Poverty - Capitalism - Monopoly - Greed

The more I learn about Capitalism & the economics around it, the more holes I find with the concept. Some friends argue that Capitalism encourages innovation and positive change.

My argument: So does Socialism but innovation in development of humans & society. With Socialism we have seen

1. Eradication of homelessness in Cuba
2. Healthcare for everyone in many Socialist countries (Uruguay, Bolivia, Vietnam, Cuba, Tanzania)
3. Social equality within white, latino and black communities in many Latin American countries
4. Free education for everyone in every Socialist country

As I keep learning in this lifetime, I now understand the need for social equality. My concepts about Capitalism and Socialism have changed too. In my previous blogposts, I may have talked about the banes of Socialism but I now understand how Capitalism in destroying not just human lives but our planet for the next 500 years.

When money becomes more important than anything, Capitalism wins and humans lose!

My concept about Capitalism, Monopoly & Greed in a picture:

 

I am Keeping Fit & Fine

Terrible pandemic has hit planet earth since I last wrote and during this horrible time, I hope and wish everyone is healthy and their family is doing well too.

This does mean - working from home and not travelling into work.  

This is the first time in the last 10 years, that I didn't spend 4 hours a day travelling to and from London. 

Now, it's also allowed me to relax more, not wakeup at 5:30 AM, have evenings at home, spend more time with family and focus more on health. I focused on getting busy with cycle rides in the evenings and watching less TV after work. 

I had an old (25 years too old) Raleigh Bike that I bought from the cycle shop on Kings Road. I biked almost every evening in late March, April and May. It took me from A to B, helped me stay fit, not put on weight but had a few challenges. they being; poor grip on road, poor gear changing mechanism, uphills were a pain and overall weight was very 1980s. 

I got some ideas how to road bike on this plus YouTube, but now I wanted to go even faster. So, the logical next move was to get a better bike! 

I asked my very good friend who has 5 bikes too many in Switzerland and his suggestion was to get a RIBBLE. Quite small family run company from Lancashire and its been around since 1890s. 

The bike itself has a carbon frame and carbon fork! Much lighter than my Steel Raleigh, has better gear changing mechanism and also I can attach my clip-on shoes to the pedals. The uphill rides should be better I suppose. I got this on Monday and went on a bike ride later that afternoon.

Summary of the ride. 

• Route : Trumpington - Granchester - Barton - Haslingfield - Newton - Whittlesford - Shelford - Trumpington
• Distance - 17.76 miles (around 28.5 kms)

 Summary of the ride. 

• Pace: 17.4 miles/hour (28 kms/hr)
• Time: 1hr and 1 minute
• Ended up being my fastest ride ever, even though I stopped to take pictures of the Poppy Field

Nice and picturesque around Whittlesford. 

If someone is biking between Newton and Whittlesford, do stop and have a look at the poppy field. 

I shall try and leg it this evening and see how do I end up.

Last week and New Years in Ecuador

We finished our group tour and then went visiting Ecuador on our own!

1st day we took the Teleferico and went to the top of Quito

Trupti and her silly poses!

It was sunny and warm. Quito gets warm and cold very quickly. Sun's out - it's warm! Sun set & rain - It's cold!

Coffee at the top!

Quito's small alley's remind me of Amritsar!

We went to Pululalua and then to Mitad del Mundo!

At Mitad del Mundo! This is the equator! Left side is North and right side is Southern Hemisphere!

At 0'0'0''

Left knee in Northern Hemisphere and Right Knee Southern Hemisphere

We later found out that with improvement of technology the real Equator was found 250 meters away from the current equator!

We saw that on the GPS too!

With our group!

Got it! 0'0'0'0!

We went to the Agave Nectar museum. Trupti got all the attention from the groupies and the security was there to hide her from the paparazzi!

Basílica del Voto Nacional!

Back to Amritsar!

Quito was ready for 2020!

Just like La Paz, Quito also doesn't allow any cars or buses in the city centre on Sundays!

The old houses of Quito look so much like the Riads of Marrakesh

Another old Cathedral!

& another Riad 

Visited the Cacao Factory & Shop!

Basílica del Voto Nacional from the inside - 1

Basílica del Voto Nacional from the inside - 2

Basílica del Voto Nacional from the inside - 3

Basílica del Voto Nacional from the top

Again, we hardly see people on Sundays!

We went to Mindo for few days!

Butterflies at Butterfly reserve - 1

Butterflies at Butterfly reserve - 2

Butterflies at Butterfly reserve - 3

Butterflies at Butterfly reserve - 4

Butterflies at Butterfly reserve - 5

We went on a long walk to the waterfalls!

We posed for few photos 

Can't see Trupti

Can see Trupti - Phew!

The walk got slower and slower!

Few more poses

Ecuadorians create these silly puppets and burn them on 31st December!

very silly ones

indeed

on 1st Jan, we went to the bird sanctuary and saw few beautiful birds

It was quite early in the morning!

This is why it's called Mindo Cloud Forest!

More birds

and we were feeding water to Hummingbirds

Humming Birds sitting on Trupti's hand

Last few poses in Mindo and we went back to Quito

Native Gold 

At the MuNa Museum!

MuNa at MuNa

This is a brilliant painting where humans evolution along with their faith is shown from left to right!

Plaza Foch 

Old Ecuadorian Sucre. The US dollar became legal tender in Ecuador on March 13, 2000, and sucre notes ceased being legal tender on September 11. So these are some of the notes from 2000!

& coins!

Ah ha! its a nice place to take a profile photo!

Trupti seems to be doing what she does very well! Just finished off a mango and now ready to lick her fingers and clean them! :D 

Our last photo and on our way back to Madrid!