Wonder Falls!!

After a whole day spent on 13th of May experiencing the glitter, glamour, gloss and grandeur of the Casinos, hotels, gaming, world-class entertainment, nightlife, fine dining, Atlantic Ocean, beaches, Boardwalk, fun attractions, water sports, shopping at the Atlantic City – A seaside resort that is always turned on….. Next weekend ( 20th May ) it was the turn to drown into the most awaited natural scenic wonder of the world ….The Niagara Falls … An excursion to Niagara Falls offers more than you could ever imagine. Niagara Falls has often been called "the world’s most famous address." While the Falls is certainly the most visited natural attraction, the rest of Niagara is a rich, varied, and rewarding experience, too. There's so much to explore and discover at Niagara Falls State Park, from the historical and geological, to the wonders of nature. We landed on the Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Saturday morning and because of some inevitable circumstances ( which is a long story by itself) only reached our destination Niagara at around 1 in the noon. The weather was very cold it was like 8-10 C all the three days with little sunshine here and there… but overall very chilly.

We then got fresh and took a bus to the Niagara Falls State Park. The land, the abundant forceful waters, the sky and the life makes what is known as the Niagara Falls State Park We walked our way towards the Prospect Park and the Prospect Point where we could get the unobstructed view of the majestic and massive Niagara Falls and then on to the Observatory Tower. From the American side, the American Falls can be viewed from walkways along Prospect Park, which also features an Observation Tower. Prospect Point is the prime viewing area for the American Falls and Rapids. Home to the Visitor Center and the Observation Tower, this is also your link to the Maid of the Mist. The Observation Tower, a glass-walled elevator towers above with dramatic views of all three charismatic Falls and descends to the base and the Maid of the Mist Boat Tour. We were so excited to experience the falls… Oh my God! We could see people crying in joy on the Maid of the Mist… We were given their blue souvenir raincoats and this was the very first adventure trip we took from the Niagara Falls of NY. The boat is rightly called the Maid of the Mist as it makes its journey to experience the huge and thick mist of the falls which is so refreshing and breathtaking! There’s magic in the mist! It takes you past the American and Bridal Veil Falls, then into the dense mist of spray inside the curve of the Horseshoe Falls. This world-famous scenic boat tour of the American and Canadian Falls is a spectacular half-hour ride giving a close-up experience of the chill waters of the Falls. A yet another fantastic experience of my lifetime, one of its kind and is so overwhelming that it still haunts me to date! Its like you don’t have anything left to experience something as superlative as this adventure in your life. Its truly been my best! We then spent some time at the base watching number of people also experiencing the same joy of being in the Falls and virtually living the Falls … It was enchanting!

Some trivia on the Falls… Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River in eastern North America, on the border between the United States and Canada. Niagara Falls comprises three separate waterfalls: the Horseshoe Falls sometimes called the Canadian Falls (Height 170 ft, Width 2500 ft, Volume of flow 90% of total), the American Falls (Height 180 ft, Width 1100 ft, Volume of flow 10% of total) and the smaller, adjacent Bridal Veil Falls. While not exceptionally high, Niagara Falls is very wide. More than 168,000 cubic metres (6 million cubic feet) of water go over the crest line of the falls every minute during peak daytime tourist hours. The deepest section in the Niagara River is just below the Falls. It is so deep it equals the height of the Falls above, 52 metres (170 feet). Less than 10% of water flows over the American Falls, with the balance flowing over the Horseshoe Falls. It’s the massive volume of water that flows over the Horseshoe Falls that gives it its green color. From the Falls, the water travels down the Niagara River to Lake Ontario, then to the St. Lawrence Seaway and finally to the Atlantic Ocean.

We had all the time in the world to spend at Niagara Falls… coz we were gonna spend two complete days (Saturday and Sunday) in the Niagara Falls State Park, New York and one day (Monday) totally devoted to the Canadian side. We chose the dates 20 -22 May…as we took all the opportunity of the Falls Fireworks scheduled from 20th May onwards every Friday and Sunday. On 21st which happened to be Sunday …That was the first Fireworks scheduled for the season 2006 which we experienced from the US side… We wanted to experience the fireworks from the Canadian side as well…and that fortunately was possible coz of the Victoria Day which fell on Monday May 22nd. That way we experienced the fireworks from US as well as Canadian sides on both Sunday and Monday consecutively.

After the Maid of the Mist boat tour we headed towards the Niagara Scenic Trolley….A two compartmental bus which takes you to several locations including major park attractions. You can board and stay on for the entire route or you can get on and off at different stops. A guide shares the history of the park as the scenic trolley follows a three-mile route through the park. We boarded the trolley and Rohit stepped down to take a picture while I was seated happily… The Trolley left leaving him behind…and I could not help as I was seated in the second compartment…Well I had a great time with all the passengers teasing me….that he is gone…and he would meet me the next time in Niagara … Good Bye to him… Poor chap …will only remember you while seeing the.. pictures…etc. Well I got down at another location called the Cave of the Winds on the Goat Island hoping to find Rohit in the next trolleys.

Goat Island has access to Cave of the Winds, Three Sisters Islands, Terrapin Point, Luna Island, Falls and Upper Rapids viewing. It’s a wonderful area for a quiet walk, close-up views of the rapids and cascades and the Top of the Falls Restaurant.

I was on my own for quite some time… but was enjoying ofcourse… as the Falls don’t allow you to dilute your attention to something so soon. An elevator ride takes you down 175 feet to the base of Bridal Veil Falls. I saw people walk along the base of the falls on a series of wooden stairs and decks to feel and experience the power of Niagara Falls from the Hurricane Deck just feet from the pounding waters.

Rohit had already announced for me in the trolleys…and I got an information that he was in a trolley behind and will be there to join me in a couple of minutes. It was a nice and cute chase in the trolleys… We met and there was a reunion…and then on he never let go of me.
After that we had some fuel for our tummies right there in some snack bar on a picnic table….we spent some time there…moved around…viewed the Falls… climbed another trolley which headed towards the Terrapin Point on the Goat Island which offers a view of the thundering water over the wide expanse and sweeping curve of the Horseshoe Falls. Got down there…viewed the Falls and also saw a Rainbow which formed on the Falls and boarded the trolley again to the Three Sisters Islands. Three historic walking bridges link Goat Island to the Three Sisters, offering unique views of the upper rapids as the river races for the Falls. We spent a lot of time on these islands… It was a very beautiful and scenic location to view the rapids amidst the greenery of the islands. Later we came back to the visitor center for some refreshments and the Festival theatre to learn the fascinating history of the Falls through a History Channel 22-minute film produced specifically for the Festival Theater. “Niagara: A History of the Falls” takes viewers from the first European sighting of Niagara Falls in 1697 to modern events.
After that lazed around in the greenery of the Prospect Park by the Niagara Falls… till dusk ….waiting for the sunset which only happens after 8 at night… People again gathered at the Prospect point to view the exotically and brilliantly illuminated Niagara Falls. We were spell bounded at the site as the illumination starts initially with white and then later on takes red, amber, pink, purple, blue, yellow and green… Niagara Falls at night is just scintillating an experience…. I was just thanking nature to have bestowed on me this out of the world and ethereal sight. That was just my first night at Niagara Falls…The best was yet to come. We walked our way back to catch a taxi stopping by the Seneca Niagara Casino which had a brilliantly lit exterior… we hopped in to see what it was like… It was crowded and huge…Later took a taxi back to the hotel.

Next day, Sunday…. We were pretty taken aback by the weather forecast…as it was gonna shower and the chill was like too much… we decided to warm ourselves well before we entered the Niagara falls State Park. After the break fast we hip hopped to a Prime Outlet Mall which supposedly only opened after 11 that day. We armed ourselves with adequate warm stuff and headed towards the Falls… We went to the Niagara Scenic Trolley Center…caught a trolley and …and just went on the entire tour without getting down at any stops as the weather was cold and it was drizzling all through… but it was fun… It was beautiful to see the lush wet greenery of the park…dense foresty nature…the rains drizzling….the colorful tulips … by the white magnificent and rushing waters… God it was so groovy a place…No wonder it’s called the Honeymoon capital of the world. In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
We went to the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center to learn about the natural and local history of the Niagara Gorge and Falls. Enjoyed the interactive displays including the virtual reality Gorge Elevator Experience. We later got down at the Luna Island and spend some good time at this small island between the American and Bridal Veil Falls which has a fantastic close-up view of both. We later headed towards Top of the Falls restaurant for lunch… wow …yet another beautiful location to view the heart reverberating falls.

Later we headed towards the Three Sisters Islands to spend some time amidst the greenery. We then walked our way to an Indian restaurant called ‘ Sardar Sahib’ which served Indian buffet… After a good dinner…we walked our way back to the Prospect Point to view the Falls by the night… We could hear the roaring Falls and were getting sporadically drenched in the mist it created all through our walk… It was just amazing!

We reached the point to again find a huge gathering…telling everybody on our way to stay back till 10 at night to watch the Fire works. Watching Fireworks above the Falls with a well lit skyline of Ontario on the other side was a thrilling experience…The Fire works just shooted up in the dark sky one after the other with blazing colors and vibrant patterns…. Whoosh! It was indeed a marvelous show.

The next day being Monday we were all set and reached the Rainbow bridge by 10 in the morning. The Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls is a world-famous tourist site. This is an international bridge between the United States and Canada. It connects the Cities of Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario, spanning the Niagara River. The span of this bridge is 289.5 m (950 ft). We had to go through the customs check both at the start and the finish of our walk on the Rainbow Bridge and the same thing we underwent on our return too. It took us less than 10 minutes to cross the bridge… We spent time viewing the Falls from the bridge… One half of the bridge is American and the other half is Canadian as the respective flags of both the countries are rooted right in the center on either side of the boundary line.

Canada on otherside had a different feel altogether… We rushed to the Double Deck package tours of Niagara falls of Canada. On the Canadian side, Queen Victoria Park features manicured gardens, platforms offering spectacular views of both the American and Horseshoe Falls, and underground walkways leading into observation rooms which yield the illusion of being within the falling waters. The observation deck of the nearby Skylon Tower offers the highest overhead view of the Falls, and in the opposite direction gives views as far as distant Toronto.
The double decker bus took us to the Journey Behind The Falls adventure where you descend over 100 feet and travel through tunnels to feel the thunder of the Falls giving thrilling views of the Falls from below and behind. Nothing but the resonance and roar of the waters were what we could hear of…Amazing!!. The Journey Behind The Falls attraction is located in the Table Rock House Plaza beside the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.Later we went to the Niagara Parks Greenhouse to see beautiful and pretty seasonal floral displays and blossoms.

The bus then took us to the whirlpool ride. The best way to see Niagara's fascinating Whirlpool is from high overhead - aboard the world famous Niagara Spanish Whirlpool Aero Car. We can see the rapids, the Whirlpool, the Gorge, the hydro-electric plants down the river, as the aerial car travels safely between two different points on the Canadian shore of the Niagara River over the spectacular whirlpool. This round trip is slightly more than 1 kilometre and takes about 10 minutes. In the Whirlpool, you can see the "reversal phenomenon". When the Niagara River is at full flow, the waters travel over the rapids and enter the pool, then travel counterclockwise around the pool past the natural outlet. The swirling waters create a vortex, or whirlpool.
We were then taken to the Floral Clock. Niagara's Floral Clock is another free horticultural attraction .The clock is one of the largest in the world) in diameter. The "floral face" of the clock is changed twice a season. The bus then took us around many more local attractions in Niagara Parks, Canada and left us at around 2 in the noon.

We then headed towards the Secret Garden Restaurant located right in front of the Falls for the lunch… After that we took a people mover to the White Water Walk. We there stumbled upon the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sarira Stupa. A shrine, we visited on our way to the White Water Walk. An elevator takes you down to the white water walk. Down stream from the falls the gorge has been cut deep and narrow by millennia of rushing white water which crashes through this area. Trillions of gallons are forced through this accelerating trough, resulting in one of the wildest stretches of whitewater in the world. We strolled alongside and marveled at the relentless power and beauty of nature. The White Water Walk lets you get breathtakingly close to the rapids by walking along a 1000 foot long boardwalk. It was an experience by itself. We then took the hop on and hop off people mover to the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens which exhibited manicured greenery.

After going around the lush gardens of the Park we boarded the bus to the Skylon Tower…with a stop in between to see the tulips on our way. Skylon Tower is Niagara's most famous landmark! The Skylon Tower is located in the City of Niagara Falls overlooking Queen Victoria Park and the Falls. At 520 feet, the Skylon Tower is the tallest structure in Niagara. The yellow bug or capsule (exterior glass encased elevator) takes you to the Observation Deck, the Revolving Dining Room or the Summit Suite Buffet dining room. Within the Dome of the Skylon Tower, the circular design and provision of three separate and complete levels make it possible for all visitors to enjoy an unobstructed view.

When you reach the Observation Deck, 775 feet above the Falls and the Niagara Gorge, the awe-inspiring panorama of the whole scenario just takes your breath away! Heavenly ….nothing short of heaven… the view was stunning!

We enjoyed the color light display of the Falls and cities of Niagara Falls, Canada and Niagara Falls, New York. We were there around 6 in the evening …viewed the sunset… and then the illumination of the Falls…and Rohit insisted we view the Fireworks from the Skylon Tower itself as we had already seen it from the ground level on the American side. So we waited for the show…. Had good time in the deck going around the souvenir shop which is located on the indoor section of the observatory… The Deck was packed to its brim with people. The Falls were lit in white to start with and then all the different colors followed… It had this rainbow colored look from the top…We were entranced with what we saw from the top…No words …. The senses had become speechless…an absolute thoughtlessness was struck… As I write this… I have gone through the whole lot of emotion and have lived Niagara again! And we waited till 10 at night for that magical experience … and when it did… we were completely spell bound with what we saw… From the top the view was like … the illuminated American and Canadian Falls below…with the expanse of twinkling lights of the Niagara Falls Cities on both the sides and brilliantly shooting Fireworks above right in the front of the Deck in the dark sky… Was that something real happening !?! … Whoosh! Oh My Goodness…All in all a celestial experience ….It was Fantafabulous!! There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty. The beauty of Niagara Falls indeed was overwhelming.. All done…the fireworks lasted about 15 minutes…. We had to take the elevator down…took us half an hour to get down to the ground level tearing all the crowd… Once out we could see the lit Skylon Tower which looked remarkable at night… We walked our way back near the Rainbow Bridge… Had something for food and ended up the marvel with a nice caramel ice cream with which I walked the bridge to catch a taxi from the other side to the hotel. We were back to the hotel at around 12.30 that night. Early morning we took a flight from Buffalo to New York.

This weekend (27 -30 May) was also was pretty busy with Shanu and Sushant both dropped in for the memorial weekend bash. Saturday we went to Cape May. Cape May County is a peninsula, located at the southernmost tip of New Jersey between the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay. The common thread of a Jersey Cape is the 30 mile ribbon of clean, white sandy beaches which winds along the cool gentle surf of the Atlantic Ocean. The thrill and excitement of the stroll on the boardwalk to the frolic on the beaches, climbing a lighthouse, browsing the shops, the ambiance of Victorian architecture in houses and inns was one-of-a-kind getaways. In the evening we drove to the Atlantic City …. Circled it …spent some time on the boardwalk in the chill of the evening and then returned home having dined at a nice countryside restaurant near our home.

I could have never imagined going to New York so many times… Its like I was visiting New York for the eleventh time …and this time with Shanu and Sushant. What can I say… We had good time in New York too for two complete days… and then took a break on Tuesday… where in we lazed at home…Their flight was at 8 at night… we dropped them to their flight and returned home having watched ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Both of us had read the book so wanted to watch it… and it was good.

That’s it till date…

No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one. Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them.

Trip To Boston

Well… I don’t know whether you all missed reading my posts…. But I surely missed sending them… Yes I took a long break…. Before I could experience something new again …. I thought I should tell you all about the my trip to Boston, which I don’t know for some reason kept getting delayed…Anyways here it goes…

Though Praveena did give a guest appearance in my wedding, we were going to virtually meet each other after 11 years. Eleven years is a pretty long time …I always wished and hoped that I would definitely visit and meet her one day… some day! Thanks to our all powerful Internet, through which we were in constant touch with each other in spite of our geographical gulf.

We planned to visit her on a weekend in the mid of April….just after the week Rohit gave his third exam. Both Praveena and myself were as excited as kids and were looking forward to meet each other. At last we met during the Easter weekend of (April 14-16) 2006.

We drove to her place Framingham on a Friday afternoon passing yet another beautiful state, Connecticut . I was more than happy cutting through the heart and soul of Connecticut , one of the six states comprising New England . New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. All these states are bountiful with Nature and are marvelous. Connecticut , southernmost of the six New England states presented itself as very picturesque, with all the hilly areas, wild greenery and the beginning of a new spring. The drive was more than wonderful as it rained all through our journey. Enjoyed it, even though we’d missed an exit in the start itself…we had to drive an extra hour! It was awesome! We passed the cities like Danbury , Waterbury , Hartford ( its Capital), Stafford etc. Its like it gets darker at around 8 O’ clock over here. Till then, there is a feel of a good day all long and I could not get enough of neither the rains nor Connecticut !

Praveena and Siddharth said we got the rains along with us to Boston too as it was pretty much dry before we reached their place…. There was a surprise packet, Maya…a very sweet adorable puppy, waiting and jumping at us out of excitement of having visitors at her place… To talk on Maya is to write another long mail…I will just restrict myself and say that she was as cute as a baby, as playful and as adorable as a child and we were introduced to her as Rohit uncle and Manasi aunty by her own Mom and Dad! Praveena owned a big beautiful condominium made real ethnic. We had an early dinner. And after that we started with our nonstop babble… Praveena and myself ran our flashback memories on the roller coaster ride one after another laughing…giggling…making fun…and driving Siddharth, Rohit and Maya all crazy at the same time….Poor guys had to simply listen and behave like dumbs as we hardly gave them any chance to speak….My God! The way we had been… mads!!…They were like… enough now!…Maya kept giving mad looks at us! We had a very good time yapping and recalling our childhood memories right from pav-bhaji eating to watching movies together to classroom fun and all the school time stories. It was such a nice night! A toast to our friendship in Boston .

We decided to wake up early to go to Cape Cod but as usual we made it only after nine. The weather was like cloudy and foggy… anyways we hoped the sun to show up by noon and it kept shying on and off all the time. Cape Cod is a large and an arm-shaped peninsula extending 60 miles into the Atlantic ocean from the coast of Massachusetts. It is generally flat, with sand dunes, low hills, and numerous lakes. Parts of Cape Cod constitute Cape Cod National Seashore. Primary features of this Cape Cod National Seashore include 40 miles of pristine sandy beach, a variety of salt marshes, swamps, groves of pine, maple, oak, and cedar, nature trails, picnic areas and dozens of sparkling saltwater and freshwater kettle ponds. We went near the Cape Cod Canal RR Bridge which spans the south western end of the canal and is one of the largest vertical lift bridges in the world with a lift. Bay Colony uses the bridge in its daily operations, as it is the only means of traversing the Cape Cod Canal by rail. Cape Cod comprises of 15 diversely populated small and beautiful towns…Each town, while very much a part of the greater Cape Cod Community, has a unique character, appearance and flavor of its own.

We visited Provincetown by lunch time… had a good lunch at a small local restaurant. Provincetown sits in the sheltered bay that is formed by the spiral twisting of Cape Cod . Provincetown is a resort town on the tip of Cape Cod , with a harbor on Cape Cod Bay . The colorful town with beaches, fancy novelty stores, shopping arcades, vibrant art colony, eateries offered visitors a different air to visit the place. We could see a lot of gays in that town! No one who spends some time in Provincetown can fail to notice the Pilgrim Monument . A granite tower of 252-feet that juts proudly upwards into the sky, the Pilgrim Monument can be seen from almost every spot in town. Pilgrim Monument commemorates the Pilgrims’ first landing in Provincetown in 1620…. We then went to a beach on the Cape Cod Bay called ‘Herring Cove Beach’ at the very tip of the Cape, a narrow ocean beach maintained by the Cape Cod National Seashore…We spent some time on beach…Maya had fun with some kids playing ball. Later we drove passing through almost all the towns of Cape Cod , a very scenic drive covering beautiful houses, historic architectures, lush greenery, blossoms of the spring, beaches, small ponds. From Provincetown at the tip of the Cape to Chatham at the "elbow" to Bourne at the Bridge, each town has its own unique character and is beautiful. No doubt Cape Cod allures visitors as it has attractions, sites and umpteen activities for visitors to enjoy during a vacation.

We retired early that night… Next day was reserved for sight seeing in Boston . We had a nice Sunday breakfast of Bagels and set out to see Boston . We drove on the Memorial Drive to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We moved around the place, the pavement was aligned with lovely cherry blossoms. We spent sometime on the drive viewing the boating activities going on in the Charles river marked with Boston ’s skyline on its other side. The John Hancock tower and the Prudential building being tallest of the skyscrapers.

Boston is storied for its role in the American revolution. But there is far more to Boston than just Revolutionary history. From museums to sports, from fresh seafood to Italian cuisine, Boston has something for everyone. It's also a great place to start your exploration of New England . One of America 's oldest cities (founded in 1630), Boston remains one of its most European in feel. Like many European cities, Boston is best explored on foot. The Freedom Trail in Boston , Massachusetts , was conceived with an idea that the historic sites of Boston could be made more accessible to residents and visitors. Besides the small boats in the Charles river of Boston …the Freedom Trail is what I really liked about Boston . The trail is marked by a red line painted on the sidewalk or, in some places, red brick to mark the way to key historic sites. Following the 2.5-mile trail one can visit 16 historic sites. It begins at the Boston Common and winds its way through downtown Boston , the North End and Charlestown ending at the Bunker Hill Monument . We walked the other way round starting with the Bunker Hill Monument . We walked the trail and visited U.S.S. Constitution, Old North Church , Paul Revere’s Statue, Faneuil Hall…where in we halted for food at the North end area… Its like a huge market place with an arcade of stores, eateries, and myriad cuisines to choose from. Later continued on the trail hitting the Boston Massacre Site, Old State House, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Book Store, First Public School Site, Massachusetts State House and the Boston Common omitting the burial grounds in the trail. We later went to the subway station which happens to be America ’s first subway station to catch a subway to the place we had parked the car. Siddharth then drove us to the Cambridge to visit the Harvard University Campus area….A very huge Campus with lots of beautiful buildings like the Memorial Church, the Schools, the library all with the famous logo of ‘VERITAS’ meaning Truth on them. The John Harvard Statue, "statue of three lies" located in front of University Hall is an immensely popular draw for tourists and thousands of visitors rub John Harvard's shoe for luck. There ends our trip to Boston with lots of Boston ’s history yet to be explored! May be next time.

We then drove home …freshened up and were all set to drive back home to Florham Park , New Jersey . We hit the rush hour…slow moving traffic after a weekend…and by the time we reached home it was 11.30 at night.

That’s it till now with me here….

Will catch you in my next mail…

Till then….

People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them! For at the end of history lies the undiscovered country.

Colors of India!

It’s been six months now that I am here in United States....far from my own country India... Hopping and halting, at a few places here, in past six months..... When asked ... do I miss India? ... I say …Hmm…yes I do... and what do I miss of India !?!... It did not even take me a second to answer the question..... I was so spontaneous when I blurted out.... saying 'the Colors of India'... Yes...I miss the colors of India ... Speaking of colors, here, I don't find life as vibrant as I found in India....

India is so colorful and rich in its taste, culture, heritage and fashion that even when you think of our festivals ... they happen to be so colorful and beautiful... We have festivals to celebrate each and every event, every natural thing one could really imagine.... like festivals for lights, kites, flowers, new harvest, food, girls, gods and deities and each unique in its own way bringing with it celebrations involving lots of hue and zest ... Well, the best of them all… is the festival of 'Rang Panchami' ... ‘Holi’…The celebration of colours on the day of ‘festival of colors’ is something that every Indian enjoys ....It just brings out so much of youthful fun ...where in seeing the cheeks smeared with 'gulal' gives such an avid temptation to give into the fun. ... Holi continues to be celebrated with great vigor as it is lively, full of masti and merry making... Countless Hindi films have brought the vibrant colors of this festival to the screen....
The much popular Holi revelry -"Are ja re hat natkhat , na chhoo re mera ghoonghat, palat ke doongi aaj aisi gali re, mujhe samjho na tum bholi bhali re" ...
"Aaya holi ka tyohar, ude rang ki bauchhar tu hai nar nakhredar matwali re, aaj meethi lage hai teri gali re" is one of my favorites among the songs of Holi exuberantly portrayed by Sandhya in 'Navrang'. This movie made long time ago .... I should say is an ultimate and an unmatchable projection of colors I have ever seen during my childhood days, on screen ... but nothing can match our Amitabh Bachchan's mischievous 'Rang Barse' and Rekha's gulal smeared naughty cheeks in ‘Silsila’... this song comes to my mind when I talk of colours.... or his latest with Hema Malini goes...'Holi Khele Raghuveera' is yet another popular item on the list of unforgettable nuances on the occasion of Holi ... As our festivals pride in the expression of color…so do our Hindi movies for instance the new ‘Devdas’.

The next in my list, is the Ganapaty Festival.... Wow!! I love to see the Ganesh idols... There are competitive exhibitions on making the Ganesh look best in every form imaginable..... I love Ganapaty as I love elephants. The festivities include fund-raising, building all kinds of innovative forms of Ganesh idols, organizing public performances of music and dance, cooking grand feasts and making a lot of noise and halla gulla...yelling and singing.....'Ganapati Bappa Morya'.... It’s like going to see Ganesh is a merry trip by its own.... It’s such a happy occasion where you know that every Ganesh pendal is going to offer you with a different prasad each time.... I love the lemon rice given as prasad most of the times... Hmm... It’s just so simple ...yet so tasty...

Then when I think of my near and dear ones .... I remember my mom's 'haldi-kumkum' events .... occasions where in she invited and still invites lots of women home to offer pan-supari and haldi-kumkum on her Lakshmi Pujans where Goddess Lakshmi is decorated and ornamented with a rich Kanjeevaram silk saree and jewelry.... It always used to be a fun ritual accompanying mom to go and choose a different color every year for her rich Kanjeeveram silk saree. My mom invariably chose maroon for almost all her sarees...and always… She has lots of sarees in maroon….Then there would come a very easy comment from Baba saying "Lata, that green isn’t good .... I think you should go for maroon..... and mom giving back immediately, saying...."Mr....Its maroon!" Baba could never make out between green and red .... I still feel he sees the sky pink!

Then I relate colours to the beautiful 'Rangolis' my mother-in-law used to put sincerely everyday at our door entrance .... with lots of enthusiasm and happiness... She then earnestly waited for Baba to comment on them and leave a remark for her creative effort. The Rangolis were just so simple, artistic and beautiful ...which spoke of her growing innovativeness each day.... And Baba himself had grown such a colorful garden out of the saplings which he picked up from nurseries, nurturing them as his own babies... He made it a point to get different colours of anthuriums, gardenias, gerberas, roses and different orchids to make our garden as colorful as possible. I remember, this had inspired me to exhibit my uniqueness where in I tried blending colorful flowers and the available colours to decorate my home during Diwali, Dasara and other festivals..... Then when I talk of 'Dasara' ... I am reminded of the colorful and lovely 'Ghaghras' of Gujrat and Rajasthan....for 'Garba and dandiya’.

Adding color to the glory …was the 'Chudi bazaar', a thriving market of Charminar. It had its own charm in presenting a different rendezvous of colours ... it surely dazzles you with its amazingly maddening collection of bangles ... the tiny shops alluring people with the world famous 'hyderabad ki chudiyan' which sell glass bangles in rainbow colours.... It’s a spectacularly sparkling view!

When I had been for my visa to Chennai …I could catch upon women who wore so much of gold jewelry….. I must say the gold gave a great contrast to their complexion and they carried it with such a superior finesse ….and I felt no color would go so well with them than the color of gold. The color of gold is gold. That's why it's called gold.

Am myself so choosy on the colors .... I make an attempt to try out choosing different colours for my own dress and clothes.... It’s like every time hunt for a different color as if there are innumerable colours to match my imagination .... Then, I go to the extent of signing them like, peach color as in peaches......the color of a ripe mango..... the orange as in orange…the unexplainable hue of dusk .... the mehndi green...then the leaf green.... the gud color.... then the ‘ananda’ color.... the blood red....the lemon yellow......the sky blue......and then I remember the color of copper sulphate salt from the chemistry experiments which gave a unique blue-green color of its own...Then there comes the color of the national bird, the peacock itself….the enigmatic ‘mor-pankhi’ from the beautiful, delightful and iridescent colors on the peacock feather are just inexpressible...then, describing white as aerial white.....and then you have these earthy colours.... of brown, beige, ash...and so on and so forth...though you have only seven known colours ...you go choosing for all the shades and tints each of them have to offer in an effort to make your selection a novelty each time... That’s a whole lot of exercise in itself...choosing colours...Its fun though... It’s even more fun to do it for others....try it!!

I had learnt the art of ‘Batik’ printing as a part of my co-curricular activity during my graduation…The tie and dye method, ‘ bandhni’ leads to the innovative mixture of creativity experimenting with colors, which I would not forget…I remember making lovely colorful ‘razais’ using different tying methods and colors. I love wearing bandhni sarees as they have such rich colors, give out a traditional touch and are royal looking.

And more over as they say…two people do not see the same rainbow and each eye sees its own rainbow… Fortunately I have seen many rainbows when in India. The white light streams down to be broken up by those human prisms into all the colors of the rainbow. Each of us has to take our own color in the pattern and be just that!

Temples of India are so colorful with all the possible forms of art, designs and sculptures that it’s always fun to visit the temples for aesthetic reasons rather than the religious reasons…. Even our weddings are so colorful.... the rituals, the ceremonies, the customs, the grandeur, the cuisine, the clothes, the singing, the dancing, the people ..... All these concepts become insipid without the essence of color in them ... the colours of spirit.... the colors of emotions... colors of joy and fun....the color of being… in all its vitality make my India…is India!

May memory restore again and again the smallest color of the smallest day: Time is the school in which we learn, Time is the fire in which we burn - Socrates

-Manasi

What a nice sunny day!

Chomping on my broccoli at the Bean Curd located on the main street of Chatham in New Jersey on a sunny day I see the best open-top cars out on the tiny bustling road...busy as it seems with lots of tiny tots speeding their colorful bikes...bikes, in all sizes of tininess with cute red nosed kiddies peddling on them.
Daddies with a Starbuck’s Coffee in one hand ...and the other trolleying cute apple cheeked babies cuddled up in their tiny world of their own… And these babies seem to be in their happiest leisure, smiling at times and musing strangely at the loveliness of the outer world at other times, in the cute cushioned strolleys in which they are comforted and have the best of their life ever...seemingly carefree and cheerful...I wonder sometimes how nice it should be feeling in a strolley like that....aloof from realities and into the world of fairy tales, coz that’s the world they are aware of, thats the only world they live in, and that’s the only world they ever know.... be it in their rhymes, in their bed time stories, in their grandma’s fairy tales, in their world of fancy soft dolls and toys. They just got to be as happy!
There were also these proud moms walking the toddlers and enjoying the sun... peeping into windows alluring them with the girlie stuff and accessories...beckoning on their kids to walk right. There were couples waiting at the sandwich parlors... munching on their Sunday breakfast.
There were these grannies with their best sunday dress on, wearing their finest pair of ear rings, colorful scarves and stylish brooches walking hand in hand with the grandpas dressed as smartly and then seating themselves at the road side benches and indulging in their share of ice cream and watching the others pass by. They seemed to enjoy the sunny day and the pearly white cherry blossoms on the street. The tiny cafes and the eateries were busy catering their regular customers. There were people stepping in and out of a near by Church. Some were just wandering on the road experiencing a wonderful luxury of being at rest. The busy main street in this small town was indeed living.
There was an unusual peppy touch to the entire scenario... Everybody right from the babies in their carts to the oldies with their walking sticks seemed to enjoy what a sunny Sunday had to offer. It had an immense feel good factor...especially after a two day rainy recess. Everybody was just out to get the feel of the sun and its warmth and enjoy this perfect sunny sunday.
I must tell you that the concept of a sunny day holds such a dearest feeling in lives of the people over here. Its like everybody is damn excited about a nice sunny day... They plan for a holiday...a sweet day-out with their sweet hearts...parks and beaches here, especially are full ... swimming is an event to go for.... long day walking tours…camping… go boating...go fishing...go mountain climbing...and many many other recreational activities to do and indulge on a nice sunny day. Here...Its like Wow… what a nice sunny day!

Down there in my home town in India, last night, I listened to my mom complaining about the Sun…. Its tremendously hot out there and the sun is apparently very harsh on that side of the planet scorching and blazing bright, making any outdoor activity almost impossible… I still remember, we used to have lots of visitors visiting our place during this time of the year and showing them around in the hot sun was such a dreadful activity. The heat caused such an inconvenience to the guests that they almost swore on avoiding a trip to my place at this time of the year. I could see almost everybody grumbling at the heat. Last year, during this time, I felt the mad heat so strongly while hunting for my own house... There its like... Uff ...what a bad sunny day! Only curses come out to express the exasperation on perspiration!
The same sun rises here and the same sun rises there too...Yet such a whole world of difference at the same time.

I always did feel that you got to just accept what nature has in store for you....in this part of the world or that... To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.

-Manasi

Cherry Blossom Special - Washington, D.C.

Nothing heralds the arrival of spring in this Nation’s Capital as the blooming of the the Japanese Cherry trees. The famous trees, a gift from Japan in 1912, signal the coming of Spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin in a sea of pink and white. The blooming of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington , D.C. has come to symbolize the natural beauty of the nation's capital city. Millions of visitors from across the nation and around the world come to the Nations Capital to witness the spectacle, hoping that the trees will be at the peak of bloom for the 2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington , D.C. 's rite of spring. We undoubtedly were a definite part of the whole scenario in Washington ’s merry making festival!

The 2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled for March 25-April 9. We made an early trip to Washington , DC to be a part of the blossoming season which lasts for only about 14 days. We could hit across quite a number of blossoms in this cold weather… As the blossoms need to have a warmer climate to show up in its fullest form, they were still not at their peak bloom. Exactly when the buds will open is not an easy question to answer, but the forecasts are made by the horticulturists and they are based upon the weather forecast, and close inspection to determine the stage of bud development.

We decided to leave early in the morning on Saturday …We started a little after 5 O’ clock in the morning. Washington , DC is exactly 230 miles away from Florham Park . It was a thorough four and half hours drive with a break in between to refresh. We reached the city at around 9.30 that morning viewing lots of cherry blossoms as we kept getting closer and closer to Washington ….checked in Courtyard by Marriott on the Connecticut Avenue, as we had already made a reservation there….

We then started off on foot along with the city tour maps and Metro maps …. We had a good and a quick bagels and omelets break fast at a very good breakfast café called Cosi…and then headed towards the Dupont Circle station for the subway to the Metro Center . The nation's capital is one of the easiest cities to navigate and a terrific city for touring, once you understand the basics. With one of the safest, cleanest and most efficient public transportation systems in the country serviced by Metrorail (subway) and Metrobus , Washington , DC's many attractions and neighborhoods are easily accessible. The subway stations, by themselves, were yet another marvel in a man’s numerous achievements… My goodness….The whole system is built in underneath with a good amount of precision in every aspect….like ticketing vending machines, information centers, guidelines, schedules etc. The escalator which took us deep inside was of an awesome length…it took nearly 5-6 min to get to the station underneath from the top on the escalator! And, from there also there was again a double-decker system of the rails…the metro trains running above and below that level! Train lines are named by colors: Red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. It was amazing to see all this going on so perfectly underneath from the ground level.

We reached the Metro Center took another subway to the Smithsonian station. Got down there and climbed up the hollow to the ground level to reach the National Mall area….and once up … there was a huge bustling crowd in the open ground and we could see almost all the attractions of the city from that point….like the US Capitol behind us, the Washington Monument in the front, the Lincoln Memorial beyond, the Smithsonian Castle beside us and many other good architectural buildings in the National Mall area. As the seat and symbol of democracy, Washington is a city of powerful history and epic political drama. Its enduring symbols – The White House, U.S. Capitol, museums of the Smithsonian Institution and monuments to the great American Presidents are the major attractions for the tourists all around the world.

One of the best ways to experience Washington is on foot, with wonderful pockets including the inspiring monuments, memorials, parks, Smithsonian museums and various other famous galleries and buildings found on the National Mall as well as the world-class theatres and splendid gardens, squares and circles throughout the District. We then walked towards the Washington Monument. There was this The 40th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival going on and there were number of participants flying their best kites… Kites in different forms and brilliant colors…we could see them in the forms of the butterflies, the wasps, many Nemos, fish, birds, tiny aero planes all gliding in the sky…and it was so good to see the kites along with the monument standing upright in the sky. Located at the western end of the National Mall, this four-sided stone structure honors the "Father of his Country," General, Founding Father, and the first President of the United States , George Washington. At 555 feet 5 1/8 inches (169.29 meters) high, the Washington Monument towers over everything in Washington , DC and is one of the tallest masonry structures in the world. Fifty flags surround the base of the Washington Monument and symbolize the 50 states of the Union . Of all the Presidents of the United States , George Washington is the most celebrated. Washington Monument commemorates his legacy.
Then we moved on to the World war II Memorial, from there on hit the Reflecting Pool. What the Reflecting Pool reflects are the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, which are positioned at either end of it. The pool is long -- a third of a mile -- and shallow, at about three feet. It is flanked by pedestrian paths.

We then walked towards the famous Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States (who is known as ‘the Great Emancipator’) and also the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War. The 19 foot tall statue of Lincoln exhibits his compassion, strength and determination and remains one of the popular places on the National Mall for expressions of freedom.
We then moved onto the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. One of the more visited memorials in the park, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors those men and women who served in the Vietnam War. People come all over the world to view the black granite wall that holds 58,249 names of those killed and missing in action. ‘The Wall that Heals’ serves as a place for remembrance, reflection, grieving and closure. Let me make a frank submission here … In the history of mankind Wars itself are a great blunder. There are losses at the cost of men fighting for nations and sacrificing their lives…. Why should all this have happened…If you get in deep and look at it…you will realize that a country’s history should not talk and take pride in exhibiting itself in being involved in the destructive causes of waging wars and later building memorials in the honor of numerous sacrifices made by the unknown innocent people….A Nation has to grow with its integrity to gain power. Wars are just a curse of human intelligence…. War Does Not Always Decide Who Is Right But It Always Decides Who Is Left! Ok lets not get into the controversy of the Vietnam and the Korean Wars….

After the memorials at the National Mall we walked to the famous White House through the Ellipse. From far off, outside a fence we caught the glimpses of the White House, significant for its Federal architecture, as a symbol of the Presidency. It has been the home of every president of the United States since John Adams. We then walked…the whole Constitution Avenue towards the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum…. We could see the Washington Monument, US Capitol building all the time we walked backwards in the National Mall. The line to the Museum was very very long…We got to enter the museum after a 30 min wait in the line. The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. It has hundreds of original, historic artifacts on display, including the Wright 1903 Flier; the Spirit of St. louis; the Apollo 11 command module Columbia; and a Lunar rock sample that visitors can touch. It was a good Science break….After spending say 3 hours inside we were out of the Museum at around 4 O’clock ….

We then walked to the Smithsonian Castle and from there on to the Tidal Basin, a popular destination as the cherry blossoms make their appearance around the Tidal Basin. The area is famous for its many beautiful Japanese cherry trees in bloom with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. It was a Walk in the Clouds experience! This easy 2.1 mile loop offers natural and cultural treasures. We walked around the complete loop stopping for pictures at the very pretty puffy white blossoms of the Yoshino, Kwanzan and Usuzumi cherry trees which seem to create a cloud like effect while you walk. Surrounded by these famed cherry trees, the pedestrian promenade which loops around the Basin can't be beat, with its sea of pink above and a sea of fallen blossoms underfoot.

We visited the famous Jefferson Memorial located at the south side of the Tidal Basin makes an excellent vantage point for panoramic views… Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States is one of the greatest figures in the history of this nation. The author of the ‘Declaration of Independence’ was one of the founding fathers of the United States . President Franklin Delano Roosevelt felt that a person of such magnitude deserved a memorial, similar to the Lincoln memorial and the Washington monument. The Jefferson Memorial is a dome-shaped rotunda and Jefferson's 19-foot statue stands within, surrounded by some of his most inspirational writings and passages. We spent a lot of time here enjoying the beautiful scenario and the breeze of the waters at the Basin.

We walked out around the Tidal Basin and came across the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial…. a fourth presidential monument in the memory of the 32nd President. Located along the Cherry Tree Walk on the Western edge of the Tidal Basin , its shade trees, waterfalls, statuary, and quiet alcoves create the feeling of a secluded garden rather than an imposing structure. Unlike the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials which are compact, covered and focused on a single statue of each president, the FDR memorial is vast, uncovered, and focused on numerous statues, quotes, and waterfalls.

We then moved towards the Japanese Pagoda and the Japanese Lantern… It was already turning dark …We walked back…. Towards the Washington Monument and all the way towards the US Capitol Building to see it lit at night It was stately and gorgeous…We were dead tired…as we had walked the mad max in our lives I guess…The legs had already started singing terribly .... We must have walked straight 10 miles in the whole day…We then took back the same route by subway reached our destination to have a sumptuous dinner at California Pizza Kitchen…..and later went to the hotel and retired for the day. It was a very long day.
The next day …Sunday …all set we checked out from the hotel… went to Cosi for a quick breakfast…We passed the Embassy row (we saw our Indian embassy there) as we drove to visit the Washington National Cathedral….a huge and a marvelous architectural beauty. It was awesome…. The building abounds in architectural sculpture, wood carving, leaded glass, mosaics, artistic metal work, and many other works of art, including over 200 stained glass windows….We then came back to the Dupont circle, parked our car at a safe place. Later we took a subway to Arlington, Virginia to visit the Arlington National Cemetery where we walked to the President John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s grave site to pay our respects….We even saw the changing of the guard taking place at the Tomb of the Unknowns. We then visited the Iwo Jima Memorial….and returned back by subway to the Smithsonian station.

We visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.This museum is dedicated to understanding the natural world and our place in it. This museum is a favorite with kids, but has plenty to intrigue all ages. More than 81 million artifacts are displayed including specimens of animals and plants, animal and dinosaur skeletons, an enormous collection of natural gems and minerals, displays of early man, evolution of human being in the world… a long journey showing the evolution from invertebrates to vertebrates, an insect zoo, a live coral reef and much much more. The universe is constructed from a multitude of various materials. It is dynamic in form and shape due to a multitude of various processes and interactions between these materials. To the human, however, in his need to establish his place and purpose in the universe, the most important material is biological and the most important process is evolution, far it is only here that the human can learn to understand himself, an understanding that is vital to his survival. It’s a great place for preliminary education for the kids… It has simulations…audio and visual aids for each and every exhibit… auditoriums which film informative films for the kids. We saw families and lots of kids in all sizes enjoying the museum.

After the museum we walked towards the US capitol building spending little time at the reflecting pool over there and then walked to the National Gallery of Art ….quickly gave a look at the Sculpture and Painting section and then took a new DC circulator Bus which drove only two of us to the Smithsonian station to board a subway back to Square A ..the Dupont Circle . We then went to Chipotle packed ourselves two Burritos and around 6.30 in the evening started off to New Jersey …We had to pass through Baltimore , Maryland and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania to reach NJ….. We reached home at around 11.30… We hit the bed after a walkie weekend.

Happy living.

The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.

-Manasi

THE BIG APPLE TREAT!

I know, I did not seem to be online for quite sometime. Ok…Where was I?? Well…. Madam was in Manhattan, New York! I am just back from New York. Hmmm ….The story goes like this…. It all started on Thursday night when Rohit was back home saying that he could take a break on Friday and Monday for all the work which went on for 2 months straight. We were looking out for options and trying to decide something good for the weekend…. After lot of juggling online, looking out for options we managed to get a fair deal to New York at about 12 at night. We immediately booked the tickets for the 7 O’ clock flight… decided on starting from home at around 4.30 early morning as the airport is quite far off and we had to even return the existing car and book another one for us to move around in New York…Well…and reaching New York where to go?…. We had to take long directions from La Guardia terminal of New York to the downtown Manhattan and from there on to a cousin’s…etc….and by the time all this paper work was done it was already 3.00 in the morning… Rohit took a quick nap….I packed and made ourselves a single baggage…an easy carriage to pull…and I hardly slept that night. We reached the airport at 5 O’ clock in the morning…well before time….The flight took off at the right time….and we landed the La Guardia airport of New York at 8.45 AM.

Well from there…the first thing we did was to collect all the maps and brochures from the information center …We took a bus which crossed the Triborough bridge to the Uptown Manhattan and from there boarded a subway to the downtown Manhattan…Weather was good….A clear sky and sunshine… All we could see were the innumerable clusters of skyscrapers …buildings so tall that in order to get a view of the tip we might lean back and fall and still the tip would not be visible!! Each and every tall architectural structure trying to be taller than the other establishing its own supremacy and speaking loud of the achievements of the builders and creating its own niche in the architectural history with a unique design of its own. Manhattan was so crowded…. Full of people…of different nationalities….We could see so many Indians and Chinese people. We got down at the 42nd street of downtown Manhattan where in we caught the glimpses of Empire State building…We could see people walking both ways…crowded…and we were one among them walking too… we walked a lot……street after street…Getting around New York City is a breeze, thanks to buses, subways, taxis and countless feeder roads. There are also ferries, helicopters, bicycles, and frequent Amtrak and commuter rail service. Not to forget our feet….NYC is a walking city!…Its best seen on foot… One of New York City’s great assets is its walkability. Manhattan is mostly a grid system of uptown/downtown streets intersecting with cross town streets so its hard to get lost here. Most of the city is flat, perfect for strolling. Exploring it all from a walker’s pace, at eye level, is the best way to get a real feel for the city. Its the cheapest way to get around, and sometimes (depending on traffic and distance) it is the fastest. The crowded sidewalks, you’ll see people snacking, meeting long-lost friends, gossiping, taking business meetings via cell phone…..Met lots of people on the way ….explored the city on foot the first day…. Ate …drank… and just walked …till the Staten Island…. where there were ferries to go to the Statue of liberty ….we saw her standing far off in the midst of Liberty Island… We spent lots of time moving in downtown as the best of New York is still downtown. It’s the birth place of the nation. Its Wall Street, the South Street Seaport , Williamsburg bridge, Manhattan bridge, Brooklyn bridge…its surrounding rivers like Hudson, Harlem and East rivers ….its breath taking views of the harbor and Statue of Liberty. Its narrow winding streets and skyscraper canyons. Its parks, plazas and esplanades. Its museums concerts and out door sculptures. Its diverse shopping experience, superb dining and world- class hotels and eateries…. Best of all …its always a short walk from one great attraction to the next.

After we felt that we have walked enough ….we went to Avis… got ourselves a car as we wanted to reach our cousin’s place little early in the night….before we could miss out on the roads…. We took the car and Rohit drove from downtown Manhattan to the mid town Manhattan… Manhattan was just great in the evening twilight… Wonderful…The lights all getting lit up slowly and whole city seemed to rev up again with a great energy and enthusiasm…and the clear sky coming out with the stars… It was just great! We took the Lincoln tunnel to reach New Jersey…The Lincoln Tunnel provides a means of transportation from mid-town Manhattan to New Jersey underneath the Hudson River. We reached their place Piscataway before 8 O’ clock at night….They were waiting for us…We had an early dinner …. We also retired by 12 at night as we were tired too.

The next morning that’s on March 11th…. after having break fast … … all set …we drove town to the Metropark station …a 15 minutes drive from their place .We took tickets for a roundtrip for the NJ transit train from Metropark of New Jersey to New York…We reached NY in 30 minutes….That’s the best thing in New York….Cars are not a great means to go around the downtown Manhattan… as to get a car parking is next to impossible and even if you did…then it would cost you 50$ straight for an hour! We took a subway from the Penn Station to 42nd street…. Purchased the tickets for a two day hop-on and hop-off 2-day double decker bus tour….and then visited the first indoor place …Madame Tussauds Museum…In a city with millions of things to see and do, there is only one place where over 200 of the world's top celebrities provide you with an interactive experience of a lifetime showcasing lifelike wax figures. It features The Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Buffalo Bill and Diana, Princess of Wales….trendsetters of the 20th century, featuring Mikhail Barishnikov, Babe Ruth, Janis Joplin, Charlie Chaplin, The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Bill Gates and Neil Armstrong…celebrities like Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, Oprah Winfrey, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Donald Trump … the blushing Jennifer Lopez, Teri Hatcher, Madonna…with some of whom we posed too…

Later we boarded our open top bus “City Sights NY” for our city day tour…It was a great experience…the .double decker bus tours allow you to enjoy the best of Manhattan with unlimited hop-on, hop-off opportunities at over 50 stops throughout Manhattan…
The bus went around all the places of interest covering the famous buildings …the historical architectural structures…the parks…the museums…the city libraries…the tallest hotels and the world-class hotels, restaurant rows… where in we could see plethora of restaurants and cafes with cuisines of different countries…Chinese, Mexican, Portugal, Italian, Indian, American, Greek, Thai etc… Times Square, Empire State Building, Chrysler building, Trump building, United Nations, South Street Seaport, Financial District, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, Site of the World Trade Center, Wall Street, Battery Park, South Street Seaport for the view of the man made wonderful bridges, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Museum Mile, New York Historical Society, The Dakota, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apollo, Madison Square Garden, Macy's Herald Square….

We got down at the Empire State Building at the right time…the dusk…where in we hoped to catch the breath taking views of Manhattan and beyond in the day and the night both…and the twilight experience. New York's famous Empire State Building, a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, soars more than a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere above the heart of Manhattan. Its 1454 feet in height with 102 floors. The building was actually completed ahead of schedule, taking only one year and 45 days to build. All in all, the feeling and spirit of New York City is embodied in the Empire State Building. From the people who fell in love here, to the ones who have returned with their children and grandchildren, everyone recognizes the building not only as an awe-inspiring landmark which offers one of the most spectacular views on earth but an unequalled symbol of American ingenuity and Art Deco architecture…the Observatory on the 102nd floor offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade…Wow…wow…wow struck was I that I am short of words to describe this unique experience of my life time I can say! Let me mention here that every New Yorker still grieves at the loss of the World towers which happened to be the tallest building in New York. The one thing that you get to hear from any one is “ Unfortunately Empire State Building is the Tallest Building in New York now”. The beautiful lights that grace the top of The Empire State building are energy efficient as well as awe inspiring. In fact, as a Tourism attraction, the view from afar can be as exciting as the view from the top! Visitors and observers from near and far should not take the lighting of the Empire State Building for granted because there are always interesting and interactive events planned throughout the year. The Tower Lights just might surprise you with how often they change! March 10 - March 12, 2006 was Blue/Blue/White for Colon Cancer Awareness…that’s what we got to see!

Later in the evening we walked and then went to the China town….had good ethnic food …rushed to the Penn Station to catch out NJ transit just in time…only to reach home at 11.30 at night…. We spent some time chatting… and then retired for the day.

The next day …Sunday morning…March 12th looked all soggy from the window….It was raining!! We set out again…the same way…as the day before …reached New York… before 11. AM… we walked towards the Battery park…before that we hit the famous 3 1/2 ton bronze statue of a ‘Charging Bull’ near the New York Stock exchange in Financial District of NYC signifying the financial prominence and stability in the stock market. We began here in Battery Park on the tip of Manhattan at this circular fortress called Castle Clinton the ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island…As it was cloudy and raining we could get the views of clouded skyline from the ferry. The ride was good …we reached the Liberty Island where the Statue stood tall and graceful ….taking the cold breeze…Next to the flag, it's America's most famous symbol for freedom - an icon for the immigrant, Liberty Enlightening the World as it is officially titled is familiarly just the Statue of Liberty. The Statue was actually a gift from the people of France. ‘Statue of Liberty’ standing 152 feet tall… she adorns the New York’s harbor standing for – Friendship, Liberty, Freedom and Peace….The Statue of Liberty has turned green, over the years, due to the effects of acid containing rain on its copper sheathing.….
The statue, made of copper sheets with an iron framework, depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny, which lie at her feet. Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date "July 4, 1776" (in Roman numerals), the day the United States declared its independence from England. She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continents.
Near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor is Ellis Island. This island served as an immigrant station and a temporary shelter for people coming to the U.S. from other countries.

We finished our ferry ride….and hopped into our bus which took us again to the Times Square…Times Square, named after the one-time headquarters of The New York Times, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, which centers on 42nd Street and Broadway. The theaters of Broadway and the huge number of gaudy animated neon and television-style signage have long made it one of New York's iconic images, and a symbol of the intensely urban aspects of Manhattan. The density of illuminated signs in Times Square now rivals Las Vegas. A notable example of the signage is the NASDAQ sign at the NASDAQ Market Site. The exciting and vibrant nightlife in Times Square rivals any other part of New York City. Its an agora of exquisite shopping, dazzling animated signage, theatres, food and dining from every part of the world, wide variety of shops and stores, entertainment, fun, nightlife, people….list just goes on…

We visited the largest Mc Donald’s outlet in US for burgers….Hopped again into our bus for the Night tour experience to get a bird's eye view of the glitter of "the city that never sleeps!” To see New York when it sparkles is an experience in its own….The night tour marvels us with the ride on to the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge to reach and stop at the historic Brooklyn Fulton Ferry Landing for a photo opportunity and breathtaking views of the glittering necklace of the Manhattan skyline. The stop also allows you to indulge in an ice cream at the Brooklyn ice cream factory….Later there is a stop at The World Financial Center… where the site of the World Trade Center is gonna have an yet another historic marvel called “Freedom Towers” very soon. The blue prints, the information and the architectural models were exhibited in the place. We finished out tour….rushed to the Penn Station for our train…reached home at 11 at night…

I felt Detroit was miniature of Chicago….and now I don’t hesitate to point out that Chicago is a mini miniature of The Big Apple- New York…3 days in Manhattan weren’t just enough to feed our eyes and imagination. The whole city was so overwhelming with lots of vibrant energy, the dazzle and zest and enthusiasm of the people that it was just not sufficient to digest how the city oozes out oodles energy with an invincible oomph! A heritage of skyscraper history like no other city.

Next morning …got up early…took the directions for the airport and left at 8 O’ clock …the flight was at 12.50….we reached the airport at around 10.30…so rambled in the airport…Rohit kept dozing off wherever he got a chance…and …later the flight was delayed 2 hours…we reached Detroit at around 4.00 in the evening.

That’s what was New York for me in a nut shell…Lots more to write on… but lets give it a break now!!

If eyes were made for seeing, then Beauty is its own excuse for being.

Essence of a thought

I would have never resorted to start off like this or perhaps would have ever want to make a strong impression of my ‘being’ to the outer world. Why in the first place, am I to represent what I am or what I am not as a person and document my thoughts, beliefs and views and make this as a point for public consumption!?! Though I don’t expect anybody to digest whatever I write ....anyways for one reason, I intensely feel that writing and expressing has to come out with an ease ...without any effort... and one has to give it all while doing so... just like a newborn’s first cry as it comes out from a womb....which is one of the most eagerly anticipated events. Just like that and as natural.... as it knows that its incredible sojourn inside the womb comes to an end another journey begins – the journey of life.

To peek into someone else’s personal diaries is always a temptation hard to resist but somehow reading blogs have never been my forte.

Expressions for me are manifestations of the self, unadulterated and untouched by pretences, mirroring the innermost thoughts and echoing the deepest feelings where in one could depict oneself in a form closest to the heart, painting emotions of the soul in a language spelt by words. Like they always say watch your thoughts; they become words, watch your words; they become actions, watch your actions; they become habits, watch your habits; they become character and watch your character; they become your destiny. I don’t know where I was destined to.

A ‘thought’ at prima facie is nothing but a piece of heart - a casket full of emotions and feelings which has no decipherable beginning and no tangible end, yet holds in its ambit a whole world of nuances and a gamut of emotions and makes it a more meaningful sally into this wide world and the world beyond!

Anyways what makes me write a ‘Blog’ still remains to be answered. It was a very casual and subtle suggestion from Sush that I could try my hand at posting a blog...to which I antagonistically reacted on the face…(Never mind on that part)

This very thing of writing a blog never abandoned my thought till late in the evening and then later I found myself thrown and literally preoccupied with lots of queries…answers to which were far off reaching me. Suddenly nothing seemed to be palpable. Questions like…What did I ever wanted to write upon… What could be the possibilities of my writing good….Who’s gonna read me anyways…Why the hell have a public outcry of your thoughts, views, opinions or beliefs...What’s on my mind at the very moment...Was I suddenly watching my thought… Was I suddenly in control of the thinking process going on within me...Lots of queries to which the only solution was the impetus to just start off haphazardly indulging into doing things I have never done before...Give yourself a break!!...Write a BLOG.

Now what do I write upon...Any writer who writes knows that inspiration is a fleeting thing. To make sure that any ‘perfect’ feeling or idea or word doesn’t get lost and washed forever we often grab the nearest scrap of paper and scribble down our thought. Its real tempting to say, “Well this is what I was feeling, so this is what I wrote.” Its not that I never wrote before but now as I write, these thoughts just come to me that “I cant change what I was feeling.” Of course feelings are not revisable but the words with which we choose to express those most personal thoughts and emotions are. When the inspiration of writing hits you ( as I eventually got hit by Sushant) I probably not only scrambled for the piece of paper but I scrambled for the easiest words possible and gave a long long thought on what could be the possible subject of honors on which I could put my grey cells to work or for that matter even stretch my imagination. Here perhaps I have to admit that I suddenly found myself browsing into a world of quick flashback in an ardent quest to find the reminiscences which could be transformed from just being there as a part of my memoir to be able to take up a writable and expressible form....phew!! the end of which left me utterly bewildered. Perhaps, as a person I was never meant to write…perhaps one needs to have very strong senses ....the sixth being stronger so that one could feel strongly about things and fashion one’s thoughts into words and be able to write something sensible.

Writing mails was easier and a let-go process...writing an informal journal on our thoughts, views, and philosophical reflections is something different I must say.

Damn… Don’t I have a single issue or topic on which I could put forth my experiences and views on……There is definitely some mystery in the process of thinking…..Thoughts startle you at times!
I then thought of a very simple feeling...a feeling I usually get when I see a bird flying... It glides with such a natural ease and effortless elegance in the wide open limitless unfathomable sky, that sometimes leaves me wondering what if I could also fly like birds...the thought teased me to ponder that if I had the ability to change into another animal, something other than a human being I would be a bird simply because of the incredible wonder of flight on a sunny day. Whoa what a triumph!!... Toast to ‘an essence of a thought’ ...this was a good thought which I tumbled upon and a writable one too.

Even though I haven’t written on anything concrete...I know one thing for sure that I have made a humble beginning. Don’t you blame for this absurdity of mine if I have you bumped into my kind a Odyssey... well just say hello and pass by! That’s what the blogs are meant to be I guess...Again I’m not sure....If it aint for anybody else ...it will nevertheless stupefy Sush...that I’m definitely sure of!

You see things; and you say "Why?" But I dream things that never were; and I say "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw

-Manasi

Trip to Ypsilanti

After the motownblast we plunged in exploring the hidden counties of Michigan, relaxed admist the nature, away from the concrete jungle, we played our hearts out in the snow chill riverside playgrounds of Ypsilanti.
This sunday was an escapade towards the cross country advanture to Ysilanti and also to the intellectual capital of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Historic Ypsilanti, nestled on the banks of the Huron River just East of Ann Arbor, offers a broad range of cultural, artistic and educational treasures. From the myriad antique treasures and historical architectures, to unique museums and attractions, to the warm hospitality of the shops and eateries of Depot Town, Ypsilanti truly offers something for everyone.We discovered the so called hidden jewel of Southeast Michigan.

We visited the Riverside Park which was all covered with snow.....then a Frog Island in Ypsilanti. Across the Huron river and connected by the Tridge is the Frog Island, named for the "Smeets", a legendary species of Arctic frogs which supposedly live in and around the river. The Smeet frog is a species completely unique to the Huron river. A wooden walkway called the Tridge circles beneath the Cross Street Bridge and connects Riverside Park to Frog Island Park.
We had a good lot time snowsliding along with some kids who were continuously sliding down a small cliff covered with a good amount of snow. Climbing furiously at the top itself is so difficult and then Whoosh!! sliding down....Maddening... Oh! what an experience it was!

I had my best chocolate brownie fudge sundae with caramel topping along with the best garden sandwiches at an eatery there called Cafe' Luwak. It was truly amazing.

Up the hill from Depot Town is the campus of Eastern Michigan University which was again an awesome place to be. We spent sometime there in their campus going around a pond which was agian frozen.

After that we drove to Ann Arbor...which is home to the University of Michigan, one of the country's most prestigious public universities.
We had a nice time moving around the streets of Ann Arbor which has good number of detailed architectural buildings.

Thats all for this Sunday...

Things are more like they are today than they ever have been before.

Superbowl Bonanza!

Things are just moving very fast in the motor city of Detroit, which is always ready to offer one historical event after the other with added fun packages every fortnight. The great event of the autoshow which happened to be the America's biggest, most significant auto show dominated the motor city for the dawn of the new year, drawing journalists and executives from around the globe. True to Detroit fashion, the show kicked off with large crowds,history-making unveils, and snow flurries.
Now Detroit is hosting this year’s Super Bowl, the 40th edition of the National Football League title game on Feb 5th 2006....with the likes of a World Cup event taking place in some part of India...The $300 million Ford Field, which opened in 2002, offers a spectacular view of downtown Detroit through its steel, glass and brick structure. The stadium is located in the city's "Foxtown" entertainment district adjacent to Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers. The Ford Field of Detroit is the site of Super Bowl XL. Instead of being surrounded by acres of pavement, Ford Field is located among downtown Detroit's cityscape and adjacent to Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers.
Detroit is packed for the Super Bowl weekend ...with the mob just going mad and crazy, being at their wildest notorious frenzy! Oh! My God!...What crowd....You feel like lost in some kinda a big and voluminous Folf Fair...Where ever you go... you find only people... all kinds of people ...and nothing but people...I wonder where they have dropped from...Detroit seems to be FULL now....!! So much so that the sewage systems of the city have broken down due to the tremendous number of toilets being flushed simultaneously during the Super Bowl event !!
Along with the Super Bowl there are some additional entertaining hip and fun packages for the people offering family oriented festival to cool outdoor concerts. The 2006 Motown Winterblast is here, this weekend to kick off The Big Game in the Motor City. Motown Winterblast features some of the same great stuff, including snoshoeing, ice skating, Model-T rides, a 200-ft long snow slide, ice sculptures, dog sledding,and the best local music and restaurants in Metro Detroit. It also includes an outdoor music stage with top national entertainers, a marketplace of artists and vendors, more lanes on the popular snow slide, snowboarding demonstrations and more!
Tonite having taken a stroll and rambling around the downtown Detroit amidst the wild and crazy crowd, being one amongst them and finding ourselves a part of the Superbowl Bonanza I realised ...that its indeed a hottest place to be!
Hey thats all today from moi here in Detroit....

Ciao,

"We are new every day..... with a new world to look for everday!"

-Me