Egypt

After Mayan pyramids, it was only logical to head over to the place where it all began. I jumped at the first chance to visit Egypt. Egypt it turned out was nothing like Mexico!(stating the obvious)

What I mean to say is that Egypt never felt like vacation. It was hard work. Tourism is a big industry here and touts of every form are everywhere wanting to make a quick buck out of you. So it becomes hard to let your guard down and go with the flow. Baksheesh is the very fabric of daily life. Baksheesh was never an alien concept to me, but the intensity and pervasiveness of it surprised me. Baksheesh Stress Syndrome is a real health hazard for tourists! I will qualify that by saying that it is not as bad as the Restless Leg Syndrome ads on TV. The only cure...wads of small change.

In retrospect, the things I did wrong was to go with a sub par tour operator and a punishing schedule. From Alexandria in the north, to Abu Simbel in south, Mt Sinai in the east to Bahariya in the west, I covered almost the length and breadth of the country in just two weeks.

Cairo was the base camp for all ventures around the country. Cairo is a lot like Mumbai. Very bad first impression. Noisy, crowded and choking with pollution. Treehuggers are sure to get a severe heartburn seeing the amount of plastic bottles that float around. But after a while, people say Cairo is a city to like. Two weeks is definitely not enough time for that. Although the last day in Cairo was a memorable one. I was at Abu Tarek restaurant gulping down the popular Egyptian dish Koshari. Made with lentils,rice, chickpeas, noodles, tomato sauce, and caramalized onions it is a delight to eat or in my case gulp. I was in a great mood that day. Maybe it was the Koshari, maybe it was because I knew I was going back to the comforts of my home or maybe it was the fact that I experienced Egypt and survived it.

All said and done, I don't mean to be a scrooge about my trip. I did meet a lot of nice and kind people. I remember being lost one day. When I finally decided to ask for directions, a young married couple tried to explain it the best they could. Then they walked with me it till I got there. That is how kind some people are here. The common man here is like anywhere else, hard working and decent.



Any post about Egypt cannot be complete without crooning about its history. There is so much of it that I was trying hard to learn it all. Carefully listening to all that the guide would say. Hoping to remember everything! Now thinking about it....How foolish of me! There is a reason why an entire field of study called Egyptology exist.



Egyptian history continues to unfold with new excavations and findings every other day. But an ever increasing population is putting a lot of pressure on land and resources. I sincerely hope Egypt is able to build its future while not destroying its fascinating past.

The rest of the pictures are here

PS: Sustainable travel options are few in Egypt. I am guessing the environmental movement is in its very infant stages. Here are a few recommendations.

1) The western part of the country is largely a desert. Here, close to the Libyan border, is the pristine Siwa oasis. Here you will find the highly recommended(Lonely Planet) ecolodge Adrere Amellal. This is a public private partnership aimed at preserving the oasis, its ecosystem and culture. I couldn't make it there but all the reviews I have read about it are great!

2) Bahariya oasis is much more accessible when compared to Siwa. I did go there and I would highly recommend camping in the White desert national park for a night. Ashraf was the tour guide and he was simply the best. Although his tour company planofsafari is owned by his brother-in-law Hany, Ashraf is in fact the heart and soul of the operation. He drives, he is the guide, he cooks, he puts up the camp, he sings and finally when you are tired and ready to sleep he will tuck you in. He is very conscious about cleaning up the camp site. Since this is a family run business, all profits directly benefit their family and the local economy.

Mexico

Soon after Costa Rica, I headed to Mexico. Contrary to what you see and hear about Mexico from Lou Dobbs, there are places in Mexico which are just an absolute delight to explore. The Yucatan peninsula in particular is one such place. The secret to a great authentic Yucatan travel experience is to stay away from the "All Inclusive Package" crowds headed to Cancun. Once you manage to do that, you are guaranteed a rewarding experience.



Yucatan peninsula has miles and miles of beautiful white sandy shoreline. About 2 hours south of Cancun is the small town of Tulum. Here you will find several hotels and cabanas all claiming to be eco hippy. Most of the them off grid running solar panels and wind turbines. While every one claims to be eco, not every one is. Zahra, the place I stayed at was not particularly eco. Make sure you have a copy of Lonely Planet. They have great recommendations if you are looking for eco travel options.

What makes Yucatan special is the Mayan culture and their history. If you fancy archeology, history, meeting people, trying out different food, Yucatan is the place to visit.



Chichen Itza is the most famous Mayan site here and rightfully so. It is a fascinating place and you can't help wonder about the people who lived there, their ceremonies and belief systems and their day to day lives.

If you have seen Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, your view of the Mayans would be one of extreme violence. I was curious what the locals thought about the movie. Many thought it was realistic. Our guide at Chichen Itza Philipe had an interesting perspective though. The ruling elite he said had to control the population. They had to make sure people obeyed them and worked for them. The key to that was selective information. Rituals and sacrifices were designed to coincide with celestial events. The ordinary man, not aware of such things remained gullible. Citizens were expected to sacrifice and kill in the name of religion, beliefs and tribe. Philipe then asked me, "How is that different from today? Aren't politicians doing the very same thing to us? Aren't we killing in the name of religion and country?"

Overshadowed by Chichen Itza is the ruins of Ek Balam. Most tourists skip it. Ek Balam was the best part of my trip.



Since it was not very crowded, I could spend some quality time here, walking around and soaking it all in. The village of Ek Balam is situated a mile or two from the ruins. Here you will find every tree hugger's dream come true eco resort.....The Genesis Eco Retreat.



The structures here are made from recycled materials. The rooms are naturally cooled. An entire ecosystem of frogs, geckos and others keep mosquito levels down. The entire property is watered using rain water harvesting. The pool here is bio filtered, no chemicals used. The toilets all use a wet composting system.

The owner of the resort, Lee, works hard to ensure the local village benefits from the operation. She organizes an artisan tour through the village where you get to visit houses, meet people, make tortillas.

Now that is what I call eco paradise!!!

The rest of the pictures are here

Costa Rica

I had the opportunity of traveling to Costa Rica a couple of months ago. I will have to blame blogger's block for taking this long to post any thing about it.

Costa Rica first interested me when during a class discussion about tourism and sustainability, it was mentioned as a country which has had success with sustainable tourism. I was curious to see it was really true or if it was all hype.

Having gone there, I will have to say it is a mixed bag. In some areas the country is doing really good. It has been able to keep aside large areas of pristine forests by creating a national park system similar to the US. Around the parks, the government has initiated a private public partnership to create a buffer zone. People living in the buffer zone are given incentives to protect the land. The government is promoting the concept of sustainability and has a rating system in place. Hotels and tour operators are actively encouraged to join in.

On the other hand, tourism is a major revenue stream and with that comes some familiar problems. Resorts, hotels and condos are being built feverishly along many of the beautiful coastlines. In some places the never ending caravan of dump trucks and construction makes you wonder if the country is on a death march to resemble South Florida. Tourists are also actively investing in real estate which has obvious implications. Agriculture and cattle farming has an ever increasing footprint. And several locals and park rangers kept mentioning the changes in rainfall patterns and concerns about climate change. And then there is the ever present problem of illegal logging!

Having said all that, there are times when the beauty of the Costa Rican country side will lift you up and float you away. The cloud forests of Monteverde, the pristine beaches of Manuel Antonio national park, the wildlife, the biodiversity and the chance of seeing turtle nesting at Tortuguero are experiences I will never be able to forget. The people of Costa Rica are such a delight to talk to and befriend. It is a country not to miss.



The picture above was taken at the beautiful Rancho Makena. A family run ranch, this place is all about sustainability. From organic farming, to closed loop zero waste operation, this is the place to stay if you are near Monteverde. If you happen to be near Manuel Antonio National Park in Quepos, I would highly recommend the truly eco inn Mono Azul. One thing I regret not doing is traveling to the southern tip of the country. Here the tourists are fewer and the wildlife many. The truly eco lodge Lapa Rios is a place I would love to stay. I met a family who had stayed there and had all kinds of great things to say about the place. Lapa Rios has some of the highest sustainability ratings you can get.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say it again, Costa Rica is a country not to miss. Let me end this post by saying what the locals always say, "Pura Vida". It roughly translates to Pure Life. I am sure this chilled out Iguana knows what it means.



The rest of the photographs are here

Land of my forefathers

For some reason, I find myself thinking about my home back in Kerala. I was there last Christmas. I got to spend some quality time there after a very long while. Kerala, especially my hometown of Kottayam is changing like there is no tomorrow. Once a sleepy little town, it is now choking under traffic and high rise construction. It can be a little shocking and difficult to come to terms with it. People look at you as if you lived in a bubble all this time. After a while, you are forced to reconcile. Change is inevitable, I guess. With a burgeoning population and an economy that is heavily dependent on expatriate remittances, a transformation of the landscape away from agriculture into a retirement community looks inevitable.

Kerala once upon a time was green with lush paddy fields. Agriculture was profitable and the economy's mainstay. Ample rainfall, the local climate and cheap labor made paddy fields viable. The photograph above is close to where my forefathers owned and tilled the land. Families were big in those days. With each successive generation, land was split among siblings. Smaller the fields got, greater the collaboration required to cultivate. Along the way, Kerala started experiencing political, ideological and educational shifts. As the labor force became more educated, they shifted to higher skilled and better paying jobs. Mechanized farming never filled the labor void. One could argue that retail politics prevented mechanization.

As agriculture waned, politicians enacted short sighted land use laws.A paddy field could not be used for anything else. Unless (of course there are loopholes) a field is not tilled continuously for a long period. I believe the magic number is 10 years. Many fields lay unused.

Climate Change has now almost made certain that paddy cultivation is nonviable. I was talking to an aunt of mine about her land. Rainfall is unpredictable and with every passing year it is decreasing. Last year it was about 25 percent less and ground water is depleting.

The global real estate boom has not escaped Kerala. As Tom Friedman would say, in a flat world, trends are global. Remittances from Malayalees nation wide and world wide find its way into real estate investments. With land expensive and difficult to find, unused paddy fields became the obvious targets and high rises the obvious solution. What is not obvious is water consumption and sewage disposal. Most places in Kerala do not have municipal water supply and sewage disposal. Large bore wells are sucking the water tables dry and septic tanks are playing havoc with ground water.

I still the remember the day I took this picture. It was early morning and as I walked past these fields, I wondered about saving the last remaining paddy fields in Kerala. I doubt if profitable agriculture is possible under the current laws in Kerala. One idea that has been bouncing around in my head is the idea of converting all these unused paddy fields into wet lands.

Why wet lands?

For one it will definitely help the depleting water table. It might also stop real estate developers from poaching the remaining fields. I think the key here is to have a successful public private partnership. The owners of these unused land will need an incentive not to sell them. That would mean continued income and a good understanding of environmental benefits. There are several government programs promoting watershed developments in India. What if those funds could be channeled here. The land owners could be given a monthly income for maintaining the wetlands.

Paddy fields which have already been converted to flats (condos) and villas continue to be marketed as homes with a view (a view of not yet poached paddy fields). So developers could also be a partner in the conservation efforts. Their properties will continue to have a great view.

These wetlands could be a blessing to both local and migratory birds. The fast disappearing frog population, I am sure, will be very appreciative. Lastly, the more green spaces there are, the more tourists there will be. That last part if not managed properly could actually be a bad thing!

A lot of wishful thinking for one post ! Anyways...here are some photographs from my travels there.

Glacier National Park. Montana

The first thing you notice stepping into Montana is the sky. It is all around and it is big. If there is a term called city idiot, I would probably have personified it. I couldn't help gape repeatedly at the sky. Montana is called Big Sky country. I now understand why. The next thing you will notice is how friendly the people are. Hello or a Howdy is a customary must! And finally the traffic speed. 70 mph is almost a given and yet driving here is peaceful and even enjoyable!

Glacier National Park (GNP) is only a short drive away from Kalispell airport. The meadows soon give way to winding and climbing roads. Before you know it, you are inside the park. A few miles inside is the small village of Apgar. I stayed at the Village Inn here. Every guest staying here gets this view of Lake McDonald all to themselves!


I am sure there are a million blog posts and travelogues written about GNP. I still feel it is one post too little. So let me add one more!

Designated as a world heritage site and a biosphere reserve, the park is a place hopefully everyone will get a chance to visit and experience at least once. I feel eternally grateful to folks like George Bird Grinnell who had the courage to fight for, set aside and protect GNP from commercial piece meal development we all know today as suburbia.

There is so much to shoot(photograph) and see here. Every turn, every corner here is a potential photo op. I went on a photo snapping spree, worried that I might forget the sights. In retrospect, I should have just taken it easy, absorbed and enjoyed the place a little more! Anyways....bring loads of memory cards!

Photography can be a challenge. Weather changes fast around here. One moment it is sunny, the next it is overcast, windy and rainy. When in doubt, bracket your exposure like crazy. Clear blue skies will make your pictures sweeter. So if you find clear blue sky, you know what to do.

The park is a hiking paradise. The popular ones tend to get crowded. So get up early. Early morning hikes can be the most rewarding. Peace, quiet and wildlife. I ran into a baby black bear, numerous white tail deers, mountain goats, wild sheep, chattering variety of birds and rows upon rows of wildflowers glistening in the morning dew.



The hike that was most memorable was the one headed to Grinnell Lake along Josephine Lake.


Hiking isn't the only activity available. There is biking, boating, kayaking, canoing, fishing, camping and most importantly just chilling! One activity that is a must is going along Going to the Sun road. The road connects the western and eastern ends of the park. Sadly, the road was partially closed when I was there! Parts that I did see, simply blew me away. Pictures from the trip are here

While there are many many great things to say about the park, there are a few sad notes too. I found that park was being made too accessible. Power boats and helicopter tours are annoying and just plain wrong. Just when you think you are snuggled away from civilization you will hear that annoying sound of a helicopter. The biggest problem for the park though is climate change. The glaciers in the park are receding. There are also increased number of wild fires. While the national park service claims forest fires are a good thing, I have a feeling climate change is taking a heavy toll on the park. All the more reason why we need to offset our travel footprint. I am sure this Columbian Ground Squirrel would really appreciate that.

Ethical Travel

"[Y]ou decide to go on holiday in Kenya, a country famous for its tourism. Kenya is glad to welcome you for tourism is its biggest foreign exchange earner. You book through you local, high street UK travel agent. All well and good, and certainly very convenient for you, the customer. Your holiday costs around 1500 pounds. Of that 40 per cent goes to the airline and 20 per cent to the tour operator. That leaves Kenya with 40 per cent. But that is not the end of the story because a quarter of that 40 per cent goes on imports(essential for keeping the tourists in the manner to which they have become accustomed) while nearly a third is used to service Kenya's debt. [N]one of this however reaches the Maasai, the pastoralist people who have lived for generations alongside the elephants and lion, wildebeests and antelopes, the animals you have come to see. But in fact, many Maasai no longer tend their cattle on the great grasslands. Displaced from their land to create wildlife parks, they live on the margins. The only way they can benefit from tourism is to give up their culture and go to work as waiters, dancers or souvenir-makers."~Ethical Travel Guide

I, like many enjoy traveling. In fact, I like it a lot. But I dread and hate the thought that modern commercial travel can adversely affect local people and the local environment. I try and reduce my footprint as much as possible. But... Is that good enough ?

The Ethical Travel Guide by the folks at Tourism Concern UK looks at tourism in our present age of globalization. The dark side and the negative impacts. The book makes the case for travel to be both enjoyable and ethical. Enjoyed and welcomed both by the locals and the tourists. Travel that would naturally motivate communities to protect biodiversity and beauty and take pride in their culture. In other words, travel that has a positive footprint. The book provides a long list of small, independent and good natured operations around the world. I found it a great read and hope to put it to use the next time around.

Here are some from my home state of Kerala, that look promising
http://www.kabani.org
http://www.wildkeralatours.com/
http://www.thenmalaecotourism.com/

Orlando...

Orlando....Not sure what to say? Nothing much actually. A little too commercial and a little too crowded for my taste. Did manage to click a few photographs though

The trip was carbon neutral, thanks to easy & affordable carbon credits from Terrapass



Update: I forgot to mention one thing. Folks at Disney will fingerprint you on entry. Came as a shocker and it felt quite invasive. If you hate getting yourself tagged, you can demand a non finger print entry option. Just FYI...

African World Festival. Milwaukee

Milwaukee has a festival almost every week. Last week it was the African World Festival. It was more of a contemporary African American festival with traditional African arts, crafts, dresses and food also present. I had a good time. A few more pictures from the festival are here.

PS: All my photographs are hosted on flickr. My apologies to readers not able to get to flickr.

New Jersey. Garden State

I always thought of New Jersey as endless suburbia. While it is prime suburbia, there are pockets of goodness. The picture above is from a blueberry farm there.

A few more pictures here

Michigan. Great Lakes

Sorry about the long silence.....

A few pictures from my recent trip to Michigan

Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

Home to the Cherokee, the Smoky Mountains is also called Sha-co-na-qe, meaning "place of blue smoke." The trees, the local vegetation and the high humidity of the area together combine to create a blue smoke like effect that surrounds the mountains. Unfortunately, one has to get up really early in the morning these days to see it. Thanks to pollution and smog, the blue smoke effect is becoming increasingly rare. It is replaced by a smoggy haze. I am not sure if I captured mother nature in the photograph or man made pollution!

As always, hiking was the only thing on my mind. Smoky Mountain National Park is a treasure of trails and hence my eagerness to visit this park. To my shock however, the park roads this holiday weekend were an endless stream of oversized SUVs, pickup trucks and loud bikes. The loud bikes probably upset me the most. The hiking trails weren't any better either. The easy and popular hiking trails turned out to be crowd magnets. When you have to walk huddled among people with the sound of traffic in the background, it is no longer hiking, it is grocery shopping in suburbia! Solitude was slowly becoming a lost cause and a naive expectation!

Things would soon improve!



I was finally a happy happy person when I hit the Appalachian trail(aka The AT). This beauty of a trail,over 2100 mile long starts in Maine and goes all the way to Georgia. Almost entirely through wilderness.

I just hiked a small section of it. It is strenuous and crowd free and every bit worth it. At about 5000-6000 feet above sea level this is an experience not to be missed. Every once a while, the cool mountain breeze brushes you by. You instantly forget your aching feet. It lifts your spirits and makes you even think about walking the entire trail. Then again....There are over 4000 people who attempt to thru-hike the trail every year, just about 400 of them succeed and I am pretty sure there are millions of folks like me, who just dream about it!

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy bestows the title "2000 miler" upon the few who manage to complete the hike. Who knows...One day may be I will be a 2000 miler!

The national park is a protected biosphere reserve for several species of plants and animals. I didn't run into any of the famed black bears. But I did see a tiny little snake slither by, a few sparrows chirp away, one wild turkey hiding behind a bush and plenty of rosebay rhododendrons in full bloom.



At the edge of the national park is the beautiful little town of Gatlinburg. It reminded me of Santa Fe in many ways. Not to be missed is the Pancake Pantry in downtown Gatlinburg. Very friendly people. Great pancakes! A great way to start your day. In my case, a great way to end my trip.

I have a few more pictures here

Redwoods, California

It was way back in 1999 when I first heard of the Redwood forests. An environmental activist by the name of Julia Hill lived atop a 1000 year old redwood for more than 700 days. She was trying to save it from being logged. The tree was finally spared and later named Luna. But not before several old growth trees were cut down.

Watching the news, I wondered... How could someone live like that? Why would someone want to do something like that?

Last week, I found the answers to my questions. All it took was a walk among these quiet giants. Gazing up, I sensed my own smallness and I felt a sense of awe, admiration and respect. This is a timeless place. Born when Aztecs and Mayans ruled South America, these redwoods have nurtured and nourished the land here for centuries. Intense logging however has reduced these forests to a tiny fraction. Only 4% of the old growth redwood forests remain. Any and every effort to save them is worthy.

My trip began on Christmas. It was raining when I reached. Winter brings much needed rain to the Redwood coast. Forests glisten and look extra green. Rain or no rain, all I wanted to do was hike among the tall ones. I hiked and I hiked and I hiked some more. With very few tourists this time of the year, the hikes can be a peaceful and soothing experience. All you hear is the rain, the rain drops, the streams and occasionally your own thoughts.

This is a tree hugger's paradise. The first few days, I was like a kid in a candy store. I was trying to photograph every single tree. Low light, the height of the trees and the rain makes the redwoods very difficult to photograph. Well, that didn't stop me. I probably took about a 1000 pictures. And I hiked all possible trails. The hike I enjoyed the most was the James Irvine trail. It was a 8 mile hike to the Fern Canyon and back. It was around lunch time when I walked straight into a herd of grazing Roosevelt Elks. They didn't run. Everyone looked up and at me, decided I was harmless and continued their merry grazing. I sat down, ate my granola bars and took plenty of pictures.

I have a few pictures here

The rain gods were kind to me. The rain was light and enjoyable the entire time. It was as if they were waiting for me to leave!

As I said before, this place is a tree hugger's paradise. It is also a tree hugger's heartbreak. Luna (the saved tree) was badly damaged by morons who hated Julia. Logging of old growth redwood continues today. Pacific Lumber Company owns large parts of this area and to them it is just a matter of profits. Several lawsuits have been filed and continue to be filed against the company. In a materialistic world, I am not sure how much time these forests have left. It is a consolation however to know that there are people who care and are willing to fight.

Quote of the day
"Every religion in the world builds shrines, temples, and churches so people can worship and feel connected to creation and the Creator. Yet the ancient forest cathedrals are continuously desecrated by industrial logging practices. Protecting the sacred forest ecosystems is a moral imperative on behalf of all life and compels all spiritual people to unite in this common goal."~ Julia Hill, Founder of CircleOfLife.org

Arizona. Grand Canyon State

Journeyed over to Arizona this Thanksgiving weekend. While every single tourist seemed headed to the Grand Canyon, I chose to stay in the heart of red rock country aka Sedona. A quiet little town snuggled among red towers of sandstone. Cathedral rock, Coffee pot, Bell & Snoopy to name a few. The town reminded me of Santa Fe in some ways. Places like this always attract the painters, the sculptors, the photographers and at times characters like me.

Sedona is rich in history too. There are several Native American historical sites close to Sedona. (Another reason why I chose Sedona) Native American culture and history is something close to my heart. The Sinagua lived here from about 500 AD to around 1400 AD. Sinagua is a Spanish word meaning without water. People without water. Sedona like vast portions of Arizona is very dry. The climate is harsh and water scarce. Archaeological findings indicate that the Sinagua were a very resourceful people. They truly understood the land. Trees, shrubs, grass and cactus which looked dry and insignificant to me, were deeply valuable to the Sinagua. They all had a purpose. For example, the commonly found Yucca plant was used as food, as medicine, as fiber and various other things!

The Tuzigoot National Monument, the Wupatki National Monument and the Montezuma Castle National Monument all provide a glimpse into what was a rich culture. Around 1400 AD, these settlements were mysteriously abandoned. Archaeologists have no clue why!. The Hopi however believe the Sinagua migrated to the north and joined them.




While in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a "Did you not go there? What is wrong with you ?" must visit.

If you are looking to absorb the grand view, a holiday weekend is probably not the best of time. People from all over the world busy clicking, smiling, giggling, yaking, profounding and busy posing. People eagerly waiting for other people to get off that perfect Kodak point.

This was my first visit to the Canyon. Even though I wished all the tourists would vanish, it was a great experience nevertheless. Some day I would like to hike all the way to the bottom. Soak up the whole place all to myself.

All in all, a nice trip. Expanded my collection of Native American pottery. And the pictures came out well exposed. Am beginning to get a better handle on exposure and color finally. Happy!

I have a few more pictures here

Quote of the day
"You know you're from Arizona when you feed your chickens ice cubes to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs."~Local Saying (via Quote Garden)

New Hampshire. Live free or die

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear New Hampshire, is probably presidential primaries and elections. Right ?

Hart's Location with a population of just 37 along with Dixiville Notch are two counties that are among the first to vote and declare their results. And the media is all over it.

The tradition of midnight voting dates all the way back to 1948. Here is an interesting fact. Since 1996, the candidate who won the 37 votes of Hart's Location, went on to win the elections.

Having said all that, politics will be the last thing I will associate with New Hampshire. From now on, I will always think of the Green Mountain Ranges of New Hampshire, the water falls, the rivers, the farms, the lakes, the apples, the apple orchards and the friendly people.

Time just flew by and soon it was the last day. Like all trips, this one too had to end. On the way back, I stopped at a road sign that said fresh apples and cold apple cider. After a long day hike to Arethusa falls, the very mention of fresh apple cider made me giddy with thirst. Needless to say, the cider tasted yum.

The lady selling the cider asked me about my trip. I told her that I enjoyed every moment of it. I did wish, I arrived two weeks later. In time for the fall riot of colors.

Having gulped all the cider I could, I said my thank yous and good byes. I finally said, "You folks are so lucky to be living in such a beautiful place".

She smiled.

Vermont. Green mountain state

I swung by Vermont and New Hampshire last week. First stop was Vermont. True to its license plate, Vermont is indeed a green mountain state. Everywhere you go and everywhere you look, you will find mountains and mountains lush with greenery. I was like a kid in a candy store :)



For the most part, I stayed off the beaten path. One could go hours together not seeing a single soul. No traffic lights and definitely no Walmarts, Costcos and other eye sores. Every now and then one passes by an idyllic farm. The cows and the sheep would raise their heads curious to know who was passing by. They, like me, seemed to be enjoying the weather. The weather was a soothing cool. The morning mist would linger around making the mountains look even more majestic. Fall, just around the corner. The trees just waiting to burst into colors.



I have a few more pictures here . The highlight of the trip was a visit to the million dollar green toilet. All that and much more in my next post.

A bat is a bat even if it is not flat

I have always enjoyed watching cricket. Never baseball. I just don't know why!!! Well, last week, I happened to get free tickets to a Chicago cubs game. Even better, the tickets came with free food. The very thought of free food and the chance to shoot, made me jump and grab the tickets. And off I went.

Took the train, took the bus, walked a little, took the train again, walked some more till I finally reached the stadium. I have become a public transportation junkie these days, trying to unshackle myself from my car and my suburban mindset. The great thing about trains and buses is the opportunity to read, to reflect and to see amusing things. A guy wearing a pink thong would definitely constitute as amusing. Don't you think ?

The game turned out to be a little boring (my humble apologies to all those crazy cubs fans). I spent almost all my time at the game, shooting. At the same time furiously trying to remember the things that were taught in the photography class. All in all, a fun day!

Turkish cultural festival, Chicago

To be honest, I know very little about Turkey. I know that is a largely secular state with a majority Muslim population and that it is actively seeking European Union membership. So when I heard that there was a Turkish cultural festival in Chicago, I was more than excited.

Spent an entire day absorbing the culture, the music, the dance and of course the food. Gulping would probably better describe my eating there. The bakhlavas, the boregis and the kebabs were yum, yum & yum. I am not so sure about the Turkish coffee though. It may look very tempting served in a cute little cup. Don't let the size of the cup fool you. Strong doesn't even begin to describe it. The lady selling the coffee was horrified to see me put about 10 spoons of sugar into mine :)

The Whirling Dervishes were the main attraction of the event. The Whirling Dervishes trace their origin to the 13th century Ottoman Empire. The Dervishes, also known as the Mevlevi Order, are Sufis. As I understood it, the whirling is a form of meditation. It represents a mystical spiritual journey. The dervishes whirl, raising one hand towards heaven and the other down towards earth.

On my way back, I couldn't help but add Turkey to my ever growing list of must-visit countries. May be some day, I will get a chance to visit. In the meantime, I need to read some more about Turkey.

My kind of town, Chicago is

"This is my kind of town, Chicago is
My kind of town, Chicago is
My kind of people too
People who smile at you"...Frank Sinatra

Took the train to Chicago this weekend. A nice relaxing trip. Walked around absorbing the sights and the sounds.

This is a picture of Cloud Gate aka The Bean. This is the work of British artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor's inspiration was liquid mercury. The sculpture is 66-feet long and 33-feet high.

An interesting way to see the city skyline. It has become the most popular tourist spot in the city

Rest of the pictures are here



Quote of the day
"I am going to St. Petersburg, Florida, tomorrow. Let the worthy citizens of Chicago get their liquor the best they can. I'm sick of the job--it's a thankless one and full of grief. I've been spending the best years of my life as a public benefactor"
... Al Capone, 1927

The Big Apple

I was in New York city (NYC) this Memorial Day weekend. It was a nice little getaway after a very long time.

For me, the trip was a second. I first visited the city way back in 2000, before the terrible tragedy of 9/11. I still remember that day and its aftermath. I have been wanting to visit ground zero ever since.

The trip started off on a sleepy note. Ended up missing the flight and had to catch the next one. I was cursing myself for being late and was cursing the screaming kid sitting next to me. The ipod helped ease the pain a little. Once in NY, things were much better. I got to travel in a train after a long long time and I loved it. It brought back memories of train travel back in India, especially Tata Allepey Express.

I have been to big cities before, but NYC is unlike any other. Stepping out of Penn station and into the open, was something else. The sheer size of the buildings , the crowd and the streets just awes you. For a moment, you just stand there and gape at everyone and everything. It takes a few seconds to recover. After that you, are on a clicking spree!

The city is called the Big Apple. There are quite a few theories about how the name came about. The most common among them.... "The term 'Big Apple' was originally used in the 1920s and '30s by jazz musicians as a way of saying, 'There are many apples on the success tree, but when you pick New York City, you pick the Big Apple.'"

I think the name Big Apple is quite apt. The city has many things to offer. From dog walking to investment banking, there is money to be made. It is no wonder the city attracts so many. But on weekends (especially long weekends), I feel New Yorkers try and get out and the rest of the world get in. The many different languages you get to hear is a proof of that. A few you know. Some you are familiar with. Many you wonder ...Hmm wonder what language that is !

The city is best explored on foot. That is probably the most intimate way of seeing the city. For lazy cases like me, the open Double Decker tour made more sense. You do have the freedom of hoping on and off. I liked it. The weekend was spent absorbing many sights and sounds. Here are a few.

The Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge like many NYC landmarks, has a larger than life aura to it. One of the largest suspension bridges in the world, it is supported largely by four huge steel wires. Each wire is 15 3/4 inches in diameter.

The bridge has a walkway that runs right through its middle and above the traffic. I walked all the way. You will find people walking, power walking, jogging, jogging with their infants, cyclists and of course out of shape tourists like me!

With the twin towers no more, The Empire State Building(ESB) has a new found stature. All around the city you get to see glimpses of this stately building. This picture is taken from Greenwich Village. I was pleasantly surprised to see no visitor queue outside the building. The surprise was however short lived as the line curved four floors inside. Approximately 4 hours to get to the top. I couldn't gather enough patience. Maybe some other time.

It has about 102 floors. The construction was completed in 1 year and 45 days. It must have been one hell of a project management feat!

I wasn't sure what to expect at ground zero. Sadly though, it has become a tourist attraction. Young and old were getting their pictures taken. Some curious. Some sad. Some polite and quiet. Some obnoxious and loud. A man was playing his flute. A very somber note. A mother and her two daughters were hugging and crying. A group of kids were making a documentary of sorts. A lady was hawking memorabilia. Different people, different meanings, different reactions.

Time flies by when you walk around downtown, engrossed in taking pictures. After a while your feet start to ache. That is the perfect time to visit Central Park.

The park is almost the size of Monaco (principality). The park is designed to effectively drown out the city. You can sail, jog, run, roller blade, sun bathe or read. Me, I found a comfy and shady little spot and slept for about 2 hours. You could just lie there and spend hours together. The simpler things in life are often the most fun. While you are in Central Park, check out the Sheep Meadow Cafe. They have a calorie dripping grilled cheese sandwich.


Statue of Liberty. It took 2 hours of standing in line to get to Liberty island. It was well worth it. 2 hours might sound like a lot, but with all the entertainment included, it is not all that bad. As the line moved , a man would play his violin to the tune of the national anthem of the tourist. Jana Gana Mana was a very frequent one. There were a few statue of liberty dress-a- likes. I thought one winked at me. Another man was singing praises of Jesus. Another would sing jokes. Then there was this couple in front of us who were groping each other vehemently. Needless to say, things were very interesting !

Lady Liberty symbolizes every thing NY. She is a must visit. Did you know that her green complexion is because of copper oxidation? Did you know that the sculptor Batholdi had several models for the Lady. First was his mother. Then his mistress and then his future wife. Hmmm ....

While on the ferry, I heard this unfortunate comment by a teenage girl, "Way to go France. Give us Lady Liberty and then ditch us".

Times Square. Ever felt like you were in a movie or in TV? Times Square will surely make you feel so. The shoulder to shoulder pedestrian traffic, the huge billboards and the lights all make the square the most vibrant spot in the city.

The thing I liked most about the square was this Spider Man. Thanks to fast food, this super hero had a pot belly. The kids were busy poking his belly. It was such a funny sight. I should have focused my lens a little lower. I should have !

I could just go and on. The roadside cafes in Greenwich Village, the art galleries in SOHO, the bustling China Town, St John's Cathedral, Wall Street, Museum Mile, Harlem, the fish market in South Street Seaport, United Nations, Grand Central Terminal....."Never a dull moment" . That pretty much sums it up. Will need several more weekends to fully see the entire city. If it were not for the exorbitant rent, I would consider living here.