Wild Flowers of Arizona

One of nature's creations and human modifications that have astounded me, captured my imagination and caught my attention always is the Plant Kingdom. My interest in plants took me towards Botany in my teen and college years. Though I didn't make it my profession, the study of plants has continued to interest me. So whenever I travel I try to capture these subtle life forms and their beautiful inflorescences which are often the subject of poetic verses and descriptions of writers. Anyway I would not like to bore you with eloquent prose too much.

These pictures were shot in the Fort Bowie vicinity in Arizona which I visited couple of weeks ago when we drove to Los Angeles from Dallas.

A caterpillar which is the middle phase of the lifecycle of a butterfly

A flower yet to open up and soak in the light from the sun rays

Ready and receiving light from sun and waiting to germinate and give rise to offsprings

A bunch of bright yellow flowers succeeds in cheering you

The bud is slowly but surely blooming

Slowly and steadily, wider and wider the flower blooms

Bright yellow flowers are seen everywhere in the US during summer months

Enroute we stopped by a pista plantation. I had never seen a pista tree or the how the fruit looks like when raw

And here I am photographing the same for others who have not seen a pista tree laden with fruits or should I say 'nuts'

Great Vacations happen at Moreys Piers

During the recent labor day long weekend I vacationed at New Jersey and it was one hell of a holiday. Apart from the usual sight seeing and visiting shopping malls, hanging out at the watering holes, the best thing about this New Jersey Vacation was a visit to the Morey's Piers Amusement Park, the best in NJ. East coast of the US is quite different from the flat Texas I live in and visiting here was more than a welcome change for me.

Personally I like extreme sports and love to live life on the edge. And I found my nirvana at the Morey's Piers, the fast roller coasters, amazing rides, exciting fun games etc were the best of the New Jersey attractions. One of the unique features of the Morey's Piers is that there is something providing fun and excitement for the entire family, especially children!! The number of thrills, rides and attractions encompassed in the three piers and two waterparks is something that is amazing and even unbelievable until you see it for yourself.

And what is more, at Morey's piers everyday of the week has some special offer associated with it. For example I visited on Monday and there was the "Magical Monday" offer going on. And what happens is that every Monday of this year (the 40th in operation); some lucky Guests will be randomly picked and awarded fun prizes - such as wristband upgrades, free food and games and even special amenities and party packages. Other specials at Morey's Piers include Tues"Day" Time Special ($20); Xtreme Ride Wednesdays ($30); Thirty Dollar Thursdays and Fired up Friday deals for just $20. Now that is a bargain.

While at New Jersey I stayed with my family and so I didn't have to search for hotels, motels in the area. But if I had to I would have to just visit the Morey's piers website which has all the requirements to give you a great New Jersey Vacation. The site provides information on local hotels & motels, attractions, restaurants, nightlife etc.

Summing up I would say that Morey's Piers in New Jersey is one of the best places for not only individuals, youth groups and couples but it is a great location for a family beach vacation. And if you are planning to take a vacation before the winter sets in, Morey's piers should be on the top of your list of options.

Don't just wait and wonder book your tickets and head out for a fabulous, fun weekend at Morey's Piers.

General Patton Memorial Museum, California

During our recent road trip to California, I chanced upon this unique Museum on the freeway. Sited in Chiriaco Summit, California this museum has been put in place in association with the bureau of land management. The General Patton Memorial Museum was established in 1988 to honor all Vietnam War veterans. This unique monument serves multiple purposes for the US government. First the monument sited in the middle of nowhere amidst vast waste lands of US serves as a national tourist attraction and attracts people to stop in this small town. Otherwise nobody would have bothered to stop and take a look at the arid countryside here.

The General Patton Museum

Second since the museum celebrated veterans, the monument holds a special place in the hearts of those with families and friends in the forces. And most of all through this token gesture the government has ensured that war heroes are recognised and honored. This instills a sense of national in the people who visit the place. And every year on the Veterans Day the museum has a big celebration. Entry is free for all veterans that day and all outside entertainment is free for everyone.

Another view of the exterior of the museum

The museum contains two vast indoor exhibit rooms with memorabilia. One dedicated to the US Civil War and the other to the Iraqi Freedom (of course I'd call it US Destruction of Iraq). The museum's media room also shows a 26 minute movie which talks about desert training, General Patton’s life and WWII. Then there is the tank yard outdoor exhibit which displays several tanks and heavy artillary equipment. Notable among the exhibits are a Sherman Tank and Stuart Tank from WWII. And of course in line with US' commerce orientation the museum has a gift shop which sells books on Patton, T-shirts, caps, hats, coins, toys, magnets, patches, pins and more... all made in China.

Patton Tanks on display

The Museum is open on all days between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm; entry costs $4 (12-61 yrs) $3.50 (62 yrs and up). Military personnel in uniform are allowed inside free.

Who is General Patton?
Major General George Smith Patton Jr. U.S. Army, found the inhospitable landscape of Mohave desert enchanting and in early March of 1942 he surveyed the area and decided to establish a training center for desert warfare here. The Army’s rationale was that American forces soon would be required to fight the German enemy in North Africa.

So, Patton, enamored with the area’s endless terrain and superb suitability for armored combat training, established the Desert Training Center in late March, 1942, making his headquarters at Camp Young, near Shavers Summit, (now known as Chiriaco Summit), which today is the locale of the Patton Museum.

The Camps trained nearly 1 million American servicemen and women and was the world's largest military installation in both size and population. But two years after commissioning, on April 30, 1944, camps were ordered to be abandoned. But the legacy of General George S. Patton remains, as manifested in the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum.

Terrorists becoming braver or Indian government becoming more cowardly?

India has been at the receiving end of terrorist attacks since the past two decades, thanks to our hostile neighbors China and Pakistan and various other nations which are hell bent on destabilising our nation. In July 2008 the IT capital of India and my home town, Bangalore, suffered from serial blasts across the city. Luckily the terrorists had placed only low intensity explosives which caused only two deaths.

Within a weeks time another major city in India, Ahmedabad in the western seaboard state of Gujarat was rocked with a set of serial blasts. The Ahmedabad Blasts were by far the most deadly taking a toll of 45 people and leaving over 160 people injured.

And now after couple of months our national capital New Delhi has been attacked, early this morning there were five blasts in crowded areas in the city which has left 30 killed and 90 injured.

Isn't it time the union government took strong action against the root cause of terrorism. Which of course lies in our neighboring country and in the west? Of course people say now locally bred terrorists have taken over from foreign ones and are perpetrating these attacks.

Just imagine for a moment that the blasts had happened in the US capital instead of Indian capital. What would have been the result? US government would have acted immediately and sent their full force to destroy all the terrorist hideouts, suspected terrorists would either be incarcerated or killed. Isn't it time we Indians started to take action instead of just appealing for peace. We have been talking of peace for far too long, it is time to stand up and take action, if necessary use all means.

But then which politician or policy maker or for that matter civilian is bothered about the country. 99 percent of the country's billion plus population is bothered about themselves and their family. So long as the terrorist attacks don't affect their family they live blissfully unaware of what is happening elsewhere in the country. And for politicians more terrorists means more opportunities to appease minorities, create conflicts and make more money at the expense of the exchequer. Arms purchase, upgradation of the police, army etc means lucrative contracts to be awarded to favourite dealers and businessmen. And of course the businessmen will give generous kickbacks in the form of donations to their political parties or any NGOs the unscrupulous politicians are associated with.

I wonder if India will every become a strong and no-nonsense democracy which will be respected and feared by people and nations across the world. Or will this remain a dream of millions of Indians like me....

Smaller motorcycles from Harley Davidson???

Globalisation is changing things across the world and the impact is being felt in the US also. The most favored cult brand in the US or rather I would say the world, Harley Davidson is facing the brunt of the economic downturn in the US. During the 1990s when the US economy was booming the bike manufacturer was the most favoured company of bike dealerships and stock brokers in wall street. But a decade down the line, US is spending billions of $s in fighting two wars half-way across the world and domestically people are grappling with steep increase in gas prices, home mortgage crises, rising unemployment (6.5 percent) and sky-rocketing grocery and food prices. Historically the motorcycle has been a symbol of prestige; a vehicle of pleasure and entertainment in the US and now people are so strapped for money that they are just not riding lesser and lesser as the days pass. The first to be hit in this flagging economy has been the motorcycle behemoth, Harley Davidson. The company has been experiencing sales at snails pace and is planning to cutting back production and laying off workers. Harley-Davidson stock split four times during the 1990s, but the last split was eight years ago, and shares in end-August were priced at $38.78, down considerably from a 52-week high of $55.41 reached in September of last year.

Since the US markets are pretty much saturated Harley Davidson is looking at international markets for sustainance. They are opening dealerships in South American and Asian nations in the hope of drumming up flagging sales. But in Asian countries where roads are narrower than the sidewalks in the US it is difficult to ride the elephantine Harleys. And perhaps for the first time in the history of the company, Harley Davidson is contemplating manufacturing smaller motorcycles. It would be sad to see the big-daddy of motorcycles falling from grace like this.

Oliva's Adobe near Los Angeles

During our recent visit to Los Angeles we took a day off to look around and explore the beautiful countryside. As we drove towards Channel Islands we saw brown signs directing to "Olivas Adobe". The brown sign indicated that it was a state-recognised park or historic site. We decided to take a closer look and detoured off towards the Adobe.

Fountain at the Entrance to Olivas Adobe

Entrance to Olivas Adobe

Main entrance to Olivas Adobe - Another view

Main entrance to Olivas Adobe - Close up

According to the information onsite this is the one of the earliest two-storey Adobe (I guess home or abode) in the Santa Clara river valley. This was originally built in 1837 and expanded in 1849 by Don Raimundo Olivas, a prosperous cattle rancher. This is a California registered historical landmark. There is nothing special about the home/ building except that it is built of brick, mortar and mud and not wood, foam and shingles. The Olivas apparently had 21 children and I must say I admire the woman who spent 21 years of her life giving birth to offspring. She must have been one strong woman.
Antiquated Machinery at the Olivas Adobe

The home with large front, side and back yards is completely self contained, there are classrooms, bedrooms, entertainment rooms and a large playground too. So pretty much I would guess the children were schooled at home. What I found really impressive at the Olivas Adobe is two large plants: a grape vine and a fuchsia bush. According to signboards both these plants were planted in the 19th century and have survived more than 100 years and continue to thrive.

The fuchsia was planted by the 21st child of the Olivas in 1899 and is recognised by the British Fuchsia Society as the oldest, still flowering Fuchsia plant in the world. This plant belongs to the "Schiller" variety and has flowers with white petals around magenta sepals.
Fuchsia Plant

The Grape Arbor was apparently planted in 1860s and still bears bunches of purple grapes and we did pluck and taste a couple. They were sweet and juicy. I am definitely impressed by these plants and the way they have been preserved even after a hundred years.

Entrance to a Golf Course adjacent to Olivas Adobe

Happy Ganesha Chathurthi to all

Tomorrow or rather in a few minutes as the clock strikes 12.00 am the big day starts for adherents of Hinduism like me. It is the festival of Ganesha Chathurthi/ Ganesha Festival, the day when Lord Ganesha, son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, comes down to earth and blesses his devotees. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi.



Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is widely worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Students worship Ganesha seeking knowledge, learning and wisdom. Adults worship Lord Ganesha for removal of obstacles in their life and to get good fortune.

Lord Ganesha is also known as Vighneshwara meaning the "removar of obstacles". Devout Hindus always perform a Ganesha pooja before starting any enterprise, work, contract etc, requesting the Lord to remove obstacles in the way and to help achieve their goal smoothly.

The festival begins by installtion and consecration of an idol of Lord Ganesha which is ceremonially worshipped by offerings of Modak (sweet made of jaggery and coconut), fruits and flowers.

While the festival is celebrated all over India, it is most popular in Maharashtra,Goa (Biggest festival for Konkani people all over the world), Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Outside India, it is celebrated by Newars in Nepal.

A note of warning though, if anyone catches a glimpse of the Moon on this day, he/ she will face bad luck.

Clicksmart - the best online business directory

In this day and age of convergence there is an overload of information and not all of it is useful. For example a simple search on the internet for anything will throw up thousands of websites as possible matches. It is very difficult to find out which site has the information that you are looking for. I have found it very difficult to find the right property or real estate agent through a plain internet search.

During one of my searches on the internet I visited Click Smart, a unique online directory of professionals, businesses and service providers. On click smart I found the perfect Atlanta realtor who helped me identify and buy the home of my dreams. After that I have used the site for an array of searches and have found it very reliable everytime.

Recently I was looking for a company which executes Landscaping in Atlanta and guess where I went to search for the right option? You got it, I went to clicksmart.com and found the right Atlanta Landscaping company which helped me in my work.

I am completely convinced about the website now and will be depending upon it for any future requirement of real estate or landscaping or related services.

Fort Bowie, Arizona

During our road trip to Los Angeles we stopped by at Fort Bowie in Arizona. This used to be one of the key links in the days of rail road and when the white European invaders were fighting the Native Americans in a bid to take possession of this continent-sized country. Getting to Fort Bowie involves a 1.5 mile walk through a open grassland surrounded by mountains and one has to ford couple of streams too. Paucity of time prevented us from getting to the actual fort but nevertheless we did about 0.5 miles on the trail and retraced our steps. Here are some pictures of Fort Bowie trail..

At the beginning of the Fort Bowie Trail

According to the official site of Fort Bowie National Historical Site, this was the location of immense military action and a location which commemorates the "bitter conflict between Chiricahua Apaches and the U.S. military - a lasting monument to the bravery and endurance of U.S. soldiers in paving the way for settlement and the taming of the western frontier. It provides insight into a "clash of cultures," a young nation in pursuit of "manifest destiny," and the hunter/gatherer society fighting to preserve its existence."

The site further states that this site was the center of military operations between the Native Americans and the European Settlers. Quite expectedly the ill-equipped and simple native americans couldn't stand for long against the well equipped and cunning European forces who forced them to surrender in 1886. Did the Europeans leave the surrendered Native Americans alone? No way, in a bid to further humiliate them and alienate them from their land, the Chiricahuas were banished from Arizona to Florida and Alabama.

If I were to inherit this kind of legacy of ruthless murder, plundering and displacement of natives to take over their land and natural wealth to build settlements, I would be totally ashamed of my history. But here this kind of practice of annihilating entire civilisations, cultures and tribes is celebrated and praised. No wonder these people didn't bat an eyelid while dropping the Atom bomb on Japan during WW II or battering up Iraq recently or supporting Islamic militancy in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of the world.

Anyway coming back to Fort Bowie and its serene nature friendly surroundings. Sited in the southeast corner of Arizona state, Fort Bowie's trails range from 4,550 to 5,250 ft asl, and hosts over 65 mammal, 30 reptile and 150 bird species in the area. The trail passes through tall hills and the vast plains are careted with bushes, shrubs and grasses. The entire national park area hosts 471 plant species including several uniquely different flowers, cacti etc. The highest point in the mountain range and national park is a mountain known as Helen's dome. This is a granite rock formation which was used as landmark by travellers during olden days to guide them to the fort.

The entire area is overrun by several streams which run during monsoon and dry up in the warm summer months. There are numerous boards which warn visitors not to go ahead if it is raining or if the road is flooded etc. Apparently when water flows it is quite dangerous.

The first stream which we crossed enroute Fort Bowie

Another stream crossing, there are boards advising people to turn back if these streams are flowing in full capacity

Beautiful flowering plants dot the trail

Arizona is the state of cacti and this is one of the unique varieties found here

Trail facade.... long way through the wilderness to Fort Bowie

Bright yellow flowers cheer the visitors soul

Another uniquely different cactus plant

A 100% dried up tree on the trail

Remains of old buildings along the fort bowie trail

Overview of the Fort Bowie Trail

Beauty of Nature's creations

During my recent visit to California we stopped by at the Malibou temple. The temple is a beautiful white structure built as per South Indian style of architecture. But this post is not about the temple, it is about the antics of a squirrel I saw in the temple parking lot. This little creature was enjoying the summer prancing around the cars, bushes and trees in the open. It was a delight to watch this creature enjoying itself in nature without a care in the world. I tried to capture some of its interesting antics in my camera. Here are some of the better pictures...

The first sighting: squirrel looking for food scraps in the parking lot

As soon as the squirrel saw us walking, it scampered across the tarmac for cover

Stopped on the ledge ready to spring, waiting to see what we were upto

Trying to take cover or looking for food inside a car bumper

After roaming around parked cars, the squirrel came back to pose for pictures

Lonely highways and oil wells

Last week as we returned from Los Angeles on I-10 and I-20 through vast tracts of uninhabited wilderness and open country, I noticed several new machinery and different types of sights along the road. The most common sight around Midland, Tx was hundreds of oil and natural gas wells. These were working away incessently drawing natural gas from the depths of the earth and sendint it for consumption.

These oil wells go as deep as 10,000 ft or even more into the earth. But on the surface what is seen is a small metal contraption which keeps turning round and round day in and day out without stopping for any rest or respite.

For those of you like me who haven't seen a real oil well here are some pictures of the oil rigs I saw in Texas.