The Big Bang - Finally

You will have of course noticed the huge build up to ' big bang' day last month followed by he subsequent coolant leakage problems in the Hadron Collider which have now shut it down for several months. India is experiencing no such problems - it is Diwali - the festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness - typified by the letting off of random fireworks over a four day holiday. There were big bangs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and as shown in the picture late evening drinks on the balcony - this may of course be the holiday festival equivalent of horn honking as they seem to go for loudness rather than artistic impression in the fireworks stakes. However in a strange echo of my Newcastle youth, there are multiple temporary store encouraging us to 'light up the sky with Standard Fireworks'

We spent the Indian equivalent of Christmas eve viewing a house, which in a strange version of 'A Wonderful Life' may prove to be our redemption. In contrast to the 'look at how flash and impressive I am' flats we have seen so far this was a house actually designed for living in - with a sofa swing on the bedroom balcony, and room for a hammock in the garden. It may have been an allegorical illusion but we are hoping that it will become tangible in the very hear future. We may be fooling ourselves - and indeed Mrs Reiver did declare the baked mushrooms last night to be 'magic' so who knows - but if houses could talk this one was saying - ' Howway son - sit down for a pint and bit of a chat - bonny lad'