Happy Sunshine

New Blog - Foot Prints

2012-01-25T03:08:00.002+02:00

I recently started this small photo project to archive and share these images ... they are interesting, inspiring or simply fun images that would bring a smile on your face :)

So here's my attempt to observe, appreciate and enjoy these simple frames passing silently along our journey. This is my new blog - Foot Prints.

Comments are most welcome as always. Enjoy !

The week that went by ...

2012-01-22T23:54:00.000+02:00

in a city which is so used to rain, the snow storm was captivating !

A week of being tied to home almost like a house arrest ...

... icy roofs

freezing plants ...

chained wheels ...

A totally different picture of the world around

making the best of it ... here goes the laundry basket converted to mini-sledge for my little girl

There was so much snow that we made this huge snow man who was gracing our backyard :-)

Like they say too much of anything is not too nice ;-), I am so glad the snow has now started to melt and we have our freedom back to move around :)

Garden D'lights

2011-12-09T18:00:00.001+02:00

Christmas is truly a festival of lights in the US.

One of the best things to enjoy during the cold winter days of december is to find out and visit special christmas lighting display in the area.
Garden D'lights is one such. Located in the Bellevue botanical garden, this is truly marvelous light show.

At the very beginning is the setup of a vineyard

A closeup shot...everything made of lights.

A variety of flowers, plants with butterflies, squirrels ...

spider web, spider and mushrooms

A gorgeous setup of a pond with a fountain, floating ducks and fishes

Arrangements around the pond with beautiful flowers and a dancing peacock

a closeup shot of peacock..displaying the intricate work of lights

... japanese section of the garden

a chinese Dragon.

I read from their site that thousands of volunteer hours have gone into this fantastic light show. If you are in the area, dont miss this. It is on display till Dec 31, 2011.

Anyone interested to learn the secrets of these beautiful flower creations could join their classes. For more information, visit their website - http://www.gardendlights.org/

Information courtesy - Garden D'lights

Greetings......from North Pole

2011-12-05T09:44:00.001+02:00

With the festive spirits already in air....heres bringing you greetings all the way from Santa's house in North Pole village !

Here it is christmas all 365 days of the year :)

According to traditions, it is believed that Santa lives in the north pole, in this village which houses his magical workshop. The surprise gifts and goodies however delivered only to the "nice" kids, on the night of christmas eve.

Kids from all over the world write to their dear Santa and its believed that these letters arrive in thousands each day during this holiday season !

In todays date, there is a beautiful souvenir store housed in this north pole village.

Santa welcomes every child and it is indeed precious moment for the child to sit on his lap and have few words.

The store has huge collections of souvenirs.

The most interesting of all was the display of some letters from children around the world, written to their Santa...

...this was so touching :)

Mushrooooms ~

2011-11-24T00:08:00.000+02:00

White/brown button mushrooms - the type mostly seen in stores are the only type that I was aware of...

...until this nature trail I took few months ago that I am astonished at the variety of shape, color, size, pattern these fungi comes in.

Pumpkin Celebration...

2011-11-14T23:57:00.002+02:00

....this Autumn. This squash has a season for itself :)

Pictures below from our recent visit to a pumpkin patch ... which I saw was customery for many before the Halloween.
Not just to pick pumpkins, but also for those interested in Ghostly adventures at night ;-)

We could walk around the farm to choose and pick our own pumpkins.

These cute trolleys were for our assistance. My little girl enjoyed the ride on it ;-)

Variety in size and price...you choose as per your need and budget !

For those interested on quick pick, there is also a huge selection as in regular store.

Also available are a variety of other squashs and gourds for decorative purpose. While I have only used them for cooking so far, hoping to give a hand decorating it...may be next year :)

Keeping aside the fun of picking pumpkins, these pumpkin farms also have a huge area set up for some fun activities...for adults and children.

This also included a huge corn maze that took nearly an hour for us to complete ! This was indeed an adventure due to the rains which made the path slippery and marshy.
In the same area there are ghostly adventure activities at night. I took excuse of my little girl and escaped the hall of screams ;-)

Falling beauty ~

2011-11-04T02:56:00.001+02:00

How beautifully leaves grow old.
How full of light and color are their last days.

~John Burroughs

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
~Albert Camus

My first "fall" experience and absolutely loving it :)

With changing season...returning from hibernation

2011-10-29T01:38:00.000+03:00

It has been a looong time since I posted...

After having settled over in the new city, the beautiful but short summer kept my weekends super busy !
Now with the changing season, I am finally returning from hibernation :)

Loads to share and hopefully very soon.
Thank you for stopping by :)

~ Marching into Spring

2011-03-31T06:17:00.001+03:00

After what seems like a long winter, spring is finally here ...

~ happy happy weather
~ A bit more of outdoor fun
~ time for some gardening
~ more sun and warmth
~ new places and adventures
~ wow summer would be more fun !

Missing Happy Sunshine ...

2010-12-23T10:17:00.000+02:00

Literally ....

I have relocated with my family from the bright sunny mediterranean to the pacific coast...to the home of StarBucks !

For this time of the year though I never really enjoyed the mediterranean winter, now I do ! Specially the winter sun ! Now it feels the Cyprus winters were much much warmer than here !

Well, while I look forward to making this my new home....I will continue to miss the mediterranean sun and hope to see some 'Happy Sunshine' here :)

PS: Missed the blogging and also reading posts on my fav blogs. Hope to get back to routine soon :)

Blogging break !

2010-10-23T22:38:00.000+03:00

Thanks to you my friends who are still dropping by and some of you who write back too :)

I am currently on a blogging break !!
Firts it was a long awaited vacation. But now caught up with work and some changes on personal front.
Hope to be back soon with lots more to share !

Till then, enjoy and take care :)

Summer ...

2010-08-29T00:52:00.001+03:00

Summer for me is ...

~ long bright days
~ lovely bougainvillas
~ late evening walks by the sea
~ sun, sea and sand
~ sun beds and beach umbrellas
~ dip in the sea :)
~ loads of sunscreen lotions
~ tan in the sun :D
~ sip loads of fruit juices
~ ice cream and more ice cream ;-)
~ watermelons and home made kulfis !
~ star gazing
~ camping :)

What are your special summer moments ? Do share :)

~ Cherishing Memories

2010-08-15T00:24:00.000+03:00

Cherishing the beautiful memories of the wonderful vacation spent amidst ...
~ the countryside and nature
~ snow capped mountains
~ green grasslands
~ the calm, the quiteness
~ peace peace and peace :)

Back home I am enjoying the summers !

... the sun, sea... ofcourse minus the work ;-)

Quilled Monogram

2010-07-27T12:28:00.000+03:00

After my first attempt at this art, I am so captivated that my quilling love has continued !

I tried the quilling technique to decorate the letters from my daughter's name :-)
Below are details from each quilled monogram -

Do share your thoughts and comments :-)

Art work and images by Anupama Puneeth.

Frescoed Houses - Oberammergau

2010-07-14T12:08:00.001+03:00

Depicting both religious and secular scenes, frescoed houses are a charming characteristic of the Bavarian Alps. One of the best places to admire them is Oberammergau, the village famed for its passion play.

It was a nice co-incedence that we stopped by this beautiful village during our road trip in Germany. Wish we had more time to spend here !

Oberammergau houses depict biblical scenes as well as fairy tales.

The frescoes of this region are known as "Lüftlmalerei" or "Lüftl frescoes." The name is believed to be derived from the house of the most renowned facade painter in Oberammergau, Franz Seraph Zwinck, which is called "Zum Lüftl".

All images by Anupama Puneeth.
Information courtesy - www.sacred-destinations.com

Crystals and Colors !

2010-07-04T02:06:00.000+03:00

For over 100 years, Swarovski, the brand synonymous with ingenuity, poetry and technology, has developed its supreme mastery of precision-cutting, to become the world’s leading producer of cut crystal, genuine gemstones and created stones.

Swarovski Kristallwelten is a tribute to Swarovski’s art of crystal, celebrating the first hundred years of the company’s achievements.

Built into the mountains in Wattens, near Swarovski’s headquarters, is a multi-sensory experience, giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the seductive brilliance and infinite depths of cut crystal.

Watched by a giant, carved into the hillside, with sparkling crystal eyes, its mouth spouting a waterfall, Kristallwelten takes the visitor on a journey through the world of crystal, moving between fantasy and reality, through individual chambers, all featuring crystal-centric works of art by renowned artists.

Hope you enjoyed this visual tour of the Swarovski Kristallwelten, a must see for anyone visiting Austria !

All Images by Anupama Puneeth.
Information courtesy - www.brand.swarovski.com

Ceramic Art

2010-06-29T14:14:00.001+03:00

Pottery has become my new found hobby. I have been taking pottery lessons for few weeks now and I am so excited to be sharing my work with you all.

All these things have finished their trip to the kiln twice. The artifacts have been made without using wheels.
After the first firing, they are glaze painted and then they go for second, final round of firing.

The result are these beautiful artifacts that I now proudly say was made by me :-)

I made this as a present for my darling hubby who patiently babysits while I am off to the pottery classes :-)

Coasters - one using rangoli pattern to give an Indian look, the other using lace pattern.

This one's with an antique finish :-) Here the effect of water is done using broken glass pieces.

A little girl for my little girl :-)

..... ofcourse will let her play with it only after a couple of years (LOL) ;-)

My teacher Michaella, whose work I greatly admire, started pottery by passion which then turned into her profession. She has her store in Limassol, where she also takes regular lessons for all age groups (including children). Her website - http://michaellasceramics.eu/

My little princess turns 2 !!

2010-06-22T14:22:00.002+03:00

Big day today...a day of celebration, as my little princess turns 2 :)

Special dress for the special occasion !

My little girl thinks its Cindrella's dress :-)

Home made cake ! 'Dora' - one of her favourite characters.

Tried my hand at icing decoration with help from my very dear friend - Ajitha :-)

I made this ceramic doll..... a gift to my little girl :-)

Promise to share more on my new found hobby - ceramic art, in a separate post !

My Favourite two :)

2010-06-20T00:00:00.001+03:00

Wishing all the wonderful dad's out there ...

A very Happy Father's Day !

Trip to Kouris Dam

2010-06-08T12:15:00.002+03:00

Kouris Dam is the largest of 107 dams in Cyprus. The dam collects water from Kouris, Limnatis and kryos rivers.

Only 15 Kms from Limassol, its a great spot for picnics :-)

Right in the lap of nature, this calm, serene atmosphere was soothing to the mind and soul....just what we wanted after a busy week at work :-)

Weekend activity

2010-05-30T02:20:00.001+03:00

My weekend activity - repotting the plants :)

Gardening is indeed a therapy !

My balcony buddies

Spring blossom in my balcony !

Among the many things that my little girl has started to help, watering the plants is her favourite and she helps me everyday ! She even has her own little water jug :-)

Agros - The Rose Village

2010-05-27T17:17:00.000+03:00

Agros is one of the many beautiful villages of Cyprus. Situated in the Troodos mountain range, the village is built amphitheatrically among high mountains making it picturesque and a popular tourist destination.

Agros is well known for rose plantation and rose-derived products. A wide range of rose products include rosewater, rose liqueur, rose brandy, rose perfumes and aromatic rose candles — all made using traditional methods from the locally grown flowers.

True to its specialty, one would see every house adorned with rose plants!

Rose lovers will thoroughly enjoy a visit to Agros during May for the annual rose festival, also the peak of rose blossom.

The festival is full of activities, exhibitions and demonstrations, celebrating nature’s beauty and local traditions.

...and for someone visiting for the first time, it surely looks like the village is so gorgeously decorated with roses on this occasion :)

Cherry Time !

2010-05-21T12:20:00.000+03:00

Have a cherry cheerry weekend :-)

Images shot at the Agros Village. More in the coming post :-)

Paper Art - Quilling

2010-05-19T22:20:00.003+03:00

'Quilling', a.k.a 'paper filigree', is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs.
The paper is wound around a quill to create a basic coil shape. The paper is glued at the tip and the coil shaped. These shaped coils are arranged to form flowers, leaves, and various ornamental patterns.

The craft has gone through many transformations and changes through the ages using new techniques, styles and materials.
A brilliant example is this link which I saw on my friend's blog. I was in complete awe looking at this work by 'Yulia Brodskaya'.

Inspired by this beautiful paper art, I made this simple birthday card for my pottery teacher who is also a very dear friend of mine ! (Courtesy - Inna's Creations)

For this work, I used things at my disposal - colored paper, glue stick, paper knife and tooth pick (for coiling). Ikea’s deep frame was just apt for presenting it!

My first guest post ever on this topic on eshgheman ! Thank you eshgheman for inviting me to do this post :-)

Information courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilling

On Mother's Day .....

2010-05-11T07:00:00.005+03:00

This is a beautiful card which my little girl coloured all by herself .... just for me :-)

Her teacher at school helped her in making this !

Inside.... a greek poem on Mother !

The teacher however had to translate it for me :-D

Joy is in Simple things ...

2010-05-10T07:00:00.002+03:00

~ Playing with my child

~ Watching her sing and dance to the tune

~ A hot cup of filter kappi :)

~ Watering the plants

~ Bird watching

~ Feeling the cool breeze

~ Feeling the waves kiss your feet

~ beautiful spring flowers at every corner

~ my pottery classes

~ watching a nice movie

~ waiting for the weekend ;)

~ waiting for the next vacation ;)

~ a mail or a scrap from a friend

~ a call from a dear one

~ to just sit back and relax :)

What are the simple things that brings you joy ? :)

Saturday routine ....

2010-05-08T23:04:00.000+03:00

In Cyprus all stores are closed on Sundays. With weekdays being really busy, leaves me with just Saturday for all the shopping !
Visiting the 'Saturday Market' is my routine ....to buy some fresh fresh veggies & fruits :-)

This place which is otherwise a huge parking area, transforms into a big fruit and vegetable market on saturday mornings.

The farmers from near by villages come here to directly sell their crops.

The prices are at its highest in the early morning and as the hour goes by, the prices keep falling ;-)

Just can't say "no" to these mouthwatering delicious strawberries :)

Mango madness !!! .... but it's really no match to our desi mangoes :(

~Harini, fresh veggies and fruits....all the way from Cyprus...just for you :-)

Akki Rotti

2010-05-05T13:53:00.001+03:00

Akki Rotti meaning Rice flour roti (flat bread) is a unique specialty of Karnataka.
It is a very popular breakfast item and my all-time favorite. I particularly love it with godda-khara or type of tamarind chutney which mom makes the best :-)

There are many variations of Akki Rotti. The recipe that I would like to share here is pretty simple and quick....courtesy my mother-in-law :)

Ingredients :

(Measurements are approximate)

Rice flour - 2 cups (If you are buying this from non-Indian store, make sure its a little coarse and not fine powder.)

Semolina/Rava - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped

Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
Cilantro - finely chopped
Salt to taste
Water to mix the dough

Optional : Jeera, grated carrot, ground nuts, grated coconut

Method :

Mix gently the finely chopped onions, green chilies and coriander. Then add the rice flour, rava and salt. Add little water at a time and mix into dough similar to chapathi/roti.

To roll the rotti:
Take a thick plastic sheet and smear little oil on it.
Take small ball size dough and gently press with your fingers to make rotti shape. Make sure not to press too hard.

Gently remove the rotti from the plastic sheet onto hot tava/griddle.
Add half tsp of oil around the corners of the rotti. Cook on either side.

Akki rotti tastes best with wide variety of chutney. I tried this recipe of Eggplant chutney.

If you do try this recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out :)
Bon Appetite !

Neuschwanstein Castle - King Ludwig II

2010-05-03T00:19:00.007+03:00

Referred in German as 'Schloss Neuschwanstein' meaning 'New Swan Stone Castle', is one of the most beautiful and famous castles of Germany.
More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle !

This famous German castle is located near the Pöllat Gorge overlooking the picturesque Hohenschwangau valley and is located only a short distance from the popular tourist town, Fussen.

The palace was commissioned by King Ludwig II as a retreat and an homage to Richard Wagner. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king.
Ludwig himself called this new palace as 'New Hohenschwangau Castle'...but only after his death it was renamed 'Neuschwanstein'

The King took keen personal interest in the design and decoration of the castle.

This is pretty much how the castle looks on a snowy day!

From the town of Hohenschwangau, the castle can be reached in bus, horse carriage or by walk. The walk would have been great fun, but owing to the weather, we opted for the horse carriage :)

This is the view of the Marien Bruck (Marie's Bridge ... named after King's mother), as seen from the castle. This steel bridge was constructed by the King in 1886 over the Polat Gorge for the spectacular view of the castle.
As you may see, the bridge is often crowded with tourists. The first picture on this post is shot from there !

Don't be disappointed when the view of the castle isn't the same as seen in most popular postcard pictures. Those are shot from a hot air ballon or may be even by adventurous paragliders like the ones above :-)

Very close to the 'Neuschwanstein Castle' is an older castle where King Ludwig is believed to have spent a large part of his childhood. This is the 'Hohenschwangau Castle' named after the small town where it is situated. This once used to be the royal family's summer residence.

Linderhof palace is another small castle built by the same king near to city of Oberammergau.

By now you must have realised King Ludwig's love for castles.
Linderhof however was the only castle of which he lived to see the completion !

If you are one of those who loves visiting castles and palaces, you will surely not be disappointed on your visit to south Germany :-)

(All images by Anupama Puneeth. Information courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/)

Fussen - A Romantic town

2010-04-25T20:19:00.001+03:00

Fussen is a small town in Bavaria. Even though small in size, it's one of the major tourist attractions in Germany.

This town is embedded in the mountains of the Alps and surrounded by lakes

The 'Romantic Road' which is the breathtaking scenic route along the pictureque villages ...ends in Fussen.

Snow fall on the day we arrived in Fussen !

The view of the convent Franciscus ..one of the main attractions in Fussen

The beautiful Lech falls ... it was 0 degree temperature and we stood with trembling legs watching the lech river form this roaring fall into the gorge.

The Gästehaus Herb .... a lovely apartment which was our home during our stay in south germany.

The view of the Alps from the apartment kitchen :-)

The easter celebrations !

The world famous fairy tale castle - 'Neuschwanstein Castle' and also the 'Hohenschwangau Castle' are only a stone throw away from Fussen.

More on these beautiful castles in a separate post :)

Eggs-tra Special Easter !

2010-04-17T01:27:00.083+03:00

Easter has always been special for me since the time I moved to Cyprus.
Even though I do not have the tradition to celebrate, it’s really great to see the festivities all around.

This year's Easter was more special since the two branches of Christianity (western and eastern orthodox) celebrated Easter on the same date...which I understand happens only few years in a century!
This gave me the opportunity to see the Easter celebrations in Austria and Germany, which we visited during our Easter holidays this year :-)

We couldn't miss the special Easter market that was everywhere.

The egg symbolizes the start of new life, just as new life emerges from an egg when a chick hatches.

The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs. But a modern custom is to substitute with chocolate eggs or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans.

These eggs are often hidden, allegedly by the Easter Bunny, for children to find on Easter morning.

There were lot of other stores in this easter market....

....but our main focus remained on the ones selling some delicious easter sweets and pretzels :-)

My little girl amused with the size and colour of these eggs ;-)

Apart from the eggs, some special easter toys for kids....

......and some entertainment from this super huge "chicken" :-)

More on Austria and Germany in the coming posts. Keep visiting and do write in your views :)

(Images by Anupama Puneeth. Information courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg)

St. Bartholomä - Königssee

2010-04-11T21:49:00.000+03:00

The lake Königssee is a long mountain lake in the Berchtesgaden National Park in the southeastern Bavaria.

The lake is noted for its clear water and is advertised as the cleanest lake in Germany! For this reason only electric driven boats, rowboats and pedal boats have been permitted on the lake.

Lake Königssee's landmark is the chapel of St. Bartholomä that can only be reached by boat or on foot after a long hike. On the day we reached, it was pretty chill and we decided to stick to only the boat ride.

On the boat ride, at about half the journey to St. Bartholomew's, it is traditional to stop and play the trumpet to demonstrate the echo.
It was amazing to hear this. Highly recommend the boat ride to anyone visiting this place.

St. Bartholomew's Church is a pilgrimage chapel and is considered the oldest mountain pilgrimage in Europe.

St. Bartholomew is said to be the protector of alpine farmers and of milkmaids.
Since 16th century it has been in the baroque style. It has two onion domes and a red domed roof.

The easter celebrations in the church.

Apart from the church, this small island has a fish tavern, a hunting lodge which is now turned into an inn, a souvenir shop and few other small buildings.

Once the last boat leaves this island in the afternoon, St Bartholomä turns into complete silence !

(All Images by Anupama Puneeth. Information courtesy http://de.wikipedia.org/)

Happy Easter !

2010-04-02T00:04:00.001+03:00

Wishing an Eggs-tra special easter :-)

.... all the way from Austria and Germany !!!

Spring Blossoms ...

2010-03-21T22:36:00.001+02:00

The season of spring

weather seems to sing

lovely lovely days

are coming our ways

The season of spring

blooming blossoming

of nature of all kind

let roots unbind

Listen to my words

the season of spring is near

now a look into your lovely eyes

and one can see spring is already here !

~Mencita (Carmen) Monoi Angel

Spring my favourite season...is finally here :)

(Photos shot in and around Limassol)

Cyprus Winter on Troodos

2010-03-17T09:50:00.000+02:00

The winter in Cyprus is never complete without a trip to Cyprus' very own "ski" mountain - Troodos.

Troodos always has something in store for the tourists and locals for every season of the year. The mountain-scape, beautiful valleys, the medieval bridges, waterfalls, the scent of pine trees and breathtaking view of the horizon...its an experience in itself.
This whole picture transforms to an even higher level when this region is dusted with white snow during the peak winter months.

Mount Olympus is the highest peak in Cyprus and the ski resort.

Locals enjoying the skiing

A few having fun on the ski-bikes :)

I enjoyed some fun photography as much as playing in the snow.

After all the hardwork of playing, it was time to feast the tummy :)

Some candies, pop-corns....

But nothing to beat the hot buttered corn on a cold winter afternoon ... yumm :)

After a sumptuous pot-luck lunch, no one could say no to garam garam masala chai :)

The "Avatar" II :-)

2010-03-10T22:08:00.001+02:00

The natives of Pandora have arrived on the planet earth.

They are extremely thrilled after drinking the Heineken beer that they dont want to leave planet earth ;)

PS: This was shot during the Grand Carnival. I think this was the best carnival dress I saw that day.
They were not participants in the parade. Had they been, I am sure they would have delighted the crowd !

Weekend Fun !

2010-03-07T00:19:00.002+02:00

On a sunny winter weekend, this is how I love to spend my afternoons - 'Bird Watching' and 'Cycling' ! :-)

Cyprus is home for migratory birds like sea gulls and flamingos during the winter months.

In the past we used to go near Salt Lake to watch the flamingos. But I guess it would be quite an adventure to do this now with Aditi !!!

So we stick to watching just the sea gulls which are usually around the beach area.

Combining this with cycling was indeed double fun...

On his turn, Puneeth enjoying the ride along with the birds :-)

Aditi was amused with our excitement and loved running behind us !

A few others having fun in their own different way.

Hope you too have loads of fun this weekend.

so get ready, steady, go ........

Rang Barse ....

2010-03-01T09:41:00.001+02:00

Wishing you all a colourful, bright and joyful Holi !

This year we celebrated Holi with friends on our house terrace !
Owing to the cold weather, we decided not to have a splashy Holi which of course is more fun ;-)

Except for the kids , no one being spared :-)

Few dramatic poses ;-)

On the whole it was such a great fun ..perhaps one of our memorable celebrations outside of India !
PS: You wont spot me in any of the pics. I was busy clicking ;)

Kite Flying !

2010-02-21T20:48:00.009+02:00

In my earlier post I wrote about Green Monday celebrations in Cyprus. Following the Cypriot tradition, I and my family had great fun flying kites on this day.

Kurium beach was our obvious choice since it's usually windy there. Not surprisingly, it was very crowded with families enjoying their picnic plus kite flying :-)

With the wind blowing towards the sea, few had a tough time with their kites taking a dip in the water :(

Aditi keenly observing her dad in action :)

Father - daughter duo trying to get the kite airborne. Aditi seemed all excited.

And finally when the kite soared up into the sky, Aditi was veeeeery happy ! She was however wondering how the kite turned into a bird ;-)

It felt like we were back into childhood days ! Like they say -

"If you carry your childhood with you, you never grow older" ;-)

So next time you get a chance, don't miss it !

Grand Carnival - Cyprus

2010-02-16T11:23:00.003+02:00

A glimpse of the Grand Carnival parade that took place on the 14th Feb. Hope you will enjoy the pictures, specially those who missed the event :)

The parade starts by welcoming "The King of Carnival"

("The Queen of Carnival" is believed to be from Patra in Greece !)

Some amazing colourful costumes !

Few groups with some innovative themes and costumes !

Few groups were men are dressed like women !

The one above, I liked the most. Innovative idea, creative costume and simply unique :-)

Some super enthu participants who happily posed for me :-)

Green Monday !

2010-02-15T06:00:00.003+02:00

Its 'Green Monday' today, here in Cyprus :-). It is the beginning of Orthodox festival of fasting. During this time, meat, dairy products, fish and even oil are forbidden !

The day is celebrated with picnics and kite-flying. Families and friends go to their villages or just gather for an outdoor vegetarian meal of bread, vegetables and olives.

While I follow the vegetarian diet everyday, I plan to enjoy the day kite-flying ! First time for Aditi and I hope she will enjoy it too :-)

Happy Hearts Day !

2010-02-14T17:59:00.000+02:00

Have a Happy Valentine's Day

and

a million happy tomorrows :)

Cyprus Children's Carnival

2010-02-07T19:26:00.003+02:00

Every year, during the month of Feb/Mar, the carnival celebrations happen in Limassol, Cyprus.
This year it commenced on 04-Feb with the arrival of "The King Carnival" and will end on the 14-Feb with the Grand Carnival Parade.

Today was the Children's Carnival parade and it was amazing as always !

Babies, toddlers, teens and even adults....all dressed in colorful carnival costume.

Each group has a theme and children are dressed according to the theme.

It was a colorful sight to watch these happy kids dance and sing.

Parents enjoying the event as much as the kids !

My little girl was dressed like a princess :)

After the parade, the downtown was a play ground for the kids to play with the paper bits .... until the traffic resumed :)

All images taken by Anupama Puneeth. Copyright protected.

Julie & Julia - The Movie

2010-02-04T08:48:00.000+02:00

I had seen this movie in UK top 10 and thought that it should be an interesting one to watch.

Finally I managed to watch it and thoroughly enjoyed the movie ! Meryl Streep - fantastic as always.

It is a based on two true stores. One is the story of Julia Child - how she discovers her passion for cooking and eventually wrote the book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".... intertwined with the story of Julie Powell - who is unhappy with her job. She takes up a project to try all the 524 recipes in this book in 365 days. She calls this "The Julie/Julia Project" and writes a blog about her experience.

It's a delightful movie with good humor. Beyond this I found it very inspiring and uplifting !

I however wished that Julia had met Julie in real life!

If I had not already started with a blog, I am sure I would have started one after watching this movie :-)

Few lines from the movie that I absolutely loved -

* "What is it you REALLY like to do?" - "Eat !"
* "You are the butter to my bread ! You are the breath to my life !"
* "I was drowning and she pulled me out of the ocean !!"

Bon Appetite :-)

My trip to the lowest point on earth !

2010-01-28T06:00:00.022+02:00

Dead Sea is the lowest point on land which is 422 meters below sea level !!

The water wasn't cold even though it was winter. So I took this chance for a swim...actually I must say float !!!

It's one of the strangest experiences. A MUST for any one visiting Israel.

It has the highest level of salinity ...oh I can still remember that taste :(

The black mud pack !!

I had one too - Aditi just kept staring at my new avatar :-)

Sanyasi ? ! - Tel Aviv

2010-01-27T15:17:00.003+02:00

An unusual sight at the Banana beach in Tel Aviv !

This man came with lots of pita/bread; immediately, as though it was a daily routine, a flock of pigeons came and surrounded him.

I was curious and before I made up my mind to talk to him, he was standing in this yoga posture (like surya-namaskara) and went into deep meditation !

Time is flying ...continues :-)

2010-01-25T22:52:00.004+02:00

Writing my previous post, brought back some fond memories of the days we eagerly awaited the arrival our little angel !

Surprise Baby shower party thrown by my very dear friends !

(Girls, I miss you all and wish you were still around !)

The watermelon ice cubes, fruit salad in watermelon-pram, cup cakes with the cute deco - apart from the other delicious food !

The baby room .... all ready and waiting for the arrival of our little princess :-)

Time is flying !!

2010-01-22T06:00:00.010+02:00

Today my little one turns 19 months and my mind is racing back in time...It feels like it was only yesterday that my little princess arrived !

* the cute little one....wrapped in all pink

* me walking all around the house, holding, rocking and cajoling her to sleep !
* the early days when she only smiled in her sleep....and I eagerly awaited to capture that precious moment.

* her attempts to put those little fingers into the mouth and my umpteen attempts to stop her from doing that.

* her first smile, first turn, first crawl, first word, first step...the many many firsts that brought happy tears in my eyes :-)

.....and many more that are still fresh in my mind.......I will cherish them as my best memories :-)

What can I say of her today .....

* she can't just walk; she makes me run behind her !

* her cute little action to 'golmal-golmal' song , her version of the Barney song - "I love you, me mo mo, happy famy... hug, ...kiss u" after which she gives me a tight hug and a kiss ...fills my heart with joy.

* she puts her dolls to sleep by singing her favorite lullaby...feels like she is imitating me !

* she is my little Greek "teacher". She picks up so many words each day....I am trying hard to catch up :-)

* the "oops" and "oh me goooooood" words (yes...she can really say that !) fall like little pearls from her mouth :-)

* she knows that 'B' 'I' 'S' 'C' stands for biscuit (the code word me and my husband use infront of her !)

I could go on and on....

Time is indeed flying ! My little princess may not be "little" any more.....but she will always be a baby to me :-)

Carmel Market - Tel Aviv

2010-01-19T23:10:00.000+02:00

This is perhaps how any market in India would look like - crowded and busy.

However outside of India, this is perhaps the most crowded market I have seen !!

As I walked through the market, I was reminded of - Koti (Hyderabad); Avenue Road, Commercial Street and Malleshwaram in Bangalore !

The aroma of fresh spices, garden fresh veggies and fruits, vendors calling aloud ....It just felt like I was walking through a local market in India :-)

Stand like a Rock !

2010-01-17T16:25:00.002+02:00

In matters of style, swim with the current;
In matters of principle, stand like a rock !

Holy City Jerusalem - Israel

2010-01-14T11:10:00.000+02:00

Last Christmas vacation we made a last minute trip to Israel and I am glad we made this trip !

The weather was surprisingly awesome...much warmer than Cyprus! Infact we had to discard all the woolen wear we carried and stick to T-shirts... atleast during the day time :)

The first memory of my Israel trip is the visit to the old city of Jerusalem ..... a city unique in itself...for its religion and tradition, history and theology, holy places and houses of worship!

View of the "Western Wall" and "Dome of the Rock"

Station 9

Western wall...also called the Wailing wall ...visited by millions of worshipers

It was an amazing experience walking through the old city....the roof top view, the narrow twisted streets, the local markets, the religious people, their attire....I could go on :)

If you are planning to visit the holy city, I would recommend you take the free tour organised by the Sandeman's.

However, if you are travelling with an infant and taking this tour, better not take the stroller. You need to climb a lot of stairs that you may end up carrying both the kid and the stroller :(

More on my Israel trip in the coming posts.

Dragon Boat Race

2010-01-11T07:00:00.000+02:00

Limassol has been a host for a number of events in Cyprus.
Recently it hosted the 'Festival of Dragon Boats'. It was held on the sea in the area of the sea front, at the Old Harbor end of the promenade.

Few pictures I shot on this occasion -

The drummer drawing everyone's attention before the race !

As the race begins ...

It was quite a tough competition!

As I understand this race was primarily for local crews, with little or no dragon boating experience. So it was a friendly race and everyone was a winner :)

Finally after the race, there was a tug-of-war of a different kind ;) You can see this from the picture below!

Here I Begin ....

2010-01-10T08:10:00.000+02:00

For several months now I have been planning to start my own blog!

I am just back from a refreshing vacation. It's also a New Year, good time for all the new beginnings :) So what better time could I wait for to start my journey of blogging!

So here I begin....

Thanks to all you readers who have dropped by and hope to see you often :)
Here's wishing you a fabulous New Year!