Shopping for the steel cupboard and Valentines Day

It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and now I am finally doing it .... Buying a steel cupboard, filling it with stuff and shipping it home to Perth. I dont know if it is worth it until I clear customs ... Lets see ! So far I've paid Rs. 4500 for a second hand steel cupboard. Really thick guage steel. Wont let on on what goodies we are putting in there though. You will just have to wait and see. Had great fun buying the stuff !!!

Getting better by the day. Now I can have a good hearty cough with only a bit of pain. Still feels like a plastic plate is glued onto my chest. This is better than it feeling like a plastic plate was "stapled" onto my chest.

Taking some nice long walks on some evenings. Mumbai has been a bit warm these last two days. Next week will be seeing my 3 specialists for the last time. They will give me my final "OK" to fly. I expect to be in my "Darling Perth" in two weeks time. Cant wait.

Valentines Day ! I wanted to go into town and into this place called "Jazz By The Bay" where they supposed to have great live jazz. Was told it wouldnt be worth it as being Valenties Day it would be too crowded. So Stephanie, James & Sandy, Val & myself went to one of Mumbai's best restaurants .. "Goa Portugueso"

My! My! Had a lot of seafood done in these rich Goan sauces. They were absolutely delicious. The pictures just dont come near to giving the food credit as they just look like ordinary curries. But they were so good that I didnt mind paying for the food at Aussie Good Restaurant prices.

Val's cousins coming to pick us up today to go to their place and spend the night where we will meet other relatives for some party fun. Looking forward to it.

Dont know if I'll have enough to write on here in the next 2 weeks. So Until next time ... Namaste !!!

Waiting for the BIG operation





















Victoria Terminus or VT

REFRESHING !!!!!

Mumbai, Heart Attack, To Hell & Back

Oh My ! Goodness Gracious me !
Finally got into Mumbai and slowly got around. Didnt do much as we were waiting for our son Abel to arrive with girlfriend Mel.
Well ! They finally did .... and so did Val's brother and family from Sydney. Lucky for us we had the apartment next door. All went to midnight mass on the 24th, came home, exchanged gifts and then went to the apartment and got stuck into the bourbon. WILD ! WILD! with mad dancing and carry on. Dont know what time we finally crashed. Christmas day was more sober. Also did the tourist bit ... going to Leopolds and having some cocktails, beer and "western" food amidst the AK47 bullet holes from the 26/11 terrorist attack. Had a look at the Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Hotel as well ...... SAD !
Vals Mum and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary party was on the 27th and was a lovely party.
We continued to party every night until the 29th morning...... at about 0100hrs I started having excruciating pains. I was rushed in a taxi to the nearest good hospital where I promptly had a massive heart attack on the table at 0200 hrs. Lucky there was no traffic on the road.
Next day an angiogram showed arteries and veins blocked in 5 places .... Guess what ??? I have to have a "pent" bypass.
This was my descent into hell from which I have just about finished emerging. My heart stopped a few times, The docs said I had a 50/50 chance of survival .. I did survive !
No complaints about the docs who were all "TOPS" in their field. BUT .... I dont know why ... I spontaneously cry when I am alone or sometimes become tearful.
YET ! I know .... This HAD to happen and the way and timing of it's happening was perfect. IT couldnt have happened at a better time and place. I am so thankful !
Recovering fast now. Still those sternum bones to heal but getting better by the day. Even going out shopping etc and visiting again. Really thankful to friends and family for their prayers and good wishes and especially my darlin' Val who was always there for me with sis -in-law Sandy and her hubby James. WHAT GEMS MEN !! Vaaah !!!

Pics

Above: Only one of the typical Gujurati Thali's
Below: Snow capped Himalayas in distance (cant see in this pic)






































At the Golden Temple

Ujjain and Baroda

Arrived in exciting Mumbai 3 days ago.
The train trip to Ujjain was great. Had the compartment to ourselves except for a very friendly young manic businessman who kept both of us entertained. Had dinner and the train rocked us to sleep.
Arrived Ujjain and visited numerous religious and spiritual sights and temples.
Amazing thing I learned at the Mangal Mandir (Mars Temple). The ancient Hindu scriptures contain some amazing scientific facts. How did they know these things 4ooo + years ago ? when in Europe they thought the Earth was flat just a few hundred years ago ? Well !!! Before the Pathfinder Mission to Mars, NASA scientists visited this temple in Ujjain and had discussions with the Pandits to help their research for the mission.
Ujjain is also the place where the Kumba Mela is held every 12 years ... or is it 14 ? That is when upto 10 million Hindu Holy men converge on the town.
BARODA
Arrived Baroda at midnight and was taken by our friend Sanjay to our hotel.
Next day we took in a few temples but then the gastronomic delights began.
I have a "NEW" favourite Indian food .... and that is Gujurati. Every meal was a different Gujurati Cuisine every cuisine was in a different setting. We went to a "Corn" restaurant ... everything had a corn base. That night it was a pleasant feeling .... Comfortably full and immensly satisfied .... like .... It was just right and couldnt be more so. Lunch next day was a Bajra meal ... the breads made from the Bajra grain, the eggplant was divine and the whole thali an explosion of tastes. Dinner again was at a Jowar restaurant. Jowar is a superbly healthy and tasty grain. The restaurant is outdoors and runs only for 2 months during the Jowar season. They have typical villiage huts... your group or family goes in with the food and sit on a dhurrie floor. Deee leee shus !!!!!
Finally made our way to Mumbai. Sayjay insisted we took his car. The Baroda to Mumbai Highway was the best I have been on in India and the entry into Mumbai very scenic.
Second day in Mumbai had my first good Biriyani.
I am actually taking afternoon naps .... and this morning took a long morning nap. Great ! I am almost doing as I please. What a life.!!!!
Next time I come on will be when I have more to say. Tried to upload some pics but it wouldnt. Will try again tomorrow, or the next day or the next or the next.
Not watching much TV but take it easy ... as the indian advertisement for sanitary pads says .... "Wish all you girls there ... A HAPPY PERIOD"
Bye for now
NAMASTE !!!

Punjab, Shimla and back to elhi

Just when I was getting used to moving along on Indian city roads and highways, my heart jumping ever so often even though we had an experienced Indian driver .... we entered the state of Punjab. As my pal in Perth, Jeff, would say "Fuck a duck" .... the Punjabis are absokutely crazy. They even rattled our Indian driver mahavir which did not do much for my blood pressure.
We got into Amritsar late and looked up the Lonely Planet guide to India for a place to eat. I have to say .... except for the Rajasthani Thali that we had, Rajasthan is really boring for food. Every restaurant had the same menu.
So we chose this restaurant in Lawrence Road. ll the restaurants they reccomment are in Lawrence Road. This place Surjit is famour for their Tandoorie Chicken and we had some with some deep fried fish.... delicious after Rajasthan.
Next morning we visited the Golden Temple. Really nice ! and peaceful. The Sikhs community spirit is amazing. We had this free meal consisting od yellow rice, dhal, chappatis and kheer. You could have seconds as well. Then we saw this tremendous organisation with people collecting soild dishes and cutlery, washing , drying and then storing them away. Groups of men , women and children and whole families cutting and preparing vegetables. Huge massive cooking utensils ... some being washed, some washed and some full of food ready for the next batch. Apparently they feed 40, 000 people a day.
Next stop was the Laxmi Temple. We got into the inner sanctum and joined in the "worship" . I thought it was great the number of ways this ONE "Godthing" is worshipped and if only we all realised that there are numerous unique ways to worship It .... Oooops ! I mean HER .... Ooops .... Damn it ! Who cares ? I dont ! HE dosent either ... IT is far too great to care. Well I mean ... If we just marvelled at the way others worshipped , the world would not be in the state it is in...
Ten we visited the Jain Temple and Val had a long discourse with the Jain priest.
Back to the Hotel and then out to dinner at the Crystal restaurant. ... which was very nice again.
Into bed early and watched TV. The Mumbai errorist attacks had started.
Off to Shimla by 8am ... Along harrowing drive up the mountains and arrived after dark in Shimla. Settled into the Landmark Hotel. I awoke and opened the curtains to our huge window. Morning had broken ... like the fist morning . Black crows had croaken ...... But it was a beautiful sight. The first sunlight had hit the snow capped Himalayas in the distance.. I called out to Val and she jumped out of bed. had our tea gazing at the HIMALAYAS .... pronounced .... Him .. aah .lya ... say it ! Visited the high peak of Kufri and in the evening walked the famous Shimla Mall. Val is not well and i am getting that way too.
Early Night ...
Long , Long , Long trip back to Delhi. Arrived after 8pm. had a cuppa ... some dinner and settled to bed.
This morning ... took Val into Delhi to the Moyra Sheraton Hotel and had lunch at Bokhara. Voted the best tandoorie in the world.
Had Lassi, Black dhal, a whole chicken, naan, ... they had a few accompiaments as well. It is the best meal we have had on this trip so far.
The Mumbai seige is over and the TV is showing all the Hero Fuberals.
Here at the internet cafe and they are NOT allowing me to upload my photos.
On the 1st Dec train overnight to Ujjain. Then on the 4th train to Baroda. Will probably be able to update this blog there.
So until then my friends ....
NAMASTE !!!

Bikaner

It was a long drive into Bikaner. Finally got in about 5 pm. Checked into the Hasara Havelli Hotel ... a charming place. You can see Val sitting in one of the two little bay window enclosures. We then took an auto rickshaw to Chotu Motu Joshi Sweet shop as reccomended by Lonely Planet and bought some Ras Mallai and numkeen. Bikaner is supposed to be famous for this. One or three of my Indian pals in Perth will be amused by the name of this sweet shop.



























Today saw the Bikaner Palace and fort ... as usual the buildings are glorious with fantastic artwork and history. But like all things , we are now getting tired of seeing forts and palaces. The trip to the camel research farm was a pleasant change.

What you see above is patchwork quilts made from old royalty garments. The embroidery and work is exquisite. These can be bought at handicraft shops. One good thing ... They do not seem to hassle you so much at Bikaner. In fact, Rarely.

Well ! It's onto Amritsar tomorrow .... a hell of a long drive. Will get there by sunset.

So until then ....... Namaste !!!!