From foreigners who came for a taste of home to professionals whiling away time before and after work, all await German Bakery's opening <table style="width: 106px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="106" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2011/feb/bakery1.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Rebuilding: German bakery under renovation. File Pic</td></tr></tbody></table>Manyu00a0hearts were heavy when 17 people died and 65 were injured in the Valentine's Day Eve blast last year at the German Bakery, a popular hangout in Koregaon Park associated with pleasant memories for hundreds of regulars who would step in for a quick bite or to just while away the time. Now, a year on, people are eagerly waiting for the reopening of the eatery. For a host of foreigners, the food offered at the joint was a big draw. It tasted much like the stuff they would get in their hometowns, with a variety of breads on offer with piping hot tea and poached or boiled eggs. Wen Mclichlin, an Australian who has been visiting India for 30 years, was a regular. "I loved the bakery a lot as we used to get to meet people from across the world. I used to love to just chit-chat there with my tea and it was the perfect place to socialise. I heard the blast as I was meditating in the ashram," Mclichlin said. "I miss the place and I am waiting for it to reopen so that old memories can be rekindled again." Mark Pranava Hill from London said he still could not get the blast out of his mind. "After the blast I am pretty apprehensive about the place, though I have a lot of my memories there," he said. "I would think twice before going there, and if it can be avoided, I will never step in." Visiting the bakery was a routine with Prue, who came here to visit the Osho Meditation Resort. "The place was a part of my daily routine. I miss it and will be there the day it opens," Prue said. Chaitanya Rathi, a regular visitor to the bakery, can't wait for the reopening. "A group of us used to kick-start our bikes at 6 am just to have a breakfast of masala chai and salad with chips, as we called it. We use to pass the time there for almost two hours and then go to our respective offices," Rathi said. "I miss that place and am just hoping that once it starts the same menu would be served. I have noticed a lot of breaches in security and hope that the authorities concerned look into it and avoid the occurrence of the same incident again." For Shaikh Azaz, who used to sell sweet corn just beside the bakery, the blast brought a lot of changes. "I am not scared after the blast even though it happened while I was present out there. But still the policemen have asked me to leave the premise because of security reasons. This has really hampered my business," Azaz said. "I used to have a lot of the regular customers, who used to come daily to my cart. But now things have changed and I am just hoping my business will boom again." Mrignaina Lunkkad could not help but like the location of the bakery, as it was walking distance from her residence. "I often visited the bakery as I live just two lanes away. It was a great meeting point for me and my friends. We would gather around and have a cup of coffee to relax after a long, hectic day," she said. "I am a bit shaken after the blast as it occurred while I was just walking towards the bakery."

No disaster management plan in place

From foreigners who came for a taste of home to professionals whiling away time before and after work, all await German Bakery's opening

Bakery regulars await reopening

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