Camping - Newhalem, WA

We wrapped up summer 2013 with another camping trip to Newhalem, WA in August. This is located in the North Cascades National Park along side the Skagit river.

In the evening, went on the River Loop Trail and watched a ranger show. We went to the Ladder Creek Falls at night. It was so spooky to cross the foot suspension bridge with water gurgling underneath.

Newhalem Area Trails information here.

Skagit River - Newhalem, WA

Newhalem Campground, WA

Next morning, we visited the north cascades visitor center. It provides a lot of information about the mountain range, wildlife and history of this region.

North Cascades Visitor Center

North Cascades Visitor Center

We did the Ladder Creek Falls trail in the morning again and took a peek at the Skagit Hydroelectric Project situated there.

Foot suspension bridge to Ladder Creek Falls

Skagit Hydroelectric project

Camping - Nehalem Bay State Park and Cannon Beach, OR

After our camping at Cape Disappointment State Park, WA in 2011, we had been wanting to go there again. This summer we went to 'Nehalem Bay State Park' (this one is in OR) a little south of Cape Disappointment State Park. We camped there one night and stopped at Cannon Beach on our way back to WA.

This park is also by the beach. We could walk to the beach from our camp site. The beach was beautiful. Call me crazy, but I like the enigmatic and poignant Pacific Northwest beaches better than the hot, vibrant Florida beaches. 

The campsite had great facilities - water and electricity are hooked to each camp site. 

We would definitely go back here.

Nehalem Bay Beach, OR

Nehalem Bay Beach, OR

View point on the way to Cannon Beach from Nehalem Bay

Cannon Beach, OR

Road Trip - John Day Fossil Monument, OR

Beginning of July we went on a road trip to John Day Fossil Monument, OR. We stayed in a small town called John Day few miles east of the monument. From Seattle, we drove to Kennewick in Eastern Washington and then drove south from there. The drive from Kennewick to John day was an undulating terrain with multiple mountains and prairies. The monument is in the middle of nowhere.

The monument is divided into three geographically separate units spread across a vast area. Plant and animal fossils found here date back to 44 million years to the 'age of the mammals'. The Sheep Rock Unit has a paleontology center with fossils on display. I am amazed at the number of fossils that has been found here. This is probably the first time I have seen animal, plant fossils and so many geologically variant rock formations in the place it really happened and not in some museum. 

We managed to cover all three units in one day. The Park Trail map that you can get in the paleontology center, illustrates the different trails in each unit. We explored 2 or 3 in each of them. There were interpretive signs on some and some looked like work is in progress. It is a good idea to pack lunch as there are not much options to eat once you leave John Day.

Sheep Rock Unit

Clarno Unit

Clarno Unit

The painted hills unit was beautiful and its geology fascinating.

Painted Hills Unit

Painted Hills Unit

Painted Hills Unit

Painted Hills Unit

You can find more information about this place here. The next day we made our way back to WA - stopped at Mt Hood for a quick photo op and drove along the imposing Columbia River.

I want to visit Dinosaur National Park one summer soon.

Road Trip - Harrison Hot Springs and Hope BC, Canada

What a fun trip this was! We made this trip in May. We stayed in very curiously decorated vacation rental home near Hope, BC. The house had three levels, with bedrooms in all the levels. The attic was turned into bedroom for kids. The kids (and adults!) had a great time running up and down and discovering all the spaces. We went with 2 other families with kids. 

Vacation Rental home at Hope, BC

On the way to Hope, BC we visited Bridal Veil Falls and Harrison Hot Springs. The kids enjoyed the small trek up to the falls and enjoyed playing in the sand on Lake Harrison.

Bridal Veil Falls

Lake Harrison

The next day, we went on the Hells Gate Tram that takes people across the turbulent waters of the narrowest section of Frasier river. There is also a gift shop, cafe, education centre and a suspension bridge located there. The walk on the pedestrian bridge was exciting!

Hells Gate

After stopping for lunch in Hope, we headed to Othello Tunnels. Enjoyed an enthralling walk through the tunnels with stunning views of the canyon and the river. 

Othello Tunnels

Interesting Trivia - The movie 'Rambo First blood' has scenes shot in Hope as well as Othello Tunnels!

We drove to Vancouver on the way back to WA, to visit the Vancouver aquarium and that concluded the trip.

Vancouver Aquarium

Travel - Madurai and Courtallam, India

2013 started off with a trip to Madurai, for the weddings in the family.

We made a one day trip to Courtallam on impulse. It was my first time there. We visited the Main Falls, Five Falls and the Old Courtallam Falls. There was heavy overflow of water because of recent rains and hence people were asked not to be in the water at the main falls and the old Courtallam falls. There were still few people getting in Five Falls though.

Main Falls

Just Chilling!

And the monkeys - they were everywhere. I was terrified one of them was going to spring on me anytime. We stopped to buy ‘nungu’ and I had to rush inside the car to avoid the monkey attack!

Hitchhiking?!

Five Falls

Old Courtallam Falls

We also visited ‘Kadambavanam Resort’ near Madurai, one evening. We watched a beautiful sunset there.

Sunset at 'Kadambavanam Resort'

I liked the murals in the performance theater. We watched a performance, watched the ‘Ramayanam’ puppet show and ate at the buffet. Looked like there is still a lot more work to be done like parking and accessibility to the place.

Kadambavanam Resort

Kadambavanam Resort

I felt like the Mayil attam, Poikkal Kuthirai attam and the Melam are apt for outdoor festivities but sounded too loud and out of place when performed on stage. Maybe they can be improvised as plays? I also felt like the puppet show needs some fine tuning. It is a good effort and I hope they make improvements and are able uphold the maintenance.

Kadambavanam Resort

Bharathiyar - 2

He has written about a host of different things with so much passion. I like his poems which were a rally cry for nation-building, self reliance and building an equitable society. I like how progressive some of his ideas were and I am drawn to the invigorating intensity in his words. In a prejudiced, apathetic society, Bharathiyar screamed loud through his written words.

I find it contradictory that with such social and economic free thinking ideas, he was also religious and wrote a whole array of devotional hymns.

I have been reading few of his poems. I have quoted one of my favorites before, here. Few more lines I like:

பாரத ஜனங்களின் தற்கால நிலைமை:

நெஞ்சு பொறுக்கு திலையே - இந்த

நிலை கெட்ட மனிதரை நினைத்துவிட்டால்,

அஞ்சி யஞ்சி சாவார் - இவர் அஞ்சாத பொருளில்லை அவனியிலே;

வஞ்சனை பேய்கள் என்பார் - இந்த

மரத்தில் என்பார்; அந்தக் குளத்தில் என்பார்;

துஞ்சுது முகட்டில் என்பார் - மிகத்

துயரப்படுவார்; எண்ணி பயப்படுவார்;

(நெஞ்சு)

....
நெஞ்சு பொறுக்கு திலையே - இந்த

நிலை கெட்ட மனிதரை நினைத்துவிட்டால்,

கொஞ்சமோ பிரிவினைகள்? - ஒரு

கோடிஎன்  ரால்அது பெரிதா மோ?

ஐந்துதலைப் பாம்பென் பான் - அப்பன்

ஆறுதலை யென் றுமகன் சொல்லி விட்டால்,

நெஞ்சு பிரிந்திடு வார் - பின்பு

நெடுநாள் இருவரும் பகைத்திருப்பார்.

(நெஞ்சு)
...

வருகின்ற பாரதத்தை வாழ்த்தல்:

ஒளிப டைத்த கண்ணினாய் வா வா வா

உறுதிகொண்ட நெஞ்சினாய் வா வா வா

களிப டைத்த மொழியினாய் வா வா வா

கடுமை கொண்ட தோளினாய் வா வா வா

தெளிவு பெற்ற மதியினாய் வா வா வா

சிறுமை கண்டு பொங்குவாய் வா வா வா

எளிமை கண்டு இறந்குவாய் வா வா வா

ஏறு போல நடையினாய் வா வா வா

....

தமிழ்:

பிறநாட்டு நல்லறிஞர் சாத்திரங்கள்

தமிழ்மொழியில் பெயர்த்தல் வேண்டும்

இறவாத புகழுடைய புதுநூல்கள்

தமிழ் மொழியில் இயற்றல் வேண்டும்;

மறைவாக நமக்குள்ளே பழங்கதைகள்

சொல்வதிலோர் மகிமை இல்லை;

திறமான புலைமையெனின் வெளிநாட்டோர்

அதைவணக்கஞ் செய்தல் வேண்டும்.

...

பாரத தேசம்:

...
காவியம் செய்வோம்; நல்ல காடு வளர்ப்போம்;

கலைவளர்ப் போம், கொல்லருலை வளர்ப்போம்;

ஓவியம் செய்வோம் நல்ல ஊசிகள்செய்வோம்;

உலகத் தொழிலனைத்து முவந்து செய்வோம்;

...

Deplorable tactics.

Trying 40 something times to repeal it, shutting down the government, threatening to default - republicans, specifically tea-party republicans bellyaching towards 'Obamacare' took them nowhere. 

Obamacare is rolled out and this debacle, much as it is spiteful and unproductive, the list of demands that apparently went into the negotiations, from the succumbing (Republican) party is just plain juvenile.

I wonder what more tricks they have up their sleeves that they will bring to the budget negotiations next.

Watch the clip: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rachel-maddow/53302350/#53302350

Book: Palace of Illusions

I have read couple of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s books before and I remember not being able to appreciate her writing.

I picked up ‘Palace of Illusions’ as it was recommended by a friend in facebook. It is a novel idea of narrating ‘Mahabharata’, from Draupadi’s angle, a female perspective, with her as the protagonist. The book was fascinating. 

I thought it is a very cleverly conceived project. Redefines Draupadi in a distinct, substantial manner. The author has stuck to the original stories of Mahabharata, but has added a dimension that scrutinizes all the characters and events. Made me pause and muse. It shatters the facile depiction of her marriage with the Pandavas, depicts the characters more as ‘real’ people with misgivings rather than as nonpareils. The author's portrayal of Draupadi’s attraction towards Karna in the book, I found interesting. 

I feel the book stands testimony for how a change in frame of reference, executed well, can be captivating and make you see the same story in a different light.

Bharathiyar - 1

முரசு 

சாதிக் கொடுமைகள் வேண்டாம்; - அன்பு
தன்னில் செழித்திடும் வையம் ;
ஆதர வுற்றிங்கு வாழ்வோம்; - தொழில்
ஆயிரம் மாண்புறச் செய்வோம்.

கண்கள் இரண்டில் ஒன்றை - குத்திக்
காட்சி கெடுத்திட லாமோ?
பெண்க ளரிவை வளர்த்தல் - வையம்
பேதமை யற்றிடுங் காணீர் .

நிகரென்று கொட்டு முரசே! - இந்த
நீணிலம் வாழ்பவ ரெல்லாம்;
தகரென்று கொட்டு முரசே! - பொய்மைச்
சாதி வகுப்பினை எல்லாம்.
...
அன்பென்று கொட்டு முரசே! - அதில்
யார்க்கும் விடுதலை உண்டு;
பின்பு மனிதர்க ளெல்லாம் - கல்வி
பெற்றுப் பதம்பெற்று வாழ்வார்.

அறிவை வளர்த்திட வேண்டும் - மக்கள்
அத்தனை பேருக்கும் ஒன்றாய்;
சிறியாரை மேம்படச் செய்தால் - பின்பு
தெய்வம் எல்லோரையும் வாழ்த்தும்.

பாருக் குள்ளே சமத்தன்மை - தொடர்
பற்றுஞ் சகோதரத் தன்மை
யாருக்கும் தீமைசெய் யாது  - புவி
யெங்கும் விடுதலை செய்யும்

வயிறுக்கு சோறிட வேண்டும் - இங்கு
வாழும் மனிதருக் கெல்லாம் ;
பயிற்றிப் பலகல்வி தந்து - இந்தப்
பாரை உயர்த்திட வேண்டும்

ஒன்றெண்டு கொட்டு முரசே! - அன்பில்
ஓங்கென்று கொட்டு முரசே!
நன்றென்று கொட்டு முரசே! - இந்த
நானில மாந்தருக் கெல்லாம்.

- பாரதியார்