Pune

March 4


Reached Pune shivajinagar bus stand at 12.45pm. Took an auto to cousin's place. Yummy meal was waiting for us at cousin's place. Had a great lunch, played with the triplets, went to 'Shaniwarwada', ate snacks at Vaishali, did some street shopping, watched one hour of 'light and sound' show at Shaniwarwada (from 8-9pm) about the history of Pune/Maharashtra (which was very interesting, learnt about Shivaji and Baji Rao ), picked up pizzas from Little Italy on our way back. Feeling full! Reading books to Adi who's sleeping with us :)

Shaniwarwada

Sun Set in Pune

Light and Sound Show

March 5, night 2.30

Woke up at 6am today, waited till it got brighter and headed out for a walk. We climbed up a hill nearby where we had a beautiful view from the top. We sat down on a rock for sometime, watching the traffic on the bombay-pune expressway. We were back home by 8, had tea, played with the kids, took them to a nearby store-shrishti, bought gombe for dasara and a bag for mom, each costing 150rs :) and couple of small toys for the kids.

Visited SG's new house that's being constructed. Its a lovely place in a township with its own school.

Had lunch, mousi makes very yummy and healthy food-phulkas, 2 sabjis, dhal, rice and curds!

Sun Rise

View from the nearby hillock

Masala Chai at 4 in the hall where they have a nice view of the expressway and a hill, superb walk at the University of Pune (a beautiful 150years old campus in the middle of the city). G left for Dubai, we stayed home playing with the kids.

Adi slept with us reading a book on his own which was the cutest thing I have ever seen :) He's sooo adorable! Then we read to him before we slept.

University Walk

March 6


Woke up at 6.30 am, had planned for a morning walk/trek, but we just sat near the living room window, having tea watching traffic on the expressway. Loved doing that :) We sat there till 730, then Shef joined us, chatted. Had breakfast, quick bath and we 3 left for Bhaja caves, around 45minutes drive. Its about 7km before Lonavla. We crossed Malavli train station, passed many chai shops, vada pav shops and got down at the foot of the hills where the caves are located.

It was good weather, sunny, we climbed up the hill, bot tickets, Shef is a great guide, she explained how and why the caves were built. Basically king Ashoka sent his people/monks to spread buddhism all over india/sl. Monks had to keep roaming, but during rainy season they had to halt in some place. They were not supposed to stay in a village, so they found a place away from people/habitation. Since its human tendency to beautify the place they live in, they had carvings etc. Any buddhist place consists of 3 things - Chaitya (prayer hall), viharas (dorms to sleep) and Stupas (cylindrical structure with a rectangular structure on top where relics would be kept of the king/monk)

We explored the place for couple of hours, met a UK lady who works for Times paper on russia, sang with her, had pune kulfi and headed down. Down on the road, we had superb vada pava with chai which completed our Pune trip :)

Back in the apartment, we had lunch and played with the kids till we left for the airport around 3.30pm. The kids are so much fun to be with :) Adi made us read at least 20 books for him :D And the best narration was by Adi when he read a book on Rama and squirrel. He knows the book by heart and he reads thru the whole book. The cutest thing I have seen so far :)

Early Morning - View of the Bombay Pune Expressway

Window

Room with bed

Kulfi near the caves

Vada Pav + Chai