Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Surajkund Crafts Mela

I had heard a lot about Surajkund in the first two years we were here. It was the mela of all melas...a huge gathering of handicrafts from all over India--the best of the best. I finally got there this year. The handicrafts were the usual items you see at these types of fairs, but the sheer size was amazing. It was set on an expansive, hilly area about 45 minutes (depending on traffic) southwest of central Delhi. My friend, Sally, and I went on a Sunday afternoon--probably the most crowded time to go. We worked our way through the crowds and maze of stalls to see beautiful fabrics, iron work, wood work, clothing and jewelry. My favorite spot was the international area with stands from Nepal, Thailand, Afganistan and Pakistan--beautiful carpets and scarves. Here are some photos from our afternoon:

Silk patchwork bed covering:
 Loads of fabric:
 Finding just the right one:
 Bells:
 Decorations like these hung from trees all over the grounds and looked so beautiful:
 Yes, there were rides...and, no, I would never, ever go on them:
 Wooden statues:
 Always a longer line for the ladies:

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Spring has sprung...

The flowers are blooming and it's just perfect weather...for the next couple of weeks or so until summer (and the mosquitoes) sets in. So, we have been enjoying walks in the neighborhood, going to Lodi garden and looking at all the beautiful flowers.  Here are a few of our favorites:

These huge ones are just amazing. I think they are dahlias:
 Love the white petals with purple center:
 And, introducing, our new gardener...he has his own way of doing things:

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A special zoo outing...

A few months back, I wrote about the difficulties of coming back to Delhi and two things that got me motivated again. You can read about it here: A Good Thing. At the end, I say that this is the year we really start to give. So, we decided to help a child out in Delhi. And, we were lucky enough to meet him recently on a trip to the zoo. As to not put too much pressure on him meeting us for the first time and since he is quite  a small boy, we were invited to accompany him and his school mates on their zoo outing. It was a huge group of kids of all ages:
The bigger ones helping out the little ones:
The kids loved the birds:
And ice cream:
And the cheeky monkeys sneaking into the hippo enclosure:

All in all it was a great experience for us. A few days after our zoo trip, I was speaking with an amazing and very knowledgeable woman I know and from whom I learned foot reflexology. She was saying that the only thing we can truly do in life is to give--give knowledge, give love, just give...

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

At your door...

One thing that I most appreciate in living where we do is that so much can be delivered or done at your house--groceries, take-out, hand-woven baskets, tailor, jeweler, carpet seller...you name it and whatever you want will find its way to your home.
And then, you know you're really part of the neighborhood when your son gets delivered...
(along with the food, of course!)