Great Week(end)

Desi Fun(da)
Well I havent been writing out here much but this time I just couldnt put it off anylonger. After a wonderful week with my parents visiting bangalore we decided top the week off with a trip to my native place...Mangalore. We left from here on Thursday night and reached Mangalore city at around 10.30 (eta was at 6.00am) which was late. Then we took the local bus out to Udupi where my mom's cousin (Eric) stays with his family. If you have ever travelled by the buses in Mangalore then you know what a thrilling roller coaster of a ride it always it. The drivers dont just navigate the huge buses through narrow lanes but zoom through them as if they were the national highways. Only when another bus approaches do you realize that this isnt a one way and the buses squeeze out each other and continue on their route.
Reaching Udupi we went over to Eric uncle's house for lunch and then instead of staying out there for the night we decided to go to my godfather's (another of my mom's cousins Robby uncle) house in bramhavar. The trip to out there was another hour or so. We also visited my mom's elder sis (Aggi aunty). Unfortunately it was very dark when we got out there and couldnt stay there much. I remember back when I was a kid we used to go out there on their humungous fields where her husband used to do a lot of farming. They had some four buffalloes and a couple of cows and their sons used to help out. We used to run across the fields and then move onto the backwaters which touched their lands sometimes even a small boat ride. And now the place is totally abandoned. The kids have moved on to more jobs and other things in life and the house bears a gloomy face.
As mentioned we spent the night at my godfather's house. I have never been to his place since he moved there bag, baggage and family from Mumbai to Mangalore for good. He was especially thrilled to see me because I havent met him since quite a few years now and he has not been keeping well for the past year as well. He looked a lot better now and is on the road recovery. Praise the Lord!
We left the next morning headed towards Kinnigoli. Thats my dad's birthplace. On the way we went over to my mom's house in Bhramavar. And it was a shameful sight. The once beautiful village home is now in tatters. It cannot be rejuvenated back to its former glory. I would be suprised if it would be possible to ever live there after anything but a total demolotion of the house. Two sons and no use still. The other houses are not even visible anymore. The paths are all covered with vines and thorny plants. This house is gone too.
We travelled to Kinnigoli by bus and the first stop was Tona's house. We met Tona and his wife Shalu and their kid daughter Julie. The seem to be doing well with their business and work respectively. Then we took some pork and moved down to my dad's house where my grandma (94 yrs old. yes 94 is correct) stays with my uncle Jerry and their family. There we met Goldine (my cousin's) son Glan who is a very quite kid and then later his mom too. We had a good stay there and with my grandma suprised about her fading eyesight we were all trying to convice her how suprising it was that she was around and hale and hearty at that age. But of no avail. She wants to get some treatment done for her eyes which is certainly not advisable/possible at her age.
At noon we went further down to my dad's sister's (deceased rip) house. There we met Picila uncle and he was thrilled to see us. He has some guests over and treated us as the main guests instead and forced us to have our meal before we left. So we ate twice, once with uncle and once with granny. Unfortunately this house too was not at its former glory. Once with 5sons and 1daughter we spent most of our summer vacations in mangalore at their house. Now uncle stays out there alone.

Later we decided we should make a trip out to Lani's house (my cousin sister). We reached there in the evening. Had a good time with Fancy and her kids one of whom is recovering from some serious cancer treatement. We spent the night there after being overstuffed with dinner only to be stuffed with more breakfast the next morning. They then drove us to Udupi to Eric uncle's house where we had another hearty lunch prepared by aunty.

I then reached mom and dad to the railway station to catch the konkan express to mumbai and I the adventerous dude spent the rest of the evening roaming around Udupi. I visited the Mother of Sorrows church and went to Diana's a very famous fruit juice and shakes place in udupi where we used to be treated by our elder cousins when we were kids. I had a Gadbad and my stomach was full. Then I went over to Allwyns and got some goddies to take back with me. Eric uncle called up thinking that I would be lost roaming around in udupi but I had a good time and then I waited for my bus to arrive at 9.40.

The trip was great. The week was great. It was great having my parents over and being with them for a whole week in bangalore and then in mangalore. Love you guys.