Our Kick out of Kayaking!

What better way to enjoy all that beautiful nature around us than on a boat?

Well, I was right and I was wrong!

It was a gorgeous day perfect for a spot of kayaking. We'd heard so much about it from our friends that we couldn't wait to give it a try. I was a wee bit skeptical when I saw the super slender kayaks, felt the cold lake water and realized that it was going to be a girls only and boys only team!

With the September sun's gentle rays caressing our backs and the wind playing peekaboo, we were initially off to a good start. Shriya kept pace and paddled as best as she could. First major hitch was turning the kayak's direction. A sudden gust of wind pushed our kayak to the opposite direction and I was finding myself far away from the banks. Shriya was absolutely unperturbed while I was already panicking. She continued singing like she was on some joy ride! Good Lord, how was I going to turn this thing and why O why do I get myself into these tricky situations! After a lot of hard paddling, wetting my sleeves and feeling icy water trickling down my arms, I finally managed to push the kayak around. Phew!

Next thing, I knew I had steered the kayak right into some rocks. We were stuck! The kayak wouldn't move. Luckily my gallant son came running to us, waded in and released us with a push.

More paddling and thankfully it was the Boys Team's turn. And that's when I began to really enjoy. 30 minutes of blissful solitude- simply watching the sun and sky and reflecting on all things nice.And of course resting my poor arms!

Not considering my lack of kayaking skills, it was a great afternoon! The Boys Team did very well and kayaked a long way into the lake. Vaibhav was incredibly good at paddling and imparting paddling advice to Mommy!

An absolutely new experience for all of us. Definitely will give it a thumbs up and another shot, despite my weak start!

Weekend Wanderings - Part 2

Poorvoo

Just about an hours drive from Helsinki,Poorvoo is Finland's second oldest city. Makes for a great day-trip as this picturesque place is all about history and timeless charm.

We made the trip on a cold summers day (we've had several uncharacteristic cold spells this summer...wonder what the winter holds for us!)and were actually thrilled that Poorvoo did not have a huge tick-off list. This is a place that's best explored on foot and at a very leisurely pace. There's a century old cathedral (where all the famous weddings apparently take place), quaint little shops selling antiques and candy and ceramics, a weekend market, narrow, winding cobble stoned lanes and of course the outstanding brick coloured wooden houses by the river (which served as warehouses centuries ago).

All we did was take in the spectacular scenery, enjoy a fabulous lunch, eat ice cream, window shop and spent an hour or so by the cathedral watching the flurry of weddings (and collecting the balloons that the wedding party was floating away). Unwinding at its best!

Watching the sun glint over the white cathedral left us feeling reflective. Soaking it all in with no particular agenda was very relaxing!In short, everything about Poorvoo's small town feel was oh so refreshing!

A different kind of learning!

It all started with Vaibhav's class spending the last few weeks learning about the food groups, hygiene and health. It was part of their unit of inquiry, where they usually take on a new subject every few weeks and basically juice it up till they've got the essence of all they need to know in that area. The class has been very busy getting first hand information from direct sources regarding food. They first visited the Hakkaniemi market hall and then it was off to the Fruit and Vegetable Packaging Centre and finally it all culminated in a Lunch sharing session this morning.

The kids put up a fantastic show and each of them spoke about their 'food experiences' these past few weeks and gave us tips and ideas on how to stay healthy. The parents had a bit of homework too! We had to send in a healthy recipe that our little ones enjoyed making with us along with some tasty samples to show and share.

The minute Vaibhav heard this, he said he wanted to make Chocolate Walnut Banana cupcakes. A recipe that he and his sister almost know by heart. We made a batch and I took the customary picture that had to be sent to his teacher and then Vaibhav told me that we could not use the recipe! " I just remembered that my friend is allergic to nuts and I want everybody to be able to eat the dish we take to share" !

Sigh, I loved his empathy for his friend but just wished it had come on a little sooner. Anyway, the Dad and sister were happy to have warm cupcakes for dessert and Vaibhs and I finally decided to take along Oats Potato Burgers. No dairy, no nuts and super healthy!


Vaibhav tells me that his friends loved the burgers. I was too busy to notice what was happening to our burgers as I was happily concentrating on the Korean Chap Jae (glass noodles) and Argentinian Cheese balls!

What a double treat it was- listening to all those sweet little second graders talk and laugh

while feasting on an array of delicious International delicacies. Eagerly looking forward to the second Food sharing session ...in March 2013!

Chocolate Banana Walnut Cupcakes
Ingredients
• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ripe banana
• A handful of chopped walnuts
• ½ cup of Chocolate pieces


Method
• Heat the oven to 250
• Melt the butter, stir in the sugar and keep aside
• Whisk the eggs and add in the remaining ingredients
• Mash the banana and add it in to the above
• Add in the cooled butter+sugar mixture
• Grease a muffin tray and pour in the mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Tastes great warm along with a scoop of vanilla icecream

Potato Oats Burgers (big thanks to my mom for sharing this recipe and a lot more on oats)
Ingredients:
1. 4 mashed potatoes
2. 2 cups of oats
3.1 tbsp grated garlic
4. 1 egg
5. Oregano or any other spice
6. Oil for frying
7. Salt & pepper
8. Onions (optional)
Method:
Mix ingredients 1, 2 and 3 in a large bowl along with some oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Fry some onions and add to the above when cooled. Shape the mixture like patties, dip them in the egg and shallow fry in the heated oil or grill them.
You can arrange the patties on hamburger buns and add in condiments like mayo, mustard and an assortment of salad veggies.

Weekend Wanderings 1- Fiskars

We're trying to make the most of whatever little summer that is left. Saturdays are being taken up by classes and catching up with friends. So the last few Sundays we've been up early, maximizing on our weekend and playing tourist in our home country.

Fiskars

A cute little village is what it is. One clock tower, two restaurants and endless charm. It all started in the 1600s when the Fiskars Corporation started manufacturing iron and slowly built the business and went on to make the Internationally known Fiskars scissors (orange handles). The village used to house the Fiskars family (their handsome manor is still in great condition), all 60 employees along with their families, the factories and a Public House!It's now home to a bunch of extremely creative writers and artists. Its that small a place! But what is so appealing is the peace and beauty around. Its like a scene thats jumped right out of a postcard, all tranquil and lovely.But that's not all, its not just a pretty sight.Fiskars captures all the senses! There's a meandering river that slices right through the village which gurgles and gushes and tells the story of long gone years as it flows by.

We did this trip with friends which made it all the more fun. Kids had an entire hour of unadulterated happiness at the village playground followed by a leisurely lunch at

a restaurant by the river. A visit to the Fiskars museum, some exploring of the ancient steam engine that was apparently used to transport all the iron that was made in the village and then it was off to the local Farmers Market to sample home made goodies and stock up on the berries.


Fiskars Village makes for a wonderful weekend day-trip, if not for anything else then atleast to recharge the senses!

Indulge in Indian- Helsinki Times

Thrilled to have another article published in the Helsinki Times!

http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/news/index.php/eat-and-drink/3425-indulge-in-indian

Passion for Pedhas

Its nearly the end of the week! The sun is still shining bright, despite the fact that summer has been declared officially over! Work has been going well and I'm all set to start teaching Bharatanatyam (Indian Classical Dance), this weekend to a bunch of very passionate learners. Reason enough for a bit of sweet celebration?

I love food and I do love to cook. But I always get cold feet when it comes to Indian desserts. Sweets were especially made during festival times when the family 'chefs' were always around- mom or my aunt or my granny! And with these expert cooks taking over my kitchen to handle the desserts, I never really got the hang of making them. My range is very limited. I can precisely make 3 Indian sweets and am definitely more comfortable making a pannacotta than rolling out traditional polis (jaggery/dal stuffed thin pancakes).

The chosen dish was 'pedha', simply because both my kids love it with equal passion and have not had a chance to savour it these last 6 months. A milk-based dish it has several variations, consistencies and specifications. I trawled through websites for recipes and was alarmed at how many I found. Except for the main ingredient, ricotta cheese, the others are my brave additions:

250 gms of ricotta cheese
4 table spoons of condensed milk (depending on how sweet you like it)
2 table spoons of ghee
2 pinches of cardamom powder
2 tablespoons of finely ground almond powder

I heated up the ghee and simply added in the rest of the ingredients. I left it on slow flame and gave it a good stir now and then. After about 15-20 minutes, all the moisture evaporated, leaving behind a soft ball of creamy goodness.I patted them into little flat balls and pressed a pistachio on the top. Refrigerated it for half an hour or so to allow the pedhas to retain their shape.

The kids gobbled a couple of pieces yesterday and have packed a few for their snack at school today.

A very tasty, super easy, no complication Indian dessert that can be whipped up within half an hour! Yipee, my repertoire just increased and now stands at a grand 4!

Glorious, glorious food!!

The summer was packed with travel, good times, new sights and spectacular tastes!
For me, food is as much a treat to the eyes as is it is on the tongue! I can do without ambience but not without appeal. I have eaten in ramshackle joints but only because the food there was oh so inviting!

Every meal was a gastronomic delight- atleast to me and my son!We are the confirmed foodies at home. Whether it was the hand-made gnocchi that we had in a little alley in Trastevere, the flavourful pizzas that we lunched on in some remote suburb of Rome or just a snack of potato spinach croquettes outside the Vatican- they were all relished with equal and utmost fervour. I'll let the splendid food do the talking!

I am big on markets!Nothing does it for me than visiting a local market filled with fresh produce. I could possibly trace this 'not so common' love for markets way back to when I was a curious kid following my mother every Sunday morning through the farmer's market or 'Sandhai'(as we call it in Tamizh)in Madurai. The heat and haggling never bothered me. In fact, I think it added a certain charm to that rustic setting. So, I was thrilled, to say the least, to visit the century old market square in Budapest. I can easily say that it was the highlight of my Hungarian trip! The colours, the people, the atmosphere-they all told a tale!!I've always believed that a vibrant local market can teach us more about a country than its ancient ruins!The market house in Budapest was not even remotely similar to the humble 'Sandhai' that I used to frequent in Madurai. But the essence, tone and mood were all intact!

The Big Bad 'D' Word

Truth is, its neither big nor bad anymore! Divorce is something that just happens and ever so commonly in this part of the world, that we now call home. It still is rare and kind of taboo in South East Asia(which we used to call home till recently) which is all about family and strong relationships.

The kids have been suddenly exposed to the entire concept.A little too soon for my liking! They have local friends in the neighborhood who live with their mother but visit their step mom and dad every other week when they also get to play with V and S. They have classmates who live with single parents who proudly claim that they have two houses and hence two playrooms. They've met friends of ours- women who are raising babies on their own and grannies who find gardening more worthwhile than husbands!

For kids who have never heard the word before, its been quite an education! Predictably, they were full of questions. Queries that just needed to be heard aloud but answers to which their hearts already knew.

Kids-Will the step- mom be mean to them?
Me-You've met Mrs. X several times. Do you think she is a mean person?

Kids-Why did the Mom and Dad have a fight?
Me- Its not about them fighting. They just were not best friends anymore

Kids-Why did they not make up and sorry?
Me- They did and are happier this way

Kids-Do we have any step-brothers or sisters?
Me-I sure hope not :-)

I'm learning that however much you shield your kids from certain realities in life, they just sneak right into their lives when you least expect them to. This was just a topic we had never discussed. We never had an opportunity to bring it up.It did not occur in the TV shows they watched,books they read, movies they saw or families they interacted with. It was just not in their sphere of thought....till now.


So now, they know that families can be structured differently.People can have two moms or dads and love them all. With that minimum information stored somewhere deep inside their heads and hearts, my little innocents run to the door to greet their friends and also pop in a cheery 'Hello' to their friends' step-mom!

Madras Magic!

I know I'm not supposed to call it Madras but Chennai. But to me, it will be Madras as that's how I've always known it!

Now, I've no strong feelings, attachments, memories with this place. The city is beyond hot, very cluttered and is yet another concrete jungle! I did not grow up here and it was always the 'big city' where I performed (Bharatnatyam, Indian classical dance) or went to a performance!

But Madras means something completely different to my kids. They simply love it! And its easy to see why. They have both sets of their grandparents living there and if that's not reason enough, they get ridiculously pampered in this very city! Having been fortunate enough to travel half the world around, my kids will still rank Madras as their top 3 destinations!

We make a trip atleast once every year and each time, everytime the kids' excitement levels peak! Anticipating their adoring grandparents faces at the airport, visiting the Elliots and Marina beach every single day and having their every whim and fancy catered to- they cant wait for the trip to happen!

I'm glad that they have such strong emotions with an Indian city which they have never called home. I'm touched that they don't find the streets, public toilets or litter revolting. I'm amazed at how they have on the contrary embraced it all as part of the magic that is Madras!

What we do to keep ourselves busy in Madras:

- A day trip to Dakshinchitra- has tons of art and craft activities for the little ones (fantastic open exhibits of art and culture - one place where you will be as enthralled as your kids)

-Gangotri: where we go for our regular fix of chaat (Indian street food served not in the streets but in a hygienic little cafe)

- FunCity: This is a supervised indoor play gym where the kids can go crazy for an hour or so when you can actually shop!

- Elliots and Marina beach: Beware, the beaches are not as clean as they should be. But its more fun than any clean beach! Guaranteed unadulterated pure joy! Kids can go on a bunch of rides, frolic in the water and get so tired that they'll want to hit the sack the minute you go home!

- JuiceShop on Greams Road: This is a drive-in juice shop! Simple thrill- Beating the heat with chilled glasses of fresh juice served right inside the car. My all time favourite is the Mosambi with a dash of lemon!

- Marundeeshwarar Temple: Its a beautiful age-old temple! But what holds it special for the kids is that they can feed the temple calves! The special grass/cow feed can be bought right outside the temple for a few Rupees. Watching the calves munch away while your little ones feed it will definitely be a Kodak moment!

Loving ISH!

Its been 10 days since the International School of Helsinki threw its doors open to a new term. The school is everything I expected and so much more. A small community- just about 300 kids from K1 to K12- the ISH is a dream come true for any kid!



Why I'm loving it:

- V who started 2 nd grade has 13 kids in his class with Mrs. L as his classteacher. She gives the impression of being this warm and kind grandmother who somehow lost her way and ended up in a 2nd grade classroom! Within a week, I got to know more about Mrs. L's health issues, dog and husband than about where she's taught before or the curriculum to be covered. V rattled off snippets about her every evening at dinnertime. When I asked him how he got to know so much, so soon about his teacher, he simply said " we take breaks inbetween work and we share a lot (Good Lord!!) about ourselves. Afterall, we are classmates". Huh, not Mrs.L right? She's your teacher.
"Of course ma, but she's also my classmate....we share the same room"!! Love the way V thinks of Mrs. L as his classmate and not his form teacher!

-S's K2 teacher is a propah, pretty, and very young British lady who I've observed is forever on her knees looking into the eyes of some 5 year old's, listening to every word as if the information coming out is going to change the face of the earth the next minute. I was curious as to what these little imps could possibly say that holds Ms K in trance-like concentration. I got to know soon, as we were early one morning when yet again Ms K was with one of her VIPs. And this is what I heard- " Ms K I'm sorry but I think I forgot to wear my underpants today"!!

- Inspite of the bum skimming shorts and weird hairdo's I've noticed the upper school kids actually holding doors, greeting and even smiling at parents (even the ones they don't know as yet...like me!). To me, that's a great sign and one that communicates about the kind of values that the school imparts.

-The boundaries are seamless. Upper School, Lower school, Faculty, Staff- these are all just words and in paper. In reality, everybody knows everybody and they all work under one roof. Its lovely to watch an 8th grader casually ruffle a kindergarten kid's hair while ambling into the cafeteria. And its equally great to watch the little ones jump and shout as they excitedly run to an older friend!

- The Mad Minute is something like we have at home. Only difference is that ours is not restricted by time! V tells me the Mad Minute is a time to get all the madness out!Sometimes they go all nuts and finish 15 sums in a minute or simply act crazy and silly and then feel better! What a brilliant idea. Every 7 year old needs that release of pent up craziness!

- S's class is huge and even houses a mini icecream parlour. Kids take turns in being the icecream seller and I was allowed once and only once (by my daughter) to be on the other side and choose my flavours. As a mother I was of course allowed to pay with kisses :-)

- V remembers and associates all his classmates with an adjective that describes their most striking quality(a super idea implemented by their Music teacher). For example he will say something like " Bouncy Bruno and Rock N Roll Romy ate lunch with me today". And to his friends, he is 'Voracious Vaibhav'!

- They are all off on an all day picnic on Friday! S will be at her teddy bear picnic when she and the other kindergartners+teachers will bring along their favourite teddies for some outdoor fun. V and the rest of the Lower school are going to some faraway hillside to bond over food and games. No packed lunches on Friday.. Yippee!

Its like a whole new world that's opened up for us in Helsinki. And the more I interact, talk and chat with parents from Argentina, Lithuania, Moscow and Chicago, I just realize how different we are culturally and yet how very similar our fears and hopes and lives are!

Looking forward to more of the ISH experience!!

Our little Miss Sunshine

Our trip to Italy was perfect in every sense save for one unfortunate incident that happened early on in the vacation. The husband's wallet got stolen on one of the busy metros. The loss was about 100 euros and all his identity and credit cards!Thankfully he had the rest of the cash in a safe place. But this episode rattled us to say the least! How, who, why...questions filled our heads.Having lived long spells in cities like Singapore and now Helsinki (our trips to India don't count as we are forever being shepherded by family) where safety and trust are so taken for granted, we were rudely welcomed back to the real world!


We rushed to a police station to register a complaint. But to add further salt to our wounds, we faced this huge barrier called language!! We lumbered across town with heavy hearts to 4 different stations only to find that none of the staff there spoke English!As we were waiting at one such station, the husband and I were discussing what to do next in low tones. We took it in our stride and told ourselves that it could happen to anybody (and it did to seven other people , the same day, the same metro- Barberini for those of you who want to know). But the disappointment in the Dad's face was writ large. Being the most responsible character at home, I guess he was upset that he could be taken advantage off than even losing the stuff. That's when we noticed two pairs of eyes keenly watching our every move.


V&S were quiet throughout the afternoon. I guess they had only read about thieves and never actually come across any. We explained to them how these things do happen and the Dad took the opportunity to highlight the fact that in such cases it is best to remain calm and composed and look for solutions, like we were doing just then.

They nodded their heads absorbing it all in. V then asked if we'd have money for the next meal, live on the streets of Helsinki when we get back and if we were officially now 'poor'. Justifiable seven year old worries!

The little girl suddenly blurted out ' Dada, I don't see the whole fuss behind this! Amma says that the bank will give you new cards. You tell me that you have a job where the money lost can be easily made back. So why are you all looking so sad? Is it because of the wallet? Was it a special gift? Don't worry, V has several at home and I'll ask him to give you his best wallet, ok? Now, can we please go and get some gelato?'

If only we can always, always be like you, Shriya! Seeing the positive in everything and shrinking problems to nothing! She'll never sweat the small stuff and according to her everything is really small stuff!! I don't know how much we taught you from this rather invasive real-life incident, but you sure did teach us a thing or two that day, Little Miss Sunshine!

Our Italian Itinerary

Italy can be done in a week, month or over several trips. There's so much to do, see, eat and experience that we decided (even before actually going there) that we'll need to make more than one trip.

Overwhelming is what comes to mind when I think of Rome. There's just way too much to see in that one city. Being our last vacation before school started and having just come back from our hectic Eastern European trip, the kids and husband were very clear that they wanted to 'chill' on this vacation! It was 3 of them against me. Not that I'm against chilling but come on, nobody goes to Rome to do that!


So, that's how we ended up doing the sights and sounds in 7 days that most people will pack in 3 days! A compromise of sorts! We would start our day at a leisurely 11am after breakfast and decide where and what to have for lunch immediately after! All sightseeing began only after that. But I couldn't complain for long as the sun didn't go down till 9.30pm and we did get to see and experience all the touristy stuff, but one at a time. If we did the Colosseum one afternoon, then the evening was spent at the Villa Borghese parks. The Bocca Dela Verite (mouth of truth) I would have normally skipped. But just watching the kids fret, hesitate and worry before putting their hands in the mouth for a fleeting second was well- worth the hour long journey that it took us getting there.Many a leisurely hour went by at the Spanish steps eating gelato and watching people. Suited me very well! Allowed me to soak it all in at a very relaxed pace.

We had done our fair bit of research and learning before we went on this trip. The kids were visibly excited and rattled off history and facts when they sighted the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon. I knew the very best gelato place in all of Rome which meant we had to trek halfway across town before we could relish those extra special delights.The kids knew all the popular Italian flavours like Crema (egg and cream), Fior Di Latte (just milk), Fruitti De Bosco (raspberry.. I think) which justified the very frequent gelato breaks that we took.

Rome is like an open museum. Ruins and history everywhere you look. And without the right guidance or expert tips from the locals you could easily pass by something spectacular without even realizing it. We were lucky to get a lot of advice from our very Italian owner and housekeeper of the place where we were staying. They suggested we take a trip to Orvietto, a little hill town in Umbria. And we did just that.

I can easily say that Orvietto was one of the best things that happened to us. It is such a hidden jewel just a couple of hours from Rome. Sun drenched hills with sloping vineyards, quaint little ceramic stores and quiet cafes alternatively lining narrow streets, an exquisite cathedral bang in the middle of the market square- it gave us a peek into the 'real' Italy. The exact kind of break we needed from Rome!

Recharged from our little getaway we came back with added vigour to take in more of Rome. But when it came to choosing between seeing more ruins at the Forum or walking through Trastevere, a charming suburb famous for its food, the latter won hands down. We might have missed a few sights but what we will always remember are the walks we took down the beautiful parks, the birds we fed in front of the Vatican, the gelatos that we licked off each others cones and the afternoon we spent atop a hill gazing down the rolling Italian countryside!

The Art of Doing Nothing

Idling is such a bad word these days. A word most people cannot even understand forget relish. Just the other day, the kids were asking me about how I spent weekends without any television or even a library. Saturday mornings - Aah, the very phrase conjures certain inexplicable aromas, tastes and memories. The main event of the day was the herbal oil massage. This was followed by a thorough bath (administered by my mom), not in the blessed safety of the bathroom but out in the open backyard. Seated on the washing stone with an old petticoat thrown over my head, I was but a quiet observer watching the myriad activities happening around me for my benefit. Our house help would be instructed to continuously pour lukewarm water over my head while my mother would scrub and rub with great vigour. Gram flour and shikakhai and god knows what else would be massaged on to my body and hair. My mother would do it all with graceful abandon that comes only with years of practice. Whilst I was worried that I'd probably become blind due to a straying blob of shikhakai in my eye, my mother would carry on with her job, casually exchanging pleasantries over the common wall with the neighbor.

The post bath activities included the elaborate process of drying the hair. Now, you might just wonder how long could that take! Switch on the hair dryer and get done with it, right? But not according to my Mother! She would have hot burning coal ready, on which the Sambrani powder (Benzoin Resin which is widely used in India not just for drying hair but to prevent colds as well!) would be gently sprinkled. This would give rise to smoky and yet fragrant snake-like vapours over which my long tresses would be gingerly fanned out . It took ages for any drying to happen but gave ample opportunity to slip into a semi-comatose state.

After such a bath, a lunch of pepper infused garlic rasam accompanied with roasted potatoes and rice vadam (crisps)followed by a long nap was a must.No interruptions from television programs, no classes to rush to , no errands to run. Just an entire day devoted to stress-free indulgences. My job on Saturdays was to do 'nothing' but simply succumb to the ministrations, massages and meal.

I saw my kids looking at me with screwed up noses. "All your Saturdays were spent bathing, eating and napping? That's it?"

Well, what can I say! My Saturdays were spent in a little town were time stood still.My life was attuned to a different rhythm- a pace which was comforting, calming and ever so carefree, where doing nothing was not considered a crime but a way of life!

Post Vacation Lunch

We just got back from a fantastic vacation in Italy!After 8 days of spectacular Italian food (post on this coming soon), our tongues craved for the familiar and reassuring tastes of rasam, pickle and yogurt rice. We've had our fill of comfort foods and are now back to basics and concentrating on getting the house back in shape, preparing for school which starts in 10 days and catching up on work.

Our super simple lunch this afternoon- Toasted multigrain bread stuffed to the gills with garlicky guacamole, buffalo mozzarella and summer tomatoes. It cant get simpler, healthier or tastier than this!

Some Ground Rules and other tidbits

We decided to work out some ground rules before setting off on vacation.It helped a great deal and everyone felt crucial, considered and contented.It helped us avoid many a tiff and evade the inevitable arguments. Here's a list of what we came up with:

1. Everybody helps carry/drag a piece of luggage

2. For every meal,the choice of cuisine will come in turns. If Vaibhav chose what to eat for lunch then it was my turn to decide our dinner meal. You could order whatever you wanted but within the cuisine that had been chosen!

3. If it was Margherita pizza(invariably Shriya's choice)...then a side order of salad had to be ordered

4. On the flight, you can ask your parents or the flight attendant only upto 5 times
"How many more minutes before we land?"

5. You can never say 'No' to anything without giving it a fair try (this one was a little dodgy as it bulldozed me into trying many a thing I didn't want to!)


We had to make a couple of journeys during our trip. The first one from Budapest to Vienna was short and hence spent napping and playing word games. The next from Vienna to Prague was a fun surprise for all of us as the bus we took was better than the flight we'd taken. It had personal entertainment systems, an attendant who plied us with snacks and drinks and very comfy seats. We emerged and found each other only after we reached Prague.The trial was the trip between Prague and Budapest. A day train journey that would last 7 hours. An hour went by exploring the different carriages and walking up and down to the dining cart. Another hour was spent eating our delicious, packed Vietnamese fried rice (we were all craving for Oriental food after a week of European/Middle Eastern fare) looking out of the windows as we sped across leaving behind the gorgeous scenery. God, that still left us with 5 hours!! The few books that we had carried were read and re-read. We played the Just-A- Minute talkathon game. Something that I fondly remember playing with my Dad especially during vacations. We had to talk for an entire minute, without pausing, about something that we saw, ate or did in the place we'd just visited.

The ticket collector entertained the two imps by issuing them play tickets and allowing them to use his punching machine.

And then with what ever material we had, we did create some nice art. We used up some old sheets of paper excavated from the Daddy's pocket, used a toothpick like stick the kids were given at some restaurant and poked holes to create nice images. A few butterflies and hearts later, we were at the Budapest railway station!

Prague

Prague took my breath away! Its kind of similar to Paris in the sense that the entire city is like an open museum. Visually stunning and oh so spectacular! So much to see, feel and experience! Its one of those really old cities steeped in history. There's a story behind every rock and history seeping out of every cobbled stone street you walk on. The place gradually grows on you and completely envelopes you before you've bid it goodbye!

But would old world beauty mean anything to two little kids? How would baroque architecture or Medival charm appeal to them? We were not sure but try we did!

When we were at Wenceslas Square, the Dad told them the story behind when he had first heard of it as a kid. I fed them nuggets on the Astronomical Clock as it struck a glorious seven with music and puppets. We imagined the King leading his troops on the Charles Bridge, complete with sound effects. We argued about Hitler's plans and the craziness of WWII as we walked through the Jewish Ghettos. We lit candles at the 14th century cathedrals and stood mesmerized as the multicolored stained glass panels threw off light in the afternoon sun.

But what completely bowled us over was the Golden Lane. A narrow little cobbled stone street just beside the royal quarters which apparently housed a doctor, soldier, fortune teller, seamstrees and a Public House. Some of those quaint little homes have been converted into souvenier shops but the majority have been preserved and kept intact, the way it might have been all those years back. Such a treasured peek into the past...the kids were overwhelmed with the teeny rooms, surprised at all that simple living and intrigued by the primitive chamber rooms (why cant they just call them toilets, ma?)!

At the end of our holiday, I asked the kids which part of the vacation they loved the most. Pat came the answer: Prague!I tried to probe and figure what about the city appealed to them most but did'nt get anywhere. They were vague about it and murmured something about the castle and the clock. I smiled to myself and let it rest. Guess, Prague has had its effects on them too, inexplicable effects :-)