Wednesday 28 March 2012

The Wheels On The Bus Go 'Round & 'Round


Ready For School
Day Two with Jamma and Pop-Pop found everybody (except Daddy...somebody has to bring home the bacon!)  hopping on board the school bus and taking a trip to Indus International School.  The kids were so proud to show off their new school and all of their friends to their grandparents!

This is how we roll!

The People on the Bus go bump, BUMP, B U M P!!!!
The ride to the school takes about an hour (depending on the traffic).  The ONLY good news about the long ride is that there is a lot to look at along the roadsides!  Even after being here 7 months I never tire of watching out the windows.  You NEVER know what you will see that you've never seen before :0)  The following are some of Jamma's pictures she took as we were whizzing along down the road.  (I liked looking at her pictures b/c it reminded me of what I felt like when I first got here....some of the things that were "new" to her....I have grown accustomed to.)

There is this huge lake that you pass on the way to the school.  It is quite the sight.  Vast.  Sometimes the surface is nearly COVERED in green plants and within the week the plants will all be gone as the locals harvest the plants to feed their cows.  Although I'm sure there is an official name for this lake, our family simply refers to it as, "The Poo-Pond".  It's NASTY!  As you can see by the FOAMING....GREEN water! :0/  

One of the first times we drove by this lake, the kids spotted the foam floating on top and they shouted out in excitement, "MOM!  LOOK!  SNOW!!!"  Um.  No.  These are the times when I think my kids aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.  Doesn't it have to be COLD to snow!?!?  Haha!  In their defense I think they just got so excited to see something that reminded them of home and that in their hasty excitement they declared the funky foam...snow!?  Hehehe!

In addition to the motorcycles, bikers, walkers and livestock in the roads, you see LOTS of auto rickshaws.
Houses

Bakery.  
Not exactly your neighborhood Dunkin' Donuts, now is it?! 
 Cows?!  Yep.  We've got lotsa those!

Trash?!  Yep.  We have lots of that too! 
(Honestly, I don't even notice it anymore.  That's why it's fun to look through the lense of a first time visitor!)
They are building EVERYWHERE!!!
See the laborers carrying the supplies on their heads?!
According to my driver, these people are working for about  $2.00 a DAY!!!
 Coconut, anyone?!

Maybe a lemon instead?!

We made it!!!

 Friends!


Tennis Time for Erica
(too sunny so she borrowed Mommies sunglasses!)

Indus Day-Program Practice for Mikey

Nappy Time for David?! 
(He was getting sick of watching Michael practice!)  BUT he didn't stay laying down for long as he soon discovered that a bunch of ants ("hants" as Claudius calls them) were crawling all over him!  ACK!!!!  No rest for the weary! ;0)

Horseback Riding Time for Rachy

Phew!  Long day!  David fell asleep on Pop-Pop's lap on the school bus on our ride back home! 

After we woke David up and wiped the drool from his face (ewwww!) ... We did something wild and crazy when we got back home that we'd never done before....we got off at the FIRST bus stop in our housing development so that we could all go to Baskin' Robbins for an ice cream!  (The crazy part was that we didn't get off the bus at OUR stop....not the getting ice cream part ....that's not so crazy....shhhh....wanna know a secret!???!......we eat ice cream ALL the time!)  Hahaha!!


And so concludes the end of Day #2!!  What do you suppose we shall do tomorrow!?!?!

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Jamma & Pop-Pop Come To Visit

Our first family members to come and visit us in India were Matt's parents, Jamma and Pop-Pop!  They were able to come over during Jamma's February school vacation!  We packed a lot into a WEEK!  What a fun time we had!  Here's day one!!
Oh Boy!  Here they come!

The kids were SOOOOO happy!!

Michael making up for months of missin' his Jamma.

Yessss, Mumsie!!  You made it!! 

The kids let Daddy do the tour of the yard first and then they had everybody movin' and groovin' to "Just Dance" within moments of Jamma & Pop-Pop's arrival!  ;0)

Getting the full flight report while sitting out on the balcony.

Everybody is happy now that Jamma is here!

Jamma & Pop-Pop brought one of their favorite treats....
Slim Jim's :0)

The kids sang, "Stop &Think" at church.
Lots of cultural experiences within their first few hours in Bangalore....This was an African Dance during worship at our church.

The Leela Palace for Brunch

Lots of Pretty Plants at the Leela Palace

Jamma & Rachel by the water garden

Our Littlest Cutie - Posin' under a Palm

Welcome to Bangalore, Jamma & Pop-Pop!

Just us Girls

Getting ready to EAT!!!

Pillow Fight!!  (The kids are having their own fun while us adults have ours!)

Jamma - Are you checking to make sure Pop-Pop had enough to eat?!  Haha!

Erica was ESPECIALLY happy to have her grandparents here!

Getting ready to hit the pool!
Kiddie Pool
Indoor Pool
Leisure Pool
Waterfall Pool
Lap Pool
Time for a little family badmitton!....In India it's not just for backyard bbq's ;0)
Dinner at the Clubhouse
Let's Eat!!
Jamma & Pop-Pop's first dinner with us was at our clubhouse restaurant and we ordered a whole bunch of our favorite Indian foods!  Tandoori chicken served with spicy green chutney and coconut chutney.  Buttered-garlic naan.  Dal makhani.   Masala Dosa.  Raita.  Basmati Rice.

Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt & various Indian spices.  It is typically cooked in a clay (tandoor) oven but it can also be cooked on a traditional bbq grill and we think it's simply "Ta Die Fah"
Green Chutney aka Coriander Chutney
A puree of coriander, lemon juice, chilies & various other Indian spices.
Coconut Chutney
Also a family favorite!  Mild & pairs nicely with everything from idli to dosas.
Buttered-Garlic Naan
Aw Shucks!  I would stay in India FOREVER if ONLY I could eat this delicious flat bread EVERY SINGLE DAY!  Naan is also traditionally cooked in a clay tandoor oven. 

Dal Makhani.  My personal fav Indian dish so far.  Some places I've had it and it's a little bit too spicy for my tame tongue....no worries!  I just ask for a side of plain yogurt and it helps manage the "heat" :0)  Apparently, it's a bit of a pain to make as you have to let the lentils & beans soak overnight!?  Flavored with ginger, garlic, tomato, onion, mango powder (I completely don't know what I'm talking about...had to google it!) 
But!  I do know it gets its creamy finishing touch by adding some fresh cream and butter garnish.  Delish!


Masala Dosa
The dosa is a bit like a crispy pancake that can be stuffed with all sorts of fillings or you can just have a plain dosa if you like (the kids like them plain and then they shlop them around in some sauce! YUM!)  Matt and I like the masala dosa.  The masala is basically a mixture of  spiced potatoes and onions. 


Raita.
We LOVE this too.  It's light and fresh tasting.  It's an Indian side dish made with plain yogurt and vegetables.  We like it best with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes!  Our server tried to bring us some made with pineapple the other day - Didn't like it nearly as much as the vegetable version.
Basmati Rice.  
Don't know that there is anything special about it...it's just Rice in my book!  ;0)

Finish the night off with some good ole fashioned ice cream....I'd say that was a Prettyyyyy Goooooood First Day!!!