Oh my!

On my list of favorite things in Delhi, how could I forget my most favorite...Lodi Garden! It's the reason we live where we do--because of our neighborhood's close proximity to the park. I remember the first time we visited the park, just after having moved into our apartment we walked over early one evening. What a beautiful surprise. Lush tress, colorful birds, ancient tombs, clean walkways, open space and a duck pond. Lodi Garden is a great place to walk, relax, picnic and run around with the kids. We don't get there nearly as much as we should...that'll be on my "to do more this year" list.

Here are some photos from last year:

Our very first time in Lodi Garden:

Enjoying the walkways:


A Sunday picnic:

Calf trying to get into the park:

One Year Later

On August 25, 2009 we arrived in Delhi for the first time. I remember the anticipation I felt as the plane landed and I tried to get any glimpse I could of what lay out there from the darkened plane window. I had all sorts of plans, like taking Hindi lessons, doing yoga, getting involved in a volunteer project, being invited to an Indian wedding. None of which have happened. Coming back to Delhi almost exactly a year later from our summer holidays, I felt a bit of the same anticipation. But, this time I pretty much knew what was waiting for me.

This past year has been extemely trying. India is a beautiful, amazing and culturally rich country with some of the friendliest people I've met, but it is a huge change from where we lived before and everyday life is not always easy. It brings challenges that you never would have imagined. However, coming back this August really felt like we were coming home. Dorian was thrilled to be back in his space with his things and to see some of his school friends. Arthur was happy as well to be home and he was most excited to see our housekeeper, Raju, whom he loves dearly. Just 4 days after our arrival, Arthur said "Raju" for the first time. It makes me happiest of all to see the boys settled here. I will stay positive as we get back into our routines and I will get more involved. This is going to be a great year!

So, to end on a positive note, here are some of the things I love about living in Delhi, in no particular order:
--not having to drive
--smiling faces
--bright saris
--bangles galore
--sparkly shoes
--everyone loves children
--the boys love rice and dal
--the Taj Mahal
--Humayan's tomb
--bicycle rickshaw in Old Delhi (don't think I'll do it again, but it was fun)
--Dorian is sensitive to the homeless children and thinks of ways to help them
--fort-palace architecture
--the interesting women I've met from all over the world
--the fact that it took Dorian 6 months of watching cartoons about Hindi gods in Hindi to ask me why he doesn't understand what they're saying
--the Lotus temple
--the way India makes me rethink how we live

The Festival of Rakhi

August 24th was the Indian festival of Rakhi. It celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. Traditionally, the sister ties a bracelet, a holy thread called a rakhi, around her brother's wrist and he gives her sweets and promises to look after her. The boys and I were invited to a friend's house for a Rakhi celebration for Dorian's friends and their siblings. Our hostess had bracelets and chocolates for all the children and each pair of siblings exchanged these gifts--regardless of whether they were bothers or sisters or both. It was very sweet.

Dorian makes a funny face here, but really liked Arthur giving him a bracelet:


Arthur would barely stand still long enough for me to put on his bracelet:


He was more into the chocolates:


Read more about Rakhi at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakshabandhan

Back in Delhi

We got back to Delhi late the other night. It's been hard getting back into a routine as we're all jetlagged and Dorian doesn't go back to school for another week or so. Delhi weather has been fluctuating between hot and sticky or just plain pouring down rain. Our first full day back, the first time we were out in the car, we saw this:



Okay, look closely. I know it's blurry and the car window was a bit wet, but it's a monkey carrying her baby...awww...makes coming back to Delhi all that sweeter.

20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

I found this thanks to a friend on Facebook. Very interesting.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

What to do...

If you're ever touring around with two small kids and they're tired and don't want to walk and it's hot...here's something to change the mood:






Just a little (or a lot) of sugar and food coloring goes a long way!

Ground Control...

The boys loved the Science Museum in Boston. We spent a lot of time there one day and this was one of their favorite places.

Boston Duck Tour

One of my favorite things we did in Boston (possibly my favorite) was the Boston Duck Tour. It's an 80-minute tour on a car/boat that hits a lot of historical landmarks in the city then takes you on the Charles river. My friend Julie recommended it to us and now I'm recommending it to you (thanks Julie!). I won't bore you with pics of all the monuments, buildings, parks and bridges we saw, but here are of few of my favorite shots.



Dorian gets a turn at the wheel:


Quack!

Make way...

We just got back (to Texas) from our last minute trip to Boston and Cape Cod. It was great to get away and explore some new places. Our first stop, as requested by Dorian, was the Boston Public Garden to see Mr. and Mrs. Mallard from the book "Make Way for Ducklings".

When we got to the park it was drizzling, but Dorian kept his eyes out for the Mallards:


The swan paddle boats:


Ducks in a row:


Dorian was not terribly impressed by the Mallard family statue:


But, he did like taking the swan paddle boat around the pond and seeing one of his favorite books come to life.

Star Party

One of my friends here in Texas, Tim, hosted a Star Party at the observatory at University of North Texas in Denton (www.astronomy.unt.edu/ruac.html). I've never had the opportunity to look through huge telescopes, so I was so happy to be in town and to be invited. And, thanks to my friend Mike, who took all these photos with his handy phone.

Taking a sneak peak:

Hugeness:

Smaller telescopes but still powerful:


So, we saw a whirlpool galaxy, a cigar galaxy, M15 star cluster, something called M83, a swan constellation with two different colored eyes, Saturn and its rings, Mercury, Venus and Mars...oh, and a few shooting stars, too!

A visit from Dawn

It's hard having friends all over and coming to the States once a year and not being able to see them all. Luckily, my dear sweet friend Dawn flew down to see us for a quick weekend. So great to catch up with her, have some girl time and have her get to know the boys. In her two days with us, we did tons--Dallas World Aquarium, Stockyards (for cowboy shopping purposes), Japanese Gardens, Fort Worth Modern Art Museum, Cowgirl Hall of Fame and, finally, an evening out at the movies. I'm sure she was exhausted by the time she got back home, but it sure was fun.

Here are some highlights:

The Fort Worth Japanese Gardens, lovely to walk around,
but, oh so impractical for an 18-month old who walks everywhere and pays not attention to drop-offs.
Dorian, the photographer:
On to the the Modern Art Museum and this cool sculpture:
Total echo chamber, put two boys inside and it's a very loud concert!
Modern art is so cool.
Dorian's favorite.