visittheusa

September 10, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, community, conversation, culture, destinations, disrupt, engine, fight, highway, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, memory, Metaphor, motorcycle, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

There is something unique when a community moves. Especially when the movement is on bikes.

On my drives across the US, there were several groups of bikers. You know they are coming when you heard the roar of the engine from afar. For a few seconds they would be visible and then they would be gone.

Perhaps it is in their hugging the road, the sound waves and the eyesight, they evoke a strong memory and serious love. Ah, what it must be to soak in fresh air and let your heart throb to the tune of a revved up engine.

(at Mt. Washington,NH)

September 1, 2016Uncategorizedarts, blogger, Blogging, bridge, character, culture, destinations, goldengate, Happiness, History, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, soul, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

It is illegal to go to San Fransisco and not post a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge. At least it would appear so, just going by the number of questions that you get when you dont post one. 🙂

The bridge is beautiful and its been standing since 1937. The bridge took more than a decade of overcoming opposition for it to get built. People opposed the very building of it for a number of reasons. Today those reasons seem submerged in its practical and symbolic value.

The awesome doesnt get built overnight! And the awesome doesn’t appear awesome when it is still in the mind!

(at Golden Gate Bridge)

August 29, 2016Uncategorizedabrahamlincoln, blogger, character, culture, destinations, dream, Happiness, History, ihaveadream, instapassport, instatravel, lincolnmemorial, Love, martinlutherking, memorial, Metaphor, peopleoftheworld, skyline, slaves, soul, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust, washingtondc

Its the anniversary of one of the best speeches made. On the 28th of August 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his “I have a dream’ speech, standing on these very steps. The speech moved America and the rest of the world too.

The Lincoln Memorial has seen several speeches. But the speech by ML King, made to commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that freed millions of slaves, is perhaps the most remembered. At least, the most significant to me.

Some steps have helped mankind climb higher. This is one such.

(at Lincoln Memorial Monument)

August 21, 2016Uncategorizedberkeley, blogger, Blogging, California, campus, clocktower, culture, destinations, education, fossils, History, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, ucal, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

Every campus has a striking image. The Sather Tower in the University Of California, Berkeley hogs the sky and the eye.

It’s the third tallest Clock Tower in the World. But it stands for far more than just its function. Shaping the identity of scores of bright people who have walked or have aspired to, walk the ground below, gives it far more heft.

By the way, the tower houses more history than circa 1914, when it became functional. . Did you know that the Department Of Biology stores it’s fossils inside the tower.

(at University Of Berkeley, California)

August 19, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, boston, college, culture, destinations, education, harvard, harvarduniversity, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, statue, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

John Harvard sits pretty in the Harvard Yard at Harvard. He is often thronged by visitors who want to rub his left shoe. Theres a story there.

But there are bigger stories. The first is that John Harvard is not THE founder of Harvard University but a large donor. The second, this statue is not that of John Harvard but another man, for by the time they decided to put up a statue for John Harvard, no one knew how he looked like.

But this, I am told, is the third most photographed statue in the US. After the Lincoln Memorial and the Statue of Liberty. Now, that is some height isnt it?

(at Harvard University)

August 17, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, character, culture, destinations, Happiness, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, skyline, soul, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust

The skyline of a city can seem so much the same. Jagged concrete structures reaching for the sky with varying degrees of ambition.

Yet, they are distinct. A level of careful observation will show you a few things. The choreographed exteriors, the conversations that hug the air and the music that is played in the street give the skyline life.

The skyline of San Fransisco seems to tease you a bit with its streaming business like stiff upper lip. Beautiful nevertheless, especially when you relish it with some cool breeze from the Pacific. It is when you step into the city and go down the valley you realise how much a facade the skyline put up.

(at San Francisco, California)

August 11, 2016Uncategorizedblogger, Blogging, boys, culture, destinations, girls, instapassport, instatravel, Life, Love, men, Metaphor, ordinary, peopleoftheworld, sanfransisco, story, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, USA, visittheusa, wanderlust, women

The couple appeared with a sudden burst of laughter and gaiety. It was a bright, beautiful San Francisco morning. They were headed in the direction of he ferry building.

The couple went past me on two legs : His. Filling the road with their laughter and love.

He carried her for a long distance. After a while, she alighted from his arms and walked. Hand in hand they ambled along.

People nodded. Smiled. Shook their heads . Some in disbelief and others in sarcasm. Yet others in some sort of joy.

The moment, the action and reactions seemed to be so uniquely ‘San Francisco’. What do you think?

(at San Francisco, California)