Hiking in Lake Ray Roberts State Park

It was an evening well spent on the banks of Lake Ray Roberts in the State Park. Though I walked only about 3.5 miles in the lush green forests of the Lake Ray Roberts State Park the experience was definitely worth while. I am glad I have been buying the Texas State Park Pass every year, this enables me to enter any state park in the state of Texas absolutely free.


Anyway earlier this evening I just decided to go there and take a dip in the cool waters of the lake. Drove down to the state park and found that I was among the handful of visitors there. I decided to walk one of the trails there before hitting the water and so was off on the Randy Bell Scenic Trail which is about 2.7 miles long but since I took several detours to get by the lake waters, I probably walked a good 3.5 - 4 miles.


The trail is moderately hilly and completely paved so it is impossible to trip, fall or lose the way. Moreover being surrounded by thick undergrowth, trees, and grasses there is lot of wildlife sighting opportunities. Today I saw several white tailed deer, which are not scared of humans at all, they continue to graze unperturbed even as people walk along the trail. Even the animals know they are safe in the park, if it were in a different setting, the deer would be shot and eaten.

San Jacinto Battleground Monument

Here is an interesting sculpture I noticed installed at the San Jacinto Battleground Monument state park. I don't know what it is and there was no signage to educate visitors like me about it. Nevertheless I think it is an interesting piece of art sited strategically sited at the base of the battleground tower at the end of the long water body that seems to have been built just to reflect the battleground monument.

Santa Cruz Beach, California

I visited Santa Cruz beach a few years ago and memories of this wonderful waterfront locale continue to haunt me. The way surfers take on the breaking waves, the sea gulls, fly around seeking food seems like they are having so much fun. We as tourists were just gawking at the surfers enjoying the water. There is a nice road with walking trail along the sea front which enabled us to get a ringside view of everything that was going on in the azure waters below. I wish I knew how to surf, I'd be checking out the surf and trying to catch a big wave. Anyway that may happen in the next birth or later in this birth if god wills. For now I just visit beautiful water front places and enjoy the beauty.

Italy: An ideal train holiday destination

What is your idea of a great holiday? A super relaxing train ride across Europe's most scenic locales? Or is it a sojourn across the Swiss Alps and swim in Italy's lakes. Europe has always held a charm for every tourist/ traveler. Italy in particular offers several amazing holiday options. There is charming Venice, fashionable Milan or the artistic Tuscany, even the smallest town in Italy has something unique to offer to the discerning traveler. Now with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the world's most famous train available for your holiday, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can feel being a part of European history while riding this train even as you enjoy an unforgettable holiday with your loved ones. Personally speaking I have always enjoyed traveling by rail. Now this opportunity to enjoy rail journeys in Italy has me looking at my calendar to see when I have my next long break. It would be my dream vacation to travel across the Alps and enjoy the tranquility and soak in the ethereal beauty of Italian lakes. I would love to explore the lush islands and if time permits take the train into Switzerland. Maybe next summer will be the time when I go on a train ride through Italy, until then I will keep planning my holidays.

A Long Walk Home....

I shot this picture when I was trekking in a rural locale about 60 km from Bangalore. The picture was obviously shot from atop a hill. This image shows how this villager has to struggle to lead her life. She is ok with the risk of walking along the railway tracks for long distances to collect firewood from the forest. Life is so easy for us in the city and yet we still complain that government is not doing enough. Here is this lady who has to walk long distances over uneven ground just to survive... It is time we appreciate the good things we have...

My Favorite Places around Bengaluru

I have been living in the US since the past nearly 4 years. Life has been pretty good, the roads are better, traffic jams are almost unheard of, I drive a pretty nice car, and enjoy lot more luxuries than back home in India. I have traveled the length and breadth of the country and have my favorite spots everywhere. Living in the US is like staying at a luxury hotel, how much ever comfortable and luxurious it maybe it can never be called home. When I was living in Bengaluru it was common for me to take off every weekend for a short or long trip. Here are pictures of some of my favorite spots around Bengaluru.

Devanahalli Fort

Gokak Falls in Karnataka is beautiful

Sunset at Gokarna

Sculpture of Serpant and Lord Shiva in Lepakshi

Intricately carved temple pillars at Lepakshi

Weekend Getaways are vital to well being!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of the vital necessities for everyone in order to lead a good life is recreation and leisure. This can be achieved either through hobbies, travel, recreational sports and other activities. Personally speaking I feel recreational travel is the most important necessity. Though the economic downturn of the past two years has made it a little tougher to take as many breaks, I have still been able to manage few weekend getaways and one long holiday.

Talking about weekend getaways, I recently came across this huge promotion by Hampton Hotel, they are giving away a free weekend stay everyday. Yes, you have the opportunity to win a totally free weekend stay at any Hampton hotel. They are offering a fantastic offer titled: Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes under which entrants have a unique chance to win a free weekend stay at any Hampton hotel in the country.

Enter the contest and get your own chance to win and take a break with your friends this fall and have a good time bonding and building your team of well wishers. Weekend getaways are short, intense and highly relaxing and this is a great time to bond with people who are going to be part of yoru life for a long long time. This king of opportunity doesn't last long go for it now.

In Bangalore... after a short trip.....

It has been a week since I am back in good old Bengaluru... the city has grown by leaps and bounds as usual. I took a short trip to Nanjangud, a small pilgrimage town less than 200 km from here and it was a different experience altogether.

The journey was pretty swift on smooth and newly widened roads and what totally caught me by surprise was the amount of infrastructure development that has taken place in Nanjangud. I remember visiting the city more than a decade ago and it was a crumbling little village struggling to handle the increasing tourist/ pilgrim traffic. Today it is a swank tourist town with smooth concrete roads, vast open spaces, neat riverside areas for worshippers, devotees who wish to take a holy dip, and even fishermen. The temple itself is undergoing renovation right now and the part of it that is complete is simply superb. Going by this testimony I am sure the temple will be transformed into a wonderful tourist/ devotional/ pilgrim center once the renovation is complete.

I will conclude with a hope that I will be able to visit the temple again once the renovation is complete.

More Pictures of Mineral Wells

I haven't shared all the pictures of our recent trip to Mineral Wells State Park, TX. This park is one of the closest locations where one can see some kind of hilly terrain, and rocks that can be climbed. The park is beautiful right now and with weather not having heated up too much the colorful flowers, insects, and other flora and fauna make it a great place to visit.

Vistas of India-Homa

Vistas of Lost Lake and Surroundings

Continuing my report on the short but eventful visit to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, India-homa, I would simply say that our hike turned into a mini adventure after I coaxed everyone into climbing down the rock face into the depths of the valley rather than follow the trail that snaked around the hills to form a natural slope. Once down at the water level we crossed the shallow stream via a trail of rocky outcrops and started retracing our steps around the lost lake.

Here are some pictures:

View of the waterfalls from the base of the hill

The world is full of insensitive people who will litter even the most pristine natural spots.....

Sweeping view of the valley and rock face we just descended

Views of Lost Lake and around!!!

We hiked for couple of hours in the lost lake area of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The terrain reminded me of the rolling rocky hills that I was so familiar with in India. This is the first time since arriving in Dallas that I am coming across such terrain. The lost lake is indeed a dam built in a small valley between two tall rocky hills. The stream collects in the deep gorge walled at a strategic location and the excess flows off the wall creating some sort of a waterfall out there. We walked beside the waterfall and down the rocks to cross the stream and walked alongside the lake on the other side.

Dam that creates the Lost Lake

Lost Lake facade

A couple brought kayaks and hit the water enjoying the stillness of the lost lake. Swimming is not allowed at this location... perhaps because of the rocks in the lake bed or maybe because of the depth... I don't know. Kayaking and fishing are allowed and there were few people enjoying the therapeutic and relaxing activity.

Couple enjoying kayaking

The Visitor Center @ Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

I had blogged earlier about the visitor center and nature museum at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, India-homa, Oklahoma. Here are some pictures of the innovative, informative, and interesting exhibits in the center. The folks here have tried to recreate natural scenarios that represent the park areas and the flora and fauna present within. I must say that they have done a wonderful job at that, the exhibits and soft lighting together provide a fantastic birds eye view of the park environs. We spent a few hours in the park including taking in the visitor center, I would suggest visitors to spend half a day at the visitor center and then proceed to explore the park for the next two days. Otherwise a visit to this wonderful wilderness area would be in vain.

Hills, Rocks, and Boulders of India-Homa

The visitors Center

It has been several months... almost years since I touched a rock with an intention of climbing it. There are no rocks or hills in Dallas area, which is in the heart of the Panhandle Plains of Texas. Last Sunday I was lucky enough to visit a place known as Indiahoma in the neighboring state of Oklahoma. This small town is home to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

The sprawl of Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, India-homa

As we drove on flat-as-a-Dosa landscape I was joking that Indiahoma and Oklahoma get their names because one of the ancient Hindu saints... Rishi Kapila traveled from Kapilaranya (California) with his cattle (Akalu in our language) and performed some sacred rituals to rid the land off its curses. Hence the state came to be known as Akalu-Homa and later became anglicized to Oklahoma. The place India-Home is the exact location of the sacred rituals and hence even today it is associated with India and Homa.

Anyway Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is quite different from Texas and I simply loved the rolling rocky hills that mark the area. This is a 59,020 acre refuge and is protected habitat for several native species that have managed to survive the Whiteman's Greed. When the first Europeans landed in this country, their sole intention was to plunder and destroy whatever they found here so they can become rich. It was only after several decades that they started settling down and forming this United States of America. Some of the commonly found species in this wildlife refuge include the American bison, (We saw many of these gentle giants) Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer, Texas longhorn cattle (what are they doing in Oklahoma??? Oh! these were the ones brought in by Rishi Kapila to perform the Yanga, and they are protected because, here they are sacred). Apart from these notable creatures there are over 50 mammal, 240 bird, 64 reptile and amphibian, 36 fish, and 806 plant species thrive here.

Rocky Terrain

I will talk about the short hike we took in the refuge in my next post. For now I have to get ready and get to work... enjoy the pictures.

Branson, Missouri: The best holiday destination for Spring Breakers!!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

I moved to the United States in late 2007 and since then I have taken every opportunity to travel within the country. I have enjoyed touring cities, national parks, tourist destinations and watching shows. Places with an abundance of natural wealth, adventure activities, and recreational opportunities are among my favored destinations.

Branson, MO is one of my preferred holiday locations because the city offers unlimited opportunities for shopping, golf, and live shows. While in Branson, my preferred hotels are one of the Hiltons. Either the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or at the Hilton Branson Convention Center. Why do I prefer to stay here, it is simply because both the hotels are located within easy reach of shopping areas, boutiques, classy restaurants, river walk, and other attractions.

Right now the Hilton hotels have some great offers. The one I would opt for would be the Golf Package being offered in collaboration with Payne Stewart Golf Club by the Hilton Promenade. With rates starting from $209 this package is definitely a wonderful bargain in my opinion. The best thing about this package is that, it is on until Feb 2011. Another package I am highly attracted towards is the Romance Package, I would probably go there for our anniversary and enjoy the "do not disturb" getaway.

The save with Visa Package will get you a discount of 25% the Best Available Rate. Now that is what I call great savings. Look up the website of Hilton to know about the packages and I bet you will immediately end up booking your holiday.

Enjoy an Italian Weekend right here in the US

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love to travel whenever I get the opportunity: spring break, summer vacations, winter holidays, long weekends and any other time I have a few days on hand. One of my most favorite holiday hotspots within continental America is Branson, Missouri. Why do I love visiting Branson? The answer is pretty simple this is one location that offers something for every member of the family. This is one place that probably offers the largest number of live shows, concerts, and theater entertainment options. Some people call it the Live Music Capital of the world.

When we go to Branson the hotel of choice is of course either the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel or the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing. I recently came to know that the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is putting together this wonderful Italian Food Festival the last weekend of February. Titled Italian Culinary Weekend this event is scheduled to be staged from Friday, February 26 2010 through Saturday, February 27, 2010. Friday’s inaugural reception will feature antipasto and hors d’oeuvres paired with tongue tickling Italian wines. The most entertaining/ interesting part of the event is going to be on Saturday when participants will get an opportunity to try their hands at cooking their favorite Italian food.

Hilton is offering several wonderful packages starting from $429.00 (excluding tax and gratuity) for two. This is something that is not to be missed, especially since the package includes a five-course dinner and a goodie bag on Saturday. The only catch however is to make reservations before February 23, 2010.
Time is of essence if you want to take advantage of this opportunity. Go ahead and enjoy the Italian weekend, it is time for some post-valentine celebrations.

Basic Travel Conveniences get a price tag!!!

I have seldom traveled in air. The longest air journey I have undertaken thus far in my life was when I came from my home country. Since then I have flown three times within the US, once each to California, New Jersey, and Detroit. Every time I flew I was offered a courtesy blanket and pillow to relax in the pretty basic economy seats. Today I read on MSN that one of the leading airlines in the US, American is going to charge a fee of $8 for this basic necessity.

Luckily this is only applicable for domestic flights. International travelers, specially my compatriots who have to endure the 14-18 hour flight will get these basic necessities without having to pay more. This is apparently an "economic decision"... of course to make more money at the passengers expense. In the recent decade more airlines have come into the market and hence large airlines like American had to drop prices. I don't know whether this price drop is hurting American or not, but I definitely understand that the financial guys are smart. They know how to make money on the sly and they will do it.

Statuettes at Kimbell

Last Sunday we visited the Kimbell art museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Here are pictures of some interesting artworks in their permanent collection. There are many paintings in the collection, but I am interested in sculptures so I captured only those that appealed to me. I am not so enamored by European sculptures because in my opinion they are too boring. Sculptural art from South America, Africa and Asian countries are much more vibrant and interesting. There is some kind of intrigue, mystery, and rugged aesthetics.

Sculpture from South America

Sculpture from Africa

Blog About Bangalore

When I was back home in Bangalore I made an attempt to compile all the information about interesting spots around the city. One of the reasons was that there were too many people criticizing my home town as being a boring place with nothing interesting. I wanted to compile data and publish a book as a response to these nay-sayers. Something that never happened, perhaps my efforts were not true enough. Well I recently came to the conclusion that instead of just sitting on the data and pictures that I have collected I would just upload all of it online.
That led me to promote another blog titled "Our Bengaluru". It is right now has only few posts and very little information. So I have made it only on invitation. If someone wants to know more about the blog they need to write to me to provide them access to the blog.

Vistas of Meteor Crater

Yesterday I blogged about our visit to Meteor Crater and how the private owners have created a swank shopping and educative space in the desert. This is a very successful business model which benefits the individual, visitors and the government. The individual owner of the property preserves, maintains, and promotes the place. Visitors get the opportunity to learn about meteors and other space phenomena and the government gets its taxes. It is a win-all situation from all aspects.
Here are some more pictures of the Meteor Crater. I wish they would allow visitors to go down into the depths of the crater, but since they have done some mining in the past looking for precious metals at the site of the meteor fall, they are little wary of letting people inside the crater. For now visitors have to content themselves looking over the rim of the crater and the museum does offer some guided hiking tours which take visitors half-way round the crater.