Steve napsal:
Kdyz vidim takovyto stary strom, vzdycky přemýšlim, co by nam takovy strom stojici na ulici Bauddhaloka řekl o městě, co se kolem něj odehralo. Strom je docela daleko od domova, rozhodli jsme se totiz s Rencou a Emilkou projit z jednoho obchodu do druheho (asi 1.2km) a při ceste jsme meli stesti ho vyfotit.
Sobota 9. rijen 2021
Steve napsal: Salonek Prana je oázou klidu věnovanou zdraví a pohodě vedle rušné ulice Horton Place. Kromě široké nabídky jógy, meditace a fitness, zahrnuje “Zrnickovou kavarnicku”: jak název napovídá, na menu jsou seminka zahrnuta skoro v kazdem jidle a piti.
Kavárna má velká otevřená okna a velké dveře, které spolu s vysokým stropem a dekorem vytvářejí uklidňující atmosféru; téměř pod širým nebem, ale bez slunecniho zareni vsak bez klimatizace. Renca mě tam vzala poprve za tu dobu, co jezdim do Colomba, na sobotní snídani, děti odpočívaly doma po únavném týdnu zkoušek. Kromě setkání se dvěma mými “bratry od jiných matek” Pavlem a Rajeevem, jsme narazili na širokou škálu přátel z různých oblastí našeho života v Colombu. Bylo to prijemné – a po tolika měsících po lockdawnu to byl zazitek.
Vybral jsem si “velkou snídani = Seed of Life”. Snídani s opečeným kvaskovym chebem, sázeným vejcem a holandskou omáčkou, tři grilované kuřecí párky, avokádovou a cibulovou salsu, lehce okořeněné restované rajče, míchanou zeleninu a fazole, restovane houby Shiitake, pečené malé brambory a plno seminek. Úžasne! Tak chutné a s vejci uvařenými k naprosté dokonalosti. Doprovázeno s mango “lassi” a následované brazilskou kávou, jsem byl připraven na den. Renca jist nechtela, vychutnala si krásne zdobene Capuccino a “Kambuchu“.
Sobota 2. Rijen 2021
Steve napsal: Naš kadeřnik Asanka zmenil salon, takže místo krátké procházky nás nyní čeká cesta tuk tukem po městě, ale stojí to za to; pečlivý a zručný stylista, máme štěstí, že ho pouziváme všichni čtyři v rodine. Toto je první střihani vlasů, který jsem s Misou absolvoval, vedic, ze me prerostl a je vyšší než já!
3rd and 10th October, 2021
Misa chose to celebrate his birthday on two consecutive Sundays in order to have the friends come who he wished. Two afternoons of computer gaming, the second one commencing with a Maccy D lunch and including some time in the swimming pool on the roof, and each of them ending with candles at sunset on the balcony. I did wonder though if the self-relighting candles on the cake were going to set the building smoke alarm off; after multiple attempts to blow them out there was rather more smoke than you see in the pictures!
Happy birthday memories, Miso! It was lovely to be able to have in-person celebrations rather than virtual ones even if Ramzi looks rather comfortable holding my gin and tonic!
Daddy
10th October, 2021
Misa is increasingly used to being the tallest when with family of friends but today he was middle of the pack! Not only is our friend Pavel still taller than he, but his fourteen year old friend Ramzi dwarfs the pair of them!
The occasion was celebrations for Misa\’s birthday of which more will follow.
Steve
I have long wondered what this very old tree on Bauddhaloka Mawatha would have to say about the city that has developed around it but Saturday was the first time I have been able to photograph it.
The tree is quite a way from home, but on this occasion Rennie, Emi and myself had two shops to visit that were about 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km) apart, so we chose to walk over a tuk tuk despite the heat and humidity.
Steve
9th October, 2021
The Prana Lounge is an oasis of peace devoted to health and wellbeing adjacent to busy Horton Place. As well as a wide variety of yoga, meditation and fitness classes it hosts Seed Café; as the name implies, with seeds figuring highly in the menu. The café has big open windows and a large door which together with the high ceiling and the decor creates a calming atmosphere; almost al fresco but without the searing heat despite no air conditioning.
Rennie took me there for Saturday breakfast, the kids resting at home after their tiring week of exams. As well as meeting up with two of my brothers from other mothers Pavel and Rajeev, we bumped in to a wide range of friends from different walks of our lives. It was lovely – and a real treat after so many months without such opportunity.
I chose the Seed of Life Big Breakfast, a full breakfast with toasted sourdough, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, three grilled chicken artisan sausages, avocado and onion salsa, lightly spiced sautéed tomato, mixed greens and beans, sautéed Shiitake mushroom, roasted small potatoes and a liberal sprinkling of seeds.
A m a z i n g! So, so tasty and with the eggs cooked to absolute perfection. Accompanied by a mango lassi* and followed with a Brazilian coffee, I was set up for the day. Rennie chose to eat later but enjoyed a lovely Capuccino and the good chinwag that we too enjoyed.
*A lassi is a yoghurt-based drink. To make a mango lassi add a cup of very ripe chopped mango to a cup of plain yoghurt, half a cup of milk, a dash of ground cardamom and up to four teaspoons of honey or sugar. Mine came with some seeds and mild spices sprinkled on the top. Very healthy and refreshing.
Steve
2nd October, 2021
Our hairdresser Asanka has moved salons, so rather than a short walk we now have a tuk tuk ride across the city but it is worth it; a careful and skilled stylist we are lucky to have him for all four of us.
This is the first hair cut I\’ve had with Misa though where on taking a photo afterwards he\’s been taller than me!
Steve
Saturday 2nd October at 17:35 local time
Half an hour to go until sunset with rain in the middle distance and a container vessel passing by through fingers of light behind.
Steve
I needed a new business photo taking at short notice, so enlisted Misa as my photographer whilst I was on the other side of the lens.
He took this smartphone picture of his composition to show me before focusing and pressing the shutter. My studio lighting equipment is all in the UK, but helped by a floor-to-ceiling window to flood the scene with soft light the result still turned out well for the purpose required.
Thanks, Miso!
Steve
