Star Spangled Journey (Part II)

Five Weeks: Five Amazing Experiences

UPenn Commencement, 2013 at Franklinfield, Phil.

 UPenn Graduation Ceremony, Philadelphia: My childhood friend, Karina spent the past four years studying Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. I was lucky enough to be in the US the week of her graduation. For me, graduation just meant wearing a hat and robe to pose for photos and then getting a degree certificate a few months later (because my own college is awesome, most Universities in Mumbai sadly have no such practice). And then I got to be a spectator at an amazing ceremony in a huge football field. I was freezing due to the cold winds blowing through the air which I am not at all used to (although I was wearing 3 layers and even flicked my Aunt's pashmina shawl) but that didn't stop me from enjoying the impressive ceremony. American Vice President Joe Biden gave the Commencement Address, after which all the different degrees conferred on the students from various schools were announced. I don't know if I will ever have the chance of seeing a graduation ceremony on such a grand scale again but I am so glad I got to experience one of a person who's very close to my heart. 

Washington Monument at sunset

Monuments by Moonlight Tour, Washington D.C: It's safe to say that  everything looks beautiful in moonlight. It was entirely by chance that I noticed a flyer for a moonlight tour of D.C. in the breakfast parlour of our hotel. My aunt then called and reserved two tickets and I spent that whole day looking forward to the Old Town Trolley Tour. Our guide was fun and knowledgeable and took us through all the great monuments that Washington is famous for. I had seen most of them by day of course, but being lit up and shining in the moonlight gives marble buildings a new aura altogether. Whether it was the FDR Memorial or the Korean War Memorial, the U.S Capitol  or the Washington Monument, each one looked more amazing during the nighttime. The Lincoln Memorial too, was lit up in orange lights that made it look sort of regal. It was also during this tour that we were told about the Library of Congress, else I probably wouldn't have had a chance to see the interiors of the palatial building! Although we got home almost at midnight, it was an unforgettable tour – As the flyer rightly says, "You haven't seen Washington until you've seen it at night!"

Sunset at Grand Canyon
(Click on the pic for larger view)

Sunset at Grand Canyon, Arizona: What makes a view of the Grand Canyon even grander? Watching it at sunset. I was there for 2 nights and both days the Canyon looked more spectacular during sunset. Whether it was the rocks changing colour as the sun went down or the sky becoming pink, dark blue and orange as time passed, every image was a sight to behold. Sunset being my favourite time of the day for photography, I took as many photos as I could from various sites and angles.

View from Hopi Point(Click on the pic for larger view)

The first evening I sat on the rocks eating my dinner, savouring a delicious chocolate pudding, as the sun went down. 
Next time I visit the Canyon I'm going to try and be there to see the sunrise (with true dedication, waking up at 5am should hopefully be possible) but until then I have some great pictures of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.

The 'O' Theater, Las Vegas

Cirque Du Soleil's 'O' at Bellagio, Las Vegas: Photography is prohibited during the show, and rightly so, because no still photos can do justice to what the stars of 'O' perform for their audiences. I have never sat in absolute silence for 90 minutes, with my jaw dropping every few moments in awe of what I am viewing. But Cirque Du Soleil's show did that for me. From the beginning of the show till the curtains dropped at the end, I witnessed an amazing show of dance, music, comedy, acrobatics, swimming and storytelling. It was art in motion and every moment of it was beautiful. The artists were brilliant to say the least, and truly deserved much more than the standing ovation they received at the end. I loved every second of the one and a half hour show and would love to witness another such performance again. Oh, and did I mention I thoroughly enjoyed it?  

Peter Pan Ballet. Picture Courtesy:Google.com

Peter Pan Ballet, Wortham Theater Center, Houston: My last week in Houston was spent mainly shopping for the million things my mother ordered, and the only highlight was an evening at The Houston Ballet. The atrium of the building was really magnificent, the kind I've only seen in movies. The ballet was over two hours long but not for one moment did my interest waver from the performance. I have loved watching ballets ever since I saw a VHS of The Nutcracker when I was 8, but never have I seen a live performance. So the experience was a first, and all the more enjoyable. The Peter Pan Ballet was the perfect ending to my list of amazing experiences of this trip! (Not counting the half a tub of Ben N Jerry's Chocolate Icecream that I devoured after getting home that night! :D)

P.S. Coming soon-Part 3: A few of my favourite photos from my collection!

Star Spangled Journey! (Part I)

What do you call a 5 week holiday sans your parents, that is the perfect mix of nature and history, includes beautiful photo ops and exciting journeys? Awesome? Yes, that's right, my recent trip to USA was all this and more.

From the battlefield at Gettysburg to the depths of the Grand Canyon, from Thomas Jefferson's Library to Native American Petroglyphs, I got to see a variety of different monuments, museums and natural wonders.

Armed with my camera and a zeal to do as much as I could in the time I had, I tried to make the most of the limited time I had in each place.

Of course it's difficult to sum up five amazing weeks in a few words, but a few of those moments and places were truly very memorable, and have stayed with me till today.

The 6  Places I Loved The Most

 (It's no coincidence that most of these are in Washington DC - It's my new favourite place to live in!)

Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, Washington DC: I have been an admirer of Abraham Lincoln ever since I developed an interest in History, and read stories on the American Civil War. Of course, this wasn't my first visit to the Memorial, but the last time I was there I was a bratty 14-year-old who only cared about shopping, eating and "chilling". It was just two months ago that I truly took in the essence of what the larger than life monument stands for. Lincoln was a brilliant man, and the speeches inscribed on the walls of the memorial are proof enough that he was a great orator as well. Just standing in the Memorial and literally "looking up" to the man makes you feel liberated, excited and awed all at once.

 

Washington National Cathedral, Washington D.C: Who doesn't love exploring the architecture of a Church? The Washington Cathedral is a wonderful  place to visit, and I was lucky to be there while a sermon was in session. The powerful voices carrying through the huge hallways, the beautifully carved stained glass windows and the gorgeous altar all contribute to the magnificence of the Cathedral. Each window had a different stained glass pattern, my favourite being the Space Window, showing 'man's landing on the moon'. To escape from all the noise and crowds and to enjoy a few moments of peace, Washington National Cathedral is a perfect destination.  

LOVE Park, JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia: It's no surprise when I tell people I LOVED Love Park, because most of my friends already know I'm a sucker for love and everything associated with it! Just a simple 'LOVE' sign in red, blue and green with a fountain behind it, this little garden is a great spot to spend a few moments with loved ones or simply take pictures against the giant Love sign. (I had to wait in a fairly long line on a weekday evening to get a photo with the sign, so you can imagine how popular the place is!)  It may have been the beautiful fountain, the pretty picture it made or simply the fact that there was a huge LOVE sign staring into my face, but this Park is now one of my favourite places in USA. 

(I noticed it in 5 seconds while walking through the Park, and my aunt who's been visiting Philly frequently for the past 7 years had no idea of its existence! Talk about being crazy for love!)

Echo Lake, Denver: If you looked at the photo above and went 'WOW', you can imagine my reaction on seeing it in person. I was on a bus to the 14000ft high Mt. Evans, but we had to turn back due to a rockslide closing the way to the peak. As soon as I exited the bus at the rest stop and saw Echo Lake, my disappointment at not being able to visit the mountain vanished. Just a view of the lake gives you a feeling of serenity and all you want to do is sit on the rocks and watch the beautiful sight in front of you. Being a lover of nature, I went mad with my camera and took full advantage of the great photo op this amazing lake gave me. Hopefully someday I will get to the peak of Mt. Evans, and will definitely stop at Echo Lake once again!

 

Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington D.C: 85,000 books, marble floors, painted ceilings, stained glass windows, stone statues, carved stairways and a great hall. No, I didn't describe the interiors of Buckingham Palace, but of a library in Washington. The Thomas Jefferson Building of Washington's Library of Congress has to be one of the most magnificent buildings I have ever seen. (And I've seen the Taj Mahal too!) It is gorgeous on both the outside and the inside, and one just doesn't want to leave! Again, I went crazy with my camera and took over 80 photos within this one building. A small section has the actual Library of Thomas Jefferson himself! I loved the quotes and sayings carved above every wall and window, as well as the beautiful mosaics on the floors and ceilings. Half the time I was walking with my eyes to the ceiling (and I banged into a couple of people as well!). One has to visit the Library personally to experience the architectural marvel that it is. As we were told by a guide, Boris Yeltsin saw the Library and said "I can't imagine you did all this without a Tsar!" The Thomas Jefferson Building can truly be compared to a royal abode. 

 

Grand Canyon, Arizona: Whoever named the Grand Canyon really deserves an applause, for identifying the Canyon to be what it is. The first sight of it from the Desert Watchtower at the North Rim and I was floored. Nature's marvels are amazing sights to behold. No matter where I viewed the Canyon from, no matter what time of day it was, the sight was perfect. I even took an airplane ride over the Grand Canyon, that provided me with a view from 4000ft above the natural wonder. The rocks are in various different colours and one can even see the Colorado River, greenish blue in colour, passing through the valleys. (The true Indian that I am, I even noticed a peak that was orange, white and green!) There were many other Canyonlands that I visited on this trip, but the Grand Canyon was the one that I found most marvellous. (My mother doesn't agree, but then again, everyone knows that mothers' expectations cannot be met by anyone or anything!!)

My tour came to an end after the visit to the Grand Canyon. After a week in Houston, exactly a month ago to be precise, I boarded my flight back to Mumbai with a heavy heart, an extra bag, (that resulted in my having overweight luggage), a camera full of wonderful photos, and memories to last a lifetime! 

P.S I am going to continue to write about my trip in the next few posts as well, since I still have a holiday hangover! (Though I just got over my jet lag a couple of weeks ago.)