Diwali Break 2006: A Neemrana Tour

Diwali this year was spent around the Delhi area. While visiting the Taj Majal was part of the destination, we also intended to visit several Neemrana Heritage Hotels. The Neemrana chain is unique; they pride themselves on being the non-hotel hotel. This group takes old palaces, forts, mansions, whatever and changes them into beautiful hotels. We stayed at three of them: the Patoudi Palace Hotel, Neemrana Fort Hotel, and Kesaroli Fort Hotel. They are fabulous, and anyone who comes to visit will have to join us on a trip to the one two hours from Bombay called the Verandah in the Forest in Matheran. Here's the link if you'd like to be enticed, http://neemranahotels.com/

Aside from fabulous hotel rooms, we had a wonderful trip! Camels were seen every day. If the kids acted up in a car ride, all we had to do was start counting camels. That was enough distraction to refocus their attentions. Camels weren't the only competitors on the highways up north! There were water buffalo, oxen, more camels, as well as people pulling their carts along with the crazy traffic including jeep like vehicles with people literally hanging out of them going 60 miles per hour! The driving was insane as you will see in pictures below! It was quite terrifying at times. Especially at dusk when they refuse to use their headlights!

The historical sites were fantastic. The Taj is absolutely breathtaking. We woke up very early to make it before the sunrise and opening at 6 am. The kids were total troopers and enthusiastic the whole way. After seeing the Taj Majal, we then continued to the baby Taj (Itama Doud Mahal) and Agra Fort. Vincent was such an amazing historian; he kept wanting to know more. I needed Corky there to help tell (create) the history.

The trip included adventure walks around our various hotels--we stayed in five, and afternoons filled with swimming. We had our fair share of Indian food and enjoyed all the yummy naan found up north. Vincent started eating spicy chips which is like a major feat for us. Now a whole world of foods can be introduced, and we can keep referring to those chips. Overall, the trip was fantastic as proven by the photos found here. Enjoy! (There is no order to the pics--I tried but it was too hard to figure it out. Blogger isn't quite totally user friendly:)

Diwali Blues

On the friday before our Diwali break, all the elementary kids wore their festival Indian clothes. The Thursday night before, Vincent and Gigi picked out their outfits. They were just too cute dancing around in their lehnga (Gigi's skirt outfit) and kurta (Vincent's shirt). Here's their photo shoot in front of our old blue wall. Over Diwali break we had our place painted while we were gone, so these photos are the last reminder of our beautiful--and bright--old blue walls. The kids like Diwali except for as Vincent says, "...but... it's a little bit too noisy with the firecrackers in Bombay."

Start of School and Stuff

At the start of the year, we had Vincent and Gigi's teachers over for dinner. It was a fun evening. Coach Barry joined us as well. It was our first dinner party with kids--you can notice all the teachers' kids joined us. We had a good time.



All the boys fit inside the toy box! The girls must have been playing elsewhere.



This is a family shot from our balcony on the night of Gigi's birthday. She's three in this picture.



Gigi passed out against me the night of her birthday--she had about 5 rounds of cakes with song. She was pooped!! For her birthday she received a pet doctor barbie, a kitchen set complete with plates, pans, coffee maker, etc, and of course some books from mommy!



Here's a picture of our growing kids up at Matheran. Each year, we go to the same place. The place stays the same, yet obviously the kids change. They are growing so fast!

Ganpati Bappa Moriya

Ganpati Bappa Moriya (gun potty bappa more eee ah)!

The Ganesha festival that starts the Hindu calendar is a celebratory 11 days filled with color, music, excitement, laughter, and many many Ganeshes filling the beach for his immersion. Families and communities keep a Ganesh statue for any where from a day and a half to eleven days. He must be fed and cared for as a true guest. Someone must always be with him, and one should never turn their back to Ganesh. When the day comes for his immersion, a puja starts the parade to the beach accompanied with fireworks and a marching band. Arrival to the beach becomes a bit more solemn as the puja continues with fire and incense. Before his enters the water, followers put their hands in the smoke from the fire and rub their face with the smoke.

The Krembs' family thoroughly enjoyed their third Ganesha immersion. Let the pictures depict the merriment of this extraordinary festival!

MVSO (In other words: Mini Van Sell Outs!)

It's official: we are MVSOs (mini van sell outs)! But man, during our sometimes too long commutes or even in just our regular route home, the new sleek black Toyota Innova is so cushy comfortable! And for just in case emergencies, we have a DVD player that drops from the ceiling. I know, I know: pathetic! But oh so comfy!

Here's a little info about the pics:



First, for any large purchase a puja is done. A puja is basically like a little prayer offering to the new purchase. Our's included a nice necklace, a little Lord Ganesha and Christ sticker miniature for the dashboard (it wouldn't be a complete Indian car with out the ornamentation), and a coconut. The cocunut is cracked on the ground and then sprinkled on the engine--just to make sure everything runs all right. Who knows? But, when in India, do as the Indians!

Sayed is our driver. He is super. The most distinguishable characterestic of Sayed is his pride--and then his sense of humor. He is very good with the kids. Sayed's an aggresive yet safe driver. He adores the kids--kinda like everybody else! White children (I'm not trying to sound bad) are a bit of a novelty here in India. (Just yesterday on the beach some strangers wanted to take a picture of Gigi. Older brother Vincent politely declined, "No thank you." It was a cute proud parent moment of our eldest son and his developing manners.)




























Finally you can all see this Holly Hobby picture of little Gigi. I couldn't resist. Her freckles and bright blue eyes were so cute in this shot. And the first pic up above at the top is simply a family picture in front of our new Innova, Toyota Mini Van! Yes! We are indeed proud sell outs!!