The Bastion of East India

Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, Mar 2023 – this is quintessential Kolkata – yellow taxis, tram tracks on the road, incessant traffic, cables all over the place, political billboards. Interesting, init? Welcome to the de facto centre of East India!

Hello people. This post has been a long time coming. (Umm, not so long actually, like I was supposed to post it last week, in conjunction with the Durga Puja festival. I just didn’t have time to bloody finish it. Well, here it is. I’d say a half-cooked one, done from clobbering whatever little time I have. Anyway, something is better than nothing, right?)

Since it was Durga Puja, East India’s biggest festival (which also happened to be the missus’ biggest festival), here’s something from Kolkata – the de facto capital of East India, and once upon a time, Calcutta, the capital of British India. Kolkata also happens to be the main gateway to Northeast India, and where all our banks in India have offices in. That’s why we always end up here… Sigh, what else is there to see, we’ve seen it all, I think…


Science City, Kolkata, Mar 2022 – How little the kids were then! This was the first time after 2.5 years of the COVID Pandemic, that we travelled out of the UAE! I just remembered how a messy trip it was… I guess I just forgot how to friggin …travel! First, I didn’t exchange any friggin money because I thought we could just use our Indian bank cards to withdraw money from the ATMs, but because of years of inactivity (COVID, I fucking blame you), they were all dormant, or blocked. Second, the banks, which we intended to visit in Kolkata, to reactivate everything, were closed because of a bank employees strike (who would’ve thought!! We planned our trip to Kolkata, specifically to fall on a working day so that we could visit damn said banks! And they told us to come back in 2 days!??!!!) Third, the stupid phone which I chose to bring which had the Indian SIM card on, was a near obsolete phone (because that was the only phone which the old SIM card could fit in, you know the bigger sized SIM cards which nobody uses anymore? That’s the SIM card with our Indian data on, and the phone disintegrated when we landed in Kolkata airport, late in the night, and we couldn’t use it to locate our hotel! Oh, we found it, eventually, after going around in circles for the umpteenth time and asking whoever was still awake at that time). Fourth, we had a scrumptious Bengali meal (just before we visited the Science City), and in the night, all of us (except Justin, for some strange reasons) had massive diarrhoea and vomiting bouts that lasted a friggin week! That sums up our 2022 trip.


We’re back in Kolkata! – Mar 2023. This time without Justin, who’s started schooling in Singapore. At the Victoria Monument, Mar 2023 – This was like my ummmm… 3rd visit? And Anu’s 2nd visit?? Where else is there to go? We’ve been to Kolkata so many times??






More of the Victoria Memorial, looks like they’ve completed some refurbishments from the last time we visited. Made it more like a museum of Indian history, rather than just a monument of British India (it was built by the British Raj to commemorate Queen Victoria, hence its name, and is the largest monument to a monarch anywhere in the world! Don’t believe me? Google it!) Mar 2023


Then there’re churches – this one’s the St John’s Church on Council House Road


And this is the St Paul’s Cathedral, near the Victoria Memorial


And then there’s this planetarium, the M P Birla Planetarium. We’ve gone past this place so many times, and finally decided to visit in Mar 2023


In 2023, we decided to stay in a better hotel (The Oberoi Grand), which is located smack in the middle of Kolkata, a place we’re more familiar with, than Gariahat, where we stayed in 2022 (because that was where our branches of HSBC and Standard Chartered banks were. No, those were not our original branches – their branches on Shakespeare Sarani closed down and we were left with no choice)


The lobby of the Grand Hotel. It’s an interesting hotel – a pocket of opulence amidst the chaos… (it’s a British era, neoclassical, historical landmark in Kolkata … located in the middle of the chaotic, congested centre of the city!)


New Market, Kolkata (don’t be deceived by its name, it was new when they coined the name, which was like a century ago, ahem). What a contrast, huh? Street markets and small shops surround the entire Oberoi Grand


Well, we can escape all that by just skipping back into the hotel, and have a peaceful swim… Bliss… (Note: The Grand Hotel is closed for the time being, undergoing major renovations. Last read is that it's scheduled to be reopened only in 2028)


Justin’s back in Kolkata! This was Dec 2024, on another stopover. At the Salt Lake City Centre Mall. Is that a Christmas tree or a temple? It’s both, a Bengali-temple-styled Christmas tree!

What about temples? Aren’t there temples in Kolkata? Of course there are! And I’ve written about them earlier, but there’s more, and it’ll be for a different time to tell… I’ve written too much already, as it is.


Leaving you with a fierce Maa Durga overseeing a Bengali gift shop at the Kolkata Airport, Apr 2023. See ya!

Durga Puja’s passed and gone, and Diwali is on the way. So here’s to wishing all a Happy Diwali/ Deepavali in advance (because I don’t think I have time before that to write another post… We’re dropping our Jayden off in Singapore on the Diwali weekend to start schooling! I really hope he’ll be OK, that he’ll look after himself, and not be like his usual Prince of Trouble self). And Happy Halloween for all the spooky people out there!!!

Jayden on His Own

Jayden, 8 years & 4 months old, at Al Hafiya Picnic Park, Kalba, UAE, Feb 2023

Jayden is 9 years old! (As of last month, actually). This is my yearly post about the kid’s life, but before I go into it, here’s some GOOD NEWS!!!

Amrita, Anu’s sister, who is in Canada, just gave birth to a healthy baby girl!!! This is wonderful news for the family indeed, especially after a heart-breaking earlier pregnancy 2 years ago, that resulted in the birth of an extremely premature baby boy, who sadly did not survive. That pregnancy was complicated because of fibroids in Amrita’s womb, and all were worried about whether the fibroids would pose a problem for future pregnancies. Thank God for answering our prayers. Praise God. Jayden has a new cousin!

As I was saying, Jayden is 9 now, but he’s still behaving like a baby, sigh… Maybe, we give him too much love, or maybe it’s just the nature of him being the youngest in the family. Nope, it’s definitely too much love, so we gotta get tough and start being serious-er…

This past year, he was pretty much on his own, for a change. His elder brother left for further studies in Singapore last Nov, exactly one year before. I think it did Jayden some good. At least, he started having his own friends, instead of hanging out only with his koko and his koko’s friends. (Thanks a lot to his mommy actually, who helped him build up his courage, and arranged play dates). Here’s a recap of his past year. Enjoy!


A temple visit, with his Mommy and Koko for some divine blessings, before his Koko left for Singapore. This was like a week after Jayden’s 8th birthday – Dubai Hindu Temple, Jebel Ali, Dubai – Oct 2022


Jayden on his own, his first time attending a friend’s birthday party! (As far as I can remember). In contrary, Justin had attended countless birthday parties by the time he was this age. The birthday boy was Mosaab (the one in red) from Egypt. He’s the youngest brother of Justin’s 2 school mates, and they lived in a unit on the same floor of our apartment building. At The Zone, Circle Mall, Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai – Nov 2022


Our first camping trip without Justin. Good morning, Jayden! How do you feel being on your own? (He missed his Koko). At some random suitable camping spot by the road near Ain Lighmour (aka Blossom Valley), Fujairah (Google Maps calls it Jabal Al Haleefah). The missus is pretty good at picking camping spots, when we need one (like when sun is setting, and yours truly hasn’t got a clue yet of what to do…) We were all alone for as far as the eye could see. It isn’t really a popular camping spot I think, but we’re no longer strangers to lonely camping spots, hehe – Nov 2022


This ain’t a pool, believe me!! It’s all natural and it’s in Arabia! Oman, to be exact. We made a 1200+ km road trip to Salalah, Oman (and another 1200 km back) during the UAE’s National Day holidays last year. This is a gem of a place in the Arabian Peninsula. Waterfalls in Arabia?!? Yup, it’s true. No wonder it is so popular with the Arabs – Wadi Darbat, Salalah, Oman – Dec 2022


Jayden and his Year 4 Teacher, Mr David Moore, GEMS Metropole School – Dec 2022. (He prefers lady teachers he says. He thinks they’re kinder… Are they?!?)


Back in Oman! We love Oman, ever since they made it free for UAE residents to enter, we’ve made 3 visits in a span of 5 months! – Jebel Akhdar (literally, Green Mountain), Oman – Dec 2022


New Year treat for the little one to his favourite type of place, an aquarium! This is the Sharjah Aquarium to be exact. We’ve visited it before, but what the heck, it’s the most affordable, nice aquarium around! – Sharjah, Jan 2023


Motor City, the name of our neighbourhood, isn’t just a strange name selected from nowhere. Its main feature is the Dubai Autodrome! Apart from this, it has an outdoor and an indoor Kartdromes for go-karting. When there’s a race, it’s a din!! – Jayden at the Dubai Autodrome, Motor City, Dubai – Jan 2023


It’s spring break, and we headed to India, to do our boring banking work and to visit family. Jayden at the Victoria Monument in Kolkata. We’ve visited this place before, a long time ago, before we had kids. But what to do? We’ve visited Kolkata so many times, that we ran out of new places to visit, ahem… West Bengal, India – Mar 2023


Jayden made lots of friends at his Mommy’s village! From left, Mahi (his cousin), Ankit, and Prince (whom Mahi and Jayden kept calling Princess… Jayden, Mahi, you shouldn’t tease your friends!), Fulertal, Assam – Apr 2023


Not Oman again?!? Yes, Oman again. Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain), again. It’s an interesting mountain, where access is only allowed for 4WD cars (which our trusty ol’ Hyundai happened to be, hehe). It’s a nice, cool place, with beautiful views and treks for as far as your feet can walk… Plus it’s rose harvesting season. Jayden pointing to some fossils, at the Sunset Viewpoint in Jebel Akhdar, Oman – Apr 2023


Yippee, koko’s back! It’s Koko’s school break, and he came back for a visit! Bloomsbury’s Café, Silicon Central Mall, Silicon Oasis, Dubai – Jun 2023


Jayden in Albania on his summer break. Koko’s school break and Jayden’s do not match. Justin’s mid-year school break is from the last week of May to the last week of June. Jayden’s summer break starts from the second week of July! By then, Justin would have been back in Singapore, and preparing for his Term 3 exams. For the summer break, we made a short trip to Albania. This is the first overseas trip we made without Justin – at our hotel, the Logu i Harushave, Theth, Albania – Aug 2023


Jayden made another friend! Daniel from Ukraine at our house. Daniel was staying with his aunt at the exact unit where Mosaab’s family (see third pic above) used to stay. The Egyptians have relocated to Abu Dhabi in April this year. Unfortunately, Daniel also left the UAE for Germany in early October. That’s how it is with the UAE, it’s a halfway home. People come, people go. Hope to see you again sometime, somewhere, Daniel! – Sep 2023


And finally, it’s Jayden’s 9th Birthday! At home! A small party with a few of his friends. Here’s Hardit (left) and Callum (right). Both of them are Indians – Oct 2023

By the Mighty Hooghly

Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata, India


The Hooghly River, view from the Dakshineswar Ganga Ghat on the east bank of the Hooghly

Happy Durga Puja!!! Anu’s biggest festival is upon us (although there’s really not much of a celebration here in Dubai), and I’ve saved some pictures just for this occasion, haha! So it’s gonna be another picture post. (And that’ll be the case till the shit at work clears up, sigh).

Welcome to Kolkata, the capital of Durga Puja celebrations!




Sri Ramakrishna Belur Math Temple, Kolkata


Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Kolkata


The Belur Math Ghat on the west bank of the Hooghly River


Jayden with Papa at Dakshineswar Temple, Kolkata, Apr 2017




Howrah Bridge, at the centre of Kolkata


Mullick Ghat Flower Market near the busy Howrah Bridge


Kolkata International Airport


Salt Lake, Kolkata – Salt Lake is where we usually stay on our stopovers in Kolkata. Kolkata is where we do our banking stuff (coz HSBC and StanChart are too high and mighty to set up base on our humble home city of Silchar). This picture was taken from the roof of the Columbia Asia Hospital. (Kolkata is incidentally also the place I stop to do medical check-ups!)

By the way, we just celebrated Jayden’s 4th birthday. But the pictures will have to wait. As usual. See ya!

In Comes the Goat

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Koung Hey Faat Choi! Keong Hi Huat Cai! Happy Chinese New Year everyone! A little late, but Chinese New Year’s 15 days long right?

By the way, we spent the first day of the New Goat Year travelling, in India, from Silchar (Assam) to Kolkata. Flew back to Dubai from Kolkata on the second night of New Year. Spent Day 3 holed up in our Dubai apartment due to an on-going sandstorm. Earlier, said sandstorm delayed our flight landing in the wee hours of the morning by up to an hour! (Pilot said it was congestion… but do you believe everything a pilot says?)

On the map display screen in the Emirates plane, 10,000 feet above ground, it showed the plane circling over different parts of the UAE (first Fujairah, then Ras Al Khaimah) for like …a 100 times (I lost count after fifteen). And I can tell you, flying in circles, at low altitude, in a friggin sandstorm, holding a sleeping baby, with the older kid whining due to numb legs (and disturbed sleep I guess), ain’t much fun, unless you have a crazy liking for Merry-Go-Round rides. Imagine yourself in a Merry-Go-Round for an hour. Luckily didn’t throw up, or it would’ve been worse…

Anyway HAPPY NEW YEAR again! Here’re some specially selected pictures to usher in the New Year!


Happy New Year everyone, sez Jayden (on his 4 month old birthday)


Justin, in our Silchar home, fooling around with the little red dots (bindi) of his aunt’s


A hookah (shisha) session at home, in Silchar – Celebrating CNY the Arabic-Indian way. Instead of a reunion dinner, we had a big lunch at Anu’s mother’s home, and later at home, a dinner of chapatis, curry chicken and mutton liver (gotta be mutton right? It’s the Year of the Goat after all!)




Where we were at on the night of CNY 2015 – some Victorian treat at The Astor, Kolkata. The hotel botched up our booking, so gave us a night at their penthouse suite at no extra charge hehe!

Let’s hope that the Year of the Goat is less ‘exciting’ than the tumultuous Year of the Horse. For one thing, no more plane crashes please…