Paris.....Bonjour

Right now Im in Paris enjoying the city of lights....heading to Spain tomorrow for the New Years! Wishing everyone a very happy & joyous new Years! best wishes to you all!

On to Paris!!!!

My India trip comes to an end today...I had a great time seeing all the amazing sights and meeting all the wonderful people! Kerala was beautiful and extremely hot in the middle of December! I heard that it snowed a couple of feet in CO! Now I am heading to France and then to Spain! I am planning on visiting Barcelona and Madrid...Yesterday I finished my trip off with the movie Kabul Express and I went to Great Punjab restaurant! Looking forward to seeing Spain! Will keep you posted....Happy Holidays to Everyone!

:) :) :)

In God's Own Country

I'm in this small mountain town in Munnar which is in South India using the Internet! Munnar has numerous tea plantations and is surrounded by beautiful mountains! Yesterday, I visited a national park and viewed mountain goats...Tomorrow I am heading off to Thekkady...I also took a boat tour around Cochin and went to this very cool area called "Jew Town" where all the Jewish people live (30-40 of them)...I got a chance to go inside the Jewish synagogue which was amazing...After Thekkady, I am heading off to Trivanderum, Kovalam, and Kanikumari!!! South India is "God's Own Country" as the locals call it!

Will keep you posted!

Coconut Water...It's Good for Your Daughter!!!

I thought this famous song by Harry Belefonte about Coconut Water related to me consuming lots of coconut water on Juhu Beach...It Got a Lot of Iron and Makes Her Strong Like a Lion!! This beach is pretty and there are plenty of coconut stalls to get your fill of coconut water! I also consumed numerous idlis and vadas at Woodlands Restaurant in Juhu Beach! This restaurant was fantastic and their mosambi (fresh orange juice) was out of this world!! I visited the beautiful Kanhari Caves located in Sanjeev Gandhi National Park...These caves are a piece of history and contain hundreds of Buddhist carvings and statues that were made by Buddhist monks thousands of years ago! I saw numerous bandhars (monkeys) hanging out and surveying the food scene!! I finished the day off by visiting In Orbit Mall in Malad, which is the new technological center in India. I saw several modern call centers, apartments, and tall buildings which reflect the new India!!! The rise of technology and call centers in India is definitely playing an integral role depicting how India is changing!

Choki Dani - Beautiful Village!

In Jaipur I went to this wonderful place called Choki Dani...This was a place that was designed after a small Rajastani town...When we first entered we were greeted with red tikka and we were showered with rose petals as well as with the phrase, "Ram Ram Sa"...which means Greetings & Goodbye in Rajastani...We saw amazing dances by girls holding pots on their heads, went on camel rides, went on bullock cart rides, ate traditional Rajastani food while seated on the floor, went shopping in the village marketplace, played archery games and darts, and I even dressed up in a traditional Rajastani outfit!!! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is visiting Jaipur...They are opening Choki Dani in Mumbai, Pune, Indore and other place throughout India as well! This was a definite must see and captured the true essence of Rajastan!!!! So to everybody...Ram Ram Sa!!!

Ajmer...Ranthambore....Jaipur...The Fun Continues!!!

I just came back from my North India yesterday night and it was an awesome trip!!! First, I went to Ajmer and Pushkar and enjoyed a true shopper's paradise!!! I bought bags, kurtis, jewelry, bandini chunnis!!!! Also, got to go to Ranthambore National Park on a Jeep safari....Although we didn't see any tigers, we saw lots of deer, monkeys, birds, crocodiles, and other animals!!! Ajmer has several ruins including a Dargha, Jain Temple, Dhai-din-ka jhompra...These sights were amazing....Jaipur, "The Pink City" is beautiful and I got a chance to see the Amber Palace which is truly one of the most amazing sights on Earth!!! I am heading to South India in the next few days once Sonia gets here!!! I am looking forward to touring the backwaters and seeing Cochin, Munnar, Trivendrum, Kerela....Today I saw Dhoom 2 in Mumbai and all I have to say is Dhoom Machale!!! It is a great movie and Hritik is extremely HOT!!! I would definitely recommend Dhoom 2 to everyone!!! I am definitely experiencing my culture and sanskriti in full force!!!

Janpath Rocks!!! Shopping Galore!

I reached New Delhi last Saturday and what a trip it has been so far!!! My relatives are stuffing my face full of good food....Mera peth bauth he baragaya yaa (My stomach is too full)!!! So far I have been to Akshar Dham temple, Connaught Place, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Bauji da Dhaba, Gurgaon Malls, Sai Baba temple, Shiva statue, Shopping on Janpath which was amazing...This is a famous street located in Delhi which has a diverse multitude of shops ranging from handicrafts, to bags, to kurtis and skirts...the list goes on & on...I saw the shop owners tear down all their shops on Janpath because the gov. officials came through and tried to shut them down (they had used up the sidewalk space, which they weren't supposed to do...plus the gov. officials want their paisa (money) for their own benefit)!! Here's a photo of the shopowners wrapping up!! As soon as the gov. officials left, they set up their shops again! I am heading to Ajmer on Friday and will go to Pushkar...Afterwards, I am going to Rathambore Forest for a safari and to Jaipur...Sonia is coming in 2 weeks and I can't wait to tour South India with her!

Idli and Sambar for Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I'm still in Pune and celebrated Thanksgiving with Idli and Sambar and Bata Vadas...Yum Yum...Anyhow, headed out to Delhi tomorrow....Pune was awesome...Saw amazing temples...Went to Shiridi...Saw Forts...Went to the Osho Commune and lovely botanic gardens....Went to Agkhan Palace (where Gandhi and Kasturba were kept under house arrest for many years...Kasturba eventually passed away here), visited Shaniwar Wada...Went to Peshlawer Caves!! Will keep you posted in Delhi!!!

Mumbai Se Gayi Pune!!!!

I'm off to Pune, and on the way I'll stop at Lonalava and Khandala...hoping to see the Karla and Baja caves on the way!!!! I am looking forward to meeting family in New Delhi and seeing the palaces and forts in Jaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar, and hopefully Jaislmer!!!!Will keep you posted!

Pune has great shopping malls!!! Here's a picture of me with my favorite Bollywood stars!!! Dhoom it up!!! I bought the soundtrack and the songs are addictive!!

Mumbai...The City That Never Sleeps

Today I got a chance to explore and take in all the sights, smells, and sounds of Mumbai! I saw the beautiful Siddhi Vinayak Temple which was incredibly crowded....There were about 10,000 people shoving and pushing their way into a room designed for 100 people!!!! The Ganesh statue in the temple was amazing, along with Ganesh's transport...a small rat! I saw all my mom's high school friends which was a lot of fun...A trip down memory lane...Jehangir Art Gallery had some interesting art exhibits up...Mani Bhavan...Gandhiji's home was thought provoking....Saw the masses of humanity walking up and down Marine Drive....Went to McDonald's desi style khaana...Had a Maharaja Mac (chicken burger) and a McAloo Tiki Burger....Yum Yum....Drove past Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as VT...Victoria Terminus)...What a day, What a day!!! Finished it by going to this awesome restaurant in Bandra...Spice Tree....It was delicious...Had paneer makhni, garlic naan, the best raita ever (to cleanse the palate)....tandoori fish...I could go on and on, but I'll leave the rest for you to imagine!!! Looking forward to going to Film City tomorrow to check out Whistling Woods Institute (Subash Ghai's film school)...Will let you know if I meet any famous Bollywood stars!!!!

Adventures in the Mother Land

So whenever I come to India, crazy things happen to me....That is to be expected!!! I'm sure those of you who have gone to India, would say that everyday is an adventure! So let me list some ot the interesting, crazy things that have happened so far...

- Yesterday we were in an autorickshaw (these three wheeled small vehicles) and our driver was going extremely fast...Driving in India is like playing a video game (frogger)...You have all these people walking from all sides, animals crossing (cows, pigs, dogs, elephants, camels), and the rickshaws are trying to navigate through the narrow streets along with buses, trucks, large 4X4's and other vehicles...Our autorickshaw mowed this lady down...She appeared to be okay, but that was scary!!! These autorickshaws zip in and out of traffic and it seems like they are playing highway chess!!!

- When we arrived from the airport, we all stuffed ourselves along with all of our luggage, in a car designed for 4 people...So 5 people in a car...along with 7 pieces of luggage...Now I know what it feels like when I see 10 people stuffed in an autorickshaw or any car for that matter in Bharat...I've already experimented with the game, "How many people can you stuff in a Beetle?" What an adventure!!!

I'm sure other interesting, wild, crazy events will occur in the next few days...I'll keep you posted...More adventures in the mother land!!!

:)

Finally Here!!!

I'm finally in the city that never sleeps.....Mumbai!!! The flight was long, long, loooonnnggg, but we are here! All the things I can think of that are related to Bombay.....Bombay Rockers....Bombay Dreams.....Love and Longing in Bombay.....Bombay Talkies....Bombay Bazaar....Bombay!!!! I am going out in a bit for my haircut and manicure...Woohoo....Let the fun begin!

Take-Off!

Tomorrow I take off to Bharat!!! Look at me in my desi outfit! Plan to do lots of shopping in India (Mumbai & Delhi)!! Hooray!!!! Will post once I get there!!

The Beginning

I leave for India in approximately 7 days, 6 hours, and 15 minutes!!! This is the trip of a lifetime! For now, I plan to go to Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, and tour the backwaters of South India. I am hoping to check out Film City in Mumbai (Bombay for some of us desis!!!) The Golden Temple in Amritsar looks mind blowing! I will keep you updated once I take off!