Indelibly Rajesthan Part 1 ( first posted on thebarefootfoodie.org on 2 Nov 2014 )

( First posted on 23 Dec 2012 )

Prologue

I've been infatuated and enthralled with India since young.

History lessons about the caste sytem, dowry, wife-burning injected a sense of mystique and curiosity about a culture which is totally alien; next comes arm-chair travel, which whisks one off to the land of the Maharajahs, particularly poignant is one grief-stricken soul who built a monument to commemorate his beloved wife, who died after giving birth to their 14th child

( yes, we now wonder about these things called love and duty)- such romance; and there is also the drama, evoked by Bolly and Holly wood, in the many guises of fantasy, heroism, ...culminating in the blockbuster "Slumdog Millionaire" where the good guy gets his gal against all odds with a bounty to boot. Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy, Rohinton Minstry among other Indian authors who wield their craft, have also left a lump in my throat...

On Nov 30 2012, I was ready to set foot onto Indian soil, accompanied by the SS (Supportive Spouse ) who had no notion of what lies ahead of him, save the arrival and departure dates of our flights - a brave man! I, on the other hand, am thrilled with the pilgrimage and the possibilities which beckon....

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New Perspectives

So What If The Day Started Badly This morning, as I was reversing my car out of the porch for a dental appointment, I drove right into a van who just happened to park in front of the house across the road, right at the very instant. The knee jerk instinct was to feel sorry and angry with myself at the same time. I said a little prayer for comfort and that the rest of the day would turn out better, with small mercies along the way. I also texted G, telling him what happened and that I was a little shaken by the incident, trivial as it was. The text came back " No worries". It was all the comfort I needed - no judgment, no reproof, just a quiet understanding and acceptance. The Rest Of the Day Got the tooth fixed, had my comfort food for lunch, left car with dented bumper with mechanic, took a bus to Ang Mo Kio library to while away the time. Along the way, discovered my favorite Yong Tau Foo franchise had moved to the food centre here, much nearer home, and also picked up a ...

Special Residents of Istanbul and Ephesus

My recent road trip of Turkey traversed several cities. But it was mostly in Istanbul ( and a few more in Ephesus ) that cats who roamed the streets with the familiarity of a resident, independent and free, yet well-provided with food, shelter, water and loving affection. On our very first day, we bought a bag of cat food and fed them whenever we encountered them. Some were hungry and responded to us, but others kept their distance, or came over to sniff at the kibbles and walked away. It warmed our hearts to see these adorable creatures as part of the landscape and culture of a most memorable trip in a land so richly endowed with the legacy of the past facing a challenging future ahead. Here's a gallery of cuteness overload. This link best sums up the history and back story of these adorable felines. https://consciouscat.net/relationship-between-istanbul-and-its-cats/

PROJECT GROWING UP ( Or the Little House that would )

In the Beginning In 1997, G and I went house-hunting. We decided on a not-so-big single-storey house in Serangoon Gardens and made it our home, together with D, aged one. So the small family of then three moved in, together with our domestic helper, an absolutely indispensable part of the life and times of the Sims. In 2000, A joined the brood and we became a household of five. As the years rolled on, this little house stood the test of time, armed with a resolve to remain true to itself while all around, the neighbours were mutating into towering structures, forever altering the once charming landscape of this cosy precinct. But as D and A morphed from age to age, they made encroaching demands on sanity and space. Chaos aside, the study was first to go, for each one to have their own private den and mess containment. Soon the deluge of homework and assessment sheets spilled into the living room and there was no more division of boundaries. The living room became the ...

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