Winter memories – Day 7 of 30 – #30daysblogmarathon

Winter is my favourite time of the year. Having grown up in Dubai and now settled in Mumbai, that is saying a lot. Because neither of these places gets much of it!

Most parts of the world have four distinct seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Here in Mumbai, we have three – Pleasant, Hot and Very hot! Pleasant is our winter!

 

So, you can imagine my joy when I got to spend three months in London from October to December 2014. London was the perfect place to experience winter in since it gets cold and rainy but not snowy and can’t-get-of-the-house-have-to-stock-up-on-supplies type cold! I very fondly look back on my time in London when for the first time in my life, I got to experience zero degrees Celsius with a hail storm. Yes, that’s how much I like winters! (Eye-rollers, stop reading now!!)

 

It is rightly said that you crave for what you do not have or get. I recall Londoners, my fellow colleagues and friends, who would earnestly look forward to the blink-and-you-miss-it summer that they get. A day that’s 20 degrees Celsius is warm there and if you went to the beach, you will see people sunbathing! In Mumbai, winter sees day temperatures of 20 degrees!

 

I used to roam the streets of London in just a flannel shirt and a raincoat and people would laugh at me (when they would be wearing a jacket, a raincoat, boots, gloves, caps…the works!). But I was just trying to soak in as much cold as possible and enjoy every moment of it. I almost felt like I was creating of reserve of cold in my body to brave the heat when I got back.

 

I loved the cold wind that would lash against my face when I stepped out of my apartment in the morning and even today, if I close my eyes and imagine myself walking out that apartment, I can feel it very distinctly! Although I must add, there were days I’d walk in to work looking like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Couple that with wrapping my fingers around a hot steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Heaven! I’ll always remember the river cruise I did when I was there – the cool wind on my face and lightly ruffling my hair, my fingertips going numb (because I decided gloves were for the timid!) and the smile never leaving my lips!

 

My absolute favourite memory from that time, is the Christmas Lights bus tour that I did. The tour covers all the main areas of London and to see London decked up in resplendent lights and shining like that is a sight to behold! And I did that in an open-top double-decker bus. On this very day five years ago! Here are some pics!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someday I hope to experience snow. I think I’ll go quite mad when I do! I know what those of you reading this post from minus 20 degrees must be thinking – “Stupid girl, doesn’t know what she is asking for”!

 

I also look back very fondly on my time in Dubai since winter was practically the only time of the year when we could go out of the house without breaking in to a sweat in 5mins! Winter in Dubai reminds me of our family picnics to Al Ain, Fujairah, Hatta and nearby places. We would pack our picnic baskets, carry some handy games (basically racquets and balls, frisbees, shuttles) and take off for the day. Such fun times!

 

Here in Mumbai, winters for me is the time to go out a little bit more (and by out, I mean under open skies…. not to the mall!). And on some cool evenings, I love to sit by the window, sipping a hot cup of coffee and reading a good book.

 

What are your favourite winter memories? What do you like to do in the winters? Let me know in the comments

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Maggie’s Recollections…………look hard, they may be yours too!!!!!!!!!!

It was a sultry summer afternoon and Maggie sat in her porch, reclined on her easy chair. She never realized when her eyelids fell and she went spiraling into a little enchanting world of her own.

She remembered the first time her dad had taught to skate. She was an over-enthusiastic seven-year-old raring to learn something new. She was so excited she picked up skating on the very day her dad gifted her the pair of skates. Her dad beamed with justified pride when he saw his beloved daughter wheeling around!

She recalled how she had once wished for a giant teddy bear she’d seen in a shop window and longed to have one like it. And her dad had bought it for her birthday. How thrilled she was!!!!

And then there was the time when she was first leaving home to attend a boarding school. Her father had told her, “Always remember three things. First, Think before you act and do the right. Second, Compromise always, but never to the point of losing your self-respect. And lastly, always give others more or at least equal of what you expect of them, be it respect, love, freedom or support.” Maggie had never forgotten those golden words of advice and they had helped her make the most important decisions of her life with astonishing ease.

She joined university soon after high school and her dad never forced her to live his dreams. Instead, he urged her to go all out and fulfill her own. He was always the silent supporter and a source of immense strength to Maggie.

When Maggie got married, her dad wished her and her husband well and was still there to lend his ever-strong shoulder to his daughter each time she needed it – whether it was stress at home, tension at work, inability to make the right decision or anything else…….he was always there. He had held her index finger and taught her to walk but he never really left it even when she learnt to sprint and skate!

Her kids always enjoyed their holidays with dear ol’ grand-daddy as he always had something intriguing to show them, something valuable to teach them and something so invaluable they cherished it – his time! He never tired of answering their endless questions. He was a giver – he had given his all to the most important people in his life. He was a gentleman, a family man, a perfect man! Maggie suddenly realized that knowingly or unknowingly, she had always looked for characteristics of her dad in her life-partner!

She also recalled the innumerable times he had reprimanded her for things that seemed largely insignificant. But he had always been quick to forgive her – of course after making her feel thoroughly guilty for what she had done!!!!! He had always accepted her with all her faults – her tantrums, her temper, her adamancy and her ego. But he had also taught her to remain absolutely grounded – ALWAYS!

Yes, Maggie was an out-and-out Papa’s girl!!!!!!

A strong breeze blew Maggie’s hair onto her face and she was forced out of her reverie. As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew what she had to do. She ran to the telephone to tell the first MAN in her life what he meant to her!!!! A gruff voice at the other end of the line told her he’d been asleep but she didn’t care! “Happy Fathers’ Day, Dad!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!” she managed! Her dad was a bit taken aback but thrilled all the same…..thrilled beyond words!!!

Yes friends, I’m a day late…..Fathers’ Day was yesterday…….18th June. But what the heck??? I mean do we really need a day to tell him how much he means to us? Do we really need an excuse?????? Tell you what……………do as I say? Get up from where you’re seated, go engulf your dad in a mega hug, plant a kiss on his cheek and tell him what Maggie told her dad…..and do this irrespective of whether you’re a “son” or a “daughter”!!!!! And don’t forget to tell me how it felt!!! I bet nothing felt better…….not even hot chocolate on a chilly winter’s day!!!!

Don’t wait for occasions to tell people what they mean to you. Tell it to them and make it an occasion! Not just your dad….anybody…….mom, granddad, grandma, uncle, aunty, cousins, friends, anybody….tell them what they mean to you if its really true!!!!!!! Don’t wait for the “right” time…..it may never come….and if and when it does, it may be too late! Tell people and watch their face glow with pride and happiness!!! Go do to your mom what you just did to your dad (I’m assuming you did it!!!) and watch her wanting to dance in joy! What better gift to give to your parents – the two most genuine and important souls in your life who care for you all through their life and yours????!!!!!!!!! They deserve that and much more!!!!

So here’s to my dad………who’s miles away from me…………sending you a hug and a kiss to tell you that you’re simply the BEST!!!! I love you, dad…….Happy Fathers’ Day…..today, everyday!!!! And to my mom……….the epitome of unconditional love……..here’s to you, too……..all my love, always!!!!!!!!

Hope my article threw light on the value of our “janm daataas” and inspired you to celebrate their existence day after day!!!!!!

Disclaimer: All characters (there are very few anyway!) and events in this story are entirely figments of my restless imagination and any resemblance to any person living or dead is not coincidental, its natural, because its based on events that hold special importance in all our lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So till next time, from slo, this is Tally-Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Live from Dubai!!!!

Hello friends, Sorry for the extremely exteeeeeeeeeeeended silence……….And thanks for remembering me during my self-imposed exile Pallavi and Avrosh!!!! Well the fact of the matter is that I was held up with my exams till the 6th of May and then, freaked out with friends for a couple of days and then, I’ve been here in Dubai for the past one week……….Gosh, its a week already…..unbelievable……been so busy catching up with long-lost friends and taking in quite gleefully the innumerable changes that have clouded this city in a seemingly short span of time (one month short of a year!)……….it feels, to put it subtly, nice, very nice to be back! Having said that…..what better topic to blog about than the changes that I see here, my reminiscences here and some things that have lingered in my mind!!!!!!

It’s hot here……….an absolute furnace and I’m getting cooked in it……..want me for lunch anybody??? Or dinner maybe?!!!!!! Well, let me be over with the wisecracks and tell you something more meaningful!

Yea, so the changes here………..too many to be listed out…….here are a few of them! Some of the roads have given way to mounds and mounds of construction material to give momentum to the ambitious project of a railway in UAE. New, suave and strong buildings have come up where dilapidated concrete structures once stood. New malls have come up………there seems to be no end to the number of malls coming up here…..I mean “shop till you drop” is fast becoming an understatement!

The city seems to be stretching into the desert and in a few years from now, there won’t be a desert here, going by the developments! Yet, overall, the feel of the place remains the same……the same warmth (heat let’s say!!!!!!), the same cosmopolitan crowd, the same resplendent evenings marked by multi-hued lights along the streets…….yes, this is where I’ve spent 14 precious and memorable years of my life! Let me share something with all of you……..Dubai has hosted 10 Shopping Festivals…each having a unique theme. Three of them that have truly touched me have been “Dubai…….the city that cares”, “Mothers” and “One World…one Family”. The former has almost become a motto of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the second has lingered as a sub-theme at best for all subsequent festivals while the last has stayed on as the very essence and spirit of the festival year after year.

Dubai……the city that cares……yes, how else would you define the welcome that tourists get at the hotels when they arrive, the services offered to them and the efforts that go into making their stay a pleasant one?? Apart from tourists, life for residents here is very well taken care of…..services and amenities-the very best, hospitality unlimited, shopping – need I say anything????? So, Dubai cares for its people……..

Mothers……….how can a theme such as this one not touch your heart……Only recently- 3 days back on 14th May – we celebrated Mothers’ Day……..So much has been said about the role of mothers in the development of the child, about their contribution to society, about their trials and tribulations that we hardly need to look further for role models……..Mothers are the epitome of unconditional love, sacrifice, understanding and tolerance. What better way to honour them than to have an entire festival to celebrate their being!!!!

Coming to “One World….One Family”, this is undoubtedly the theme that reflects the true spirit of the DSF and brings to fore the cosmopolitan atmosphere prevailing here……the camaraderie that people share irrespective of lineage, religion, place of origin and language. All barriers are cut across to bring about an environment that is tolerant, respectful and affectionate towards only one race – the Human race; only one family – the World! Yes, this is the ultimate theme in terms of suitability to the place and the cause!

So that brings us back to where I started……….nothing’s changed……not the familial atmosphere, not the respect…….just the facade…..the screen-saver as you may call it….its the cover that’s changed, but the glory of the book remains blissfully intact!! Dubai……the city of glory!!!!!

Well, well……that was almost an ode to this place……………..I guess I just got carried away in my memories and they’ve translated into this post on my blog for all of you to read and take in!!!!!!!!!! Gosh sometimes, I wish I had Albus Dumbledore’s Pensieve which could hold my memories for safekeeping and have me return to them and take a sneak peak into them as and when I wish! (Gee…..I’m a total Harry-Potter-aholic!!!) But on second thoughts………I guess this blog IS my pensieve and you guys can take a sneak peak into it too…..anytime you want!!!!!! I’d love you to do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, that’s for today……I hope I’m a tad more regular with blogging…..having broken the ice today!!!!!!!

Till next time…………….it’s Tally-ho from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!