Christmas market

This is my first Christmas in Europe. I was really looking forward to it!.In many towns in Germany and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt".
The concept of a street market in the 4 weeks of Advent, first supposedly, originated in the Late Middle ages. These markets are generally held in the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls, accompanied by traditional singing and dancing.

We went to the Esslingen Weihnachtsmarkt, which, this year was based on the theme of the "MittelAlt" or Middle Ages. We picked a Saturday evening and we were stormed by the crowds!. Never seen so many people at once in Germany!. The entire fest was held in the small town square.  The prime attraction for my son was the merry-go-around- he took 4 rounds on that!.

We  were joined by my distant cousin. Together, we sampled the famous "gluh wine" in both plain and apple flavors. Gluhwine is a hot(!!) red wine which is made with various spices and fruits. It was awesome!. I made up for missing the "svařák" (another hot wine) in Prague.

There were stalls selling all kinds of stuff- from woolen wear to home decor. 

Shapes & Cars

My nearly 3 year old toddler son has to integrate his cars into every activity!.  We draw cars, color cars, play cars and even learn with cars!. Here is his idea of what a car showroom looks like- picking and creating from a shape box!

Short lived summer of 2013

When things are scarce, they are precious. 

In Germany, sunlight is scarce. For someone, who has lived in the tropics all her life, it is hard to imagine, how something so basic as sunlight can be "scarce"!. But when you live a whole year in Europe, you begin to understand why the "whites" are so sun-crazy. 

In the summer of 2013, I remember, how I would go out to the park with my little one. He would cycle on his little balance bike all around the park. He would play in the sand, digging up dirt, with his sand toys. This summer, he finally conquered his fear of slides. He also learnt to climb ropes. Little did I realize then, how short lived sunny days can be here!.

Its now back to cold, gloomy, gray skies. It feels like the summer was almost not there!. One is left asking, "Wasn't it cold just a few months back and now its back again?!". The park is  now littered with the fall leaves. The weather is too cold to stay outside too long. The slide is almost always wet, from dew or rain. Sigh!. 

Lost child

Poised in an exaggerated lithotomy position, with a sonic probe in her privates, Sita waited, as her gynecologist, pronounced the verdict. Nearly three months pregnant, she had been been joking rather casually to her friends that this pregnancy had been a "song" of sorts, compared to her first. But that was only till the night before.

Sita never expected the turn of events that had unfolded the night before. Like every other night since her pregnancy was confirmed, she had risen to empty her bladder in the middle of the night. Her nocturnal micturating habit had been the only thing that had been troubling her in this pregnancy. It was so slightly disturbing, that she almost forgot she was carrying at most times!. But that night, she spotted some blood on her undergarments. Before, she could wonder what that meant, she was passed out. She couldn't remember how long she must have been lying on the bathroom floor. She only could vaguely piece together sights of her hitting her head on the door frame as she passed out, then limping out of the bathroom, only to fall unconscious again in the passageway. The incident left her with a bruise on her left shoulder and head, both of which were terribly sore even as she laid in the gynecologist's office.

The gynecologist, was a middle aged man in his early 50s. He seemed learned and skilled but, was always in a rush to usher his patients out. Almost immediately after he had maneuvered the sonic probe inside, he shook his head and bluntly declared " its dead!". That was it!.

Sita stared at the screen in disbelief.  These things were not supposed to happen!. This was the second pregnancy- it was supposed to be easy!. Her mind was full of thoughts, but the doctor wasted no time at all. " I am sorry, but there is nothing that can be done..", he said and pulled the probe out.

The doctor went on to explain that she had the option of waiting for a spontaneous expulsion or getting an evacuation done at a local hospital. It was a Friday morning- a day most doctors would love to relax and look forward to the weekend. He quickly scribbled some iron tablets and advised to come for a repeat scan on Monday morning- leaving the evacuation decision to Sita.

Numbed and lost, Sita walked outside the clinic, gathering her thoughts. She was not distraught at the loss of her second born. Her first child was always keeping her on her toes, so much so, that she sometimes was unsure of how she was going to manage with two children. Even so, it was a personal loss. Her biological clock was ticking. She couldn't help but think that it must have been an aged, dysfunctional ovum that had been responsible for the fetal loss. That was what the doctor was hinting at, as he tried to explain the early pregnancy loss. She wondered if it was the extra strain at housework that had been responsible for the miscarriage,but then immediately dismissed the thought, as frivolous.

Back home, she called up her mother and told her  what had happened. Expectedly, her mother was calm and comforting. She called a few friends and told them, but quickly hung up, not wanting to go into details.

That night, she sobbed her heart out. It was a miscarriage, but it felt like everything was going wrong for her. She was lost. She felt unwanted and unimportant. She felt responsible for the loss. Was it the tap water that was the cause? Maybe she should have headed to the warning of too much lead in tap water. Was it her diet?. She couldn't help feeling guilty. But her mind didn't stop at just that. Her career had been hijacked by familial commitments. Her social circle had all but gone. She had even given up on taking care of herself, devoting her full time to childcare and household chores.

Thus far, the pain had been emotional. The next day, it became the worse kind of physical pain, she had ever experienced. Sita had opted to wait it out for a spontaneous expulsion. She didn't have to wait too long. It started with a cramping, on and off pain in her lower abdomen. And then, went on, getting worse, with every passing minute.  Writhing in pain, Sita howled in her bed, tossing and turning, as nature took to empty the remains. She was bleeding profusely. The pain was so grave that, she vomited every now and then.

A whole half-day later, Sita was exhausted. She had never experienced pain so bitter in her life. Her first born was from a C-section. She had never been so lonely in suffering, battling it out alone in the confines of her room.

Monday morning, the doctor ushered her into his office and then almost just as quickly, did the scan. The scan was near normal. The uterus was near empty. The fetus had been evacuated.


  

Tubingen in pictures

Tubingen is an university town situated on the Neckar river. The Neckar front is dotted with beautiful, medieval houses, some of which have been converted into fraternity houses.  

The Neckarinsel is a small island on the river, accessible by a flight of stairs leading down from the bridge across the river. It is home to flocks of pigeons, in numbers so daunting, that the municipality is now into birth control for pigeons!. 

Stiftskirche is a protestant church in the middle of Tubingen, which boasts of breath-taking Gothic architecture. The insides of the church have some amazing stained glass paintings.

Along the path towards the back of the Tubingen castle,  one can take in a bird's eye view of the town with its quaint houses and university buildings. The castle is home to a art museum, university campus and even an archery arena!.

In the town center or Alstadte, one can see a number of medieval houses, now mostly shops, selling anything from the latest fashion trends to home- made croquet works!. 

The town hall  or Rath haus is an architectural landmark in the town square, which has some wonderful sculptures on its structure and even an ornamental clock. 

Our Hands!

Amsterdam- for the artist in you!

I always wanted to see Amsterdam- the Dutch capital, famous for many reasons. Be it the tag of  a party haven,or the beauty of water canals driven into the roadways. My brother and I, set off to explore the artistic side of Amsterdam, on one rainy day in early November.

We arrived at the Van Gogh museum in the center of Amsterdam, only to be greeted by crowds of people standing in the lashing rain, waiting to go in!. Sheer madness! you would say!. But thats Van Gogh for you!. We were lucky to go in, bypassing the long queues (and a sizable fee!), thanks to Shell (my brother's employer- also a major sponsor for the museum).

It is a well planned museum set over 3 floors and appropriately spaced out. Starting with his early days, we travel up to his works and then a few works of his contemporaries. What strikes you about a Van Gogh painting, as opposed to the intricate art works that decorate the walls of other museums like the Louvre, is the simplicity of his subjects and objects. From sunflowers to red cabbages and prawns, to the scene of his bedroom in Arles (south of France), and even the unassuming faces of the "potato-eaters", you are visualizing everyday life in those times, and not a majestic portrait of a duke and his extended family. His works were initially dark and gloomy, but over time he took to more bright and appealing colors. His penchant for self portraits, comes across as strange initially, but as we later understand, he had no money to buy a subject to sit for him!; so he often painted himself, while looking at a mirror, each time working on new technique and color!.

Sunflowers- a Van Gogh masterpiece

Enriched and happy after my first real artistic encounter, I picked up five large Van Gogh painting postcards of my choice to later frame in my living room!.

Post lunch, we drove through the busy thoroughfares (scores of cyclists!) of Amsterdam to see the house of Anne Frank. Set on the banks of a canal, it s a surprisingly congested house, now modified somewhat to host a museum. Again we were greeted by spiraling queues!. But this time I was contend to just take in the view from outside, sitting on the banks of the canal.

Like most places, I have seen in Europe, I would always love to come back again to Amsterdam!. Next time- Rijksmuseum here I come !

Three cities, three days

We made a whirlwind car trip across Germany and the Czech Republic on a long weekend in late October. It started with a 6 hour drive to Berlin. After a restful sleep at night and a hearty breakfast in the morning, we embarked on exploring Berlin- 3 adults and 1 toddler.

We bought a group ticket for a day (just 16 euros!) at the nearest S-bahn. It was the easiest  and cheapest way to get around. Although I would have loved to try out an hop-on-hop-off or some other sight-seeing bus option,  I have been advised against this by many a traveler!. So, using a tourist map and public transport, we went around exploring Berlin.

Our first stop was Brandenburg Tor (Gate). It was just above the subway station. It is a beautiful 12 pillared monument, that has come to be the hallmark of Berlin. Atop the gate is a beautiful "Quadriga" or a 4 horse drawn chariot driven by the Roman goddess of victory- Victoria. The gate was built in the 1780s, as a symbol of peace, but has witnessed anything but that!.

The gate is walking distance from the German parliament- Reichstag. We walked the short distance to the Parliament house. The Reichstag is an imposing building in the midst of manicured lawns, with the words "Dem Deutschen Volke" proudly engraved on the front. There is a wonderful glass dome atop the parliament, which supposedly offers a bird's eye view of Berlin.

From the parliament, we headed back towards the Holocaust memorial, also within walking distance. On the way we passed a simple monument dedicated to the memory of the Sinti and Roma ("Gypsies") who were also killed in large numbers in the genocide. It was a deep black pit with constantly flowing water, situated in a clearing of  trees in the vicinity of the Reichstag. In that quaint, unassuming setting, one does get a feeling of sadness for the meaningless of of lives. There is a simple poem etched on the walls of the pond..

"Sucken in face

Extingushed eyes

Cold lips

Silence

A torn heart

without breath

without words

no tears"

Simple words that describe great emotion!.

The Holocaust memorial was no less poignant. The ground work of grey colored rectangle stone in different sizes doesn't strike a chord initially. But when one enters the underground museum, you are flooded with the sheer magnanimity of the criminal genocide. The stories of families torn apart are truly heart rendering. This place was seriously eye-opening. Every war must have a similar story.

It was nearly lunch time and in vain we searched for the elusive "Hitler's bunker"- the place where he supposedly committed suicide. But after a brief search, we were told that the place had been detonated and no longer existed!. It was now a underground parking lot for an apartment!.

Famished we sunk into the welcoming chairs of a Italian pizzeria for a meal of pizza and pasta. The wonderful thing about Berlin, was the food(international), the people (who converse with you in English) and the historical monuments.

Post lunch, we walked towards the Pergamon museum. We underestimated the distance from the Holocaust memorial, and had to walk quite a bit!. The museum is situated on a museum island (similar to Munich). The beautiful Berlin cathedral is situated close by and was a wonderful background for some memorable photographs.

Pergamon was worthy of the effort and expense to see it!. It had a superb collection, the most memorable were the frieze of the Pergamon altar and the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon. But my toddler was in no way awed by Pergamon and it was difficult to keep him out of trouble!.

Nearly dusk, we headed to the nearest subway. Our last stop for the day was the Berlin Wall memorial. Reaching the site after dark, we were disappointed to find the museum attached, had very little in terms of interactive media. The wall (or the last remaining remnant) was right outside the museum. Scribbled with graffiti, it wasn't much of a sight.

The next day, we headed towards Dresden by car. Starting out late(nearly afternoon), we couldn't hope to see much of Dresden. We spent some time in the military museum of Dresden. It was a huge place, with lots of information, but not for a tourist in a hurry!. The city of Dresden has a terrible world war history, being a major military base of the German army. It was bombed by allied forces, where more than 90% of the city was destroyed!. The city has been reconstructed since. Driving through the city at dusk, it is little wonder that this hidden gem of Germany, was once called the "Florence-on-the-Elbe"!.

A few hours of drive from Dresden, is Prague or Praha. Our last stop for the trip, we arrived tired and weary, late into the evening. We checked into a small hotel in the old town district, which had got rave reviews on Trip advisor, and it was not disappointing!. It was a refurbished mansion, now a star hotel, which was decorated with all kinds of stuff. It was warm and cozy. The view from the hotel window was awesome!- the beautiful Prague castle light up with bright lights and a host of other historical monuments!. It was like living in a medieval land of castles and mansions.

We had a scrumptious dinner, not far from the hotel. Food in Prague, like Berlin, was terrific on taste!. Walking through the narrow alleys of Prague's old town, I was struck by how wonderfully architecture had been preserved down the ages.

The next day morning, we embarked on yet another city tour. Prague is a city made for the tourist!. Everything, from the shops to the people to the food, is inviting the tourist and in fact screaming for attention!. Charles bridge is an iconic bridge built over the river Vltava and  was our first stop. There were scores of artists and musicians selling their wares. Its the sheer activity of the place that one finds most appealing. This time we climbed on a short two hour long bus tour with an audio guide, that showed us the landmarks of the city. It is the best way to see a lot of the city in a short span of time. We stopped for a brief time at the Prague castle, just in time to witness the change of guard. There was a beautiful cathedral inside the castle compound, that boasted of breath-taking stained glass paintings.

The most memorable vision of Prague was the famous astronomical clock, near which we settled down fro lunch. Every hour, it chimes and the twelve apostles of Christ can be seen, acknowledging the masses from their window above the clock!.

As I say "Tschuss" to Germany...

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. – Dalai Lama

Reading this saying today morning on one of my friend's Facebook status updates, made me reminisce about my last year in Germany. I have been very unlucky in more ways than I have been lucky, which is rather unusual for me. Usually there are always more good things to be thankful for, than bad memories while I leave a place. And I usually leave a city I have lived in, in good spirits. But this time, I don't feel the same.

Most of my time has been devoted to child care and living within the four walls of our apartment. Of course, They have been wonderful times- for the first time in my life I have taken out time and energy to spend with a child and that too at planning out meaningful activities, fun and learning time. But it does take a toll on you when there is no life beyond that!.

One of the best things about living here in Europe, was the traveling. Seeing new places always contributes to advancement. And some family trips were time well spent.

I always complain about the amount of time I have spent cooking, cleaning and doing household chores!. When the entire onus of the house management is on ones' shoulders, then even the last minutes before falling asleep, while lying in bed, are full of thoughts, planning out the next meal or essentials for the next day!.

I had an old school friend over at my place for lunch last weekend, who has lived in Germany for 5 years and plans to continue doing so. Of course, it helps that he is single and has no kids!. While he agreed with me that it is not easy to have a social life here, he did suggest that having hobbies helps!. Yes, thats a great idea to get started on friends and you need them here in this cold and grey country!. The ordinary guy on the street in Germany is very polite,  but not really friendly!. They don't make an effort to know more about you or your culture. And for some of them, my inability to speak Deustche is a put-off!. Yes. hobbies are a good way to start, but there was no time for one in all those months of child-care, cooking and cleaning!.

My worst experience has been while I had volunteered to do a clinical
observorship at a local hospital. One would assume that in a professional clinical set-up, I could get around with my knowledge of English!. I mean, thats why, they have an exception of the compulsory- knowledge- of-Deustche rule, for highly skilled professionals!. But, sadly, this was not the case. Not many Germans have mercy for the English speaker!- professional or otherwise!.

My greatest disappointment with Germany has been a sense of non- achievement in life beyond the four walls of my house. I was handicapped by my lack of knowledge of German. I was always tied down by the time cycles of my toddler. But perhaps,in the words of the Dalai Lama, maybe, its good that nothing happened for me here! or .. does that sound like sour grapes!. Time will tell!

As the sun sets on our  journey..

Lantern fest in Germany

I was introduced to the "Lantern fest" by my son's kindergarten. Lantern fest or St Martin's day, is an official Catholic holiday and falls on November 11th, but is celebrated anytime in early winter.  It is celebrated in the memory of a saint who was known for his kindness and love for children.

A few days before the proposed lantern walk, all the mothers, were called for a short interactive session, little before noon. We were shown how to make our own lanterns, with glazed paper, strips of colored paper and cardboard rings. It was fun for the kids. It was the first time my toddler was introduced to a "cut-and paste" activity. So far, I have always been wary of giving him the scissors. I was surprised to see, a few kids (only slightly older) handling the scissors like an expert! .

On the day of the lantern walk, we were called to come at dusk to the kindergarten. After a short time of eating cake and drinking, we lined up with the kids, lanterns in their hands. We lit a small electric candle and placed it inside the lantern. The kindergarten teachers handed out sheet of songs that everyone sang out loudly. When it was dark, the kids walked around the street with the lanterns in their hands.

Day trip to Bodensee

October 3rd, is a national holiday in Germany, in view of German Unity Day. It is recognized as the day when the formal reunification process was initiated. I was always under the impression that the Berlin wall was brought down on this day, but, I was surprised to know, that actually happened on the 9th of November, 1990. Seems 9/11 wasn't a suitable day to celebrate, as, it was also an anniversary of a Nazi pro gam on Jews.

Any holiday in Germany means, half the population is driving on the autobahn for a vacation!. And this holiday, we were not to be left behind!. It was our only prospective sunny day in the week!.

We made a short, frugal day trip to Bodensee, situated about 2 hours from our place. Traffic on the autobahn, always frustrates my husband!- surprising for someone who has driven for more than half his life on the chaotic roadways of India!. My toddler son was no less irritated, having being strapped in his car seat for a greater part of the journey.

We finally made it to Bodensee, at noon. Our destination was Unter-Uhldingen, a quite village on the lake shore, that boasts of a Bronze-Age habitat museum.

But first, our priority on reaching there was feeding our famished stomachs!. There were a number of "ristorante(s)" and "gaustehaus'"along our walk to the lake shores. I love the way, the menu for the day is scribbled on a chalk-board at the entrance of the restaurants- you can go in only if you want the food and have the money!. Fish seems to be the entree of choice for all the places. However, we stuck to pizzas and ice-cream at a surprisingly deserted Italian cafe. The "Apfel schorle" (apple juice) was the pick of our meal- it was delicious!.

Stomachs full, we perched on the pebbled banks of the lake and immersed the view. Splendid sight!. The sun was just right. The waters were sparkling blue. Ducks waddled in the waters, occasionally diving whole into the waters and then resurfacing again. Sea-gulls flew overhead. The Swiss shores were diametrically opposite to where we sat, but were clouded in mist. Yachts drifted lazily on the waters. An occasional speed-boat or cruise ship completed the events on the lake. Simple and laid-back.

My toddler son was engaged in a play ground near the banks. After a while, we went for a walk around the lake.

We wrapped our trip, with a visit to a Tractor museum, nearby. I love the way they have museums for everything here!. The tractor museum was a great place to get some in-sight into centuries old farming practices in Europe. It had some wonderful collection of tractors, from John Deeres' to Maser Fergusons'. Also, picked up some super tasty Bodensee apples for 1kg=1euro at an unattended house sale near the museum!. Love the trust in people these country folk have!.

Petting Zoo- Nymphaea

Mid September, we made a short weekend outing to a small petting zoo near home, called Tier park Nymphaea, situated on the banks of the river Neckar. This quaint floral and faunal paradise is commonly called the "other zoo" by Stuttgarters (the main zoo being the Wilhelma Zoo on the north of the city.

Nymphaea is a conservation park, that lets you get real close to a few animals and birds. It is so wonderfully built, without disturbing the natural eco-system of the riverbed. It is run by a club of motivated conservationists who are ably helped by a team of school student volunteers.

My little one, now nearly two and a half, has been to 2 zoos thus far, and has never been too interested in knowing and feeling animals. I embarked on this idea of visiting a petting zoo, to try to get him interested in nature trails. So did my idea work?.. not entirely.. but somewhat!

The park fees is nominal for adults and free for young kids. Once inside, you get to see hens, roosters, turtles, wombats, rabbits, owls, bees, ducks, swans, parrots, peacocks, pigs, donkeys, goats, mice, snakes, otters and deers. Feeding the animals is the best part!. You can buy a mug of popcorn at the cash counter and feed the animals as you go! (feeding the birds is not allowed!).

For me, the highlight of the visit was feeding a deer and feeling an otter. For my son, it was probably seeing a bed of slithering snakes!. Funny, I thought he would be scared of seeing that, but no!, he was clearly impressed!.

A few lessons from a short observer stint at a German hospital

In the first few weeks of September, I had the opportunity to visit a well-known hospital in Stuttgart, to spend a few hours each day, "observing" the system. Not knowing the language, was a drawback for me, impeding any medical knowledge from coming my way. However, it was a chance to learn a few basic things about the "system" and how it works here. Here are some of the things I would love to implement back home.

Keep bedside discussions away from the bedside!

In India, bedside rounds were nearly always, a tedious affair. Doctors would crowd around the patient to discuss the progress (or sometimes the lack of it). The poor patient would lie in the midst of this mob-like discussion of the facts of his/her case, often having to listen to the dismal details of their condition. Moreover, if the resident in-charge was to be reprimanded for any of his/her errors, it would be done right there, in the full galore of all the ward patients!. I always wondered if this entire exercise was necessary or if we could do it in a better way.

Seems there is a better way. Here, the case discussions are done in the doctor's room, before the real meeting between the head doctor and the patient. The resident doctor does his/her clinical rounds before the discussion. Then, they all sit it out in the doctors room, before their electronic gadgets, going over all the patients details. All lab data is just a click away [no need for the resident to memorize (or be tempted to lie about!) nitty numbers!]. The nurse in-charge of the patient is also party to the discussion and often provides valuable inputs on symptoms and complaints. It is a relaxed and mature discussion. It is more fruitful for the patient as his/her case is better discussed and analyzed.

Access technology/ resources when making clinical decisions

Having the discussion in the doctors room, also has the advantage of being able to access valuable information related to individual clinical decisions, at the click of a button or at the hand's stretch (at the book library). Doctors can't keep everything in their head. Using technology effectively and in timely manner is important.

Keep bedside visits pleasant and comforting

Having taken care of the clinical details of the case, the bedside visit is now focussed on exchanging pleasantries with the patient. The patient is more comfortable with the talk directed to him/her rather than between the doctors in-charge. I have often felt, that we don't do this enough in India.

Talk to the nurses

After the discussion and bedside rounds are done with, the resident's task is to call on the nurses and instruct them in a clear format what is to be done for their patients on that day. Everything is written and undersigned by the doctor and the in-charge nurse!. Here, the nurse's role is supreme- in fact she is the primary care-giver here who co-ordinates all the orders.

In India, nurses are given a raw deal. We never really acknowledge them as equals. Of course, in many cases, nurses are not really inclined to work!. But this mature interaction between the doctor and nurse, is something that needs to be emulated.

Patient information sheets for every intervention

Before any intervention, the doctor and nurse, arm the patient with a superbly descriptive patient information sheet, written in a language the patient and family can understand. This is given to the patient well before the time of the procedure. The patients are required to sign the form, as having consented to the procedure, having understood the risks.

Back home. we vaguely describe the procedure (orally!) and take a hasty consent (if at all!). This needs to change.

Acknowledge the primary treating physician

In the discharge sheet of every patient, the primary referring physician is sincerely acknowledged.  A detailed story of the patient's stay at the hospital is written down for their reference.

Very rarely, do we in India, even turn the pages of the case file to see who has referred this patient to us!. Networking is everything.

Have a summary sheet out front which reads like a biography

It only takes 5 minutes to get acquainted with any new case in the wards here. Everything in the patient's medical history is neatly typed out on a summary sheet placed on the front of the file, which is complete with dates and events.

Ward design and care

Cleanliness is one thing; but, having a beautifully designed ward is another thing altogether!. Its amazing how comforting, for any visitor/patient, a brightly lit ward with colorful pieces of art and windows streaming in sunshine, can feel like.

Palace sighting

Last weekend was a busy one. We had a guest from India at our house. To give our guest a feel of Stuttgart, we ushered him around the city, sight-seeing. He was mighty impressed with the Mercedes-Benz museum. It was my second visit to the place-and in no way was I bored!. It is really a superbly planned museum. They ensure that the visitor gets a view of everything in a decent amount of time.

We also visited the Solitude Palace, just on the outskirts of Stuttgart. This place is truly isolated. It is a rather small palace, surrounded by lush green lawns, on a hilltop that offers a breath-taking view of the surrounding towns. It is not something a tourist would enjoy on a short trip to the city, but rather a place for those truly interested in architectural and cultural history. Of course, it is also a wonderful place to picnic, on a lazy summer day.

The palace itself, is not excessively decorated and gives you the impression that the resident duke must have been a real loner!. What was more appreciable was the terrific maintenance of the building that keeps the palace resplendent to this date. Weddings are carried out in the inner hall of this palace even in these times! (at a price, of course!)

In fact all information about all palaces/castles/gardens in the southern state of Baden-Wurttemberg of Germany can be accessed online from a super informative website:

http://www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de/

A Superb quote I read on the wall of a children's hospital..

DIY Shape- Autobot!

There are umpteen blogs that give you a number of ideas to keep your toddler engaged indoors. And its nice to come up with a few of one's own innovations!.. 

Taking a cue from the "Transformers" craze,  here is a simple DIY Autobot!. Its made from different shapes stuck together like a robot on a plain white sheet of paper. 

Its great to get your kid to learn shapes, numbers and parts of the body. If not anything, it will keep them busy for about half an hour!.

DIY Kid Puzzles

DIY puzzles in 4 easy  steps!

1) Cut any picture or photograph that will interest your child. (My little one loves cars, so I just cut out this advertisement that was dropped in my mailbox)

2) Paste this picture onto a thick sheet of cardboard- the ones that come with packaging are great!

3) Draw some lines/curves that divide the picture with a thick felt pen. Make sure the number of pieces that you cut up the picture into is suitable for your child's age.

4) Cut along the drawn out lines to make your puzzle pieces!

Great way to keep your Coriander fresh.. and beautiful!

Simply cut away the roots till you are left with clean stems at the bottom. Fill a large cup with water  and dip the stems in. Leave it on the kitchen window sill. Thats it!.. Not only do they look beautiful and fresh, its easy to just pluck some leaves off, while you cook and they really last long this way!.

Don't waste those Turnip leaves!

I hate to waste food!. So, the other day when I was cutting up a turnip, I wondered if there was anything I could do with those leaves, without throwing them in the trash. So, I did some research online and sure enough, there were many suggestions for cooking turnip leaves. I selected one easy recipe, and threw in a few of my own ingredients and voila!, I got a really neat salad. 

So what did I do? First I just sauted finely shreded turnip leaves in melted butter. Once they get cooked, they get a lovely rich green colour and a weird taste. Next I seasoned that with salt and pepper, genorously sprinkled. Next I added this to a bowl of shreded carrots, cucumbers and paprika. Lastly, I drizzled an organic herb dressing and some sundried tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, on this. Yummy!

Tripsdrill!..

The best way to keep your kids busy on a nice summer weekend is to take them out!. And there is no better place than an amusement park to stimulate their senses.

The weekend just before my kid's school was to reopen, we made a late plan to go to an amusement park- Tripsdrill- no far from our home. We were to be joined by 3 other families with people of different ages, ranging from septuagenarians to toddlers!. The weather was sunny to start but later changed to gloomy skies. The route was well sign-posted and surprisingly beautiful, reminding me of our Switzerland trip. In fact, I think these were the best German countryside views I that have seen till date!.

Tripsdrill has two parks- an amusement park and a wildlife park, with different entrances and fees. Given a choice, and  the half a day's time, I would have gone to the wildlife park, but the majority opinion was for the amusement area and we headed that way!. The ticket was expensive at 26 euros per head!. But once inside, all the rides are accounted for and one can go any amount of times on them!.

The rides were great fun, especially for my little one. His favorite was the little speedway with self driving cars!. He just couldn't get enough of it!. My favorite was the water slide- my first time getting splashed while zooming down in a boat!. There was a nice "Vinarium" inside the park where I got a free souvenir- a shot glass!. It was nice to see how they made wine in yesteryears.

Unfortunately, rain cut into our fun and we had to make a hasty exit from the park. Weather here keeps changing so fast!.

Short weekend trip to Munich

In the second weekend of August, we made a short trip to Munich, again by road. It was a good two and half hours by road. We were to meet my brother's family there. It was a blazing hot weekend. In Europe when the sun comes out, it doesn't just shine!.. it burns!. 

We reached Munich a little after noon. After parking our car in the hotel garage, we took public transport to reach our first stop- the Deutsches Museum. In Munich, like most European cities, parking is hard to find. In fact the museum website warns you the "there is no parking for private individuals"!. But pubic transport is top-notch!. A day ticket, especially for a group is quite affordable. 

The Deutsches Museum is Germany's top science museum, spread over an area of 73000 square meters!. It has six floors and covers more than 50 fields of technology. 

We started of at the ground floor, starting with the shipping section and then moved to the aviation section. One striking memory of that section was the imposing model of the fuselage section of a passenger aircraft. 

Next we headed to the basement where they housed the "Kids Kingdom". With three kids in tow, we spent the maximum time per exhibit here!. But it was great to see and learn even for an adult!. It had a wonderful section of musical instruments. For the first time, I got to visualize how a piano makes music!. It also had a informative section on eclipses- simply explained solar and lunar eclipse models.

We were famished by the end of it and headed straight for the lunch room. Lunch was unexpectedly awesome!. This museum had one hell-of-a restaurant!. 

After lunch we had just 2 hours before closing time. We rushed through some floors, glancing as we went at textiles, printing technology and photography. The next most exciting section was "Technical toys"!. Fantastic demos of how things as simple as wipers work!. There was a model brick factory near by. Also there was a neatly explained section on "Glass making". 

With just an hour left, we rushed to the topmost floors which housed the "Astronomy" sections. This place was so informative. Disappointedly, the planetarium was closed that day. On the terrace of the museum there were some super collections of sundials and clocks, down the ages. The terrace was worth the effort to reach, just for the view it offered of the Munich skyline!.

As we made our way down, another great exhibit that comes to memory was the tunnel making section and some superb information about how the Eurostar was built.

At the end of it, (and like I feel about most museums), I felt, I needed to see this place again! sometime!.

Heading out of the museum, we walked down (quite a distance!), to the famous Munich English Garden. We walked along the Isar river, that was dotted with white islands of sand, full of weekenders lazing along the waterfront. In the English Garden, we watched surfers ride the popular "Wave"- artificial rapids. For dinner that evening, we headed to an Indian restaurant close to the park. Although, the ambience was friendly, the food was disappointing!. 

The next day, we left for the Olympia Park and BMW Welt. The BMW Welt was super!. The show stopper was a magnificent Rolls Royce "Phantom" proudly displayed under a banner which read "Strive for perfection in everything you do". The Welt is home to the first permanent RR exhibition outside of the UK. There were also enough BMW race cars, cabrios and hatchbacks to make one go gaga. 

Next we headed towards SeaLife that was housed in the park premises. I have never been to a SeaLife and was keen to explore it, as were the kids. The tickets were slightly pricey! but once inside, you are lost in the world under water. They even let you touch a starfish!. The best was last (always planned that way!)- a live session of scuba divers feeding the shark, fish and turtles!.

We had lunch at one of the numerous restaurants outside and the food was not bad at all!. 

After lunch we hopped onto a little toy train which went around the park and gave you some insight about the place. The park itself was built for the 1972 Olympics. and was mostly built under the ground!. There was a nice little amusement arena that was heaven for my toddler. The older kids were not disappointed- there was an interesting "Bubble walk on water" ride for them, on the lake.

Our Munich weekend was time well spent!.

Our Big Fat Greek Eat-Out

Back in Germany in early August, the first big occasion that happened to come our way was our 5th wedding anniversary (phew!.. we made it!). Our simple plan was a quite dinner at a fine place, that was also kid friendly. We zeroed in on a Greek restaurant- AGRO, situated a few miles from our home. Now, Greek cuisine is literally Greek! and Latin to us!. But we wanted to savor a few delicacies of a different kind.

Before we went, we did a little research online as to what to order and what each term means. The names are all tongue twisters!. Tzatziki!, taramasalata!, melitzanosalata!.. it seems that there was a lot we wanted to try out!.

In the restaurant, we were served by the English speaking waitress, who helped select our meal and wine, and it was not at all disappointing!. We started off with an assortment of starters- grilled meat and vegetables with a variety of sauces. Tzatzitki was too plain for us- Indian raita is nicer!. But the taramasalata was supreme!. Supposedly made from fish eggs, it was something anyone in a Greek resto should order!. Next came the Greek salad with some amazing dressing that I couldn't get enough of the salad!. We were nearly full by now and main course was still to come!.

Main course was souvlaki for my husband and moussaka for me. Souvlaki was essentially grilled meat served on a skewer with rice/pommes and salad. Moussaka is a layered, cheesy baked dish made with eggplants!. They were both excellent but the size and stuff of the previous servings was too much already!. I could only nibble  at my dish!.

So will I go Greek again? Yes! but next time I will stick to one course only!. You can't have a five course meal in a Greek eat-out!. 

Bangalore- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

I still cant get myself to say Bengaluru!. It will always be Bangalore for me!. I have often described myself as a diehard Bangalorean!. Although Im not a speaker of the native language of the state- this city has always been "my home". But I haven't lived here since nearly 8 years. I have resigned to being a regular visitor to my city.
Returning this time after a stint abroad, I am in a contemplative mood.

The Good
I love the weather!. Thankfully its still wonderfully pleasant.
I love the way Bangalore has evolved in terms of citizens' parks. They are great places to hang out in the evenings with family.
I love the way so many things happen in the city- from shopping to art to theatre and festivals - you can always find something new and exciting to do every weekend!.

The Bad
Powercuts!- I cant believe we still haven't found a way to solve our power crises issues.
Mosquitoes!- They are naturalized citizens of "Namma city".
Footpaths!- Our roads are bad. But are footpaths are worse. Walking anywhere to anywhere, is  like a pratice run for an obstacle race!. You cant even think of taking your baby out for a stroll in a buggy. Cant imagine how helpless a guy in a wheelchair must feel!.
Autowallahs!- Some rotten apples there. Some refuse you flatly on your face!. Some demand extra fare for travelling at 7 at night!. Some hike up the meter rate as soon as a drizzle begins!. And the worse- one guy just blew his top off when I handed him 100 bucks and asked for change!(say I should have informed him prior to departure that I wasn't carrying exact money!).

The Ugly
The Traffic Sense of people here!- It borders on insanity!. Whats with the incessant honking!. They are maniacs on two wheelers who drive like they are on cocaine. College students, who make use of every flaw in the system to their advantage. Auto-drivers, who make a joke of  traffic rules. And the worse, some crazy mini vans that seem to have no brakes in them!.

Eating out, in and around Jayanagar, Bangalore

1. The Other Cresent- This is a resto housed in an old judge's home. It was under rennovation when we visited it. The interiors were pretty ordinary- like a military hotel with cushioned chairs. The service was slow. The menu was surprisingly unique- living up to its continental tag. The menu was very well written and informative. The food (when it arrived)was the best part. It was relishing!. The chef did a great job!. Cost wise, it was moderate. All in all, I would definitely visit again-just for the unique food!.

2. Eurasia-We had some difficulty locating this place-it is tucked away from view by lots of trees!. There were no neon signs heralding the presence of the resto. It is also housed in something that looked like a remodelled house. Interiors were pleasent. Service was prompt and helpful. Food was yummy!. Cost was again moderate. Cant wait to go there again!

3. President's hotel- Ive been to Gufa twice before and I loved it both times. This time we were invited for a lunch party by vegetarian friends. The food was great!. I'm not a big fan of hotel buffets-but this one time was a really good spread.

4. Village, Soul of India- I got curious about this place when I was shopping at Jayanagar Central. Someone has rated this place to be the best veg resto in bangalore-so claims a huge hoarding in front of the place. We had to take 2 flights of escalators from the food court of the mall to finally reach the place. The place is done up very well- fitting of the theme. We had to first pay at the entrance, and then only go inside for the buffet. We went on a week day and it was about 400 bucks per person. Its free for very small kids. There was a huge party happening inside!. A huge group of people were busy playing "dandiya" in the center of the resto. Loud music was blaring from the speakers!. There was no high chair for my toddler. The buffet had a lot of variety-most of which were fairly ok. The  serving portions were really minuscule!. On the bright side, it was a effective way to ensure no food  would be wasted.There were other stuff like mehendhi/tatoos/puppet shows/ , but all for an extra price!. I wouldn't go there again- very overated place!.

5. Pizza Hut- There is an outlet in front of Sapna Book store in 5th block. We had some difficulty finding some parking place for our car in this busy shopping area. Service was excellent!. Food was great but somewhat pricey!(if you consider the size of the portions). But the place is extremely kid friendly- definitely a place I would consider if I have to eat out with my toddler.

6. Chutney Chang- This one is another buffet resto with a claim of the widest spread in the city. I   have eaten at their Church Street outlet and loved the experience. I expected this one to be no different-except that it was!. Food was just ok. Deserts were the only thing worth a second serving!. Not going there at all again.

7. 1947- Its right on top of a mall- so it has two great advantages- one, parking and two, great view of the city. Its also another veggie resto and is mainly focused on north Indian cuisine. Nice ambience- not great but pleasant. We ordered babycorn for starters and we were left searching for the babycorn in the "bhajji"!. But the rest of the meal was great- especially the naan and paneer currry- which was recommended by the waiter. The best part was the aam ka panna and the superb paan which came at an extra price!. Not a bad place for an occasional meal out.

8. Mainland China- I was really happy to find an outlet of Mainland China so close to home!. I took my family there, one saturday evening.

9. Subz-

Destination Paris

Paris is supposedly the most visited tourist destination in the world! (with 45 million tourists ever year). My trip to Paris, was my first real experience of traveling on international territory solo!, that too with a toddler in tow!.
My journey from Stuttgart to Paris in a high speed TGV train was a first- of- a- kind experience, with the train zooming part the French countryside at speeds crossing 300 kmph!. My ears were ringing all along!. The train made only two stops on its journey- Karlsruhe and Strassboug.
My first view of Paris was from the portico of the Gare de Est railway station- a majestic looking building with a beautiful foyer buzzing with activity. Paris looked like a city in a hurry- people rushing for taxis and trains. But there was a wonderful old charm in all the modernist activity. The architecture was amazingly quaint, so preciously preserved along the ages.
But the streets were all confusing!. Narrow and heavily signed, they were a maze for any newcomer. My taxi driver had no problem maneuvering his way through all the mayhem. The city as such was not very clean and green like most European cities.
Its true what they say about the Eiffel Tower- one can see it from anyway in Paris!. It is so towering- so unique and eye-catching- it stands out in the Parisan landscape like nothing else!. Especially at night, with its lights glittering away- its no wonder that the Eiffel tower is the most paid monument in the world!. Its even more awesome that a monument of such stature was built in 1889!.
Getting around in Paris by bus was easy but also long and tiresome. The locals were surprisingly friendly. Even more surprising, were the numbers of immigrant population- seems ethinic minorities in Paris account for 30% of the population.
The Lourve Museum, bang in the middle of Paris, was a huge disappointment. It was HUGE!- just too HUGE to see! (one may need at least a week to see it in toto!). And it was anything but kid-friendly!. Even after spending a good half day in the Lourve, I came out feeling like I hadn't seen a thing!.
The most memorable sight from my Paris trip was the palace of Versaillis. Absolutely splendid!. Everything about the place reflects the aristocratic arrogance, it once housed.

Our first family road trip: Stuttgart to Switzerland via the Back Forest

Long weekends without any travel plans are wasted; long weekends without any travel plans with good weather are the worst kind of wasted weekends. We had a long weekend in mid-May. Thankfully we were blessed with good weather for more than half the days.


We left home on a Saturday morning at 9AM, with the car packed with food, utensils, few clothes and all weather jackets.We made a quick stop for gas and air.

The weather was near perfect. The sun was blazing down on us. It was 23 degrees outside!. The autobahn was flooded with cars and mobile caravans- all indications that every one was going on a holiday here. We made another stop for breakfast, in one of the autobahn pitstops, at Schønbuch West. Bread & jam/ peanut butter and mixed vegetable salad in quark made a wholesome breakfast -on- the- go.


Our first stop enroute to Switzerland,was Lake Titisee. Titisee, is the largest natural lake in the Black forest, named after the Roman emperor Titus (who reportedly was enchanted with its beauty), situated at an altitude of 845m at the foot of Mount Feldberg. The last 30 kilometers or so, of the route to Titisee, takes you spiraling around the hills that are home to the "Black Forest" or Schwarzwald, as the Germans call it . The paths are so well sign-posted, that you really do not need a navi here. One is left gasping at the picturesque views of vast fir forests, meadows and green fields, along the drive.

We reached Titisee- Neustadt a little before lunch time.The lake and the town was no less enchanting, than the forests around it. Like Titus, we were blown away by the scenic beauty of the place. We went on a pedal boat for half an hour. This was a fun experience, (especially for my toddler son who steered the wheel like a ship's captain) and also a great way to work up an appetite for lunch!.

Lunch was simple- tomato and cheese baguettes and a plate of Kråuterquark (potatos with sour cream), all less than 10 euros. I have said this before- Germans are the kings of potatoes - the simple, low cost, dish was awesome!.

We spent some time collecting souvenirs, shopping for a cuckoo clock and just lazing away in the sun. The town even had an antique market, full of kitschy stuff.While here, we discovered that the famed Black Forest cakes are called so, not because they resemble the forest landscape under a blanket of snow, but rather from the specialty liquor of this region, known as Schwarzwälder Kirsch(wasser) that is distilled from tart cherries. This is the ingredient, with its distinctive cherry pit flavor and alcoholic content, that gives the cake its flavor. Every souvenir shop was selling the traditional Kirschwasser.



Post lunch, we were back on the road. In about an hour's time, we reached the German-Swiss border near the district town of Weil am Rhein, which is the most south western town in Germany,  situated in a border triangle between Germany, Switzerland and France. At the border, we were required to have a vignette (car toll) affixed on the car windscreen. Surprisingly, the Swiss issue vignettes for 1 year duration only, for a rather hefty sum of 33euros!. Wonder why they don't issue lesser costing vignettes suitable for shorter trips?.

Across the border, in Swiss country, the first major city we passed was Basel. The Swiss highways were nearly on par with their German counterparts, except for being narrower and with speed restrictions, many tunnels and green sign boards. The signboards indicating Swiss towns and cities are all abbreviated with the initials "CH", standing for "Confederatio Helvetica", the Latin name for Switzerland. The name is also inscribed on all Swiss currency (some shopping places take euros thankfully!).

Our plan for the Swiss holiday weekend, was selected by my brother. Being a seasoned tourist, and having seen more than half of Europe in his nearly 4-year stay here, we left the decision to him.My brother made a rather off-beat choice- a holiday home in Lungern, high up in the mountatins.
Driving up the mountains, the views were breathtaking!. Unfortunately, the closer we got to our destination- the more "confused" our navi got!. Eventually, we gave up on the navi, and asked for help- the old fashioned way!. We followed a tractor, up on a narrow, winding path, up the mountains to our destination. At first it was scary. But over the course, we got more used to its twists and turns. The same road was to be used for coming down!.

The house itself was warm and cozy!. It had 3 bedrooms, a living room with a fireplace and a modern kitchen. We spent the first night at home celebrating my brother and sister-in-law's 10th wedding anniversary.It was a first of a kind experience, living high up in the mountains!. There was no TV and no wi-fi, which left the kids disappointed. All around the house were absolutely amazing sights of waterfalls, dense pine forests and winding mountain paths.

On our second day, rain played spoilsport in the morning. Drizzle and gloom kept us indoors in the morning. Thankfully it cleared up in the morning and we decided to explore the cable car drive up Mount Pilatus, which was a short drive away. The hour long journey in the cable car was a heavenly experience.

Switzerland is all about scenic beauty- and one never runs short of it here. Everything here is so amazingly picture perfect. On our last day in Switzerland, we traveled by train along the panoramic route between Lungern and Interlaken (a scenic town between two lakes).

 Interlaken was absolutely stunning!. It is no wonder, this picturesque town is a famed destination for our movie moguls. We wandered around the little town. It is a made-for -the-tourist kind of town!. It has wonderful gardens blooming with flowers. It has tourist shops filled with kitschy merchandise.

On our way back, we made a stopover at Mettingen, to get a look at the Sherlock Holmes museum. That was a wee bit of a disappointment- it was a small place in a basement of a church. Although small in size, it gave us a lot of information about the world famous fictional detective- almost making him seem surreal.

We also made a pit-sop at the beautiful Lake Lungern- its breathtaking, turquoise blue, still, sparking waters, making a perfect background for the final photo shots of Switzerland.

All in all, our Swiss vacation was a scenic wonder- a real paradise-on-earth experience.

Spring is here.. finally!

Everyone tells me I came to Germany during a rather rough season. Worse, winter has never been this bad in Germany in the last 20 years!. Just my luck!. So finally a nice change in weather is a welcome relief for me and my son. After being mostly home-bound in the first 2 months that we were here, (except for the trip to Netherlands), with spring, our routines changed yet again.

Nero started his play school in the beginning of April. All my plans of working during his school hours were dashed when Nero showed no signs of accepting school even after a whole month!. Added to that were repeated episodes of sickness, meaning more sleepless nights for me!.

On the bright side, I could finally do away with my bulky sweater while indoors and I could finally, travel outside without  my trademark super heavy, super bloated wine colored jacket.

Nero's second birthday came and went. We had planned a nice trip to the Stuttgart zoo that day. Unfortunately, weather played spoilsport. It rained cats and dogs that day.

The nice thing about spring is that the days are longer. More sunshine hours means more play outdoors. Suddenly more people became visible outside our window. More kids were playing around. The little park near our house was a hub of activity.

We made a mid week visit to the Spring feast in Stuttgart. This was my little one's first amusement park experience. He spent the evening exploring all the lovely rides in store. It was a fun family day.

If you are a vegetarian eating out in Europe..

I do love to cook!. But not 24 X 7 X 365 days!. There are days when I crave for someone to cook for me!. More than the cooking, its the cleaning after, that really puts me off!. So, this month, I came up with the proposal to eat out once a week.Not only will it give me a much-needed break from cooking, but also give us a chance to try out different types of cuisine. But I'm a vegetarian..
While at Den Haag, my sis-in-law got me to try out the local potato fries- the Dutch make better fries than the French!- is what I discovered!. I also tried out the Turkish favorite- falafel sandwich-awesome!.
In Germany, I tried out the Badische Schupfnudeln- the local potato noodle recipe.The Germans are the kings of potatos!. But my best experience so far, has been with pizzas. There is this lovely Italian resto in Stuttgart called Da Fernando. It has the best pizzas I've ever tasted. A must-eat for all food lovers- veggie or otherwise!. Another nice experience of eating out was at Vapiano, another Italian chain, all over Europe and Americas. Here I tried out their pastas- their special Thai pasta was mouth-watering!. However,their Olivo pasta was too drenched in olive oil for my liking!.