Over the weekend, I visited my sister and parents up in Madison. My sister D. and I had a girls' night out and went out to a theater to see Slumdog Millionaire. It is beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and filled with despairing scenes of slum life and little kids working in the garbage dumps in Mumbai. I cried at those scenes the most--more so than the plot line, which also moved me to tears. I wanted the characters to survive and then I wanted them to succeed.
I left the theater wondering if those scenes could have accurately depicted the harsh reality of the Mumbai slums. Was it real?
Looks real to me...
Here's a short film with real kids just like those depicted in Slumdog Millionaire. This looks real to me too...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
On the Road to Xcaret
We led a very sheltered existence at our all inclusive resort when we were vacationing in Mexico a couple of weeks ago. I was curious as to how real people lived away from working or staying at the resort and so I took pictures as we were traveling by bus to the 80 acre eco-park Xcaret (Ish-cah-ret). Some of them are a bit blurry, but at least they're a small piece of another, less controlled reality in the Yucatan peninsula.
As we were riding in the bus, my husband was explaining to me that we might see new, old VW bugs. Up until just a couple of years ago, VW was still manufacturing the old bugs in Mexico. These are of the old design, not the cute new ones with the bud vases on the dash. And then what pulls up next to us, but a silver old, new bug. It looks great doesn't it?
There was loads of traffic, but it was mostly flowing fine on a four lane divided road with a grassy median. A couple of times, there seemed to be a police stop--still not quite sure what that was about. So we would be stopped and waiting our turn to get through the police blockade. A couple of guys on a motorcycle were next to us waiting to get through. I liked their helmets.
As always, there was beautiful and interesting vegetation.
Even in front of a ubiquitous Coke truck...
You could probably get a coke in here...
Just as at the resort, and at Chichen Itza, there are thatched roofs everywhere, including at this furniture store.
If you need the poles for the support of the thatched roofs, you go to places like these which I saw up and down the road. I don't think Home Depot carries them, but I did see stores like Home Depot, and they might...
And then we got to Xcaret after about an hour drive south.
Bottles were hanging decoratively just on the other side of the gift shop.
Parrots...
As we were riding in the bus, my husband was explaining to me that we might see new, old VW bugs. Up until just a couple of years ago, VW was still manufacturing the old bugs in Mexico. These are of the old design, not the cute new ones with the bud vases on the dash. And then what pulls up next to us, but a silver old, new bug. It looks great doesn't it?
There was loads of traffic, but it was mostly flowing fine on a four lane divided road with a grassy median. A couple of times, there seemed to be a police stop--still not quite sure what that was about. So we would be stopped and waiting our turn to get through the police blockade. A couple of guys on a motorcycle were next to us waiting to get through. I liked their helmets.
As always, there was beautiful and interesting vegetation.
Even in front of a ubiquitous Coke truck...
You could probably get a coke in here...
Just as at the resort, and at Chichen Itza, there are thatched roofs everywhere, including at this furniture store.
If you need the poles for the support of the thatched roofs, you go to places like these which I saw up and down the road. I don't think Home Depot carries them, but I did see stores like Home Depot, and they might...
And then we got to Xcaret after about an hour drive south.
Bottles were hanging decoratively just on the other side of the gift shop.
Parrots...
Friday, January 30, 2009
Date Night
My husband and I have a date tonight. Can you even believe that?! I can't. Our lifestyle is so simple and we're both homebodies--perfectly happy to do stuff with each other and the kids around the house. But, tonight we have a date.
We're going out to dinner, haven't figured out where yet, and then to a play at a local theater. Doesn't that sound like a proper date? It is!
I don't live near my family. We're all within a couple of hours of each other, but not quite close enough to have them babysit frequently. And, when they were babies and toddlers, I nursed my kids constantly and neither one of us in the nursing dyad felt comfortable apart--that darned attachment thing...So, we never really established a babysitter. My husband and I never got into the routine of a date night.
What will I wear? I don't think I can quite get away with my jeans. Black pants and a blouse of some sort?
When my husband and I do go on a date, we get relaxed and happy and giggly and crack each other up and laugh--a lot.
We should do that more...
Hey, friends in my homeschooling group--how about a babysitting co-op? Who wants to trade with me? We'll watch the kids while you go have a proper date. Any takers?
We're going out to dinner, haven't figured out where yet, and then to a play at a local theater. Doesn't that sound like a proper date? It is!
I don't live near my family. We're all within a couple of hours of each other, but not quite close enough to have them babysit frequently. And, when they were babies and toddlers, I nursed my kids constantly and neither one of us in the nursing dyad felt comfortable apart--that darned attachment thing...So, we never really established a babysitter. My husband and I never got into the routine of a date night.
What will I wear? I don't think I can quite get away with my jeans. Black pants and a blouse of some sort?
When my husband and I do go on a date, we get relaxed and happy and giggly and crack each other up and laugh--a lot.
We should do that more...
Hey, friends in my homeschooling group--how about a babysitting co-op? Who wants to trade with me? We'll watch the kids while you go have a proper date. Any takers?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Oh Snit...
My daughter just announced to me that she knows the swear word, snit. "How do you know that?", I asked her. "Because remember that one time when you said it under your breath when you were fixing my knitting? I said, Whit, plit, snit, and then you gasped--so I knew it was snit--I know a swear word!"
She's kind of proud about knowing this colorful language. We had a talk about it and she understands that snit can be an offensive word to people and she's not to say it to anyone. I don't want anyone to get in a snit about snit.
Yeah, no snit.
She's kind of proud about knowing this colorful language. We had a talk about it and she understands that snit can be an offensive word to people and she's not to say it to anyone. I don't want anyone to get in a snit about snit.
Yeah, no snit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
