Costa Rica Reunion – Epilogue

Ish Sud wrote (Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 7:55:45 PM PST) – A Very Enjoyable and Satisfying Week

I am still unwinding from a very enjoyable and satisfying reunion – a week of excessive fun, eating and drinking – in the background of Costa Rica.  It was great to reconnect with old buddies and chat and frolic like the good old days.  Thank you all for participating and making it a success.
As a follow up, I will send out the summaries of the meetings we had.  Also, in an effort to continuously improve our reunions, we want to start a ‘lessons learnt’ exercise following each reunion.  Uday will follow up with a questionnaire to get the discussion going.
And now (drum role) we pass the baton to the NJ crowd to organize the 2020 reunion.

Ish

Ajit Dongre wrote (Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 10:08:04 AM PST) – Costa Rica memories

Emma Lazarus said — as is ensconced at the Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”.
Ajit says — more impermanently but just as meaningfully:
“Give me your photos, your best,
Your filtered pictures yearning to be displayed free,
The select choices of your trip’s core
Send these, your Costa Rica memories to me,
I’ll post them and also send them to Peter for a hard copy”
(Nov 12, 2019, at 11:39 PM)
I agree with all the sentiments expressed by Ish even if I might not agree with characterization of the fun as being “excessive”.  Just as wine gets tastier with age, but beyond a certain point turns to vinegar, so it is with praise words.  Moderate fun is to be welcome; even more than moderate fun is applause-worthy; but excessive fun is fun that has turned sour.  Our fun did not turn sour.
No, sireebob; thanks to the concerted efforts of the organizers — led by Ish, who has been described by a notable scribe as “Renaissance Man” for his multifaceted abilities to always successfully kick the ball forward — fun was abundant without ever having curdled.
Each reunion has been setting a new high in the twin goals of enjoyment and camaraderie.  My sincere gratitude to the organizers — and to all of you who in your old age are even easier to put up with!

Oh, and BTW, we spoke with a neighbor today and learned that she has used Gate1 multiple times and also found them to be quite good.  Keep that in mind, future organizers.

Satish Bhalerao ( Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 3:50:24 PM PST)

Agree with Ajit Dongre

Vince Khanna (Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 6:06:46 PM PST)

Wonderful experience.
The surprise highlight; exquisite and captivating Kathak performance in San Jose CR

Mahesh Anand (Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 6:42:40 PM PST)

Thanks very much to the organizers and all the participants for a wonderful week. This was Costa Rica darshan at its best.

Mahesh Anand

Vrajesh Lal  (Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 10:13:52 PM PST)
Loved being with friends from our IITk 65 family. It was a fun get together and I hope this yearly tradition continues and gets larger.
Thanks to all who came and made it a memorable trip. Till we meet again ,  Ciao!

Bina and Vrajesh

Peter Menezes (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 8:34:49 AM PST)

A fantastic week which went by so fast!

Very well organized despite all the traveling!

Peter

Ajay Jain (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 9:15:20 AM PST)
Fantastic week, enjoyed company.
Thanks to organizers!
Ajay
Adarsh Saigal (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 10:42:43 AM PST)

Hi Fellow Travellers,

At the risk of repeating many sentiments expressed before mine, let me just say that the trip was very enjoyable and memorable. Being able to meet and spend time with our extended family was the “cherry on top”. This is what the lifetime memories are made of.
Thanks to all the organizers for the fabulous job they did. And, lets not forget Vrajesh Lal’s efforts in organizing the Taj Mahal outings and the unforgettable dancers.
As far as the accommodations go, they were all very good, but the one we will never forget was the hotel at the Arenal Volcano area. The scenery was wonderful and the hot springs made it a very nice evening indeed.
Thank you one and all,

Adarsh and Suman

Uday Mahgaonkar writes (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 11:17:20 AM PST)

Dear All;

Fantastic trip with our “extended family”.  Some quick reflections in random order:

  • Great camaraderie – the main driver for these annual reunions.
  • Amazing lush green scenery of Costa Rica for miles and miles.
  • A full bus (luxury coach) entirely to ourselves.
  • Very informative (long) lectures by Gilbert from history and politics of the region, to the complexity of pineapple growing to the flora and fauna of the region.
  • Excellent driving by Jose on narrow roads in forward and reverse.
  • Local school children performing for us.
  • Soothing hot springs.
  • Very smooth Vishwa Cabernet from Vinay Khanna’s winery.
  • So many varieties of single malt scotch, plus vodka, rum, gin and liqueurs.
  • The first auction of scotch on a moving bus.
  • Five brave souls jumping on a rope from tree-tops in blinding rain.
  • Totally soaked shoes that are still not dry.  May have to put in the dryer.  Not much sunshine back in the U.S. (except perhaps CA). 
  • Wonderful dances to the music of Pakeeza, Umrao Jan, Bajirao Mustani.
  • Very entertaining guides on the Coffee & Chocolate tour.  Baate Baate Chocolatay.

Cheers & thanks to all.  Let’s transmit filtered photos to Ajit.

Uday

Vince Khanna (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 11:36:44 AM PST)

Uday
Great summary in a true fashion of managerial bullet points
Vinay

Akhilesh Maewal wrote (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 12:37:17 PM PST)

You forgot the highlight of the plantation tour.

At start, the guide asked everyone to tell her their names. During many many pauses in the tour everyone kept on asking her to recall their names.

And all she could say every time without prompting: Akhi — lesh.

Uday Mahgaonkar wrote (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 1:05:12 PM PST)
Ha Ha! We missed this part since we were in the other group.  No wonder you wanted to tip the guide $100!

Also, want to add a couple of items (in bullet points again):

  • The entire bus to ourselves was made possible by the Art of The Deal –  made by our fearless leader Ish Sud.  Also, thanks to five friends who sacrificed their deposit but unfortunately could not make it due to health or family issues.
  • We opened the Gift Bag (designed by our own fashion designer Vrajesh Lal) – tasted the coffee flavored toffee – indeed it has a wonderful coffee flavor.  Not too sweet.  Just right.  Will try the coffee soon.

Uday

Ajit Dongre ( Thursday, November 14, 2019, 4:29:29 PM PST)

Akhilesh wanted to tip the plantation tour guide $100.  Vinay wanted to marry the Bollywood dancer.
पिण्डे पिण्डे मतिर्भिन्ना (To each his own).

Ajit

Anoop Swarup wrote (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 10:40:02 PM PST) – Costa Rica Reunion Page(s) at iitk65.org
Thanks to organizers and fellow travellers for a fantastic trip to Costa Rica. We enjoyed it a lot.
I have posted my photos at iitk65.org pages – divided in 3 sets, so far.
Photos are mostly in chronological order.
I have also updated some other pages about the reunion.
Best wishes …

Anoop and Sadhana

Upendra Rohatgi
Anoop
Web site looks great.  Very well done.
Sets of photos are all the same.
Thanks

Upendra

Akhilesh Maewal

Agree with Upendra. Excellent site. It should be used more often for communicating to the batch.

Ajit Dongre (Thursday, November 14, 2019, 10:34:11 PM PST)
Wonderful, Anoop!
I’m especially happy to see so many nature (fauna and flora) pictures, instead of just people.
Perhaps you can transfer and post the pictures Jaya and others are posting on the WhatsApp group also.  Don’t know if you’re in that group.

Ajit

Raj Khanna (Friday, November 15, 2019, 6:20:07 AM PST)

Wao !
Wonderful work Anoop. Can you add some more photos and videos from others to you the web sire.
With such a high talent, you are required in all future reunions.
-Raj Khanna

Vince Khanna (November 15, 2019, 8:39:17 AM PST)
Anoop,
Great job of photography and creating the website.
You have captured the essence of both the group and places we visited.
Especially impressed with the rain forest shots of the foliage, the birds and the critters including one of Jesus Christ lizard 🦎
What happened to the pictures of the first dinner at Taj Mahal Restaurant?

Vinay

Anoop Swarup (Friday, November 15, 2019, 9:50:30 AM PST)
Thanks Vinay for your comments. I posted the still photos so far. I have taken some videos too, which I’d post in a few days.

– Anoop

Prem Gupta wrote (Sunday, November 17, 2019, 7:50:34 AM PST)- A Very Enjoyable and Satisfying Week

Hi All,
On the last day when we were returning after lunch from Taj Mahal restaurant, Mahesh told Jaya that basic characteristics of us IITians haven’t changed even after more than 50 years. He said that in many of us he could still see the same person that we were at IIT. How true he is! In IIT, I used to leave everything for the last minute and that has not yet changed. I am probably the last one to say that we had a great time at the reunion, but that does not mean that Jaya and I had less fun than that by others in the group. It was nice to meet all of you again. Gilbert was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot from him. The dinner at Taj Mahal was really nice; food was excellent and entertainment was even better. Vrajesh, thanks for doing a great job. Scenery in Costa Rica  was amazing.
Hope to see you all again next year somewhere in north-east.
Prem

Akhilesh Maewal (Sunday, November 17, 2019, 8:11:03 AM PST)
I agree with everything said by everyone before me.
I and Vineeta had a great time, and are looking forward to the next opportunity to meet everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Akhilesh

Asha Jain (Monday, Nov 18, 6:28 PM in WhatsApp)
Anoop, you did a excellent job – Creating a web site, putting together nature’s wonders and artists’ creations are amazing. Your excellent work is really appreciated. We enjoyed every photo. I am sending you some photos and few videos. I will try not to send you duplicates. Regards, Asha.