A visit to Doha Zoo

On our first visit to Doha Zoo, we noticed this wheelbarrow called Loin...now we were wondering if it was supposed to carry the "loin" or was the "loin's" food ferried on this and the like...we never did find out.

On the other hand the zoo turned out to be a nice experience. We saw the real people in Qatar - middle and even low income group locals - enjoying themselves and having fun. The experience was much, much more unique than our normal visits to the shopping malls in Doha where uppity locals walk in hordes dressed to show off and to add to more branded good.

The best thing was the boys loved it...have already had a few more requests to repeat the visit - which we surely will. Inshallah!!


Stan, Yudhi, Shizu, and Siddhu


Zebra enclosure


A stately Oryx

Adam Scott & Tiger Woods in the making...

A fun day at minigolf, east coast, singapore. (thanks to Sabine, Scuba's mum).


From Left - Siddhu, Yudhi & Scuba, get ready for a long battle at the golf course, all 18 holes


Well done Siddhu, that was a birdie!


Yudhi had a "par" shot


Wow, Scuba, you hit it just right. Good job!


Strike a pose, boys. Way to go!


Three winners, by the side of Merlion


Tired players munching healthy apple snacks!

Thanks Sabine!

Boys with mama - just before a visit to the zoo

Yudhi on his 6th birthday...

And with his friend Scuba!

Got milk!

Little Siddhu goes to school

It was a milestone for the little one. He got up early, got ready without any fuss (unlike his brother ;-) and well...that was his first day of school. Both the brothers got in the bus and left. Siddhu didn't even whimper when the driver told us that we can't go together with him in the bus. Later, Shizu was in the school for some time observing him - and he was calm, composed and stayed friendly all the time.

And yes, he finished half of his lunch...

little, fanciful flights!

Last Friday DPS International School organized their annual "kinder" concert. Shizu and I rushed from our respective offices to watch Yudhi's "speech and drama" performance. I have many raves and rants (actually only rants!) for the school but I reckon this is not the real platform. There is really NO platform to have any effective discussion because the school management is really non-reactive. They never reply to any emails, telephone calls or sometimes even notes in the child's diary. Anyway, we are stuck with this school so we are more or less resigned to the way they do things - inefficiently - despite all big words in their "speeches" at events.

Back to the Kinder concert, we went to the auditorium (a really far off place as the INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL doesn't have an auditorium!) there and for the first time since Yudhi started "performing" we managed to get a seat. Yudhi's performance was scheduled second and when he came up along with the rest of the children, dressed as a black ant, whoa, it was an awesome moment. I think we procreate not because we want to help the species survive but merely to survive ourselves. I am sure there are many people who do not want to have children but for me, having a child sort of makes you complete. A man (or a woman for that matter) is born incomplete - about 50% (well, the truth is that you CAN survive alone it's the quality of survival that makes the difference). A spouse adds 25% to his/her life and finally children give him/her the last bit to make a true human being.

Children need adults to fend for them and to provide the necessities of life but we adults need children as much (at least normal, ordinary adults do). And the routine of seeing them grow up is just amazing. Every now and then you observe then and realize that they are not what they used to be…and as they grow they become more and more independent…and the “Indian” in me makes me a bit insecure. I am brought up with the notion that families stick together for a lifetime and these days the young fledglings want to fly out in the big (bad) world as soon as it is feasible for them to…so there…anyway, I am learning every day and hopefully will be able to overcome this insecurity someday. Till then, I should just sit back and enjoy them spread their wings and try little flights in every which direction they fancy.