YOSEMITE: WHERE I DISCOVERED I WAS VERY SMALL There are places that make you feel small. And then there is Yosemite. We entered Yosemite Valley expecting beautiful scenery. What we got was a lesson in perspective. Granite walls rose around us, almost casually, as if someone had decided that ordinary mountains weren't quite enough. And … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #43
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America, One Moment at a Time — #42
THE FOREST THAT MADE ME LOOK UP Muir Woods doesn’t announce itself.It slowly takes you in. We followed a rather ordinary sign. A few minutes later, ordinary had disappeared. We were walking among coast redwoods, their trunks rising around us and disappearing somewhere above the canopy. I had seen photographs of redwoods. Then I discovered … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #42
America, One Moment at a Time — #41
They Began as Tiny Seeds. And They Learned to Live with Fire. As we entered Mariposa Grove, I realised I had come to see some trees. Very big trees. But once I saw them, the word “big” suddenly seemed completely inadequate. 😄 I have photographed plenty of trees in my life. These made me stop, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #41
America, One Moment at a Time — #40
The Palace That Wasn’t Supposed to Stay When we first saw the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. It looked ancient. Roman, perhaps.Greek, maybe. Definitely not what I expected to find in San Francisco. 😄 Then I discovered something surprising. It wasn't ancient at all. … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #40
America, One Moment at a Time — #39
Why Are There Ducks on Jeeps? When I was young, I thought “jeep” was a type of vehicle, not a brand. In India, almost any rugged, boxy vehicle seemed to qualify as a jeep. 😄 Of course, soon enough, I learned that Jeep is an American automobile brand. But during our American sojourn, I discovered … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #39
America, One Moment at a Time — #38
Cab Came. But Where Was the Driver? Our children told us they had booked a cab for us. Nothing unusual about that. The car arrived. We got in. And then my wife and I discovered something our children had conveniently forgotten to mention. 😄 There was no driver. We looked at the steering wheel. Then … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #38
America, One Moment at a Time — #37
The Berry I Had Never Heard Of We’ve been in San Francisco, California, for the past few days. As part of our welcome pack, we received some water, snacks and a few little goodies. Among them was a packet of cookies. I looked at the back of the packet to understand more. Boysenberry. I knew … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #37
America, One Moment at a Time — #36
Old Shops, New Robots One thing I didn’t expect to see in New York: A robot delivering food. 😄 A real little robot, quietly making its way along the street. And somehow, that made me notice something much more familiar: the bodega. This was Gem Spa, a famous East Village neighbourhood store. It sold newspapers, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #36
America, One Moment at a Time — #35
The Steam Beneath New York When I saw steam rising from a New York pavement, I immediately thought of Marilyn Monroe. 😄 Not because there was a white dress involved. Thankfully. Just the steam. In The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn famously stands over a subway grate while air blows her dress upward. New York, it … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #35
America, One Moment at a Time — #34
Why Is New York Wearing Scaffolding? One thing I noticed almost immediately in New York: The city seems to be wearing scaffolding. 😄 Not just one building.Not just one street. Scaffolding everywhere. Beautiful old buildings.Grand facades.Modern towers. And quite a few of them hiding behind metal pipes and wooden platforms. At first, I wondered: Is … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #34
America, One Moment at a Time — #33
New York Has a Different Speed New York doesn’t seem to walk. It moves. Fast. And we discovered that even after the sun goes down, New York doesn’t seem to get the message. 😄 Lights flashing.People crossing.Taxis moving.Buses rolling. Thousands of people somehow going somewhere. Apparently without consulting a map. 😄 As a first-time visitor, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #33
America, One Moment at a Time — #32
A Century of New York on Wheels We had come to see the Brooklyn Bridge. Instead, we found ourselves staring at buses. Lots of them. And not exactly the buses we were used to seeing in New York. 😄 There was this 1918 open-top double-decker. 1918! It looked like it had arrived straight from another … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #32
America, One Moment at a Time — #31
They Looked at All That Water and Thought BIG. Getting off the boat, an old sailing ship at the jetty immediately caught our eye. It looked wonderfully out of place among the buildings of modern New York. As though a little piece of another era had been left behind. And then came something my wife … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #31
America, One Moment at a Time — #30
New York From the Water The previous evening, we had explored New York by train. The next day, before taking to the roads, we decided to take to the water. 😄 New York from a boat. That sounded like a good idea. So we climbed aboard a Circle Line boat on the Hudson. And suddenly, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #30
America, One Moment at a Time — #29
The Lion King — From Screen to Stage We had come all the way to New York. Took a train. Had a quick dinner. And now we were standing outside the Minskoff Theatre. The Lion King was finally happening. We had actually hoped to see it when we visited the UK. We watched Mamma Mia! … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #29
America, One Moment at a Time — #28
The Car Stayed Behind We had driven all the way from Boston to New Jersey. Our car had brought us safely to the Hyatt House at One Exchange Place. And then we left it there. 😄 Our hotel was right beside the PATH station, and we were heading into New York. Our kids suggested we … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #28
America, One Moment at a Time — #27
One Exchange Place — One Building, Many Stories We arrived in Jersey City after our drive from Boston and checked into the Hyatt House at One Exchange Place. After the long drive, I thought I had only one job: Find the room. Put down the bags. Relax. 😄 Then I looked out of the window. … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #27
America, One Moment at a Time — #26
I-90, Mass Pike… What’s That? Whenever we travel on the roads here, I keep noticing things. Road numbers. Road names. Signs. Words I’ve never heard before. On our drive from Boston towards New York, one kept catching my attention: MASS PIKE. What exactly is a Mass Pike? I had to find out. 😄 Apparently, Mass … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #26
America, One Moment at a Time — #25
Who Really Owns the Park? One thing I’ve noticed during our American sojourn: The wild squirrels and rabbits in the public gardens seem remarkably unafraid of people. They simply carry on with their lives, right among us. And then we spotted something I hadn’t expected. A wild rabbit with its baby, living right there in … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #25
America, One Moment at a Time — #24
A Hot Dog and a Little Bit of America We went out for a hot dog. Simple enough. But at KC’s Classic Burger Bar, even a hot dog comes with neon, vintage cars, ice cream… and a little history. 😄 The sign outside said: “IF YOU’RE READING THIS, YOU NEED A BURGER.” Fair enough.We went in. … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #24
America, One Moment at a Time — #23
The Dogs Have a Life of Their Own The other day, I was reading the Boston Sunday Globe when I came across an article about a hotel guest kept awake by a barking dog. “Barking mad: Loud dogs, sleepless hotel nights…” It made me smile. Because, as a visitor to the US, I’ve noticed something … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #23
America, One Moment at a Time — #22
When English Needs an English Translator One thing I’ve discovered during our American sojourn: Sometimes I need a translator. Not from English to another language. From English to English. 😄 After all, English is not exactly my first language. And sometimes, even after all these years, my ears seem to have their own ideas about … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #22
America, One Moment at a Time — #21
Lynn, Lynn… The City of Sin? When we came to Lynn, I knew very little about the place. Then I heard its old rhyme: “Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin, You never come out the way you went in. Ask for water, they give you gin — It’s the darndest city I’ve ever been in.” 😄 Not exactly … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #21
America, One Moment at a Time — #20
The Shadows and Shades of the Boston Public Garden Boston Public Garden was bright and sunny the day we visited. The kind of sunny day that makes you reach for your sunglasses... and then wish you had brought a hat as well. 😎 But what caught my attention were the shadows. They were everywhere. The … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #20
America, One Moment at a Time — #19
When the Water Looks Too Shallow — Finding the Channel From our apartment in Lynn, I’ve become quite used to seeing the ferry that carries passengers across the water to Boston. But today, something about it made me stop and look twice. The tide was out. Very much out. The harbour looked as though someone … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #19
America, One Moment at a Time — #18
The Road to Ogunquit We left Boston and headed north. The first part of the journey was pretty much what you would expect from a road trip. Highways, traffic, bridges and plenty of road ahead. Then we crossed into Maine. And there it was: “WELCOME HOME.” We had just arrived. So apparently, Maine was already … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #18
America, One Moment at a Time — #17
Fluent in What’s Next I went to Best Buy to buy a new Mac laptop. I wasn’t expecting to come away thinking about the future. But then I saw this: “We’re fluent in what’s next.” Interesting. Then I saw another young face beside the same words. And another poster said: “Giving teens the tools for … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #17
America, One Moment at a Time — #16
A Question That Goes a Long Way We were sitting at a traffic light when I noticed a message on a billboard above the road. “Are you okay?” At first, I smiled. Because sometimes, when someone does something irritating, those words mean quite the opposite. 😄 But this time, the question was meant differently: “ARE … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #16
America, One Moment at a Time — #15
The Place That Wasn’t on My Bucket List I came across a sign at Niagara Falls: “CHECK THAT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST.” It got me thinking about my own. The problem is… I don’t really have one. 😄 Well, except for one place. Revisiting Calcutta, my birthplace, which I left for my home in Kerala … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #15
America, One Moment at a Time — #14
Bet You’re Still Smiling What makes you smile? A good joke. A kind word. Someone holding a door open for you. Sometimes, it’s something even smaller. A stranger smiles at you, and you smile back. Especially in a new country, these little moments can feel surprisingly warm. You may never know the person’s name. You … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #14
America, One Moment at a Time — #13
Niagara Falls — And Everything Around It We went to Niagara Falls to see the Falls. And, of course, they did not disappoint. There are actually three waterfalls here. The American Falls, the smaller Bridal Veil Falls, and the much larger Horseshoe Falls, which curves around on the Canadian side. Together, they make up what … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #13
America, One Moment at a Time — #12
The Clouds Were Putting on a Show We were driving from Boston towards upstate New York. It was one of those long American drives where the road seems to have no particular intention of ending anytime soon. The highway stretched ahead. Trees lined both sides. Cars and trucks came and went. And then there were … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #12
America, One Moment at a Time — #11
Nobska — A Lighthouse With a Long View We had seen photographs of Nobska Lighthouse before, but seeing it in person was different. It stands on a little rise at Nobska Point in Falmouth, overlooking the water. It is one of those places where the lighthouse isn’t the only thing worth looking at. There is … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #11
America, One Moment at a Time — #10
Nahant — Just Across the Water From the apartment where we are staying, we can see Nahant. Not all of it, of course. Just a stretch of land across the water, with a narrow strip of road leading towards it. I had been looking at it from our window for some time. It was close … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #10
America, One Moment at a Time — #9
Chatham Has More Than One Story Chatham, on Cape Cod, seemed like one of those places made for postcards. Beautiful buildings, colourful gardens, blue water and boats everywhere. We passed the Chatham Bars Inn, and it certainly didn't disappoint. But a little farther along, we saw another side of Chatham. There were fishing boats moving … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #9
America, One Moment at a Time — #8
The 6 O’Clock Horn From where we stay in Lynn, this is the view across the harbour. The breakwater stretches towards the Atlantic, with the distant residential shoreline beyond it. Every morning, at around six o’clock, a ferry leaves Lynn for Boston. I don't see it every morning. But I hear it. One short blast … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #8
America, One Moment at a Time — #7
The Lighthouse That Learned to Move Nauset Light—with a little taste of Cape Cod. My daughter spotted the coincidence: the Cape Cod chips she had brought along featured the very lighthouse we were standing beside. I have always thought a lighthouse was supposed to be one of the more settled things in life. It stands … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #7
America, One Moment at a Time — #6
The Ocean Doesn’t Take Appointments We boarded the whale-watching boat at Hyannis with one simple objective: Find a whale. The instructions seemed straightforward enough. Go out to sea.Look at the ocean.Wait. The last part, as it turned out, was entirely up to the whale. We had cameras ready. Phones ready. Eyes scanning the horizon. Everyone … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #6
America, One Moment at a Time — #5
When MIT Lets the Wind Decide MIT sailing on the Charles River There they were on the Charles River… little red sails carrying three very familiar letters: MIT. I couldn't help smiling. Somewhere behind those sails is an institution associated with equations, algorithms, engineering, artificial intelligence and people clever enough to understand things I have … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #5
America, One Moment at a Time — #4
Boston and the Seagull Boston across the water A few days ago, Red Rock Park had me looking at the American flags flying at half-staff and thinking about Dolly Parton. Today, I found myself looking across the same water at Boston. Boston was there, beautifully distant. Its skyline rising across the water. Looking rather impressive … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #4
America, One Moment at a Time — #3
The Lighthouse That Isn’t Quite a Lighthouse When I first saw this structure at Marblehead, Massachusetts, I assumed it was a lighthouse. But something didn't look quite right. Where was the familiar solid tower? The sweeping beam of white light? The little keeper's cottage beside it? Instead, there stood this rather elegant skeleton of iron, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #3
America, One Moment at a Time — #2
The Flags at Half-Staff I noticed the American flag flying at half-staff at Red Rock Park in Lynn. Later, I saw the same thing in other places as we drove around. I wondered why. It was in honour of Dolly Parton, who died this week at the age of 80. There was something moving about … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #2
America, One Moment at a Time — #1
5:55 — The Dawn Show Hallelujah! At five fifty-five,The sky seemed determined to come alive.With the sun in full flame,It outdid every frame…A masterpiece, simply pleased to arrive. And perhaps that is nature’s quiet way:It gives us its best, whether we look or look away.Some will pause, some will pass,Some will simply miss the class…Yet … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #1
Seattle Came Home
Some things travel farther than we realise. My wife and I have just arrived in Boston to spend some time with our kids. We had been looking forward to this trip for a while. There are plans to visit several places, see some sights, eat some food and generally make the most of our time … Continue reading Seattle Came Home
Full Stop.
Even the mind needs one. The yoga instructor announced that we were about to attempt the most difficult yoga pose ever. I immediately paid attention. Finally, something interesting. Until then, it had been an ordinary online yoga class. The instructor was in the studio, while the rest of us were scattered around our homes, each … Continue reading Full Stop.
