Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Adieu to the year 2005. Yet another new beginning has arrived. Both my husband and I, we had gone for a short Euro Tour. We left Boston on the 23rd of December and arrived back on the 2nd(this gives a very good reason for my being behind on the blog worldJ)

Our first stop was in London. We got off at Gatwick and then proceeded off to the Lime Street, Liverpool. The train ride was marvelous other than the bit chaos we had for taking the wrong one. “Virgin Train,” it was called and it could not be any smoother and the view of the countryside was absolutely gorgeous!

After being in the airplane for almost 8 hours, this ride felt like Heaven!

I was very ecstatic to meet with my sister. She is a second year medical student at the University of Liverpool. Priti along with her friend lona were waiting for us at the Train station. I was very excited! and estatic!!!

After having a quick lunch with the Gray family, we went out to see the Liverpool town. The “Beatles” town indeed was a very small town basically dominated by the pubs. It was the Christmas Eve and basically everything was closed, however, we did mange to get a quick glance of the overall downtown.

We had a very good night sleep and was awakened by the Birthday girl at 11 0’ clock in the morning or should I say in the Afternoon!! It was the Christmas Day!!!!! and Priti’s birthday. She came inside our room with two stockings in her hand. The Grays had also made us two Christmas stocking filled with Cadbury chocolates and gifts. I got the “ English Tea Set,” and my husband got the English Wine and the London Ale. We had a delicious English breakfast, beans, potatoes, sausage, toast, you name it !!

There were lots!!!

That afternoon we went to another English family for Christmas dinner. We really had a chance to enjoy the classic English feasts. This was more or less like an American Thanks giving dinner with Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing’s, sprouts, carrots, gravy along with the best English toffee pudding for dinner!


Boxing day followed the Christmas day and the town was practically dead. Everything was closed except the shops of course!! Major Christmas sales were going on in the downtown Liverpool. Priti took us around her university and we visited two of these different yet magnificent cathedrals from the 18th centuries. Later that night, we went to her apartment and got a quick tour and headed off to London the next day!! This was a short but very very memorable trip with my sister.

It took us about 2 hours to get to London and we both fell in love with the city right away. Our hotel was in Piccadilly Circus, the heart of the town. We were both very excited to see London. After taking a quick shower, we headed for sightseeing. We took a walk to the Trafelaue Square and went to the National Gallery museum. The museum was beautiful. After spending about 2 hours, we went a nice evening walk. (cause it was the winter time, I would say, night walk to be more precise!! )

Both my husband and I, we had this dream about coming to London and that dream was right in front of us. We were actually walking in the city of London, right next to the West minister abbey and passing by the Big Ben!! The sight was simply marvellous!! That night we had a lovely dinner at this restaurant called Kahn recommended by malu babu. After the dinner we walked around even more. The street were signing with the Christmas lights.. we walked and walked and walked even more!!!!

The next day, we made the trip to the famous Buckingham Palace and was really hoping to see Prince WILLS!! My bad luck, he was no were to be seen. But we did manage to take a quick glimpse at the changing of the guards!! Poor them, it must really be a torture to wear that big hat!! This was not the very pleasant day as the weather was really cold. We decided to take the open bus tour!! Bad idea… however beautiful the view of London was, the torturous wind was not going to stop following us. It was unbearably cold!!!!!! The wind chill was throbbing our hearts!!! We soon forgot our pain, upon entering the Madam Taussad’s museum. I had seen the picture of my parents’ long time back and had always wanted to come here and VOILA!!! Here I was!! The museum was really amazing. I did manage to get some pictures with hot studs.... including Sadam Hussain !!!! Nope.. I am not kidding.. His statue was there as well along with Pablo Picasso, and David Beckham.

That night we took a quick spin at the most famous HARRODS!! The mall was magnificent with encrypted woodcraft of the Egyptians Pharaohs in the walls and staircase railings. I met my old high school friend PRIYA, after 6 years. She drove us around London and actually showed us the residence of LAXMI MITTAL!! The billionaire of England. Just couple of weeks ago, I had watched a show titled, “ Most extravagant wedding,” and the Mittal had actually rented the PALACE of VERSAILLE for his daughter’s wedding!!! MAN!!! What a life…

That night, Priya took us to her resturant, “HIMALAYAN SPICE,” and we had lovely and delicious, dhal,bhat and masuuuu!!!! yup! this was HER resturant!

This is it for today.. Next time.. I will fill up with the story from PARIS!!! the city of love!!

Promise.. lots more to come!!