Monterey Bay Aquarium

Who in the world will not be happy to see Penguins, Sharks, Sea otters, Giant Octopuses, Eels. Sea horses, thousands of fish and and other aquatic life, all at the same place and just at a hand stretch distance? I was exited like a kid to see all these and touch some of these.

Monterey Bay Aquarium has one of the tallest exhibits in the world the 'kelp forest'.

The aquarium has one clear mission: to inspire conservation of the oceans.

It brought the concept of "Sustainable fishing" and guides the fishermen and also the fish eaters about the conservation of fish.

Kelp forest. See the diver feeding the fish.

From the Coast of Pacific

For the last few days my blog became travel blog advert sing America.

On Saturday I stepped into and felt third Ocean. The Pacific.

During the conference I made time to look around.

Asilomar Conference Grounds, known as Monterey Peninsula's "Refuge by the Sea" is located on 107 acres of protected beachfront land, within the quaint and scenic town of Pacific Grove. This year marks the landmark 50-year anniversary of Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds as a proud unit of the California State Park system.

I reached the venue late in the night around 11.30 pm and went to sleep soon after being assigned a room. When I woke up in the morning and came out, it was a surprise for me to see tranquil and blue Pacific ocean just 50 feet away.

In the evening I visited world famous Monterey Bay aquarium.

Fire place at the front desk.

View, just by a 10 feet walk from my room.

The south of the boarder

South Of The Border (or SOB, as it's known to insiders) is a unique amalgam of Dixie and Old Mexico. At first you wonder what all this Mexican stuff is doing in South Carolina, thousands of miles from its natural habitat. But in a remarkably short time you'll accept SOB as a neon yellow and pink Tijuana, with the added benefit that its inhabitants speak English and its water is safe to drink.
The mascot of the place is Pedro, a grinning mustachioed caricature topped with an out sized 'sombrero' (a straw/felt hat). It is Pedro who speaks from the billboards. It is Pedro who straddles the SOB entrance, 97 feet tall, "the largest freestanding sign east of the Mississippi." You can drive between his legs.
The South Carolina state line is the summertime starting point for fireworks, and SOB offers a huge selection. Load up with roman candles and rat chasers at Pedro's Rocket City. Outside, a 30 minute audio tape of MTV hits plays over and over without interruption.

Courtesy: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

Paula Dean - Southern Food

Paula Deen, A lady who did not know how to boil an egg by her marriage at 18, is the popular Food Network star with a renowned restaurant, a lifestyle magazine, two cooking shows and a host of cookbooks to her name. Southern food and Savannah city woe a lot to Paula who brought fame to the food and people to the city. The lady and her two sons opened a famous restaurant The Lady and Sons. People have to stay in long queues for hours in the morning to reserve their table for lunch.

The buffet Stuff.

My lunch order: Asparagus Sandwich .
A 'New York Times' favorite!

Topped with jack cheese, purple onion

and thousand island dressing on grilled pumpernickel.

From the Atlantic coast

Tybee Island: Tybee means "salt" to Native Americans, but the Tybee Island now brings to mind words such as sun, surf and fun. This small barrier island boasts a wide, 3-mile long beach that's backed by sea oat-covered sand dunes. This is a splendid venue for strolling above the ocean, watching and frolicking in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Tybee won’t disappoint those with a love of history. Tybee offers: Fort Screven, The Tybee Island Lighthouse (dated 1773), an intriguing museum, and Fort Pulaski National Monument.

Thanks Giving ( Acknowledging the 'Schneiders')

A long drive..., Thanks Giving dinner, Oglethorpe Trolley Tour, lush green Oak trees with hanging Spanish moss, visiting souvenir shops, art galleries, lunch at famous " Lady and Sons" Paula Dean's restaurant, Ginger bread houses, 'Forest Gump' bench, The 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' building, the Wayne-Gordon House(Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts was born in Savannah) the (oldest public museum in U.S) Telfair Museum (we visited Jepson Center for Arts), a walk in the historic river street, dinner at Award winning Jazz'd Tapas restaurant and Latino music...
Long list, Let my pictures explain the stuff.
This is Savannah tour Part-1 for you.

'The Schneiders - A pleasant family.

( Laura, Barbara, Jack and Daryl, I thank you all.)

(stuffed Toforku instead of Turkey and fruit drink instead of wine, the veggie style!)

The Sarah.P Duke Gardens

'The Duke Gardens' provides a place where people of all backgrounds and ages come for beauty, education, horticulture, solitude, discovery, study, renewal and inspiration.
The Garden, often spoken of as the "Crown Jewel of Duke University," occupies 55 acres in the heart of the University's West Campus, adjacent to Duke University Medical Center.
It is recognized as one of the premier public gardens in the United States, renowned both for landscape design and the quality of horticulture, each year attracting more than 300,000 visitors from all over the world. (... from the Web pages of Duke Gardens.)

Some pictures from the garden during my recent visit.

Guess. What time Did I visit the Garden?

Let me introduce Buster. Matt's pet.

Meteor Crater

I had a great chance to visit the Meteor Crater Center(Northern Arizona). The tour to Visitor Center provided me with an educational touch to the Grand Canyon trip.
The Meteor Crater is over 4,000 feet across, and 550 feet deep, and the observation telescopes allow you a close up look at points of interest in the crater.A 1,406 pound meteorite fragment, the largest ever found in the area, is on display for visitors to view and touch. The former Museum of Astro-geology has been remodeled and includes the displays on the never-ending process of impacts and collisions in our solar system. The Interactive Learning Center has twenty-four exciting exhibits, making it the most extensive and informative museum of its type on planet earth. There are two interactive computer displays that contain high-tech graphics on space, meteorites and asteroids, the solar system, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that impacted Jupiter. I could also see the fossils for the first time in my life.

DUDE! Grand Canyon Rocks-

As one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon shows an impressive display of erosion and mother earth's natural beauty. Stretching for 277 miles, the Grand Canyon ranges in elevation from 2,400 feet to over 7,000 feet above sea level. The truth is that no one knows for sure though there are some pretty good guesses. The chances are that a number of processes combined to create the views that you see in today’s Grand Canyon.

D- Deposition

U- Up Lift

D- Decay/ Decomposition

E - Erosion

In some oreder these processes (or many cycles) formed the Grand Canyons. The breathtaking beauty of the Grand Canyon is enjoyable for all who visit. 5 million people visit the park every year, and most consider it to be the trip of a lifetime.

DUDE! Grand Canyon Rocks

Santa Fe

I reached Albuquerque by 8 pm. on Friday. The house owner of Sohini, Tom received me from the airport. He is a very good personality, and a great fan of India. By a drive of roughly one hour we reached Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, a historic city and tourist center. It looks like a different country altogether. The colour architecture and structure of the houses here is very different from usual. I am trying to read into it. I will get you more details in the coming posts.
This afternoon I am driving to Flag Staff where we will meet Ms. Kim Holland who will host us for this night. Sunday morning we will visit Grand Canyons which is 1 hour ride from Flag Staff. That evening we will be back to Flag Staff. Next morning return to Santa Fe. I am hoping to explore Santa Fe on Tuesday, Wednesday back to Durham. More pictures and videos in the coming posts. I am afraid wether I can get time and Internet connection to write the posts regularly.

God is blessing me.

It was a great coincidence that when I chose to visit a Church today it is its 142nd anniversary.
The White Rock Baptist Church is celebrating its 142 strong and relevant congregational years here in the city of Durham. I spent 3 spiritual hours hours in the serene Church, witnessing the baptizing, the preachings and the prayers. The Church is really beautiful and the huge organ just above the dias is a great attraction. It is only a second time that I visited a Church in my life and very first time that I spent a significantly long time in a Church.
The visit made me curious to know and learn about Christianity and Baptism.

What I could understand is-
In Christianity, baptism (Greek "immersing", "performing ablutions”) is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted as a full member of the Church. Baptism has traditionally been seen as necessary for 'salvation'. Baptism is one of the Seven sacraments of the Christian Church; frequently called the "first sacrament", the "door of the sacraments", and the "door of the Church".
All sacraments were instituted for the spiritual good of the recipients; but five, viz. Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, the Eucharist, and Extreme Unction, primarily benefit the individual in his private character, whilst the other two, Orders and Matrimony, primarily affect man as a social being, and sanctify him in the fulfillment of his duties towards the Church and society.

I thank Fulbright Commission for giving me this wonderful opportunity of participating in teacher exchange program that allowed me to explore places, meet people witness the various events and learn about Culture. When I look back into my blog I feel proud to see the activity I could do during these two months. It will certainly make me more mature and learnt.

Walking Through the Wild Wood (Orienteering)

Hi Vamsi,
You said you were ready for the Sunday trip. I need to let you know what to expect on this Sunday trip. It's probably unlike anything you've every done or even imagined.

The sport of orienteering is from Norway and Sweden and it is very popular in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech and Slovakia etc.) It involves using a very detailed topographic map to find places way out in the forest far away from any trails or people. This is a small local event (maybe 100-125 people) and there will be 6 different courses from short beginner courses to long hard advanced courses. I'll teach you what to do and take you on an appropriate level course. However, I do want you to know that we will be wondering through the forest, it will be cool (cold by your standards), wet, muddy with cob webs, logs and thick brush and if we are lucky some deer. There will times you will feel lost and bewildered and wondering why are we doing this but you will be perfectly safe with me and I think you will have a fun adventure but it be a very different experience for you.
Vamsi - If this sounds too strange and unusual, you do not have to do it! You will need to have clothes & shoes that can get dirty and wet. I will pick you up about 10:45 in the morning. We might meet some of my students at DSA at 11:00. We'll be back around 3:00. We will be going to Um stead State Park (about half way to Raleigh). It is a typical American state park -forested with trails for hiking, biking and jogging. We will be at a camp with small cottages that are used by groups during the summer - very rustic place and typical of American state parks.
Well, Let me know if this is what you want to do for a Sunday trip.
What you need:
1. An e-stick
2. Old clothes you can wear in the forest - long pant & long sleeves will reduce scratches
3. Warm, DRY clothes and extra shoes if it is wet -HA! HA!.
4. INSECT REPELLENT - despite the cool weather, ticks and chiggers are likely to be a major problems - be prepared!!!!
4. A lunch / snacks and drinks - no place to buy anything.
5. A sense of adventure, a desire to have fun and a smile. I will have compasses and some of those e -sticks.
Micheal

A magnet, a map and the wood. Letz navigate.

Still no idea what I did on this Sunday?