My first blog - I thought I'd write something earth shattering, but it's not working. My mind has gone on a mini-break - a common state of affair since I became a mum. So anyway decided to write about a trip we (my hubby, baby and I) took last month.
This was our first holiday trip (besides India) with Sakshi. I didn't travel outside India until I was nearly 30 and my two year old girl has already become a seasoned globe-trotter. A great trip during which we attended Ravi (my husband Suresh's first cousin) and Alka's wedding, saw a bit of New York, Niagara & Washington and spent time with Thangapama and Ammaii (Indian traditional name for maternal uncle and aunt). I guess it speaks volumes about Indian hospitality that every single day ammai would get up early to make sure that we had a hot breakfast in us before we stepped out for that days outing, and she'd ensure that every single day Sakshi would have her favourite chicken for dinner.
There are so many highlights to a trip, but one fun memory is Sakshi calling Bhavna (her aunt whom she has met after a long time), Ravana. Ravana happens to be a mythological demon king - the evil that opposed Ram in Ramayan. Unfortunately she got the hang of saying Bhavna a bit too soon for all our liking. Then there was the visit to Niagara Falls. It's the first truly naturally awesome place I have seen and it silenced us! The Great Falls in DC (the next stop) while rather tame in comparison had its own mud-churling beauty. But man! was it hot in DC. We grow up with this image of all nations to the west of India having beautiful weather year round (ignore the harsh winters), but this visit taught me one thing - American summers are just as bad as what we have!
Sakshi enjoyed the trip in her own way. She loves the basement with it's TV. She'd ask us to go away after we had put on some kiddie show for her, so that she could enjoy the whole show in peace. If I am not mistaken she once asked Rajesh (our cousin and Bhavna's hubby) to turn the TV on and after he had done that, she asked him to go back to the kitchen! She is growing up right - the woman's place is in front of the TV and the man's in the kitchen - Ah! the new order :)
Returning to NY, it was back to stomping along the footpaths of Manhattan and trawling for budget buys. Ammai made more chicken and needless to say Sakshi feasted! I swear I will not be surprised if a study comes out saying that the world population of chickens has come down in the last year. Our girl has single handedly done a lot of damage to those birds :)
The penultimate day of our trip was devoted to the Bronx Zoo. Sakshi did not take her noon nap but just soaked in the sights and enjoyed the Children's section, the cable car ride and the face painting session. At one point she looked like she was going to kiss the guy who was painting her face - that's how thrilled she was with the whole day!
Kind of sums up our trip the US - so thrilled, that it was not as scary as we thought after watching 'Training Day', that we nearly blew kisses at strangers. And surprisingly we found it a far more egalitarian and broad minded (okay I have only been to 3 cities and none of the small towns) and far less racist. Especially when compared to the undercurrent of racism one faces from westerners in the Middle East.
I know what I am going to write about tomorrow! Kabab Factory, Dubai!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
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