What....Me Scared Of Heights?

Daddy wishes "A" was more nervous and cautious than she appeared while admiring the view from the terrace....

Handy-dandy meals

Eating meals with your hands is the norm in India. But despite this being my 4th visit here, I still haven't fully embraced this method of food consumption, opting more instead to eat my rice-and-curry with spoon-and-fork.

Our kids, on the other hand (no pun intended), do not share their daddy's preferences....

Signs that make you go....

....eh?

Seen at a nearby restaurant....

Somehow, it surprises me little to see a restaurant named "Floating Tongues" be a Chinese restuarant....

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Today was a kite-flying holiday all over India, celebrating the harvest and the first festival of the new year. Although not typically done among Indian Christians, we decided to indulge a bit in this experience ourselves with the help of some friends....

Seconds after the last photo was taken, a neighbor's kite swooped from behind and cut "A"'s string, sending her kite floating aimlessly to be somebody's new-found prize. Needless to say, "A" was quite distraught by this. However, this "kite-fighting" activity (known as "patang") is a totally expected and welcomed part of these festivals. Dozens of kites dotted the sky in our neighborhood, many flown from housetops by young and old, all vying to bring each other down using a special glass-covered string. "Cut" kites would litter the roads, yards, treetops, power lines, etc. This YouTube video and the earlier video captures what's involved in this annual festivity better than any video/photo I took on my own.

Obligatory photos of roadside cattle

And what India travel blog would be complete without a photo of roadside cattle?

This cow appears to be someone's pet....

Wood scaffolding

It looks quite precarious, but scaffolding using wooden poles lashed together with rope is common in India and other parts of the world. Don't think I'll ever see myself step out on one, much less work on one. Like Thatha and Amamma, several next-door neighbors are adding stories to their homes, using this type of scaffolding to accomplish it....

Yum-Yum-Papadum!!!

Deeeeelicious!!!!

!*Crunch*, *crunch*!

Back to the Exhibition

As with our previous time in India, we paid another visit to the Hyderabad Exhibition....

....with its color-filled booths!

Parathas as big as our heads!

Bangles, bangles, bangles!

Look, the Eiffel Tower!

And "new faces of America" once again welcome Hyderabadis to taste American corn (which is still "100% vegetarian")!

"J" gets a haircut....

.... for 65 rupees (a little over $1 USD)

Sugar cane juice

"Mommy, can I have some sugar-cane juice, pleeeeezzzz??

Oooooo....thanks!

*glug!* *glug!* *glug!*

Mmmmm.....sooooo.....gooooood.....

Up on the housetop

Since we last visited in 2010, Tha-tha and Ammama added another story to their home, pushing their top terrace to a higher, better view....

....within reach of the neighbor's coconut tree (even for "A")....

....and plenty of space to party and dance!

Frontyard Papaya

Amamma planted a papaya tree about 3 years ago. A few attempts to plant in the past weren't successful, but this one flourished, providing luscious fruit year-round. So far, it's reached the 2nd floor in height, so picking papaya requires one person holding onto the legs of another person standing on the railing. As long as you don't fall, it is sooooooooo worth it! Ambrosia!!!

Happy 2014....

....rangoli-style!

At a nearby roadside kirana shop....

....slurping cold pop.....and "J" giving his "thumbs up" to "Thums Up"!

Seen outside the Hyderabad Airport...

Who knew guns and airports could mix so recreationally?

Heard inside the Hyderabad Airport....

.....the sweet, familiar strains of Christmas hymns played throughout the airport intercom.  "Silent Night"....."O Come All Ye Faithful"...."Hark the Herald Angels Sing".  And likely not to be heard inside any US airport on any New Year's Eve.

*** Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year from India! ***