Mumbai - Day 1

Reading Southern India 2013

We have had some fun and our trip is just beginning.
Starting on Thursday the 7th of Feb. we experienced the worst snow storm of this winter, Would  we get to Toronto for our flight and if we did would the flight go.
Saturday the 9th the sun was shinning and we had basically an easy ride to Toronto.
Checking in at the Pearson Airport was something else! We arrived at the suggested 3 hours before departure then lined up to check in. The machines were not giving luggage tags so we had to line up. An hour or so later and we lined up to go through security. FINALLY, we were where we were supposed to be. Time for a snack at very noisy Casey's and we were told we were delayed.

About a half hour after they told us to board we were told there was a delay. Then we had to have the wings de-iced my first experience for this. Wow!

We didn't make our connection in Munich but quickly moved from our Air Canada flight     to a Lufthansa flight...small seat flight! Beautiful plane but sooooo little space to sit. Lots of business class. We had an uneventful flight to Mumbai. Waited, waited for our luggage, to find it hadn't arrived. It must still be with AC in Munich. If you haven't been to India there is no way I can explain the next 3 hours.

No suitcases.

February 11, 2013
We have been touring. My mini memories will show you where we have been and what we have been doing.
It was a good day and Mumbai has been wonderful. We are all very tired, hope we can sleep. Our morning starts early with a visit to the Sassoon Docks to take a look at the morning catch.

No suitcases and my 500 Rupee Note is counterfeit.

I have a full page of mini memories to share but will have to work on it tomorrow.

Goodnight from Mumbai

Last few days to share In beautiful Croatia, then off to India!

September 19, 20, 21 2012
We had an amazing time in Croatia and it seems with our departure on Saturday for India I have run out of Tuesdays to share for this trip.

I will always be excited about this journey as it was the one I first tried "mini memories" and the beginning of my blog. Even though not many leave comments I am pleased to hear that some of you are regulars to my blog. I am planning to continue as I travel in India. Postings will be when I can get Internet access and have mini memories to share. I have been to India so many times but honestly never stopped looking long enough to even think about painting. India is an on going happening. Mini memories hopefully will give a chance to paint. They demand so little, just look/paint then on to the next exciting moment.

Left in my Croatia sketch book are daily paintings of Zagreb, Split and Brela.
They basically explain themselves.

I am posting from my iPad to give it a try. I hope when I look my blog on line it will be what I expect to see. If it is, you will find me here sharing Southern India with you. Our itinerary is on my website http://www.goingplacestogether.com/ItineraryReadingSouthernIndia/tabid/233/Default.aspx
I am looking forward to once again visiting this exciting country.

Mumbai, here we come.

Still in Zagreb

It is amazing how fast each Tuesday comes!

Here I am once again looking at tomorrow being Tuesday.  Am I ready to share with you our trip to Croatia? I hope so.

The final arrangements are almost complete for our departure to India. Tomorrow is a book club at Nicholas Hoare in Toronto so we will be heading there weather permitting around 10:00 AM. It is time to share "God of Small Things"!

Before I depart I must tell you a little more about "Amazing Zagreb!
September 17, 2012
I had arranged a tour of the city with "Dora Fila". We used Dora's company on our first visit as she came recommended by Miljenka for her perfect English Tours. It was a great success so once again I hired Dora. Our tour started in Park Zrinjevac where we first saw the 'Plane Trees' and the beautiful gazebo.

After our city walking tour we went to a new museum ...new to me! 'Lauba', is a privately owned contemporary art gallery, well worth a visit.  The art of Zagreb is exciting and in this museum it represents today!

At this time in our trip I hadn't discovered 'mini memories'. I was still painting with my watercolour (Canadian spelling) paints and drawing with a marker. As you can see the marker used to draw the gazebo was much finer then the one to draw "Coffee Street",  below. It is amazing how the change of a pen changes the way you draw. The larger the pen the faster and simpler the drawing. I am learning something new each day.

Just behind the umbrella and below the sundial clock is the statue of Marija Juric Zagorka, Croatian writer and journalist who was born in 1873 and lived till 1957.

 See you here on Feb. 5th my last posting before I head to India.

Zagreb, Capital of Croatia

Hi, Tuesday and oh so cold in Stratford! It is great to have wonderful memories of warm places when you have to face -15 C.

I will start back on our arrival in Zagreb.

September 16, 2012 Zagreb, Capital of Croatia
It was a long journey and we were tired but Zagreb has too much to share to stop. We checked into The Palace Hotel. A perfect location for walking to and from anything really important to visitors.  Our itinerary said that we were at leisure. This means if you can stay awake get out and walk! We met in the foyer and walked to the main square. Just out the door and turn left...keep walking and in about 5 minutes you are there. Zagreb citizens enjoy the out of doors. Cafes, parks and shopping can all be enjoyed without entering a building. We walked, sat in a cafe, enjoyed a cup of coffee and of course an amazing little dessert. Six PM and we returned to the hotel for welcome drinks with our friend in Zagreb...Miljenka's daughter, Kora...came to our hotel to welcome us.  Miljenka, our contact and friend in Zagreb was off in Brela making final arrangements for our trip.

As you can see the little painting was done the next day. I will talk more of this day next Tuesday.
Till then.

Time to head home!

September 30, 2012

Time travels quickly when you are enjoying yourself. It certainly went quickly on this trip to Croatia. As this is the day we returned to Canada there isn’t much to share. A beautiful sunrise out the window of our early morning flight to Frankfurt then the rest is a blur. 

It has been fun sharing my mini memories with you. I am leaving for India on the 9^th of Feb.  To keep the blog going as per my, every Tuesday posting decision, I will post sketches that I did on this trip prior to starting mini memories. When I get to India I will do my best to post as I go, Mumbai, Cochin, Backwaters of Kerala, Periyar, Madauri, Chennai and Pondicherry are waiting.

 

The Hat!

I told you about the hat, "follow that hat", our Dubrovnik tour guides hat. I was so taken with her hat I decided I wanted one of my own. I am not sure where I will ever wear this hat but it was fun to shop for and it now is in my office along with my safari hat from Kenya. I hope this isn’t the beginning of a collection. See you here next Tuesday. 

 

More Dubrovnik

 

Here we are again. Tuesday,  I am to post on my blog. I am heading to Toronto in the morning for the Reading Southern India book club so will not be here to post. I will do it tonight and those who are in another part of the world will be able to read the blog on Tuesday while the rest of you sleep. 

September 29, 2012

All too soon our tour is coming to an end. There is still so much to experience in Croatia but it will have to wait until the next time. I will return to Croatia with painters or with small group. I am not sure when but am hoping it will not be too far in the future.

On our last day in Dubrovnik our itinerary was "at leisure". Everyone had things they wanted to do  What had we missed in our Dubrovnik experience? 

 

We found a boat trip that went to an island off the coast. It sounded like something that would interest us. Breakfast was once again at Sesame. That mini painting is the view from our table.  There were little flies under the table, biting little flies. We enjoyed our breakfast but moved along faster then we had the previous days. Our cruise which was a water taxi, took us to Lokrum Island. The boat left at 10:00 AM. We went to the harbour in the old city and purchased our tickets. At 10:00 we boarded the Dubrovnik “Skala”. The trip was not very long but a beautiful view of the old city walls, the harbour and an amazing cruise ship that was letting down its' boats for those heading to Dubrovnik for a day tour. Many, many little boats!

It was a very hot day so out on the water was a pleasant place to be. On arrival at Lokrun Island we followed the signs to what we thought was Fort Rajski. We ended up at the monastery. We found a quiet restaurant and ordered a coke. Rest and relaxation was the name of this day. If you are going to Lokrum don’t forget to go prepared for some time at the beach. This island seems to be a destination for beach time and there were lovely places along the shore to sit in the sun or swim in the beautiful Adriatic.  We walked around the island taking in the sights. The boat was returning to the mainland just as we completed our circle so we boarded and returned to Dubrovnik. 

Now what to do? Lunch! We always seem to be sitting, always eating and yes always painting little mini memories. In the square at the gates of the old city you can book tours so we headed there to see what was offered.

Back to you next Tuesday.