujjibon, was still the best BSA show ever. I did not much like last year's show (probably because I still can't get over the anthem bit), but this year's was very entertaining and very fun. Well done BSA.

Note: Ilham has kindly put up some clips on youtube. As always, there's more on facebook.

Name That Movie - Bollywood Edition

Geeki did the Hollywood version so I thought I would do the Bollywood version. This proved harder than I thought - hardly any memorable quotes are uploaded on IMDB.

Task: Pick 15 or so movies. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie. Post them here for everyone to guess. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.

NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search or other searches.

Note: Where the character's name appears in the dialogue and is a dead give away, I replaced it with [Hero] or similarly as required.

1.
Heroine: I love you?
Hero: Yes, I love you!
Heroine: You couldn't do that much?
Hero: No, unfortunatly I couldn't
Heroine: Thats a shame. We could have won.

2.
Hero: When I dead... police coming. Police coming... 'budiya' going jail. In jail, the old hag will be grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding..

3.
Hero: Dad, what did you have for breakfast?
Hero's Dad: I don't know... I don't remember her name.

4.
Side Character: I'm going to leave, far from your life... bye
Heroine: Wait [Side Character]!
Side Character: [excitedly] Yes?
Heroine: Thankyou... Brother...
Side Character: [With a shocked look on his face, the theme tune of Hum Aapke Hai koun plays] Don't say anything else... BROTHER?
[gets in the car and drives off crying]
Side Character: Brother... she called me brother!

5.
Hero: You gave me five minutes to talk, I finished in four and half minutes, that's 30 seconds profit. PROFIT!

6.
Heroine: Say it.
Hero: What?
Heroine: What you've never said to me before.
Hero: That I love the kids and Tommy more than you?

7.
Heroine: [Hero], do you know what day is tomorrow?
Hero: [opens his eyes desperately] What is it now?
Heroine: Tomorrow is my first Karwa Chaud. I want you to give me my first water after my fast
Hero: Hands off!

8.
Hero: You are great... You are any man's best mate... You are very kind... You have the world's greatest mind... The whole world is your fan... I feel that you are definitely NOT a man!
Villain: W.w.WHAT?
Hero: A... ba... ba... ba... you're superman! superman!

9.
Heroine: You are an unhappy man and will always be...
Hero: And you are beautiful woman and will always be.

10.
Heroine: Do you walk on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi?
Hero: Of course! I walk 3 miles everyday on Mahatma Gandhi Street.

11.
Hero: Hey [Heroine]! There's only one house in the village with a neem tree in the yard. There's also a big field beside it. There's some chickens, two cows, and three goats. And I know whose house that is! It's mine, you silly girl! One thing before you go. Mother likes you, too!

12.
Villain: Son of the pigs. They were 2 and you are 3. Still you came back. That too with empty hands. What were you thinking when you were coming back. Sardar will be happy and will give you a goodwill gesture. Hmmm...

13.
Old Lady: Both father and son are incurable. They're hopeless! In fact, puthar, there is no hope!

14.
Hero: You lost your husband and your home once because of me. I will make sure that you won't lose you son too. Laxman will not be harmed.
Old Lady: [Ram starts to leave] Ram? I want both my sons back.

15.
Hero: I don't know what love is. Until now, I've never had good luck and have fallen in love with any of the ladies. I don't even know any ladies, forget about, falling in love with one.

16.
Heroine: If you stay with me, what will your future be like tomorrow?
Hero: No matter what our future may be like, [Heroine], we'll make it beautiful together. But if you aren't with me, then I have no present, past or any future.

17.
Police: Money and women. The reasons men make most mistakes in life. Looks like you've mixed up both.

18.
Hero: Your glance is magic, Your body, fragrance! Whether you agree to it, or deny it, you are MINE [Heroine].

19.
Hero: People say that when beautiful girls lie they become even more beautiful.

20.
Heroine: Are you like checking me out?

West Coast Diaries - 5. Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon and Phoenix

This post should complete the series. Our trip started in the beautiful San Francisco, continued into LA, before moving on to San Diego and Vegas. From Vegas we went to the Hoover Dam, continued on to Tusayan where we viewed the magnificent Grand Canyon, and then drove to Phoenix to fly back to Toronto.

Hoover Dam

About 40 miles west of Vegas, it's still takes about a couple of hours to drive to due to the heavy traffic.

We were on Highway 93 (linking Nevada and Arizona) where traffic soon slowed to a crawl. They inspect cars as the highway passes OVER the Hoover Dam.

Finally, we parked on the Nevada side of the dam.

Our first view of the dam!

We took a tour that took us inside the dam, which was pretty interesting.


You see the guts of the dam, they explain to you how it all works and also you can see the power generators and hydro what-cha-ma-call-its and all!


You can walk across the Hoover Dam and there are many interesting sights to see.


Remember the scene from Golden Eye where James Bond jumped from the Hoover Dam? Hoover Dam was also in the movie Transformers.

There are the intake towers.


Right next to the intake towers on either side (Nevada and Arizona) there are blue clock faces showing the time in each state.



The border between Nevada and Arizona. We crossed over by foot to Arizona.


A view of Lake Mead from the Hoover Dam. It was somewhat scary to know the structure we were standing on was holding this lake, and all this body of water, in place! Not to mention, Lake Mead had enough water to flood the whole state of Pennsylvania to a foot high (according to our guide).

Soon it was time to hit the road again to Tusayan.

Tusayan

On the way, you pass some interesting sights.

Dead Cows on Sale, only in Arizona!

The road to Tusayan seemed never ending.



If you remember, I had blogged that on the road, we had a flat. It was very scary, in the middle of nowhere, but we were able to walk to a gas station nearby. The flat occurred right outside a small town. They sent someone over to change the tire (and cost us $200 too!). The one time I don't take flat tire insurance I get a flat. Then we drove north on this little highway to Tusayan. It was practically dark and we were super thankful once we checked into our hotel.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast (well as hearty as cold continental breakfast can be), it was time for the Grand Canyon.


On the way, as if I needed any more adventures after last night, a deer jumped on to the road. Thankfully I was just doing 10 mph and it was a turn. The deer looked at me, sort of saying, what are YOU doing here. I have always seen warning of "animals on road" - this is the first time I saw one in front of me.

I just have one word for the Grand Canyon. Majestic!



The majestic Grand Canyon. The first view.

Truly, pictures fail to do this justice. You can never take a perfect picture of the Canyon that you can say captures the beauty of this creation of Allah. You can just look and the Canyon will take your breath away.

No, I am not exaggerating.



It snowed. It was icy at the Grand Canyon Park. We visited the South Rim and literally had to skate around the park.



That's a steep drop. And if you believe me, in places the ice and snow had completely covered the railings. There was no protection to prevent anyone from falling over!



The Grand Canyon.

After that, it was time to head for Phoenix, where we would rest for the night before flying back home.

Phoenix



Phoenix was quite a boring town. Yeah, I was there for a night only but even at 7 pm the town looked dead. I guess a lot of old people lived there!

The good thing was, it was 26 degrees Centigrade when we were there!

The bad thing, as I noted that, it was -26 C in Toronto on our return.

But boy was I glad to be home. Touring is nice, but nothing beats Mom's home cooked meal.