cart 2

the much famed 'jeepnee'

* Now that I had promised to post a pictre of my new found ‘louvre’ …so here it goes…the very much famed…’jeepnee’

the very famed 'louvre'

Bhindi. Chawal. Dal.

Ahh. Finally back home. Tired of trying new cuisines and feeling cool. For the past few weeks had been eating, swallowing, drinking, smelling…fish, chicken, mutton, snails…and umm the list can go on. However, I don’t intend to write all as I have converted myself into a pure veg.
Aah. The pleasure of being a veg. hey I’m not complaining of what I ate for last few weeks. However, sometimes you tend to miss your desi khaana. So the moment I got onto the plane, smsd home I want khaaanaaaa…..

And well. I got khanaa.

The aroma of desi daal…with ubla chawal and bhindi ki bhaaji. Just the most delicious meal ever.

Nothing matches Bhindi. Chawal. Dal.

Next you just might find a solemn poetry dedicated to the last meal I had.

yellow cart

* finally found my favourite vehcile few months back outside my office.

mother's day

My job as you all are aware makes me travel. And this last month has been crazy. However… [in Filipino accent] I get the opportunity to meet some wonderful people with some amazing stories, thoughts, ideologies and culture [ofcourse]. In the last 6 weeks of my travel from Kolkata to Hyderabad to Mumbai … HK & Manila, I happened to meet with some wonderful young mothers. Sort of shocked me a little. Reason being, when you hear such stories either its through another medium or its mostly women who’ve crossed being grandmothers. But living with the similar people in the present times is a little hard to believe.

[*the said characters shall not be named to preserve their identity]

alia. Around early 30’s. absolutely gorgeous. Used to work with a MNC but now works towards bringing in awareness for the emancipation and worker rights of the same organization. She had a child when she was barely 16 or 17 and now has a teenage son. She is a single mother, makes her own living, and makes sure her son gets everything that is requires. Has no man to support her [ofcourse is single!!] but also does not believe in casual relationships. She comes from Mr. Bush’s country.

ahana. 23. looks like a child!! Thin tiny little creature. Has a 2 year old daughter who is absolutely gorgeous. Comes from an asian country which does not have a very open society.. Manilla. She gave birth to a child with her boyfriend, they still are together but live separatey. Consciously they decided to have their child. Interesting. She has been in the movement for the last 3 years.

ria. 17!!! 4 months expecting. a child. Still in school but wants to have her baby.
So well as mother’s day is coming close, this post is for these young single mothers. One realizes it takes a lot of courage to stand by and make such a decision to solely create and nurture another life. God bless these women and similar women across the world.

tagalo

Yesterday realized my understanding of the word ‘tagalo’ was a bit different. Confidently few days back posted the meaning of the word tagalo. Ahem ahem. Ok. Thought it meant …’lets go’ in Filipino. However…. That isn’t so. So, tagalo is the official language of Manila, Philipinnes. It is a mixture of Spanish, Sanskrit and Malay [Malaysian not malayam] language.

red rock

* so you can imagine the last post was inspired by this post. ofcourse the colours dont match. but nevertheless. [ok. i am definitely my sense of sensibilities]

Tagalo jipnee!

My 2nd day in Manila, Filipine and I have found my new love interest. You shall find it’s photograph tomorrow once I click it. Unfortunately as I’d been walking down the road I did not get much opportunity to click pictures.

[last few weeks have been quite catastrophic. Hence I’m trying to be a bit more careful and aware of my surroundings. And well the problem is, it only gets catastrophic once I’m out of my hometown!!.
1st Kolkata. Found a crazy woman [who I had no choice but to work with] aged 60 or above who just would not stop talking! 7 am she would be standing in front of my room to take touring around Kolkata {dude!! Please understand. This is 7, yes..please read my lips… SEVEN a.m. .. and I have no freaking interest in running around town in my jumpers!} well result was. End of the week. Backache. Headache. Stomachache. Brain ache. And most earache. I think my B.P. definitely crossed 500!
2nd. Hyderabad. Well. Well. Well. One of my favourite cities. Thanks to the yum hyderabadi biryani’s [to die for] but..however…. people decide to take their own sweet time..just like our lovable PNB’s [Abb. For a bank which I donot really endorse with, but not wanting to get into legal matters by openly criticizing a brand, I stick to abbr.s]. scheduled meeting a week before of 11.30 am ended up meeting the black glassed loon …5.30 p.m. well. Result. Arghhhh [could not even scream]. Ended up giving a toothy grinny fluttery smile with added BP crossing 1000. and well end of the week. Result. I was bedridden.
Well. Got back home somehow. Thought to myself. What could be worse. ..naaa..nothing.

Well then.
3rd. Mumbai. Another favourite party city of mine. Catching with all crazy friends of mine. Everything seemed fine and smooth. Until 9th of April 2008 10.30 am. Went flying off the ground while admiring grey coloured skies pasted with ugly mucky buildings [I really wonder why in the world would I admire Mumbai skies!!].. well it so happened I got hit by a car. And this is classical. Okay. The person happens to be my closest friend who definitely has no sense of vision. Well no matter how much she insists I insist too. So while im admiring the sky and she decides to take her car out of the parking lot. She first decides to make me fly. And when I open my eyes to see what exactly happened I see the pretty orange coloured bumper which just could not decide whether to go forward or backward. So, next reaction. This is it. Result. I am still recovering from the bruises and shock of absence!

4th Hong Kong. I reach HK on the 14th. Everything fine and smooth. 20th April I am meant to leave HK for Manila. 19th April, the weather decides to have a cyclone which has not hit this place in the last 45 years. Brilliant. What could be better.

5th Manila. I am in love with a Jeepnee. And nothing . touchwood has occurred. Think I need to make some spiritual visits across India. What say. Any suggestions.]

Now mystery to be unsolved. Jipnee. Who the hell is that. Or more so what the hell is that. Jeepnee. Jeep. Its like the phat phat we have in India but definitely thousand times more attractive. Very very ghetto. And tomorrow, I promise to post a picture of this freaky object!
Till then
Tagalo…cia