Visitors 4

Yesterday a (mild) gastro visited our house and kept 4 out of 8 running back and forth to the bathroom. Last night no 5 joined the fun. Today they are all feeling better, but 2 out of the last 3 are 'down' now. It seems to be a one day thing, so we should all be well when we travel to Kerala this Friday (keeping my fingers crossed).

Dad and Jos came to Anu with me yesterday and had a tour through the slum.

Today Dad and I stay home, close to the facilities. Mum and Jos are out to visit a Shiva temple and the city market.

Visitors 3

After a long day away on Saturday, we had a lazy Sunday with lunch at Tasty Tangles in UBCity.

Just when I got the towels out and the shampoo at the ready....

On Monday we continued living "the good life of the expat wife", and went to the Leela Palace for manicures, pedicures, shaves and facials.

Manicure and pedicure for the ladies

Shaving and massage for the men

Lunch to finish a relaxed morning

Visitors 2

We have been out and about a lot the last few days, to see the highlights of Bangalore and some a bit further out of town.

On Friday we walked around the neighbourhood, went to the shops and had coffee at the Marriott hotel.

At the vegetable shop

This scaffolding was not the most safe and secure one I have ever seen....

Mum is feeling a lot better and is much more mobile

On Saturday we left early in the morning, to go to a Jain temple. It was a long drive, but we stopped for coffee on the way and we stopped at several places in little villages.

It is a long climb to the temple: 614 steps!!!

At the top, in the main temple

Mum & Dad had to be in the picture with this family

A good place to rest

Visitors

Rangoli, made by Kavitha

My parents and my brother arrived in Bangalore on Wednesday morning VERY early (1:10 AM!!!).
The holiday didn't start very well for my mum, because she slipped in the shower that same morning and cut her foot and twisted her knee. At first we thought a visit to the hospital was in order, but it turned out she was in pain but nothing was broken or too badly damaged. We got the band aids out and the bandages and she managed to hop along to lunch.

The picture we took to right after the first aid was completed. Mum was in a lot of pain, but we could joke about it too.

With my mum and brother after lunch

The next day her knee was quite swollen and walking became very hard. We borrowed a knee brace from one friend and crutches from another friend and slowly but surely mum was able to 'walk' around the house. Unfortunately she couldn't join us on a trip into town.

I could add many more pictures, we took lots between the 3 of us.

Today dad, Jos and I walked around out neighbourhood and did some shopping at the veggie stall. Mum is feeling a lot better and is planning to come along with us to a Jain temple tomorrow.

 

 

Parrots

This morning I finally managed to get some photos of the parrots that visit our chicoo tree (not sure about the spelling) on a regular basis. They are beautiful and very noisy, but also very easily spooked. To get a nice photo I have to open de mosquito-net and lean out the window and by the time I have done so, as quietly as possible, they have flown off again.
So this morning it worked, but out of the 10 shots there are only a few nice ones. The parrots kept moving, the wind moved the leaves on the tree and by doing so messed up the focus of the camera, and I had to zoom in quite a bit so my hands had to be very steady. I took the photos with my compact camera, because there was no time to get the big guns out. Still, I am happy I finally snapped them.



It kept an eye on me, while the other one kept eating



I see you!

Saturday

Today Simon and I made a chocolate cake/super cookie with cherry compote filling and warm cherries on top. It was so yummy that I couldn't even take a photo of the finished product because the hungry wolves had gobbled it down already...

The chocolate cake/super cookie



 

The cherry compote filling

 

 

This afternoon I went here with my friend Inge:

 

I have no idea why it has Sahara in the name, because the products are all from India....

 

The vendors sell all sorts of things, from outdoor furniture to marble fountains and from clothing to fake flowers. We both bought a top, which sounds easier than it was, because the range of choices is endless and the vendor wants to show all shapes and sizes and all colours. With every item he was sure it was our size and a lovely colour for us. Since we both don't usually fit in the standard Indian sizes, we had to try some tops on. No changing rooms, so the top goes over the shirt you are wearing,

but while taking the top off, someone has to hold the shirt so you don't end up in just your bra. 

 

According to the vendor my pants don't match well with the top and I have to "tie my back"

 

 



Copper things and bangles. I can't get used to the swastikas, even when they are decorated with the Om sign and Ganesha.



 

Rangoli

 

This vendor must hold the record for fastest speaking vendor ever. He spoke so fast, we could hardly make out what he was saying. Obviously he had done his sales pitch so many times, he probably didn't even need to think about what he was saying. Every other word he said was "Madam" and something about making a rangoli at the front gate and how men, women and children could all do it with the gadgets he sells.

He could demonstrate as fast as he could talk and it looked quite impressive. Very entertaining!

 



A day at the Marriott

Today I spent most of the day at the Marriott hotel. My friend Nicole had convinced her husband to allow us to have a sale of ANU bags at the Shell Water Conference that he helped to organise.

It was a lot of fun and we made over INR 30.000,=



Great sale with Nicole and Inge

Today at the slum

Last week it was 'Joy of giving'-week in India and the boy's school collected food items and personal hygiene items to donate to a school for Sri Lankan refugee children.
I thought it would be nice to donate some food items to the ladies from Anu as well, so last week I went to a big supermarket to buy rice, Dal, flour, spices, tea and cookies, and I made parcels of it. This morning we had a lunch with the women and gave them the parcels.

15 parcels, ready to go



At the start of the lunch


 

 

Enjoying lunch

Sometimes it are the small things that make a big difference.

Puzzled

The box should have come with a warning sticker stating: "This product can cause mental health issues!" or "Side effects can be: crossed eyes, sleep deprivation due to getting too involved and losing track of time, going insane looking for that one piece that fits".

Why did I ever think solving a 5000 (!!!!!!) piece puzzle would be fun? It is 150 x 130 Cm's and it is insanely difficult.

Yes! I have completed the border, only about 4900 pieces to go...

I have contemplated giving up/in, but I have decided to give it a few more days. I have to come up with a good strategy to sort the pieces (my other strategy is to leave it be till Mum & Dad are here so they can help).

Happy Birthday

Birthdays

at Madame Tussaud's this summer

Today is a National holiday in India, Gandhi Jayanti. It is nice to have a day off mid week. It is also very convenient, since tomorrow it's my birthday and we can celebrate today.
I have had breakfast in bed and there is the promise of home made cake and nasi with chicken sate for dinner.