Dallas Despatch -1

Hi folks,

We are back in the US of A & it’s ‘blog time’ again!

J & J (Janu & Jenny to the uninitiated) have since moved to Dallas, with bag & baggage…& a small package that Janu intends to bring into the world any day now! Yes, it’s ‘good  news ahe’ as they say in Pune. Op “Stork Visit" has been planned with near- military precision. The advance party consisting of Reshma, ably supported by Samruddhi  are ‘in situ’ since Nov, taking care of all the preparatory ‘fieldworks’ &  stocking up on provisions . Some specialist items were flown across, a la the “hump route”!  Reshoo has been of tremendous help, & although she is family, a gentle nod of appreciation her way! Samruddhi has taken her task of  being Janu’s ‘ & Jenny’s companion’ to the nth degree, & it’s a rare sight to see either of them not together!! Tremendous bonding. 

Samruddhi 'madat'!

Adv party stocking-up

The Main Party of 1+1 (K & A) arrived  23^rd Jan.  (Pl note the meticulous planning of dates of the cross-visits between USA & India, to maintain balance!) . Forces from Thrissur landed on 18^th Feb, to relieve troops in contact & Anshuman reinforced the deployment on 22 Feb! So much for the main mission!

We had the experience of flying the Airbus A 380  & true to it’s claim, the aircraft is really spacious & well done up. Point of dissent. My personal opinion is that Etihad served better food, with better service!

Samru 'Vaikuming'

Dubai airport, where we had to change aircraft, was a disappointment, at least the terminal where we were taken to. The bus ride from the apron to the terminal was never-ending. Then there was total chaos at the security check counter, what with one of the screeners breaking down. To make matters worse, an official of the airport, brought 20 odd passengers heading elsewhere & shoved them in the queue. The other terminal was definitely better, duty-free shops & restos, brightening up things.

The 14+ hours flight was pretty routine, in fact very smooth & due to the roomy interiors, we could walk up & down, as also indulge in some stretching excercises, to prevent ‘frozen’ joints etc.

Dallas is very very different from St. Louis, in that, the tree cover within the town, is not as profuse & appears more as an ‘organised’ plantation. The topo is definitely flat & rolling. Most of the living areas are ‘gated’, i.e. entry is restricted. There are  few water bodies around,  so obviously, I have not seen very many Geese, Ducks etc. Besides, most trees & shrubs are denuded of leaves due to winter, so birds are also hard to come by.

Radiant Mother-to-be!

Traditional Blessings

Anyway, before we could get acclimatized,  there was the first of the functions, that had been planned secretly between Reshma, Shubhi & Kalpana, i.e. ‘Dohaaljevan’ (Marathi),’ Godbharai ‘(Hindi)  & Baby Shower (Western word). The Marathi word comes closest to the event, as ‘jevan’ = food, which is the culminating point of most events. Why it is called what it is, in Hindi,  is confusing,  for obvious reasons! The last-mentioned is the current craze back home, in keeping with throwing out our own & adopting an alien name! Anyway, it was quite a full house with Jenny’s colleagues & family friends present for the event. The ladies performed the traditional ‘aarti’ on Janu & the ‘thali’, replete with all the ‘must have’ items was prepared by Reshma.

Samru applying 'attar'

The Jing Bang lot!

Having finished with the formalities, there were some games for all, essentially as ice- breakers, followed by dinner. The ‘basundi’,( ‘rabdi’ to those residing north of the Narbada & ‘chilled condensed milk’ to the Western world) was the crowning glory of the evening. Hand-crafted by Reshma!!   So                                                        much for the event.  

My favourite-The Male Cardinal

Squirrel foraging for food.

So far, during our morning walks, I have managed to catch sight of the Cardinal (Male, twice only), Mockingbird, Starlings in plenty, Rosefinches, Blue Jays, House Sparrows, Grackle & the Red Tailed Hawk. The last mentioned appears to be the most common raptor to be seen nearer human habitats. Most have been spotted in the general area of the Golf Course next to the Stonebriar Club, where a very small ‘stream’, lined with trees & large shrubs, runs through the complex. The Grackle too appears to be quite  a commensal of mankind, being at home in the various parking lots. Squirrels are few & smaller in size, though the hare are quite a common site, besides being quite inured to human presence.

The hare near the house on a clear day

The weather continues to be cold, though there have been days of sunshine & the temp going upto the high 60s. The country has been facing a pretty harsh winter, though thankfully, here it is not as bad as St Louis was. In fact, the last two days have seen sleet and roads being ice covered, forcing most people to stay indoors.

Dallas Snow-bound!

Snow on the house lawn

However, whenever ‘Ra’* was benevolent to shine upon us mortals, we made  the best of it. So, one afternoon, we (Jenny, Reshoo, Samruddhi ) were off to the Hope Park, one of the many here. The salient aspect of this park is that there is a huge play area for children, denoting the ages for whom the ‘rides’ were meant, with slides, swings, mazes, all erected on a surface lined with a foamy layer, to prevent injury! And this is a public place, not a play area of a community. (Are you listening, PMC/PCMC!?!)        [*Ra, btw, is the Egyptian name for the Sun God]
                                                        

Swinging Sam

Samru at Hope Park 

                                                                        Further down, there is a huge man-made lake (another regular feature) where families were having a time of their lives, fishing, including kids. All this was for fun only & the fish were dutifully released back, alive & unharmed! Samruddhi was quite excited to see all this & was further thrilled when a small boy, who had caught a fish, called her across to touch it, which she did, gingerly at first then petting it, as a dog! However, before the lake, there is an amphitheatre-like place, with a huge bronze ball in the centre and Four pillars across, each representing the Army, Navy, Air Force & Marines. This is one such monument to the soldiers of the USA. (Defence Ministry India, please note!!)

Memorial

Likewise, the food scene has been limited due to Janu’s condition (& diet) + the weather. However, among the notables, we visited a typical (whatever that means!) American Diner, “Pepper Smash”, & true to it’s name, the food was smashing. This was followed by a stroll along the lake, topped off with a halt at Cold Stone Creamery. This was at a place called Shops at Legacy, a very swanky place. ( & a must visit ).

At the lake of Shops-at-Legacy

Then there was a quick bite at IHOP once, and last Sunday, a typical ‘Mallu’ (Kerala) cuisine at “Black Pepper”. Boy, was that some tuck-in!!  However, an experiment in trying Greek Cuisine did not go off too well; and that too,   on Reshoo’s b’day!  The décor was typically Greek, with replicas of ancient pottery, paintings etc. adorning the walls. This was a BYB resto, charging 2$ per bottle.

‘Malling’, if that describes the activity, has been just like the snow, i.e. intermittent. Kroger is the giant as far as stores are concerned out here, though Walmart, Walgreen’s, Sams (all familiar to us) are also seen.

Dallas also has far more flyovers as compared to St Louis and one is left wondering at the meticulous planning & super execution of these, especially when you see them stacked three to four high!!   

My editing staff has put a red line after this para, with the note, “do not try the patience of the reader”! So, I shall sign off for the moment, to let you ruminate upon this dispatch, with the hope (‘ummid pe to duniya kayam hai”) that it has tickled your curiosity (?) & that the next dispatch will be eagerly awaited!! (how presumptuous no?)

Watch out for the space below for Pt II, coming up soon. Till then, TC, smile (even if it hurts!!)
This has been overdue, but then ......
Ashok

St. Louis Despatch No 5. 

……….and it’s time to say “Goodbye” !

Oh the vagaries of weather! Last week, (11/3), the mercury went up to 92 F and we had to actually switch on the AC (Cool). Everyone was making the most of it &  the parks were full of jogging enthusiasts. The Malls/Shops were also pretty crowded. This reminded me of the story of the ‘Ants & the Grasshopper!!! Sure enough, at night, we had rains accompanied with strong winds & today, the sky is dark & snow is imminent! Plunging one from the heights of ecstasy into the depths of dejection!!  

It’s just a Two days left, for us to get back, so the pre-packing bouts of nerves are emerging! The mind is again flooded with mixed feelings of returning home, to Samruddhi, our lovely grand-daughter, Anshuman & Reshma & our respective extended families. Leaving Janu & Jenny is equally a not-too-happy feeling. But then, let’s take solace in the saying, “Home is where the heart is”.(In that case, the heart would be in more than One piece…..  .”mere dil ke tukde….!!)  That makes things much easier. Talking about family & ties that bind, one lady, where Janu works was  surprised to know that “you haven’t got tired of your folks”!! Sadly, (my thoughts), this ethos has slowly crept into our thinking, back home. There are pros & cons of the issue, & I wouldn’t want to start a debate on this. Everyone is welcome to their opinion.

Jenny has been busy as usual, besides travelling quite a bit. Janu’s part-time job with the County Library assures a steady supply of mags, books & DVDs. And of course she has been ‘whipping up’ (literally) such lovely desserts. And needless to say, the desserts have been preceded by generous   portions of  all that the dietician said to stay away from!

Orange Fluff Jello (Yum!)

Janu in kitchen, Jenny at hand!

                                                                                           

As usual, this trip has been very enjoyable, although much shorter than before. And the weather too has been a restricting factor. But in spite of all this, we have grabbed our moments of fun & laughter, of shopping sprees, cooking up something new (food, that is!)  &  of course, watching our  favourite channels. Heading the list are the Food Channels, the same players still going strong (Barefoot Contessa, Giada at Home, 30 Minute Meals & of course  Cup Cake Wars). The last mentioned has assumed epic importance to us, as Reshma (Reshoo) has become pretty good at it.. I saw the beginning of her venture before I came here & judging from the photographs, I can tell that they must be great!!

Reshoo's Cup Cakes

‘Season 8’ of 24 has been very riveting, with more twists & turns, than a mountain road! The basement is primarily the ‘home theatre’ & with a 60” screen, it’s super. Now, there is the Ultra HD too & believe me, it’s almost as if we can see inside the  room!! And of course Google Glass now being the talk of the town/country etc.  All these are going to make us lazier than what we are, naturally. Augmented reality!  Some people may have laughed 20-30 years back at “Scenes we’d like to see” in MAD magazine, but there was one such that ‘predicted’,  one day, Man will have no use of his limbs due to mass automation & voice control, and will be just a blob of flesh with tiny remnants of his limbs!! What a thought? (Shudder, shudder!)

‘Restauranting’ has been limited to a few new ones like PF Changs, O’Charley’s, an ‘odd’ Indian Restt, the odd really qualifying it!!  But there are favourites like Red Robin (Radhi, Radhi!) for their Gourmet (read “Giant) Burgers, St Louis Bread Company & good old Wok Express for SMT* Chinese!

*-SMT ‘Sasta, Mazboot & Tikaoo’. (very much like ‘Indian Chinese’ prepared by Nepali & Garhwali cooks, masquerading as Chinese!!)

For  a small city, (according to ppl) there’s lots to see in St Louis. And the French influence is definitely there.(it was founded by 2 Frenchmen in 1764 & named after one of the many Louis’, who ruled France!)  Streets & localities have names like Lafayette, Des Peres, Ladue , Laclede Ave. and so on.

We  have seen quite a bit in the last 2 visits, but every time, something new comes up. We’ve seen the Zoo, Museum, Confluence of Mississippi-Missouri, Parks (about 100 in all!) & Malls/Stores. This time, we added more parks, ancient sites & more lakes.

At Stacy Park

Kalpana 'Stone skipping'

Last week, we took a drive to the Horseshoe Lake, a huge water body, located within 25 minutes driving time, with boating & fishing facilities. The weather was good, a slight wind though & we all travelled  back in time, to our childhood & participated in “Bhakrya”, or ‘Stone Skipping’ to see how many times it bounced. The Champ Bouncer  results are awaited!! As usual, there were many cars,  still enough space for each family, as always.

Talking about the French influence, there is also the ‘Spanish’ presence in the form of  the  Mexican population. Spanish is almost a second language here with most, in fact all English notices/instructions, repeated in Spanish. Other than Hola! & Rapido & of course Piso Mojado, it’s quite confusing. Pronouncing the Xs & Js correctly is as difficult/easy as pronouncing the K in DMK or the Z in Kozhikode, correctly! As I discovered  some years ago, the confusion is compounded all the more when Hola is Hola, but Jalapeno is Halapeno!! Ditto for Mojito. But  the same undergoes a 360 degree turn when Mohan becomes Mojan in Chennai!! This is understandable, due to the vast distances separating the two countries,

But then, the J in Germany & maybe some other places is pronounced Y. (Ja Ja). Thousands of miles across, in parts of Northern India, I’ve heard guys say ‘Jes’ for Yes &  ‘Mayer’ for Measure!! This proves that all the Continents were definitely fused together millions of years ago! It’s time we have a language that binds people, rather than  distance them ?

J & J at  Gracelend

The highlight of this trip, was a visit to Memphis, home of Elvis Presley, the idol of millions, during the 50s-60s. Graceland Mansion, his house, has been converted into a museum of sorts & there are conducted tours of various sections. To me, his Pink Cadillac was the major attraction! Of course, all this for a price! Again, I must confess that I was ‘impressed’ at the strategic location of the Souvenir Shops, in almost all places. The exits are through these, so you were a few pounds & a few dollars lighter! (they still use the lbs,miles etc.).

Graceland Mansion

                                                            That night, we decided to have a bash at the BB King Blues Club, Beale Street. BB King is a well-known American blues musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist.  The wait was about 30 minutes, but we paid the entrance fee & found ourselves in a typical, crowded but vibrant hall. Lots of people sitting all over enjoying their drinks & the  music. 

These guys really have it in them & their performance was very inspiring. And of course, there were those who couldn’t keep themselves from the floor. 

Rhythm & Blues.

BBQd Ribs (Drool!!)

If the music was super, the food was ‘super se upar’! Besides the Bud Light, there was the Chicken & Ribs platter & another Memphis Style Sausage and Cheese Platter!


We then stepped out to Beale Street, on which this & other restos are located. The two squares are blocked by cop cars & plenty of cops, some on horses. This is a daily ritual, more so on week-ends, when everyone is on the streets, the food & drinks shops doing brisk business, music all over & people generally having a blast. The cops do not interfere, so long as “all is well” & we saw them chatting with         whoever went up.                 

Mounted Cops!

The way to the parking was exactly as they show in movies. It was fully deserted, & one guy suddenly  appeared from nowhere, startling the s---s out of you. Ideal place to ‘take out’  a guy!  

One of the shops on Beale St

That day started off on a bright note, but gradually, the sky became overcast & there was rain from the night onwards. This is quite a regular feature, when a “Sunny” day turns into “Snow” or “Rain with High winds”, within hours! Our return trip was quite an experience, as besides the rain, the spray (almost a mist) from the preceding vehicles, made visibility poor. 

Snowfall, seen from inside the car!

And as we neared St Louis, we encountered snow, soft & fluffy in the beginning but then came down very strongly. Ice on the road can be quite hazardous, so one has to watch the speed. In minutes, the countryside turned ‘as white as snow’!. Kalpana was hoping to see one more snowfall before leaving & the weather Gods didn’t let her down. As we reached St Louis, ‘chamatkar’! No rain, no snow, but some lovely celestial artwork in the sky!

One thing that really stunned me, was the abject ignorance about India, of some people that I met. Obviously, there’s a lot of confusion about the name Gandhi, from the Mahatama to RaGa (as has been coined by the media). Even howlers like, ‘ Mumbai is the capital of the country!’. I told him, most of the country’s ‘capital’ is here, but it is still not our Capital. And the changed names have been more confusing than ever!

And so to bed! It’s been a good holiday and as usual, Janu & Jenny have really spoilt us thoroughly. And it’s been made even better as we celebrate Janu’s birthday, with her, after ages! Their threats of moving to Dallas seem to be real, so this may be our last visit to St Louis. We have grown fond of the city over the years & are quite familiar with the roads, especially those going to Macy’s, Bed Bath n Beyond, JC Penney & the lot! The parks have been fun too. To revert to my blog on Sanitation (“Dignity to all”), I saw a sign in the park, which is self-explanatory. 


There are similar rules in quite a few Societies (the building ones, I mean!) in Pune, making it compulsory, as it is a health hazard & the owners of the dogs are fined heavily! When will we apply these rules to our bretheren??

It’s been a pleasure writing these little happenings & I have loved sharing them with you. I have either received some very encouraging responses or no responses! I presume  your silence speaks a thousand words!!

In front of  123111 Wild Turkey Court

See you all soon & TC of yourselves & yours… and of course our planet!

Cheers! Ashok

(Papa) 'Bear' Hug!!

St. Louis Despatch No 4. 

IF WINTER COMES, CAN SPRING BE FAR BEHIND?

Hi Folks,

A Pair of Cardinals

As most of you have  mentioned, birds & animals  have been central to a lot  my ‘ramblings’. The best quality in them is that they never ever think they are on display (incl PDA!)  and are unpretentious about whatever they do. And unknowingly, we learn a lot from their actions & sometimes, just their presence. E.g. 2 days ago, while getting out of the complex, I saw 4-5 Robins on the grounds. Their sudden appearance told me that Spring is around the corner! Yeah!! Remember what I said in my first blog? “When Nature calls, listen!”

New shoots..heralding Spring!

It’s been a long dreary winter, confining us poor humans to the indoors. Isn’t it uncanny that weather actually ‘influences’ our moods? A dark, overcast sky makes one feel really ‘blue’ (whatever that means), but bright sunshine, birds chirping and a clear blue sky makes us feel so “bright” (nice & comfortable!!) Tiny shoots  have started making their appearance on the trees & officially, the time has been set ahead by One hour from today, (9th) as a change  in Daylight saving!.

Last Tuesday, the temp was in the 50’s (F, naturally) but an overcast sky & cold winds were prevailing throughout the day. Yet, we made a bee-line@ for the World Bird Sanctuary, about 30 mins from home. This place is a haven for birds, especially raptors. And the smaller, wild birds were there in plenty, robbing food from the display cages. The Bald Eagle+ was there in numbers, but what impressed me was the Chilean Condor, what we call Vultures & the N Americans call Turkey Buzzards. It has a wing span of 12 feet & once airborne, can travel upto hundreds of miles in search of food, & mostly riding on the thermals. Wow! 

Bald Eagles

The Chilean Condor

                                         

The Sandhill Crane too was seen, one of the most endangered crane species. And of course, there was a good representation of hawks, kestrels, owls. But what made us feel very very nice was a cage which had the ‘Cochin Bantams’, a short stubby species of the fowl. I have not seen these in India, but the fact that they have an Indian city in their names (& the one to where our son-in-law belongs) was enough reason to celebrate. (Actually, they are of Chinese origin!!)

@-Bee Line- Supposed to be a ‘direct approach’. Have you ever seen a bee fly straight? For that matter, “as the crow flies” is another confusing phrase.

+- ‘Balde’ in olde English means White Haired (That qualifies for me too, either way!)

  

This was followed up by a visit to the Lone Elk State Natural Park, which is a vast expanse of wooded areas,

Our Lone Elk, without antlers

home to the American Elk or Wapiti, one of biggest deer found in the USA. BTW, like a lot of places/’things’ in the USA having names of Indian (Red) origin, Wapiti, means “White Rump”. The photo justifies the name. Since  they shed their antlers each year, (unlike antelopes who don’t) our elk were bare. Presently, the trees are in winter ‘mode’, but yet have a different appeal.


The photo of the River Birch is an example of “the old order changeth, giving way to the new”, with the previous year’s bark peeling off, exposing the smooth new one (in turn, to wither away) . In fact, this is common in animals (skin/fur), birds (feathers) & trees. Exception? Us!!

I could only imagine how the forest would look in summer, in all its greenery, and also in fall, with the leaves donning various shades, from Yellow to Crimson! I leave it to your vivid imagination to visualise the transition from Green to Yellow ..... 

We came across a small herd of Bison, (referred to as the ‘Buffalo’ here), & one of them ‘honoured’ us, if you get me! (see snap).


It was sad to see these magnificent animals restricted to a sanctuary, when there was a time when they roamed the plains here in thousands & were a source of life to the native Indians. But senseless slaughter of the beasts have dwindled their numbers to a few hundred & all in the safety of National Parks.
Thankfully, their numbers are slowly increasing. I hope we can do something  more than similar to our magnificent wild life!!

Sunday was as though God himself had decreed, “Let there be sunshine”! The day started with the  temp starting at 30.2 & gradually going up to 59 (F- of course!). As they say, on a clear day, you can see forever. (Look left!)

48 Poles of Woodhenge.

So a quick lunch & not wanting to waste such a beautiful day, we headed out to East St Louis, to a preserved Red Indian Site, actually in Illinois, known as the Cahokia Mounds State Historic  site. This is an ancient site, dating approx to 1400 AD. Apparently, these mounds had some structures on them, & probably used as Observatories. 

There is a Woodhenge, something like the Stonehenge, comprising 48 wooden poles, placed in a circle, used not only  to tell time, but seasons, climatic changes etc. of sorts. Just proves, like Machu Pichu, that there was a race or races, who had developed scientific techniques, far advanced for their times!! 

'Aso'. I am one of those 'Nature' guys & not necessarily a "freak", i.e. what I write, is for you to enjoy & to add it to your 'info bank', that's all. Of course, it is also written with a view to let all who care to know, that we are not isolated from what we call Nature. We are a part of her & I am not talking about the eco-cycle etc etc. The connection with "All things Bright & Beautiful, All creatures great & small", is more on a temporal level. {B4 some ppl feel this is sermonizing. NO, it's not}.
In our day-to-day 'existence'(?), we are either thinking of the past or 'what will tomorrow bring?'. Nobody thinks of 'today'. Even I didn't, till a young boy told me, "it's what you do today, that will affect your tomorrow"!
So, today, let's talk about what we did 'Today'. The list will not only be impressive, but give a lead ahead, Don't think about 'Kal', as in, "Aaj nagad kal udhar".

Signing off now. This has been written over a couple of days. In fact, the last piece has been written just after we returned from Memphis. Yes, a nostalgic trip for us folks, who say (& heard) the emergence & popularity of Elvis (the 'Pelvis') Presley. And an evening at the BB King Club of R&B!! More of that in the concluding episode.

Till then, TC all of you!
Ashok