A lovely time and a blue Monday- weekend update II

Part one here.

Saturday evening, we went out for shopping at a near by mall. R is generally very restless during mall outings. He would keep running around the stores, trying to topple any stack of goods, generally creating a nuisance and not allowing me to shop. This time, though, we had two pairs of extra hands and legs. So mom and I shopped while hubby and dad kept a watchful eye on R. R anyway got his due share of fun- a toy train ride. These children rides in malls are out to loot you, I say. There were toy cars that ran on batteries and had attendants who maneuvered the vehicle if the kid was very young, there was this toy train and one huge bouncer. The rate for all the rides was Rs. 50 for a mere 3 minutes! We asked R to choose a ride and guess what, he said "aipain" (airplane). There was none around and it took us a while to understand R's gestures at the glass-paned lift which he referred to as airplane. Of all the rides, he chose the "free" one. While the amma appreciated the choice gleefully, the granny melted at the innocence and insisted on making him sit on one of the paid ones. What do I say! We decided on the toy-train ride for R. R got on to the train like a pro and happily sat through the entire 3 minutes, initially in a surprised daze and then consciously enjoying the ride, waving out to us as we did. We also went on the "airplane" too, many a few times. Hubby tutored R that it was a rocket and not airplane!

Mom and I shopped for ourselves and for my sister, niece and aunt back in Mumbai. The usual bags and stuff but every such shopping escape is so fulfilling, never mind the drawers that are overflowing with similar stuff. We had ice-cream at Baskin-Robbin's. I went for the "Tiramisu" flavour and was hugely disappointed. It tasted like some powdered medicine. yuck! :-(. We wanted to check out one last shop before going home. But R had other plans. As soon we entered the shop, I went to the deo-counter to buy one and I must have taken just about 5 minutes, within which R managed to topple something off the rack and run underneath one table that stacked some kurtis. He decided to play a game of going under and sliding out of the table, not paying heed to our coaxing to come out. He even inspired another kid there to join him in this play while the other exasperated mom looked at me resignedly. I didn't know where to look. Finally, we made a show of leaving the shop leaving R behind and only when he saw us heading out, he came out! So, folks imagine how I must be shopping for stuff with such a cooperative toddler. I accept your sympathies, thanks.

We decided to go to Lalbaugh on Sunday evening. It was the last weekend of my parent's stay and we wanted to take them to some place other than the malls in Bangalore. We finished lunch by 2.p.m and decided to leave the house max by 3.30 p.m. Seemed doable, only that my mom planned to make some coconut barfis that afternoon. Still, we thought we could manage to squeeze in that part too before leaving. I looked on (that's all the help I can lend to such matters) as mother set out to make the yummy goody. By the time the barfis were ready and we got ready, it was 4.30. The entry to the park closes at 6.p.m. and the place is about 20 kms from where we live. It being a Sunday, we still garnered hopes of getting there on time. Now, people staying in Bangalore city would be familiar with its one-ways and more now because of the metro being constructed. We reached the Garden around 5.15 only to realize that the entry gate we were at was not meant for four-wheelers. We were told to go to "another" gate by some rickshaw guy which meant, we would have to go back the route we came from and again take a U turn. Some one else said that there was a third entrance if we went ahead on our path. Since that seemed easier, we decided to go to the third gate. We reached the gate to find only two wheelers parked afront the gate and the lady at the ticket counter, who was friendlier and more informed than the previous one, told us that there is another gate meant for car park and we would have to go further down the lane and take a few turns. Time was 5.30. I asked her in desperation if we would make it in time. She said we might or if we were so worried, we could park our car across the road opposite some hotel and it would be fine. But hubby was not fine parking the car on the wayside and decided to go to the other dammed entry gate. We finally reached the magical entrance, only to find some cars parked outside the entrance blocking the gate and also the only available car-park space (we later learnt that there are a total of 4 entry gates and we ended up at all but the one we were looking for. Systematic, you say? Ok. But how about having clear instructions maybe by way of an updated route-map at every gate, so that the first-time visitors do not have to depend on stray people for assistance?). It was already 5.40 and since we didn't want to risk overstepping the time, we decided to park the car in the lane opposite to the park. I grumbled to hubby that we could have done this earlier and saved a few more minutes. Anyway, we finally made it inside the park before time. R ran amok inside and although I was holding his hand, it was he who was dragging me along and deciding where to go. He kept saying "anga" , "anga" and made me run behind him. There was a rocky slope, atop which there was this Kempegowda monument-a temple-like structure. This fella, ran all the way up and down the slope with my poor mom trudging along behind and me holding on to the brat's hand tightly. Where were the other men folk..well, they went in search of the restroom. Convenient. Hmpf!

We just had about half an hour to admire the well-maintained garden, manage R who was scampering away in all the directions we didn't want him to go and also click some snaps for remembrance. It suddenly grew dark and we heard a booming voice asking us to vacate the place soon. No, the booming voice was not God's but some in-duty officer's, doing the final rounds of the park before closing time. We promptly retracted our steps from wherever we were to head towards the exit. Most people stayed on and seemed as though they never heard the voice. No wonder then that although the said limit is at 7.30 p.m., the patrol jeep starts making the rounds from 6.30 onwards. It takes time to shoo away people. Nevertheless, we had a lovely evening. Short but sweet.

Parents left on Monday afternoon, leaving a cranky R and me feeling more blue than I have ever on Mondays. We went to see them off down the building and R hollered, wanting to go along. It took my undivided attention to distract him and calm him down which, to my relief, happened fairly soon, although from time to time he kept saying, "tatha? pati?..B'bay..auto".

A long post indeed. Leaving you with some pics of the evening at Lalbaugh.

Hubby, R and my mom



Sunset

The Kempe-gowda structure atop the rocky slope where R chose to run up and down


11 comments:

  1. So ur parents have left....the house will feel so empty for a few days:-).

    Ages since I visited Lalbagh....have lots of memories associated with the garden; school picnics, taking guests there, once my college friends & I spent 45 minutes debating where to go and finally landed up in Lalbagh; it was a hoot;-D.
    U shd go there during the flower-shows, it quite worth it tho very crowded.

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  2. Nancy: yes Nancy, but i'll be going to my parent's place next month and that kept me from crying myself :-)
    Oh yes, Lalbaugh during the flower show will be a treat. Hope to catch it then. AND you're gonna let me know the next time u r in blore. ok?

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  3. Looks like a lovely weekend was had :-) And we are still planning to take the little fellow to Lal Bagh... :-(

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  4. I love lalbagh.
    I too feel very down in the dumps after my parents leave after a visit...hugs!! Hopefully since they are so close by they do visit often enough for u not to feel too blue!

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  5. HI uma,
    well i often come across mothers who are troubled by their little kids in public places... i must say it's quite a funny sight to watch!!
    Anyways, nice pics... i wish you had left a glimpse of yours as well!!

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  6. RS: It was a lovely weekend RS. Do plan to take Chutku sometime..maybe we could team up too..:-)

    Aparna: Thanks Aparna *hugs back* !!!

    Radhika: funny, you say..well ya surely for the onlookers!
    Thanks..it is always me who is behind the camera, so my pics are rare..will post one someday..:-)

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  7. So nice to read about time spent with the grandparents Uma.. you must be really missing them !

    Let me cheer you up with a nice ice cream flavour - next time you see a Gelato Italiano joint, try the Fer Rocher flavour - totally awesome :) !!

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  8. Aparna: Thanks Aparna! I am missing them but will be visiting them next month, so the blues disappeared soon..:-)
    That sounds so yumm...waiting to try it out..err..where will I find a Gelato Italiano joint? (am quite a dud that way)

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  9. I really love Lalbagh..esp the flower shows!!
    And it feels really sad when parents leave..my parents were here a month back and i've already started making plans to visit them soon!!
    love going through your blog..i have a 10 month old..so really enjoy reading your writings :)

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  10. Haha Sorry Uma.. my bad.. just that I've seen a couple of them around here and there in South Bangalore so I thought they are all over the city ! Will keep an eye out when i come that side of town and let you know :)

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  11. Shuchi: Me also looking forward to my visit to the parents. Thanks so much shuchi! We can relate so much through our kids, no? Do keep visiting!

    Aparna: no probs, and if you're coming to this side of the town, we have to meet, OK?

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