Roaming fantasies

Clearly and curiously spousal adaptation is achieved when differences are admirably balanced by agreements. Among the agreements between us distaste for travel is a main thing. Lazy bones. We prefer armchair travelling. We have solemnly vowed never to cross the seas. No amount of persuasion from our children could make us apply for our passports to leave the country. It is purely for the sake of visiting our children that we ever dare to cross the borders of our Indian states. Our three children on the contrary, luckily for them, have easily adapted to globetrotting necessitated by their chosen professions. Onsite projects for long periods in foreign climes have been taken in their stride by them and their families. In this global era it is our solace that all attractions of the foreign countries are available in our own metros and even in our own humble city. Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai give us an ample taste of the flavor of renowned international metros- the shopping malls, their gaming zones, multicuisine eateries and a number of electronic gadgets of audio-visual thrills. It is amazing to see our brilliant grandchildren keeping apace with the latest game innovations. Their adept movements in front of the Xbox, jumping, swirling, swinging arms and legs for fast scoring lured even me to try playing the kinect games. To my great pleasure I find myself playing decently well my favourite game of bowling. Having seen so many wonders of global experiences arrived at our doorstep even some minimal traces of wander lust in us are entirely extinquished. A few days ago our daughter at present living in the US told me about the passion she has developed for lasagna. This stirred my curiosity. The very name has a romantic ring in it. Mothers and daughters generally do not have similar tastes is a universal truth. So this held me back for some time. But in a mood of adventure wanting to improve my GK I decided to pamper my taste buds with the fare from the Italian cuisine. I googled to find out where I can have the item in our town. I located La Vela Pizzaria which offered all Italian dishes in their original flavor. We found the place a cosy, small restaurant offering exclusively Italian dishes. The array of items on the menu card was impressive. Being a vegetarian I chose veg lasagna and my nonvegetarian hubby had mutton lasagna. The experience reiterated the universal truth about dissimilarity of tastes between mother and daughter! Well, the item was did not taste horrible. It was spicy enough for my liking. Still, I don’t think I’ll eat lasagna again. After a bite of burger and finger chips in this hot summer with the mercury level shooting up dangerously a lip-smacking icecream was inevitable. Many of the names of juices, milkshakes and icecreams found on the menu card were unheard of by me. I picked Arabian Fantasy icecream. Wow! I relished it tremendously. I may go for it again and again. When we both get bored with our daily sparing, safe food at home we make an escape to indulge our palate in the fare offered by the variety of eateries around us- something unknown till the last generation. But in spite of the variety of fare available now- in Dominoes, Mary Brown, McDonald’s and Pizzahut we both cannot help admitting the fact that the international fare can never give the satisfaction of idli, dosai, chutney and sambar of our traditional hotels.