PHILADELPHIA, pa

I borrowed these snaps from my sister after she returned from a short trip to Philadelphia, PA. Hope you all enjoy the snaps

First Afternoon nap of US

aaaaawwwwwhhhhhh!!! Look, am still yawning at this 6:30 pm on this bright as ever saturday. I donot know what happened. Am getting my senses back now. I had nice lunch with my BIL at some 1:30 pm before he left for his workplace in London, UK! After telling Tata.. Bye Bye to him, I just walked into my apartment. There was something gloomy mood in the home, I was alone again. My sister working @ the hospital getting back to her usual schedule after a week long holidays. It was so fun all together but now I felt as if I was pulled back out of my dream like week after my exams. I saw some Hindi serial on the net [half of it infact:-)], then thought of relaxing for a while on the sofa. Switched on TV, some non sense show was running. It was some 2:45 pm. The next time I opened my eyes, it was already 6:25 pm!!! I had dozed off! I am realising all this now while am blogging here:-) Afterall, it was a wonderful first nap in the Unites States of America!!! :-)

Hats Off to Ms. Kavya ShivaShankar

I was never so much interested in this spelling bee competition untill I saw my first live show on TV after coming to US on 28th may of 2009. It was held at Washington D C. I switched on the TV when it was somewhere middle of the semi finals. There were 24 of them and I was surprised to see so many Indians in it. But thats the very usual thing seen it seems. Then I was glued to the TV for the rest of the day till night almost 10 pm when the new Champion emerged.


'Ms. Kavya Shivashankar'









All should agree that inarguably it was one of the most toughest competition with regard to brainwork and my goodness, what all words exist. And that too for kids under 14. I have to tell that "Hats off to Ms Kavya". Also to all of those who made it to the finals.

A salute to reinholders of the future.

HOPE PREVAILS.... LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS

The sunset seen at the Malpe beach, Mangalore......

The sunrise seen at Marina beach, Chennai

Cactus flower

I know many of you cannot recognise what this beautiful thing is... or may be many may!! I would have never guessed what it is unless I was the one who took the photograph when roaming around the Victoria Hospital in Bangalore:-)

A short drive to city of Cedar Rapids

It was a day half of which was spent out planning how to spend it. Just as they say for Education - A process where we ruin half of our life to learn how to ruin next half of our life:-)

Conclusion was to visit the city of Cedar Rapids. It is one of major cities in state of Iowa situated about 30 miles from Iowa city. We just planned about the place but not about what to do there!!! We packed and started off in our car and zoomed through the interstate [They call Highways connecting two states as Interstate in US]

CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS

The journey was brief of just around 25 minutes. It then flashed to our minds "Where to go!!!!" Then, we finalised to go to a shopping mall called as "Lindale Mall" Its the same typical mall of US. But it had many people in it with plenty of shops. One thing I liked the most here was the Doctor Dog which was so familiar to the ones I have. I got an opportunity to click a snap of it.

We were so hungry but didn find anything worth of eating there. So decided on having lunch outside. We searched on our iPhone for a nearest eat out. There was an American restaurant called as 'Ruby Tuesday' nearby where we had our lunch. We being vegetarians really don have much options here in US. So had a veggie burger, It was nice but heavy. Filling up our stomach, we decided to go to the Hindu Temple in Cedar Rapids, the photo I have uploaded below. As I told, its a modern Hindu temple exactly as I described. The journey back home was quick and the day got over so soon:-(

LIFE - A JOURNEY

LIFE - A JOURNEY INDEED:-)

SHADOW OR GHOST OR ILLUSION

A snap taken by one of my very good friend on the railway track parallel to the Bangalore - Tumkur Highway. Till now am not able to make out if its a shadow or a ghost or just an illusion:-)

Modern Hindu Temple

When I was travelling to Chicago by bus [On the great Greyhound], I was surprised to see a building in the far looking very familiar at Aurora of Illinois. It was built with all sculptures on it, A Hindu Temple. I then asked my co passenger about it and was told that its the Balaji Temple of Aurora. One of the biggest temple in the area. I just thought 'Indians are just spread out throughout the world!'

I couldnot get down to take a snap and so am adding here a snap of it I got from the google earth. It seems to be nice & gorgeous.

Then a couple of days back I had been to a city called as Cedar Rapids which is located in the state of Iowa. There I had an opportunity to see a temple. But it was nothing similar in looks to the one I mentioned above. It was a small typical US house type building but as I got out of my car, there was that tinge of typical temple smell in the air that blew right across my face. I felt as if I got back to India at some Hindu temple. It had a nice secure lock door. As I went inside, there were shoe racks, chairs to sit on to put on the shoes. There was a guest hall on the right where even marriages takeplace it seems. It was like a small US hotel with a large kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs. There were also rest rooms:-)

Then on the left is a huge hall with a reception table at the entry corner. Full carpet, soft one to sit on. And there they were, all our deities. Devis and Devatas:-) All bright and grand with lord Venkatesha standing huge and prominent among them. I thought 'So this is the modern Indo-American temples. Also this is a place where you can meet lot of Indians for sure. It was funny to see god's plate filled up with US dollars! But Lakshmi is Lakshmi in all forms:-)

One thing similar was we are not allowed to take any snaps in the temple premises. So I could get only this photo. At the end, I would definitely suggest you to give a visit to both the temples whenever possible:-)

one happy family

Am there always for you

Angels & Demons

Well, its the next day after finishing my exam and I just wanted to Chill out somewhere. I got up soon and got ready to leave out anywhere possible. So I was in full energy on the day. Then my sister suggested many many places and we ended up in confusion where to go! But during all this hungama, we didn notice the time ticking out and it was already 2 in the afternoon and the city of Iowa was covered with dark clouds. My sister was disheartened and I ran to the web to check out the weather at the place we had discussed thinking to go anywhere possible leaving all the discussions. And it was thunder storms with rain every place. Time was lapsing and it got 3pm when idea of movie flashed into our heads. So I suggested 2 movies, Angels & Demons and Night @ the museum: Battle of Smithsonians. I had a craze for Robert Langdon, the hero character of Da Vinci Code played by one of my favorites Tom Hanks. He is simply a great natural actor.

So we ended finalizing the movie. It was 3:45 pm when we left the place. The movie theater is situated at the Sycamore Mall in Iowa City, some 20 minutes drive from my place and there we were:-) Got the tickets, 6.5$ each before 5:30 pm shows. Or else its 9$ per head. We felt good that we made it in time, of course with having no knowledge of it. Well, we always feel good when something good happens unexpectedly. The show was at 4:30 pm and we decided to have a stroll across the mall. Its a nice mall with all routine US shops.

At last, we were in the marcus theater of Sycamore mall to watch "Angels & Demons". Me and my BIL had a bitter experience of a movie last time we watched in India. Just hoped this wouldnot end up like that one. Then, nice nice trailers came up on screen. I dunno if they call it as a 'preflix' here in US. The theater was a nice one, similar to and better than the Inox of Bangalore.

The movie began reminding me of the novel scene by scene. Robert Langdon, Camerlango, Vettoria, the Swiss guard chief, the pope's death & all. It showed the Vatican City so so beautifully. So I would suggest anyone to watch the movie atleast once. Also many new terminologies for non-catholic people like 'conclave' [the process where new pope is elected], preferetti [ the group of all who are chosen as candidates to be next pope] etc., etc., I hope am right. if any mistakes i do apologise and request for correction in the comments. The movie was so thrilling but have to follow it scene to scene, dialogue to dialogue. Should be a movie freak to enjoy. Here in US, it seems no interval. So it was a thrilly ride for 140 minutes non stop.

At some point of time, I had a look at my sister and she was asleep!!! "oh man, can you believe it?" Cant help, She has to work a lot during her duty days. But my BIL was enjoying the movie:-) Well, for those who have read the novel, I don need to tell the story and for those who have not, I cannot narrate the story, no rights you see:-)

Then the movie ended & I was fully satisfied with the movie. It had been a long long time I had seen any English movie with so much of thrill & entertainment. People, just go and watch it. Its simply superb movie. Well, I liked and loved it. Don sleep like my sister. We came off to home after some shopping around by 9pm.

Finally I ended up my post exam day watching such a worth movie. I slept blissfully wishing good night to everyone I could remember:-)

THE WINDY CITY OF CHICAGO AT NIGHT
THE MARRIOTT CHICAGO O'HARE HOTEL

THE PASSAGE IN MARRIOTT HOTEL

CITY OF DAVENPORT AND BRIDGE OVER MISSISSIPPI RIVER

THE

WINDY

CITY

OF

CHICAGO

THE WINDY CITY OF CHICAGO

CHICAGO - THE WINDY CITY

On a bright sunny day of may 20th in Iowa City in US, morning 9:35, I ran to the local bus stop with 2 of my bags filled heavily for 2 days of stay to Chicago. It was a breezy & cool. 9:40 am, I reached only to read " Effective may 19th, Summer special, No bus to the downtown at 9:45:-("

It was the first obstacle for my trip. I had to catch my bus at 10:40 am from downtown of Iowa City to Downtown of Chicago. I felt helpless., then it flashed to me that the savior is Rob, my apartment bus driver. I just ran back to my apartment., full huff-puff and sweaty in that chilled sunny morning. To my relief, He was there, Rob. He then gave a broad smile and asked me the reason for my hurry. I narrated him that I need to catch my bus & blah., blah., blah. He replied " No problem Sohaas, though I cant drop your to Chicago, I can drop you to the Downtown Old Capitol Mall of Iowa City" & then we were off on the LODGE [My apartment's name!!!!!!] bus. The entire bus with only me as the passenger. 10:20 am, I got down at the place and ran to the bus station some 10 minutes off from there only to be told that my bus is 10 minutes late:-) The bus "Greyhound", the only nationwide bus convenience in US!!! I went to the reception there and got a computer printed tag to check in my bags and sat on the nice benches there looking curiously around. There were all people there. Majority of them were African-Americans [talking all non-sense stuff, or may be I couldn understand them], a few people of Mongolian descent [full silent], a good studious blonde [reading her book, just refusing to lift her head] & me, the only Indian. After a wait of 15 minuts 10:55 am the great GREYHOUND bus turns up. My sister had told to take seat in front rows as it will be my first travel in US and to be alert. But as usual I got into the bus as last one and luckily got a seat in 12th row:-) But I was alert throughout my journey.

At 11 am, the bus started off towards "THE WINDY CITY" I was just full enthu and curious of the bus ride. Till the city of Davenport., on the banks of river "Mississippi" it was a lone journey. The city of Davenport is so nice with nice american style buildings on left and big huge river on the right flowing with full of water. I wondered what if it floods!!!! The great river divides the states of Iowa & Illinois with the big bridge [my first large bridge of US] connecting the states. Then the bus crossed the bridge to reach Moline, the first city in Illinois where i got my first bus neighbour. a lady around 45 years, & she began asking me the questions of the details of the bus times. I told her that we supposed to reach Chicago downtown by 4:25 pm. She was just desperate to smoke. She was runnign to the door at each stop from there on asking the driver to stop for a while but the driver had to just refuse:-) She used to come back and complain to me!!! I should have counselled her there only. It would have been a nice practice. Oh che, I forgot to tell the main purpose of my trip., to give my USMLE Step 2 CS examination!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then reached the outskirts of Chicago after Aurora by 4pm. I thought we are on time. Then the reality of Chicago started, the TRAFFIC. There were nice huge huge buildings but not any tall ones yet. I had my next bus to the CUMBERLAND AVENUE at Chicago at 4:55 pm. But this bus was getting late. I was bit tensed with already thoughts of alternative ways to reach my destination. After all the traffic trouble, my bus came to the downtown greyhound bus station at 5:15pm. I was sure that i missed the bus. I blamed the bus and the traffic. But the downtown of Chicago was just like as we see in movie, all tall tall buildings with full of people and cars. But I didn leav my Indian buddi and went to enquire for the bus. The people there were not that friendly as in my Iowa City. " Cumberland avenue, no idea". " Hey go off, I got my work". "Who the hell knows" were the replies I got. Then one staff person told " Thats the bus at gate 14, run" I was like run for life, He He He. Boarded the bus to get huge relief. It was a bus bound to Milwaukee. Got a sight of American style romance with a couple on the last row of the bus!!!!!!! "Oh man, am in America!!!!!!"

After an hour of drive on the huge Kennedy Expressway with 10 lanes and 2 railway tracks in between, I reached Cumberland avenue greyhound bus stop. There were no people around except some begging for livelihood.No benches to sit. Now it was google earth which helped me to show the way to my hotel. Had seen a snap earlier. Crossed the bridge overhead of Kennedy Expwy and got down right into the parking of "The Marriot Chicago O'hare" hotel. My hotel at 6:20 pm:-) Gave a sigh of relief and walked the way pulling my bag. The hotel staff was nice., they welcomed me with one broad smile. It was just like a 3 or 5 star hotel in India. Also pretty costly. Got my room key. Hey it was a card!!!! Just like a debit card. All new stuff for a guy like me, just increasing the curiosity. I was told the direction of my room, in the 3rd floor of the 12 storied hotel. I thought I should have got a higher floor but didn go to bother as it was my exams the next day!!! The room was an excellent one with all the amenities including a small fridge and TV. But I wanted a microwave which it lacked. Got a quick bath and ready to go to check out the exam center which was just 1/2 km walk from the hotel. Only to cross the parking area of the 2 buildings. Even that was a huge builing with 13 floors. It was already 8pm in night but full sunny!!!! I walked into the building to find all of it closed with a security guy. Got to know that the exam center is in 6th floor and to come the next day. I got back to my room. Spoke to my good friend regarding the exam. Gave a call to my sister and mom that I reached safely. Then I just could get neither sleep nor mood to study. So switched on the TV and saw "PIRATES OF CARRIBEAN PART II"!!!!! Can you believe!!! Then went to get some sleep on the softest bed i have ever slept on:-) All this time, Puliyogare was my only nice food which I myself had made:-)

The next day, 21st of may., woke up at 6 am before my alarm rang!! Got into full formals and wore the TIE, I just hate it. But it really made me look professional. Had a quick breakfast and ran to the exam centre by 7:30 am. Was very glad to see my friend after a couple of weeks and also to meet the relatives who had come. We rushed into the exam. The whole of the exam went like a superfast supersonic bus on a road with lots of speed breakers:-) Also got some nice lunch and cookies provided by the exam center. It felt truly international with the people beside me were from Germany & Egypt. There were 7 to 8 Indians too. All waiting to finish off the exam. Just wishing & hoping to clear the exam we walked out at 3:45 pm. We were so happy that the exam got over!!! Went to the hotel room and tried to make some coffee in the coffee maker at room. Though we were successful, it was too much of American coffee with almost no milk. Ate some chocolates:-) Had a nice chat. Then, it was time to say BYE-BYE to my friend. By 6pm, I was again lone at room just with my blank mind, nothing to do waste body. At 8 pm, my stomach released a gush of acid demanding for food. I opened my fridge to see that my Puliyogare was over. Then thought of ordering a Pizza from a local italian restaurant., Its the only other thing which we new ppl can eat out in US without any risks!!!

At sharp 9 pm there was a knock on the door and there it was, the PIZZA:-) Paid the huge bill and took the pizza to realize its huge with full of cheese & nice non indian vegetables. Brocolli, olives etc etc., Couldn eat so much of cheese. Removed it and somehow finished it. Then the Godess of sleep was calling me:-) Just don know when i dozed off.

Then it was the bright friday, may 22nd. Got up at 6 am. couldn get anymore sleep. Felt like one waste body with only nothing to do next. Switched on the TV. Saw one nice thrilling movie on HBO. Couldn figure out the name. It was full of neighborhood spying and catching a serial murderer. One nice great movie to enjoy. Had breakfast only to see one more movie " THE CHARLIE's ANGLES" before i could check out from the hotel. At 12pm we should vacate or else a bill of one more day!!! so By 12:05 pm i was out of the hotel and it was too too cold telling me that " I am the Windy City Idiot" " C H I C A G O"

It was time to walk again on the bridge of Kennedy Expwy to reach the Cumberland avenue stop and wait for my bus at 1pm. I waited..... waited....... waited...... in that non sense place with no place to sit. There was a small shop there where I bought a fridge magnet for remembrance of Chicago for 3$. Was surprised to see that the shop was run by a Gujrati!!! Then it was again a long wait before a person came to me and told that there is no news from the bus!!! It was already 2:30pm and my bus from chicago downtown at 4 pm. I couldn have made it. So he guided me to take the CTA blueline., the train service to the downtown and asked me to get down at "CLINTON" stop. Me felt like a fool wasting my time at that empty bus stop. Had planned to spend atleast couple of hours at city of Chicago. But the fate had written me to spend the time there. Couldn help Ran again to the bridge and got to the Cumberland CTA station. There first read how to buy the ticket by the self automatic machines vending the CTA tickets. Got a ticket for 2.25$ and then was supposed to insert the ticket before i could enter the station. Saw the ticket to read how to insert it and was successful. The whole process took some 5 minutes. US is so sophisticated and all information is present. Only we have to search for it. Thats the way we learn life over here.

Ran to the platform to find that the train was not yet there. Asked a few people for details to reach the downtown CLINTON stop. At 2:48 pm the train came. The train is like some 10 aluminium boxes linked to each other. No engine, No driver, automatic doors. Then i realised that its run by the high voltage current over the tracks and fully automatic computerised train. Got inside and went thru the details of the route written above the door on inside. The train ran at high speed stopping at Harlem, Jackson, Irving Park, Westen, Montrose, Chicago @ Milwaukee, Clarke lake, Division, Jefferson Park, La Selle & few others. We can get down at Clarke lake or Jefferson Park to get transferred to other route trains, red line, green line, pink line, brown line, purple line etc etc... There was one Afro-American guy listening to "JAI HO" song of 'Slumdog Millionaire'!!! I was happy to hear the tune there. Then came my Clinton Station, an underground station, with many people waiting for the trains. Climbed up the stairs to find the path to walk South on Clinton Street and then West on Harrison street, one block each to reach the Greyhound station. Was full hungry. Got my bag tagged for check in and then saw the watch, it was already 3:55pm. Didn have time to buy any food. Had some Chocolates in bag, my friend had added few more to the collection and trusting on the stuff, I got into the bus. This time, it was Burlington Trailways bus. better than Greyhound bus. The people were more decent with a mixture of race again. African-Americans, Whites, Mexicans & me again the lone Indian.But this time I was full tension free that i finally got into my final bus and was full enthus type to look around. No bus neighbour this time with myself occupying both the seats:-) The scenery was nice. I liked the place of Naperville, De Kalb & Dixon. But one thing which made me realise that I was in US was when I saw the city of Davenport in the night with all lights and myself in bus on the huge bridge of Mississippi river. One fantabulous view for sure. Also I could see a nice baseball stadium with full of people and a game going on right from the bridge. But my Stomach was loaded with acid and for the first time in life, i was fed up of eating Chocolates which surprised myself!!!! There was a break of 10 minutes at Davenport. Driver announced "Welcome to the City of Davenport, we are going to have a 10 minutes break. Go and have a quick cigarette, attend to the restrooms" I rushed to a vending machine and got myself a pack of crispy snack called as "Doritos" to refresh my mouth with taste different from that of Chocolate:-)

Then it was the final trip towards the Iowa City. Full dark by then. Only cars and Huge vehicles running on highways with their eye like headlights on:-) I called up for a cab to pick me up from the greyhound station to my apartment. As I switched off the phone, the bus had a sudden jerk and then I saw 3 beautiful deers with our headlight reflecting in their eyes running off from the road. We were actually in the city on a main road. But still it seems its common to have a deer out on roads in Iowa City. Finally at night 10:15 pm, I got down at Iowa city and found the cab waiting for me already and then a 10 minutes drive to my home. My sister was waiting with the dinner prepared:-) Had a nice nice dinner, filling up my stomach and slept off after a nice chat with my sis & BIL.

So that was a nice learning experience and realisation of life at the windy city of

C H I C A G O:-)

Introduction

Hi to one and all.
I welcome you all to my own blog. Am new here and will be blogging my experiences. Hope you all enjoy reading them. Thanks for visiting. Take care