Sun race

It's 6.00 a.m. at Philadelphia International, and I'm headed west to Chicago. Its still pitch dark outside. I think of the prospect of gaining an hour on touching down at O'Hare. It would certainly be a treat if all journeys would gift me an hour of time, if not more.

The plane races off the wet runway, into the overcast darkness. Small showers couldn't dampen the spirit of this steel bird. I settle down comfortably beside my window, carefully chosen so that I can observe my rival clearly, as I cruise above the clouds. This is a race with time itself. I had a head start and am bent on winning.

The bird gains altitude, and pierces on. Its still dark all around. An hour on, I can see a glint of light behind me. The great giant is peeping up from behind the horizon. At Philly he's already a hero. But he still has to catch me. I gain full speed and dodge through the wisps, careful not to slice them up with my wings. They are slowing down my rival after all.

With a final flourish I touch down at O'Hare eager to look back at him, and see how he's faring. I have beaten him by minutes, and he reaches down to shake hands. I smile back. He has to go now. He has a thousand more races to run.

Spinning the wheels... in the city of fortune

Getting to Atlantic city was fun. Buy a round trip at Greyhound, and you get all your money back as soon as you step into casino land... Hilton was our first victim; or should I say we were Hilton's first victims!

Arriving at the Hilton..

Elegant and luxurious...

Its interesting to note how the casinos cleverly pay you to get there, and shave you off your savings!

Donald Trump's weird makeover of the Taj...


You could light a small city with all this energy..

The blinding extravagance that is the casino hall..

Spinning the wheel at the American roulette.. the extra "00" improves the Casino's chances of a win.


Strong gusts from the Atlantic ocean nearly blow us away..

Full of awe at the Atlantic at 5 am..

Some fish chilling out early morning... wondering if they'd live to see the light of tomorrow..

A distant giant.. the Borgata. A new casino, to suck away old money...

Dawn in a city that makes money...24X7..

Fall for Philly..

The fall colors are rioting everywhere now. Red and orange are ruling the roost. The squirrels usually curious and friendly, are now busily piling up acorns and nuts for winter.

The days are cool and almost misty despite the bright sun. Strong gusts help the temperature dip steadily. Starting from when I landed here in summer, I have felt Nature showing me the magic she can work in a gentle lady like manner.

Soon I will be out of Fall and all ready to welcome winterrrrr....

Gentle reminders everyday..

People, its a bit weird but many things around here remind me of my home country. As much as it might come across as being home sick, I am not.

Consider these facts:

• My neighbours house has a huge stained glass window with a colourful 'Om' painted on it.. the Sanskrit letter version.

• A lady takes a walk every morning wearing bright red and orange salwar kameez. She's African-American.

• The 2 nearest buffet restaurants to my place are Sitar, and New Delhi.

• Today I saw a scooter parked in the street leading to school. From behind I assumed it must be an Italian vespa (which are pretty common), but still I was not convinced so I looked closer in the front. It was a Bajaj Chetak.

• Everytime I enter the library, the security guy..a Black American who checks my ID looks at me and says "toomar naam kayeha?" I smile at him and correct him "Tumhara naam kya he" .. He is learning 'Heendi', cos it's his dream to save enough money and visit India one day. Last week I left him with a sheet of paper, with 2 simple sentences in hindi, and their translation in english.. I told him I'd write a new line everytime i drop by...he was thrilled.

• There is a Russian looking couple near campus. They both wear pagree's and silk robes and the guy even sports a Sardar beard. Wonder if they visited India recently and decided to convert.

• Tomorrow (23rd) is the Great Festival of India in Philly.. many rathas of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra will be paraded on streets along with dancing and food.....see this http://www.festivalofindia.org/index.html
  

BTW, here are some pictures of Philly.. in and around home.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92918840@N00/

A weekend at NYC

It does seem that a certain post is missing in between. This of course is how I got to Philly and my first experiences. But then I feel like putting up pictures of my long weekend at NJ and NYC.

hmm... i already seem to have lost interest... so just let me be.

Made in India

It always puzzled me when people went out of India. They never seemed to go away. Initially there would be the endless contacting of other Indians 'abroad'. Information collection goes to such heights, I know people who know a lot about a hundred countries without as much as a single stamp in their passport. Traveling without leaving home.

Now sadly, and somewhat self-reassuringly, I find myself in the same spot. Leaving the country. But am I going away? No! I have a piece of everything only we can know and understand.

Such as this,


and this..


or maybe this.


Sometimes, I think where would be the time to use all this Indian-ness. But who cares? As long as the scene around speaks even a mustard grain's worth (there I go again) of homeliness...a thousand miles away is so far and yet may feel so near.

My friend's mother told me last week "Do you know Togree bELe (Tur gram) is going out of stock in the US!". This news could not have been more reliable even if the US Agri Department had personally phoned to tell me. But there it was. I had to do something. So I ask what I needed to do.

"Simple, take 20 kilos with you. Three of our neighbours left last week and did the same. You would not want to drive 25 miles, stand in a 3 hour queue and manage to buy only 3 kilos of Tur there would you!?"

Ok, now I am really wondering how many tons of Togree, rice, jeera and methi, strainers and shaavige presses are being carried by a Boeing 777 leaving Bangalore at this moment.

Are we grateful enough to the chaps at Homeland Security at the 'Foreign' country for letting us whisk through our entire existences hidden in 50 kilos of jam packed trolleys? Maybe we should all get the customs officers a bottle of Hogplum pickle the next time we go. Maybe even a kilo of Togree.


The Eagles must have had India in mind when they crooned:
"You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave..."!

I'm off now; for my kaapi is waiting..