It's Divali here. I had a 3 day weekend, which was nice. We didn't do too much, a little shopping on Monday, as Manju wanted Tuesday off instead of Monday. He needed to go to Tumkur (his hometown) to register his daughter's birth certificate. We got a nice painting for the living room. I don't know what we're going to do with all the artwork we are collecting when we need to go home. We don't have as much wall space in our house back in CA.
Oh yeah, on Saturday evening we went to a 1 year birthday party for one of my co-worker's children. There was a huge cake, and a magician. I got to be the guinea pig for one of the tricks. It was pretty fun, and I think our girls had fun even though most of the kids there were under 8.
There have been non-stop fireworks going all weekend. They start somewhere around 4:30 in the morning, and go till late at night, after midnight at least.
Boom,
bang,
pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,
BANG,
...
Some people have the kind that shoot off sparks, and some even have rockets which shoot fairly high into the air. All together a lot of noise and sparks.
On Monday evening we went to the Deville's and they had bought some 'crackers' as they are called here. We helped them set some off in the back yard, till the neighbors complained. I have to say, they were impressive. Our sparklers back in CA are about 1 foot long, and very thin. Some of these sparklers were close to 3 feet long, and about a 3/4 inch thick. They would go for a long time too.
After the neighbor got upset, we went out the front gate and set more off in the street, and empty lot/dirt road next to it. We got a whole collection of kids from the neighborhood. Marian started handing out sparklers to them and they had a ball. We shot off several firecrackers (again huge by my standards), and a bunch of sparkling fountains. All the while the neighbor kids were running around with sparklers. Then it was all suddenly over when we ran out of sparklers, and we had to go home. Cindy accused me of being like a big kid with the sparklers and fountains. I guess you could say I had fun...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Varkala
Last weekend was a long one for both Maya and me (though I had to work this Saturday to make up for last Friday). So, we decided a weekend away from the noise and hubbub and pollution of Bangalore would be just the ticket.
We left early (very early) Thursday morning, and we were at the hotel by 9. We stayed at the Taj Garden Retreat in Varkala, which is nice enough, but not one of their top hotels. It was about a kilometer up the hill from the beach, but there was a nice little trail which went down there from the hotel.
Varkala is a small town about 1 hour north of Trivandrum and Varkala Beach is a community which is above the beach, and runs along the cliffs
to the north of the beach.
There are many lovely spots where one can stop for a drink, snack, or dinner with a great view. We went to Sunshine Cafe 2 nights and sat and watched the sun set,
while drinking Mojitos and Cosmopolitans.
Cindy and I enjoyed the former, Ari the latter, Anna was stuck with 7-up. Both nights the sunsets were absolutely the best. Two of the nights we ate at the Funky Art Cafe. The second night we went there because they were having local talent perform. First there was a band, 
and then that was followed by a local boy of 16 performing traditional dances. He was really good, but unfortunately his cd gave out fairly quickly and he didn't get to finish so I missed out on a Photo Op.
On Saturday Massages and Facials were the order of the day. Here the ladies are going over the menu.
This lady's beauty spot was just above Varkala Beach.
Ari wasn't feeling too well, but Cindy, Maya and I went for a backwater tour on Sunday before coming home.
The backwaters (at least in this area) are mostly salt water which has come in through the beaches which separate the ocean from the backwaters, but they are not open to the Arabian Sea. They get fairly large in some places, and narrow in others. We saw a few people out tending to their land along the shores,
and two boatloads of people returning from Mosque.
It was really nice, and I'd like to go and spend a day or two on a houseboat on the backwaters there somewhere in Kerala.
We left early (very early) Thursday morning, and we were at the hotel by 9. We stayed at the Taj Garden Retreat in Varkala, which is nice enough, but not one of their top hotels. It was about a kilometer up the hill from the beach, but there was a nice little trail which went down there from the hotel.Varkala is a small town about 1 hour north of Trivandrum and Varkala Beach is a community which is above the beach, and runs along the cliffs
to the north of the beach. There are many lovely spots where one can stop for a drink, snack, or dinner with a great view. We went to Sunshine Cafe 2 nights and sat and watched the sun set, while drinking Mojitos and Cosmopolitans. Cindy and I enjoyed the former, Ari the latter, Anna was stuck with 7-up. Both nights the sunsets were absolutely the best. Two of the nights we ate at the Funky Art Cafe. The second night we went there because they were having local talent perform. First there was a band, and then that was followed by a local boy of 16 performing traditional dances. He was really good, but unfortunately his cd gave out fairly quickly and he didn't get to finish so I missed out on a Photo Op. On Saturday Massages and Facials were the order of the day. Here the ladies are going over the menu.
This lady's beauty spot was just above Varkala Beach.Ari wasn't feeling too well, but Cindy, Maya and I went for a backwater tour on Sunday before coming home.
The backwaters (at least in this area) are mostly salt water which has come in through the beaches which separate the ocean from the backwaters, but they are not open to the Arabian Sea. They get fairly large in some places, and narrow in others. We saw a few people out tending to their land along the shores, and two boatloads of people returning from Mosque. It was really nice, and I'd like to go and spend a day or two on a houseboat on the backwaters there somewhere in Kerala.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Rainy Lazy Day
I still have trouble adjusting to the fact that even though it is pouring outside, it can be warm. It is particularly hard when traveling in the car, or sitting at work in the air-conditioned cold air and watching it rain. But it's so, today it has decided to rain here in Bangalore (after several weeks of dry). The doors and windows are open, and it's a nice balmy warm day.
Yesterday evening we went to the OWC "Indian Night", where everyone is encouraged to dress in traditional Indian wear, and there is of course Indian food, drink, and entertainment. We went with Brad, Marion, Steve, Melissa, Rob and Jackie. We men had it fairly easy, but the women were all wearing Saris. In order to get dressed, they all met up about 2 hours ahead of time, and Jackie's maid (and her daughter) helped them all get dressed. They looked lovely. We had a good time, despite sitting too close to the stage and not being able to talk too much due to the loud Indian traditional music. I think I enjoyed it more than some, who were wanting it to stop...
So we slept in today, and did some puttering around the house while the clouds grew darker and darker. Ari wished at lunch time that it would rain, and about 1/2 hour later the large drops started falling. They were few and far between, but sounded like a very slow staccato on the roof. Then it started to pour just about the time I had my shopping list ready for getting my medications for the month. It got so loud, we could hardly hear each other talk. Fortunately it stopped pouring and turned to a drizzle. I didn't think it ever drizzled in India, but now I've seen it. All in all it has just become a lazy day, but minus the thought of curling up by a nice warm fireplace and listening to the rain and reading a good book. Sometimes I do miss the changes in weather.
Still it is nice to find a spot to curl up and listen to the pitter patter of the rain coming down and read a good book. I guess I better get mine and claim the easy chair upstairs.
Yesterday evening we went to the OWC "Indian Night", where everyone is encouraged to dress in traditional Indian wear, and there is of course Indian food, drink, and entertainment. We went with Brad, Marion, Steve, Melissa, Rob and Jackie. We men had it fairly easy, but the women were all wearing Saris. In order to get dressed, they all met up about 2 hours ahead of time, and Jackie's maid (and her daughter) helped them all get dressed. They looked lovely. We had a good time, despite sitting too close to the stage and not being able to talk too much due to the loud Indian traditional music. I think I enjoyed it more than some, who were wanting it to stop...
So we slept in today, and did some puttering around the house while the clouds grew darker and darker. Ari wished at lunch time that it would rain, and about 1/2 hour later the large drops started falling. They were few and far between, but sounded like a very slow staccato on the roof. Then it started to pour just about the time I had my shopping list ready for getting my medications for the month. It got so loud, we could hardly hear each other talk. Fortunately it stopped pouring and turned to a drizzle. I didn't think it ever drizzled in India, but now I've seen it. All in all it has just become a lazy day, but minus the thought of curling up by a nice warm fireplace and listening to the rain and reading a good book. Sometimes I do miss the changes in weather.
Still it is nice to find a spot to curl up and listen to the pitter patter of the rain coming down and read a good book. I guess I better get mine and claim the easy chair upstairs.
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