Rome- a memorable trip

 

After coming to Basel , for past 2 years we have been thinking of visiting Italy at least Rome and finally we decided to go for a vacation before Xmas. I think that was the best time we chose for it.

We were all set and ready , expecting a kind of rainy and sunny weather in Rome. When we got out of the airport , it was sunny , and with our heavy jackets on , it was impossible ,but we had no time to waste as the train to the city was leaving in few minutes, we ran to catch it , and luckily we got it.

From the train station , we had to catch a metro, and we were searching for the metro station all over ,the place, its was crowded .As we moved down towards the underground metro stations , it was like a big crowd.

As we saw the group , we never thought to catch the first metro, since the doors were opened for just few seconds and we never had plans to get lost in the city. :)

After reaching the hotel and freshening up we walked to see Colosseum ,an ancient amphitheater, it was looking awesome in the night sky with a full moon in the background shining in the night sky.

The next days were busy, we decided not to get lost in the city so took a local connection for internet and with the navigator we moved through the city. Seriously technology is so advanced , else going through not so crowded roads in Rome , we must have got lost long before .

We visited the Vatican city, it was a marvelous view from the top of the tour bus , couldn’t believe we were there for a moment . The inside view was breathtaking , the Sistine chapel ,, as it was a sacred place , silence has to maintained , but , we need not force ourselves to be silent, the paintings all over the place, is so breathtaking view that , we wish to stand there and keep looking at it.

Them we visited the Spanish steps , the Trevi fountain and many more .  It was not a big surprise to find a crowd over there in any place we visit ,it was all worth visiting. We roamed around  Rome  :)  , while our camera never stopped clicking .Everything I see around was magnificent m even the remains of the building and statues were having its own beauty.

The funny thing was about the lift in the buildings , it was like a wooden cupboard and had not much space in it to stand.That was the only means to go up and down the building , at first I was scared to get in , but thinking about climbing 5 floors was tiring so didn’t think much about the danger. :)

The final day we sat in the open bus tour and roamed around the city , had a bad lunch and then boarded the train. The long queue waiting for the train tickets was too  boring, but then I noticed there was quick ticket counter ,and I saw two- three men walking around the same place, at first I thought it was someone from the railways to guide people. But to my surprise, i noticed them searching for something in the tray below , where the balance coins fall.  :) 

The fun filled journey ended up at the airport with a sundae from McDonald and then it was time to fly back. When we reached Basel, it was raining  and cold , it was totally different from Rome , an isolated airport with countable number of people around.

 

 

 

Lovely cup of tea- makes my morning better :)

 

The first thing about my mornings is a cup of hot tea that too made by someone else and not by me :)

I always loved it , when I get a morning tea at home , now its like I have to prepare and by the time I get to drink it , it will be cold like an ice tea :). When I saw the movie “English Vinglish” , the opening scene was just like that ,in that the actress Sridevi , makes a cup of tea for herself and tries to sip it at least once, but every time some or the other calls her up and her tea remains there cold .I think its the case with every other women in the house. 

When I was in my teenage , my mom makes a tea for herself and sits next to me when am sleeping and wakes me up , just to make me jealous , showing off her hot cup of tea , and sipping it as if it was some fruit juice :) that too around 5:30 in the morning. Then I cannot resist , I get up , just to have my warm cup of tea :)

Now when I see my lovely daughter , I remember my days as  a kid. She gets up in the morning and asks ” Mama , i want milk”,  and when I get her milk in her glass , she will smile at me saying “I am sorry , but I want my bottle ” . The way she expresses the need for the bottle  its irresistible that my heart melts and I give her milk in bottle .

Bubbles bubbles all over !!

   The joy of watching kids enjoying something is so precious and something that draws us into their happiness too and make us feel like a kid again. 

The first time I saw Nandu playing with bubbles at her play school , listening to the rhythm of the song “bubbles bubbles in the air”  , it was so pleasing. The moment she sees her teacher bringing the bubbles , she gets excited and once she gets excited , she keeps jumping ,laughing , and  I have noticed that always it brings a special joy to all kids.

The song had lyrics in such a way , that kids seems to follow it, they catch bubbles on their tow, fingers , mouth ,even they eat them too, as they were sweet :)During the one hour sessions , the only thing she liked the most was bubbles .

During summer season, we bought the bubble solution home and we used to play with it , sitting in the balcony .We blew bubbles in the air and we both watched it reaching high up in the sky, flying to other apartments , and rainbow colors filling in it. While playing with her , I felt like a kid again. :)

Journey towards becoming a mom :)

As all married couples we too wished to be parents , and by God’s grace it was right on time. As soon as I left my job and took a vacation home , and was enjoying my holidays with my parents and  my dear hubby , we knew about the new  upcoming guest in our life.

The next few months were very hectic ,all morning sickness,dizziness and many more.I though it will be all like in movies , everyone gets to know a wife is pregnant , after vomiting or fainting ,but then I realized that movies are just a big lie. It was not just once that I had vomiting , it was a long time contract of 9 months :)

I was treated like a queen, and that’s again the best time of life .:) During pregnancy , the 4th month, gave me a surprise ,when I could feel my baby. It was a marvelous feeling ,a movement of life inside us. I was so happy and excited ,I kept asking my mom and my husband to keep their hands over me and check the movements , as it was fun to see.

While she was growing inside , my nights became sleepless , but still I was enjoying it. I kept on doing things that stimulated my lil sweetheart inside me to move .I kept talking to my baby , about what was going around, I used to watch cartoons as one of my friend told me , that if I watch happy things the baby will be always happy .: ) I know this is the period of life when we are flooded with advises , but that is all about how they care for us and am thankful for such wonderful hearts around me. 

It was on Feb 3rd , at 10:15 pm , I still remember the moment I saw her in the arms of the nurse.I forgot all the pains I had and just focused on her lovely face,so innocent, so pure .I was relieved that she has safely come to earth ,and I would love her the most.

I know its hard to be a perfect mom , but I promise her that I would do my very best to be a good mom to her. And its just not me alone , but her dad too would love her to the core and make a lovely life for her :)

Fun Filled hostel life

The first time I saw my college hostel ,oops its was like an isolated place and I felt I wont be able to stay more than an hour there. But I spend a year and half in that place which gifted me lovely memories  with my lovely friends and seniors and juniors.

I was all alone the first day when I joined the hostel , it was around a month since the college opened and so , when its morning , I run to college, because that was a familiar place then than my hostel. In the evening when I return , many were returning from their home after a weekend , so I felt happy , at least its not isolated. 

Everything started to be fun when I met my other 4 friends ,who are still my best buddies. We shared a good understanding , it was fun to be with them. They were the only reason , I didn’t miss my home much. One of them , we used to spent talking all the time , even late nights, it was always fun to be with her. I can say she is one of them who knows me very well. The funny coincidence was that mine and her dob were next to next.Another one ,she was like a nightingale for me, lovely voice she had , she used to sing for me , my favorite song,even if I ask her to repeat it 10 times :).She was different from all of us , quite , beautiful , merciful ,lovely and many more.Everyday morning she used to pick a bible reading from her box and read it to us, and I somehow like it still. 

The other two were like conjoined twins , when I say twins , its just that , they were always together .Many of them though they were sisters too , even though they never looked alike. :) But all five of us had fun filled days, we used to wear similar pattern dresses to college, always went to college and returned from there together. 

Anywhere we want go , we used to be together.We even had combined studies , even though  we were in different streams. It was fun to study with them, though none of us studied anything.We used to spent hours and hours talking to each other and playing.

I  still miss them a lot , even though all are busy in their own lives , we still find time to talk to each other , That’s all about friendship. :)I

When I think of hostel , how can I ever forget my lovely seniors ,they were the best , but unfortunately ,they were in the final year and had to go soon , even then we had the best memories ever. My seniors were too friendly too ,they were like my own sister to me. They cared and shared with us everything.Few weeks before , when I was able to find all of them in Facebook , I was the happiest .Its like back into a family.When they left the hostel , after their studies , it was like a house where we never had someone to guide us.

My juniors were too good too. I always wanted to be like a big sister to them. Am not sure whether I was , but there were a few among them , who will be always my favorite. :)

At least when I look back to my good old days , I don’t regret that I never enjoyed , and grateful that I had some lovely people around me.

 

 

 

Nandoos first haircut…

 

 

It was almost summer in Basel , and Nandu had turned 1 just 2 months back, so as customary we decided to shave her hair off , so that new healthy hair grows in its place. 

Here in Basel , to shave her head , we went to a Srilankan’s saloon , because there was no other place better for it. Since everyone at home said , its better to cut her hair on a good day and we waited for the good day, since Sundays here all the shops are closed the only option was on Saturday or any other working day. But Saturday  , we never do anything for the first time , some superstitious belief. :)

Then one day , when Nandoos dad came for lunch , we decided to take her for a haircut, since he had time then. I made her ready , even I tagged along , because we were not sure whether she will sit quietly there . We heard from many other parents that kids scream , when they ar having a haircut, so we were skeptical about it. 

When we  were their at the saloon , she became quite because it was guy who was cutting the hair. So we made her sit there on the chair, where the person had lifted the seat up by putting another layer of cushion on the chair.

Then he took a sharp knife kind of thing and I got scared as usual.Then he took a  trimmer and looked at  Nandu , she was still calm. She was looking around and thinking about what we were about to do to her.A clothe was put around her neck and she was looking at the mirror so keenly. 

He started to trim her hair and I was looking at Nandoos face , she seemed to be so excited and not knowing whats happening she was looking at the way they guy was trimming. Her eyes were right on the mirror looking at herself. Then when the barber  started to use the knife kind of thing , I was scared if she will get injured , but as usual she was excited and enjoying her first haircut.

After the haircut the barber gave her lollipop ,since she was silent and calm during the whole session.  :)We never forget the way she was sitting there for her haircut, it was so beautiful and I cherish it in my heart.

 

A lovely morning

 

 My favorite time of the day is early morning , if ever I get up , early. I do know that getting up early , makes you feel fresh and the day goes good .But unfortunately ,sometimes my mind and body does not synchronize. :)

In my native place , I get up with my lovely mom and take a fresh bath and go to temple. When I am back from the temple , I sit on the sofa with a cup of hot tea (mmm… I just love it) and enjoy the newspaper.

Our house is in a beautiful place , its quite away from the road , but even then , sounds of vehicles on the road can be heard. In spite of all these , its quite silent. There are lot many trees small and big around the house , sometimes I do feel that, those trees obstruct the view of our house from the streets, but sometimes its quite good.

When I sit on the steps of our house , I can see the bright sun’s rays  peeping out of the leaves standing right on its way .In between those leaves , the sunlight looks like diamonds hidden under the bushes. Birds chirping around and looking out for food. 

Right in front of our house ,we have a tulsi plant ,that is considered a sacred plant. The sun’s rays falls directly on its leave , in the morning , giving it a godly look. Whenever we used to fall sick in , my grandma used to give us a medicinal tea ,which is made of this tulsi leaves and its truly worth drinking.In the dusk , we light a lamp right near the plant , its traditional .

Those lovely mornings are like dreams now, I miss them a lot.