A Holiday Tradition Expanded!

It has been much too long since I have been here.  It all started with Diwali in October, Thanksgiving in November and now December is almost over.  Every spare December moment (and spare muscle), in our household is dedicated to a cookie or two.  Baking and eating.  It all starts with a few cookies to send out as gifts and ends up dozens beyond count....both as gifts (the good part) and as conversion of muscle to fat (the bad part).  In all this baking, I lost sight of shooting until two recent short day events.  We make our annual pilgrimage to NYC to check out the Rockefeller tree and the store windows.  I claim it is for the kids but secretly I am more excited than they are...more about that later but first...


This year we added another unplanned holiday event to our list, The reenactment of Washington's Christmas Day Crossing of the Delaware.  Every year the friends of Washington Crossing reenact the event on Christmas day with a dress rehearsal a few weeks before.  December 12th, sunny and 50F, what else can one ask for?  Into the car we go...

This was the 44th crossing for this elderly gentleman

Washington Crossing Park was converted into a mini 1700s village.  Kids as young as 7 and men as old as 70 were dressed in full regalia for the reenactment.  We did not see the actual crossing since the water flow was twice the safe level.  If the actual crossing is important for you to see, call before you make a hike out there and shell out $8 a pop.  On the other hand, if you only care for the crossing and not the other festivities, just stay on the Jersey side and save the $8 for a hot dog.  I heard from one of the display groups that the Jersey side has a nice little museum that has the largest collection of the colonial war memorabilia.

General Washington Linin Up the Troops

Now about the more common holiday outing in our family, the annual homage to the Rockefeller tree.  This year the annual outing had the usual troupe of our family and another family as well as two more visitors, my niece from Chicago and a friend from India. In true desi style, we managed to fit all 10 of us in a mini van and parked in our favorite garage right outside Lincoln tunnel (upon exiting it puts you straight into the tunnel and is a mere $28 per day, nothing is cheaper in NYC).  Our first stop, the windows at Macys.  This years theme is "Yes Virginia" on 33rd side windows.  What a way to kick off the holiday season.  At the Herald Square corner there is even an make your own electronic ornament kiosk.

Next stop - the Kati Roll company a few blocks away.  This is the ever so popular joint (my friends and family make late night trips across the tunnel just for this, I personally dont think the time and gas money are justified but it was a good snack just the same), all decorated with Bollywood movie posters from a bygone era when it was referred to as "Hindi Cinema". With our feet warm and bellies full we start ambling towards Rockefeller center.  As we pass the NY Public Library, I realized the kids had never been there.  What a great break in the walk.  The kids enjoyed the beautiful architecture, the lovely murals and art exhibits and the books galore.  



I could have spent the entire day just taking pictures in here but hey.....the key attraction had to be addressed... so off we went.  As we approached 48th on 5th Avenue, the crowds intensified and we implemented the buddy system.  Between 48th and 49th, it was beyond the usual holding of hands and we were desperately tugging at each others jackets and hoods in order to stay together and my friends daughter got her arm twisted in the sea of masses.  Enough!, we turned around and crossed the street mid block, circled around 48th, Madison and down 50th to check out the windows at Saks.  What a disappointment!  By this time all the excitement and spirit is lost and I steer everyone to another popular joint (momofuku milkbar) with a promise of a FAMOUS cookie.  The Famous Compost cookie was vetoed ever so quickly (in fact my friend said he preferred the cookie from the mall in iowa city (Mrs Fields)) and so we ended up at Tangs for dinner (a great little chinese joint, good food and affordable).  The first choice was the Gyro guy outside the Hilton but no one wanted to stand in line and eat outside in that cold weather.  Now everyone is back in the tree spirit so we approached it from the back side.  After the usual picture taking we head into the GE building and on to the second floor for a cup of Red Mango (If you havent figured it out yet, I better come clean, this trip revolved entirely around food and the tree was secondary).  

The tree looked the same as it did last year so who knows, this may end up being the last tree visit for a while.....  

Wishing all my readers Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Lower Manhattan - A day of Civic Lesson for the kids

It was November and the weather was just perfect to walk around the city.  Early November is NJEA convention in NJ and kids are off school for a couple of days to a week depending on the school district.   If you happen to be in Orlando or Aruba at this time you will hear a lot of Jersey twang.  We decided to chill at home but after 3 days of having kids glued to their electronic paraphernalia, it was time to get them to see the challenges of the Nation.  Why not make a day out of visiting lower Manhattan?


First stop, Zuccotti Park to see the Wall Street Protest and then around the corner to see the 911 memorial,  both humbling experiences.  Each touches the observers in their own way.


We were four adults visiting Z Park and each had our own opinion and feelings on the protests.  The kids had no opinions since thankfully none of their lives had been significantly affected by the changes in recent economy.  As we got closer to the park we could hear the drums and felt the energy of masses.  The countless tents stood at odds with the sleek modern and ornate art deco buildings surrounding the park.  My first sight was to see a wall two deep of humans surrounding the perimeter of the park, each holding their camera or phone up to take pictures.  Initially, we too followed the gawking suit since it seemed odd to walk into the park, almost as if we were about to enter uninvited into someone else's home.  After the initial reticence, our courage took over and we found ourselves walking through the center of the park.  The little city had its own pedal power generator, sanitation department, library, comfort tent (that provided warm coats and gloves) and animal shelter.  One generous lady was sitting there knitting sweaters for the occupiers for the upcoming cold weather and was kind enough to let me take pictures of her.  There were others who wanted donations for their pictures: one lego guy claimed he was not making money, just collecting donations to buy more lego pieces (looking at his collection bin and the number of lego pieces on the board, lego prices must have gone up significantly!), whereas the American Indian tent specifically asked another photographer to place money in the bin before she could take a picture.......I say there was a hint of capitalism here!  My thoughts veered to Ayn Rand and objectivism through out the visit.
Here are the images.  You form your own opinion!

Looking in from the periphery.

Walking in to the park.

  

Liberty Plaza right next to tent city

We found a park bench , had a picnic of our sandwiches and fruits before heading off to the 911 memorial.

The security lines at the memorial were quite long despite the pre assigned visiting time slot.  I would stand in the lines all over again though.   The sheer size of the pool and the unending black hole brings up the true depth of our nation's loss and yet at the same time, the sound of water calms the sadness to bring serenity ( the only word to describe the feeling when you stand by the pools).  A park ranger mentioned that he was anticipating feeling angry when he first took the job but he feels at peace working in the park.  The Survival tree is a perfect embodiment of the Nations survival.  A family member had left behind a stuffed bear at the tree which brought tears to many a visitors eye.  All special mementos left behind are collected at the end of the day and will be placed in the underground museum once it opens.  My words will not do justice to the memorial so simply enjoy these images.....

The setting sun cast the most beautiful rainbow in the waterfall.

A stream of water for every victim.

Survival tree in the forefront of the freedom tower

Along the coast of Northern Ireland

A few springs back we were working on our vacation to Ireland. The emerald isle offered a promise of an unhurried vacation (oxymoron: isnt it? unless you park yourself on a beach in the carribbean). The cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, Dublin - the usual places were on the list. Then I chanced upon the Tourism Ireland booth at, of all places, The Philadelphia Flower Show (I still havent figured out why they were there). What a discovery- Northern Ireland! Again, as typical Americans, we could not afford more than a week in that beautiful country so we called upon family of our friends (who are now our friends) for guidance. Generously, they offered us not only advice but their gracious home and hospitality in Belfast. We spent a day and a half with our "new" friends and got to know their lovely teenage kids and the baby of the family, Tommy, the refusing to sit, kittie.

Bright and early the next morning we get into the car to drive north to the land of the Giant's Causeway.  100 yards out of our friends driveway...

Swerve, screee......ech! what happened?  "You guys never reminded me to drive on the wrong side of the road". "Oops - we thought you would have noticed this sign in our rental car! After all it is on the driver side!"  Our first stop is the Carrickfergus castle.  It was a cold, windy morning but a bright sunny day with beautiful blue skies and puffy clouds.

The view overlooking the little fishing village from the top of the castle was fantastic.

As we continued driving up the coast, we were awarded with beautiful abandoned shoreline and miles and miles of wild summer phlox (the same one that I pay $7.99 for a gallon size pot each spring and it refuses to make home in my backyard).

Lunch time brought us to the Carrick-e-rede rope bridge.  Now if you ever have a days ride, and have to leave a host's home, nothing like leaving from a gujarati's abode!  The scene was typical: "Let me pack you some lunch on the road."  "No please dont. We will be fine."  "No! but I insist, you will be driving all day. what if you dont find a good place to eat.  It will be just bread and cheese - nothing vegetarian available there"  "No really! we will be fine.  Bye!"  As we sit in the car, "Here take this lunch, I insist".  Our hostess had packed us poha and upma and it was a perfect lunch to enjoy on the picnic table.  I am positive she could feel our thankful vibes a few hundred kilometers south.

As we walk towards the bridge, we see a meadow full of sheep and gorgeous cliffs with aqua blue water.  The rope bridge is another story.  I can feel my heartbeat accelerating with each step that gets me  closer to the bridge.  I am last in the queue of our family to cross it.  J and the kids are halfway on the bridge and I just froze.  I was holding up a line of people who had waited 20 minutes for their turn to cross the bridge.  This bridge was my nemesis:  Height and Movement, all in one.  As I step aside and let the person behind me move along, I see him holding his wife's hand and encouraging her to follow him.  It was an elderly couple well into their 80s.  They were my inspiration.  So I bucked up, started saying my hanuman chalisa and crossed the bridge.  Completely elated, I enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the sea stack (I think it was a sea stack since it was not big enough to be an island) and relaxed like I was on some Caribbean beach.  Then reality sets in - I need to meet my nemesis again or make a life on the sea stack.  Gods name is evoked again, I survived the bridge and lived to tell it.

Onward we go, stopping by at several beaches along the road just to enjoy the view.  

Seven hours after leaving belfast, we reach our digs for the night, The Giant's causeway and The Causeway Hotel.  Our plan was to check out the causeway first and check into the hotel later.  After what seemed like an eternity in a traffic jam we are about to pull into the parks parking lot and shell out 5 pounds for parking when we noticed that our hotels parking was in fact right in front of us.  We park and walk down the cliffs to the causeway.   The legend is that the Giant's Causeway was built by Finn McCool as a walkway to fight the Scottish giant Benandonner .  McCool must have been a pretty cool mathematician.  Perfect octagonal stacks of every height imaginable.

You can return back via the shuttle the same way you came down or climb up the cliff to explore the organ rocks.  We are glad we took the long way up.  Organ rocks were impressive but the walk at the top of the cliff and the view of the entire causeway was even better.

Entire Causeway

We check into the Inn.  The room was large enough, dormitory style that could comfortably sleep all four of us.  The bathrooms were all falling apart.  Dinner in the main restaurant was bland and tasteless.  But all that was overlooked as we walked the fields behind the Inn.  As the sun was setting over the sea, storm clouds pulled in from Scotland and it cast the most beautiful light on the Inn property.  

A perfect view to end the day!

A little bit of Gujarat in Jersey

Lets get one thing straight : Garba is NOT Dandiya..


Dhintak Dhintak, Dhidhanda, Dhintak.........or close to it is the beat of every breath in Gujarat during Navratri nights.   Having lived in the US for more than a quarter of a century, Navratri is the only time of the year when I truly miss my hometown of Vadodara India. 


 I am bit of a garba snob.......yes, I admit it!  I tend to complain if the music is off beat and I have even walked away from the venue by the sound of "munni badnaam huyi, darling tere liya.."  Upon entering a garba hall if I see a set of western drum set, I know that the dholi is nowhere to be found and short of sulking, my disappointment is well advertised.  The season gets the better of me and I do manage to get into the spirit just a bit.  Others have said I get into it "intensely".  I am sticking to my version though. 


 And despite all odds, I made it!!!!!


I must say though 2011 was one of the better Navratris that I have experienced in the US.  The first couple sessions started out with somewhat reasonable music but one single session with traditional musicians and vocalist made up for what was lacking in the season.  I was more than happy to close the Navratri season on that high note.  My  motherhood nudged me to yet another garba evening as the youth in our area (mine included) had organized garba to raise funds for the March of Dimes.  Having spent whatever extra energy I had in the earlier garba sessions of the year, I decided to lug along my paraphernalia to take a break from dancing and shoot some pictures instead.  J was not there so no one to stop me for carrying the stuff and the drum set you saw early on was an added incentive.


If you are from Vadodara, no explanation is needed.........just enjoy the movement and let your imagination run with whichever voice enters your head; kalhansbhai, shamaben, atul purohit, achal mehta.......there..... I have dated myself royally by now.

Dancing the Vadodara Style

        

     

Teens enjoying the Sanedo in their own style!

And then finally it was time to sit down!

Until next Navratri - who knows - might be in Vadodara!