Whirlwind Weekend

So. Last weekend was a big one for the baa-lamb. Out of sheer respect for the elderly, Let's just say it was the beginning of  a new decade and leave it at that. But to bring in this birthday (and to perhaps tick a few places off the bucket list), we decided to head to the Puglia Coastline.
We were staying at a really nice B&B at Monopoli. Its run by a really great chap called Cesare, who makes you feel like royalty. When we woke up next morning, this is what we were greeted to:

 The Lord knows I'm not the strong, silent types, but this one had me speechless.
The city was bathed in a golden glow and everyone greeted you with a wave and a smile.

On asking for directions, we were personally escorted to this lovely little store where a very nice man tried to sell us some of his prosciutto. His opinion of us may have dropped a few notches after having discovered that we ate no meat.

Apart from the many cathedrals dotting this lovely city, Monopoli also boasts of a Castle fronted on three sides by the sea. For once it was nice to enjoy a place without be trampled underfoot by a wave of tourists.

The locals haggle with the fishermen as they arrive with their catch

Colourful little fishing boats

you could happily spend hours wandering in the many little streets and bylanes, often wondering how on earth they've managed to park a monstrous SUV right in the middle of a square whose only access is a lane barely large enough for a bicycle. It was a barmy 24 degrees and the water was perfect for a spot of swimming and of course pebble picking. Pickwick was is heaven with this treasure-trove of sparkly 'crystals'. 
...At night we were treated to a street market. And the way people were flocking to it you might think it was the kumbh mela. Instead we spotted all of 8 shops. Selling some good stuff no doubt, but apparently we were the only ones who looked like buying. The rest of the town was watching a movie from the 1950s on scree the size of a large-ish home theatre. And we had nervous groups of giggly teens dotting the place - apparently waiting for the big event- The dance and open air disco.

I love what they've done to the LPs, don't you?

This was some sort of weird shrine on the road. I suppose for the fishermen to come back safe...

I gave a LOT of business to this stall. And Arun to the neighbouring Gelateria.

We left the young things to it and settled back comfortable in our soft beds, falling asleep to sound of waves washing ashore mingled with distant music and much laughter.

We also happened to visit Albe Robello which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trulli houses were truly unique (Sorry! Couldn't resist that), and we spent a good deal of time posing artfully in from of them, Arun also discovered some amazing Hazelnut Liqueur. So Yumm! Sadly we couldn't carry it back to Bucharest. Oh well, another excuse to visit again, eh?

The next morning we decided to visit another much-recommended sea-spot: Polignano a Mare The views were just breathtaking and the cliffs were just calling out for us to sit and dangle our leg out over the sea while licking up many-favoured Gelatos (or so I was told by the family)

Next Gelato stop on the list: Matera. Where Sassi is another UNESCO World Heritage site. Yes, I know it was just a weekend, but really, with so many things to see, we just had to visit - and you can see why:

you can see the cave dwelling sin teh distance as well...

This young boy was so endearing- he was trying to eat his icecream while playing the accordion

That, sadly, brings me to the end of our wonderful trip to Italy. I'm going to glaze over the parts where we arrived well past midnight and had to run groggy-eyed to school the next day. But If we ever hit the Euromillions Jackpot, I have my eye on a nice little seafront property in the Puglia coast....

Mum-Zilla

I’m a newbie NRI mum. Please note, I said NRI mum, not just NRI. And there’s a world of difference between the two. Being an NRI has turned me, a (usually) sane human being into a paranoid Mum-zilla from hell during my visit back to the homeland. I’m not proud of some of the things I did. So here’s the story of my comedy of errors. Laugh, enjoy. I won’t mind you making (a little) fun of me!

Read on...

Coffee Manna

There are just so many things I want to write about my trip to India. Everyone here asks me ‘So, how was your trip back home’ and I always say ‘Awesome!’ Because that sums up the entire experience.


But there are a few not-so-awesome bits that make up the awesome whole. Read on here to find out more. My post on Yowoto..,

There's no place like Home!

No, really, there is, quite literally no place like India. The land of so much colour, contrast and some incredible people.
Let's start off the journey with God's Own Country, shall we - Kerala.

Yes, this is how people travel in the monsoons, one handed bicycle riding is quite the rage

Oh. you were expecting something more conventional? Like beaches and backwaters? Fear not! we have that too!

yes, yes, three very excited children at the beach...

...which they had all to themselves. Almost

More beach

and backwaters. 

Did I mention Fort Kochi? That is a different animal altogether. We decided to travel by the Kerala Water Transport (Arun having long ago decided that the rickshawallahs were bleeding us dry and he was having none of it)

who knew? Graffiti filled walls in a communist state

The chinese fishing nets strictly serve the function of  tourist attraction. The actual fishing is done by that guy crouching below it with a string in his hand

In the barges, all manner of vehicles and people abound. I'm surprised it didn't have people hanging off the rails. 

My favourite bit was this though- in our balcony. These little sun birds building their nest.

Incredibly shy things. Had to stay well hidden to capture them in action.

I also happened to spend a few days in Mumbai *sigh*. Not long enough. Never long enough. Although I had more than enough of the death-wish laden traffic.

ONLY in Mumbai will you find posters that were made by posh people for posh people, never mind that the aam-aadmi is never going to get the LoTR* reference (*a friend kindly helped me correct my literary reference. I had erroneously attributed the quote to GoT. Thank you, Amruta!) 

soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...

Re-use! Re-cycle! even if it's an old wheelchair and the man is using it as a balloon stand. 

In a country where cricket is a religion, seems a fitting monument to the God.

morning walkers

This, is NOT a haunted house. This is, in fact a dear friend's office space. I am happy to report, they are still alive as we publish this.

Bombay was not all concrete jungle. there were patches of hope.

Naturally, no trip to India can be complete without the festivals, and we had our fair share - Raksha Bandhan, Gokulashtami, Ganesh Chathurthy and Onam!

No onam is complete without a Pookalam, is is?

Our clay Ganpati. home-made and prayed. And immersed. Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar yaa!!

That is not Pickwick turning suddenly brave. That is a very life-like Elephant Mannequin all decked up for Onam  

There were of course, the incredible contrasts, from beauty being appreciated on the ramp to being neglected on the road...

...from pets being lovingly brought up to animals being cruelly imprisoned...

... but most of all, it is the sum of the people that make up incredible, inimitable India! Until next time, I will miss you.

Gee-Whizz

Yesterday morning started like just another sunday. Late. With the kids having to drag you out of bed.
When we finally cracked our eye open, we were greeted to a glorious, sunny day (well deserved, after a week of miserable wetness) and the roar, yes, roar of planes whizzing overhead.
Now, normally. I'm not much of a motorhead. Planes and speeds and engine stats do not roll off my tongue. But when you have planes overhead doing this, you have to stand and gawp.

These were the Baltic bees. They were performing at the Bucharest International Air show 2014

 and they made such pretty shapes in the sky!!

Then we witnessed a whole host of other planes doing this: (If you expect me to spew names, you are looking at the wrong person. I leave that in the capable hands of the baa-lamb. I just went, 'ooh! pretty!!')

I still can't believe we were lucky enough to witness this from out balcony. It was like our own, private Air-show. Towards the close of play, we got back from dinner just in time for the Piece de Resistance:

Look at that formation! I can't even...

We had a whole host of jumpers, with the final one unfurling the Romanian flag!

Good show, Romania! Can't wait for what this country shows us next!

Have kids? Must travel!

The hubby and I love travelling.  When we first met, we used to take off practically every weekend, when my job allowed it (my job involved a lot of travel as well. I thought it was one of the coolest parts of the job). Then we had a kid. And another. (Don’t worry, we’ve stopped now). But we still love travelling. And the question I hear most often from friends is “How do you do it?” Well, it’s largely on a hope and a prayer, and yes, a teeny tiny bit of advance planning. Otherwise, for the most part, travelling remains a much-loved family activity. Along the way, we’ve managed to learn a few things that make the vacation stress-free (for me) and (hence) enjoyable for the family. 

... Read on here

Of spontaneous picnics and such

Summers. I love summers. It’s the time of sunshine, happy faces, picnics and pollen (the last part isn’t what I love about summers, but it is what it is). So last Sunday the hubby suggests we go for a picnic. Out of the blue. And here’s what followed... (read on http://www.yowoto.com/posts/what-a-spontaneous-picnic-looks-like-in-a-parents-world)