Eiffel tower is one of the destination which I had visited in 1974. I visited again in 2010 . That time fees was less and it was per level 1st or 2nd or Top . Now its flat rate of Euro 13.50 or so per person irrespective to the height you want to climb. The lines were so long that we have to spend almost 2 hrs standing in que on 17th July 2010. Lateron we knew that we could purchase the ticket on line also. The lifts were overcrowded and long que for going upto two floors. It was out of question to stand in que again to go to TOP level in a smaller lift . We had come to see this tower or stand in que it as difficult to know . It was so much overcrowded that practically there was no room to stand and enjoy the most beutiful spot in the world.
Ocimum basilicum is closely related to Ocimum canum and has great medicinal properties in traditional medicine. Each home in India was supposed to have this plant in their courtyard and worship Ocimum spp. They had insect repellent properties. I remember to have planted lots of Ocimum plants near water tap im my garden in Jaipur India which have multiplied to several plants . I dont know if it could be correlated with Ocimum or not but one thing is certain I never had dengu living in India for last 25 years or the period from which we had these plants raised in our garden. One thig is certain mosquito dont like smell of tulsi or Ocimum spp.
It was heartening to see rapeseed mustard being widely cultivated on patches of lands in Giessen Hessen .. Large patches of land earlier lying wastelands near rly tracts between Giessen to Frankfurt were lined with rapeseed mustard crops. This crop is main source of biofuel in Germany . Mustard oil is edible in India and sells around Rs 100 or USD 2,5 per litre. However its different in Germany if they cultivate rapeseed mustard of set aside lands. Let us hope it does not compete with food grains. Choice is getting more and more difficult as the debate of food vs fuel at least in developing world. Let us concentrate on not so common plants in not so favourable environments.
Sunflower is sign of luck in Germany, at least as my late Professor Dr Karl-Hermann Neumann told me on visit to his home in Hungen near Giessen in state of Hessen of Germany. He was leading a peaceful life in woods of Hungen after retirement . He invited me to his place and took me to a restaurant.
It was written on the wall opposite a bench " Die hier sitzen, immer hier sitzen " I am not able to give exact words but it meant " Those who sit hier always sit here" I visited the restaurant again this summer and felt that he is still sitting there though he passed away in 2009. Atleast the memories of him are always there at that place.
Feeling no pain: plants were first to let it happen
Gene, gene expression, gene silencing and RNAi 
Beaches are to be kept clean. I witnessed beach of Barcelona. It was first time I visited a beach outside developing world. It was very different experience to see people relaxing as they please . Water was clean . No polythenes floating. No canes swimming . People kept the beaches clean . Wish all the beaches world over would be as clean as in Barcelona but I have yet to see some others to compare. 
