tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26821353731045610152024-02-06T23:52:53.780-08:00Jo and Dave's BlogTranscend space and time as you follow the not-so-newlyweds, Annie, and Miles on their timezone traversing and place-making adventures....David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-46654366344246950022016-06-16T07:21:00.002-07:002016-06-16T07:21:13.998-07:00Sikkim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The above picture kinda tells the tale. I love Gangtok, which is the capital of Sikkim. I've been here for just five days, exploring a potential new research project. The state has recently garnered extensive international attention (including some web articles that drew me here) as it is the first state to be 100% certified organic. But that's another conversation.<br />
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Sikkim in in India's Northeast. It used to be it's own kingdom (like Bhutan, it's neighbor) until the 1970s. It is an incredibly green state, both in terms of policy (i.e. the
organic one, but also banning plastic bags in the early 90s, prohibiting
the cutting of any tree etc). Gangtok, is the capital, and sprawls alongside a mountain ridge. As part of the Northeastern Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot, there are some pretty incredible trees throughout the city. <br />
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Unfortunately, I'm here during the rainy season, which means the incredible views of the Himalayas are behind the clouds. Even so, watching the clouds part and reveal tiny hillside villages has been pretty magical. <br />
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It's also a largely Buddhist state, and as such has some amazing monasteries and places to visit.<br />
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<b> Prayer wheels at Enchey Monastery</b></div>
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In addition to the generally serene ambience of prayer flags billowing in the forest. I thought the spider web coated in mist hanging from the prayer flag was particularly cool. </div>
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Being in Sikkim by myself (Jo and the kids are in Mysore, Karnataka with Auntie Sarah), gave me the opportunity to do a few things I might not normally do with the kiddos in tow. Like checking out the incredible Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.</div>
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Housed in a gorgeous traditional Tibetan mansion, the institute has an incredible collection of Tibetan artifacts, including horns made from human thigh bones! No pictures allowed. Sorry. </div>
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<br />Giant Stupa</div>
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<br /><span style="color: #0000ee;">Another thing I might not do, at least in quite the same way, with <span style="color: #0000ee;">kids: go spend several hours in a bookst<span style="color: #0000ee;">ore. Can't remember the last time I did that, but it was a ton of fun<span style="color: #0000ee;">. <span style="color: #0000ee;">This book<span style="color: #0000ee;">store was a real treasure, having been open for the last 50 years, and housing a wide range of book<span style="color: #0000ee;">s on Northeastern <span style="color: #0000ee;">India.<span style="color: #0000ee;"> I started lea<span style="color: #0000ee;">fing through them, and <span style="color: #0000ee;">before I knew it, 3 hours had passed!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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One of the cooler spaces in Gangtok is the MG Marg pedestrian mall. Unlike the pedestrian mall in Mussoorie, that let paying cars in, this was truly car/moto free. Given that now is one of the high tourist seasons (which surprises me given the daily rain, but makes sense given the heat in the plains), it was just jam packed with tourists. <br />
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Sikkim's food is incredible. Given it's geography-with closely neighboring countries of Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet---the food is a regional melange.<br />
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I hope to have the opportunity to come back, and get more of a chance to explore this incredible landscape--and next time, I will surely bring the rest of the family! <br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-67362318101592872112016-06-11T08:50:00.001-07:002016-06-11T08:50:38.571-07:00Lighthouse Beach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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From Allepey, we headed back down south to Trivandrum, the capital of
Kerala, where Dave had some interviews to do. Turns out that lodging in
Trivandrum was pretty underwhelming, and so we opted to stay at aptly
named Lighthouse beach, just 15 km down the road. We were so glad we
did! It was close enough for Dave to commute in for interviews, and
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Imagine a luau dance...</div>
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The beach was largely black sand, and was the finest sand we'd ever seen.<br />
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We stayed in a small hotel that was literally 20 feet from the beach. At night we could hear the waves crashing, and in the morning we could sit on the porch, and watch people fishing from the boulders (no poles, just lines!), the fishing boats plying the coast, and Skype—or at least try to!</div>
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Sunset from our balcony</div>
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Night time view of beach from the balcony--literally right below us.</div>
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoContext" id="fbPhotoSnowliftContext"></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">For
the moment,kids could care less that the Arabian Sea is 10 feet outside
our window, and guys are fishing from the cliffs below us. Grandma and
Grandpa are reading a book to them via Skype, and that's all that
matters.</span></span></div>
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We all had a ton of fun playing on the beach, and in the waves.<br />
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<br />And chasing, lots of chasing.<br />
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And splashing with baby bottoms. <br />
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And ice cream, there's always got to be ice cream. <br />
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<br />We saw some absolutely amazing things on the beach as well. Such as Carla:<br />
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"You won't forget me, right?," Carla asked, after requesting her
photo taken. "I'll be back tomorrow." Weaving her way up and down the
beach, Carla sells mangoes, bananas, pineapples, papayas, and coconuts
from a basket on her head. Incredibly deft with a small rusty knife, she
can extract an inconceivable amount of fruit from a mango- serve it on a
small silver plate- and then open a coconut in the air, throwing it up
and miraculously cutting a concentric ring around it without losing a
beat. "Remember, I'm the one with the missing tooth," Carla told me as
she headed down the beach.<br />
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One morning we were eating a phenomenal breakfast at "Beatles" restaurant off the promenade... </div>
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I mean seriously, look at those veggies! You don't find broccoli much in India, much less for breakfast! And the view, oh the view. <br />
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When who would walk by us? But a woman carrying a pot full of swordfish on her head!She drops it off down the way, and then goes back for another, and
another. After breakfast, I follow her, and find out that she's carrying the
sword fish and squid to a curb side market.<a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/freshasitgets?source=feed_text&story_id=10153694356166342"><span class="_58cm"></span></a><br />
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Not surprisingly, the lighthouse was a major tourist attraction, and the kids were super excited to go up it. Countless rounds of spiral staircase later, we finally made it to the top, and the view was simply incredible. One thing that was really neat to see were all of the small fishing boats, and even fishing kayaks up and down the coast. Another really cool thing was a very large mosque that had perhaps the most amazing real estate I can imagine. See if you can find it in the photo. <br />
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Annie has gotten very into using the camera on the phone recently. She usually takes a few hundred photos at a time, kinda like her papa! A few usually turn out pretty cool.<br />
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We took one weekend day and headed out to a wildlife sanctuary. The entire experience was fairly gimmicky, and given that it took an 1.5 hour rickshaw ride somewhat underwhelming. But the kids did get to see two lions on our “safari” (read riding in a crowded hot bus with 40 other people to see two possibly drugged lions sitting in the road <br />
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It was a pretty amazing four days at Lighthouse beach. If this part of the research takes off, and we find ourselves back in Trivandrum, I can guarantee you we'll be making our nest at Lighthouse beach.<br />
Already missing these sunsets. <br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-14231992326507739482016-06-03T09:00:00.002-07:002016-06-03T09:00:31.015-07:00Allepey: Part 3 (Beaches)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Going to the beach in India never fails to disappoint. </div>
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You can go to a beach and have it be nearly desolate. Just you and the crows. </div>
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We had this experience in Allepey when we hired an auto rickshaw and
went 10 km north to "Secret Beach". There are a few places to stay
there, and Jo was very clear this was "her type of beach!", so we very
well might return if the secret doesn't get out. </div>
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Well, you, the crows, and some very excited little bunnies. </div>
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And a Momma, grateful for a chance to have a few moments of quiet. <br />
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Or, you can go to the beach and have it be a real cultural experience. This is usually the case. After going to "Secret Beach", we headed a few km farther by rickshaw, and stopped at Malari beach. We knew it was going to be busy, as it was a Sunday afternoon, and when we first got there after going to the quiet Secret beach I thought "oh, let's just hop back and the rickshaw and go back". I was so glad we stayed. <br />
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As soon as we walked down to the beach (making an obligatory stop at "Uncle John's" Ice Cream truck <b>Photo here, </b>we descended into the swirling pool of colorful humanity that is India on the beach. Women in saris and burqas, men in colorful lungis. Thousands of people, mostly standing and watching the sea. A few dozen playing knee deep in the water. Essentially no one swimming.<br />
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Almost immediately, two women grabbed Annie by the hands, and somehow convinced her to go wave jumping with them! This was a total shock to me on numerous levels, in part because she's usually terrified of going in the water even with us. <br />
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But she had an absolutely phenomenal time, and so did the women </div>
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And it wasn't only Annie and her new friends that had a great time, but the rest of us as well.<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-54827698858991113622016-06-03T03:18:00.000-07:002016-06-03T03:18:30.774-07:00Allepey: Part 2 (Backwaters)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For many, Kerala is synonymous with the Backwaters. A wetland region criss-crossed by canals, where people make a living through some combination of rice farming, or fishing. The backwaters--and the people whose daily lives are intertwined with this environment--are incredibly beautiful, and as a result, are one of the premier tourist destinations in Kerala. Luckily for us, they also happen to be right where one of my potential new field sites is located. </div>
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There
are very few roads that go through the area of the backwaters. Almost
all transportation is by some form of boat. Most local people navigate
the terrain using small canoes. Historically, these have been "punted,"
using long sticks. More recently, small outboard motors have taken over.
Pictured above is a family travelling by canoe (umbrellas for shade)
and in the background is a woman washing her clothes in the canal with
banana trees and her home in the background.<br />
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Men (wearing traditional lungis) getting mangoes down using a bamboo pole.</div>
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Tourists explore the backwaters in one of several ways. First is via houseboat. These boats only go out for one evening. </div>
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We opted to take a small boat that is a wider than a canoe and is covered. It's called a shikarra. It even came with lounge chairs with strange cartoon characters on towels!<br />
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We went out for two hours, and it was pretty incredible. <br />
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The kids loved looking out the sides, and playing around on the bed that was set up in the middle. <br />
Jo tried for a while to get Miles to nap on the bed, but he just wanted to snuggle. <br />
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Snuggle and play. <br />
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Riding in the boat through the small waterways provided an incredible snaphshot (or series) into everyday life for many Keralans. Not surprisingly, this includes extensive interaction with the natural environment for subsistence. <br />
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Fishing with a net from the dock</div>
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Perhaps the coolest thing we saw was a man hunting with a bow and arrow for fish!</div>
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He was kind enough to show us his catch--what appeared to be tiny piranhas?!?</div>
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People heading to church in a canoe</div>
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There was just a whole lot of lounging around, watching daily life. And it was beautiful. <br />
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We're already looking forward to our next trip on the backwaters, perhaps we'll end up taking a houseboat!<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-54527504280658491252016-06-02T08:38:00.000-07:002016-06-02T08:38:05.486-07:00Allepey: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We descended the train from Trivandrum at Allepey. A sign in the Allepey train station proclaims that it is the "Venice of the East". Earned or not, the name refers to the network of canals that criss-crosses the small city. The city is quite rich with history (see the wiki page) and was an important trading center. The canals were built centuries ago to connect the Arabian sea with the large lake to the east. Unfortunately, most of the canals are either choked with invasive plants like water hyacinth, or fetid and filled with garbage. That said, from a slight distance, they still look very nice. Although the picture below, which is where we stayed, is perhaps somewhat misleading---the color of the water is definitely not turquoise. . The house itself, however, was incredible. </div>
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According to the proprietor of the homestay, the house is approximately 600 years old. That might be a century or two off, but regardless, it's an incredibly beautiful house graced with phenomenal architecture. </div>
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Our kids made instant friends with the 3-year old daughter of the family who runs the homestay. They so much fun running around the house with her, watching TV, and playing with her toys. </div>
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<b>Monsoon</b><br />
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The monsoon is "supposed" to arrive in Kerala on June 1st. Turns out, it got there a few days early. <b> </b><br />
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I have never seen rain like this. With the exception of the last time I was in India during the monsoon! It poured from morning until night with just a few short breaks.<br />
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The house is centered around an interior courtyard. Directly above it the
roof is open, and in years past the monsoon rains would have poured in
and filled up the intersecting tiled tanks before running out through a
drain into the canal. Now the roof has a makeshift covering over it,
blocking most of the rain. </div>
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<b>Fish market</b><br />
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We never actually bought anything from here--although we were very tempted-- but there was an incredible fish market along the side of the road. <br />
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Incredible in part because of the size of some of the fish they had.<br />
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Tuna</div>
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Laying claim</div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-795350021172788592016-06-02T07:39:00.002-07:002016-06-02T07:39:51.530-07:00Trains!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Taking trains is a quintessential part of Indian travel. Given how much Miles is obsessed with trains, I felt like we need to make a few short train trips happen.<br />
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The Indian train network is incredibly well developed, and quite affordable. Aside from its ease, it just an awesome way to get a better sense of the landscape.<br />
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Train stations in India can be pretty eye-opening experiences. But so far, we've been moving through some very tranquil ones. <br />
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We took a train from Thiruvananthapuram (now that's a mouth full!), also known as Trivandrum, which is the capital of the state of Kerala to Allepey (and back). It's about a 3.5 hour trip each way, which is just about the limit for these little ones and their parents. I think we'll save the overnight train experience in India for when they're a tad bit older. That said, Miles seemed to have no problem falling asleep.<br />
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Riding the train provided an amazing chance to watch the beatufiul Keralan countryside pass by. <br />
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We saw incredible vistas of rice paddies (including this one with tractors plowing through flocks of birds), waterways, and small villages of mudbrick houses set amongst coconut groves.<br />
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It all moved by so fast, but provided a lovely setting for snuggling. <br />
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Annie, for one, really enjoyed riding in the upper bunk!<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee;">And also a g<span style="color: #0000ee;">reat time for reading, and watching movies.</span><u><br /></u></span><br />
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At the end, we were grateful for the help of the porters, who effortlessly (or at least seemingly so) carried our heavy bags on their heads to the taxi<br />
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After these two short trips, I'm incredibly glad that we decided to go by train. It was a great chance to see a little more of Kerala, and the kids have been asking when we will get a chance to ride another one. <br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-6495557324435966142016-05-29T09:50:00.003-07:002016-05-29T09:52:47.344-07:00Dehradhun: Visiting Temples and Shrines<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Leaving Mussoorie, we headed down the mountain to Dehradun. We only spent one night there, but stayed at undoubtedly the most phenomenal AirBnB we have ever visited.<br />
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Below is the review I left for Poonam and her husband:<br />
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Our stay at the Bungalow Retreat was simply perfect. The room were
splendid, very clean, spacious, and well appointed. The garden was a
lovely respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. What really made
our stay fantastic was the extraordinary hospitality that Poonam and her
husband offered us at every turn. They welcomed us into their home like
family, and sure enough, before too long our two small children were
calling them "Grandma" and "Grandpa". We wanted to go visi<span class="text_exposed_show">t
a temple, but had trouble finding a taxi; Poonam's husband was
incredibly gracious, and took us in his own car. Poonam is an amazing
cook, and wowed us with some phenomenal food. We hope that she will
start offering cooking lessons in the future! This was the nicest AirBnB
experience we have ever had. The quality of the lodging, and the
extraordinary hospitality can't be beat. We are already looking forward
to visiting "Grandma" and "Grandpa" again soon. Thanks again!</span><br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0H4oqA-BXcR9yd3EHqOZ8hH-ye0QdrPUe1AEPcI3izekFqECfRTmLyAnB4HXMGLnXBsqjviT4gsekklQ33Y8vNETGd_c3vpL12rVQpS_5Kf90t8WSCmUCtQA2qqec-AzqoRCiw0vWt9sP/s320/IMG_2024.jpg" width="240" /><br />
Here's a photo of "Grandpa" holding up Miles to try to pick mangoes (still about a month shy of ripe).<br />
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And here's one of us all (minus me as per usual) before heading out</div>
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As mentioned in the write up above, Poonam's husband, Ajay, was kind enough to take us to visit the famous Tappkeshwar temple. Here's a little bit from the wiki page on it:</div>
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Tapkeshwar Temple in Dehradun, also known as Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple, is one of the most famous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated by the forest side, the main shivalinga at the temple is inside a natural cave. Water drops from the ceiling of the cave trickle down over the shivalinga in a continuous downpour, making for an interesting spectacle.</div>
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Below is a photo from the inside of the cave. </div>
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Miles was a VERY big fan of ringing the bells!<br />
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and also a big fan of Lord Ganesh.<br />
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildWbn97r9m0KJVA61hwUkE2lvoZWXg-gHIDN-DInaSng8_DaeMwK0nrvu5XJV_K7X1xIdAeMfzhQvpSn9ucCh2WLp6I-128Yc_SKk1N1q-oJNWDJKSF93qyf5G3i7Bt06yMzdIMT-LYL3/s400/IMG_5535.jpg" width="266" /> <br />
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Incredible Hanuman statue (Annie can now correctly identify four Indian gods: Hanuman, Shiva, and Ganesh)</div>
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We even got the opportunity to dip our feet in the fetid creek, because Annie and Miles saw other kids doing it and were adamant. </div>
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The next day, on our way out of town, we made a slight detour and stopped at the Tibetan Mindrolling Monastery. A little blurb on it from wiki:<br />
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In 1965, Khochhen Rinpoche and small group of monks began the process of re-establishing Mindrolling monastery located near Clement Town, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand state, India. It now contains Ngagyur Nyingma College, one of the largest Buddhist institutes in India.<br />
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It is known as having both one of the tallest stupas, and tallest Buddha statues in the world.<br />
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As we descended the stairs to it, Annie said "The temple looks like it's touching the sky!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nh0P8PCy7pQ5BSOmlgp-9zPBlsQa20bRsI7vUmaPE2gjxEu5kG7ABPAr38tCXA6bvupBFDEIidPt6I6hJth1Rd2a_2R35CDwt9b1TXGXJcVxGp7xmg3WW0nGWWQUVnIEUsHOb4VBSUn2/s1600/IMG_2051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nh0P8PCy7pQ5BSOmlgp-9zPBlsQa20bRsI7vUmaPE2gjxEu5kG7ABPAr38tCXA6bvupBFDEIidPt6I6hJth1Rd2a_2R35CDwt9b1TXGXJcVxGp7xmg3WW0nGWWQUVnIEUsHOb4VBSUn2/s320/IMG_2051.jpg" width="240" /></a> </div>
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And of course, there was lots of prayer wheels to spin. <br />
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And from there, it was to the airport, and down to Kerala!<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-52371391083891940412016-05-28T08:22:00.002-07:002016-05-28T08:22:55.488-07:00Mussoorie: Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We took an afternoon explore in a nature reserve outside of Mussoorie. It was incredibly peaceful in the woods, well sort of. The kids both had major meltdowns, and so the majority of the time we were each hiking while holding one or both of them. That said, we saw some amazing birds, and beautiful mountain vistas. We hired a taxi, which was an old ambassador. I think we got more of a kick out of it than the kids. <br />
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The area is famous for its rhododendrons, but we had just missed the bloom. The forest seemed fairly old, but turns out was just 40 years old, having been restored from old farm land. <br />
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The kids were very excited, albeit a little scared to find leopard scat on the trail! </div>
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Our turn-around point was the top of a very narrow ridge with gorgeous views to either side. And look, a rare complete family photo!<br />
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Annie was very proud of this feather she found. <br />
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And I found what would make a perfect new writing desk... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGu7lB_mZwkMIm63kxqSDlCJeWHqVXJSnI07hYtHITPj1x86GgbU7D1aXFLQxlQLA3xGeTf4ceIb57XYtkTnwm-PNA2cBkEneS4G-sk-sD0AijuRaY1oMO_vYXZ3u04eb3ecMdajNHfXk/s1600/IMG_5289.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Of course, a good hike deserves a good ice-cream....</div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-62431441907811311202016-05-25T09:16:00.000-07:002016-05-25T09:16:49.017-07:00Mussoorie: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Company Gardens</b></div>
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At the recommendation of a cycle-rickshaw driver--who clearly knew the tourist stops better than us--we decided to take a trip to "Company Gardens," which is a few kilometers outside of town. The ride over there was just lovely. Once you leave Mussoorie and "The Mall," it becomes so incredibly quiet and peaceful--save for the beeping buses as they pass you. The gardens turned out to be a family-entertainment destination, complete with all sorts of rides and insanity. We did find a few flowers to smell, however. </div>
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This was probably the first time that the kids ever rode any real amusement rides. We tried the "Hopping Frog," which was incredibly jarring, but Miles became obsessed with (and at .25 a ride, we said 'go get your fill'). Annie wanted to try another one, so we gave the swinging pirate boat a shot. She was definitely underwhelmed. <br />
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We've been
pestered by folks trying to get us to take pictures in traditional
Garwhali dress since we arrived in Mussoorie. Well, we finally broke
down and gave in while at the Company Gardens. Miles was seriously underwhelmed with the prospect. </div>
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The rest of us took the entire experience in slightly better stride. <br />
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While the photographer was taking pictures, I couldn't help take a few of my own of Annie and her props.<br />
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And now, for the horribly-staged portraits.<br />
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<b>Kempy Falls </b><br />
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One of Mussoorie's main attractions is Kempy falls, which is about 45 minutes down a hair-raising road out of town. The falls are beautiful, but the area is incredibly overdeveloped, and choked with tea shops and souvenir stands. <b> </b>It felt like there were several thousand people swimming (almost all men), and with the pumping Bollywood music, Jo and I beat a quick retreat with the kids a little farther past the main falls to where there was a more tranquil family-oriented resort. <br />
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There we had the unique pleasure of renting swim "attire," and taking a dip. The water was let's say not the cleanest, nor were the bathing suits, and so our swim was quite short! <br />
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There was a bounce house, however, below these religious statues (you can see Annie bouncing in the bottom right). And a bounce house rarely fails to entertain. <br />
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Perhaps the true crowning glory was the infamous duck boat ride. <br />
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<b>Tibetan Monastery</b></div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee;">While J<span style="color: #0000ee;">o was out doing some interviews the k<span style="color: #0000ee;">ids an<span style="color: #0000ee;">d <span style="color: #0000ee;">I took a cycle-<span style="color: #0000ee;">rickshaw down the mo<span style="color: #0000ee;">untain towards a T<span style="color: #0000ee;">ibet<span style="color: #0000ee;">an <span style="color: #0000ee;">mo<span style="color: #0000ee;">nastery. The rick-shaw<span style="color: #0000ee;"> would only t<span style="color: #0000ee;">ake us so far down hill, because it was so steep<span style="color: #0000ee;">, so we ended up walking for a few more <span style="color: #0000ee;">kilometers</span> downhill<span style="color: #0000ee;"> to reach the<span style="color: #0000ee;"> site (provisioned by an i<span style="color: #0000ee;">ce cream stop, of course<span style="color: #0000ee;">). </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">It should be of lit<span style="color: #0000ee;">t<span style="color: #0000ee;">le surprise that the ki<span style="color: #0000ee;">ds were fas<span style="color: #0000ee;">cinated with<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">turning the prayer</span> wheels<span style="color: #0000ee;"> (the<span style="color: #0000ee;">y're whe<span style="color: #0000ee;">els<span style="color: #0000ee;">, <span style="color: #0000ee;">and they spin, what more could one want?)</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Thankfully, Miles was able to spin them, or we might have had a serious problem. </div>
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The big wheel--stored in its own building--was quite difficult for even me to turn, but the kids really enjoyed trying!<br />
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Later on, I even got a chance to take this little gal for a lunch date while Miles and mama napped. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-85515238375531117192016-05-24T09:07:00.002-07:002016-05-24T09:07:50.289-07:00Mussoorie-Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While our time in Delhi was simply wonderful, we were very excited to beat the 119 degree heat wave, and get up to the foothills of the Himalaya, where it is literally cooler by a mile.
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We flew up to Dehradun and then took a taxi to Mussoorie. <br />
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The drive from Dehradun up to Mussoorie is only 45 miles or so, but takes about 2 hours given how sharp the turns on the mountain roads are, random cows, and everything else that one finds on the roads here. Annie counted 31 total animals on the taxi trip up (including cows, dogs, and two types of monkeys---she was dead set on summing them together). <br />
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Once you get close to Mussoorie, however, the air begins to feel instantly different. Soooo much cooler! The view isn't half bad either. <br />
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Mussoorie is a hill-station town that was largely developed during the British era. It served--and continues to serve-- as a location to getaway from the heat. The town is defined by a "largely"-pedestrian mall (unfortunately cars and motos can now pay a tax to drive on it, which makes walking a little unpleasant/precarious). The mall is a phenomenal location for people watching, and being watched. Folks love to come up and pat Miles/Annie's head, and have their photos taken with them. We love how kind and open folks in India can be to children, and how
ours instantly feel safe when someone smiles and offers them a hand to
hold. From the customs agent who wanted to hold our two year old, to the
grandpa on the metro whose welcoming lap Miles instantly jumped into
when there were no seats, to these folks who wanted to stroll with them
and hold hands and all those in between. Annie and Miles walked with these random folks for about 5 minutes without a care in the world. Jo was with them for a minute or so, but then dropped back with me, and the kids didn't seem to care at all. <br />
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Requisite cow photo, check.<br />
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While in Mussoorie we've introduced the kids to another new form of
transportation: cycle-rickshaws. These rickshaw-wallahs really earn
their keep pulling all four of us around.The kids love it. </div>
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Rock wall painted like a lion--which Miles now roars at every time we walk by--to the complete amusement of the pedestrians. <br />
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We're staying at a really lovely 'heritage hotel', which has a playground for the kids and plenty of seating overlooking the Dehradun valley. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzV46PZHoJ2qvaMiGoXNP9KA4jFYAhT4F05q4pIqasoZHS4caZH5hFJ1_HwlLkxAEfzDQOyCWArBE_C8eJw5Xta0b_CaWxzUYJsX4bUz_xIZoJ7nruybogRHRZV8Pr1Mi2skh7QFFQ0A8d/s1600/IMG_4963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<br />One of the nicest things about being at this hotel has been how many quick friends Annie has made. Most have only stayed for a day or so (we're here for over a week), but she's had a really phenomenal time with them. <br />
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Mussoorie is a little bit like Pigeon Forge, TN, only with slightly more taste. There are tons of family-oriented activities, including this roller-skating rink which has an incredible view over the valley. <br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-18281920954839813082016-05-22T09:49:00.001-07:002016-05-22T09:49:12.154-07:00Visiting Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><b> </b>After a year of living in Delhi, coming back was a very<b> </b>nostalgic homecoming. For me, I had an ear-to-ear grin as we took the taxi back from the airport. The sights and smells were all so familiar, and I realized how much I had missed India without knowing it.<br />
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We were fortunate enough to stay in a very lovely two-room apartment, which belongs to a friend's family. It provided an incredible respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Below is Miles enjoying the fine furnishings and meeting Ganesh for the first time. <br />
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Unfortunately, we were fairly limited in our flexibility in terms of seasons to visit, and so happened to be in Delhi during an incredible heat wave in which the temperature rose to 119! Given the weather, I think we did a pretty phenomenal job of getting out of the apartment, and visiting some of our old haunts. We started on the first day by going back to Hauz Khas market and Deer Park in the morning, and the Lodhi Gardens and Khan market in the afternoon (couldn't miss out on the Kathi rolls!).<br />
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<b>Lodhi Gardens, which we'd visited on numerous occasions with family and friends. </b><br />
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<b>Deer Park near Hauz Khas</b></div>
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<b>Our favorite hole-in-the-wall kathi rolls place still exists! (photo taken prior to Miles dropping his beloved truck down a sewer near Jo's feet, me reaching my arm in to grab it, failing, and us running away with flailing baby) </b></div>
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Transportation was very exciting for the kids. Miles is pretty obsessed with cars, trains and everything that moves. We had good fun riding autorickshaws around, and metro around, but started taking Uber given the heat-and the fact that it is now much cheaper/distance than a rickshaw (?!?) </div>
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<b> A rare empty car on the Delhi metro</b><br />
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<b> The Luxury of the Women's Car</b></div>
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<b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7BGTQ4Q1gYhbSuS6pgLy39kddfngTZV_67jnL8uU7i51b-PadnUfTlZ38CwvCNlDn9XtJfpREj_8JvhfC6mzyKgrirXflRoStk5FEwHNT7i1Ubo5wTDrD-hDCkYCuNeZ1qob16RzCaCh/s1600/13249456_10153662365836342_660010479_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7BGTQ4Q1gYhbSuS6pgLy39kddfngTZV_67jnL8uU7i51b-PadnUfTlZ38CwvCNlDn9XtJfpREj_8JvhfC6mzyKgrirXflRoStk5FEwHNT7i1Ubo5wTDrD-hDCkYCuNeZ1qob16RzCaCh/s320/13249456_10153662365836342_660010479_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b> Gentle hands...</b></div>
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<b>Revisiting Max Hospital </b><br />
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We made a point of going back to Max Hospital, where Annie was born in 2011. It was incredibly special. We've been telling Annie "stories" for a long time of how she was born in India, and she was really excited to visit the hospital itself.<br />
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<b> Metro-ing it to Max</b></div>
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<b>Preparing to leave the hospital in 2011</b><br />
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<b>Same lobby nearly five years later</b><br />
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<b>And in 2016, +1 (Miles)</b><br />
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We went and got coffee and ice cream down stairs<b> </b>and had a surreal moment of being in the same place, getting coffee after Annie had just been born. It was so much fun to see her and Miles dancing around with their ice cream. And now we'll have a double story to tell her, of when she returned to the hospital where she was born.</div>
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<b>Visiting Old Friends</b></div>
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The most lovely part of being in Delhi was getting a chance to reconnect with old friends. We had a lovely time catching up with Aftab, and his wife Aqsa.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKKWU03eZdc7erHlLKiadOGTnmoMIzEw_UVtlDf8y5PyxxiJ2qvcpKjCysrJho6oepls7eYY-LKHv7QymFIlsYFs5lw4FmosXge5RtUe6Fq86_ZUrPQNp7lsBFaN5LYJ-MMdyynkVrYG6/s1600/aqsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKKWU03eZdc7erHlLKiadOGTnmoMIzEw_UVtlDf8y5PyxxiJ2qvcpKjCysrJho6oepls7eYY-LKHv7QymFIlsYFs5lw4FmosXge5RtUe6Fq86_ZUrPQNp7lsBFaN5LYJ-MMdyynkVrYG6/s320/aqsa.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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Wonderful visiting Murad and Tannie (here's Murad giving Miles a toy car)<br />
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And made a lovely visit to Shubhra's<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9yOX9wt8KVveTonwdECo1R8hp6VWJlHb2u_5T3nnZoTg0bkCHUxsAE3uQMBugQLfjojSi1bXsU4pU_DTIae9z78TYLCbeELpnE4chFKU6OfSM_MNOXCCU_GzTJ4rPfIjVCaVNrH_Fjc4/s1600/IMG_4642.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9yOX9wt8KVveTonwdECo1R8hp6VWJlHb2u_5T3nnZoTg0bkCHUxsAE3uQMBugQLfjojSi1bXsU4pU_DTIae9z78TYLCbeELpnE4chFKU6OfSM_MNOXCCU_GzTJ4rPfIjVCaVNrH_Fjc4/s320/IMG_4642.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e7LiL8nyHr6DnqSUuzvnH0IXQEMevLkjyLAclEPbL7-f_r-GqevZ_x31GS7uegIstObXPhqzSnQW3akhCwW2veyh920buj-dcMS4wzUhTPB2BA4NYpBYhvdcj22hcSidkM1iIlg9DZMs/s1600/IMG_1735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e7LiL8nyHr6DnqSUuzvnH0IXQEMevLkjyLAclEPbL7-f_r-GqevZ_x31GS7uegIstObXPhqzSnQW3akhCwW2veyh920buj-dcMS4wzUhTPB2BA4NYpBYhvdcj22hcSidkM1iIlg9DZMs/s320/IMG_1735.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Where Annie got to do dabble in the arts <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_AfIHA8Xxy32FtGqTJfZ_fseGNKfMxxInfc9z6Afw5x8vdb6iXJ4SWX8J-fhsFakXUAABvJZucH1mJDDd6i4xGx15vXA8Ixt0VmxZAhXV4q_IkoQGF1Sdpf0hlBwxsUwvm4Bu-aQ7KZJ/s1600/IMG_4639.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_AfIHA8Xxy32FtGqTJfZ_fseGNKfMxxInfc9z6Afw5x8vdb6iXJ4SWX8J-fhsFakXUAABvJZucH1mJDDd6i4xGx15vXA8Ixt0VmxZAhXV4q_IkoQGF1Sdpf0hlBwxsUwvm4Bu-aQ7KZJ/s320/IMG_4639.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As well as relish in a good popsicle<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXEy8pEH-R5gGWxrI5qWx2Ees0r0PB0KaKz1zhnP3H0bpqnRU5FYhcejS6RMlHu42lcrGKoQCrDbPX1Jzq4g8K706JOVRG3PBCg3IybrYHEOb-wQe1LWYp9zOZVr_m_8xoc1lRuAhQx-x/s1600/IMG_4663.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXEy8pEH-R5gGWxrI5qWx2Ees0r0PB0KaKz1zhnP3H0bpqnRU5FYhcejS6RMlHu42lcrGKoQCrDbPX1Jzq4g8K706JOVRG3PBCg3IybrYHEOb-wQe1LWYp9zOZVr_m_8xoc1lRuAhQx-x/s320/IMG_4663.jpg" width="213" /></a> <br />
Revisiting old friends has made our visit in Delhi really very special. Not just for Jo and I, but for Annie as well, who has seen photos of herself as a newborn baby with them over the years, and gets to re-meet them again.<br />
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<b>On the day Annie was born</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDidpWb-CI2S8yorsHSESmAlERhCVJ9XCfHT-1cB4SimBNj1BukcOItMz2GHZs4qxRUURpF0P3KE5rCfIPLku1JvPOux5TIlamPbviXxpeptrgYIi_JbrL_rBbkEyQ6y07T5MCwVvE3P2v/s1600/13245985_10153662366116342_1340873327_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDidpWb-CI2S8yorsHSESmAlERhCVJ9XCfHT-1cB4SimBNj1BukcOItMz2GHZs4qxRUURpF0P3KE5rCfIPLku1JvPOux5TIlamPbviXxpeptrgYIi_JbrL_rBbkEyQ6y07T5MCwVvE3P2v/s320/13245985_10153662366116342_1340873327_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<b>And almost five years later</b><br />
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<br />We even got a chance to visit the metro station where Shubhra's new installation in displayed. Very impressive!<br />
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While Jo was out doing interviews, we also made a point of visiting some new places, and making new memories. We took a trip across the city to Shankar's International Doll Museum. It was beastly hot, and the daily popsicle quotient went out the window!<b></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7BGTQ4Q1gYhbSuS6pgLy39kddfngTZV_67jnL8uU7i51b-PadnUfTlZ38CwvCNlDn9XtJfpREj_8JvhfC6mzyKgrirXflRoStk5FEwHNT7i1Ubo5wTDrD-hDCkYCuNeZ1qob16RzCaCh/s1600/13249456_10153662365836342_660010479_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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We also took a trip to India Gate where they have a pretty amazing children's playground complex--five playgrounds side-by-side.</div>
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<b>India Gate in the blazing background</b></div>
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We also stumbled upon a group of guys who were hiring their remote control car services. I'd never seen anything before like it. The driver walks along side the car (below). </div>
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Annie also got her hands painted with henna. This is frequently done around weddings, or other festive times, but we figured it just had to be done. </div>
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After her hands were painted, Annie needed to let them air-dry for about an hour. That was a little too much for Miles to handle. Here he is chasing her down. He got one quick smudge before I captured the wily one. </div>
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<b>After an amazing week in Delhi, we are VERY excited for our next return trip there.</b></div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-57513338723976059852016-05-09T09:54:00.000-07:002016-05-19T09:58:57.818-07:00Return to India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After four and a half years, we've finally made our first return visit to India. A lot has happened in the intervening period, including multiple fieldwork trips to Brazil, but Jo and I both felt it was time to return to India.<br />
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This is a very ambitious trip in multiple senses. First, from a research standpoint, we're exploring the possibility of a number of new research projects. Jo is looking at potential new field sites in Mussoorie and Mysore, as well as continuing her contact with colleagues in Delhi. I'm exploring two new pilot projects: the first in Mysore, Karnataka, and the second is a comparative study of state policies related to organic farming in the states of Kerala and Sikkim. What this all means is we are doing a lot of traveling throughout India over a period of six weeks. And we're doing it with both Annie (almost 5) and Miles (2.5 years old). The combination of these two elements--extensive traveling and field research with two small children--has had us somewhat nervous for the last few months. Undoubtedly, it will be a trip to remember! <br />
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<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1TDabk37iqKxsyJtuQnl6iHPuBL8" width="440" height="380"></iframe>
Place marks in red are associated with Jo's research, green with mine, and yellow with both!
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</div>David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-88914286714132186512015-05-24T18:46:00.000-07:002015-05-24T18:46:09.666-07:00On the slow road to Brazil: Bloomington<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We're taking a very circuitous trip to Brazil this summer.<br />
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Alabama-->Bloomington, IN is our first leg. We're visiting Grandpa Dave and Grandma Gail, Aunt Suzy, and Uncle Paul in Bloomington. The weather the last few days has been absolutely perfect. 70s and sunny with a nice gentle breeze.<br />
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We've been spending most of the day outside, blowing bubbles, reading books on a blanket, and gardening. Here are a few photos from the last few days.<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-70885028656408623392014-10-19T19:48:00.002-07:002014-10-19T19:48:52.255-07:00Back in ATL: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Welcome back to the blog after a many month hiatus! </b>
Life has been particularly crazy in the interim as many know, moving back from Brazil, visiting family around the country, and finally, after 2.5 years getting resettled in Atlanta with Annie!
Finally, after three weeks back in Atlanta the majority of the boxes are unpacked and we're
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making dough
playing on playground
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-62973057197008309462014-10-19T19:47:00.002-07:002014-10-19T19:47:41.855-07:00Kentuck Art Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This weekend was the weekend we'd all been waiting for. Or at least those of us in the know. It was the Kentuck Art Festival, which is a folk art festival held in Northport, AL. As in, it takes place a block from our house.</div>
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We'd been excited to go and get some funky art, but also to play around with the various craft tables we'd heard about. </div>
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We weren't disappointed on either front. </div>
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There was some great old time bluegrass music, which Miles absolutely loved. </div>
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A really cool "Musical Petting Zoo" with all sorts of instruments for kids to try out. </div>
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Miles was a big fan.</div>
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And lots of interesting crafts. Below Annie is working on this "marbled" paint project. </div>
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And on some clay masterpiece</div>
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Of course, there was the requisite face painting. </div>
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And given it was one of the major social events of the year, there were lots of friends, and friends' kiddos.</div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-27913483562995649722014-10-10T20:10:00.003-07:002014-10-10T20:10:41.390-07:00Getting Settled in 'Bama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hard to believe that it's been two years since we've posted to this blog. To say a lot has happened in the interim would be an understatement.
A few updates:
Jo and I finished our respective periods of international fieldwork, wrote up our dissertations, defense them, and graduated in May 2014!
Miles Paul Meek was born on January 9th, 2014!
We both accepted academic positions at the University of Alabama, and have moved to Northport, AL!
Here are a few pics from our time here so far:
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Tuscaloosa and Northport are separated by the Black Warrior river. Above is the Bama Belle boat, which might be Annie's new moniker.<br />
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We had a lovely visit from Grandma and Grandpa; book reading, magic tricks, and loads of pretending!<br />
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Annie and Miles are at the Capitol School, which is a Montessori School. I've gone and played banjo several times to volunteer.<br />
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Annie and I build a small raised bed garden in the back of our house.<br />
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We're trying to get out more and explore the Alabama outdoors. We took a lovely weekend trip with friends to Natural Bridge, Alabama, and the Dismals Canyon. Utah-like slot canyons and arches...in Alabama!<br />
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Given how hot it was when we arrived in August, in general, we've just been loving spending time down by the river, up around Lake Nicol, or in the shade at the playgrounds.<br />
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Looking forward to the cooler temperature of Fall, and more exploring.</div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-47682205005080168932012-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:002012-10-07T16:01:05.522-07:00Bonito, so bonito. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One thing that Bonito is famous for, actually the thing that probably put it on the map, is its' crystal clear rivers and diverse aquatic life.
The place has been described as if someone let you go swimming in an aquarium. While the fish are not tropical ocean colorful, I think they're pretty amazing, as was the whole experience of snorkelling in the crystal clear water. Below is a video I put together with some music from "The Life Aquatic". Enjoy.
o
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2SD34rdu6Xw" width="560"></iframe>
p.s. this video was shot underwater with the Kodak equivalent of the flip video camera. I was incredibly impressed with the results, and then the next day it stopped working. Big surprise.
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And because we've been getting some feedback that the blog is not carrying enough photos of Annie, well, here are a few gratuitous pics to keep those critics at bay. You know who you are!<br />
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Doing my dance</div>
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To the moooooon!<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-25199598001093068382012-10-01T18:48:00.001-07:002012-10-01T18:48:34.454-07:00Bonito: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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one of Brazil's most popular ecotourism destinations, is known for its rivers, lakes, caves,
and many species of fish and birds. The high concentration of calcium in the
water causes everything else to precipitate out, creating waters so clear that
one can see the bottom of its many bodies of water. We are in the midst of a five-day trip with the
Weavers to this fantastic place.</span><br />
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first day, we went to a municipal beach located on the banks of a narrow river.
A natural rock bridge made a nice viewpoint for watching hundreds of big carp
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the second day, we went to the Lagoa Azul Grotto, a wide-mouthed cave with spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, and a lake of an incredible blue at the bottom. This is Bonito's most-visited site.</span></span><br />
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It was quite hike down into the depths of the earth, but the Weavers were troopers.</div>
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This picture isn't altered in any way; it's really that blue.</div>
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Jo translated the guide's descriptions of the cave's geology for the Weavers while Dave took pictures. Her Portuguese is amazing, especially considering that she has never formally studied it. </div>
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Annie stayed behind with a babysitter on this trip, but allegedly she had a wonderful time blowing kisses to the hotel staff and didn't cry once!<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-67948321602331768902012-09-06T18:10:00.002-07:002012-09-06T18:10:46.155-07:00Sugarloaf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For one of our last evenings in Rio we took the cable car up to the top of Sugarloaf.</div>
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The view from the top is simply incredible, especially at sunset.<br />
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I had been to the top once before, climbing up the backside, but was really excited to take the more leisurely way up and enjoy it with the visiting Meek clan.</div>
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Of course, Jon's moustache, silhouetted by the sunset with Ipanema in the background was the view that stole the show.</div>
David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-54619223833299990232012-09-03T16:30:00.002-07:002012-09-03T16:30:44.609-07:00Parque Lage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of Rio's many beautiful attractions is Parque Lage, a city park with
a large mansion that serves as an art school and performance space. It
sits right at the foot of Corcovado, the mountain in the middle of Rio
on which the Christ the Redeemer statue sits, and in fact one can hike a
trail beginning in Parque Lage right up to the statue. We never made it
the entire way, since it's very steep and actually rather long, but we did have a great time
visiting the park and seeing a cello concert there.</div>
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Jon and his moustache were overwhelmed by the majesty of the park and its mansion. </div>
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Annie, however, was not. We consoled her with Rita's brush, to which she quickly got attached. She was ticked off when Jon decided he needed to do some on-the-spot moustache grooming.</div>
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But she warmed up to the idea pretty quickly.</div>
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Here we are in one of Dave's infamous self-timed pictures at the reflecting pool in the mansion, where there is now a swanky cafe. Annie's prominent belly was an accident. It's hard to keep that thing covered up.<br />
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The cello concert was in a beautiful hall of the mansion and featured musicians from all over the world. We saw a couple of Brazilians, one French Canadian guy, and a French guy.<br />
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Annie was content to read the program for about 10 minutes, but then we reached the end of her attention span, so she and I went and hung out in the park while the Meeks enjoyed the music.<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-22829708851112984752012-08-31T16:06:00.001-07:002012-08-31T16:23:10.721-07:00Happy 1st Birthday Annabelle!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>There are more posts on the way from our recent trip to Rio and time with Dave's dad in Brazil, but we wanted to get this time-sensitive one up before it was too late.</b></div>
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<b>Annie, you sure woke up in the most amazing mood on your first birthday. </b></div>
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<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsCk_nF01KipqNJ8PxCG9xRcSy6Y7kgt_LAxuYI3vNxAz8V6RDLSuYn6MqL1Xx-Nu1-kZOhZ3IFX_s9BAelur_jVqX1B6jhpuwh8fWfshSLDmqixm6UKhmoOdwmuQIbKJ_ynJb4SI4Phyphenhyphen/s320/IMG_5766.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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It was as if you knew that we were about to go completely crazy hosting a Brazilian barbecue for fifty of our closest friends here.<br />
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<b> Luckily, we had help with the decorating, because people have a very specific way of tying balloons and making streamers here.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynBMBCPzb_S4KegcppTEfpEiO1yxtYhwdd9sZ0tomB83ispgP0_hQpNl_0zTHfHR2T19P2VR81BEtZqsz6EYdy-pUUZkaZEXzVHPfDeDm-ZgOb1HSuwUJaOgNVR6hzt6vzbAAmDhto5h6/s1600/IMG_5794.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynBMBCPzb_S4KegcppTEfpEiO1yxtYhwdd9sZ0tomB83ispgP0_hQpNl_0zTHfHR2T19P2VR81BEtZqsz6EYdy-pUUZkaZEXzVHPfDeDm-ZgOb1HSuwUJaOgNVR6hzt6vzbAAmDhto5h6/s320/IMG_5794.JPG" width="320" /></a><b> </b></div>
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<b>Having raked, burned, blow-torched, and swept (in that order) our yard to obtain some semblance of the locally prized smooth bare ground, we borrowed the plastic tables and chairs from the derelict ice-cream shop next door to transform the backyard.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybz70z80TyNvaeD-9PoExh-anGVUkuhE5crqPnUW_52HTXH7XpcTaqnhlHcnEEYAjE7dpToKSkDNYy6QxqVp1Z-uaJBpUCwdu0feFYVflZTII58y8RQ-A79kPqxaUt7p-03tl9qCLf8lK/s1600/IMG_5396+-+Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybz70z80TyNvaeD-9PoExh-anGVUkuhE5crqPnUW_52HTXH7XpcTaqnhlHcnEEYAjE7dpToKSkDNYy6QxqVp1Z-uaJBpUCwdu0feFYVflZTII58y8RQ-A79kPqxaUt7p-03tl9qCLf8lK/s320/IMG_5396+-+Copy.JPG" width="213" /></a><b> </b></div>
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<b>Yes, that is our cooking stove propane tank in the stroller. This was Jim's solution to the problem of having to carry it around while we attempted to blow-torch the grass away.</b></div>
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<b>We bought 10 kg of beef and I made a salad and a large pot of farofa, </b></div>
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<b>or roasted manioc flour, to go with it. </b></div>
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<b>Here is the grill, which we built out of bricks and an old shelf from a fridge.</b></div>
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<b> Sweets made by one of our closest friends</b></div>
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<b>Annie got all dressed up for the party.</b></div>
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<b> Here she is opening her very first official present, a book left in Brazil for her by her Bubby.</b></div>
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<b> She loves it.</b></div>
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<b>The back yard filled up fast.</b></div>
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<b> Fortunately, we also had help with the grilling itself from a friend's father, since neither of us has ever grilled beef before in our lives. He had no idea we were going to put him to work when he arrived, but he was a very good sport about it. His wife cut the grilled meat into bite-sized pieces, then a few of our neighbors assembled and handed out plates of the meat, farofa, and salad to all the guests. Mind you, this all happened AFTER the cake and singing, which is traditionally (at least in this community) done first.</b><br />
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<b>Speaking of singing, here's a video of the birthday girl's celebration (sorry for poor resolution, had to shrink file size for rural upload):</b></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o3_QjRNseHs" width="420"></iframe>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-38759817425869015872012-08-29T17:57:00.000-07:002012-08-29T17:57:54.706-07:00Cake truck<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lo, brave light that blinkest yonder! Why, it is the mighty Cake Truck, which plieth its humble way down the fair lanes of our Ilha Grande! </div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XdRdvd6CUig3wccCWKKJYc6PJDKVWllxoj-iLE3VvY2QWeiBBlctlCn_PaR4kq4qHoxPMMFryu8AMCvxeisKOIY6-sNVLTSDPdMtNuW1bNvEB6Xkd7jf3EjjRYKT3Zwdapkv7feh42tL/s1600/IMG_4931.JPG" /></div>
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Full of chocolate-covered delicacies and confections of all types!<br />
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How canst we resist thee?<br />
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How we adore you and your delectable sweet-meats!<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-37735617213965092452012-08-26T14:35:00.002-07:002012-08-26T14:35:40.600-07:00In and around Ilha Grande 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On our last day in Ilha Grande, we had a lovely sunset caipirinha (the
national mixed drink of Brazil) on the beach near the house we were
renting. The drink is made with cachaca (Brazilian rum), lime, and
sugar. <br />
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Jon picked up the nickname "Tio Joao" (Uncle Jon in Portuguese) during our trip, and hence this
bicycle parked by the side of the beach was a photo opportunity that we
just couldn't pass up.<br />
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Annie really thought his moustache was fantastic.<br />
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We agreed, and also thought his music playing was pretty fabulous.<br />
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-26535395107120009692012-08-25T16:27:00.000-07:002012-08-25T16:27:01.399-07:00The Meeks: Ilha Grande 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With much excitement, we made our way from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande. We hiked, we played on the beach, and had a generally lovely time. </div>
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<b>Annie got some more leaf time</b></div>
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<b>Annie--and in reality her fan club--got a last chance to enjoy her incredibly cute "I'm a strawberry" swimsuit</b><br />
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<b>Bubby got some really special time with Annie on the beach</b></div>
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After a debacle involving a leaky kayak, turbulent seas, and barnacle-covered rocks, Rita had to use her special needlepointing light and surgical skills to fix Jon up. That was, perhaps, the lowlight of the trip.<br />
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<b>Yet, somehow we all still managed to enjoy ourselves!</b></div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682135373104561015.post-33986767516627476022012-08-20T08:11:00.000-07:002012-08-20T08:11:06.959-07:00Teresopolis and thereabouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In addition to enjoying the wonders of Rio de Janeiro we took the opportunity to rent a car (!!!) and head out to Petropolois and Teresopolis in the mountains surrounding Rio. Teresopolis is home the the Serra dos Orgaos national park, known for its incredible rock formations, including the "Finger of God" pictured below. <br />
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<br />I had wanted to visit this national park for years, and while we didn't have a ton of time to any climbing, we did do a whole handful of phenomenal day hikes.</div>
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<b>Giant tree ferns</b></div>
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<b>Behold! Nature!</b></div>
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<b>As Annie is fond of "dando tchau" (waving) everyone else is as well by default.</b></div>
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<b>Pausing to enjoy the view and company</b></div>
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<b>All smiles in my palanquin! </b></div>
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<b>In addition to the great hikes, we had perhaps the most phenomenal picnic lunch. While the PB&J was quite tasty, what was really the proverbial icing on the cake was the really lovely time we had just lounging around on the grass, chasing Annie around as she crawled like a speed demon, and playing a little banjo.</b><br />
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<b>And at the end of the night, an incredible view of the Dado de Deus staring at us from the hotel.</b></div>
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David Meekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11253724033164067994noreply@blogger.com0