Shopping experience in Lucknow

Shopping experience in Lucknow – 24 Dec 13

Post author:Balendu
Post published:24/12/2013
Post category:Sightseeing
Post comments:0 Comments

I yesterday described our adventurous journey to Lucknow, the capital of our state Uttar Pradesh. Finally, Ramona, Apra and I reached the hotel. After a wonderful breakfast, a shower – or bath with playing time for Apra – and some rest, we decided to explore the area that we were in and do some shopping.

After getting some necessary items – water and juice – we found a shop with shoes, clothes and toys for children. We had anyway wanted to buy winter shoes for Apra and there was the perfect pair: warm and solid red boots! Apra’s favourite colour these days is red and she immediately loved the shoes. She wore them and didn’t take them off anymore.

Of course, we did some more shopping during our stay in Lucknow. It is a big city that is famous for its ‘Chikan’ work, which is hand-stitched embroidery on clothing. Friends showed us the best places to buy and Ramona chose some very beautiful pieces both for herself and Apra.

We also visited one of Lucknow’s most popular shopping areas: Aminabad. It is an area where you can shop to your heart’s delight if you have the nerves to bargain a lot! There are small shops and lots of street vendors and the market is fully packed with people, admiring the clothes, shoes and bags on display. You hear the vendors shouting like on the vegetable market ‘250 apiece, 250 apiece, two for 500!’ or ‘Beautiful bags, big bags, handbags!’ Everyone is busy looking through the offers, bargaining and comparing. Money exchanges hands, people go home, happy about the good deal and vendors smile, having made good business. It is crowded, loud and full – Ramona loved it. It is something that you cannot find like this in Germany and a fully different shopping experience!

In the end we had bought warm clothes, shoes for Apra and gifts for her and everyone at home. The boys and Apra will get their gifts tonight, wrapped as Christmas gifts.

Yes, it is Christmas Eve today and we will have a small celebration in the evening. Are some of you wondering why and how we celebrate Christmas? We do it in the same way that we celebrate Diwali: we will decorate the Ashram a bit, will play some nice music, have great food and a nice evening. There won’t be any religious ceremony, thought or talk – the children will get presents and we will just share the love within the Ashram family. A reason to celebrate and make the day special for our children.

We are now looking forward to see their smiling faces tonight when they unwrap their clothes and toys! We wish you, too, a wonderful evening and to all of you who celebrate Christmas, a wonderful holiday time and festive season. Enjoy your time with your family, eat good food and feel the love.