side talk

dear karthik

the probability of today's trade going in the intended direction is high (that's why i took the trade, ofcourse).

wish to share that i take a trade only when there is atleast one (sometimes they are 2-4) strong strong reason to take a particular trade.

after taking the trade i just relax irrespective of the outcome because as per the law of averages if i keep following the method ruthlessly positive trades will always be much more than the negative ones (though negative ones will always be there, i know)

self talk

yes,

trading is never easy.

even if you make a killer profit in a trade

the next trade will always be as difficult as the previous one.

even after n number of successes your chance of going wrong are always there.

market never gives any weightage to past or recent or latest performance.

it never cares for reputation and sincerity and image and other personal equations.

every trade is a new trade.

market is a great leveller.....no special respect or hatred for anyone.

same is true from the reverse angle as well.

market is as easy after a negative trade as it was before that.

no risk, no reward.

every trade will be "difficult" and wrapped in fear.

there is nothing called "zero fear" and "sure shot" set-up for trade.

as anatoly karpov famously said "the surest way to lose is play for a draw"

those fearing drowing keep sitting and remain sitting on the shore.

nothing ventured, nothing gained.

trading is a verb, not adjective or noun.

self talk

take a trade only after good amount of homework.

good homework ensures a win-win situation

1. either the trade will go the anticipated way and you profit.

2. or, if the trade doesn't go the anticipated way despite all that good homework, it leaves you with a learning which was apparently not included in the template you used for homework. in other words, your knowledge base increases for the next homework.

never, self doubt. never doubt the accurace of the homework or that of your decision. if homework was good and things don't go accordingly, take it as an opportunity to discover something new including the revealing of a mischief.

but never kick yourself.

a trader with low self-esteem can never be confident.

kicking ourselves only weakens us psychologically and makes us vulnerable to the mind games of the operators.

news and effect

technicals don't worry about news. 

any "news" is inbuilt in the technicals. 

as they say "charts know that the news is coming."

what actually happens is 

that if the operators and big pockets are willing 

small news is magnified big time, 

and if they are less interested even big news fizzles out.

small news, small need = small or no effect

small news, big need = decent effect

big news, small need = small effect

big news, big need = big big effect

Sequim News for July 2012

Dear Sequim visitors,
Let's have a little glimpse about what you can await on your July Sequim visit. Sequim News published by the City of Sequim each month will help us to put today's blog post together.


As usual, let's start with the Sequim weather this July. July did not start as 'summerly', as we all expected after 'June Gloom'. Yes admittedly that was a bit of a disappointment especially when one is waiting for going picking berries + cherries. Our cherry orchard lady told us just yesterday that we will still have to wait another 1 1/2 or 2 weeks, all depending on the sunshine Sequim will be getting. Most important there are cherries on the trees. We just need to patient and wait a bit longer.

What else is new in Sequim this summer?

Music in the Park

Annual Music in the Park during summer started. Concerts take place each Tuesday 6pm at the James Center in Carrie Blake Park. Nice to know what music will be played. So make your selection:
July 3 Dukes of Dabob play Dixieland<
July 10 Mark Whitman Band plays Rhythm & Blues
July 17 Bound to Happen plays variety

July 24 Karaoke Idol - Contest (see sequimwa.gov website for registration)
July 31 Cascada plays Latin Guitar & World Fusion 2012

2012 Sequim Lavender Festival

Sequim Lavender Festival coming up Some of my lavender bushes at the house are already in full bloom. Others are still waiting. It all depends on the kind of lavender. However, we know that by July 20th, the start of the Lavender Festival, all the lavenders on Sequim Lavender Farms, along Sequim's sidewalks (don't miss Hendrickson St for a photo) and people's personal lavender bushes will be blooming beautifully. The wonderful scent of lavender will be lingering everywhere in little Sequim town. It's a lavender extravaganza which thousands of visitors will enjoy when visiting Sequim on the weekend of July 20 - July 22 for the Lavender Festival. Also visit SequimLavenderFarms for more information about events.

Sequim Centennial

Plans are underway for Sequim's 100th birthday party! There are many ways for Sequim residents & visitors to participate and enjoy the celebration. Visit SequimWA.gov for the highlights of Sequim Centennial. The Sequim Centennial Celebration starts October 2012 with lots of events leading to its finale in November 2013, which will make the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Sequim. Become a sponsor of the Sequim Centennial 2013.

If you are planning a vacation in Sequim , our Sequim Vacation Rental 'Bell Hill View', at a beautiful peaceful location offers a 1Bd/1Ba fully equipped for Sequim vacation.

Happy 4th of July everybody from Sequim!

Tags: Visit Sequim this summer, Sequim Lavender Festival

On the Inca trail --- Machu Pichhu and Cusco City

On the Inca trail --- Machu Pichhu and Cusco City

MachuPichhu, the name resonates with mystery, intrigue and of course one of the new Seven Wonders of the modern world. MachuPichhu in the native quechualanguage means “old mountain”. For me, it was the journey of alifetime and a dream travel destination that was long awaited. Machu Picchu is today the top tourist destination in South America attracting global tourists. However few Indian touristsvisit this place perhaps due to the long distance involved or lack of awareness.But thanks to the super hit film “Robot”, in which Rajnikanth shakes a leg withAishwarya Rai on top of Machu Pichhu for a popular song inappropriately titled“Kilimanjaro”, Indians have started to realize the potential of this greatarchaeological site.

(still from the movie Robot shot at Machu Pichhu in 2010 for the song "Kilimanjaro")

Itravelled from Lima, the capital of Peru to Cusco Cityby flight. The flight lasting approximately 75 minutes offers breathtaking viewof the snow capped Andes mountain range below.Once you reach Cusco, a small town located at a height of 3,400 meters abovesea level, altitude sickness could take a heavy toll on human body due to lackof oxygen. Hence the tourists are recommended to take medication to beat the sickness. I had taken adequate precaution, yet I succumbed to thissickness just after completing the city tour. Most American tourists come wellprepared and stay for 3-4 days to acclimatize themselves before exploring themystical city. There is no accommodation at Machu Pichhu except for an expensive Traveler Lodge and hence Cusco remains the base camp. Next day early morning 6am, I had to take the luxury Train toMachu Pichhu and hence preferred to skip dinner and take adequate rest.

The trainfrom Cusco to Machu Pichhu by Peru Rail isperhaps one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. This luxury airconditioned train has wide windows and large part of the ceiling is covered byglass, which offers a magnificent view of the Andesmountain range and the gentle river flowing besides the tracks. The trainjourney lasts about 3.5 hours covering a distance of 120 kms and the passengersare kept well informed on the public address system about various sites on theway while being served snacks and drinks. The train passes through lush greenfields, colorful villages in the foothills of the Andesand extensive areas of terracing dotted with the ruins of Inca fortresses.After reaching Aguas Calientes, we need to take a bus ride lasting about 20minutes to reach the ancient site of Machu Pichhu The bus ride itself is spectacular as the narrowtrack winds its way up the mountainside The scenery is lush cloud forest withgreat views of the sacred mountain.

On reachingthe top, the friendly staff at the tourist desk hand over a navigation map ofthe site and also offer guide service for a fee. I was accompanied by myPeruvian friend, who had earlier been to Machu Pichhu couple of times and offeredto be my guide. I also got my passport stamped with the name “Machu Pichhu” asa souvenir. The air is really thin at the top and care needs to be taken not toover exert. Fortunately the weather was extremely sunny and pleasant that day (20 degrees Celsius),which is a rarity. Maybe we were blessed by the Sun God that day.

Locatedabout 2.400 meters above sea level on a small hilltop between the Andesmountain Range, the mystical city soars above the Urabamba Valleybelow. Built by the Inca Kings, this majestic structure was considered a lostcity until it was discovered in 1911 by an American archaeologist named HiramBingham and later declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. It was estimatedthat approximately 1,200 people could have lived in the area, though many sayit was most likely used as a retreat for Inca rulers. Due to it’s isolationfrom the rest of Peru,living in the area full time would require traveling great distances just toreach the nearest village. Since majority of theIncan population lived in and around the Andes Mountains, cities like MachuPicchu were generally reserved for those of a more rich and noble blood. Itstill remains a mystery as to how and why this ancient city fell. Was it war, earthquake, smallpox or the ruthless Spanish invasion? However the Spanish invadersdid not know about Machu Pichhu although they controlled the majority of IncaEmpire settlements, including nearby Cusco. Hadthey known about this site, when they arrived in the 1500's, Machu Picchu would probably have been lost tothe world as local people say.

Aslocal history goes, Machu Picchuwas probably built around the year 1450 AD, and it only thrived forapproximately 100 years. Once abandoned, the site survived only within theknowledge of locals who knew about its existence. Machu Picchu would live in lore until itsrediscovery in 1911 by Hiram, who was exploring the area when he found theruins with the help of a local farmer. Coincidently Bingham found thousands ofInca artifacts upon his discovery of the ruins which are now housed at a museumin Cusco. Due to the fact that it had remainedin obscurity for hundreds of years, Machu Picchu has been preserved and appears today much likeit would have during its heyday. Among the most impressive characteristics of Machu Picchu is the techniquethat was employed to build it. It is still a general mystery as to how the Incamanaged to move the large rocks that they used to construct the city,especially when you consider how it is perched almost precariously over the Urubamba River valley. You will likely stand inawe upon examining how these rocks were so expertly joined without the use ofcement. The rocks of Machu Picchuwere painstakingly carved until they perfectly fit the stones around them.

Sincethe timing of my visit coincided with the Inti Raymi or Sun God festivalcelebrated on June 22^nd (shortest day of the year in the southernhemisphere), the period is considered very high season. There were lot oftourists especially from US, Japanand Europe. I could sight one lone Indian couplefrom Hyderabadin the crowd of about 2,500 visitors which is the maximum allowed in a day bythe Peruvian Government. The adventurous tourists take the Inca trail to MachuPichhu that lasts 2 to 4 days of trekking. Some even scale the nearby mountain calledWaynapicchu located quite a distance from the main site.

AtMachu Pichhu one can visit three primarystructures i.e. Intihuatana (Hitchingpost of the Sun), the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. We used the route map to cover these placesas well as Astronomical observatory, Templeof the Condor (bird worshipped by the Incas) and the fountains. I was amazed tosee a rock resembling a sun dial perhaps used as a clock those days; vessellike objects and the huge condor bird carved in stone. The Temple of Sun Godis prohibited to the visitors as reconstruction activity is still going on. Thesite is secured by guards posted all over the place, perhaps to ensure safetyof this marvelous structure. The steppedterraces apparently used for agriculture is really intriguing and I could sightfew llamas (National animal of Peru)grazing on the lush green grass. Close to the Astronomical observatory, thereare orchids and trees with beautiful flowers, which are soothing to the eyes.It takes about 3 hours to see the entire site of Machu Pichhu and thoseinterested in archaeology could perhaps spend an entire day. Thanks to thelovely weather, we were not tired even after 3 hours of hard trekking. Since nofood is allowed within the premises we had to go back to AguasCalientes for lunch followed by shopping for souvenirs to take back memories ofMachu Pichhu. There are plenty of restaurants that serve all kind of cuisinesbut I settled down for a local Peruvian restaurant.

The tripback to Cusco left me with profound memories of this great wonder and itremains even after I landed in India.It’s a mysterious location, which leaves lot of questions unanswered even tothis date. A must see location for those who love adventure and want to be leftintrigued for years to come.

Cusco City: The "archaelogical" capital of S.America

Locatedat an altitude of over 11,000 feet in the heart of the Andes mountains, is the dynamic andhistoric city of Cusco Peru. Cusco with a population of about 0.4 million isalso called the archaeological capital of South America since it is the famedcapital of the ancient Inca Empire and it has served as a travelers’ mecca forhundreds of years. Though Cusco was the center of the Inca Empire for arelatively short time, relics and imprints from the great civilization remainto this day. When you visit Cusco, you feel as if you’ve been transported toanother dimension of sorts. Perhaps that is partly due to the altitude’s effecton your body and mind. If you are flying here and haven’t yet adjusted to theAndes Mountains, prepare to spend the better part of your first day simplylounging around or lying in bed with altitude sickness. While that seems whollyuncharming, there are natural means by which to ease your symptoms, like chewingcoca leaves or drinking coca tea. The baroque main cathedral in the centraltourist gathering spot of the Plaza de Armas is one of Cusco’s most impressivearchitectural structures. But perhaps even more fascinating when it comes toCusco architecture are the surviving walls from the Inca. These walls were, andare, so strong that the Spanish often chose to simply build on top of theminstead of destroying them. As if the stone streets and the city’s “livingmuseum” feel were not enough, seeing these hundreds of years old stone walls asyou make your way about town is truly a treat.

CuscoPeru is a city that is perfect for travelers since it is a jump-off point forexcursions on the Inca trail and to nearby Machu Pichhu. Many people will stophere before heading to Machu Picchu, or to other points of interest locatedwithin Peru’s Sacred Valley. Cusco is a busy city, thriving in fact, andtraffic can be a hassle to negotiate. Just make sure to politely ask beforetaking pictures of the local and indigenous people, as well as offer a smalland modest monetary gift. The friendly nature and disposition of the indigenouspopulation in Cusco will surely make a mark on your soul that you will carrywith you for life. Shopping in Cusco is a joy and you can taste localdelicacies like roasted guinea pig. I visited the local bazaar to shop for souvenirs and bought a "pancho" similar to the Indian shawl worn by the local men and women.

We travelled to Cusco in the midst of the Inti Rayma or Sun God festival, which is the most important Andean festival. The Inca cultures celebrate this festival from June 16^th to 24^th (shortest day in the Southern hemisphere). The festival travels from the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco to the massive fortress of Saqsayhuaman. The festival includes fire and lights to wake the sun god on the shortest day and longest night of the winter. The Sun, the main God of the Inca Civilization was considered to be the creator of all that exists. The festival lasts 9 days of colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to ensure a good cropping season. The celebrants fasted for days before the event, refrained from physical pleasures and presented gifts to the Inca, who in return put on a lavish banquet of meat, corn bread, Chicha and coca tea as they prepared to sacrifice llamas to ensure good crops and fertile fields. The dance ritual happened all through the day and night and I soaked in the festivity just like 200 thousand other visitors. It was indeed a heavenly experience.

Date Visited: 22nd June to 24th June 2012

Acknowledgements:


1) Luis Villanueva, my friend in Lima-Peru for arranging this wonderful trip to Machu Pichhu at very short notice and for accompanying me to the location. Without him it would have been tough to manage the trip all by myself especially since majority of the people speak Spanish.


2) Solmar Tour (Lima-Peru) for creating my itinerary and arranging the Air, Train and Machu Pichhu tickets at short notice without hitting my pocket too hard.


3) Hotel Munay Wasi, Cusco for making my 2 nights stay very memorable. In fact they offer 25% discount on room rent to foreigners. Please check this link --- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294314-d647501-Reviews-Hotel_Munay_Wasi-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html

4) Chosen as "Picture of the Week" by Economic Times Travel edition dated 30th Aug 2012
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=ETBG&showST=true&login=default&pub=ET&Enter=true&Skin=ETNEW

5) Check all snaps taken at Peru by clicking on this link >>> https://picasaweb.google.com/114415907332130891045/LimaCuscoMachuPichhu?authkey=Gv1sRgCKClgK6q-u3hxAE

6) Check these 2 short videos on Machu Pichhu and Inti Rayma festival at Cusco by clicking on the Play buttons below....

Lima - Royal capital city of Peru

Lima - Royal capital city of Peru

The moment my business trip to Lima got finalized, I immediately rushed to the World map hanging in my bedroom. How far Lima is from Bangalore and what air route should I take to reach this far away destination? I finally decided to take the Bangalore – Dubai – Sao Paulo – Lima route which consumed the least journey time (approx 30 hours) and return from Lima via New York and Dubai, which was also for the same duration. This trip broke 2 of my travel records a) the farthest journey ever undertaken by me and b) the longest nonstop flight (15 hours from Dubai to Sao Paulo). However the thought of visiting this exotic South American capital city made me feel very excited, since this was my first visit to Latin America. On breaking this news to my friends, almost everyone suggested that I also visit Machu Pichhu, which was recently declared the new 7^th wonder of the world. Who knows when I will get another opportunity to visit the Land of the Incas, located about 18,000 kms from India!!

With a population of over 8 million, Lima the capital of Peru is the 5^thlargest city in Latin America behind Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Rio. It is a city of contrasts since Lima is surrounded by shantytowns where poverty is rampant and yet many of its suburbs are rich and prosperous. Its business district boasts skyscrapers and its shopping malls are ultramodern. I stayed at The Westin, which is the tallest skyscraper in Lima with 30 storeys offering a great view of the city from the hotel room. Lima is located on a desert strip on the banks of the Rimac River close to the Pacific Ocean shoreline. Lima is the richest city in Peru and is the financial, cultural and educational center of the country.

Interestingly I started on a Monday morning at 4am from Bangalore and reached on Monday night at 11:30pm. While returning from Lima, I started on a Sunday night and reached Bangalore on Tuesday evening. Peru is 10.5 hours behind India and here lies the answer. My first impression of the country is always the International airport and the Jorge Chavez International Airport at Lima did not disappoint me although the immigration process took me about 45 minutes to clear despite landing at 11:30pm from Sao Paulo. In contrast the Sao Paulo airport was very small and very ordinary looking compared to Lima. As I came out of the Airport exit I heard young girls shout aloud as if they were welcoming a hero or rock star. It was not me of course but the local Latino all girls pop band called Pandora, which arrived at the same time. I reached the Hotel around 1am after 45 mins drive and was surprised to see many guests waiting to be checked in even at that hour. Mining lies at the heart of Peru's economic boom of the past decade and the country is witnessing lot of business interest from across the globe. Lima boasts some of the finest cuisines in South America, the fusion of Inca, European and Asian cuisines have created an eclectic, yet excellent cuisine especially the seafood.

Lima has enough museums, churches, colonial houses and pre-Inca ruins to keep any visitor busy for weeks. However I had very little time to explore the city since I had planned a trip to Cusco and Machu Pichhu in my cramped schedule. However I was fortunate to find my old friend Luis at Lima, who had just relocated here from Paris about 6 months ago. Being a Peruvian and a Lima citizen for a long time, he knew the city like the back of his hand. He insisted that I see Lima at night and I agreed to a short tour of the old city. The highlight of this trip was a heavenly experience at Huaca Pucllana, a celebrity restaurant located in a breathtaking setting within the ruins of an archaeological compound built between 200 and 700 AD by the early inhabitants of Lima. Their cuisine is a reinterpretation of Peruvian Criollo tradition and features dishes like ceviche etc. I ordered Paiche fish dish (Amazonian River fish) with potatoes. I also tasted the Pisco sour, which is the National drink of Peru. It seems the Peruvians are so passionate about their Pisco, that they could go to war with Chile, who claim the drink to be their own.

Lima is a city of 2 extremes like Bombay, with the richest and the poorest living close to each other. On one hand you can see swanky apartment complexes and on the other hand you can also see buildings which are not even plastered by cement or small shanties on hill tops. Peru, unlike India does not live in villages and bulk of their population is settled around Lima and modern cities. You will see some of the best road infrastructure and in some pockets the worst. I was however impressed by the dedicated Bus lane created within the city limits to compensate for lack of railway or metro system in the city. However like India, the road discipline can be at its worst with lane cutting and honking being the rule of the day. Lima has very few 2 wheelers and 3 wheelers and hence traffic is not as chaotic as in Indian cities. But the traffic jams could get worse during peak hours. I was amazed to see few Moto taxis (3 wheelers) popularly called auto rickshaws in India. These moto-taxis are manufactured by Bajaj, India and I happened to see couple of Bajaj showrooms on my way to office. I was later told that Mahindra also has a large presence in Peru. Most of the cars on the Lima streets like Alto, Swift are also India manufactured. In the IT world, TCS already has a major presence at Peru. There are couple of Indian restaurants in Lima city run by Pakistanis, which are apparently popular with the local crowd. Soccer is the most popular sport of Peru but their National team is not very strong compared to their other Latin American counterparts

Look wise the people of Peru are very similar to Indians. No wonder when Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in search of India, he mistook the locals as Indians. Except for hotels and offices, I could hardly converse with locals since they speak only Spanish. Most of them mistook me to be a Peruvian and when introduced as an Indian, people immediately co-related the Oscar winner “Slumdog Millionaire” shot in India, which was a big hit in Peru. I hope the Peruvians have not generalized India after seeing this movie, as an impoverished nation. Like most Indians, the staple diet of Peruvians is fish, rice and potatoes. Most of the vegetables and fruits found in India are available in Peru and I later realized that potatoes, papayas etc had in fact originated from the Inca land. I was surprised to find mangoes, that too in winter. Being in the Southern hemisphere, it was winter time in June and they celebrate the shortest day (22^nd June) in praise of the Sun God. The weather in June is typically cool and sunny (about 20-25 degrees Celsius) but one can expect cloudy weather although it rarely rains here. Lima lies in the high seismic zone and mild tremors are often encountered. While I was in a meeting with the Client, there was an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale and the whole building shook for a few minutes. I was surprised to see not one person move away from the meeting room while remaining very calm. For them it is a very common occurrence.

 

Peruvians are very friendly people but the only challenge is the language to converse with them. I would not recommend a lonely trip in a cab or otherwise, unless you are accompanied by a local. In the office, people generally speak English but most of them do not. While visiting the client for a presentation, I witnessed that their Meeting rooms are equipped with a small sound proof glass box which seats a translator. This translator is well versed in English and Spanish and can amazingly translate the discussion with a time lag of just few seconds. It was a very interesting experience for me. The actual local language, Quechua is spoken by very few Peruvians and Spanish remains the official spoken language in this country. By contrast I felt Indians still speak the ancient languages and use them predominantly in day to day life while English is spoken as one of the languages. We should in fact thank the British for not destroying our ancient culture while Peru was not so lucky under the Spanish rule, which was extremely ruthless in comparison.
Peruvians love their local beverage called “Inca Kola” which even beats Coke or Pepsi in sales. Throughout my stay in Peru, I preferred to sip this tasty Kola. One thing that intrigued me at Lima, was the fact that people rushed to brush their teeth after every meal. I later came to know that this practice is extremely essential since the cost of dental treatment is quite exorbitant in Peru. Peruvian Soles is the official currency but US dollars are widely accepted. 1 Soles = 22 Indian Rupees. The currency is very strong and the cost of living is high. An average meal for 2 can cost anywhere between 150-200 soles. Real estate is booming in Lima city and many claim to have seen their investment double in just a few years. 

Peru was plagued by terrorism in the 70s and 80s and they have come out of it successfully. Earlier people could not venture out of their homes after sunset but now it’s a vibrant city that never sleeps. People are still in awe of ex President Fujimori who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000. He is currently in prison on charges of corruption. Fujimori ushered in lot of reforms, brought change in the Peruvian society and also eliminated terrorism. He put Peru on the global map and is today one of the fastest developing countries in South America, thanks to the booming mining industry (gold, silver and copper) ; popular tourism destination and heavily promoted by the government as the land of gastronomic delight. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, Peru to me was more like a neighboring country. With increased trading ties between the 2 countries, we should be able to get closer to Peru in years to come. 

Date Visited: 18th June to 25th June 2012

Acknowledgements:

1) Hotel The Westin for making my stay at Lima, a wonderful experience.  Please check this link below....

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294316-d2138946-Reviews-The_Westin_Lima_Hotel_Convention_Center-Lima_Lima_Region.html 

2) My colleagues at IBM Peru and my friend Luis for ensuring I had a memorable time at Lima

3) Check all snaps taken at Peru by clicking on this link >>>  https://picasaweb.google.com/114415907332130891045/LimaCuscoMachuPichhu?authkey=Gv1sRgCKClgK6q-u3hxAE