Entry #14 -- January 1 - January 31, 2009

Our New Year's Resolutions: 1. Figure out the difference between a coconut tree and a palm tree so that you are not embarrassed. 2. Be more patient with the auto drivers when bargaining for a price. 3. Eat more than chicken fried rice, chicken tikka and butter naan when we go out for dinner; experiment with other items on the menu. 4. Read two newspapers a day. Get a good world map and figure out who is shooting at who and make sure you are not in the way! 5. Learn Telugu -- that will never happen! 6. Look at the pictures of your grand-children more. 7. Be more tolerant of the ways of India. 8. Find a new apartment . . .

This is our new "flat" at G.G.M. Reddy Estates. It is on the "backside" on the third floor. Four brothers went together to build this apt. building. Their father originally owned the property. They each have their own flat for their family and each rent another flat for income. There are a total of ten grand-children and they do not hestitate to come into your apartment whenever your door is open!

This is moving day from the first apartment. I don't know how two people brought eight pieces of luggage with them, and ended up with all these boxes! The movers wrapped the couch and two chairs in burlap and sewed them closed with large curved needles and thread.

Our first landlord invited us to his nephew's wedding. All of the gift-giving, picture-taking, music and formalities began at 7:00pm with a buffet dinner. The wedding did not take place until after midnight. Obviously we did not stick around for the "I do's" or whatever they say.

Our landlord and his wife are standing closest to the bride and groom. They are Dr. and Mrs. N. Kurmaiah. He is a retired professor of Chemistry.

We finally visited the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park here in Visakhapatnam. It is the largest zoo park of its kind in the country. It has a walk-through aviary, a deer safari, and a cat complex with jaguars, leopards, lions, Bengal tigers . . .

and bears, oh my!


There are festivals all during the year, but this one was close to the Christmas holidays. Large scaffolding hold the lights. They are usually displayed on the streets.

I'm glad I learned how to take night-time pictures!

Beach Road in Visakhapatnam is known for its wierd scupltures.
Here are some lovely mermaids.

Don't be shocked; this is only temporary. A design is made using mehandi, a paste of leaves. It is put in a cone, the tip is cut off and then you squeeze the cone to push the paste out.

This must take a lot of practice!
Do not try this at home...