Palm Sunday at St. Peters Squire- Vatican

The magnificent Dome at St. Peter's Basilica- Vatican City  

The Roman Column @ St. Peter's Basilica 

I was one of the fortunate thousand in the whole world to attend the Palm Sunday mass at St. Peter's Squire- Vatican City, The Pope HH Benedict XVI addressed the mass and it was one of the best cultural experience I had experienced till now. I am not a catholic or christian and I am not a too religious either but I totally felt blessed to get an opportunity to attend Palm Sunday at the Vatican City in the mass addressed by the Pope.

All thanx to my classmate AC, she managed to get 20 passes for all of us from a French catholic church she was in touch with. The mass started at 9.30 am and went on till 12.30 pm. I bought some souvenir  and took hundreds of pictures. More pictures will follow. 

Trip to Viterbo-Italy

My fav. tree in the farm

Don't know the name but found it pretty 

Rosemary....alot of them at the garden.

Just love these flowers

Roaming @ Rome

Yes I am roaming @ Rome and absolutely  loving it. Today I saw the famous 'Colosseum'  though from a distance on our way to FAO office, we did not go inside as we had an appointment with one of the Departments at FAO.  We decided to walk till FAO and on our way I saw something which looked like the Colosseum and I asked one of my classmates, is that's the Colosseum? She was  like.... no it's not...its can''t be so close...but when we reached closer we all were shouting in excitement....it was indeed the "Colosseum" and we all went crazy taking pictures....m so loving Rome at the moment ...its bright, sunny and the weather is just waoooo.  More updates will follow soon with pics. loads of them and till then ciao....

The Colosseum from a distance 

Will be Roaming in Rome....

January was Spain and Portugal, Feb. was Luxembourg and this month its Italy. Yeah I travel again and this time to Rome starting tomorrow for a week....and I  will be roaming in Rome ....wao it rhymes hahaha. I plan eat loads of Italian Pizza and also visit all the famous places in Rome and I will definitely stay within my budget. More updates will follow next week . 

Happy Sajibu Nongma Panba Cheirouba

Happy Cheirouba to everyone (Photo courtesy : e-pao.net)

Meitei Cheirouba or the new year for Meitei's in Manipur and all over the world is an auspicious day for all the Meitei's. As a kid growing up in Manipur, I loved this festival, it was the day we get to eat a really elaborate lunch...mom would always make Ooti (which is my favorite among of all Meitei dishes ) and atleast 10 more dishes, all vegetarian but really yummy, we exchange dishes with our neighbors, offer food to god on banana leaf before eating any of the special dishes  and the best part was Cheirou-ching kaba after the heavy meal. 

It's been many years since I celebrated "Cheirouba' at home in Imphal but every year on Cheirouba day I do cook Meitei dishes and make an elaborate meal for myself. Today I made Ooti, Champhut, Hawai thongba and  Aloo kangmet with Yongchak maru. Happy Cheirouba to me and hope this new year make me work harder and brings the best of life.

Super happiness wala food

Sometimes I think I get to eat more Manipuri veggies and food in Hague then in other part of India. The Oriental supermarket sells many vegetables we eat in Manipur. Hanggam, Yongchak Maru (though a lil different), Ekai-thabi, Thambou, Chile's simillar to Ou-morok, Yendem, Yai-ngangla, Marou-Nakuppi, Marou-Napakpi, Sa-Maroi, Kolamni, Ousoi and much more. The other day I went to The Oriental supermarket, I bought hanggam and Yongchaak maru it tastes the same but the only difference is the price, a packet of hanggam cost 1.5 euro where as back home it will cost just about 10 or15 bucks......I know I should stop this conversion business but my mind is stuck to the Rs and refuses to adapt to Euro....hahaha.  

I also went to another store as suggested by my Chinese floor mate called "Wah Nah Hong", which also sells things similar to The Oriental but a little cheaper and I found Wai wai and Ou-chi na at the store, food and ingredients wise I've no complains in Hague....my happiness is at max now with these food discovery.

In the evening for dinner I made "Nga ga Hanggam ga thongba & Yongchaak maru singju",  though thousands of miles apart, I felt closer to home.

Yongchaak maru, hanggam and Wai wai....happiness food