Tour The Universe

Today, we went to the Navy Memorial for the talk by Ryan Wyatt called Tour the Universe with Sanyu. It was an EXCELLENT talk. Wyatt used a tool called the WorldWide Telescope to "drive" us through the universe - talking about the distances and guiding us through the universe. He started with the earth, and the international space station. Then moved on to the moon, the solar system, the radiosphere. After that we went to and beyond the radiosphere, and eventually out of the Milky Way so we could see it's size. Then, he moved further out, and the spots that used to represent stars, now represented the one million galaxies identified. At first was just a loose cluster of galaxy dots, but, as he moved further away, the sheer number of dots representing galaxies was insane and just blew my mind. BUT. THEN. HE MOVED OUT FURTHER!!! and showing a bow-tie type shape of the regions we have got light from and can see that there are bodies there. The reason for the bow tie shape, is only because those are the areas we have explored. The others, we haven't got it. The SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE IS JUST INSANEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mind. BLOWN.

Wyatt funny: In talking about Andromeda, the closest spiral galaxy to us, he said, "In about 3-5 billion years Andromeda and the Milkway are set to collide. Don't hold your breath.We aren't sure when exactly."

Navy Memorial

Seen the navy memorial so many times, as I've waited for the bus at the Archives metro, but never really gone to it. 

And today, in the rain, a photo! :)

Rainy Capitol

Meeting A Couple of Rugs at Shanghai Teahouse! :D

We went to Shanghai Teahouse, our favourite Chinese place, for dinner. There, these two showed up. Their fur didn't feel like it was on living things. It felt like a rug!! :)

Awesome Birthday Gift to me!! :D

Got my birthday gift from Beanie today! :D :D

Walking Around Dupont :)

After lunch at Agora, the others left, and Saurabh and I walked around Dupont. With all those mimosas in me, I needed to go to pee. So, we went to Steam Cafe, got coffee and used their facilities. I got an iced hazelnut latte and Saurabh a cappuccino. Their hazelnut is, by far, the best I've had. mmmm

From there, we walked to the NG museum. I wanted to buy the October edition of the magazine because it was on NG photography and had a lot of photos in it and Saurabh wanted to see the Lions & Tigers & Bears photo exhibit. 

From there, we wandered around a bit, went to Table Top, one of my favourite stores, before heading back home for the evening. It's been a while since we've just walked around and done nothing and things. It was fun! :)

Birthday Lunch at Agora

Saurabh planned a surprise lunch today at Agora with Mamta, Rachita and Mallik. (Beanie had fever after her 6 month shots and Karthik was busy). It was a nice place and I loved my pide. The bottomless mimosas were exactly that. Everytime I took two sips, my glass was topped up! Loved it! :)

For appetizers we all shared the Hummus (the pita was HOT and yum), Kasik Salad (diced tomatoes, onions, red & green peppers, parsley, cucumber, feta cheese, black olive, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Maras pepper), and Patlican Közleme (charcoal smoked eggplant, green & red peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, dill). I got the Sujuklu Pide (wood fired flat bread topped with spicy Turkish sausage & pesto) and Saurabh got the Scrambled Eggs With Sujuk (two farm fresh scrambled eggs with mildly spicy turkish sausage). I enjoyed my pide more than his eggs. 

Sujuklu Pide

 Scrambled Eggs With Sujuk

Fototbazaar DC

Soumita's photographs of dancers :)

Soumita is presenting some of her photos at the Fotobazaar this weekend, where photographers display and sell their work. This evening Sonu and I went for the opening party. There were a lot of photographers and photos displayed. Some of the work was really good and interesting :). 

Someone took photos of Nadal! :)

 Love ladybirds!

Awwww

 Doggieeee!

"After finished a PhD in engineering I hopped on a plane to Hong Kong for what I thought would be a 2 year trip across Asia. That trip turned into 6 years of exploring and photographing the diverse cultures of Asia" - Micah Hanson (micahhanson33@gmail.com)

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Himalayan Trek! :)

This morning Varsha sent me a couple of photos from the Himalayan trek and it brought back a flood of memories. After my 10th std was over and at the beginning of 11th standard, I went for this trek through school. 

We all flew on Air India from Muscat to Delhi via Bombay. From the Delhi airport, we took a bus to Dehradun. We had to pile our bags on top of the bus ourselves! It was the most uncomfortable bus ride I'd ever been on, but also one of the most fun! We picked up hiking and camping gear and then headed to our camp grounds on the Ganga banks. There we camped for 2 days so we could white water raft, before we headed to the mountains to begin, our 9 day (I think??) trek. 

The days were warm and no second layer was needed and the nights were frightfully cold. We'd sit by the fire each night, all of us trying to get as close as possible. And at the end of the night, once we got into our sleepings bags, it was nearly impossible to get out of it in the early mornings. Then, to wash our face in the ice cold water of a stream near by was usually brutal, but now, after so many years, I remember it fondly and I am so glad for the nasty cold I endured, because that experience was one of a kind and I don't think I would want it replaced, ever. 

The sights were beautiful, the hours walked were endless and the fun was just amazing. I am so so so so glad I got to take advantage of the opportunity! 

After our last day of trekking we boarded a bus to head back to Dehradun for water sports and for Sumit Dargan's wedding. The roads on the way were closed at around midnight or 1AM and we had to stop at a roadside town and sleep in a dorm. One LARGE room that housed us all, boys and girls. When our shoes came off, the stench. Oh Good God! The stench of smelly trekking feet that had accumulated after 9 days of almost no baths. Haha! :) But we had a wonderful time there, ate at small restaurant and probably woke up the entire town at 2AM with our loud singing on the road as we waited for paan. 

One of the best trips I have ever taken, and now, everytime I think about it, I hope I can afford the same opportunity to my children. 

Birthday Mani-Pedi! :)