Thailand – What to do?

I got to Thailand on the 16th and saw Sup waiting at the airport. It was such a rush of excitement to see a friend. I have been without any of my close friends for too many days. So much had happened in my life leading up to the few days before I left that I was just bursting to share with Sup. We take a cab ride back to her place. She is staying in a serviced apartment in Silom. As soon as we get in, she pulls out a pack of smokes and a bottle of red wine and we sit down to chat. Hours pass by and we realize that we should go out for dinner before it’s too late. So we head out into heart of Silom. It is known for its red light district and bars and neon lights with “shows”. We walk and dodge through stalls of goods to buy – dresses, t-shirts, shoes, watches, lamps….you name it and its being sold at the footpath. And of course, the men pushing their bar “menus” in our faces to entice us to catch a “show”. We get to an outdoor bar called Beer Garden and as soon as we sit down, the DJ starts playing Bhangra music….Sup is ecstatic, she has been staying here almost 2 months and hadn’t heard desi music outside her apartment! So we enjoy the bhangra, order some stir fried something or other, another bottle of wine and we eat, drink and converse till we finish it all off. Most amusing – two Chinese travelers tried to pick us up at the bar. That was fun – we had never had an East Asian man try and pick us up!

Next morning we headed for a weekend at the beach to Pattaya. Its about 2 hours from Bangkok. We stayed at Jomtein beach. Since we were staying for one night and it was only 3 of us (Sup’s co-worker joined us), we stayed at a hostel type place. Now, I know what u are thinking but this place was not an European hostel. It was clean, with a pool and they had rooms with own bathrooms. Sup and I took a room with a private bath and two beds…it was very big, with a TV, hot water and a balcony that at one time looked out to the beach (building went up in front). Alma got a room with a shared bathroom but the room was a very decent size! Cost wise it was only like $12 each for the rooms.

We immediately headed to the beach and lay in the sun till the sun went down. I am so dark!! The water was really too dirty to go for a swim in but the beach was just fine to lay in. Food was no issue, we had service on the beach…it was a locals beach rather than a tourist so it was great to have some local food. We finally headed out and hunted a place to have dinner. We ended up at a nice big outdoor restaurant with live entertainment of traditional thai music and dance. I ordered a beef salad and sup ordered chicken green curry. When in Thailand, order cautiously! The salad was so spicy – the food is doused with the hottest red chili – that my mouth went numb with fire! A very unsatisfying meal! We headed back to Jomtein and stopped at a French Euro restaurant for some crepes and ice cream…that eased our very unsatisfied palates. Next day we woke up late and had some American burgers and headed to beach…we beach bummed till it got dark and grabbed a taxi to bring us back to Silom – it was a very quiet (restful) 2 hour car ride!

I didn’t do much in Thailand. I went to see some temples, saw the significant Buddhas in Bangkok and mostly indulged in thai massages at every chance. Bangkok is THE place to shop. There are tailors on the footpath sewing these fabulous dresses and putting them on the racks and passersby just grabbing them up at 200-300 Bakhts ($1 = 32 Bkts) each. But women there are like size 0 to -2! So, I didn’t end up buying anything. Just a lot of walking around and soaking in the culture. I couldn’t make much head or tails of the language with the exception of “Hello” and “Thank you”.

Sup and I did have a fun evening worth mentioning. It was a Tuesday night. We headed out to Sukhumvit to eat dinner at a very touristy thai restaurant called “Cabbages and Condoms”. It was an indoor/outdoor family restaurant wonderful ambience and décor…very natural. What was charming and amusing was that…every so often you notice the lamps and lights and see that its entirely covered with condoms. We were seated at an outdoor table and our table top was all condoms. White condoms and red condoms forming a big heart! (yes, we have pics =) the food was very very mediocre thai but u go for the novelty of the place. Men are even handed condoms with their bills. After dinner we headed out to a club. It was club BED. Just like in NYC. Except this one was like a huge spaceship from the outside and inside was 3 levels. We seated ourselves on a cozy bed on the top floor. It was hip hop night so we chilled and enjoyed the music, crowd and eventually got up to bust a move. The place closed down about 2am. The drinks were great, ambience was fun. But be warned…it a lot of European men in the place and full of Thai women. These women don’t always join you for free…

I stayed there for a total of 12 days and it was the most relaxing and enjoyable stay. I have feeling I will be back in Thailand.

Thailand

In Thailand now with my darling friend- Supriya or Shon (shonc.blogspot.com)....Its been a fun first night here. A lot of wine and good conversation and general catching up on life. I am enjoying Bangkok so far! Walked through the red light district....very interesting...not much else to say! Will get a foot massage next wee and see if its all that it is cracked up to be! Heading to the beach for the weekend!!!!

Dhaka

(i am not a historian---facts may be wrong--feel free to correct me!)

Its interesting being in Dhaka right now. I feel like I am in the middle of history in the making. The country is going through major changes. Bangladesh has been noted as the world’s most corrupt country. Recently an Anti Corruption Commission (or Coalition—have to check) or the ACC has been put into place. Elections were stopped to challenge the extreme the corruption taking place among politicians. An interim government is in place. All this taking place to meet the demands set forth in order to receive ongoing aid. What does it mean for general public? Well, as always, there are two sides. The good—persons making honest living from black money – they are being put out of business. That means all illegal operations are being annihilated. Illegal VoIP switches were all turned off (internet calling lines created to bypass the gov’t switchboard thus evading taxations) – the bad, its become difficult to make and receive international calls, hawkers on footpaths removed because of no licenses—which means pedestrians can actually walk on the sidewalk instead of dodging cars and being groped on crowded streets. Stores or structures literally being broken if they cannot produce a legal license, drivers being taken to jail if they can’t produce proper documentations –that’s lessened a bit of the congested traffic, even going house to house and breaking TVs if licenses for each TV and cable/dish line is not produced (when u buy a TV through legal means, you receive a license and have to renew it every year—taxes on everything!), and it goes on. Gallons of sweets were strewn on the streets when stores were found guilty of having less than sanitary conditions to make sweets or selling sweets that had spoiled. It goes on and on...in every sector of commercialism…produce to artificial food coloring to cement to asbestos…on and on. It’s a good direction but in the process and the rashness, some people who aren’t guilty are also being thrown in jail. Well, if not guilty they well be proved so in court…but a fair and just legal system is also to be desired in this young country. The ACC have plans to separate the bureaucratic branches but that’s a heavy task.

Bangladesh is a very young country. It is comparable to—say a young man of 15 that sees the world around him, sees wealth, fame and power and wants to have it now—rather than after he is has gone through education, worked hard and earned the wealth and power. That young man wants to bypass and just go straight for the goal. Bangladesh seems like that to me. It worked so hard to gain its independence—the only country in this world that fought a war to have the right to speak its own language—that it’s a shame that it has become known as the world’s most corrupt nation. It has the potential to have a very successful economy and wealth that can be evenly distributed. I just hope that the events occurring now can be driven in a positive direction. That eventually the country will be governed by politicians who are learned and virtuous rather than out for money and power.

A lil anecdote that an uncle passed on the other day:

A villager has come for the first time to the city, Dhaka. He gets on a rickshaw and asks the rickshawallah to take him to the Dhaka Bishobidaloy. The rickshawallah agrees and starts riding and goes all over Dhaka but can’t find the Dhaka Bishobidaloy. The villager is getting irritated and asks if he even knows where he is going. The rickshawallah finally admits that he doesn’t know where the Dhaka Bishobidaloy is. The villager than exclaims, “You don’t know where Dhaka University is!?” The rickshawallah laughs and cries out, “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted Dhaka University is? Its right here!”
(Bishobidaloy is Bangla for University)

My point? Its February. On 21st February every year since independence in 1971, we Bangladeshis, acknowledge the martyrs that sacrificed their lives for the right to speak and write our beautiful language, Bangla.* As a nation, we have become so carried away trying to imitate the West and become so terribly commercial that we have at times forgotten that we as a people had our own ideologies and philosophies to live by. That this land has been always inhabited by peaceful, open-minded, liberal and generous peoples and the land has equally been generous.** The country has produced Nobel Prize winners in Peace and Literature.*** So, I hope the course of events and actions taking place in our country leads us to a fair, just and peaceful way of existence.
*When the British left India, it divided the land. When it was divided, India was flanked by Pakistan on two sides. East Pakistan and West Pakistan. This was done to group together the primarily Islamic states. However, in East Pakistan area, the main language spoken was Urdu which followed the Arabic script. West Pakistan had its own written and spoken language for thousands of years, Bangla. The Pakistan government wanted all Pakistanis to speak Urdu but West Pakistan protested. Thus started the Language Movement. In world history, it is considered a Genocide. The Pakistanis came in and murdered thousands. Starting from the intellectuals of the country and the students. Ditches were filled with bodies piled high. It continued for many long months. To learn more, google “Bangladesh independence”.

**Our national song is Amar Sonar Bangla—our Golden Bangla—which is reference to the fields of abundant golden wheat. A land of plenty.

***Peace Prize: Prof. Yunnus, 2006 & Literature: Rabindronath Tagore -- google it!

Kolkata

After a fun trip through the heart of India I landed at the Howrah Station in Kolkata.

Forgot to mention...i got see very little scenary of the heart of India since the window panes were thick as anything to control the AC! But its basiaclly all the same...a lot of green palm and coconut trees, huts, naked kids and men and women going about daily work- like farming, etc...

The train pulls into the station about 3 hours late. As soon as the train stops, coolies jump on to collect bags. In my compartment, they let me go first. The coolie pulls out my suitcase and carries my art piece out and I follow. Its a hot day and the bright sun hurts my eyes when I step out onto the platform. The guys in my compartment had suggested I set the price for carrying my stuff before heading out of the station. I figure I have the advantage of knowing the language and will be able to bargain well. The guy doesn't speak bengali! They all speak a different dialect!! Ok, but i get the numbers--they pretty much sound the same in any language in Northern India. The guy says Rs.150, I scoff and look at him like he has gone mad and start looking around for a another coolie. I sugest Rs. 60, he goes on and on and I let him. He says Rs. 100. I say no, there are plenty of coolies around, let go of my things and i will find another--I am speaking in broken hindi and bengali. If he will do Rs. 70 then we have a deal. We agree on Rs. 80. Still high in my opinion but I started to feel bad. Its a heavy suitcase and stairs are involved! The coolie hoists the suitcase on his head and another coolie helps him get the painting on top. I decide to carry my own bagpack and off we went. Its a trip. The platform is full of passengers and coolies carrying bags and hawkers and armed security men. I think there were army supplies on the train. We quite literally weaved through the human traffic, ducking in some places to avoid having heads lopped off by a trunk or other cargo! We walked a good 5 mins then we came to the stairs. The coolie didn't skip a beat and climbed the staris up wihout a problem. I had instructed him to take me straight to the pre-paid taxi stand. Every big station has a pre-paid taxi stand. We came onto a collosoal terminal. Its about Grand Central station size. People were sleeping on top of bags or on the floor (pesuamaly waiting for trains) and others eating their breakfast. Chai wallas going around. Its was chaos. I followed my coolie to the gates that led outside. I had never been to Kolkata and was looking forward to seeing a lil bit of it on the 40 min transit to the airport. As I am about walk out the gate, a lackadisical gate keeper asks for ticket. I ignore and keep walking, which forces him to get up and come after me. He wanted my train ticket stub. I hand it over. Then he stops me and asks whats in package. I look at him like he is stupid or drunk.

"suitcase-y?" (in the suitcase?)
"Na, oop poery ki?" (what's on top?) i look at him, then the coolie, then the frame. Is this man for real?
"chobi." (photo) damn, these people are nosy! If its something that will get me in trouble, will I volunteer that information?? He lets me go after i give him a dirty look.

I have to mention that I was wearing J Crew Khaki pants, black long sleeved fitted t-shirt with wedge heels. I looked ferengi (foreginer-european) except that I was brown. As we left the gates, we were immeditaely surrounded by taxi drivers wanting to take me to my desired destination. From every side, and they spoke in broken english since I walked through them like I didn't see or hear them--and probably they way i was dressed. Some of them tried to force my ccoolie to go to their taxi but my coolie was good and he responded with, "I will go where Madam instructed me to go. Get out of my way". (The Madam part stung---usually I should be called Didi (sister) but being addressed as Madam aged me!)

The coolie takes me to the pre-paid taxi stand...I can't even see the counter cause there is such a huge crowd! But, coolie again, calls ahead, "let Madam through" (he is speaking in Hindi, btw) and the crowd parts like the Red Sea. I go to the counter and ask for a taxi to the airport. They charge an exorbinant fee, i pay it, and they hand me a slip ( I am the only female in this crowd. All other females are standing somewhere in the back as some male member or etc. gets the slip). Immidiately, I get hounded about what's my taxi # and if they can help (very aware of the groping that takes place and cheap feels they want to get). The coolie again comes out and asks me for the taxi #. I stare at the slip. Its in english and hindi but I have no clue where the Taxi # is located. I push it in front of the coolie..but he can't read. So, one of the hounders takes a hold and announces the taxi #. The coolie starts calling it out and walks into the parking lot. I finally look at the parking lot. I wish i was a photographer. Its was a sea of yellow ambassors! I didn't even realize Ambassodors still existed. I felt like it was a scene out of the 1920s! The driver for my Taxi # yells out to the coolie and we follow him into the middle of the hive. I am cautious cause my driver looks a little bit of the angry, hot headed sort. He was shouting to a another driver half the way. So, we get to the car and the coolie unloads. I end up giving him Rs.100 cause that was a lot of work and Rs. 100 is nothing to me but a lot to him. I climb into the back seat. Damn friggin cool! I can't describe, you just have to see the indside of a dilipadted old amabassdor!

The driver starts to pull out of the lot and the car next to him does as well. it barely scratches our taxi. Thats it! The driver is off his rockers! He starts yelling and screaming, jumps out of the car and starts puling the other driver out of the car by his collar. The driver is screaming and fighting back. Other taxi drivers stop and try to stop the fight. I look away and sigh. Nothing I can do. i debate whether to leave, but what about my baggage? He will probably break my painting if I go to the counter and ask for another driver. As i am looking out, 3 women walk by looking pretty scared and nervous. They could have been my aunts. I am not scared, just really irritated. Finally, the driver gets in. I don't say anything, just stare out the window as he pulls out of the humongous Howrah station. It pulls out onto road and i look back...its basically 1.5 times the size of 30th Street station in Philly and there is 2 of them. The old station and the new station.

The taxi drives through a market place. Its full of hawkers selling breakfast foods. I am so very tempted to stop the driver so I can pick up the yummy looking street foods, then i debate, i really don't want to chance getting sick. I look the other way. The foot path is crowded with hand bags and luggage. I suppose appropriate, being across the street from the station.

We go through a tiny underpass and i am greeted with delightful sight of men squatting along the open drains having their morning piss n'shit fest. Very little is left to the imagination! I ask the driver how long it will take and he informs me it'll take 45mins if no traffic. Of course, he asks, where I am going. Upon emabrking on a journey to South Asia, leave the idea of privacy at your western doorstep! After little chit chat, I sit back to take in the sights. Greeted with large bus stops and larger billboards adverting modile phone deals and milk. I look on pensively as a small mother with her tiny child and a tall lanky man try to cross the very busy street. The city is not much different from my native Dhaka. Dusty, busy, hawkers and rickshaws (the bicycle ones). A difference is--rickshaws in Kolkata have a square top but ones in Dhaka are rounded. Odd.

It looked like we beat the morning rush hour traffic. It wasn't much of waiting around in stand still traffic. I watched as men (presumably street kids or homeless) bathe at bathing station around the temples. Again, no privacy. I watch as a young man in his chudis (underwear) stands next to my taxi and soaps himself all over before jumping in with the other men under the running faucet. Temples were holding morning pujas so, ringing bells were heard throughout. Laughter of school children walking in groups were mixed in with hawkers calling out their fares...mostly vegetables. I looked up and wires ran criss cross all over, some hanging dangerously above the passerbys on the streets. People were just going about their daily routine business. It just looked like a very crowded busy city. We started driving through a nicer part of town...cause I noticed an HSBC bank---that wouldn't be located in a ghetto! The city started to look less crowded and brighter--the newness of buildings recently built, fresh coats of paint and the thinning crowd of hawkers on the footpaths. Before Iknew it, we had pulled into the airport.

Howrah Express to Kolkata

I really wish I had a digi cam so I could upload photos. Truth is- I haven’t taken much pictures at all on this trip. But regardless, it would have been nice to upload a few images. My darling friend, the talented aspiring photographer, is now posted in Thailand through her job. She has created a blog and will post her pics up on it. If you love photography and want to know about her adventures in Thailand, check out: shonc.blogspot.com. I will be joining her soon =)

I left Bangalore on Mon, Jan 15 at 7:30pm on the Howrah Express train to Kolkata. The Indian railway system really needs it own "Dummies" book! You cannot just walk into a station and expect to leave with a ticket. You have to either put in a booking or a reservation. Confirmation is not guaranteed. Its complicated…I don’t quite get it yet myself. Anyway, I went Sunday at 1PM to the Yeshyampur station to get tix in to AC sleeper class. At the counter the guy tells me that I will #6 on a waiting list for Mondays train. I quickly tell him its an emergency and I have to catch a flight in Kolkata on Wed afternoon. So, the he puts me on a Tatkal waiting list and that puts me at # 2 on a 3 tier AC sleeper class. Tatkal means—I learned later—an emergency. Each train has a particular # of berths reserved for emergencies. On Monday at 2pm my ticket was confirmed. If it didn’t get confirmed, I would have to go back and cancel my ticket for Rs. 20 and re-book or get 80% refund. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about all that. Why am I taking a 40 hr train instead of a 1 hr flight to Kolkata? It’s the curse of a limited budget and no constraints on my time. A flight was going to cost me Rs. 6,000 (~$135) and the train cost me Rs. 1,700 (~$40). I had no appointments to keep and traveling through Madhya Pradesh and Orissa on the train seemed like a fun idea. It was also AC and a sleeper car, so it should be pretty comfortable as long as I am not stuck with a crying baby next to me!

Dada helped me pack my bags…I couldn’t fit all my random purchases into my small suitcase so I had a total of 4 items to carry. My over packed suitcase, over packed back pack, 3X2 ft wooden art piece and a handbag of access stuff. So much for being a bohemian traveler!! We get to the station and ladies and gentelmen, we were packed like sardines! There is no separate baggae car, everything you have goes in your compartment and you share that compartment with 5 other folks. I ofcourse have the most # of bags. By the time we had gotten there, all the space under the berths were filled to capacity with small suitcases. Dada decided that I deserved to have my space and pulled out two bags from under the space that was designated to me and Nishu stuffed my suitcase is somehow. The bagpack, art and access bag all shared my seat on the berth. Cozy, very cozy!

The people I shared the berth with: a young woman who worked as a bartender at the Hotel Oberoi and grew up in Darjeeling. We spoke about drinks, vacationing in Darjleeing and Sikim and about the trials and tribulation of being a female traveler (bathroom & smoking issues). She sat across from me, we had the window seat and the bottom berth to sleep in. Next to me was a man from Assam who worked as a marketing/sales person for an incense and scent firm in Bangalore. He was travelling for work. We didn't speak much but was a good guy. Gave me two cigs to share with the other woman and informed that it was illigal to smoke in Madhya pradesh. You would be immidiately ticketed and fined or taken to jail. No smokes are sold at any of the stations. Across from him sat a Konkini guy from Bangaore also a marketting manager. Both these guys were traveling for work. They had the middle berths to sleep in. The last two guys were college buddies on their way to Sikim for vacation. they were fun and clowinsh. They slept a lot and had the top most bunk. Oh, they all assumed i was a an artist and writer since i had the big piece with me and whenever i was really bored i would take out my sketchpad i would draw or write!

Food is not a probem on the train. They have excellent catering service. Waiters walk by every 3 mins selling snacks, chips, sodas, water and magazines. About 3 hrs before mealtime a waiter will come by to take your meal order. They serve chicken and egg biryanis, vegetable and chicken fried rice, chicken roast, curries, dal, rice, chapatti...relatively extensive menu. it tastes good and pretty hygenic, I didn't get sick! Since it was 2nd class, even the bathrooms were clean which was a relief. Last time I travelled on the train, the bathroom was so horrible I waited till we reached our hotel to go!

The last night of our train ride was fun, the Konkini guy was getting off at a station before the rest of us so we all stayed up to kep him company. Our compartment became the place of adda (gathering). all the men that couldn't sleep gathered in our compartment and told jokes all night long and stories that had us in stictches. interesting thing was, no one asked each others names, just professional designation and what was the purpose of trip. It was kind of sad to say bye to them all at the end of the journey. Everyone spoke in english cause i am sure within the group there were 5 diff languges--english and hindi was the common language.

One piece of advice i will leave here...when booking, ask for the topmost bunk. Otherwise, you are stuck waking up at 6am and sitting the whole time. That is if you are being nice to your neighbors that dn't want to lay down the whole trip!

Last day in India

Today is my last day in India. I did my shopping and spent a small fortune on saris and trinkets...and of course food and booze. Nothing really exciting to add or comment on. I never went to the dance classes but did jog as regularly possible for me (every other day.). I didn't go out much other than to shop with didi or party w/ the boys. I cut my trip short and heading to Dhaka to see my family. I enjoyed my time here but I miss my mommy (she is in Dhaka now).

My First major piece of Art!!

The other day I went to a crafts exhibition and my goodness, the place was filled with wonderful knickknacks to decorate your home with! I wish I was wealthy so I could send trunk loads of stuff back to decorate my own non-existent home!

I am not by any means an impulse buyer. But, I saw this piece and all reasoning went out the door and I had to have it! The piece is about 3ft tall and 2 ft wide and entirely made of wood. Its so gorgeous! It looks like a painting – a delicate woman reaching up to pluck flowers from a tree and placing them in her pallu which leaves her chest uncovered (she is wearing a sari blouse!) – so sensual and feminine. The art is that whole thing is made with different colors and types of woods placed together to create this image. Its 3D and each piece individually carved and fitted. Like her face has to two types of wood – one light and other dark for shadows and hair of a darker wood. I will take a pic and place soon to truly appreciate it!

Problem: how do I transport it to Dhaka then to NY w/o spending a small fortune?!

Hotel Moonlight

Its not some shady motel I checked into! It’s actually an awesome Hole in the Wall restaurant in Bangalore that serves the best ‘muslim’ fare. Grilled, roasted chicken…Rows of whole bright red hens are grilled in a rotisserie and legs of lamb just spinning on open flames and dripping with its own fat.

I wanted to take the family out to dinner instead we picked up food at Hotel Moonlight. One whole juicy roasted hen, 4 aromatic chicken biryanis, 2 mouth-watering chicken curries and 5 moist and flaky coin parothas (they are about double the size of a silver dollar). Cost of whole meal: Rs. 350. ($1 = Rs. 44). You do the math!

Desert: Sweet Paans! Yum!

Paan: crushed betel nuts and stuff I don’t know names of all wrapped inside a betel leaf.

Twister & Doctor’s Rx

Sunday, woke up at 1PM after getting back from the pub at the unholy hour of 5AM. Luckily, no hangover. Had very yummy drink: Twister.

What is a Twister?

Shot of vodka
Lime juice – fresh squeezed
Sprite or 7-Up
Splash of cranberry juice

Sounds good, right? For my Luvlies that are abstaining from Alcohol this year—I think it would make a pretty good virgin drink too!

Another good drink—Doctor’s Rx

Learnt it from a friend in NYC but this is what it is:

Warm water
Honey
Mixed with Brandy

Its actually very tasty.

Also learned—eating bananas is a great help with hangovers. Also helps, LOTS of water before passing out! And of course, cold pizza. Dominoes pizza here is so good! The cheese is different and gives it a whole diff flavor!

India has McDonalds (no beef though), KFC, Pizza Hut and Dominoes (guaranteed delivery in 30 mins!) Waiting to see if a Starbucks, Krispy Kreme & Dunkin’Donuts pop up!!

Day to Day in Bangalore

Back in Malleswaram.

I have slept so much over the past few days…its as if all the sleep I was deprived of over the last couple of months finally caught up! I go to sleep at 9PM and wake up at noon!

Didi does not disappoint. She makes the most delicious breakfasts. Its dosas one day, dodaks the next (yummy dosa like variant) or paan pallay (ground rice and ground coconut mixed with water and cooked on a tawa like a dosa eaten with jaggery syrup). And of course the eternal supply of tea =D

One afternoon, I went with didi and her cousin to a restaurant called Neels (Blue). Such a cute place. A high end restaurant that’s set up with 4-5 open bungalows, of course everything is blue. It was so pretty ‘cause the paths had coconut trees and wherever you sit you get great view of the clear Bangalore sky. It doesn’t rain here…its always pleasant! Sunny and warm in day and cool and breezy in the evening. After the buffet lunch and gulab jamuns and ice cream we headed to the aunty’s house for some tea. The aunty’s house was a sight to see! The entrance gates were made of pine wood painted bright red with flowers and greens overflowing. You enter up a short series of steps (lots of wonderful plants hovering) and enter an open architecture. It’s a 3 story house and you can see every floor from the foyer. The furniture was handmade and personally designed with dark mahogany wood. The space was uncluttered, minimalist and clean. So classic...i fell in love with it. Aunty was such a sweet women. She called me sweetie and dear the entire afternoon and we talked about her daughter who is studying at Rutgers! Of all places!! After some more pleasant conversations about best places for saris, coolest place to party for New Years and tea we headed back to Didi’s house.

That evening I went with didi for a visit with an aunt and uncle of hers. The uncle was 80 something and a darling of a man. And the aunty was a perfect host. She showed me around their modest 2 BR flat and I sat down and struck up fun conversation with uncle. We touched arts, social life and politics and by the end of the evening he had declared I was very intelligent and that he had completely fallen in love with me! So sweet – I couldn’t stop laughing! I could see the uncle in his younger days – an intelligent, flirtatious, powerful man that loved to socialize and am sure was quite the ladies man!

The beauty of Bangalore peoples is that 1- everyone (young and old) speaks perfect English and 2- everyone (young and old) is quite modern, progressive and uninhibited.

We came home and had a delicious meal of fish curry and I passed out.

The next day, I stayed in bed till noon and then just put-putted around the house. Napping, watching movies, eating and doing the soduku. I was enjoying down-time and no responsibilities.

Saturday, I woke up at a more decent hour. Navin had the day off and Nishu had nothing planned for the day. So we headed out to lunch at a place called Empire. It’s a chill joint serving roasts, kababs and parothas. Oh! The roast was soo dang good! A warm red color, perfectly charred and so juicy. The kerala paratha was fluffy and sopped it up with some lamb curry buried in coconut and curry leaves. After the meal, I needed something sweet so we headed to an ice cram parlor. I had vanilla ice creams with caramel and cashews. It wasn’t very good at all…when in India, stick to Indian food!

After the ice cream we went to pick up Navin’s fiancé and I got to meet with her parents as well. Her mother was gorgeous! A sight to behold. Fair, petite, slim, proper with a big maroon bindi on her forehead. She fed us some homemade flan—my fav dessert—it was so light! Her father was an army brigadier (dark, tall with sharp features), her mother used to teach French and she was a ranked tennis player! Navin was a ranked badminton player—what a perfect match! She was so sweet and bubbly I could have eaten her up!

Later- like 1am that night after unsuccessful attempts at trying to watch a DVD, we headed out to a pub. Bangalore has a strict curfew of 10pm and no bars open past 11 and no dancing clubs allowed. But, Navin’s friend owned a restaurant where he served liquor and food till 4am. After driving through a deserted city (during the day, the city is famous for horrendous traffic) we arrive at an unlit street. We walk through a dark alley, enter through the back into a kitchen and then enter the restaurant. It was like being at Cheers! Everyone in the place knew one another!

Goa Part 4 - the drive back

Early on the morning of the 4th we headed back to Bangalore. This time Navin's friend and wife were going to drive us back in a very spacious car. We stopped for breakfast at a Dhabba place...a road side, travellers joint. I had a masala dosa. Ah...the coconut chutney that came with it was so good. I usually don't like sambar, but i licked the sambar clean too!hit the spot with some tea and we were all net to go. I climbed into the last seat and cozied myself in...again...i sleep in moving vehicles!

At about 2PM we pull into another seaside town for lunch. We ordered some cool beers and a nice helping of food. Among them some masala crabs. I usually don't like crabs but i sucked these suckers clean. It was oniony, coriander, tomato and chili...Ooof...so finger licking good! Well satisfied and carefully emptied bladder, we climbed into the car again. I felt rude that I wasn't making so much conversation but heck they all spoke in Kanada which I didn't understand and I was too content sleeping in the back! At baout 6PM...my bladder cried to be relived! Thankfully, so did everyone else's! So, Shoba and i go off into the woods to mark our territory.I pick a busy area with thick cobwebs all around--i only noticed after i squatted! Just prayed a wild dog wouldn't come by or get bit in the nether regions by some bugs!

We take a rest and climb back into car. Karnataka is a lot of hills and mountains so a lot of winding roads going up and then back down...I was getting dizzy!!

Throughout the drive I kept having such vivid dreams that I made a New Years' resolution to write a book this year! It may be an Erotica but my dreams are alot more entertaining than the movies I watch!

I slept the entire 12 hour journey. Back in NY I can't sleep and here I can't seem to stay awake! I think I am being labeled as The New York Sleeping Beauty!

We came back to Pandurangashram to Didi's food. She had left some Pork curry out for us to feast on at 1am...I don't like pork usually but this curry...juicy, spicy, cumin flavored and oh so lip smacking good. Even the pieces of fat...rather chunks of fat...yummmmmmy!

Goa Part 3 - the best fried fish ever

Not much else or anything exciting to write about in Goa. I spent most of the time sleeping, eating, sun bathing and reading. Much to the dismay of my friends--who were excited to have a New York Party girl among them!

I can't party like I used to--I kept falling asleep at any party we went to! Didn't drink a whole lot either. Just spent a lot of alone time on the beach reflecting on my past year and what I plan to do for the future year.

Rang in the New Year at a Vanilla lounge to awesome music and random group of strangers. Lots of awesome fireworks and sparklers. I missed my friends dearly. I called my brother, mom, friends and everyone else just to hear familiar voices. Next morning I called my family in Dhaka to wish Eid Mubarak. I missed them a lot too and wish could have been there to celebrate.

On the 3rd, the guys I was with decide to visit their family temples. Mangeshi and the ShantaDurga. It was an hours ride from Candolim. Hoped on back of the bikes and the 6 of us headed off. I was really happy to have made the trip...It was so peaceful. Even made my insides still for a lil bit.

We had lunch at a lil canteen by the side of the temple. We ordered non-veg--which means fish only in this case. It came with 2 chapattis, a kokam curry (red juicy liquid thats spicy), some veggeis, fish dal and 2 fried small fish. We also ordered sides of fried sear fish. My Goodness------it was THE BEST meal!! I can still taste the dal and rice and fish! I ate no much I thought I would explode!! It was a home cooked meal. The aunty was sitting and cooking fresh food for us...YUM Yum yum!! I think the guys reading this will add their own comment so check it out in the bottom!

Then we rode off to the Shanta Durga Temple. Again, so beautiful and serene. I can see why people sit in the temple all day. It brings about a certain calmness and feel rejuvenated and ready to face the hard cold world again. Outside the temple, the guys stopped to have a special drink. It was an interesting concoction. It was soda in a glass bottle with a marble inside the neck and when the shop keeper popped the cork it made an awesome "POP...fizzzzzzzzzz" sound! I felt like a kid again and wanted to hear it over and over again! He then mixed fresh lime juice, salt and chat masala to the mix. Ahhhh...such a tasty refreshing drink! Going to try and make it at home some day!!

We headed back to Candolim and started to get ready for our last day at Goa. Which was a lot of hopping around. It was kind of cool...we started at a place called 9 Bar...a Huge outdoor pit only playing trance music. Everyone was High and on something or the other. Bongs were being passed around. I was content with my Kingfisher beer and cigarettes under a coconut tree watching the sexy young shirtless men jumping up and down!

Then we headed to Zanzibar-- a really rockin shack on the beach. I was again content with my Bacardi Breezer, cigarettes and added the Greek Chicken kabobs being grilled on the beach. Moist,juicy and full of flavor! So good! Had a nice helping of it! Then chilled on a chair between two shacks and enjoyed the pulsating beats, the white surf hitting the sand and the full moon above. Ah! Perfect! I dozed off and three of us decided to head home...but not before I had shwarma sandwich at the next shack we passed!!

Goa Part 2

A perfect vacation equals lots of sleep, lots of good food, and lots of good….well for this trip I will say - reading!

Candolim looks a lot like Miami in structure…meaning one long main road and along the strip are hotels, spas, restaurants, bars, street vendors, etc…just everything is very rustic and folksy rather than 1920s Art Deco of Miami. The cuisines of the restaurants are varied as the tourist vacationing in the spot. You have traditional Goan food, Indian, Chinese, German, Italian…you name it, they will have it. Pork is one thing that’s plentiful in Goa and cooked in every possible fashion. According to the tourist and local lingo, if you visit Goa more than three times, you are on your way to becoming a Goan!

The next morning I finally wake up at 7:00 AM and kiss the sun as it rises. Since all my friends had partied the night before, instead of disturbing my slumber, they had all gone ahead and spent the night at the apartment and left me behind at the hotel. I didn’t mind the least bit! I woke up, washed off all the oil from the massage the day before and put on a bathing suit and headed off to the beach. It was still a little cool as the sun was coming up. The shore line was full of early morning joggers and couples taking a morning walk. I decided to walk a bit along the shore and as the sun started to get warmer the beach side shacks had opened up and layout the lounge chairs, I decided to take a break and sun bathe. It was blissful. I took a wade in the cool water and lay down in the chair with my book to keep me company. As the waves crashed it brought with it some wisps of cool breezes. It was absolutely perfect.

I had picked up a random book in Bangalore from a street vendor. The title had drawn me The Company of Women by Khushwant Singh. I sat in the sun and read and listened to the waves crashing.

It was soon almost noon and the other friends had started to wake up. One of them came out to the beach hunting me. We went back to the room and transferred all our bags to the apartment. It was such an adorable place! Thank goodness it was air-conditioned!

Goa can get very crowded and transporting from one place to next can become challenging...so we rented 3 motorcycles. Best investment ever! I LOVE riding on bikes and have been trying to learn how to ride since I was 15. but fear of breaking my dancing legs if i fell has kept me from it. This time I am determined to ride one. Hopefully get one in next couple of years too.

So after, we moved and settled in, we started with the drinking. Then headed to the beach for sun, surf, massage and grub. Had an awesome time on the beach. A lady sitting behind us started scolding her sun for like10 min and everyone around got really quite. It was a British women with an adopted thai boy of about 4 years. The poor kid was being harassed by the mother to say sorry to another boy and lil boy kept saying sorry to his mom. The mother would not let up. I hate it when children are mentally abused like that. I couldn't take it another minute and disrupted her by sitting infront of them and saying "can I be of any help?" The mother snapped to mind my own business, rightly so. So I left and went back to my chair. Now, her anger was directed at me and she was yelling behind my back. I didn't care, I went on eating and drinking. At least, the little boy got a rest from the woman. Thankfully, she left soon after and we continued to have a good time.

We somehow managed to teeter back to the room and get dressed for a night of partying. These guys love to party. So party we did! The best was the motorocycle rides!The cool wind and clear skies and fresh (well dusty) air...nothing quite like it!

I Love a good Massage

I L-O-V-E Massages! The Ayurvedic Kerala massage was something I was looking forward to! Just a warning: When you walk into the room, your masseuse (girl to girl, boy to boy) looks on as you strip down to your complete naked self...i mean naked! Then you lay on a table with nothing to cover you and she starts rubbing the oil and massaging every part of your body. It was heavenly! Then you stand up and she wipes you clean all over...feel like a queen!!

The second massage I got was Jan.1 after a night of dancing and frolicking. This time it was a man on the beach. He had given me a foot massage the day before and came back asking if I wanted more. It was still early in the morning and few people on the beach so I asked for a full body. He was awesome! He cracked the bones and pulled out all the knots on my back! Then I flipped over for him to do the front. He went to town around the breats! Hahaha! But didn't cross the line (I had a bikini on) and it felt so relaxing! Then he did the things and butt....I was turned on and felt like jello! Why couldn't men you want to sleep with give massages like that!!!
I Love Goa!!!!

Goa Part 1

Back in Pandurang Ashram in Malleswaram, Bangalore. Have to say that this has been one the most awesome vacations I have ever taken. So, what happened in Goa? Well…here goes…

I left Bengeluru (funny name—going to call it Bangalore, thank you!) on the 6:30 PM bus to Goa. It was a loooooooong ride! Got the first 2 seats (had a friend with me) and sat in a half reclined position the whole time. The ride is 16 hours long! We stopped at a rest place about 2.5 hours into the journey, it was a proper rest stop with clean facilities. Then the rest of the time it was roadside stops…on very very bumpy dusty roads. Some places it was just a dirt path! If it must be said…take a flight anytime you can. Its about double the price but it’s a couple of hours at most and peace of mind. My bus ticket was Rs. 1050 which is roughly $22 or so…one way. Flight would have been $100-$150 – one way – its peak travel ‘cause of holiday season. You can see why I opted for the bus! I slept most of the trip and limited any solid and liquid intake…incase I had to make a pit stop. Little luck…at about 3:00AM, my bladder cried to be relieved! No way in this good earth was I going to go on the roadside in pitch black conditions! I figured I could hold it for a few more hours. It was a gorgeous ride, cool night, beautiful clear sky and a bright moon. The shadows of the coconut trees, outlines of the hills and mountains against the moonlight -- absolutely gorgeous. Thank goodness I had packed my wool shawl, it can get very cold at night. My friend insisted I had to make conversation…but I was still jet lagged and those who know me, know that I fall asleep in moving vehicles! So I handed over my I-pod as my substitute and went of to snoozeland. Of course my full bladder couldn’t keep me sleeping for long…but at 8AM I thought I could still hold out a bit longer. As the sun came up, it got warmer and I started to sweat profusely.

Under different circumstances, I would have struck up convos with neighbors on the ride…but I was surrounded by young boys on their way to party in Goa. They were all passed out. So I attempted to sleep again. My travel companion had started to snore very loudly so I got up and decided to drink in the sights. As I sat there, very uncomfortably due to bladder conditions, I was breath taken by the sights. The rivers, the trees, the hill and the people- It was all so lush, green and full of life. Last time I had been to Goa was with my ex and we had played a game as we had traveled the South—spot the man with out the moustache! I swear, every South Indian man has a moustache! Its supposed to be a sign of manhood and all that balderdash but its still amusing. Likely hood that if he doesn’t have a moustache they are probably not from Karnataka. As we got closer to the Panji (capital of Goa) you could see the ocean and feel the cool breeze, a soothing break from the sweltering heat.

At about 11AM we pull into our bus stop in Panji. I run off to find a toilet. First place I tried a restaurant…they point me to the back, all I saw were closed doors. So, no bathroom. I run to my friend and no luck there either. So I go across the street and into a bus stand cum office.

“Excuse me Maam, where is the closest toilet?” I ask

“Cross the street in the park.” She replies.

“Thank you!” I answer happily and head off towards the park across the next street. It still hasn’t registered that it is a public toilet. It takes me 5 min to cross the very busy street and finally decide to take my life into my own hands and dodge between the speeding motorcycles, rushing vans and swerving three wheelers. I land on the median. Thankfully the traffic on the other side is much lighter. I walk into the park – beautiful flowers and wonderfully clean—but no toilet. See a sweeper woman and go up to her and say one word.

“Toilet?” I ask

“Blue building.” She replies, pointing the direction. As I walk away, I register that she just replied to me in English! Dang! She goes on sweeping with a burlap sack over her shoulder and I half trot towards the blue structure. As I walk up I see two men standing and some signs. I ignore all and enter into a nasty smelling squatting toilet. I have to dispose of my full bladder so badly that I could care less! I hike up my jeans to avoid the wet stinking floor and somehow squat and go. As I walk out I notice between the men and women’s toilet is a small room with a bed and table. Someone actually sleeps in there. One of the men chases me out to ask for payment for using the toilet. I hand over 2 rupees. A much calmer and peaceful me walk over to meet my friends and hire a taxi to go to Candolim.

My friend haggles with some cab drivers and manages to get a decent rate for a mini van to take the three of us and our small luggage. The old man cribs the whole ride how we are getting a discounted rate. Just a note: Goa’s peak time and only time of the year most Goans living seaside make any business is during the holiday season. From end of October till about beginning of March are their business times. They live the rest of the year on the earnings made during this period. So, a Rs. 30 ride can cost upto Rs. 300 Xmas to New Year. Prices drop drastically by the 3^rd of Jan. Being Indians (hey-I am thankful I look Indian during this time!) we can bargain reasonable rates and not pay the ridiculous tourist rates.

We have a comfortable ride to Candolim and land up at the Hotel Del Sol-Areia. It is run by Rudy and Glary, friends of Didi and Dada and have stayed with my ex last time. A modest hotel with full amenities and comfortable but very expensive compared to surrounding places. We were supposed to have a booking for a suite for 6. The three of us walk in and it’s a 1 queen size bed and a terrace. It’s a cute place but hardly big enough for more than 3 at any time! Where did Glary expect to put the other 3?? Even with extra mattresses the other 3 would have to sleep outside on the terrace!!! With the bugs in the chilly night!!! My two friends started fuming! What a way to start a vacation!

I was hungry, so we took a wash and said let’s eat and then figure out what to do and wait till the others come. So we went out to a restaurant…everything is on the strip and restaurants are all outdoors, meaning only a roof and open seating. We sit down and people watch as we down a few cold beers while waiting for the food. Everything goes at a very leisurely pace in Goa, food takes anywhere between 30-40 mins to arrive! Plenty of time to get a decent buzz on =)

I have been looking forward to some chicken vindaloo…a goan dish..spicy, tangy and oh so delicious. In the States, most Indian restaurants make it so spicy that you hardly taste the flavor of the food. But this Goan shack was not going to disappoint! My chicken vindaloo was the tastiest!! It was bright chili red with chunks of boneless chicken. It smelled tangy and tasted sour, spicy and oh so wonderful with the white rice that my mouth is watering just thinking about it!! It was absolute perfection…perfect way to start a vacation! A few more cold Kings beers and we were in Goa heaven.

Preety my dear, I most definitely thought of you! All through the trip! Really wish you could have been there!

After the hefty meal we started back to the hotel and passed by an Ayurvedic massage treatment center. I sorely needed a massage after that bus ride and I had been to the place on my last visit. My friends didn’t need much convincing to go in. After a bit of haggling on the price—the rate for 60 min was Rs.500 we bargained it for Rs.350 per person. We made appointments for 2 hours later to let our meals settle. In the meantime we had to figure out how to get out of our so called “suite” and find different accommodations. I decided to not take part in it cause I really didn’t want to stress about this on my vacation. The friends I was with were more than capable to handle the situation. By the time we arrived, the other 3 friends had joined. They managed to talk to Rudy and Glary and get us transferred to a one bedroom apartment 10mins away. While these talks were taking place, we had already gotten our 1 hour oily rubdown. I had come back and completely crashed out! I fell asleep about 5:00PM and kept on sleeping till 5:00AM!

It was awesome!!!

12-28-06 in Bangalore (now known as Bengaluru)

I am in Malleswaram now. Navin and Nishu picked me up at the airport at 5:00 am. I was getting very excited! The air was spring cool and as Navin drove...I started recognizing everything. Felt like i had never left. I remebered MG Road, Chowdiah and all! Coolest was I still remembered how to get to Didi and Dada's house!!

As i entered the colony, all the memories rushed back...Diwali with sparklers in the court yard, rangoli on the steps...ahh..nostalgic =) I went straight to my old room. Everything was exactly as I remembered it! By 8:30 am, Didi woke up and made her delicious tea and some breakfast. Then I took a short nap and went out with Navin. We went to eat lunch...yummy desi food!!!! and Indian ice-cream...vanilla here tastes so different! Then we drove around a bit in town and jet lag hit me. Plan was I was going back to the house to take a nap and then we would go out at night for drinks and checkout the tattoo parlors for my next tat. He also drops the news that he got engaged to his girlfriend and to be married in May!! So very happy for him but pissed cause he waited so long to tell me!

I never woke up...I slept from 5:00pm to 7:00am!!!

Finally wokeup, Didi made some tea, dosa and yummy yummy chutney. Dada and I did the Soduko and the boys woke up.

its 12:00pm now...should start getting ready to leave for Goa!!

Heathrow Airport: 11:30am 12/26/06 waiting for connecting to Bangalore

I started packing for my trip at 10:30am for the 8:30pm flight from JFK—those that don’t know—it’s a 1 ½ hour ride from my mother’s house. I was going to take the Airporter shuttle so my mother or my brother wouldn’t have to make the long drive on Xmas day. Airporter was closed and taxis not taking reservations being Xmas and all. So, decided to take train and subway. But, then my brother came over and saw that I was packing a suitcase---it was pretty light—and he felt pity on me and decided to drop me off. So both my brothers drove me to the airport. So nice of them =)

Before I left the house I had already checked-in online for my flight but once at the airport, I still had to stand in a python snake line for 1 hr! What was the convenience of on-line checking in??? The family behind me had the printed boarding pass from on-line and they had to stand on that ridiculous line! Oh well---I checked in my bag and headed for the gate. Was hoping I would get at least an eye-candy for the long flight but none really. I grabbed a sandwich, from a rude vendor that yelled at the customer in front me, and sat to have my first bite of food for the day. Time: 8:00pm. It was a 747 and had arrived late. They started boarding at 8:20 and that’s when I saw my eye candy. Probably in late 20s, dark, long hair (nape of neck), and just such a structured face. He looked like he may be a dancer…regardless had a nice slim body frame. Traveling alone as well. I took my liberties of staring at the features of the eye-candy but its been a long time since I actually started convos. I found my seat- aisle. It was 3 seater by window and an amusing site, the two guys and I were all hooked to our mp3 players and reading a book! None of us spoke to one another and the guy next to me kept having to go to the bathroom. But I wasn’t giving up my aisle seat! I barely had enough room for my legs…no way was I sitting inside!

The flight was delayed by two hours. Thank goodness to Ronak for giving me a book (Waiting by Ha Jini). I would have gone bonkers! I had forgotten my sketch pad and too cramped to write or pull out my laptop. I had lost my eye candy as well =( Also, we were seated behind a baby….a very cranky baby! Finally, the flight takes off—delayed cause JFK was short staffed on account of it being Xmas and the baggages were back logged in security. I was enjoying all the new random music I had uploaded on the i-nano. One of the CDs was Farshad’s band Cryptic Fate (Bangali rock band) –it had one song I liked so far, Onuprerona. The melody is rockin’; have to take a few more listens to understand the Bengali lyrics. Also listened to Fuad’s (Bangali music director) remixes, I really like his style and his explorations of fusing different styles—he does reggae, rock, Bengali folk and classical sounds—all melded together harmoniously! Bangladeshis are coming a long way on the music front! Flight takes off at 10:00pm.

On board movie I watched: The Wicker Man. Very disturbing film.

On board dinner: Beef casserole with mashed potatoes. Eh.

Drink: coke, white wine.

Tried to get sleep---not possible in those tiny little seats! I think I do prefer Kuwait Airways—at least I can get 3 seats to myself and sprawl out for a nap!

Finally landed in Heathrow and found the eye-candy again. Such a cutie! Ended up shopping in duty free and bought a Black Label for dada (the dad of the family I will be staying with) and some After Eight chocolate mints for the family. I am starting to get excited about landing in Bangalore. I am really starting a vacation! Well, a semblance of one anyway!

Now waiting for the connecting flight to Bangalore. Its 12:36pm (London time) and flight is at 1:40pm. I have the window seat this time. My poor legs will give out…my knee and ankle has already started acting up.

I should start writing some end of year notes to friends and family…

JFK NY 9:30am on board BA delayed flight to London

12-25-06

Today is my mother’s birthday. My lil brother and I snuck up on her at midnight and woke her up. The woman does not have any wrinkles! Its amazing! We wished her happy birthday and she dozed off back to sleep. The tradition, when we were younger, was to wake her up to breakfast in bed but this year…I was too caught up in packing (of course I waited till the last possible minute!) to make her anything. I was just too damn lazy. My brothers attempted to take her out to lunch but because I was still not packed, they decided to have birthday lunch tomorrow. My mother is truly an amazing woman. She raised three children all on her own and put her self through school.

As I get older, I am realizing I am more and more like my mother. As a young girl, that was the absolutely unacceptable! But as I grow older, I am beginning to be proud to say I am like my mother. Yes, I did inherit most of her neurotics but I do recognize the faults and try my best to form my own identity. My mother is one of those eccentric creatures that are stuck in a time warp. She grew up in the “old” world with all its ideologies, proper-ness and “what will society say” mentality but she has been in this country so long that she is quite independent and could care less what people thought about her lifestyle choices. At the same time, I think she has a difficult time putting her feet in both worlds. As her children, often times we were left confused at conflicting reactions or emotions from her. She was the “coolest” mom. We had no curfews, she didn’t call us 100x a day to ask where we were, didn’t ask how we spend our money—in short—allowed us a lot of freedoms that our peers parents didn’t allow. Yet, we were never took extreme advantages. We did not disappoint her complete trust on us. We have a very volatile relationship with our mother at times, but more often than not, she is our best friend.

I love my mom and want her to find herself and be comfortable with who she is and the choices she makes. Wish that she finds peace from struggling to fit in both worlds. I am proud to be my mother’s daughter and friend. Love you mom, Happy Birthday =)