Hello everyone! Thank you for all your visits and the lovely
messages you left for me! Although I got back a week ago,
several commitments kept me away from blogging but now I'm
here and rarin' to go!! There'll be a few posts on the south
Indian city of Chennai where I'd gone to be with my sister
and her family.
The yellow blooms seen in the photo above seem to be everywhere.
The bright blooms of the Chestnutleaf Trumpetbush (tecoma
castanifolia) greet you from street corners, parks and innume-
rable Chennai homes. I noticed that other prolific bloomers are
the bougainvillea and jasmine.
Waiting for our turn at the Himalayan Water Ride at Queensland
Amusement Park. From left---my sister Molly, her older daughter
Shivani and Suzanne (in red), husband David, and my son, Nishant.
Suzanne turned 10 in December. When her sister Vani turned 13 in
October, the latter had raved about becoming a teenager. Feeling
that one needs to be some kind of an "ager" she announced that
she's a "ten-ager"!
Some terracotta items on display/sale at a roadside. Many of the
objects were very beautiful and reasonably priced.
Vibrant lime-green money plant ouside a house in Anna-Nagar, an
old locality in Chennai. This variety is not common in my state.
Caught the last 2008 sunset with rooftop workers silhouetted
against that vivid orange. So different from my usual sunset
shots!
Molly's friend Micky and husband Rupam (not in picture) joined
us one evening. It was great meeting them.
We had a wonderful time in Chennai. We visited several areas,
made a trip to a beautiful place called Pondicherry, savoured
different kinds of sea-food (we're far from the sea here). I'm
glad I somehow managed to leave the house and travel a few
thousand kilometres away to be with family. So many times, other
responsibilities come in between and visits are put off till
tomorrow. And the proverbial tomorrow takes its own sweet time,
or never comes! Children grow so fast but I'm glad that at this
time of their lives they got to spend some days together. And till
we make the next trip, we can look back on this and be thankful
that we did it!!
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22 comments:
Great to see you back here, but I'm really sorry for not being able to reply to your mail promptly, but I did it later - which was late!
I see you and your family had a wonderful time in Chennai. Great to hear that. Do lemme know when you come back.
Did you visit the Horticultural society? I wanted to tell you that. They have such a huge collection of plants there - even though it's not taken care of properly.
It is so nice of you to let us be part of your beautiful trip meeting some of your family. India is a huge country and so diverse so it must be thrilling for you to see different places of your country. The yellow Tecoma looks fantastic, the flowers must nearly explode with their colours and lushness.
I have missed you but I am so happy that you enjoyed your visit with family. What precious photos you share today. I look forward to hearing more about your trip. Welcome back.
Looks like a splendid holiday. And I just love ten-ager!
Thanks Chandramouli..like I said, there's always a next time. Would love to visit the Horticultural society. Loved the parks and gardens...so beautifully kept. It was wonderful to see so many different plants--a real treat, I must say!
I dread to think about Chennai in summer but the weather was at its best, wasn't it? So pleasant!
Hi Trudi, you're right about the diversity. The language, the food...everything is so different! Even many of the plants. And as one travels farther from one's home state, the differences become more, and very interesting! I did savour some local delicacies, all cooked by my sis. And she did a great job!
You're right about the Tecoma!
Thank you Mildred. So glad to be back amidst familiar names/faces! I'd often thought about what you might have posted but now I'm a regular again!
Tina, thanks! There'll a few more posts on Chennai...
Welcome home from what appears to have been a delightful holiday. The bright yellow blooms on the Chestnutleaf Trumpetbush are stunnning!
That sounds as if it were the kind of holiday we all dream of.
Glad you had such a lovely time.
Lucy
Welcome back to blogland! We missed you. Glad you had such a great visit with your family, and shared it all with us. Now when I go on vacation, half my pics are of the family and half are of plants, too! :)
Oh Kanak...I'm envious of the weather. I'm glad that you had a wonderful time with family, a very handsome family I might add! The "ten-ager is adorable! Thanks for introducing your family!
Welcome back to the blogasphere Kanak! Glad to see you had a wonderful vacation with your family. :)
So glad you're back with us , Kanak. It is nice get away... nice to be back home I know. Your time with your sister and family must have been a blessing. My sister (marmee) is coming to visit me in a few weeks and we are looking forward to it. Too many years previous we also let time get away from us. We are working harder on that now not to let it happen.
Thanks for the ID on my Wilkesiana... there are several varieties and I think I want more of them. :-)
Have a great day.
Meems
Welcome back, Kanak. It looks as if you had a wonderful time with your gorgeous family, but it's nice to see you blogging again!
Welcome home. What a nice vacation you had. Your pics are lovely. I also like ten-ager. Such a pretty girl and looking older than 10!
good to have you back. hope you had a wonderful time with your family, it sure looks as if you did. i have a soon to be ten-ager too.
Hi Kanak, lovely to have you back. Thank you for a most lovely field trip to Chennai, it is so great to get guided tours from all over the world, cyberspace is fantastic!
I have only been to Chennai airport unfortunately, it very hot.
Take Care
LOLove Tyra
Kanak, I'm so glad you are back to posting! You have a lovely family. It is important to make the time, as you say, to be with them. We just returned from a visit with relatives living elsewhere in Florida, and the time spent together seemed especially meaningful this time. Since I wasn't able to say it to you before, I will now: Happy New Year!
Welcome back! Looks like you and your family had fun! I agree with the 'do it now' back later never comes. What a lovely family you have!
Welcome back. What a wonderful trip and wonderful sights.
'Money plant' eh? Sounds too good to be true ;p
Thanks Joey. That burst of yellow was heart-warming!
Lucy, great to have you here, and thanks. Your poem/photo collabaration is wonderful!!
Hi Karen! Nice idea! I don't include many people photos but this being a gardening blog, I did a bit of balancing!! Thanks!
Hi Kim, glad you liked the post. The weather is pleasant only at this time of the year and the rest of the year is unbearably hot! Thanks.
Hi Racquel, thank you so much. It's really wonderful to be back amidst all my wonderful blogging friends.
Hi Meems, thanks. I have always loved reading your posts ( and Marmee's as well) about family time. And I love the way you've put it...about working harder on it. This is something I'll have to do too. About the wilkesianas, the tiny leaved ones look so good!
Victoria, thank you so much! Glad to be here again!
Hi Wendy, thanks. The ten-ager is tall for her age. Her father's side is tall but us?! We're come from short stock!:)
Marmee, thank you so much! My regards to your pretty soon-to-be ten-ager!
Hi Tyra! Thanks... but lucky you! Guess why? You've been to Kerala! That's a trip I haven't made till now. There's supposed to be a lot of similarity between Assam and Kerala.
W2W, Happy New Year to you too! May you have a wonderful 2009! I'd love to read about your visit...will hop over once I'm done here. Honestly, it's great to be connected again! And thanks for your comment.
Hi Carla, thank you so much! Will be at yours soon!
Lady Luz, so happy to see you here! And thank you so much!
Hi Julian! Minus the Midas touch! S..i.g..h!!
Hi Kanak, that was so nice that you got to spend quality time with family. I know that siblings' children are as special to you as your own, all are adorable! The sunset photo was just magnificent! We welcome you back with open arms!
Frances
Nice to see David Baker after so many years on this pic... Very nice man with lot of awesome talents.
-Jasper
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