Amazing Force Of Water Has Created This Natural Wonder!

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 I read this quote somewhere recently and then decided to write about the Grand Canyon immediately...I had been postponing it for sometime now! Now, the quote:

A soft nature of a person does not mean weakness.
Remember: Nothing is softer than water, but its force can break the strongest of rocks...

This is what has happened here in the Grand Canyon! The force of water of the Colorado river had cut through the rocks and flown everywhere.  So many shapes and sizes in the rocks can be seen now!

I became familiar with the name 'Grand Canyon' long back, in VCR days from watching the movie 'Mckenna's Gold'.  I was amazed looking at the grandeur of the rocky area.  But never thought that I would visit the place one day. We keep on watching this movie again and again...my husband's favourite.  The song from the movie is here.  You can see the rocky desert clearly in the song.  The song is my son's favourite, he was in school then!

Now, to the Wiki link:

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).^[1] Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon are the subject of debate by geologists, recent evidence suggests that the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.

The Eagle Point at the Grand Canyon (Arizona, U.S.).  The rock in the centre resembles an eagle with its wings in the flying posture! This is the best area in the Canyon...the shapes are amazing! Click on the picture to have a good view pl.

We went there by tourist bus.  The guide had shown a film clip of the Grand Canyon before reaching the place.  Still, I never expected this amazing scenery.  When we reached the place, we were tagged in our wrists and for $200, we were picked up by the helicopter.  This was my first helicopter ride.  I was a bit nervous in the beginning.  But once I started watching the scenery and clicking them, my fear was gone! The amazing scenery was overwhelming!

The machine went in between rocks, went down and up...great experience. Later on I came to know that this is a smooth rocky area.  We were taken by bus later...half an hour drive to the Eagle rock, which was breathtakingly beautiful!

After the chopper ride, we were taken by boat on the river for half an hour.  We could watch the rocks closely! The river flowed smoothly without much movements.  The water was 10-15ft deep in the middle of the river, the boat woman said! The chopper had dropped us near the bank and the boat took over for the ride for half an hour and brought us back.  Then we were taken to the Eagle point by their bus!

This photo was taken from the helicopter we travelled by! You can see another helicopter also in the picture!

It is really amazing watching these rocks!

We went by helicopter first and the ticket included boat ride too! You can see other boats too!

The famous Colorado river! The colour of the water was brown everywhere.  You can notice the green growth on the rocks!

This was taken from the boat! It was mid afternoon when we were here and the weather was quite hot! Click on the photos to have a better view!

Lunch was included in the fare.  We had Greek Veg. salad, potato chips and an orange plus water bottle! We had lunch at a dining area...a hut-like beautiful area. We saw many sparrows! Some sea gulls too! Black bigger sized crows which are called Raven here, were seen...many were there.
 

Looks like small small temples!

The river becomes narrow here.

The hollow is scary! We could have gone for a skywalk.  It is an artificial projected platform  where the floor is transparent and we can see the depth/floor of the canyon here!

Another angle at the Eagle point.  People were going near the edge and taking photographs.  We didn't have enough guts.  Look at the vegetation even on the dry rocks.  California has got drought now for the past 4-5 years.  Still...

The dining area.  Many sparrows were there for eating bread crumbs and other food particles!

A little bigger sized crows which are called Raven were seen here!

I think this tour will stay in my memory for the great Grand Canyon rocks and the helicopter ride! I admire the Colorado river too which flows so silently now but had created this Canyon here with its force from the past millions of years!


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Glimpses Of Our U.S.Trip! The University Of Berkeley, California!

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I had already started writing about this trip and am continuing now! This post is about the University of California, Berkeley! There are so many things to write about this place...maybe later! First, the Clock tower!

Sather Tower (Bell & Clock Tower), sort of a symbol for UC Berkeley! The booming sound of the bells are lovely!

One more picture of the Clock tower.

The Carillon, an instrument, which the students play at 12pm and 6 pm everyday. Evening sunlight is reflecting here...The room is closed and I took this picture through the glass.

I saw these huge bells on the 7th floor, I think and it is not easy to stand nearby when it starts ringing I was told. (Link) By the time I reached this place, the music and the ringing of the bells were over:(

Hear the music now.  I heard it from outside and it was over when I reached the lift to reach the tower! Pleasing music! I got a clip from 'you tube'. Thank you, children! It is awesome!



 One more link of the Carillon music!

We visited this campus 2-3 times when we were there at Berkeley.  Every time we visited, I used to notice this tall tower.  I went inside once and saw the famous musical instrument.  The students play the organ twice a day, once at 12 pm and then at 6 pm.  No, once more in the early morning, it seems! I missed it by a few minutes but still went up and viewed the surrounding areas through the top floor (7th floor) of this tower.  We have to climb a few steps to reach the top after going by the lift upto the 7th floor, if I remember correctly. Some interesting details of the tower:

It was completed in 1914 and first opened to the public in 1917. The tower stands 307 feet (93.6 m) tall, making it the third tallest bell and clock-tower in the world. It was designed by John Galen Howard, founder of the College of Environmental Design and it marks a secondary axis in his original Beaux-Arts   campus plan. Since then, it has been a major point of orientation in almost every campus master plan. The tower has seven floors, with an observation deck on the eighth floor. Some floors are used to store fossils.
For more details, read the wiki link here.

Very old type of machine for the clock which is still going strong!

I was fascinated by this clock tower and so more details for you!

View from the tower!

I think I will write about the very old sculpture of the Football players which attracted our attention, as soon as we entered the University.  This post is about the view of the parent.  Everything was new for us! Children who are studying here are very lucky! My son and now my grand niece are among them!

More than 100 year old sculpture which is called 'Football players'

The Wiki says: "The Football Players" was created in the mid-1890s by Douglas Tilden, a prominent artist with many connections to Berkeley. Tilden was deaf and, as a child, came to live at the California School for the Deaf, which used to be located on the grounds where the Clark Kerr Campus stands today.

One more attraction here was the famous Berkeley University squirrels! We went inside the campus and were waiting for my grand niece.  Suddenly I heard some sound from behind us...we were sitting on a tree trunk.  We turned around and saw one man making sounds with his lips and talking to someone in a false voice or say, like we talk to our children! We saw that nobody was there.  Then he asked us to turn around...we did so reluctantly and then we saw them...the squirrels! They were climbing up his body and were perching on his shoulders and taking something from his fingers! As you know we are hard core animal lovers.  When I saw him for the first time, I told my husband that he is talking like Robin Williams  who is a very good mimic (my favourite).  He gave us some almond bars and asked us to feed them.  The bars were organic, he said.  I decided then and there that I would bring the bars next time and feed them and did so later.  He loved his squirrel babies, I could see! He must be doing this everyday, I felt.  

Now, to the squirrels:

Husband is feeding the famous Berkeley squirrel! This one was sitting on his lap and eating, later! They are used to humans, I am sure!

The height of enjoyment on that day was, my grand niece's thayir saadam (curd rice) which we had missed during our trip!

She had prepared the curd rice not only with curd but with lots of love, we could feel/taste it!

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Cycles, The Most Convenient Transport!

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We had been to the United States, last October.  I am writing about our visits to different places over there in different posts.  Still many are to come!

Until I saw these cycle stands in many places,  students and even elderly people using cycles in the States, I thought that cycle was prominent only in China than other countries.  Many students ride on the platform too! It was a happy sight. 

We noticed cycle stands like these in many places.  This photo is from an SFO roadside. Cycles are available for rent too, it seems!

We stayed at Berkeley and visited San Francisco often via BART Railways.  The inside of the compartment had separate place for parking cycles!

Another cycle stand at Berkeley

Cars also had attachments like this to carry cycles.  They come to the trekking areas etc.  by car and use their cycles to roam to other places inside the woods, hills etc.  We saw cars like these in the parking areas of Muir woods. We saw extra attachments for taking cycles in the local buses too...on the front side of the buses! Many people use cycles here, which made me very happy...no pollution plus exercise!

My son who studied at the Berkeley University and now my niece also is studying...say that nearly all students have cycles, some students use geared cycles too.  I saw many students and teachers too using cycles inside the college campus.  Good exercise to stay fit!

While writing this post, my son called from there.  He laughingly said that he lost two cycles at Berkeley.  Cycle theft is famous there than other thefts.  

I wonder why our children are not using them now! My sons were going to school by cycles.  Now, children mostly use school bus.  But for that, they have to start early to school.  The bus has to cover many areas to pick up students.  They come back from school also very late in the evening. When my sons were admitted in school in Chennai, the Principal said that he would admit them in his school if we find a house within 5 Kms. radius from the school.  We did that!

Hope things will change one day and everybody realize the importance of cycles! I know that parents are worried about our erratic traffic.  Well...keep this point in mind! Let the children use cycles to go to nearby places at least!

Be happy and stay fit!

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Wordless Wednesday!

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I Was Stunned, Looking At These Great Works!

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We went to this Asian Art museum in San Francisco (US) last month.  My son and grand niece were insisting  us to see this museum.  And thank god, we did!    This museum has got artifacts from the B.C. era., from Arabian countries, China, Tibet, Japan, Turkey and India.  Let me first post  a couple of the best Buddhist sculptures, I admired there and still remains in my mind.

I clicked this sculpture in different angles.  This is called the sculpture of Guhyasamaja embracing Sparshavajra! 

This is the best bronze sculpture, I have ever seen in my life!

This sculpture was the best.  Click on the picture and notice the intricate carving...hands, fingers, ornaments...

Another angle!

This is another sculpture but I think the subject of the sculpture is the same as of the above! I love the fingers, especially, here! Are they mudras? Can anyone tell me a bit more about this sculpture please?  I am not familiar with this sect of Buddhism. 

Notice the fingers, ornaments, the folds in the clothes....incredible! Three faces! This is a different one. 

I don't know much about this Buddhist deity.  So, I took the picture of the detailed description of the deity. It was inside a glass case! We were asked not to use flash.  And a staff was watching people all the time.  I was a bit nervous.  Still, the pictures of the deity are clear I think.  

I should have centred it properly:( The II page is here! Click on the pictures for a stunning view!)

This link gives a clear photo and details of the description clearly!

I loved the sculpture of our Hindu God, Vishnu also. A sculpture of Parvathi also was there.  But it was not as beautiful as this:

Black stone sculpture of Lord Vishnu.  Notice the intricate design here too! Click on the picture pl. The facial features are very sharp. I think we have seen this type of sculpture at Beluru, Karnataka.  This one is also from Karnataka, India.

Another angle! It looks so beautiful!

Click on the picture to read clearly pl.

This link has got more details of the museum. Actually 3-4 hours' time is not enough to view this museum.  We saw Ganesha sculptures of different types.  But Buddha's were prominent!

Please visit this museum to see treasures of our country and our neighbouring countries when you visit San Francisco, U.S. The atmosphere is very serene inside this museum.  This will stay in my memory, always.

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