March began with two celebrations - Holi, the festival of colours and my birthday. They were on the Friday and Saturday - ideal for a fun weekend. I celebrated Holi at school - where better to be for a crazy paint-powder throwing extravaganza! The festival celebrates the arrival of Spring - it is the one time in the year when the students can throw paint powder at the teachers - and also douse them in water!
Debendra and yours truly - post attack
Hands up who threw the paint
For my birthday we headed back to Gopalpur-on-sea, the nearest "resort" to Berhampur - more of a last resort really. I hadn't been back since my first weekend in Orissa - I still managed to enjoy another Cornetto ice cream.
The lighthouse at Gopalpur
The following weekend would be St. Patrick's Day - another chance to visit Calcutta - and this time I'd visit the Victoria Memorial properly! I'd been invited by my Irish friends (the hard working Joanna and Laura) - what I didn't realise was that I would actually attend the Irish embassy do - very fancy!
Very Grand Oberoi Hotel in Calcutta
My most recent trip was one I've been wanting to do for a while - visit the sun temple at Konark. It's not too far away - just 30km north of Puri. The temple was constructed as a chariot (a strange looking one I'll admit) and is covered in carvings depicting activities from the day and night (I'll leave it at that).
Hindu sun temple at Konark
The temple symbolises a chariot - with wheels at the front and rear
Each wheel depicts activities during that part of the day and be used as a sun dial.
Can't remember what was going on here - nice photo though
Debendra and yours truly - post attack
Hands up who threw the paint
Little cherubs - troublemakers more like
For my birthday we headed back to Gopalpur-on-sea, the nearest "resort" to Berhampur - more of a last resort really. I hadn't been back since my first weekend in Orissa - I still managed to enjoy another Cornetto ice cream.
The lighthouse at Gopalpur
The following weekend would be St. Patrick's Day - another chance to visit Calcutta - and this time I'd visit the Victoria Memorial properly! I'd been invited by my Irish friends (the hard working Joanna and Laura) - what I didn't realise was that I would actually attend the Irish embassy do - very fancy!
Very Grand Oberoi Hotel in Calcutta
Ballroom filled with food I could only dream of in Mohuda
My most recent trip was one I've been wanting to do for a while - visit the sun temple at Konark. It's not too far away - just 30km north of Puri. The temple was constructed as a chariot (a strange looking one I'll admit) and is covered in carvings depicting activities from the day and night (I'll leave it at that).
Hindu sun temple at Konark
The temple symbolises a chariot - with wheels at the front and rear
Each wheel depicts activities during that part of the day and be used as a sun dial.
Can't remember what was going on here - nice photo though
