1. Our fifth Wedding Anniversary is coming up over the weekend, aka as our latest excuse to travel. Not that we need an excuse anymore, considering it's weird now to not be packing on a weekend. We thought it'd be nice to spend a landmark Anniversary someplace relaxed and beachy, hence Phuket, Thailand got picked, to be our destination later this week.
2. I love the sound of sirens in a city. To me, it is an inherent sound of a busy, rushed, high-on-adrenaline city. One that puts a sudden flurry in your step urging you to stop dead in your tracks, scurry to the side or quickly cross the street before the fire-truck/ police car runs you down!
Call me a weirdo, but I miss that sense of urgency instilling man-made cacaphonia. In Singapore, one does not hear sirens as much as one does in NYC.
What is pleasant though, is sirens have given way to cuckoos instead. It feels like a contradiction of sorts - as I stare outside my balcony each evening - at a dense, high-rise, concrete, cityscape that comes accompanied with a cuckoo's coo-ing soundtrack, day after day. In a strange life-comes-a-full-circle kind of way, this cooing, which was very much a part of my childhood even in a city like Mumbai (along with the chirping of the sparrows; another welcome sound one hears often here) is now a part of the daughter's as well, who goes "Cooo.." each time she hears the sound!
3. The over-the-top, gaudy, extravagantly lit, Christmas decorations all over the city have given way to plastic Spring blooms, stunted Mandarin Bonsai's and bright Red Chinese lanterns, all in celebration of the Chinese New Year (lovingly abbreviated by all to CNY) coming up in early February. Come to think of it, I'd rather have the CNY kinda Red over the "annoying-red-hearts" kinda Valentine's Day Red, found everywhere at this time of the year!
CNY decorations feel so much more appropriate and blend in so beautifully with the cultural and physical demographic of this city-state. While Christmas felt so out of place and "implanted" here, in Singapore, CNY could not have been more comfortably at home.
While the locals prepare for this long weekend, well in advance, a strange fact that I learnt about recently was the concept of a 'CNY surcharge'. Some businesses such as a few hair salons, restaurants etc raise their prices by 10-20% in the period just before and after the CNY, to cash in on the demand. How ridiculous would it be if say a Hair Salon charged you more just before Diwali in India or Thanksgiving in the US? While some clients dont fret over the surcharge, as it's a festive time there are others who make sure to avoid these largely Chinese & Malaysian businesses, during this time.
4. The process of transitioning the daughter into her own toddler bed has started. While she has slept in a crib for the whole first year of her life and in a ground-bed, for the last 6 months, we now hope to move her into her own room gradually. This change-of-room hesitation is really more from our end than hers, on account of my pure laziness from having to get out of bed physically at night, lest she wake up (As she sleeps on a low bed, next to my bedside right now, I literally peep down at her if I hear a sound or two)
The Bed-Rails were purchased with much hope, trying to convert a Twin Bed into a Toddler one. All our hopes came crashing down when during the first trial, the daughter happily climbed over the rail and jumped off the bed, running right out of the room, waving out a "Byee" at us. Oh well! Seems like we've clearly underestimated her, AGAIN!!
5. The Deloitte Expat Club (as we call ourselves now) met again for dinner Friday night at Cha Cha Cha - a Mexican restaurant in Holland Village. As is known to most, Mexican cuisine is best avoided in Asia, if one does not want to be disappointed. Sadly, this is one cuisine, which Asians have far from perfected (We've basically written off Mexican from our palates until we go States-side again) Thus our reluctance justifiably so, when we got invited here, Friday night.
Possibly because of our low expectations, but Cha Cha Cha stood well above any of the other Mexican restaurants that we've been to here, promptly making it's place in our list of 'may-go-back-to' food joints.
6. Hubster's close Uncle & Aunt are longtime Phuket residents - a fact I'd long forgotten and re-learnt this week, while planning our getaway there. Worked to my advantage, as they took over and booked us a classy, top-floor suite in their friend's hotel (Patong Resort), overlooking the Patong Bay and steps from the beach (For once, I did'nt need to do the research and could happily delegate to a trustworthy source).
We flew to Phuket Saturday morning and blissed out all weekend long, hopping from one beach to another. The baby swam, Hubster slept and I voyeured myself out! Together, the three of us sank our souls in incredible Thai cuisine of all types - off of the streets and superb sit-down restaurants. Trips to Thailand have only just begun and we cannot wait to return here often, for the food, above everything else!
Anniversary Celebrations started off with a long brunch followed by our most fave family activity - swimming/ lazing in the pool. Half a day later, the baby sitter took over, as Hubster and I indulged in two-hour long massages followed by a long, lovely, dinner on a hill, overlooking the Andaman Sea at Rice - The restaurant at Baan Yin Dee!
We realised the highlight of our marriage this far, has been our Travel (About 10+ countries, together in the last 5 years). While there were a lot of other events that came close (Buying our first home/ Running marathons & races together/ Climbing up our first ice-mountain/ Starting a family/ Career moves etc) none were as constantly recurring as the travel. So we wrapped up our evening with a happy 5 year plan - to take this number up several notches high, by the time we hit our next landmark celebration - at 10 years! Hoping to reach lots of new places together, one country at a time!
The parents land here mid next week for a short 10 day visit. They will be our first official house guests in this city. Cannot wait!
Love,
Shweyta
2. I love the sound of sirens in a city. To me, it is an inherent sound of a busy, rushed, high-on-adrenaline city. One that puts a sudden flurry in your step urging you to stop dead in your tracks, scurry to the side or quickly cross the street before the fire-truck/ police car runs you down!
Call me a weirdo, but I miss that sense of urgency instilling man-made cacaphonia. In Singapore, one does not hear sirens as much as one does in NYC.
What is pleasant though, is sirens have given way to cuckoos instead. It feels like a contradiction of sorts - as I stare outside my balcony each evening - at a dense, high-rise, concrete, cityscape that comes accompanied with a cuckoo's coo-ing soundtrack, day after day. In a strange life-comes-a-full-circle kind of way, this cooing, which was very much a part of my childhood even in a city like Mumbai (along with the chirping of the sparrows; another welcome sound one hears often here) is now a part of the daughter's as well, who goes "Cooo.." each time she hears the sound!
3. The over-the-top, gaudy, extravagantly lit, Christmas decorations all over the city have given way to plastic Spring blooms, stunted Mandarin Bonsai's and bright Red Chinese lanterns, all in celebration of the Chinese New Year (lovingly abbreviated by all to CNY) coming up in early February. Come to think of it, I'd rather have the CNY kinda Red over the "annoying-red-hearts" kinda Valentine's Day Red, found everywhere at this time of the year!
CNY decorations feel so much more appropriate and blend in so beautifully with the cultural and physical demographic of this city-state. While Christmas felt so out of place and "implanted" here, in Singapore, CNY could not have been more comfortably at home.
While the locals prepare for this long weekend, well in advance, a strange fact that I learnt about recently was the concept of a 'CNY surcharge'. Some businesses such as a few hair salons, restaurants etc raise their prices by 10-20% in the period just before and after the CNY, to cash in on the demand. How ridiculous would it be if say a Hair Salon charged you more just before Diwali in India or Thanksgiving in the US? While some clients dont fret over the surcharge, as it's a festive time there are others who make sure to avoid these largely Chinese & Malaysian businesses, during this time.
4. The process of transitioning the daughter into her own toddler bed has started. While she has slept in a crib for the whole first year of her life and in a ground-bed, for the last 6 months, we now hope to move her into her own room gradually. This change-of-room hesitation is really more from our end than hers, on account of my pure laziness from having to get out of bed physically at night, lest she wake up (As she sleeps on a low bed, next to my bedside right now, I literally peep down at her if I hear a sound or two)
The Bed-Rails were purchased with much hope, trying to convert a Twin Bed into a Toddler one. All our hopes came crashing down when during the first trial, the daughter happily climbed over the rail and jumped off the bed, running right out of the room, waving out a "Byee" at us. Oh well! Seems like we've clearly underestimated her, AGAIN!!
5. The Deloitte Expat Club (as we call ourselves now) met again for dinner Friday night at Cha Cha Cha - a Mexican restaurant in Holland Village. As is known to most, Mexican cuisine is best avoided in Asia, if one does not want to be disappointed. Sadly, this is one cuisine, which Asians have far from perfected (We've basically written off Mexican from our palates until we go States-side again) Thus our reluctance justifiably so, when we got invited here, Friday night.
Possibly because of our low expectations, but Cha Cha Cha stood well above any of the other Mexican restaurants that we've been to here, promptly making it's place in our list of 'may-go-back-to' food joints.
6. Hubster's close Uncle & Aunt are longtime Phuket residents - a fact I'd long forgotten and re-learnt this week, while planning our getaway there. Worked to my advantage, as they took over and booked us a classy, top-floor suite in their friend's hotel (Patong Resort), overlooking the Patong Bay and steps from the beach (For once, I did'nt need to do the research and could happily delegate to a trustworthy source).
We flew to Phuket Saturday morning and blissed out all weekend long, hopping from one beach to another. The baby swam, Hubster slept and I voyeured myself out! Together, the three of us sank our souls in incredible Thai cuisine of all types - off of the streets and superb sit-down restaurants. Trips to Thailand have only just begun and we cannot wait to return here often, for the food, above everything else!
Anniversary Celebrations started off with a long brunch followed by our most fave family activity - swimming/ lazing in the pool. Half a day later, the baby sitter took over, as Hubster and I indulged in two-hour long massages followed by a long, lovely, dinner on a hill, overlooking the Andaman Sea at Rice - The restaurant at Baan Yin Dee!
We realised the highlight of our marriage this far, has been our Travel (About 10+ countries, together in the last 5 years). While there were a lot of other events that came close (Buying our first home/ Running marathons & races together/ Climbing up our first ice-mountain/ Starting a family/ Career moves etc) none were as constantly recurring as the travel. So we wrapped up our evening with a happy 5 year plan - to take this number up several notches high, by the time we hit our next landmark celebration - at 10 years! Hoping to reach lots of new places together, one country at a time!
The parents land here mid next week for a short 10 day visit. They will be our first official house guests in this city. Cannot wait!
Love,
Shweyta
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