Catching Up - November 16, 2013

I have been so remiss of late.  My last post was at Diwali and here we are, with
Thanksgiving just around the corner.  I'm experiencing a mixture of emotions, joy
at the thought of seeing my family again, especially when I think of getting to know
 that bubbly chubby Harper but sadness, also, when I face bidding farewell to this 
India I've grown to love with all the friends I have here.  It is always hard because 
I don't know exactly when I will return but God - and Ganesha willing - I'll come back - 
though not for so long a stay in the future...a max of four months, I think.  

I've been a bit under the weather for a few days.  I got up to Pune to visit with Ralph
DSouza, his wife, Belle, litte, Sofia, and her brother, Wilfred, and the rest of their
wonderful family.  It brought back such great memories of Royal Caribbean Days.  I
met Ralph fifteen years ago when I first began cruising and he was one of my first
Indian "sons."  He, Ode Santos, and Milind Sawant are the only ones I've actually 
gotten to visit.  Belle and Sofia came from the Philippines, both with colds and I 
seem to have acquired one, as well - either from all the kissing going on or from 
my bus ride each way.  I finally ended up going to see wonderful Dr. Margaret here 
in Mumbai ( who went to medical school at Johns Hopkins in the U. S. ) and she gave 
me a whole slew of meds, including antibiotics )

Ralph, Belle, Wilfred & Sofia with Ralph's sister, Dawn

Ralph and his two little ones, Sofia and Wilfred

Wilfred and Sofia keeping cousin Scottie from sleeping

Princess Sofia

One night, Terence DSouza decided to take me out to dinner for Kashmiri food

at a restaurant owned by his former boss  - one of three places owned by his boss/

friend.  We chose Janaab, a considerable distance from their home and agreed to 

meet for a taste of kebabs at the new place and end up for cocktails at Northern 

Frontier where Terence had been restaurant manager.  I had never eaten Kashmiri

food before but I already knew I had to try the ran, a whole leg of lamb marinated

24 hours in special Kashmiri spices.  I decided to try a number of starters so we

would have plenty to take back to the family at home.  Good grief, did we have a

giant doggie bag!

We had tabak maaz, deep fried, double layered mutton ribs - very crisp and tasty, 

finished in a flash.  Next came chicken kanti, chunks of chicken marinated in Kashmiri

red chili paste and crispy fried.  Followed by that was fish tikka, barbecued over

charcoal, then mushroom tikka.  Everything was delicious but the ran was absolutely

incredible.  I had to pick up the bone and eat every bite of the meat.

Crispy & scrumptious tabak maaz - fried double layered mutton ribs

Fish....from Australia

Mega mushrooms

A fabulous HUGE plate of ran or mutton leg

Roti cooking in the tandori

Enjoying every last piece of meat of the ran

The aftermath!

Terence, with his friend, owner of the Northern Frontier, Janaab, and another new spot

Ali, photographer and creator of the marinades of the great kabobs 

at the new restaurant

Finally, we made it back home, after stopping briefly at the Northern Frontier

for a drink, then had a nightcap and leftovers with the family.

Next morning, of course, the children were up bright and early.  Uncle Darrel and

Papa were ready for a photo shoot before breakfast.

All I can say is, it sure  is quiet and lonely without my Dsouza family and the little

ones around.  It was such a special three days being back in Pune with them again,

especially to have Belle and little Sofia part of it.  Thanks to all that clan for always

making me feel so special.  Danyivad!!! I love you all.

Venice Ambulance - September 16, 2013

I love Venice and have been fortunate enough to overnight there twice, on a Royal 
Caribbean ship.  I'm running out of years but I had so hoped to spend a week 
in Venice so I really could explore.  One sees everything on the water there and I
found this ambulance very unique.  I think I wouldn't want to have to be loaded
into one, though.  Rolling waves have to make that task a bit harder than on dry
land.

The colorful ambulanzia has orange, yellow, and even

a little blue so I am posting it on three Monday memes:

Monday Mellow Yellows

Mandarin Orange Monday, #59

and

Blue Monday

Get busy with your colorful photos and join in the fun!

UE's Weekend Challenge - Ships- September 15, 2013

The weekend challenge from Unique Exposures is "ships" - &, goodness knows,
with over eighty cruises under my belt, I'm familiar with those ships that carry
passengers on dream journeys ( at least, all of my ship experiences have been
wonderful ).  Seventy-eight of those cruises were on Royal Caribbean and I
was on a Mediterranean birthday cruise when I shot this picture of a ship in
port with us at Villefranche, France.  It happened to be of a former Royal
Caribbean ship, the Sovereign of the Seas, that I had sailed on many times. 
I felt rather sad seeing it now owned by Pullmantur Cruise Line of Spain.  It
still bore the name, "Sovereign."

I am participating in 

Unique Exposures' Weekend Challenge: ships

If you have a ship photo to share, join us.

Monday Mellow Yellows - My Perfect Martini - March 4, 2013

Is it because of my advancing years that time seems to be flying so rapidly?  
I can't believe that this past Friday was six weeks since my shoulder replacement 
surgery. My beloved friend, Charlene, called me this morning from Florida.  We
met over 40 years ago when we were both psychiatric nurses on a child-
adolescent unit in Tampa, Florida.  We have been lifelong friends ever since,
traveling here and there about the world.  Ironically, Charlene had a total knee
replacement on the very same day I had my surgery.  Thank heavens, we are both 
doing very well postoperatively!

I wish we could get together to toast our great success, but, Char, since it isn't
possible right now, my Monday Mellow Yellows post "toast" is to you.  We certainly
consumed a few Grey Goose martinis in the years of our friendship, straight up in 
fancy glasses, or over a few rocks - but always with olives ( many, depending on
the bartender - half a dozen, always, from our Royal Caribbean mixologists! )
and a bright cheery twist of lemon!  I sure do miss having one with you, my dear
friend.  You are one of the few people who didn't freak out when I said I wanted to 
go to India!

I am participating in

Monday Mellow Yellows -

add your yellow shot and join in the fun.

A Great 68th Birthday in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India - October 3, 2012

I just spent two hours at the computer and had this post all but completed.  Somehow, 
it disappeared.  I cannot believe it.  All that work for nothing.  I just hate being at
the mercy of the gods of the internet!  Oh, well, here we go again though I'm a bit
tired of looking at my wrinkled birthday face!

I got up at my usual 6AM on the 3rd of October, all my joints and muscles aching to
remind me that I am no sweet, young thing.  I've been having massage alternate 
days almost since arriving in Jaipur and, for about six weeks, I've also been having
accupressure.  I really do think that has helped tremendously.  At 7AM, my lovely
landlady, Madhulika arrived with a beautiful bouquet of red roses and I had my
morning chai.  

After breakfast and my massage, I headed to Dr. Galundia's office.
He welcomed the "birthday girl" and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and, 
at my reminder that "this is India," I got a second kiss.  Come to think of it, NONE 
of my U. S. doctors has ever kissed me.  After the kiss, he left his office and, though 
he's told me I need to lose more weight, he came back, bearing a candy bar - "only 
because it's your birthday."

From Dr. Galundia's office, my driver took me to the Holiday Inn for lunch with my
friend, Food and Beverage Manager, Surendra Dhabai, formerly of Royal 
Caribbean Cruise Line.  The hotel has a lovely buffet with a large selection of 
both continental and Indian food and a nice dessert spread.  I was able to limit
myself to only five jalabees, a sweet Indian concoction that has become a favorite
of mine.  It's almost like flat swirls of a batter, fried in ghee, then soaked in a 
sugar syrup.

Many Indian hotels have handsome doormen like this, sporting turbans and these

large moustaches!

Lobby of the Holiday Inn, Jaipur

Definitely NOT a place for the weight watcher

The Holiday Inn dining room

Lovely salads

A delicious meal, every bite

My friend, Surendra Dhabai

Chef Roushan

I love it!  I got a rare positive comment from my youngest son, Jeremy ( soon 

to be 28 ):  "Damn, looking all skinny.  Keep up the good work."

Surendra and me - he needs roller skates to keep up with all his work!

Here are all those handsome Indian fellows - they remind me of the Royal 

Caribbean wait staff - I lovingly called them my "Bollywood boys."

About 4P, as I was leaving the Holiday Inn, Ajay Singh Shekhawat, manager

of the beautiful heritage hotel, the Umaid Mahal where I stayed three days in

January and two days this past June, called and told me to be on the Umaid

Mahal rooftop at 5PM.  "Good grief," I thought, "I can barely waddle to the 

taxi."  I could hardly disobey my Jaipur hero and I even arrived early.  

Precisely at 5PM, he escorted me to the rooftop restaurant where a lovely

bouquet awaited me, along with a chocolate cake, and Spanish, "Sangre de

Toro" wine.  Of course, there were also Bollywood boys present.

Ajay is amazing.  He has always remembered that yellow roses are my favorites.

Cake number 2 - I shared it...but the wine was all mine.

Chicken pakoras with my favorite spicy green mint sauce.

 y

My Umaid Mahal Bollywood boys

With Ajay Singh Shekhawat

Now, one would think that would be enough birthday celebration for a vintage

American in India but, oh, no, more was yet to come.  My landlady had arranged

dinner at our residence.  We had a pre-dinner birthday cake out in the garden

with her daughter, Geetanjali and son-in-law, Karan Rathore, and her two 

grandsons, Vishu and Arjun, and my friend, Ajay Shekhawat.  

Cake number three, a glorious fruit and whipped cream concoction

Vishu helped me blow out candles.

Nani Madhulika and Arjun 

Ajay, in non Umaid Mahal clothes, for a change!

My beautiful Indian purse from the Rathores

A wonderful birthday dinner

Beautiful Geetanjali Rathore and Vishu

Madhulika and her grandsons, Arjun and Vishu

Bindi ( okra ) - a favorite of mine

Wonderful spicy red beans...as good as New Orleans, but minus ham or andouille

A delicious meat ( not beef, of course ) dish

Well, that was my 68th birthday - the first one I've celebrated in India.  I felt so

pampered and indulged, with birthday phone calls from "family" all over India

and so much special treatment by my Jaipur "relatives."  I can't even begin to

thank everyone enough.