tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post113257875219319314..comments2023-11-05T09:52:04.030+00:00Comments on My other Shoes are Manolos: Disappointing DutchThe ramblings of a shoe fiendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193183543700543479noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132678169060514902005-11-22T16:49:00.000+00:002005-11-22T16:49:00.000+00:00ttg - I'm yet to experience the treat that is the ...ttg - I'm yet to experience the treat that is the American Embassy. I'm sure I can't escape it for longThe ramblings of a shoe fiendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193183543700543479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132665314290152062005-11-22T13:15:00.000+00:002005-11-22T13:15:00.000+00:00thanks everyone! It's comforting to know that ever...thanks everyone! It's comforting to know that everyone has similar tales of woe :) and that India has ample company on the bad embassies list! You'd think these people would be happy that tourists wanted to come and stay at their over priced hotels, sample their ridiculously expensive cuisine and purchase lots of tacky magnets and cow bells to take back home.The ramblings of a shoe fiendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193183543700543479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132664256436129532005-11-22T12:57:00.000+00:002005-11-22T12:57:00.000+00:00Why do we Indians have that attitude? That is so t...Why do we Indians have that attitude? That is so true -what you said about Indians being nice to everyone but Indians. You see this everywhere. In the US, you have the previous generation (Indians) complaining about how "easy" it has become for "anyone" to come to the US now (in a derogatory way) - why should that be a problem to them, I do not know. For example (I am serious about this one), I remember one of these old Indian ladies complaining that "since there are so many Indian H1 B workers here now, there is now a shortage of water here too!" HOW LAME IS THAT?Zette Remihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08032281359508823551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132641665483451942005-11-22T06:41:00.000+00:002005-11-22T06:41:00.000+00:00TomCrusie, what a joke! Just cruising buy. nice po...TomCrusie, what a joke! Just cruising buy. nice post.Subramaniam Avinashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07854755090851944419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132627164413683182005-11-22T02:39:00.000+00:002005-11-22T02:39:00.000+00:00Somehow the Indian consulate in NY is pretty okay....Somehow the Indian consulate in NY is pretty okay. They are brisk, no doubt but they get the job done, fast. In comparison, the Italian consulate is a mess. I remember I had to get a new passport since mine had expired, and in parallel my Italian friend had to do the same. I got mine at the end of the day, and my friend had to go back and forth 3 times, and got it after 10 days!Bidi-Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12542701669026229655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132619483783746442005-11-22T00:31:00.000+00:002005-11-22T00:31:00.000+00:00SFI am eagerly anticipating the blog post on Amste...SF<BR/>I am eagerly anticipating the blog post on Amsterdam.<BR/>Spare nothing.<BR/>SourinSourin Raohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10403501269620049377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132614862944876302005-11-21T23:14:00.000+00:002005-11-21T23:14:00.000+00:00Hmm. No space-cakes, no glass-fronted booths, and ...Hmm. No space-cakes, no glass-fronted booths, and apparently no windmills or wooden shoes either .. are you sure this was the Dutch embassy?the Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06759439116245465503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132608084125145462005-11-21T21:21:00.000+00:002005-11-21T21:21:00.000+00:00Brownie induced euphoria?? What are you expecting ...Brownie induced euphoria?? What are you expecting to find in Amsterdam, I wonder? :)WAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12277823372788218526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132601233988116752005-11-21T19:27:00.000+00:002005-11-21T19:27:00.000+00:00indian embassies & consulates r the same everywher...indian embassies & consulates r the same everywhere. here (dubai) they eat and drink in the open during the month of ramadan. and its always crowded! u need "vasta" to get everything done!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132598701808597762005-11-21T18:45:00.000+00:002005-11-21T18:45:00.000+00:00I've been to the Indian embassy in Washington DC.....I've been to the Indian embassy in Washington DC...it was so typical of Indian work culture- at 5:30 sharp, they closed the door from the inside to prevent people entering the visa section. Only people who were already inside would get a chance to hand in their applications. The lady in charge (I saw a total of 2 people in the office)- was a stern Parsi lady, who in school-teacher fashion, scolded all the people there, instructing them that the door was not to be opened to anybody, and if they wanted to go out, they had to use another door and would not be able to get back inside. Needless to say, every single person stayed glued to their seats!Sridevihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09039993878910410034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132598155240077402005-11-21T18:35:00.000+00:002005-11-21T18:35:00.000+00:00I had a bad experience at the Dutch embassy, well ...I had a bad experience at the Dutch embassy, well actually not a bad experience but rather a negative one. I wanted a visa on short notice but they seemed to 2 week visa waiting policy - so all I did was go to Belgiun embassy , they were sweeter just like their chocolate.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03198959729143779613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132594639043231322005-11-21T17:37:00.000+00:002005-11-21T17:37:00.000+00:00Renga posted a report on London Indian embassy. I ...Renga posted a report on London Indian embassy. I was hoping birmingham would be slightly better. now I have lost all my hopes. I just have to change my name. (you know, the "surname" problem). I guess I will be better off going for a complete new passport, by throwing away the old one.Premalathahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02741047367535557036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132587802079913822005-11-21T15:43:00.000+00:002005-11-21T15:43:00.000+00:00Arghh... dont mention visas and embassy employees ...Arghh... dont mention visas and embassy employees - i have too many hair-raising stories which will take too long to tell here. <BR/><BR/>But yes, the Indian embassy in Birmingham (the only Indian one I've been to here - dunno what London is like) is overcrowded with underworking employees and people in general, there is utter confusion with non-English-speaking Brit Indians making a hash of filling in forms - and YES, there is the all-pervasive tang of urine and YES AGAIN, the toilets are unmentionable! Never say we indians dont make every place like home.Shammihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07905000396589717457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132584259458983332005-11-21T14:44:00.000+00:002005-11-21T14:44:00.000+00:00I used to "get the feel" of the country when I fir...I used to "get the feel" of the country when I first check myself in in the accommodation type we have booked. but I thought youth hostels maintain some level of "their" standards, and from my Scottish experience, I liked preferred staying there (not to mention the cheap rate). Amsterdam youth hostel taught me a lesson. But, otherwise, we had wonderful time. very lovely city. kept remembering at every corner of their streets that these water-streets are below sea level. kept myself in that "amazed" moode that their water-streets are below sea level... (lol). Still can't beleive they have their water streets below sea level.. Balan kept "amazed" about their "water streets" and "boat-buses"!! "botel" is the thing we missed to try as we did not have an idea of such botels.. Next time!!<BR/><BR/>Have a nice time there.<BR/>(no we two innocent people did not enjoy night life. I know, what a waste!!)Premalathahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02741047367535557036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10014156.post-1132581926142472742005-11-21T14:05:00.000+00:002005-11-21T14:05:00.000+00:00LOL ... lovely post.I've recently been thru the wr...LOL ... lovely post.<BR/>I've recently been thru the wringer over a Russian visa and I know exactly what you mean about it being a precursor of things to come. Having been treated with extreme suspicion and been granted the elusive stamp with extreme reluctance, by the embassy, I found at Moscow airport that the battle was not yet over. Clearly, I looked too shady to be allowed into the country without another, very thorough investigation. I was relieved to note, though, that I hadn't been singled out - several randomly selected Russia-goers were recieving the same treatment. Iron curtain, indeed.<BR/><BR/>*sigh*Anjalihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15115585945304068011noreply@blogger.com