I run to write and I write to run

Ok that time of the year when all lace up for a race ... in Vasco, the GOa River Marathon
This time around it was the 10th edition... as good as their reputation goes in organising such a large scale event in a small town, is their sheer love for running. Their attention to details about the requirements of so many kinds of runners is so unique. Let me illustrate this with an example
Running is an easy sport but a lot of variables can alter our finish times. And naturally as humans we have unrealistic expectations too. ( Else why would anyone sign up a second time to run a full marathon) So we curse the route, seasons, humidity, work stresses, shoes,socks,morning blues, dogs barking at a distance etc for the poor show on the race day .But all runners without an exception will exhalt about the well organised race. Like the loving mother who fusses over all her children we were given the best
Ok now my running story .... my 42.2 kms... the whole story
Reference to this for a quick recall. .http://triviadivya.blogspot.com/2018/12/i-lived-to-tell-tale.html .. I wanted to do the same thing again... why
Like the lady in labor pains who vows never to have another child but returns back promptly for the next edition.... like the student who promises to study better the next time if the exams are cleared this time.....
The  first 42.2 kms hurt just as much and I somehow forgot how I barely got out alive to tell the tale
I was just as unprepared ... the mind body mismatch was just as much .... in my mind a marathon is easy peasy for me but my legs screamed something else the whole time
My 2 cents worth ....
The tough thing about running a marathon is waking up at an unearthly hour in the name of practice....
Tougher than that is trying to move ones bowels before the race.... the lighter one is, the faster one is on the feet , right
Toughest part is wearing the correct shoes  .... I walked out with both right leg shoes in the wee hours of the morning ... I managed such an impossible thing how difficult a second full marathon could be

17 November 2019
2:00 am - I am going to have the best race of my live
4:30 am - I will finish this race in 5 hours
4:45 am - As the 5 hours pacer ran past me , Mind says the 5:30 guys are still way behind
5:08 am - 5:30 bus is closing in rapidly,  Mind says Cmon I can keep up
6:20 am - I am struggling to keep up with 5:30 bus..but like the reassuring sounds of a cardiac monitor about the patient being alive ; the flapping 5:30 bus flag kept me hoping n running
n Amit has the repute of being on time, always.. Indigo must have picked up their tag line from him..
7:00 am- I need to get out of this alive... I have a family, dogs , menagerie to care for after all
From this point onwards I went into a running coma... mind gives up.... legs keep moving because they have done so from the first year of life
Seriously what was I thinking
If I have run a marathon before I am prepared for another one
Like the exam paper where the questions are out but I still don’t know the answers
I did not blame the route or the weather.... just myself .... as if that helps
No one said it was easy.... except my Mind of course

When all is bleak God sends angels , seriously I saw the wings and the works in the running delirium
A fellow runner , Chandra who talked me to the turn around point

A fellow cyclist, Sunil, egged me to the finish line ... the last 7.5 kms I was the ICU patient and S was the ventilatior that breathed life into me, breath after breath, unfailingly

I ran and ran real hard on the finish line timing mat.....joined by a fellow doctor Siddhesh  who didn’t let me stop running in the last 100 metres also
I FINISHED @ 5hour 52minutes ....way off what I set out for...but 4 minutes shaved off my previous timing .....so I am proud of that.....way tougher than I expected ... but I have forgotten that

The joy of stepping on the mat.. to loud cheers from friends .... to a warm embrace of Amol (who supports this madness inspite of not subscribing to it)... to wobbly knees that is going to hurt for the next few days ... I am reborn.... and that is why we run marathons.   .... Year after year..
( A veteran once told me he had run 5 full marathons and each one was differently difficult)
one wants to feel life breathed in to you again , after it has been sucked out..... fills a runner up to the brim.... overflowing with the joys  unexplainable
   Thanks people..... all who have made me see another sunset....

Portugal- Portily Ours

Who feels guilty about a vacation...well ... we are doctors and my boy is taking his boards this year....so anhedonia is what we should feel all the time and here we were headed to a voyager nirvana

 Portugal had a real strong contender...our guilty conscience...

Portugal was a vacation planned by the confluence of cosmos for us ...we are Goans ,so we think we are quasi Portuguese...Amol’s Nephrology paper got selected for the Porto Clinical Nephrology Update ,the only Indian amongst 25 other papers.....ADi ‘s  10 days school break coincided perfectly, (so what if we landed from the airport to the Examination Hall)....Hence we had to do this...so perfectly planned by the cosmos cannot be let go by mere mortals.....

We did our usual Qatar airways route, where we Chandran Mahaldars believe that the journey is more important than the destination itself. We landed in Lisbon in good time, to experience the funicular, Elevador de Santa Justa. The Elevador de Santa Justa was designed by Raul Mesnier de Ponsard , a student of the great iron craftsman Gustav Eiffel(The Eiffel tower guy) and just as popular . This Iron Masterpiece is a work of art that leads us to the most romantic photo point with the finest views of central Lisbon, against the setting sun spreading sepia tones are memories to be held on forever

Our next destination was the day long trip to the mystical city of Sintra...A train ride away from the city transports one into an erstwhile royal sanctuary replete with forested terrains , castles and opulent mansions.The Palacio National da Pena has a Disneyland feel to it with a vividly painted exterior . The most beautiful green Chandelier of morning glory vines and an ornate Kings bed were my favourites. 
A winding walk along the castle ruins of The Castelo dos Mouros was long, tiring but exhilarating...did not know that was even possible.

Castelo dos Mouros

The Quinta da Regaleria , a lavish mansion that contain hidden tunnels and secretive religious symbolism...The nine platforms of the well of initiation quickly pointed out as the Dante’s nine circles of  Hell by my teen son without any prelude set me questioning.... am I the Devil and  is he the Devil's son ...hence knows all about Hell...symbolism, enchantment, mysticism QdR has it all.

Quinta da Regaleria

well of initiation

kiss under a holly

A late night tram 28 ride around Lisbon with my leaden legs but Amols unebbed enthusiasm(never the case), made sure we did not miss any “touristy things to do”. Our souls were resuscitated only with wafting varied Portuguese cuisines in the Time Out Market..a Gastronomic Gourmet Extravaganza which runs all night

Our last day in Lisbon had us taking a bus in the opposite direction due to a moments disagreement in the family . But local travel in a bus full of  geriatric population (the bus was headed to the Hospital de Santa Maria, probably they were busbound  to collect their meds) was just as amusing. When on a holiday even wrong things seem so right.

Jeronimos monastery 

Jeronimos monastery where Vasco da Gama finally rests also has an interesting history. Santa Maria de Belem ( Jeronimo's monastery is an extension of this chapel), was the church VdG visited with his sailors before his  first voyage to India . Not so lucky the third time , VdG died in Kochi and buried there in the first ever church of Asia (St Francis Church, Kochi) . A voyager even in afterlife, he was exhumed and shipped to the current resting place in Lisbon. Incidentally we visited his birthplace Sines enroute to Lagos. And to complete the Chandran Mahaldar  branch of the story of VdG.... we live in Vasco da Gama, Goa...a place we call home (a place VdG apparently never set foot on)

VdG tomb

 Padrao dos Descobrimentos , a grand monument on the banks of Tejus  Estuary  romanticises  the voyages of Age of Discovery . For our side of the world it was the age of  the complete elimination of Arab traders and silenced Indian Kingdoms.

Padrao dos Descobrimentos

Tower of Belem was once a Fortress , now a landmark in Lisbon. The rhinoceros gargoyle on it's western facade has an interesting story. In 1514 Afonso de Albuquerque(of 'the Alfonso mango' fame) was gifted a rhino by the Sultan of Gujarat. Unable to care for the ”gift” in Goa he shipped it his King in Portugal.To validate the Ancient Roman stories of deadly rivalry between elephants and rhinos, the King organised a public duel between the 2 animals. The elephant panicked and ran away , the rhino securing his place as the mightiest beast of all and a gargoyle on the ToB.

Tower of Belem

The pink street, aka tarmac painted pink is the trendy nightlife party place of Lisbon. We visited during the day and the street was deserted except a Café. It was on my wish list only for the colourful feed it makes for my blog. While I was busy posing for candid pics a drug peddler approached Amol with his wares. We gathered our wits and walked away as nonchalantly as we could.

A walk by the river to reach Praca do Comercio holds so many Buskers, Street art, photo stops. 

A photo of the photographer@Praca do Comercio

Portuguese have this crazy affinity for cod fish...they have so many dishes churned out of that one fish, starting from starters to  dessert I was left wondering if they have a toothpaste of bacalhao flavour as well....start the day with their fave flavour. 

Ajulejo tiled corrider @ our accomodation

Good Morning Lisboa

view from our apartment

Our accommodation in Lisbon was in the old Alfama district famed for its traditional cafes. The apartment was old but the amenities so futuristic and ergonomic that NASA would be inspired. The smallest kitchen I had seen till date but had all the appliances fitted in a 3*3 sq feet area. The unrivalled views of the river Tagus and  the red tiled rooftops,  the white apartment, Ajuleo tiled corridor, the old flatmate who “bonita”ed my gown ..Cabbies of Lisbon are probably the best car parkers in the world....narrow cobbled streets with such tight parking...they aced it all like a scene from the movies....Lisbon  made me feel like the Bond girl....beautiful blithe bimbette in an exotic locale....

Acting the Bond Girl

Our ride in POrtugal

We picked our car from Lisbon and headed to Lagos...Well that was the intention but ……..We circled every flyover out of Lisbon , Amol tried his best to keep calm, I played out the bimbette bit to the hilt and Adi blissfully unaware of the rising tension in the Merc  wanted to play music till we got out of town, (musical navigation maybe). Finally we got out of Lisbon(probably  Lisbon just rearranged her roads so that we could just drive away) and reached Sines. Completing the entire life cycle of Vasco da Gama with some lovely local fresh grilled fish  served with beet looking sweet potaoes from a local Café. 

Sines-Birthplace of VdG

Along the western coast of Portugal...Google maps figured out finally, a song on our lips and a proud chest we reached Vincentine coast. Europe's lands end and the vast Atlantic ocean ….lending the monicker "the last sausage before America" to a food van there

...Steep vertical drops that make great locales for breeze blown gowns stills of Hindi Movies....green waters....sea spray rising so high.....winds that make pebbles defy gravity....Credit to Mr Bond aka Amol for planning this road trip so well.

Praia @ Lagos

Lagos was our night halt....a beach town where our self check in had a key in a number locked container....written Instructions to the T from the host like Bond movies again. I half expected some secret documents hidden in the microwave. 

We got Merc bound to Faro ….interesting limestone rock formations by the sea, most photographed Portuguese landscape . We picked some stones that had shells embedded in them, got lots more photos...even the boys cooperated this time...

Nossa Senhora Fathima...her elusive secrets that beats the Da Vinci code....the religious fervour that transcends  all  faiths was the right break for a 350 km in 3 hours ride

Fatima

Batalha has a Gothic monastery but of greater interest are cycling routes which someday I hope to return to fulfil my pedal dreams

cycling routes @ Batalha...pedal list

Porto- raison d'etre

The reason of our visit, Amols Nephrology Congress, 

The origin of the country's name Portugal

The source of Porto wine

The home of FC Porto

Adi and me explored it mainly by foot along the Duoro river, over popcorn and lots of mom son bonding.

The sights of note are the Palacio da Bolsa, erstwhile stock exchange of the rich port .The guided tour by a good humoured youngster, opulent Arabic room kept intact along with  the Gustav Eiffel room when he lived in POrto , plaster feigning as wood, a ton weighing chandelier doubles up as a venue for banquets for the HNWI and state heads

Porto has 6 bridges along the Douro river.

Dom Luis 1 the double decker bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel partner and hence influenced greatly by the master. I am an Eiffelophile ...so kindly bear the Eiffel excesses

Livraria Lello bookstore , the most beautiful bookstore in the world, frequented by Jk Rowling has an entry fee to step in to the wonderland.

The narrowest building , between the Carmo and the Carmelite churches , blends right in , almost hidden, has a broad impact.

We drove along the grapevine countryside of the Douro region....winding roads drive up to the heavens almost , the car kissing the clouds intoxicated by the POrto wine....we ate The francesinha a typical Porto dish, consisting of multiple layers of beef, ham, bacon, sausage, egg and dough, drenched in tomato and beer sauce, in a countryside cafe

foosball @ a local cafe

Coimbra - the university town of Porto had the Latada festival on the day of our visit. The freshers are welcomed with a week long festivities and baptized in the Mondego river. The number of students that spilled onto the streets that day could have easily finished the waters of Mondego. A small snack in Church converted to a Cafe, right in the eye of the boisterous Latada had us screaming at the top of voices to be heard The  Harry Potters long black cloak is influenced by this festival when JkR stayed in Portugal.  

Nazare - Another beach resort , cold green waters, home to 100 feet waves attract the best and bravest surfers. We were happy sampling live barnacles and bolos de Belem.

chilling in the afternoon sun

a diva moment...…


                                    saying our vows again...…







 We reached in good time to Mafra luckily......luckily because it was one the most exotic stays in all life and we would not have been able to appreciate it at night. We stayed in a windmill.

A windmill we called home for a night

windmill attic

Yes , you read it right...an old windmill now converted into a 2bhk, kitchen and bath...with all the amenities...swimming pool, love seat under the full moon, landscaped gardens and horses on trot.....A freezing swim in the pool by moonlight, an occasional dog howling at the moon, moonlight dinner...what a fine finish to a fantastic holiday

The Portugal trip was meant to be......guilt tried hard...….but Portugal won hands down 


PS- I have to acknowledge all things that went wrong too

poor lad had exams the next day

Adi had his head buried in books in the car and every night(we had exams to answer), we left Alexa remote in Porto, we forgot a Thank You gift at the airport and it compounded my sadness of a vacation ending many more times, Adi developed red eyes from watching too much inflight entertainment and an ophthalm friend suggested dehydration could be a cause, and I had Adi drinking so much water that the poor kid was running to the loo like a diabetic, we had our usual skirmishes vacation or Portugal notwithstanding, I realised my A2 level in Portuguese is only worth saying Obrigado but still....Eternal Voyagers we remain

Festival that defines me-Virudhunagar Mariamman Pongal

My family hails from Virudhunagar.
District headquarters, famous for Burma kadai protta (Tamil version of Kerala parota and completely different from the Punjabi paratha), VVV college for women where the only man allowed in is an aged watchman(feminist version of Sabari Mala...Take that),Bhai kadai mutton makes the juiciest mutton chops, Sugary palmyra juice called paini served in palm leaves cup(prepubescent stage of toddy), Kodiakapalam (tamarind looking sweet fruits on thorny bushes meant for goats but we have acquired a unique liking to it much like the west's avocado obsession), baby cucumbers so tender like a new born's fingers. Many items like Rangoon beans, palm jaggery we Virudhunagar expats stock up for a year. Our obsession with these things gets a little awkward to explain to non V people especially airport CISF security. They ran my bag at each check point through EDS( explosive detection systems). Little country bombs embedded in single pod garlic and jaggery moulds maybe.
OK now the good things stop here.
The place is terribly hot, water is hard to taste and get, relatives aka old aunts are so caustic that litmus paper will change colour just by their whispers. Clothes,jewelry,skin colour(btw most of us are in fifty shades of coffee,cappuccino to espresso  but we have innovative terms to describe it like the eskimos have for shades of white) are topics of ever entertaining  unending conversations. Somehow everyone knows everyone , better still we are also related....(one big vasudeva kutumbam), so everyone knows everything about everybody...you get the drift...
Right from the times of my paternal grandparents, most of my family has made career and a living outside V but we get back to our roots once a year for the annual Mariamman Pongal. Apparently my Grandma told all her newly wed daughters in law to make it to this festival every year. Her way of keeping cord ties with her sons, I guess. Amma hailing from the same place reinforced our love for this Goddess and her annual extravaganza.
Now Mariamman unlike most Aryan Gods is worshipped on the lines of pre-vedic form of Hinduism aka Dravidian folk religion. Mariamman is considered mother Goddess, much like the Greek Mother Goddess Gaia. We believe She has given birth to all and  She is typically associated with Shakthism. She is fierce and powerful and yet forgiving and all encompassing of her children.So there are many forms of showing our love and devotion for her.


Water Deluge of Goddess Mariamman, Black and White dot smeared body adorned with neem leaves camaflouge dressing, Kairu Kuthu, Agni Chatti(clay bowl of fire) carrying by devotees plain palm, Mulaipari (Sprouting or Germination of Nine Grains or Navadhanyam), making Pongal, Nei Villaku (kneaded  flour shaped as lamps lighted with Ghee) , prostrated body circumambulation of the temple.......all to the sounds of beating drums and devotees fervent chants of Aaho Aiya Ho........some of them in a trance , dancing wildly
The atmosphere is electric...infused with faith...
We believe Mariamman will shower us with her blessings and all our wishes will come true.

Moving from in general Mariamman to my own Mariamman story...My parents were this very happy couple with 2 children,a boy and a girl,complete family,good job for Dad, beautiful Amma and their bucket list almost ticked off were living happily till one Mariamman  Pongal. A devotee carrying Agni Chatti in her trance mumbled something to Amma .... I will fill your lap with a lot of wealth and happiness but  you will not have that to continue your lineage..But you will never regret that because there will so much good to have... like the  Oracles of Delphi, some mumbo Jumbo  and was quickly forgotten....and Voila ....I arrived 10 months later, a girl....completely unplanned and unexpected....after a quick recall my parents thought I was this special child directly sent from Mariamman's lap to Amma's. I grew up with this story and I was given credit for most of my parents good fortunes.Mariamman also watched over me and I became the first Doctor in immediate family.
When it was time to announce my college romance and decision to marry outside the V diaspora, (again a first in immediate family) Mariamman came to my rescue .This time in the form a lady carrying Panakaram(sweetened tamarind drink) for the Goddess. Another prophecy in the trance to Amma.....She will look out for herself, You dont have to worry.....A week later when I broke the news expecting the worst , Amma surprised me with her interpretation of this Oracle and was the first one to be convinced inspite of all the "what will people say"
This , along with all the goodies V has to offer, I have not missed Mariamman's Pongal(if I could help it)
Fast forward to 2019 , Mariamman Pongal this year....I couldnot help it... I was going to miss this one......And everyone back home said things like Mariamman will understand..... child is caught in the cycle of work and family...mother after all
But my wish to be there was so strong...Mother aligned the cosmos ....flights were booked ....I reached just in time....... my ritual Mother Child greeting, love and worship flowed.....
I wanted to make Pongal for Mariamman but then again it was not going to happen.....logistics and odds were stacked against my time constraints. I was disheartened.... next year definitely , my heart consoled. Another cosmic realignment....I happened to be in my Aunts place whose neighbour was making the Pongal for Mariamman.They asked all the women present to put in the fistful of rice in the boiling pot.Bingo...even this wish got fullfilled.
Family times,Sibling love, catching up on V gossip,Nephews playful teasing, meeting aunts even if to get cauterised(blood is thicker than water,apparently), reunioun with paini, kodikapalam, mutton all were the happy pleotropic effects of Mariamman Ponga

Mariamman Pongal is me, I am the celebration, the Child, the Devotee.....this festival defines me

As one flies over the Emirates

Two Thirds of the Chandran family has been working in the Arab world for over 2 decades and one hundred percent of my goodies hail from there, thanks to my expat siblings.Also so many others from family and friends live there .The fridge swells with chocolates and the bellies with the sugar overload every July August. The expat annual vacation. We have dates blocked for these months of merriment , annually, much like our Diwali and Xmas.
So there was not much of the giddy excitement about the trip to the UAE. I thought this place would have huge malls filled with candies and perfumes. Their man made wonders and amusement parks did not really add upto much in my mind. So 2 days was all that we had allotted to this land of sun and sand.

Well SUPRISE .....I had some my best vacation times and formed my best memories here.

The mandatory theme park stop was at the Yas water world in Abu Dhabi. We laughed through fun but fear mostly. The adrenaline rush rides emptied and exhausted our one years worth pockets of fight/fright/flight hormones. The vertical drops over the Jebel drop platform is the highest of the 40 odd rides in the park. Well what can I say. My feet could not feel air forget ground or water for some seconds.My eyes tight shut I willed myself to jump ... A leap of faith literally.
Falcon Falaj is a six seater ride which is equally hair raising, but divided by six..... With my legs safely tucked under my Husband's we breezed through this. Now I know what do they mean by through "thick and thin". We liked it so much that when we wanted to relive the magic. This time it turned into fear magically...our Falcon(buoy) got stuck half way on the bend , cold water spraying from all sides, no answers for our cries of help for what seemed eons, my brother in law with his wicked sense of humour not helping at all.....finally rescue by foot along sliding watery railings..... remains etched forever ….an anecdote for generations to come in our family. 
Liwa loop which is a hydraulic operated drop from height(just in case will power was not enough) too ended in embarrassment for me.....though hydraulic pushed me over gravity refused to take the small  me all the way down....stuck in one of the loops and oscillating for long before gravity gave up I was rescued by this handsome Filipino , who btw called me a brave Girl. 
After special training sessions to learn to ride the waves on body boards called Yas Flow League we were given congratulatory hand shakes but were not allowed to move on to the next stage. 
The Lost pearl cinematic 5D water experience has to had first hand to believe it.


 Almost a full day in the park had us ravenous for food. Happy Yemen Restaurant filled us with Mandi(Yemeni version of good old Biryani) and unlimited Suleiman chai(sweet chai spiced with mint leaves) spread over a charpoi with all of us digging in from one huge plate...one of my best meals ever......God bless the HYR


Abu Dhabi grand mosque is the most beautiful manmade structure I have seen till now. The first thought that strikes us is that it is more beautiful than the Taj , guilt quickly follows . But the Indian in me , never to give up , researched till I found out that it is modelled on the Taj . Hah... A sigh of relief...we still have the original with us!
The mosque by the moonlight....with its worlds largest Chandelier....An Iranian carpet that took 1200 days to make....the inlay work of date palms and flowers......Masha Allah....A visual treat


The next day had us visiting friends from college in Fujairah. We had a short stop at the Al Bathnah Fort...Now UAE rightfully lays claims to some of the best maintained roads but the off roading to this fort had us worried...But like all things in the UAE there was a surprise waiting in there for us .A wealthy merchants house converted to a fort , opened only for us by the guards, the private photoshoot that we had courtesy my talented nephew, baby parrots hidden in the ventilation slots, an Indian Roller Coracias Benghalensis bright blue bird brightened our day. I even picked desert jujubes by the roadside

 

Visiting Friends always refreshes the soul. The delightful spread that Ekta and Dinesh had for us....children and me competed to watch movies for a larger than life telly experience.....  the drive to the Fujairah beach in their Merc to the cleanest beach I had been to with the most beautiful shells and cowries...peppered with old times memories by Mily, lots of fun facts by Dinesh about UAE.....nice to see our friends nestled in so beautifully. Warmed our souls just like cool wintery mid afternoon desert breeze.


A detour through Ras Al Khaimah by our enthusiastic Pakistani driver had us completely sloshed and road sick.But for the sake of showing off and this blog we had seen 5 of the 7 Emirates in 48 hours. Sundown golden hour pics by the desert was a saving grace for the photo crazy me.

We wrapped up our short stay with the mall visit.....which btw was the least significant part of my UAE vacation....So much for my pre formed opinion...



My sister's family being there added to all the fun. Her cozy apartment which housed everything so ergonomically and her large heart she always had for her little baby sister...My brother in law , the ever gracious host, my nephew who lets me live youth again...the lovely take outs they ordered for us so thoughtfully.(so many varieties of food are available and take out culture so prevelant amongst the expats)...... the school that she is the Principal of.......felt so proud of her contribution, to the Emirates .....from one Chandran to another.... Cheers


so  UAE till then lots of love from here to there......keep the goodies flowing