Week eleven

We are in India! It is hot hot hot, but not as Hot as I remember it to be when we came here with newborn Appu in June 2007. So far so good...

I skipped the week ten update, sorry about that, but it has been a busy couple of weeks. We have traveled a lot and met friends and family, and we have only had the benefit of a slow and expensive internet connection during our stay in Italy.

Highlights of the trip:

• Appu was looking forward to seeing his nonna again and he was delighted to be reminded that she lives with three feline friends ("Nonna! Gatti!")
  
• Nonno was good company too and tried to impress Appu with his famous magic tricks, like the disappearance and reappearance of the ashtray.
• There is a nice playground next to our place in Torino. It used to be a bit too advanced for little Appu, but not anymore, now Appu can climb like a little monkey!
• We met Emiliano's father and his family, who as usual showered us with gifts and treated us to a delicious dinner too. Their dog Babette was interesting but a bit scary for our little hero. She has a few rubber toys in animal shapes and Appu would try and rescue them from her teeth, saying "stay there!" or "do that gaguga!" (meaning 'don't do that to the turtle (tartaruga in Italian)').
• We met Emiliano in Brussels and it was still love between him and Appu. I really wish we could live nearby, we will have to convince "Miano" to take a job in Chennai :) .
  
• In India we were welcomed by Achamma, who is now a favorite of Appu and Rohan had lots of smiles for her too. Appu also got to spend some time with Achachan, who is now known as "Chacha" or "UV" (from the alphabet song, I am guessing).
• Our first dinner in Chennai was at Fortune, for excellent Chinese food. I really wanted to go there, because last time we went I was expecting Rohan and I was feeling to sick to even try anything. Appu cheered "nunels! nunels!" for a while and when they finally came it was complete happiness. Go Singapore Noodles!

Throughout all this we have been missing our friends in Canada. S. says Appu is like a Bollywood hero going around the house and chanting the name of his loved one. "Koena, Koena...". We sent her a postcard from Torino and he scribbled something very sweet looking on it. It was also hard to say byebye to the people in Italy, but we are looking forward to some steadiness now, after we move to a new flat that is.