Every year, we shut down at work for about 10 days, take PTO by force, (although, I would anyway do it) and have a good time. Since Rohan was born, and was old enough, I have been using the shut down time, to explore the city a bit more. We do spend most shut downs in Bangalore, thanks to Subhash being in retail and December not being a very friendly season for him to take off, it being the commercial-riot time and what not!
This year, I think we spent it very well too. Friday, Christmas - we went to the hitherto unexplored Gopalan Signature Mall on Old Madras Road in the evening. Oh and this was after I did my annual kitchen cleaning ritual all in the morning! Yay! Mall was very average and very crowded - no loss by not visiting further. I think except UB City and Phoenix plus both Forums, I don't like any other malls I've visited so far.
Saturday - December 26 - another long pending check list off - Bannerghatta National Park. I must say we were very happy with the zoo, the animals were aplenty (whatever varieties they had), monkeys were roaming all over the zoo, but kept to themselves, and all the animals very very active. Singapore Zoo on the other hand was highly over rated, all animals were heavily drugged and we had to wait ages to catch glimpses of some of them.
Monday - Dec 28 - the customary annual watch maintenance round - took watches which needed straps and batteries and drove to Indiranagar, took the metro ride from there to MG Road, walked around MG Road, Infantry Road, Brigade road etc, Rohan held up very well. Father in law was meeting some batch mates of his in MG Road so we went together, then we got back to Indiranagar, and did some timepass there waiting for him to get back by the Metro, then came back home together. Time. Well. Spent.
Tuesday - Dec 29 - Customary annual HAL Aerospace Museum trip - first time for Rohit, fourth for Rohan. Was a good one hour spent there :) Evening visited Subhash's office with Rohan and Father in law - BMTC Volvo and auto combined. Came back with Subhash. A happy child was Rohan when he realized how many modes of transport he used that day ;)
Wednesday - Dec 30 - again a long pending checklist item - Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium. Rohan enjoyed it. Me and father in law went with him, the show was pretty nice and there was a small sized science park outside which was worth a good 15 minutes in the sun :)
Thursday - Dec 31 - Again a Metro Ride on Rohan's demand - this time some mundane work near Cauvery Bhavan - so again the three of us, me, father in law and Rohan set off, took the car to Indiranagar, metro to MG Road, Auto from there to Cauvery Bhavan, back, rinse and repeat! He was happy again, Metro is his favourite velagiri in Bangalore.
Friday - Jan 1 - this was a repeat wish. CCD on Brigade road! Took mom and dad with both kids this time, Baiyappanahalli Metro to MG Road, CCD, some window shopping on Brigade road and back after buying Rohan a 3-D "Tower Bridge of London" Puzzle from a street vendor. He definitely was in high spirits the whole time, excited to be going with his younger brother and coming back with his precious gift!
So there, it is weekend again and from Monday we get back to routine, for another three months, till the kid gets his summer break!
This year, I think we spent it very well too. Friday, Christmas - we went to the hitherto unexplored Gopalan Signature Mall on Old Madras Road in the evening. Oh and this was after I did my annual kitchen cleaning ritual all in the morning! Yay! Mall was very average and very crowded - no loss by not visiting further. I think except UB City and Phoenix plus both Forums, I don't like any other malls I've visited so far.
Saturday - December 26 - another long pending check list off - Bannerghatta National Park. I must say we were very happy with the zoo, the animals were aplenty (whatever varieties they had), monkeys were roaming all over the zoo, but kept to themselves, and all the animals very very active. Singapore Zoo on the other hand was highly over rated, all animals were heavily drugged and we had to wait ages to catch glimpses of some of them.
Monday - Dec 28 - the customary annual watch maintenance round - took watches which needed straps and batteries and drove to Indiranagar, took the metro ride from there to MG Road, walked around MG Road, Infantry Road, Brigade road etc, Rohan held up very well. Father in law was meeting some batch mates of his in MG Road so we went together, then we got back to Indiranagar, and did some timepass there waiting for him to get back by the Metro, then came back home together. Time. Well. Spent.
Tuesday - Dec 29 - Customary annual HAL Aerospace Museum trip - first time for Rohit, fourth for Rohan. Was a good one hour spent there :) Evening visited Subhash's office with Rohan and Father in law - BMTC Volvo and auto combined. Came back with Subhash. A happy child was Rohan when he realized how many modes of transport he used that day ;)
Wednesday - Dec 30 - again a long pending checklist item - Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium. Rohan enjoyed it. Me and father in law went with him, the show was pretty nice and there was a small sized science park outside which was worth a good 15 minutes in the sun :)
Thursday - Dec 31 - Again a Metro Ride on Rohan's demand - this time some mundane work near Cauvery Bhavan - so again the three of us, me, father in law and Rohan set off, took the car to Indiranagar, metro to MG Road, Auto from there to Cauvery Bhavan, back, rinse and repeat! He was happy again, Metro is his favourite velagiri in Bangalore.
Friday - Jan 1 - this was a repeat wish. CCD on Brigade road! Took mom and dad with both kids this time, Baiyappanahalli Metro to MG Road, CCD, some window shopping on Brigade road and back after buying Rohan a 3-D "Tower Bridge of London" Puzzle from a street vendor. He definitely was in high spirits the whole time, excited to be going with his younger brother and coming back with his precious gift!
So there, it is weekend again and from Monday we get back to routine, for another three months, till the kid gets his summer break!
