Vancouver celebrating the sun: forest symphony

While in Bangkok it was nice to see some of our Hindu Indian neighbours coming out to their balconies in the morning to offer a small prayer with folded hands to the sun. The sun is particularly hot in Bangkok, especially in the afternoons! In fact, most of us would seek ways to avoid it.

Not so in Vancouver! Summer is eagerly awaited and people celebrate the sun. While I have not seen anyone doing this with folded hands, they are out in numbers along with their children enjoying the sun as much as they can.

The Sun god is inconsistent here, appears only briefly in winters and it is not even warm! The first time I walked out to admire the winter sun in my thin pajamas, I almost froze and realised that while the sun was bright it was still freezing cold!

With longer days (16 hours!) in summer and schools closed it is a challenge to keep the children occupied. It is wonderful to see that many events are organised in the metro city of Vancouver, most of them free, to keep them busy! Events to learn about nature, painting, art and nature photography to name a few. Good to see that there was even 'an introduction to hatha yoga'. Would have pleased our rishi Pathanjali!

A concept that should be adopted by our dear city Bengaluru. I know there are a few activities in place, I have heard of a nature walk! But not in a scale which impacts many of us. However the event 'north American skinny dip event- clothing optional' may not find any participants:-).

Rohini tries to benefit from these events and is constantly planning outings for the children and we are now glad to be a part of this! Yesterday we attended an event 'Forest symphony' close to Rohini's house! Described as 'an extraordinary evening of music floating through the forest by musicians and performers'! It was an enchanting walk through the forest. We did not really walk under the sun but under the shade of the trees. But it was balmy and I was comfortable with just a T-shirt!


It was absolutely a wonderful day for a walk in the forest and I wished I had carried a camera. Luckily for me Rohini's friend Roxanne had one and thanks to her I am able to recreate the day for you in pictures! I also feel a little guilty as she was planning to go back to listen to the opera singers again, but chose to walk with us and take pictures for me! Very kind of her!

Leela and her friends Katrina and Ishan, they learnt Bollywood dance together, had a great time!


Leela and Ishan learn Hindustani music together and Rhea can also sing by just listening to them! Here they are with Katrina enjoying music.


There were many such stations as we walked and we paused often.

Very imaginative use of some great expressions on music!





Yours truly in front of the camera!

Very soon we were at the end of our walk. We wished it would never end as it was magical. We then saw this piece of art and it took our breath away. It was not really a painting, but they had framed a piece of the forest, chosen by an artist, for us to admire.

We were invited to frame whatever we liked and here is what we chose!

Comments

jogesh said…
delightful.
godha jayaram said…
Nice and Interesting Article!
N L Sriram said…
Nice photos! Seeing the two kids reminds me of my days in Poona, Nandini and Rohini were probably about the same ages then? The younger one is definitely Rohini as she was at that time, with the chubby cheeks and round face - still recall her going around saying "doodh paije, daana paije" in the flat!
Ram Prasad said…
Great pictures Nidhi and nice commentary....what a wonderful experience in the woods
Hopefully we are able to walk that forest some day too
Ram
prasan said…
Nice blog Nidhi. Enjoyed it. Thought you n Tara had already reached Bengaluru. Prasan.
Raghu Moudgal said…
Indeed a nice way of enjoying once retirement!Hope you do not mind my forwarding it to some others.

regards,

raghu Moudgal

Popular Posts