Towering Chicago

It is one hell of an experience to visit Chicago, it is a city full of ardor & vivacity. Be it then the towering buildings that intimidate you, the Michigan avenue, the clubs, or be it in the form of one of world's tallest buildings. Chicago is for high-spirited people who live tall lives :)


Though I spent just two days there, it was an experience of a lifetime. I stayed up at this friends house. Gina & her mom I can undoubtedly say are the two most kind Americans I personally know. Both of them are outrightly gorgeous & friendly. Their house just like them is this beautiful huge condo, which I could not stop admiring even for a second. I went around Chicago in the double deck trains with Gina, & experienced the Michigan-Ohio football match in one of the sizzling pubs. If anyone misses the point, Michigan-Ohio matches are like the India-Pak cricket matches, the two states hate each others guts. The pub was full of energy & I loved humming the "Go Go Blue" anthem along-with the Michigan fans. It was all in all an exciting experience to see a huge hall full in blue n yellow Michigan jerseys. Sadly, Michigan lost.

We went to Millenium Park, tried for the first time in my life Ice Skating. Gina agreed to take cool videos of me making a mess of myself in the skating ring. But to my surprise & Gina's, I did not fall off even once :) Pats self on the back. The Millenium Park is a nice park for people to come have picnics/lunches outside of the tall buildings they work/live in.


The Sear's now Willis tower was an experience in its own. I really have no words to describe how you feel on top of 110 stories, you need to be there to experience it. The view from the top was mesmerizing & worth the snake like lines that we stood for to get the entrance tickets.

Overall Chicago was worth the hassle that I got into with the airlines people later on. Of all, my most fondest memories would be of Gina & her mother's hospitality. I really wish they come down to India sometime for me to show them the same :)

Week 1 Closure - Highlight The Detroit Red Wings Game

The week really was busy. My calender looked perhaps more full than Larry or Sergei's for this week. Had some very useful sessions & met some very great people, who are willing to help you for anything. Learnt a lot, discussed a lot, roamed around a bit as the nights are really getting chilly here & we don't leave the office before night.

I had the chance to walk across the Diag - the hub area of the university of Michigan which is four blocks away from my office building. A colleague Michael gave me a quick walk across it. There is biggish M on the ground & they believe that if a student walks on it before they graduate they surely fail. Nice! I would again supplement with pics later.

Came Thursday & the team was all geared about the Detroit Red Wings V/S Vancouver Ice hockey game. I love the whole atmosphere, the verve, it was out of the world to see so many people going crazy about their home team. I also saw the Stanley Cup, sadly my batter died & I couldn't take any of its pictures. The game was really exciting the Red Wings won, & yes I did get to see the between match crazy fights :). My team was considerate enough to put in a welcome message for me on the Score board in between the game. I was so thrilled to see it, thanks a ton guys. It was a fun thing, just like in the movies. I loved it.

I loved the entire experience. It's Friday late evening & I went for a lone walk to the university campus to get a feel of the evening feel of the city. I must say, I love the city in the mornings, in the afternoon, & the evenings. It's picturesque, pretty, & cozy. Love it absolutely. Will give other updates later.

Long Flight, Frankfurters, Jet Lag, & First Day In America

After an 25 hour excruciating flight from Hyd-Frankfurt-Detroit, we finally reached Ann Arbor. The flight from Hyd was not so much of a pain as the FRK-DET flight. The latter was long, boring, & during the day. To avoid bad jet lag I even avoided alcohol & sleep during the flight. Kept myself to loads of water & all the movies that Lufthansa carefully (pun intended) chose for its passengers. I watched almost all of them, even a Hindi movie, never heard of before with actors not known, called Jasna. The frankfurt airport was boring, as it did not have a lot to do, I sure ate Frankfurters there. Though they were a bit of a disappointment too. Everything was so costly that we stuck to eating & drinking only. I am planning to buy some souvenirs on my way back, as Germany unlike some countries does have a lot of history for cool souvenirs.

Reaching Ann Arbor was a relief. The hotel was good, the weather better. My first day passed by pretty easy & quickly in A2. After shifting from the hotel to the apartment (which is really cute), I went to our Google office. After a whole lot of meeting & greeting & gift sharing, I was finally at my desk. After that the day went past with me sleep-walking in it. I just realized how bad the Jet lag had gotten me. Inspite of all the work & lag, I did not fail to notice how awesomely beautiful the city is. The leaves are all colors & have started falling as winter sets in. Infact, it is not so cold as it is expected to be around this time of the year. They are having something what they call the Indian Summer, where the temperature drops after a couple of warm days. I am sure they would stop calling it that once they actually experience the India summer. Afterthought, it might be the native america 'indian' they might be referring to.

In the night, our team went out for a typically American pastime, which involves Chicken Wings loads of them, A tall glass of beer, & a game of trivia. It's a game where most obscure questions are asked about American history, current issues, sports, etc. I would have loved the evening better had I been a little less jet-lagged & tired. I was so down to the dumps that I even forgot to take pictures of the nice bar that we went to or even the name of the place.

People at work are awesome & really helpful. They were psyched about the gifts we got them. Pata paintings from Orissa. The office is really bright & cozy. The town even more cozier. I hope to explore more of it soon.

P.S - Would follow up with pics on later posts.

Once In Love Always in Love

I wanted to make a post about how I am done with all my preparations for my Michigan trip where the temperature is sub-zeros around this time of the year. I wanted to write about how Ma painfully got all my woolens out & got them washed with EZ, as being in Hyd one never gets to wear them so they had been lazily sitting under my box-bed. How she helped me pick up the best thermals, woolen socks, & everything else that was required. How she finished packing all the stuff that I am going to take & also the ones which I am not into two different suitcases. I would be gone for 6 weeks & she does not want dust to settle on the ones I am leaving behind. Mothers indeed are elaborately loving :) With two more days before I leave, I am getting a little nervous about travelling to the US with no assistance whatsoever, but I am sure its going to be a good & fun adventure. Amen! to that & moving to what I titled this post about, though again I think I have lost interest on that as well :O

But instead, I wandered off to another blog & read some stuff on being in love & loosing the one you loved. I sure have been at both the ends so I know how it is, or at least so I think. I have lost a lot of people I loved to death, but never lost anyone I was romantically attached to another person or never had a break-up which was never initiated by me. So, I perhaps do not understand it in that respect. Somehow, when we talk about love the only angle that people assume it to be is the romantic. So, let me play to the gallery & talk about the Love that is popular. Love as many of us say is often used in a very random manner...

Ok this got discontinued there, had a meeting for an hour, went to Shilparamam, & then lunch. So, knowing my mood swings, I am out of the mood & will end this abruptly here :(