Vashisht Village

Thursday ~ 17 May 2007

We started early in the morning and made a few stop to take the pictures, for some that we can take and a lots of what we have seen we can only keep in mind as a souvenir. The road to Kullu seems too long but we have been served with a beautiful landscape. It is magnificent!! Up there on the mountain, there is a bit of snow!! IT looks similar to the Alps in Europe.

Instead of finding a place to stay in Kullu, we headed staight to Vashisht and it is a lovely little village northeast of Manali with hot springs, old stone houses, ancient temples, great views but it's definitely a 'scene'and "delicious pizzas".....hmmmmmmp. The village was founded by the sage Vashisht Muni and there are several old temples dedicated to him and the god Rama.

The journey to Kullu Valley & Manali

Wednesday ~ 16 May 2007
We started our journey at 5.00pm to Kullu Valley and Manali(Himachel Pradesh). Arrived at Chandigarh at 11.00pm where we had to make a stop that night. The city offered a lots of hotels and guest houses. Chandigarh is a unique city. The Nehruvian idealism at its core is in stark contrast to the industrial development on the restaurants and other in-transit facilities have mushroomed as a result. The pollution-free air, the short distances, the wide tree-lined boulevards and avenues, the lake and the plush interiors belying the dull exteriors contribute to making Chandigarh a charming place for residents and visitors. Though the Le Corusier architecture tends to get monotonous, the easily defined localities, called "sectors", and general sense-of-organisation are fine compensations.

Mee Jawa ~ Javanese noodles

Ingredients ;
1 kg yellow noodles or egg noodles
1 kg medium prawns
300 gm sirloin beef (boiled)
4 eggs (boiled)
500 gm sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed)
50 gm brown sugar
2 - 3 heaped tbsp cornstrach
1/2 cup oil
2.5 l of water
3 shallots (sliced and fried until the colour turn to brown)
spring onion (chopped)
red chilli (sliced)

Herb paste ;
3 stalks lemon grass
6 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
4 cm ginger
6 cm galanga
5 red chillies
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander seed

Method ;
Heat oil and fry the paste till fragrant. Add prawns stolk, simmer and bring to a boil. Stir in the mashed potatoes and ticken with cornstrach and season with sugar, salt and pepper.

Serve with fried tofu, slices of hard boiled egg, prawns, beansprouts, fried onion, slices red chillies and spring onion.

To make prawn stolk ; Bring 2.5 litre of water to a boil and pour in the prawn. When prawns are cooked, dish tem out. Shell the prawns and keep aside for the noodles. Return the prawn shells to the pot to make prawn stolk. Continue boiling the stolk for another 30 minutes.

P/S : In the picture above I didn't use any prawn due to the hot weather in Delhi and you can add or remove what ever you like or don't like.

Have a nice try and big kiss from Delhi.

Kaba Reception ~ 27 April 2007

Nice reception with the people that we don't even know and with a lots of journalistes too. It came with the nice and beautiful Indian Danse mixed modern and classic. On the kitchen side, there you are the delicious foods.....ummmmmmph the smell also good.

Big kiss from Delhi

The butterflies for Clea ~ Les papillons pour Clea

Especially for Clea...for her 4 year old anniversaire ~~ Happy Birthday.

The colourful and beautifully landscaped park is home for over 6,000 butterflies from 120 species. It is only a stone throw away from the Bird Park.

Here you can learn about the life cycle and mating habit of the butterflies. There is a nursery and breading area, as well as an insect museum to enhance your knowledge about these creepy-crawlers. Comprising the beautiful landscape are flower and fruit plants and some rare herbs essential in the diet and pollinating activities of the butterflies.

Big kiss from Delhi.

Putra Jaya ~ A new political city in Malaysia.

Named after Malaysia's first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, this landmark complex stretches over 11,320 acres (45.8km2). More than 70% of Putrajaya is devoted to greenery and water bodies with different gardens. The principle landscape is the 600 hectare (6km2)man made lake. The Putrajaya Wetland. Native wetland plants from over 50 local species were propagated in the 7 hectare (0.07km2) Putrajaya Wetland Nursery prior to planting in the wetland cells.

(Above are pictures of Perdana Putra and Putra Mosque taken on 15 April 2007)

Cameron Highlands ~ 14 April 2007

Sebastien and Corinne have arrived at KL International Airport at 6 in the morning. We had decided that they could take a train (KLIA Ekspress) to city centre as the travel wouldn't be so long (about 28 minuutes). Finally, we met at KL Sentral (Main train station) in the city. Felt funny to see them there in Kuala Lumpur but at the same time we were so happy to be together somewhere else then Switzerland.

Laurent rented the car for us to travel up to Cameron Highlands where both of them could have a nice sleep with the cold mountain air. After making a visit at the tea factory, we made the way back to Lake House Hotel about 7km from Tanah Rata. We took a shower and half an hour later we climed back up to Tanah Rata for a dinner. That night we had a "chinese fondue" or also called "steamboat". Happy with the foods until we finised the whole things. Before 10.00 o'clock, we were back at the hotel and slept till the next morning.

Sebastien et Corinne sont arrives a l'aeroport internationale de Kuala Lumpur a 6h00 du matin. Nous avons decide qu'ils prennent le train (KLIA Ekspress)jusqu'a la gare centrale de Kuala Lumpur.Le voyage ne dure pas tres long (28 minutes). Finalement, nous les avons rencontre a KL Sentral (la gare centrale) en plein millieu de la ville. C'etait bizzare mais en meme temps, nous etions tres content de nous retrouver ailleur qu'en Suisse.

Laurent a loue une voiture pour que nous puissions voyager a Cameron Highlands ou nous pourrions avoir un bon dodo avec l'air frais de la montagne. Apres avoir visite la fabrication du the nous sommes retournes au Lake House Hotel environ 7km de Tanah Rata (ville principale). Nous avons pris une douche et nous sommes remontes a Tanah Rata pour souper. Ce soir la, nous avons eu "la fondue chinoise" ou la bas on l' appelle aussi "le steamboat". Nous etions tres content de manger cette fondue lorsqu'il fait frais. Avant 22h00, nous etions deja rentre a l'hotel et avons dormi jusqu'au matin.

Big kiss from Delhi ~ Gros becs de Delhi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY....BON ANNIVERSAIRE!!

Bon anniversaire a tous et profitez bien!! Happy birthday to all and enjoy.

Gros becs de Delhi.....Big kiss from Delhi.

Francophonie Week 07'

C'est la semaine de la Francophonie et l'ambassade est aussi la a s'occuper de certains evenements avec les autres ambassades francophones. Il y a un peu de travail mais tout va bien.
Les jours passent tellement vite et cela fait deja sept mois que nous sommes a Delhi, INCREDIBLE INDIA. Nous avons commence a connaitre notre petit magasin, le marche et aussi les amis, et le weekend, nous rendons visite aux differents restaurants de Delhi. Bien que Delhi aie beaucoup plus de restaurant compare a Abuja.....mais Abuja nous manque aussi enormement!! Mais cet ete, tous nos amis serons partir d'Abuja donc peut-etre qu'il est temps de tourner la page.

Le climat a change radicalement a Delhi....il fait vraiment chaud aujourd'hui quand hier il faisait encore frais. On s'habitude...hahaha!!! Laurent n'est pas vraiment content avec moi aujourd'hui car je lui ai courru derriere en lui demandant de mettre l'air conditione. Il commence vraiment a faire chaud. On bouge un peu.....il y a les transpirations qui sortent aussi vite mais heureusement qu'il n'y a pas d'odeur comme les locaux.......hahaha.

Laurent comme toujours est trop occupe et cela lui plait de faire ce qu'il doit faire....heureusement pour lui!! Quant a Meenz, elle va a gauche a droit avec ses copines pour manger......,decouvrir des nouveaux magasins et la plupart du temps elle ne fait que de papoter pendant toute la journee avec ses copines.

Big kiss from NDH
Gros becs de NDH

Sightseeing in Delhi ~ Red Fort

It takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach the Red Fort from Chanakyapuri and of course it depends also on the traffic. But this part of Delhi is always busy for example on the opposite of the Red Fort, there are so many small shops selling all type of things and it makes us wondering that which part of India that doesn't have a shop or people around??

HISTORY
The Red Fort was the place for Shah Jahan's new capital, SHAHJAHANABAD, the seventh muslim city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital from Agra in a more designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply edge of Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from massive wall of the red sandstone that defines its eight sides. The wall is 2.5km long and varies in height from 16m on the river side to 33m towards the city. Measurements have shown that the plan was generated using a square grid of 82m.

The fort lies along what was once the course of the Jamuna river (it has since changed its course), that fed the moats that surround most of the wall. The wall of its northeastern corner as adjacent to an order fort, the Salimgarh, a defense built by Islam Shah Sur in 1546.

The Red Fort was conceived as a whole subsequent modifications have not taken away from the overall unity of the scheme. In 18th century, however occupiers and looters damaged some sections of the palace. After the Sepoy mutiny of 1857, when the fort was used as a headquarters, the British army occupied and destroyed many of its pavilions and gardens. A program for restoring the surviving parts of the fort began in 1903.

Big kiss from Ndh
Gros becs de Ndh

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of you who celebrate their birthdays this month. Enjoy and have fun!!

Bon anniversaire a tous ce qui fetent leur anniversaire ce mois. Amusez vous bien!!

Big kiss from NDH
Gros becs de NDH

Sightseeing in Delhi ~ Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is situated in Old Delhi City and takes 45 minutes from where we are staying. After 6 months that we settled down in Delhi, finally we have time to get to know Delhi by visiting the monuments and also the museums. Well, we started with Qutub Minar.

In 1199, Qutub-Ud-Din raised the Qutub Minar either as a victory tower or as a minaret to adjacent mosque. However, only the first storey was completed by Qutub-Ud-Din. The other stories were built by his successor and son-in-law, IItumish (1211-36 AD). The cicular stories in white marble were built by Firozshah Tughlaq in 1368, who used marble to face the redstone. From a base of 14.32m it tapers to 2.75m at a height of 72.5m. Its a red sandstone tower covered with beautiful and striking carvings and is inscribed with verses from the holy Quran. Its projecting balconies with inscriptional decorative bands on different storeys heighten its decorative effect. With a height of 72.5m and 379 steps, it is the highest stone tower in India, as well as one of the finest Islamic structures ever raised and Delhi's recognised landmark.

Big kiss from Ndh
Gros becs de Ndh

HAPPY HOLI...04 March 2007!!

Holi is the most colourful festival of the Hindus and falls on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun according to the Hindu Calendar which is the month of March as per the Gregorian Calendar. This Holi festival has many elements of primitive and prolific rites and reveries that have defied civilisation and prudery. During the three days of the festival, particularly the whole country, towns, cities and villages ~ go gay with merry makers, streets, parks, public places are crowded with people, daubed in diverse colours, looking funny and ridiculous. Children and youngsters vie with each other in being original and use fast and sticky colours. It is all a mirthful abandon for them.

This festival of joy, mirth and buoyancy is celebrated when both Man and Nature cast off their winter gloom. Holi heralds the arrival of SPRING ~ the season of hope and new beginnings and marks the rekindling of the spirit of life.

Happy Holi from NDH
Joyeuse Holi de NDH

Going to Old Delhi...Spices market

Old Delhi is always busy and is always a race for the rikshaws to carry their passengers to this narrow city.

Old Delhi est tres frequente et pour les rikshaws, c'est toujours une course pour porter leurs passagers dans cette ville qui est tres etroite.

And even it was already 11.30 a.m, there were still a lots of people was sleeping on the road side or at the train station.

Meme qu'il etait deja 11h30 du matin, il y avait encore des gens qui dormaient au bord de la route ou bien a la gare.

But a lots of them started their lifes early in the
morning by selling things in the market. Old Delhi city is devided by a lots of different catagories. This particular one is the one for the spices and vegetables but we still can find different thing too!!

Mais, il y a beaucoup d'entre eux qui commence tot du matin en vendant de multitudes choses au marche. Old Delhi est divise par beaucoup de differentes categories. Celui la (photos) est tres particulier on peut trouver des epices et des legumes et en fait un peu de tout.

So, just choose what you need!

Choisisez ce que vous voulez!

The smell of the spices are all over the place and with the beautiful colours.


L'odeur des epices sont partout et avec beaucoups de differentes couleurs.

And this is one of our favourite photos.

Et cette photo est l'une de nos preferee

Big kiss from NDH

Gros becs de NDH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY this month goes to my mother Anum Jemali(03 Feb), Sabrina Seiler(13 Feb), Florence Conus(14 Feb), Lili Hirschi(15 Feb), Claudia Durst(19 Feb), Fanny Monod(15 Feb), Mohd. Hamizi Omar(28 Feb) and Beatrice Durst(28 Feb). We wish that you guys will have the happinest, healthy and succed in what ever that you guys are doing. Happy Birthday and big kiss from us in India.

BONNE ANNIVERSAIRE pour ma maman Anum Jemali(03 Feb), Sabrina Seiler(13 Feb), Florence Conus(14 Feb), Lili Hirschi(15 Feb), Claudia Durst(19 Feb), Fanny Monod(15 Feb), Mohd. Hamizi Omar(28 Feb) et Beatrice Durst(28 Feb). Nous vous souhaitons plein de bonheur, une bonne sante et de reussi tout ce que vous entreprenez dans tout ce que vous faites. Bonne Anniversaire et gros becs de nous de l' Inde.

Wednesday 14th Feb, we were at Seiler house to celebrate Sabrina's Birthday. Since Radhika (Sabrina's mother) were quite busy (I guessed)...so, I offered her to make a small pizzas for the kids. Of course, it wasn't me who prepared the pizzas....it was Augustin. He really can make a good pizza!! But the kids ate very little of the pizzas and I can say that the parents were eating most of them. Well, that's fine for me....as long as it finished.

Today, I went to the Sarojini Nagar market to get an aquarium. I guessed that it's a time to start my fish project after all these years. When I met Laurent somewhere in 1998, I had this huge fish in my aquarium until one day I had to get rid of it. We could have eaten the fish....but we couldn't as we saw it everyday in the aquarium. Laurent took it away and gave it to the bangladesh workers who used to work with him. They made a nice red curry with my fish and Laurent ate.......I mean he really ate the fish. Huhuhu..... Poor fish!!!

Welcome Spring!!

Thursday, I played twice tennis....in the morning against Ponie and her friend and late in the afternoon I played against Laurent for 2 hours. After few months I didn't touch my racket, it was hard to start again and more I had to play two sessions. But it was fun!!

At the end of that day, I couldn't walk anymore and i felt pain every part of my body. Well that's sport...isn't it??

Friday, it was another boring day. Laurent supposed to terminate his job early but as usual he came back late and I went to the wet market that morning to get the fresh vegetables.

Saturday, the sign of spring has arrived. It was raining the whole day and we could forget about our tennis game. The rain has never stopped and the weather was so cold. We decided to stay at home and being lazy once in a while.........felt good.

8.00pm, we had a dinner at Brigitte house. I haven't spoken much with Brigitte but we always said "hello" to each other everytime that we met and with this invitation, it was the opportunity to know each other better then before. Thank you Brigitte!!

Sunday, we read and watched the movies. The weather was still like the day before....colder!! Good Bye winter and see you again next year....Welcome Spring!

Jeudi, j'ai joue deux fois tennis....le matin j'ai joue contre Ponie et sa copine et plus tard dans la journee, j'ai joue contre Laurent pendant 2 heures. Apres quelque mois, je n'ai pas touche ma raquette, c'etait dur de recommencer, en plus deux fois en une journee mais ce fut sympa!!

A la fin de la journee, je n'ai plus pu marcher et j'ai eu mal partout! Alors, c'est du sport...n'est pas??

Vendredi, ce fut une journee ennuyeuse. Laurent devait terminer son travail tot mais comme d'habitude il est revenu tard a la maison. Je suis allee au marche du poisson pour chercher des legumes frais.

Samedi, le signe du printemps est arrive. Il a plu pendant toute la journee....le tennis, nous pouvions oublier. La pluie ne s'arrete pas et il faisait froid!! Nous avons decide de rester a la maison....d'etre paraisseux......de temps en temps, cela nous fait du bien.

20h00, nous avons eu une invitation chez Brigitte. Je la connais a peine mais on s'est dit bonjour quand on s'est vu et avec cette invitation ce fut une opportunite de se connaitre plus. Merci Brigitte!!

Dimanche, nous avons lu....avons regarde les films!! Le climat etait toujours comme le jour avant.....froid! Au revoir l'hiver et a l'annee prochaine et bienvenue au printemps!!

Big kiss from NDH
Gros becs de NDH

Sunday Walk

Sunday, we went to visit a handicraft market which is situated 45 minutes from the Embassy. This market has been organized once a year starting from 1st Febuary and it is fro 2 weeks. We can find a lots of thing that coming from all around India and we just need to have enough money. I guessed that we have spent to much money for the apartment until we didn't feel like we want to buy anything....perhaps next year!!

Later that day, we went to Kak Asmah house at the Malaysian High Commission to have a chat with her and her husband. I also gave her a small package that I need to send to Lukman at Abuja. Between the diplomatic begs, hopefully my package will arrive safely to Abuja.

Monday, I decided to make my driver working a little by bringing me to the market and visiting a friend that I haven't seen for the past few months that I was away.

Today, I went to the DELHI NETWORK meeting to meet people. I could see there is so many new people who just arrived to Delhi registered themselves today. I left a bit early...so that i could start my quilt. In the afternoon...I stayed in the between of the kitchen and my quilt. I tought Augustin to do a fresh lasagne, a fresh tagliatell and of course a mango and lime sorbet.


Ce dimanche, nous sommes alles a un marche d'artisanat qui est situe a 45 minutes de l'ambassade. Le marche est organise chaque annee au mois de fevrier et ceci pour seulement 2 semaines. Nous pouvons trouver tous l'echantionnage de l'art indian et nous n'a besoin que de l'argent pour le depenser. Je pense que nous avons deja beaucoup depenser d'argent pour notre appartement jusqu'a ce que nous n'aillons plus tellement envie d'acheter quoi que ce soit.....peut-etre l'annee prochaine!!

A la fin de cette journee, nous sommes alles chez nos amis malaisiens qui habitent dans l'ambassade de Malasie. Avec Kak Asmah et son mari, nous avons toujours des choses a raconter. Je lui ai donne un petit paquet que je devais envoyer a Abuja chez Lukman. Entre les valises diplomatique, j'espere que mon paquet va arriver a bonne destination.

Lundi, j'ai decide de faire travailler un peu notre chauffeur qui s'endort. Il m'a emmene au marche et ensuite nous sommes alles rendre visite a mon ami que je n'ai pas vu depuis quelques temps.

Aujourd'hui, je suis allee a DELHI NETWORK pour retrouver les amis et certains qui viennent d'arriver a Delhi. Je suis partie un peu plutot que d'habitude car j'avais envie de commencer mon patchwork. L'apres-midi, je suis restee entre la cuisine et le patchwork car j'ai montre a Augustin comment faire de la pate a lasagne fraiche, des tagliatels fraiche et du sorbet a la mangue et au citron.

Big kiss from NDH
Gros becs de NDH

Seri Maya, Kuala Lumpur

The swimming pool and jacouzzi / La piscine et jacouzzi

The breezeway on the 21st floor / Le breezeway au 21eme etage

The breezeway / Le breezeway

The view from balcony / La vue du balcon The heritage village next to savanna (D block) / Le village du heritage a cote du Savanna (D block).

These are the views you can see from Havanna. From the 21st floor where you can find a breezeway (open air) and you can almost see everything that surrounded Seri Maya. The swimming pool and the jacouzzi are in the between of Havanna (C block) and Savanna (D block). The breezeway is the place where you can relax and enjoy the view of Kuala Lumpur. That is the place where we celebrated our New Year Eve and we could see the fireworks from everycorner of Kuala Lumpur and State of Selangor. And next to Savanna, you can see the Heritage Village. It is beautiful and it is like a resort in the middle of Kuala Lumpur city.

C'est la vue que nous avons pouvons voir depuis Havanna. Le 21eme etage est le breezeway et vous pouvez voir ce qui est autour de Seri Maya. La piscine et le jacouzzi sont entre l'Havanna (C block) et le Savanna (D block). Le breezeway est un endroit ou vous pouvez vous reposer et en meme temps vous pouvez profiter la vue de Kuala Lumpur. C'etait la bas que nous avons fete notre nouvel an et nous avons pu voir les fireworks autour de Kuala Lumpur et l'etat de Selangor. A cote de Savanna, vous pouvez voir le village d'Heritage. C' est tres jolie et comme un petit resort au milleu de la ville de Kuala Lumpur.

Big kiss from NDH

Gros becs de NDH

Our small nest in Kuala Lumpur / Notre petit nid a Kuala Lumpur.

Kitchen / La cuisine

Living and dinning / Le salon et la salle a manger.

The Balcony / Le Balcon

The master bedroom / La chambre a coucher (1ere)

The second bedroom / La deuxieme chambre a coucher

The third bedroom / La troisieme chambre a coucher

The 1st shower and toilet / La 1ere salle de douche.

All these works we managed to do in 3 weeks but of course not for 100%. The kitchen has not finished as there was no more stock at IKEA. Every once in three days we visited IKEA but the stock has not arrived as they told us earlier. So, we know what we will do next time when we will be in Malaysia. The dinning room is done and we are just waiting to buy a new sofa for a living room. At the moment our friends Radhika and Rene who bought one unit at D block put their sofa at our place in waiting their apartment finish by end of the year. It is good though we no need to stress to find what we like to have. All the bedrooms are not totally done yet due to the difficulties to find the correct size for the mattress. Even in IKEA, they sell the asian size and our mattress came from europe. It might take time to furnish the whole apartment but we will take time to do it. But a the moment, if you come...there will a bed to sleep....a kitchen where you can cook and the place to sit and enjoying a view of Kuala Lumpur!

Big kiss from NDH

Gros becs de NDH

Hello......

Hello friends and family!! It has been a month I'm away from the outside world. Wish you all Happy New Year....hopefully it is not too late. With the work that we've done for the past few week in our apartment and the internet crash in South East Asia after the earth quake in Taiwan, cut off our connection to the outside world.

Now, I am on the way back to India and make a stop at Starbuck at KL Intenational Airport to check my email and at the same time to update my blog that I really missed during all these times. I've been thinking a lots about it but I just couldn't put my fingertip on it. I hope that you guys are not dissapointed with my disapearance for the past few weeks. Tired and sometime frustrated with the work but at the same time we are happy to have our small nest.

Big kiss ffrom Kuala Lumpur
Gros becs de Kuala Lumpur