Here's to another year!

Remember in huge roller coasters, there is the initial slow jolting to the top before the big dive? That's the feeling I get on New Year's eve. A moment to dwell on the fact that you are about to plunge into a roller coaster ride.

Once the year starts, the days fall into their usual rhythm, or the unusual chaos that life brings, that I forget it's a new year. It is life as usual filled with it's flavors.

For me new year's eve is exciting, like the slow jolting to the top of a ride. It's a moment of calm where I gather myself for the ride.

We actually went around the sun again! That still amazes me.  I'm all set for another ride.

#ChennaiRains #ChennaiFloods

Sometimes life drags you in a different path that the
past flashes like a distant memory.
Makes me wonder which is real - the past or the present.
Responsibilities weigh me down.
A new life filled with wonder.
As I try to find myself anew,
staggering between the worlds,
my adulthood continues leaving my youth behind.

A call for help from the past life
stumps me helpless.
Memories rush back,
of cherished days, moments, places and people
of the city that is so close to heart,
making me wish I could relive some.
I scramble from afar,
thankful and in awe of the helping hands.


- My thoughts, as the city where I had spent the best years of my childhood and youth in, reels in agony because of heavy rains and floods. 

Road Trip - Forks, La Push and Ruby Beach

A camping trip had to be dropped this summer, due to rain that particular weekend (even though it has been a dry, long summer in the Northwest). Forks has been in my to-visit list for a while (erm, since I read and watched the Twilight series). Towards the end of summer we used one sunny weekend for a quick beach trip to Forks, WA.

The Olympic Peninsula in WA holds a lot of places to explore. We have been to a few places here - the Hoh rain forest and Hurricane ridge at the Olympic National park, Sequim (for the summer lavender festival), and Port Townsend (Fort Worden in this town is where 'An Officer and a Gentleman' starring Richard Gere was shot), but have not made it past the Olympic National park to the Pacific coast. Forks is located to the west of the Olympic national park.

Entering Forks, WA

After stopping at the visitor center at Forks (the real Bella orange pick-up truck from the movie, parked outside the visitor center was fun to click pictures with), we headed out to La Push.

Twilight treaty line on the way to La Push from Forks

On the way to La Push from Forks

It was a sunny though windy evening when we got there. There are three beaches in La Push named First, Second and Third beach. There are hiking trails to get to the second and third beach. The First beach is accessible with vehicle. We stopped at the First beach.

First beach in La Push is a picturesque, very classic, northwest beach with cold waters, chilly winds and driftwood that borders the beach. It has interesting, beautiful sea stacks spread jutting out in the waters. The sun was around that day trying to warm us against the chilly winds.

First Beach, La Push, WA

First Beach, La Push, WA

First Beach, La Push, WA

The next day, we did the gift shop and the 'twilight' photo ops throughout the town. After that we headed to Ruby Beach. It was similar to First Beach. It had driftwood and rocks (which was exciting for the kids to walk on and hunt for cool rocks) bordering the beach and it also had sea stacks in the water. It was not windy here and it was warmer than the previous day. It was a day when you feel a jacket is needed and when you actually wear it, you feel too warm. We spent some time there playing, exploring and then headed back home.

It was a good summer weekend getaway for the family. I would like to experience this place as described in the book - damp, cloudy and foggy, another time.

Ruby Beach, WA

Ruby Beach, WA

Ruby Beach, WA

Apparently this year marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of the first 'Twilight' series book. They had an 'Forever Twilight in Forks' event in Forks during the Sep 10 to 13th weekend to celebrate the occasion. Report about how Twilight series has uplifted the economy of this small town here.

Road Trip - Crater Lake National Park

As soon as the school was out this year we set out for a road trip to Crater Lake National Park in OR. There are lodges and cabin facilities available around the park for stay. We had booked a cabin about 20 miles off the southern entrance of the national park. We drove in on a Thursday. Friday was spent in the park. On Saturday we did few activities closer to where we stayed and on Sunday we drove back home.

Crater Lake National Park:

We entered the park from the south and stopped at Steel Visitor Center at the Park Headquarters. We watched a 22-minute film on the formation of the lake, got some information to plan the day and then headed out.

400,000 years of volcanic activity builds 12,000 foot Mount Mazama, then 7700 years ago eruptions bring it down to form a deep caldera and then years of rain and snow melts, fill it to create 'Crater lake'. Mazama is not an extinct volcano, it is still active and could awaken another time.

We drove east first on the rim drive and stopped at 'Vidae Falls', which can be accessed from the main road.

Vidae Falls

We kept on the East Rim drive and did the 2 mile kids friendly trek up to the Plaikni Falls. The wild flowers and tiny blue butterflies fluttering around them, near the falls was just so lovely.

Plaikni Falls

After the hike, we stopped at the 'Phantom Ship Overlook'. That is the first time we caught sight of the lake and first thing that seizes you is the blueness of the lake. 

The Phantom Ship Overlook

Then we started driving west and stopped at the 'Rim Village' which has a visitor center, gift shop and a cafe, to have our lunch. There are view points from here as well to see the lake.

The Wizard Island on Crater Lake

After lunch, we kept driving west and did the rim drive along the lake stopping at various view points, taking pictures.

The fact that you can actually see the entire lake in all its blueness and stillness stretching across below your eye level, on top of what is an active volcano, is surreal.

View of wizard island from 'Watchman Outlook'

There is a trail called the 'Cleetwood Cove Trail' in the north side of the lake, that goes down to the lake in a steep, strenuous hike. We didn't do it this time. Maybe next time when the kids are a little grownup.

There is a 2-hour boat tour around the lake which we heard will be operational July 3-Sept 13 only.

Mount Mazama in Oregon, is the 4th volcanic mountain in the Cascade Range I have visited, after Mt. Rainier, Mt. Helens and Mt.Baker in WA. Here is a list of all the Cascade Range volcanoes in British Columbia, WA, OR and CA.

Klamath and Western Railroad:

We had one more day left to explore and we took it easy. We visited the Klamath and Western Railroad. Luckily they had their Saturday rides open. It was so much fun to ride in those mini trains through a spooky tunnel, bridges, fictitious mini towns and railway station set up. The rides are free and they accept any contribution. It was an enjoyable activity for the entire family.

Mini Train Engine

Train Ride

Klamath Fish Hatchery:

After the train ride we headed to Klamath Fish Hatchery. We loved this place. There are areas in here where you can feed the fish. The location and the layout of this hatchery is so lovely with trees, a creek, green pastures and mountains beyond. Feeding the fish was a wonderful experience for the kids.

Feeding the fish

The tiny ones

There are lots of farms around here with cattle, horses and donkeys grazing out in the grass and goat and sheep in their pens, which was fun to spot and watch during the drive.

Crater lake resort:

The kids enjoyed the grounds and the play area of the place we stayed at immensely. The shallow creek, with a wooden bridge, canoes and a trail, was a favorite.

Book - Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

'Midnight's Children', written by Salman Rushdie is a historical fiction set in India and Pakistan, imbibed with 'magical realism'.

Saleem Sinai born at the stroke of midnight on August 14th, 1947 when India gained independence recites the story of his family starting with the story of his grandfather, while in parallel, history shapes India and Pakistan. The story travels through generations - Saleem's grandparents, his parents and then his own. As Saleem grows up he finds out that he has special telepathic powers and connects with the children born during the first hour of independence - 'midnight's children', each with special powers of their own. He also finds out about the mix up at the hospital when he was born. The child he was switched with, grows up poor, as Shiva, who is also one of the midnight's children. The premise of the plot is intriguing. The author draws a lot of parallels between what happens to the characters to what happens in the countries.

I thought I would have loved to read this book without the 'magical realism' part especially since it is historical fiction. The mysticism part, I found to be unnecessary and many escaped my mind or left me confounded. I couldn't appreciate the point of the midnight's children and their special powers. The idea, though interesting, is not brought together in cohesion. I would have liked it to be more straight forward.

The author's writing is brilliant in many ways (humorous, satirical, amusing and immensely creative) but also drawn-out and tedious in many instances. I did feel the need to ditch the book during those tedious narrations. But in the end, I am glad that I stuck with it and finished it. I liked how the story travels through history. The book draws the reader to envision the complex nature of the birth of these two nations (with an equally complex narrative) and the struggles in the early years of formalizing themselves.

Dropping of the atom bomb, end of World War II, Jallianwala Bagh, India's independence from the British, partition of Bombay into Gujarat and Maharashtra, the Indo-Chinese war of 1962, India Pakistan war over Kashmir in 1965, Indo Pakistan war 1971 which led to the birth of Bangladesh as a separate country, Indira Gandhi's emergency 1975-77 are some of the historic events through which the story travels.

I found the early history of Bombay and it's partition after independence interesting. I haven't read war stories set in India and I was unaware of the specifics of the birth of Bangladesh as a separate nation. The chapter 'In the Sunderbans' where Saleem is caught in the Sunderban forests bordering India and Bangladesh during the 1971 war after losing his family, especially was poignant.

Saleem's grandmother, Naseem Ghani's (who is often referred to as 'Reverand Mother') idiosyncracy and her catch phrase 'whatsitsname' I thought was amusing.

The book has left me wanting to hear more stories of the people during the partition how their lives were touched by that very significant part of the country's history and the wars that followed.

Children's book from Karadi Tales

This is another book from India that we enjoy at our home. This one is published by Karadi Tales.

The Monkey King & The Blue Jackal - Folktales in Folk Art

The folk art illustrations in this book are brilliant. The book actually has a small description of the types of artworks used. The first story 'The Monkey King' has a combination of folk arts called Cheriyal, Mithila and the other story 'The Blue Jackal' has Warli painting inspired artwork.

There is also a brief description in the book about Jataka and Panchatantra from where the stories hail from.

I have fallen in love with the illustrations in this book, especially the Warli artwork in the Blue Jackal story. Its stupendous.

In the land of Westeros and Essos...

'A Song of Ice and Fire' series by George R.R. Martin is an escape into a fantasy world, reflecting the middle ages, filled with numerous characters - some that you love and some you hate. It is a story replete with politics, war, gore, love, tragedy, death, glory, honor, allegiance, betrayal, dragons, and magic.

I am amazed at the number of characters that the author has penned and the many he has layered so beautifully with details. Its hard to imagine how the he kept track of the timeline of all these characters. Apart from the characters, there is the map of an entirely new world detailed along with its own history, geography, religions and people.

In the 5 books released so far the story mostly happens in the continents of Westeros and Essos.

During the time the story happens, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are ruled by one King from the 'Iron Throne' in Kings Landing. Westeros has varied landscapes. It has different regions under the control of 'Houses' (big and small), each with their own sigil and legacy. The small houses often serve as bannermen to the lords of the big ones. The description of the landscapes and some of the enigmatic and imposing castles of Westeros are enchanting.

There are also a band of cold dead creatures called the 'Others' rallying 'beyond the Wall'. The 'Wall' is the huge man made ice structure in the North, that is guarded by the sworn brothers of the Night Watch. The Wall and the Nights Watch stand between Others (their coming often referred as 'Winter is coming') and the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Then there are the 'Wildlings' (freefolk) who don't care for the laws of the seven kingdoms and live beyond the wall, their common enemy being the 'Others'.

To the east of Westeros, in the land of Essos, there are free cities, slaver cities, Dothraki lords and fallen kingdoms of the past (Valyria, the land of the dragon lords which lies in ruins now). There are ruins and there are mystical creatures.

I love that the books are written in the point of view of characters scattered around the continents of Westeros and Essos. The story is always from the perspective of what that character knows at that particular time and hence never definite. Sometimes you know more than the character knows, and sometimes you get to know different pieces and different perspectives of the same event from different characters. The context keeps shifting while the pieces come together, and that, I think is the beauty of the books in the series.

The other thing I love is the many different diverse female characters in the series. (There are interesting male characters as well. Ned Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister and Jaime Lannister to name a few. But I especially like how well the female minds are characterized). All very different, and stay true to their nature throughout. I think it is really brilliant that he was able to sketch the varied minds - their outward aspect as well as their inner monologue. The virtuous and striving ruler Daenerys Targaryen, fierce and headstrong Arya Stark, brave and loyal Brienne, vicious and ambitious Cersei Lannister, protective mother Catelyn Stark are all my favorites. All of these characters have their point of view in the narration and each of their journey, their choices, love, endurance, yearning and turmoil fills you with frustration and fascination.

The first book starts in the land of Westeros where King Robert of House Baratheon, rules the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros from the 'Iron Throne' in Kings Landing. He had rebelled against the House Targaryens 16 years ago and successfully over thrown them. He visits his friend Ned Stark of House Stark in the North, after the death of his 'Hand', asking him to be the Hand of the king. The conspiracy in the death of the hand rolls the dice for the series of events that the House Stark get caught up in. The fight for the claim of the Iron Throne begins and hence starts the 'Game of Thrones'. And you get sucked in with it.

There are so many things happening in the book. It's like looking into a medieval world through the minds of few characters. There are shaky allegiance formed, deadly betrayals and brewing vengeance. The characters, loved and hated, get killed off alike. Many of them caught in complex, deadly predicaments. And you get lost with them in this intriguing epic fantasy.

There is no one hero or one villain. (except, in my head, Jon Snow is the hero).

The question really is, who gets to sit in the iron throne finally with so many of them claiming their rights. I wonder if finally Daenerys Targaryen brings democracy to the middle ages and that's how the story ends. ha ha!

Awaiting desperately for the next book (book 6) in the series...

Children's books we love from Tulika Publishers

Here are some books that we have enjoyed reading at our household, from Tulika Publishers (their Wikipedia page has their official website) in India.

'Flower' - by Sandhya Rao and pictures by Ashok Rajagopalan, featuring 'Thumb Thumb Thambi', the thumb print boy, is a dear one. My son got this as a gift when were in India in 2009. We have since then sampled few of the books published by them and these are the favorites.

'My mother's sari' also by Sandhya Rao is an ode to the childhood memories of saris.

'Junior Kumbhakarna' by Arundhati Venkatesh, is fun. The boy Kukku in the book goes to bed listening to Kumbhakarna story from his appa and wakes up asking - 'where are the laddus?'.

Mala's silver Anklets by Annie Besant and Gajapati Kulapati Kalabalooosh! by Ashok Rajagopalan are delightful as well.

The books have a taste of India that we enjoy.

Ponniyin Selvan - Stage Act by Magic Lantern

'Ponniyin Selvan' by Kalki, a historical fiction in Tamil, is a famous, loved book.

I read it when I was on vacation after my 12th standard exams. I read all the huge 5 parts of the book within 10 days, I think, or could have been a little less or more than that. Well, a teenager on vacation, with nothing else to do, can accomplish that I think. I don't know. My memories are hazy now. It's hard to believe that I had so much time in hand to finish the books in such short period of time. I know I was obsessed, because my nights were haunted by the characters.

It is one of the books that I want to re-read in my adulthood but have not gotten around to it, not completely.

When I was in Madurai for a short visit this year, I had the chance to watch the stage performance of the book, performed by Magic Lantern at the Lakshmi Sundaram Hall, arranged by Rotary Club of Madurai, as a fund raising event. It's a four hour event with a 15 mins break in between.

There was music, singing and dancing. The sound, mic and lighting setup were all done expertly. The music, art and costume design, dance and stunt choreography were all creative and aesthetic. The artists were brilliant, I thought, with proficiency in Tamil, stage presence and command of their character. The funny, adventurous and trouble seeking Vandiyathevan, the shrewd spy Azhwarkadiyan Nambi, the quirky and brave Poonkuzhali, the beautiful and smart princess Kundavai, the remorseful and love struck prince Aditya Karikalan, the mysterious Nandhini - all came alive through their performances. They all captured the essence of the characters in the book.

I thought they had done a pretty good job in condensing the huge book with so many characters and events into a single stage performance. Still four hours couldn't contain all the major events in the book. Parts that happen in Sri Lanka including the ones in Buddhist Monastery were omitted and few more.

I am not sure if it will delight people who have not read the book though. It might be hard to grasp the many different twists and turns in the story without the knowledge of the book. And a certain mystery element that hangs in the book is also lost on stage, as characters have to narrate the events in many cases, but music and the lighting setup make up for it, where possible.

Little Women - book and movie.

My favorite book, when I was 12 yrs old was 'Little Women' - Part 1 by Louisa May Alcott (I did read the second part of the book, few years later, not read as many times though). I have read it many times and loved it dearly during that time. 

I have loved the interplay among the four, very different March sisters.  I have especially adored Jo March, the one who loves to read and write, wishes she can fight in the civil war along side her father, is unconventional, wants to do something heroic or wonderful, and loves her sisters.

I used to be charmed by the parts where Jo writes plays for her sisters to perform, how the girls put the set together and enact it, the way they get ready for parties (burnt hair, mended skirts and all), the friendship they develop with the boy next door, the 'Pickwick Club' (which produced the Pickwick Portfolio, the weekly newspaper with all sorts of articles, stories and announcements contributed by all four sisters, who name themselves after the characters from the book 'The Pickwick Papers'), the 'Post Office' on the hedge where secrets, letters and trivias were exchanged, the 'Busy Bee Society', the plans for the future they dream about, the fights, the heart breaks and much more.

These are the parts that stuck with me through the years about this book. I re-read the entire book after a long time last year. I noticed that the book had a didactic tone that had evaded me (or rather didn't bother me) when I was young. 

Re-reading a loved book, especially after a long time, there was new layers explored, there was rekindling of memories and a brush with the younger self of me.

I also watched the movie (1994 version in which Winona Ryder plays Jo March) recently. The movie bypassed the didactic tone and kinda stuck to the dynamic aspect of the characters, which is what I love about the book. The book and the movie will remain special.

In the movie, there is a dialog exchange in a scene (where a bunch of men support women's right to vote, albeit rather patronizingly), that I love, which I feel decisively sums up women's rights. This particular exchange is not in the book. The book portrays a different situation.

Jo March: I find it poor logic to say that, because women are good, women should vote. Men do not vote because they are good; they vote because they are male, and women should vote, not because we are angels and men are animals, but because we are human beings and citizens of this country.

Mr. Mayor: You should have been a lawyer, Miss March.

Jo March: I should have been a great many things, Mr. Mayor.