A long weekend
We decided to make the most of May's first long weekend. With temps of 25 degrees or so, Saturday was as hot as Hyd when I left it. Finally, no sweaters! But what of the "baby elephant" duvet that was leaving us sleepless in Swansea? It was time to visit Ikea in Cardiff.
The drive was great--one sunny hour each way. This was A's first visit (and my second) to the superstore. What with roundabouts sign-posting Ikea and approach lanes allocated to it, A was suitably awed. The store itself is a huuuuge blue warehouse that you can glimpse from a few 100 meters away. We had come to buy two blankets. So we bought a set of blinding red, magenta, orange, blankets, (A says, "you can't see the colours with your eyes shut) which were of course made in India . And then a few knick-knacks for the house. And, finally, just as we were congratulating ourselve on our strict diet, we binged on a chest of drawers.
A is very keen on DIY. Later that night, as I watched Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom on TV, he glued, nailed and assembled the planks of wood into the chest. This was the second construction in a week after the giant book-shelf in his study.
Next morning we headed off to Bridgend for A's colleague's baby's christening. A doesn't like children and claims all babies are ugly. But the colleague is nice. Christening is as important as a wedding here. Of minor importance was the fact that there was a buffet afterwards (we didn't have to cook lunch). So we decided to go.
It turned out that there were 3 christenings at the church that morning. The place was over run by babies--yowling babies, babies running around, talking loudly during service, and babies in our own row thanks to our desi friend, S, who has a 2-yr-old of her own. Expectedly, the toddler demanded food, A glared at her, while S happily dandled a variety of babies on her knees. To top it all, the priest was from Kerala. And christened baby Daniel, Abigail, much to our delight!
Then we headed off to the reception. There are no "Shaadi-Khanas" here so the reception was organised in a local leisure centre. For a change, the colourful desi brigade didn't outshine the host's family, who were wearing traditional African clothes with imposing turbans.
Lunch was ethnic African cuisine made by the family (I mean you can't get authentic Indian food in Swansea, where will you get African). The variety was mind-boggling. There was, let me think now... egg and bean pudding, calf's stomach in gravy, half-chicken pieces in gravy, whole fish with skin and eyes in oily gravy, cold fish in coleslaw salad, another chicken dish, spicy rice and fried rice, and what looked like dry fish or anchovies cooked with veg. You could say that we were overwhelmed.
A and I had eaten at their place before and I knew what I could eat and what I definitely couldn't. Much to my entertainment, our other friends didn't! So I was in the happy position of watching the rest of our table hard at work at their food. Suffice to say, that to this day S still shudders at the mention of that feast.
Monday was about a walk in the woods. Our friends Y and P had found the 10 best walking trails in their area, and wanted to explore one. This trail followed a stream for a couple of kms till it came to a sudden waterfall. The walk was lovely. Tall and leafy trees, mulch under our feet, bluebells by the water (transporting me for a moment to Howard's End?) ... it felt magical! Now I understand why there are so many tales of fairies, gnomes and elves in this land.
The drive was great--one sunny hour each way. This was A's first visit (and my second) to the superstore. What with roundabouts sign-posting Ikea and approach lanes allocated to it, A was suitably awed. The store itself is a huuuuge blue warehouse that you can glimpse from a few 100 meters away. We had come to buy two blankets. So we bought a set of blinding red, magenta, orange, blankets, (A says, "you can't see the colours with your eyes shut) which were of course made in India . And then a few knick-knacks for the house. And, finally, just as we were congratulating ourselve on our strict diet, we binged on a chest of drawers.
A is very keen on DIY. Later that night, as I watched Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom on TV, he glued, nailed and assembled the planks of wood into the chest. This was the second construction in a week after the giant book-shelf in his study.
Next morning we headed off to Bridgend for A's colleague's baby's christening. A doesn't like children and claims all babies are ugly. But the colleague is nice. Christening is as important as a wedding here. Of minor importance was the fact that there was a buffet afterwards (we didn't have to cook lunch). So we decided to go.
It turned out that there were 3 christenings at the church that morning. The place was over run by babies--yowling babies, babies running around, talking loudly during service, and babies in our own row thanks to our desi friend, S, who has a 2-yr-old of her own. Expectedly, the toddler demanded food, A glared at her, while S happily dandled a variety of babies on her knees. To top it all, the priest was from Kerala. And christened baby Daniel, Abigail, much to our delight!
Then we headed off to the reception. There are no "Shaadi-Khanas" here so the reception was organised in a local leisure centre. For a change, the colourful desi brigade didn't outshine the host's family, who were wearing traditional African clothes with imposing turbans.
Lunch was ethnic African cuisine made by the family (I mean you can't get authentic Indian food in Swansea, where will you get African). The variety was mind-boggling. There was, let me think now... egg and bean pudding, calf's stomach in gravy, half-chicken pieces in gravy, whole fish with skin and eyes in oily gravy, cold fish in coleslaw salad, another chicken dish, spicy rice and fried rice, and what looked like dry fish or anchovies cooked with veg. You could say that we were overwhelmed.
A and I had eaten at their place before and I knew what I could eat and what I definitely couldn't. Much to my entertainment, our other friends didn't! So I was in the happy position of watching the rest of our table hard at work at their food. Suffice to say, that to this day S still shudders at the mention of that feast.
Monday was about a walk in the woods. Our friends Y and P had found the 10 best walking trails in their area, and wanted to explore one. This trail followed a stream for a couple of kms till it came to a sudden waterfall. The walk was lovely. Tall and leafy trees, mulch under our feet, bluebells by the water (transporting me for a moment to Howard's End?) ... it felt magical! Now I understand why there are so many tales of fairies, gnomes and elves in this land.
posted by Sabiha | 2:46 PM
2 Comments:
hey there! you must have paid quite a bit for those quilts! you should follow deepa venky's example and buy stuff from home. she carried curtains back to SF this time.
i have tagged you to a meme on my blog see if you want to participate.
and i was very disappointed to read that a hates kids, that means my visiting you people is out! :<
Good to see you break your long silence. Spoke to Shalini and she said you were quite busy with Gaea's birthday. So belated "Happy Birthday" to her and you.
Don't worry about A hating kids; we'll send him away for a few days :). So are you planning to visit Wales?
The blankets weren't very expensive by UK standards £18 each if I remember right.
And I'd much rather stuff my suitcases with clothes which normally cost me £35 per shirt and upto £50 for trousers, than bulky curtains and quilts! Hats off to DeeVee for even thinking of it.
Post a Comment
<< Home