CherieXpressions-My Art Space

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.



- Henry Ward Beecher



Monday, June 3, 2013

Our India Trip - Our journey to the apartment we would be staying at was about 20 minutes.  It was dark and everything looked really dismal and dirty. Reached at about 3 a.m.  The apartment was quite good, with fridge and microwave but really everything was really old.  It was comfortable and homely though.  We managed to sleep a couple of hours and was awakened to the sounds of crows cawing and the church bells playing the 'Angelus' at 6 a.m. Brendon and I went to church.  The roads were quite empty at 7.15  in the morning, the shops still closed.

I was happy to be in St. Peter's church again.  it's the church we used to go to and the church Brendon and I married in and our children Samantha and Brett had their First communion. I did not like the stray dogs that enter the church and lie down in between the pews.  Mass is the same here with the new liturgy.  You can take a look at this beautiful church with the virtual tour.  It's awesome.  It's designed on the style of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the altar has real gold inlay donated by the parishioners long ago.St. Peter's church Bandra, virtual tour.
Enjoy the beautiful stained glass windows and architecture.  

After mass we thought we would go shopping for breakfast; everything was closed.  This was new to me.  I remember taking the kids to school and everything was open at 8.30 a.m. and before.  the only place open was Amrut Sagar - where you could eat breakfast.  We decided to go home and come out again but we found 'Nature's Basket' a grocery store on the ground floor of the building we were staying at was open.  This is a new store, did not exist when we were in Mumbai.  We managed to get cereal, instant coffee, bread etc but the prices were expensive as most of the stuff except bread and fruit and vegetables is imported.

It looked better in the morning in the sunshine.  The roads soon got busy.  We all went out after breakfast to the phone store to get Indian cards installed for our stay here.  It was so hot!! And so crowded!!!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Our India Trip

April 30th Tuesday - So glad I moved my music lessons and was free for the day; there were so many little things to take care of last minute stuff that had to be packed and organizing everything for our ledest daughter Samantha.  She could not get leave and would be joining us later.  We left for the airport at 6.45 p.m. Sam drove us and our friend Benoy - we were 5 of us with a lot of suitcases! The flight to Frankfurt was good -Air Canada- very smooth.  Food not bad; the wine was good - I don't eat or drink much on a flight. I'm glad i had a neck pillow and took along my long pillow too for my back.  At Frankfurt, at security check, they threw away my lens cleaning liquid.  I had put it in my hand luggage as I thought I might need it.  Service was good on this flight Lufthansa but the seats were really cramped - no leg room and i was quite sore.  The German beer was good! Couldn't sleep on the flight so I watched Runaway Bride, Quartet, Parental Guidance and I love Lucy. Arrived in Mumbai at 1 a.m.Thursday morning ( 17 hrs flying time) The rush of moist heat was stifling and the baggage took forever to arrive.  We were surrounded by people wanting to help with the baggage and get tipped.  We took a prepaid taxi; the drive was not too bad because the roads were not too busy at 3 .am. We arrived at the apartment we are staying.  It's a nice, comfortable 3 bedroom home with a big living room with place for extra beds for when my parents and Sam and Uncle would arrive.