Chennai Delhi Blore

Summer is here with a bang across these cities at least

Travelling is not all fun but there are always some nice moments that stay with you:

Was amazed and moved by a flight friend who rescheduled his flight to meet up and pass on a sloka cd for the kids

Ate at a place called Evergreen in Delhi- simple, quick and nice fare.

Had a quick shopping expedition this time to the right street in Sarojini Nagar, thanks to Mad Momma's guidance . Got really lovely summer frocks and some cute knik knacks for Golu.

Was amused by a group of Dehra Dun school girls on a picnic to Goa, who made it a point to chat me up. Felt like an ass for telling their guide that Goa is likely to be HOT right now!!

Sunflowers

They never fail to delight !

Aditi with her look-alike buddy on the way to Badami from Hampi

Long Time

Yes indeed by my standards.

I have been to Delhi- Haridwar- Mumbai and on to Chennai now

Managed to take a cable car ride in Haridwar,
Shopped in Sarojini Nagar and met up with cousin and blogger howdoweknow in Delhi,
Ate vada pav across the Mumbai Mithibai college...

Who said official travel has to be only work?

BTW what have you been up to?

Am in Chennai and got to meet friends apart from regular work. We went to Shiraz Cafe in Cholamandalam and had refreshing Irani lemon tea ( with mint) and pulpy guava- beet- basil juice. Nice place to chill out.

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DO go here for a bit of juicy weekend reading at ST- an interview with Craig , a young story teller.

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The highlight of the H'bad trip for us was Paigah Tombs- stunning, poetic architecture. Go here for more pics at my friend's flickr page.

"Foreign" in India

The Spanish Mosque
It is always interesting and often impressive, how in older times itself western influences found their way into supposedly conservative domains.

Here are Anush's impressions of masters for Artsy Craftsy over at Shruti's

Hot and Happening- Hyderabad!

We spent the weekend at Hyderabad and covered a lot more than expected:

Footprints left at
Ramoji Film City
Falaknuma Palace, where we also had lunch
Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi Tombs
Salar Jung Museum
Chowmahalla Palace
Paigah Tombs
Birla Mandir
Jain Temple and the Shiva temple in Kolanupaka village (also called as Kulpak)
Lumbini Park and Hussain sagar lake

Photo ops
Charminar, Mecca Masjid
Spanish Mosque in Begumpet
Bangles at the bazaar

Food
Ate at Falaknuma Palace, Chutney, Abhiruchi, Dwarka, Taj Mahal, Paradise, Hyderabad House
Enjoyed some punugulu from a street stall
Saw but did not buy anything at Karachi Bakery and Pullareddy

Friends
Met blogger friends- Laks, Ro and Utbt
Met old Blore neighbours who had shifted to Hbad last year

More on each of the above over the next few days.

Off we go...

Check this wonderful blog, in case you have not already got hooked on to it.

This is where we are headed this weekend, see you next week.

Ex-Home

Off to Chennai and Mumbai trow. The cities I called home for over a decade each.
Always a nice feeling to revisit.

Mumbai Dost

No. Not the Gay one but a happy one all the same.

Was in Mumbai yesterday. Apart from work, got a chance to meet my best friend from college who happened to be in Mumbai as well!!

What fun it was and I am glad that it is never difficult or awkward despite the long gaps ( this time 3 yrs) between the times we get to meet.

Siddhi

The Artnavy and the N family set out to Chunchi falls. It got a bit difficult to lug the younger kids all the way and did not seem worth the effort since the fall was not a spectacular one.

But we found a small gurgling stream  and the children splashed and washed about and we generally had a ball.

We then headed to Mekedatu. The calm Arkavati and the rough Cauvery join here. We were thoroughly mesmerised by the power of the Kaveri in the gorgeous gorge and the lovely rock formations there. Specially how the water had polished the stones to a shine and the perfect holes and arches that the water had created over time.

And the coracle ride was finally done.

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Went to ISKON Higher Taste finally and Loved the food. Wish they had some of the dishes one associates with Krishna like poha- jaggery and so on as well

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Anushka wanted me to make Honey fried noodles ( darsaan) and I did.

It was a success and she wanted to carry it to school today as well!

Chalo Dilli

Was in Delhi yesterday on work. And passed by the Consulates, Rail museum, India Gate, Akshar Dhaam, the JN stadium all on the way to and from the airport.

Ate  a Rajasthani meal at a restaurant called Suruchi. Not bad.

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Nowadays Aditi follows when I say I am going to XYZ on tour and says" Aditi XYZ" as though she would like to join me as well.

She had her vaccine today and did not cry at all!

A quick trip

Did a whirlwind trip with my maternal aunt from Delhi to Chintamani.

The drive in the rain was amazing. Everyone had a ball in any case at home.

Was wondering again why Snickers can't set up a plant there given the awesome quality of peanuts you get.

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I had a haircut and am mighty pleased with the results. On the way to short hair again.

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Aditi has measles- must be why she has been out of sorts since we returned from Tirupathi.

New learning- vaccines are not a complete guarantee.

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I have been given a new account recently at work- one that will take me to Delhi at least once in couple of months. Beginning August. Shopping, M and MM here I come.

A rock show- Tirupati Ezhumalai Venkatesa

The Tirupathi trip was nothing short of a rock concert.

They jostle you, they scream, they move you about- and all want a bit more time with the Idol.
There is even security that won't get you close or let you hang around a second longer.
But we had darshan post a 3 hour wait which I am told is great.

The journey was fun with Anush and Aditi the only grand kids,they got all the attention from both sets of grand folks around.

We saw a lovely procession of the Goddess and two splendorous elephants and a live Veena recital as well. Not to forget, the enticing whiff of besan fried in ghee ( amma, said Anush,  this smells like boli/ puran poli) every time the breeze blew that way...

Do not buy the 300 Rs ticket since that queue moves slower than the Rs 50 one.

Opt for the Blore/ Chennai Tirupati 'branch' temples if you are not particular.

This is no place for the faint hearted. We were certainly blessed to have non whiny kids! Their mom was far more cranky about the experience!

21 and more

Aditi turned 21 months on Saturday. We celebrated Father's day at her play school and found she had really settled in well despite the agonising wails that continue, as we drop and pick her up daily. Anush joined in on the fun as a BIG sister.

I had a whirlwind trip to Mumbai on Friday and managed a visit to Andheri for lunch feasting on street side eats. Also went to Merwans! Took some of those treats to the playschool.

It was my folk's wedding anniversary on Sunday. Anush made a lovely card for them using gemstones. We enjoyed dinner at a not so known restaurant called Pink Popaddam, a part of Ishta hotel at Ulsoor. The girls both wore pink to the place and for once their mom was okay with that :-)

Very innovative, different and surprisingly yummy food- sample this- a paan- gulkand- vanilla shot!! Go there if you haven't already. Even if it is just to enjoy the best/ most informed service I have ever experienced.

Ayo Bowan

We bloggers know so many of our kind in so many different countries but I do not know a single one in Sri Lanka.

That is where I am right now. On Work though. For the third time.

As always I find Colombo a lot like a Singaporean Goa/ Kerala.

Kids are okay back home so far. More later....

Love ji

Who was seated next to me on the flight?

A silver haired gentleman I greatly admire.

He even asked to borrow my Eco Times! I was thrilled.

Celebrating Ugadi and Ganesha

I think this was the first time we were in Chintamani for Ugadi. Lots of new clothes, the cricket World cup final and food apart, we also had beautiful weather on one of the days and played a bit of badminton as well. This is the first time I saw a natural athletic ability in Anush. Aditi on the other hand is very athletic in general and was a naughty monster this trip.

We also visited a Ganesh temple in Kanipakam, Chittor district. Lovely idol, fairly clean temple but very commercial and very crowded. Excellent drive nonetheless.

Anush sets off for summer camp today , hope she & T enjoy it.

Nashik and back

Went on work to Nashik via Mumbai. Nice place though it is less scenic than I had expected. It was wonderful to hear the Marathi there.

Bought Chivda at both Kondaji and at the more interesting Madhavji chivda. Also visited Haji for sweets.

On the way back via Mumbai, I had some time to kill. Anyone in Andheri west, near the station, last evening, would have seen a woman, completely gleeful, going bonkers shopping and carting unwieldy bags around. On a whirlwind nostalgia trip- I was at Merwans-a Cake shop, Jains farsaan/ snacks, a Titan showroom ( yes I know we have those in B'lore as well), a Pani puri stall and Honesty a small kiddy clothes shop in NATCO. What fun!

Needless to say- my purse was light and me- I felt even lighter. What a high!

Of Sea and Sand

This weekend we went to Sai Vishram- a lovely retreat tucked inside a place called Byndoor.

The cottages are pretty and there is a lot of wicker and eco friendly construction. The beach is pristine and pure. No vendors, no voyeurs, it was almost like our own private beach. The resort does not belive in active marketing and this has kept the crowds away and those who we met there, were very like minded families. The food is veggie and excellent and what's more it is extremely child friendly- they honour all your little one's wishes- strawberry milkshake at odd hours included.

Getting there is the only slightly difficult part but we managed our first overnight bus ride with the kids pretty well. We used a sleeper bus- a first for me as well. It was Aditi's 18th month birthday and I am glad it was spent this way introducing her to the much loved sea and sand. She hated it on day one but loved the dolphin sighting cruise ( yes we got to see dolphins), wanted to feel a crab a fisherman showed her, enjoyed the resort dog who was truly endearing. She played about in the sand, tried eating sev puri on the beach, even tried the trampoline with her sister. Anush had an adrenaline rush with the ATV ride, Jet ski and Banana boat. She tried the bungee trampoline combo and did not quite like it after a point. She loved the trampoline and as usual collected shells, did not want to get out of the water, enjoyed jumping waves, building sand mounds and so on. The high point for me was Anush, waking up around midnight, saying" Amma I am enjoying myself so much" and then dozing off.

Awesome!

I went on work to Tumkur yesterday. Was wowed by the roads. Really very good.

Sutradhar has an exhibition on- need to check it out.

Navy's office is shortly going to be a 5 day week one. Wonderful! Hopefully he keeps it that way.

Anush narrated the story of the Merchant of Venice to me. I was zapped. My mother had told her a week or so back and she recollected it in full!