My Wish List..Contd...

So I had to come back to writing about my remaining 'dream destinations' as I had a horrible start to the day. I drove someone mad and feeling the lowest of my lows.... :(

My mind then wandered (more like I let my mind wander)to Yvoire, France. I had read about Yvoire in a food magazine. The quaint little town, filled with flowers and tiny cafes, very romantic! There is a restaurant that I read about, the La Rabeouf( not sure of the spelling

now) Restaurant. The picture of the place is what caught my fancy. My imagination centre (in my head) instantly imagined my self there at the restaurant with 'the one'..hehe..sounds funny (by the way 'the one' is mad at me these days..can't blame the one though!). Well anyway, thinking about Yvoire, I cheer up! Why do some places make me feel all happy, even though I am not there? How do they make me feel at peace? So, how would this place be..? I am imagining a lazy afternoon sun, a slight nip in the air, the subtle fragrance of the fresh flowers, shrubs, quiet and peaceful, friendly locals.....wine and cheese..!

It just struck me that for the first time in my blog i am writing about something in the future..so far all i have written about have been things that happened in the past. Soon when these places also go down into the beautiful treasure trove of my memory I will keep true to the name of the blog. For now, a little deviance is accepted, my blog, my rules it is!

Next up on my list is Ireland. The name itself has a country'ish feel. The movie P.S I Love You, makes it even more desirable..! Gerry, the perfect lover; him belonging to a place like Ireland, even more perfect; the way they meet,at the national park, better than fairy tales i'd say. Ireland has been a 'place to visit before I die' since my days as a fan of 'Westlife', a boy band not popular with the true music lovers, but my sis and I liked them anyway, and they were from Ireland.

So the pretty boys of Westlife had my sis and I wanting to go to Ireland atleast once. The beauty of the place did not help matters much..Ireland was stunning! Just the kind of place I would like to visit. I haven't read much about Ireland yet so don't know what i'd be looking forward to but I believe in surprising myself and discovering...
If there were a travel personality I would come in the 'serene, calm, exotic countryside lover' category. There are so many places in the world but these places win hands down any day for me. Not Las Vegas,not Miami...! Be it a holiday with friends, a romantic getaway, a family holiday, I think I'd choose one of these places.
There are a couple of other places I have on my list but will make do with writing about just these... in fact, my next piece will be on a small valley I visited in our very own, India!!
  

My Wish List!!! Part 1

This sudden strong urge,within me to explore the new...is taking me places,creating new moments in my life(ok..not really but in my mind..yet..) and makes my heart happy!! That's why the title has the 'wish' in it...well wishes do come true,i'd like to believe..!

Here are some pics taken from the internet of places that I will visit very soon :)

Oh Greece!! The blue and the white of the Santorini and the sea expanding into the horizon. I imagine myself here in a dainty flowery summer dress,feeling all fresh, and sipping coffee..!

Swim in the blue sea, have a cozy dinner on a yacht, taste some wine and relax..a greek boy as a friend,guide whatever...is more than welcome....Inner Peace...wink wink!!

Istanbul by Turk Hava Yollari :)

I have been to Istanbul once on a really short trip. Too short for a city like Istanbul. I still

remember the welcome nip in the air, the cobbled roads, the varied colours at the grand bazaar, the old man who I bought a Turkish tea set from, the Hagiya Sofia, the Boshphorous cruise and the Shawarma! Though i visited most of the tourist attraction there, i would say they were more like short 10 seconds preview of a film you're dying to watch! The main show is yet to be seen!!

I imagine myself in Istanbul as a single traveler, walking the lanes, sitting at one of the outdoor seating of a restaurant, riding the Istikal Caddesi Tram...Oh so much to do....! Life..please take me to Istanbul....

My list has a few more places, some I came across in movies, some in food magazines and some have been just my childhood dream....Need to update soon..right now i'm hard pressed for time hence leaving with Greece and Istanbul in my blog and my eager heart..

Sat-errr-day....

Woke up to the humanly noise and a stillness outside my window , its a saturday, ma is going to work, pa, my sis and I are home. It's a weekend in its true sense(atleast for the three of us), weekend always should = 'work-end'!

Always the last one to emerge from slumber, i am witness to quite an unpleasant experience. One moment I hear sounds the next I don't. These sounds progressively get irksome. The beginning is pleasant with my dad chanting 'Aaauuuuuummmmm'('OM' elongated), my mother's homely movements around the house, and then the bell ma rings for the morning prayers. I sleep the longest but never satisfied, woken up by philosophical taunts..'the world is going ahead of you..' (a part of the irksome progression). At one extreme there's the peace and stillness outside due to the lack of cars and the usual hustle bustle of a weekday and then theres utter disturbance with Neo pouncing on..I repeat...ON...me, barking.licking,clawing; the sound of utensils being washed, a running tap, the doorbell, the phone, the mobile phone..phones...Noise wins any day, sorry Peace and Quiet I tried my best....I finally give in.....

So this Saturday turned out to be mundane..and I realised mundane is good.

Washed my black wrap dress, that I managed to stain with tomato soup, last season and long overdue. Dry flat..tumble dry(googled it)..expert water washing etc etc said the care instructions. I soaked it, scrubbed the stained part a bit, wringed it and dried it between two clothes lines...well almost flat, just the edges hanging.

Next chore, washed my Converse shoes..after finally feeling pity for the way it looked, pen marks, grime, faded. All the typical washing stunts I did not use in my dress I did on the shoes!! The fact is I have grown up watching clothes being 'washed' not just touched, soaked and dried. So I am still getting used to the washing of delicate clothes..weren't there delicate clothes back then? So the shoes were scrubbed nice and proper,went in and out of buckets of water(just the required amount mind you!), the shoelace was scrubbed...felt good.

The shoes were then placed in the sun. Back in the bathroom, poured out the water, what colour is that exactly..the muddy, dirty colour..? :)

So, sat down to read the latest edition of Femina. Cool. Feeling at peace. Mundane chores are like meditation. Had a minor spat with my sis. Peace...declining......heard a lecture from dad...further declining...!

Peace was regained when I spoke to a special friend(wink wink). And further calm prevailed while learning to prepare Quiche(An Australian dish)!!

My converse shoes are a happy pair..! And by the way, my dress is doing perfect..as long as you love what you're washing you'll never go wrong!

Peace!

A Bugle Call...

The army never fails to captivate me.

I attended the Army day Parade recently. It was impeccable. Men in smart olive green uniforms with their respective regimental colours adorning their arm bands and beret, informing the other of their regimental loyalties, yet the uniform colour of their 'uniforms' conspicuously declaring their unity, that they belong to one country first. The officers from other countries who attended the parade simply stood out...they were different. Our soldiers seemed to merge and blend into a familiar green. Senior officers to the junior officers holding themselves with aplomb....how good they must feel to be in that uniform, to be serving the nation in the highest form possible. I feel a sense of pride.....

The demonstration of a combat situation was scintillating! The helicopters, right in front of you, at eye level, blowing up dust, tanks coming in full speed from behind, the thundering sound of the bombers. Soldiers demonstrating how a face to face combat with the enemy takes place......! We literraly were holding on to our seats. It was indeed a treat to the eyes and a pleasant jolt to the adrenalin...and specially mine which had become quite sluggish off late!

The brass bands, with their bugles and bagpipers, their colourful 'uniforms' rending out tunes never fails to send a chill down my spine. They play tunes, there are no words, but my mind can almost hear the harsh cold of the high mountains, the dreariness of the deserts and a song of the life that has been surrendered to the country. Some popular patriotic songs that I have grown up singing in school sounds a lot more stirring when the army bands play it their way, while they march in unison, their white 'boot covers' ( i need to know the exact name!), moving together in an effortlessly harmonious manner. Since I was a kid, I was captivated by the synchronic movement of the 'white boots'. I would get lost just staring at the white part of their dms boots as they marched on into anonymity....

The traditions of the army have always charmed me. The decorum that one needs to follow, the disciplined structure, it's culture and the slight touch of royalty that it exudes.....how would life have been outside of the army fraternity...? Almost unimaginable! Standing there, in civvies, yet feeling a part of the sea of olive greens, sipping coffee I was grateful to be lucky to have experienced the 'army life' in this life....!

"High in the mountains, buried deep in snow, when the bugle calls I will rise and march again"

The Streets of Vrindavan

The cold air did not give up ruffling my hair into knots. The auto did not seem to be willing to compromise on the speed. Wrapped in three layers of warm clothing I was enjoying the feel of my cold cheeks. We entered the town which seemed like one main road. The main eateries and shops seem to lie on this one road. The rest of the town was hidden in the lanes and by lanes off the main road. Having set foot on this holy land I embarked upon the adventure of wandering through the streets yet again.....

Walking through the lane leading to the Banke Bihariji Mandir... sadhus and rishis in their discoloured saffron and white robes with dread locked hair chanting as they walked along, what is their purpose in life...I can't help but wonder...not that I am certain of my own purpose here on earth but at the cost of sounding foolishly proud- I have a job, a family, friends and I am happy...period....but what goal do they live for. How can they do without worldly possessions? Are they truly happy? Stray dogs trotting ahead of us with an air of confidence, bet they know every turn and secret passage in these narrow lanes. Men, women and children, mostly pilgrims I'm guessing walking by chattering and chanting. Every devotee goes back with a different experience...and to each the experience is a cherished one, I presume.....

'Radhe Radhe' we greet the walkers in these streets. Many throng this mandir...many jostle to receive the 'prasad' and many crane their necks and bodies to get a glimpse of the god whose eyes speak to each one present there. Every human present in the mandir feels that the god is looking at him. I felt the same. The belief is that one has to look into the eyes of Bihariji and talk to him and pray. I stretched out my hand too to present the garland of marigold to be offered to god and yet again for the prasad, i craned my neck too to get a view of the lord. Just this act of offereing a garland forms a bond between the almighty and the self. I felt at peace. The hundreds present were chanting and praying, for once people were in a wave of unison. A lone voice singing praises of the lord, melodious by itslef. One goes out of the mandir feeling blessed. I gave a bit of my prasad to the first stray dog I saw, he seemed a bit lost with a tiny girl trying to shoo him away when he wasn't even interested in her. God bless him and people like him who don't even know what they are being blamed/punished for.........

Walking out into another street I see the rows of sweets, ladoos being sold as offerings. The shops selling colourful attire for the murtis of ladoo gopalji that one takes home and palces at the mandir at home. I took one too...

As we walked out, a young boy told me to remove my specs. The monkeys have a fancy for eye glasses. I glanced up and sure enough there were hoard of monkeys and their extended families perched on the roof tops. Was that little monkey eyeing me?! Go eye all those sweets please...!

The streets are crowded and the buldings through which these lanes meander go unnoticed. old and dirty, I wonder what they are used for now...what history do they conceal....Short of time and without someone who could tell me about them I trudged along.....leaving the brick lanes behind and a number of lanes unexplored.....

Love Note

Sunny and bright were those two days I spent with you. A warm glow of love enveloped us. The little things we did, the few words that were spoken and those that were not. When did we reach where we are today? I dreamed of this day once as we took a journey together. Is that why they say dreams do come true.....?

Don't ever ask me to let go of those moments....let's keep creating more, even if distance separates us, even if we face challenges..let's keep creating....