We were informed by Dr Jim in October that we were invited by one of our PDS co-ordinators Robin for Thanksgiving dinner and this was followed by an invitation by the lady herself.I did not remember what Robin looked like, as I had seen her very early on, in one of the September UMD programs.The entire group of DAT scholars , except the three who had gone visiting their local relatives , were taken by two vans to Robin's house on the 25th at 4.30 PM. I traveled in the van in which Robin's younger daughter , Darren ,had graciously agreed to drive us.With Lindi and his 'straight and daunting' questions directed at Darren, we made are way to our destination.With barely any traffic on the road , she was able to concentrate on fielding Lindi's 'googlies' regarding the origin of the name 'Black Friday'.Unfazed by all the conversation Darren drove us to their house situated in a lovely neighbourhood.
Once there, Robin came out to greet us with the webcam in which she recorded our arrival.We went into the warmth of a very lovely house.Her husband came to greet us and we settled down with a drink.In between the conversation with us, Jim ,Robin's husband would tend to preparation of the food for dinner .It was such a nice experience.He talked to us about his experiences in Argentina as he prepared the food.Robin too discussed her husband's passion for mountaineering and how by the early 1980's he gave it up when they settled to start a family.We took a tour around the house and settled down for some time in their 'cave' .It had a state of art music system , stuffed animals that Jim had hunted ,some pictures of his mountain climbing days and some very comfortable seating.
Robin went to get the turkey that they had placed in the neighbour's oven ' A Whole Turkey'.It was a sight to behold. Robin then rang a bell to announce dinner and we were arond the kitchen table , they discussed the significance of Thanksgiving as started by the Pilgrims who first came to America. We then sat down to dinner around 7.00 PM.They had prepared both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food .It was excellent .Both Robin and her husband had prepared every thing. The decor in and around the table consisted of artwork made by school children ; placement mats and turkeys and pilgrims made from paper.Sooo creative! During dinner Robin and Jim shared the recepies they had used for the dinner. After dinner we sat down in two groups ,one in the living room talking and watching TV and the other group went down to the 'cave' to listen to music.Lindi had a great time ,playing golf indoors.Close to 8.00 PM we had dessert.There were 3 types of pies with whipped cream;pecan pumpkin and apple.I loved the pecan nut pie.
When Lindi rode his hobby horse again about the woman's place being in the kitchen, Robin said 'Lindi I think I need to talk to you.Better still , I think you should follow Jim around.'
We went around shooting pictures of their beautiful house. After that it was time to leave.This visit will defintely leave us with some wonderful memories of American hospitality.We were there for 5 hours but we were so comfortable I never felt like an outsider.Remember, we were 15 guests in the house.Robin packed leftovers to carry home for some of us . It takes a lot to play hosts, in such a delightful manner.All good things must come to an end ! We left for our homes at 9.30 PM.Darren dropped us back with no incidents '.
Thanksgiving
Friday, November 26, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The calcite splendour
Luray Album On Nov 6th we were escorted by Dr Jim Greenberg and Holly Emert of AED to the Luray caverns in Virginia.We started out at 8.00 AM on a very cold morning.We went in 4 vans.After 30 minutres or so we entered the state of Virginia after crossing the bridge of the American Legion over the Potomac. we were in the last but one van and were driven by Dr Jim.Within 5 minutes or so we heard a big bang and our van which was travelling at a very high speed ,tottered to a shuddering stop with Dr Jim carefully directing it to the right shoulder on the Beltway. I suspected that there had been a pucture.We got out to investigate and I saw that what I had suspected was true.The last van with Mikko also came to a stop and he jogged out to our car .Then we started removing the extra tyre fixed at the bottom of the car.Raj also joined us and mikko,raj and me set about removing the puctured tyre and replaced it with the temporary one.It was icy cold.Li Heong with her red jacket deflected the traffic away from our side on the Beltway.After fixing the tyre we went to a mechanic shop where we bought a new tyre , but as our rim was dented we had to wait around 1 1/2 hours for the car to be fixed. Some of us had breakfast during this time.We had the accident at 8.30 AM we got the repaired car only at 11 Am.The other group had reached Luray and started the tour inside the cavern.We arrived close to 2.00 Pm .The other 2 vans departed for home while we just set off to the caverns.Though it was icy outside,once we got in it was quite warm and moist.
The colours and formations of stalactites and stalagmites were spectacular.Initially we were close to the surface,so the formations were small.But as we went deeper in to the caverns ,the pillars got bigger and finally in the central part they reached from the ground to the ceiling.The "Dream Pool","Pluto's ghost","Persephone","The Bride and the Groom", Draperies"are some of the names given to the formations we see.It was very beautiful.In the "Ball Room" as it was called earlier ,there is an organ which uses these formations to generate sound of different frequencies which were generated by a rubber mallet hitting it with the help of an electrical circuit.These sounds were amplified and the music thus created at different parts of the stalactities were then put on a PA system.With the colours that we saw and music we heard and scenes of the formations and pools of
water all swirling through our minds we came out of these caverns into the harsh biting cold outside.After a lunch ,we headed for home.We stopped for some apple pie,cider.... at the Apple House.A nice quaint looking shop with very expensive products on sale.After 30 minutes, we then set off and returned to the Mazza at 7.30 PM.
It was another very different experience.A suitable addition to the very colourful repertoire of experiences that were already present.
The colours and formations of stalactites and stalagmites were spectacular.Initially we were close to the surface,so the formations were small.But as we went deeper in to the caverns ,the pillars got bigger and finally in the central part they reached from the ground to the ceiling.The "Dream Pool","Pluto's ghost","Persephone","The Bride and the Groom", Draperies"are some of the names given to the formations we see.It was very beautiful.In the "Ball Room" as it was called earlier ,there is an organ which uses these formations to generate sound of different frequencies which were generated by a rubber mallet hitting it with the help of an electrical circuit.These sounds were amplified and the music thus created at different parts of the stalactities were then put on a PA system.With the colours that we saw and music we heard and scenes of the formations and pools of
water all swirling through our minds we came out of these caverns into the harsh biting cold outside.After a lunch ,we headed for home.We stopped for some apple pie,cider.... at the Apple House.A nice quaint looking shop with very expensive products on sale.After 30 minutes, we then set off and returned to the Mazza at 7.30 PM.
It was another very different experience.A suitable addition to the very colourful repertoire of experiences that were already present.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
OUR DATE WITH THE GATES
For the past one month or so we had been in contact by e-mail ,with the organiser of Fulbright award ceremony to honour Bill and Meinda Gates.We had a Friday seminar and after that we left for the Mazza as officials from AED and Dept of state came over to see our homes.After a hurried brain storming at the Stamp shuttle bus stop , we came to the decision that going over to DC for the Fulbright award ceremony in a taxi as we were all spruced up.
.After a departure from the Mazza at 2.45 PM, we arrived at the Library of Congress in time for the reception .We got busy taking photos inside the Library of Congress and the inside is like the Paris Opera house . It was beautiful . We then took our seats and got busy taking another set of photos in front of the dais.
The function started with everyone eulogising the welfare work done by the Gates.Next the award was given and first Bill and then Melinda responded . Bill Gates had a lot of statistics with graphs and pictograms to support the work his foundation was doing.But I liked Melinda 's speech more as her's was appealing to the emotions of a person.She described what one feels when , you sit across a mat talking to a mother with an acutely ailing child .It was very touching.She had a humanistic approach in her talk.After that a group of 5 students from different countries asked the couple a question each.
After this some snacks and drinks were served . As we were partaking of this , some of my Fulbright colleagues were lucky enough to have pictures taken with the Gates individually . After this we returned by the Metro at 9.00 PM or so.It was a good day - a day of sharing someone else's accomplishments.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The march to the CIrque du Soleil
We had bought tickets for Cirque Du Soleil for Friday the 8th of Oct .By 'we ' I mean Eija ,Aurelia,Carmen , Lalla and me.We left soon after lunch at the Stamp by 12.45 PM , as we had our regular Friday seminar from 9 - 12 Noon.We took the shuttle to the Metro and there a minor hiccup occurred . I used the Metro card bought for my son , Prathyush when he had come to see me.As the edges of the card were a little soiled , it got stuck in the slot at the entry gate . So I had to wait for the officer in charge to come and release it.Thanks to me , we missed one train.After a short wait for the next train we boarded and traveled for 45 minutes till the end of the Green line;Branch Avenue.There we took a Metro bus to National Harbour and at the Harbour we picked up the free shuttle to the Cirque....
The Cirque is held on a picturesque Plateau in the Harbour area.We crossed it even as we traveled by the Metro bus from the Branch Avenue Metro . But as there is no scheduled stop next to it , we had to continue till the Harbour and make our way back on the free Cirque Shuttle. We arrived by 3.20 PM. A brisk walk up an incline brought us to the entrance of the Cirque. We showed our tickets ( which Carmen handed over to each of us ) , at the entrance and proceeded inside. As we went in , Aurelia stopped short and retraced her steps to a person standing on a slightrly raised platform , at the entrance selling something. I walked back and found to my surpise that the programme and pictures of the Cirque were being sold. We had been told that no photography would be permitted , so we quickly bought one each as a souvenir.On going past the ticket checker , we entered an enclosure where all kinds of memorablia for the Cirque was being sold.We bought some popcorn and some gifts and went into the Big Top. We saw that squat in the middle of the stage in front , was a big egg illuminated in a dull light " Every Cirque show has some theme " , was the very informed comment passed by Carmen . So there was the theme staring at us ...... "OVO" ( Egg).
The first scene saw the insects waking up and getting ready to face the day.Insects of all kinds ; crickets , dragon-flies , lady-bug etc. They are awakened by Master Flipo who plays the role of a joker in the entire act. As the insects awaken , the dragon-fly got into the act and did flips and spirals with both hands and then one so effortlessly that we found ourselves clapping at the end of its act. .The story then builds up with a foreigner arriving carrying his treasure; an egg . As he gets distracted by an attractive looking lady-bug , the OVO gets smuggled away by the other insects.Having realised his loss , the foreigner runs behind the insects that have smuggled his egg and thus goes off stage. Then there was a show by the ants with some pieces of kiwi fruit amd corn .The display involved the twirling and rolling of these pieces with their legs , all the time lying on their backs . They even rolled from the legs of one to the other and were twirled up and down , as effortlessly as the pieces of fruit that they had used earlier. Then there was a beautiful metamorphosis of a larvae , to pupa stage and finally into a butterfly.It was all done on a pair of ropes. The slow transformation was set to slow lilting music and it was a sight to behold. Then there was a love duet of a pair of white butterflies , It was an act on a single rope . It was so captivating . Next came the dance of a firefly which was very adept juggling of several pulleys on a string which were thrown up and caught on a string very quickly . Then came the trapeze act by the Scarabs .It was like they were flying in the air from one end of the arena to the other . The next act was the movement of spiders in a web put up on the stage . With crickets moving all over the web as prey , the slow movement and gymnastics of the spiders was very sensual.Next came the dance of the fleas .It was set to quick music and was very spritely . All though these acts was the blossoming love affair between the foreigner and the lady-bug which added humour to the show. Then there was a display of very quick footwork , jumps and leaps on to and from a trampoline floor on to a vertical wall , by the crickets and fleas.This had some very good roll of drums . It was a feast for the eyes and the ears. The finale saw the insect world come together for a banquet to celebrate the acknowledgement of love by the foreigner and the lady-bug for each other . The elusive OVO makes it appearance again at last . The colour , the costumes with the very appropriate make-up , the skilful gymnastics and the foot-tapping music all had us celebrating the "END" with the participants.
Throughout the programme we were either holding our breathe when the different insects got into the act or were appreciating the feast of colour spread out in front of us , or tapping our feet to the samba we heard. The essence of the theme "OVO" came through musically and coloufully .
I will be eternally grateful to Carmen for having got the chance to savour the experience . With no acts using animals and with only men/women playing their different roles , displaying such fine gymnastic skills ,the gratifying feeling I had as I came out of the Big Top was one of accomplishment-as if I had done something satisfying . While all I had done was watch a dramatic mix of circus acts( with no animals) in outrageous costumes and captivating colours set to some very catchy and foot-tapping music .
The Cirque is held on a picturesque Plateau in the Harbour area.We crossed it even as we traveled by the Metro bus from the Branch Avenue Metro . But as there is no scheduled stop next to it , we had to continue till the Harbour and make our way back on the free Cirque Shuttle. We arrived by 3.20 PM. A brisk walk up an incline brought us to the entrance of the Cirque. We showed our tickets ( which Carmen handed over to each of us ) , at the entrance and proceeded inside. As we went in , Aurelia stopped short and retraced her steps to a person standing on a slightrly raised platform , at the entrance selling something. I walked back and found to my surpise that the programme and pictures of the Cirque were being sold. We had been told that no photography would be permitted , so we quickly bought one each as a souvenir.On going past the ticket checker , we entered an enclosure where all kinds of memorablia for the Cirque was being sold.We bought some popcorn and some gifts and went into the Big Top. We saw that squat in the middle of the stage in front , was a big egg illuminated in a dull light " Every Cirque show has some theme " , was the very informed comment passed by Carmen . So there was the theme staring at us ...... "OVO" ( Egg).
The first scene saw the insects waking up and getting ready to face the day.Insects of all kinds ; crickets , dragon-flies , lady-bug etc. They are awakened by Master Flipo who plays the role of a joker in the entire act. As the insects awaken , the dragon-fly got into the act and did flips and spirals with both hands and then one so effortlessly that we found ourselves clapping at the end of its act. .The story then builds up with a foreigner arriving carrying his treasure; an egg . As he gets distracted by an attractive looking lady-bug , the OVO gets smuggled away by the other insects.Having realised his loss , the foreigner runs behind the insects that have smuggled his egg and thus goes off stage. Then there was a show by the ants with some pieces of kiwi fruit amd corn .The display involved the twirling and rolling of these pieces with their legs , all the time lying on their backs . They even rolled from the legs of one to the other and were twirled up and down , as effortlessly as the pieces of fruit that they had used earlier. Then there was a beautiful metamorphosis of a larvae , to pupa stage and finally into a butterfly.It was all done on a pair of ropes. The slow transformation was set to slow lilting music and it was a sight to behold. Then there was a love duet of a pair of white butterflies , It was an act on a single rope . It was so captivating . Next came the dance of a firefly which was very adept juggling of several pulleys on a string which were thrown up and caught on a string very quickly . Then came the trapeze act by the Scarabs .It was like they were flying in the air from one end of the arena to the other . The next act was the movement of spiders in a web put up on the stage . With crickets moving all over the web as prey , the slow movement and gymnastics of the spiders was very sensual.Next came the dance of the fleas .It was set to quick music and was very spritely . All though these acts was the blossoming love affair between the foreigner and the lady-bug which added humour to the show. Then there was a display of very quick footwork , jumps and leaps on to and from a trampoline floor on to a vertical wall , by the crickets and fleas.This had some very good roll of drums . It was a feast for the eyes and the ears. The finale saw the insect world come together for a banquet to celebrate the acknowledgement of love by the foreigner and the lady-bug for each other . The elusive OVO makes it appearance again at last . The colour , the costumes with the very appropriate make-up , the skilful gymnastics and the foot-tapping music all had us celebrating the "END" with the participants.
Throughout the programme we were either holding our breathe when the different insects got into the act or were appreciating the feast of colour spread out in front of us , or tapping our feet to the samba we heard. The essence of the theme "OVO" came through musically and coloufully .
I will be eternally grateful to Carmen for having got the chance to savour the experience . With no acts using animals and with only men/women playing their different roles , displaying such fine gymnastic skills ,the gratifying feeling I had as I came out of the Big Top was one of accomplishment-as if I had done something satisfying . While all I had done was watch a dramatic mix of circus acts( with no animals) in outrageous costumes and captivating colours set to some very catchy and foot-tapping music .
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