West to East

One might have read more about a place, they might have heard a lot about it too or might have even seen it in a movie or through photographs also, yet they would not have a clear vivid picture of that place and would not be complacent until and unless they visit that place. There is nothing like seeing and feeling . In fact ,they would be longing to visit that place. More than leisure, money and anything else it is enthusiasm which is always quite essential to undertake a tour and enjoy it. One cannot imagine at the outset what benefits they would have from a tour also. Every tour is a different experience. It is travel that educates one about the world. It was a tour to east coast of United States of America from west coast. It was a tour from Pacific ocean coast to Atlantic ocean coast. West coast and east coast are in different time zones. West coast and east coast are 3000 miles apart. Time at California on west coast and time at New York on east coast vary. They are not the same. A clock at New york is ahead of a clock of a clock at California by 3 hours. Of course, a tour from west coast to east coast need not be undertaken by a sea route. It can be undertaken by road or by air or by train. There are direct flights between west coast and east coast . Time taken by a flight to reach from one coast to another coast varies between 5 to 6 hours. It depends upon kind of aircraft that one would board and weather conditions. Only after flying over several states like California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois , we reach John F.Kennedy International Airport at New York. J.F.K. airport is an international airport located in Queens County, on Long Island, in southeastern New York City. The airport is approximately 12 miles from Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gate way to the United States.

Whenever, a tour is undertaken, I remember an idiom in Kannada language. The idiom is regarding a person by name Venka. One night Venka overhears his parents plan to send him to Panambur. Next morning he simply gets up and goes to Panambur and returns in the evening without doing anything. It was a futile tour. It is always better if one knows something about places they are likely to visit before hand. It is always better if one undertakes a tour when weather forcasts are favorable and they are keeping good health. Nobody likes to undergo any inconvenience during a tour. A tour must be recreational. A tour is a diversion from the normal routine of life. A tour must have a purpose. A tour that one undertakes should never be like a tour which Venka undertook to Panambur.

Goto buses conduct tours on east coast. They are sight seeing tours. There is stiff competition among tourist buses. They also make use of marketing tactics like buy two tickets and one ticket free etc. They take one to attractive tourist destinations on east coast. Goto bus tour enables one to see New York, Washington , Philadelphia , Niagara ,and Boston. These are globally renown places. Goto buses are managed by Chinese people. That is why we find guide and driver from China on these buses. Majority of people who undertake tour by Goto buses too belong to China . America is not only flooded with Chinese goods but also with Chinese people. As such, guide uses Chinese language along with English language on these buses. Of course , we find people from other countries like Japan, India , Korea and other countries on Goto buses. In short, people from various parts of globe undertake tours on Goto buses. In other words, people of various cultures meet on these buses and learn something or other from one another. Aged couples and children form a majority on these buses. My wife and I wanted to undertake east coast tour. In fact, I was longing to visit important places on east coast. It is a rare opportunity too. Without visiting east coast a tour of United States of America is incomplete. Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. During a tour every participant should adhere to time schedule without fail. A tourist would not have liberty to spend as much time as they want at a particular locale in a conducted tour. There is certainly time constraints in a conducted tour. Naturally, one has to be in hurry and burry in a conducted tour. One has to be alert in a conducted tour and store more in their mind than on a scribble pad. New York ,Washington,and Boston are not the places which could be covered in a single day. Often a conducted tour is only a partial tour. However, one need not bother about either itinerary or lodging in a conducted tour. Conducted tours have certain advantages and certain disadvantages too.

My youngest son Arun who had undertaken east coast tour twice earlier in order to fulfill my desire reserved 3 seats under a east coast tour package on a Goto bus. In fact, he accompanied us during our six day tour of east coast. His sole intention was that we should feel less inconvenience or difficulty and experience more comfort during our tour. Thus, we embarked on east coast tour on 21-8-2010. My eldest son namely Ravishankar, left my wife , me and Arun at Oakland Airport on that day. Jet Blue flight 94 was in time. We left Oakland at 8.59 a.m.

Our journey to New York was not thrilling. In fact, it was boring. Except , white and blue sky , we could see nothing else during our air travel. Air-hostesses served us cool drink and snacks on air craft once or twice during our monotonous journey. T.V. screens which were in front of us were displaying various programs I was not interested in them . Since, we had got up early in the morning, we were dozing in our seats. After, 5 and half hours flight, we reached J.F.K. Airport. Landing of plane at J.F. K. Airport took considerable time because numerous planes take off and also fly into it every minute. It was a blessing in disguise. We had a fantastic aerial view of New York City. It was a big ocean of superstructures in streams of water with green patches here and there. It was a city of cities. It was symbol of prosperity and progress. I felt that New York was aptly nick named as Big Apple. Ultimately, we descended and landed at terminal 5 in J.F.K. Airport . Our baggage arrived within a short span of our reaching airport. We collected our baggage and had our dinner there with idlis and chatni that we had carried from home.

Thereafter,we contacted Goto bus people. They arranged a taxi for us . I thought it would take us to lodging. Taxi was moving at snails pace. It reminded me of Bengaluru traffic jams and slow moment of vehicles. We came across several large cemeteries on our way. I wondered how space was found for such huge cemeteries in densely populated New York City. It was more than a hour drive, before we reached China Town in Manhattan. It reminded me of China Town in San Francisco. I wondered whether there cannot be an American City without a China Town.

At China Town in Manhattan, we came across only a service counter of Goto bus. There we were asked to wait upto 7.30 p.m. and informed that a bus would arrive only thereafter to accomodate us somewhere in New Jersey. Lodges in New York are very expensive. Farther, one moves away from New York less expensive calm and quiet would be hotels. As a result, we had ample time at our disposal for shopping. Morever it was a busy commercial area also. We purchased from nearby super market cherry fruits, plantains and bread. Google iphone was used by son as GPS to locate an Indian restaurent named " Welcome to India". We were immensely happy when we reached it. In Welcome to India ,we purchased an Indian curry 'Aloo Gobi' and rice for our supper. Ultimately, Gotobus arrived and dropped us at a hotel by name Howard Johnson.We had a comfortable

stay in that hotel

Next morning i.e., on 22-08-2010 alarm clock woke us up. We were ready by 6.a.m. to go around New York city. New York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is one of themost populous metropolitan areas in the world. As a leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over global commerce, finance, media, culture, art, fashion, research, education, and entertainment. As host of the United Nations Headquarters, it is also an important center for international affairs. The city is often referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the state of New York, of which it is a part. New York is a natural harbor off the coast of Atlantic ocean. New York is on the banks of Hudson river. New York City is segmented into five boroughs for administrative purpose. The five boroughs of New York City are the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island. We were supposed to have our breakfast in New York city. An airconditioned bus numbered 2388 and named Vanffool arrived in time and we 50 people from various parts of globe boarded it. The bus was filled to its capacity. We were people of different ages . Some were young, some were old and some were middle aged. There were two kids and two strollers too. There were laptops, ipods, ipads, iphone and mobile phones with every group of people on bus. Every group had a camera or two with them. Photography has been a passion/addiction/work/hobby/ of tourists now-a-days. Except their kith and kin, all others were strangers to one another on the bus. Here in US many have two names. One name as per their country of origin and another one is American name. Mr Allen & Mr Simon were American names of Chinese guide and driver of our bus. Mr Allen was rather a tour manager than a tourist guide. A tourist guide is supposed to provide assistance, information and cultural, historical and contemporary heritage interpretation to people on organized tours. Mr Allen was found to be lacking many qualities of a tour guide. The bus was loaded with our baggages and we began our tour. We proceeded towards Holland Tunnel. On that day, there was an accident on it and it was closed to traffic for some time . We had to divert towards another tunnel namely Lincoln tunnel. Holland tunnel and Lincoln tunnel connect New Jersey to New York city. These are high way tunnels under the Hudson River which connect the island of Manhattan in New York City with Jersey City. We could not go ahead even on roads that lead to Lincoln tunnel. Ultimately, through Holland tunnel only we reached China town in Manhattan and had our breakfast there.

After our breakfast, the bus moved on Broadway. It was drizzling . Broadway as the name implies, is a wide avenue in New York City, which runs the full length of Manhattan and continues into the Bronx. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city. A little drive on it brought us to Wall Street . Our bus made a halt there. Our guide was carrying a big pink colored umbrella to enable us to spot and follow him. He led us into Wall Street. Wall Street runs east from Broadway to South Street on the East River,through the historical center of the Financial District. It is the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange ,the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is located at 11 Wall Street. Trinity church is located there only at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway. Federal Hall too is located on Wall Street. George Washington took the oath of office as First president of United States of America in Federal Hall only. Federal Hall is the birth place of American Government. Now it is only a memorial. A statue of George Washington stands majestically in front of it . It is in this area , we come across Charging bull. Charging bull which is sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull or Bowling Green Bull weighs 3200 kilograms. Arturo Di Modica was its architect. It stands in Bowling Green Park near Wall Street. It is a symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity. We purchased an umbrella there from a roadside vendor to protect ourselves from downpour. Nobody was perturbed by rains at all. Almost everyone from numerous buses that were parked was hurrying to have a snap with Charging bull because Charging bull was very attractive. In fact, many of the tourists were certainly neither aware of stock market nor its operations. I too was proud to have a photo clicked with Charging bull with my wife by my side.

Our next destination was The World Trade Center. Everywhere pink umbrella held our group together. Other tourist buses also used umbrellas of different color to keep their group together. The World Trade Center was a complex of seven buildings. Those buildings were destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with six new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the attacks. Two World Trade Center's observation deck used to receive an estimated 80,000 visitors a day. Even now flow of tourists is not less. Large number of tourists from all over the globe visit that spot where twin 110 storyed towers of World Trade Center stood.

There after our bus inched towards Empire State Building. It is a skyscraper. Due to our bad luck ,we came across heavy rain there. We under went through thorough security check up at Empire State Building. The Empire State Building is a 102 story landmark . The Empire State Building stood as the tallest building in world for more than 40 years from its completion in 1931 until construction of World Trade Center's North Tower was completed in 1972 . High speed ,automatic elevators took us to 86 th floor. 86 th floor is at a height of `1050 feet. There is an Observatory there. The Observatory has both a glass-enclosed area,which is heated in winter and cooled in summer and spacious outdoor promenades on all four sides of the Building. High powered binoculars are available on the promenades for our convenience at a minimum cost. Heavy down pour on that day evaded us panoramic view of New York City. The Empire State Building and The Chrysler building are to be viewed together. They are the land marks of New York City.

Then our bus passed through 34th Street . We came across there many important places like United State Post Office. Pennsylvania Station, Pennsylvania Station is commonly known as Penn Station. It is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inboard and outboard railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also has multiple lines that connect to the station. The station is located in the underground levels of Pennsylvania Plaza an urban complex located between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue and between 31st Street and 33rd Street in Midtown Manhattan.

One may not find more number of museums in any country than that they would find in U.S.A. Museums and cruises consume sizable portion of time that a conducted tour would provide to anybody. As a result a tourist would find less time to visit places which are beautiful attractive famous and enjoyable. That is their motto too. Our bus paused near Growler and was parked in parking area there . Growler is a US Navy guided missile submarine which was used during cold war between USSR and U.S.A. Now, it is converted into a museum. We were taken around in it. We were allowed to have a look at life abroad a submarine . We were allowed a close-up inspection of once " top-secret"missile command center. We had access to the various compartments as they

were used during operations.

After going around in Growler, we stepped into The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum which was adjacent to it . The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is one of America's leading historic ,cultural and educational institutions. The Museum is centered on aircraft Intrepid {CVS- 11), one of the most successful ships in US history, and now one of the most unique attractions in New York City. In 1943, Intrepid was commissioned. It served US and its allies proudly in World War II. Thereafter she went on to serve as one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA, three tours of duty off Vietnam and surveillance in the North Atlantic during Cold War . To day she continues her service as a premire educational center and a monument to all who have served USA in uniform. Thousands of people visit it daily. There are elevators to go aboard on this air craft carrier. We went around and had a view of various aircrafts which were there on it. It was afternoon and we were hungry. There is a spacious food court attached to this museum. It was over crowded for people from other tourist buses etc had poured into it. It was where I met Mr & Mrs Radhakrishna . They were tourists from Bhadravati in Karnataka ( India}. It was nice to meet them and exchange pleaseantries . Dear Arun brought me vegie burger. I relished it and thereafter we proceeded for a cruise on Hudson river.

Sightseeing cruises in New York City are one of the most popular and nicest things to do in city. Sightseeing cruises in New York City enable us to recapitulate whatever we had earlier seen in New York City. It also enables us to make a note of places which we should never miss to visit too. One would certainly face a dilemma during sight seeing cruises . They would not know what photographs they should take and what photographs they should not take. Everywhere we come across photo opportunities. We feel that as if whole of New York City has been floating . Here are just a few of the most popular attractions that catch our eye.

Battery Park, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, United Nations, Roosevelt Island, Gracie Mansion, Harlem, Yankee stadium, Columbia University ,Palisades of New Jersey, George Washington bridge, Soldiers' and sailors' Monument , The Intrepid and many more.

During sightseeing cruise, we had a closer view of Ellis Island. Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States as the site of the nation's busiest immigration station from 1892 to 1954. Similarly, we viewed The Staue of Liberty from a nearby place during sight seeing cruise. The Staue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island. It was designed by Frederic Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue was a gift to United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata( a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of American independence. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become an iconic symbol of freedom and of the United States.

After sightseeing cruise our bus apprached Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was raining heavily. Sometimes, during a tour weather curtails whatever a little valuable time that one would have at their disposal . As a result , one might have to skip visiting some important places also. At that time, tourist guides merely point finger at those places and narrate whatever a little they know. One would have mere glance of those places. That serves a little or no purpose. We had no time to get into Central Park and roam there. I had to get into Metropolitan Museum of Art through main entrance with the help of an umbrella. Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of New York City's most popular tourist attractions. Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes over 5 million visitors a year. Because of heavy downpour outside Metropolitan Museum of Art was over crowded on that day. The Metropolitan Museum of Art 's collection and exhibits offer something for everyone- from Ancient Egyptian Vases and Roman Statues to Tiffany Stained Glass and Rembrandt Paintings. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one the world's largest and most respected art museums . Its size and breadth overwhelms anybody. The museum's permanent collection has more than two million works of art. One hall is full of Egyptian Art. Another hall is full of European paintings. We come across everything that is rare and scarce there. We come across ancient arms and Armour used in warfare . We find there dragers swords and other armours that were used in battles by kings and emperors during their regime in India. We came across innumerable sculptures there. Metropolitan Museum of Art reminded me of Salar Jung Museum at Hyderabad in India . Upkeep and comforts at museum was excellent. Every tourist place in America is clean neat and comfortable . There was a food court and we had snacks and tea there.

After reluctantly biding an adieu to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, our bus crawled by the side of Central Park. Central Park is one of those places that make New York such a great place to live. The huge park spawns over 843 acres . Its design is an example for city parks around the world. The park boasts several lakes,theaters,ice rinks,fountains, tennis courts,baseball fields, many playgrounds and other facilities. It is also home to the Central Park Zoo and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Especially during week ends, when cars are not allowed into the park, it seems that Central Park is like a welcome oasis in this hectic city.

Then, we were taken to The headquarters of theUnited Nations. It is a huge distinctive complex. It has served as the official headquarters of theUnited Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in theTurtleBay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River. There is provision to hoist flags of all 192 member countries in front of that complex. Secrity personnel guard that complex day and night. As it was evening time and gates were closed, we could not enter into its compound . We were satisfied to have a few snaps. There are huge apartment complexes nearby .

Thereafter, Fifth Avenue welcomed our bus. Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of borough of Manhattan . It reminded me of Amaravati , capital of Indra- king of Gods in Hindu mythology. The section of Fifth Avenue between 34th Street and 59th is one of the premier shopping strrets in the world. Fifth Avenue serves as a symbol of wealthy New York and is consistently ranked as one of the most expensive streets in the world. Fifth Avenue is best known as unrivaled shopping street. Almost any upscale retailer has a prestigious store located at this street. However not all of Fifth Avenue is shopping centric . Along Central Park Fifth Avenue becomes more a residential street with a large number of museums It is on Fifth Avenue one finds St. Patrick's Cathedral. St. Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of Archbishop of New York.

Our bus strolled through Fifth Avenue and reached Times Square. Times Square is at major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42 nd, to 47th streets. Times Square is the no.1 tourist trap in NYC. It is majestic. Tour buses make stops here. Our bus also stoppped here. We rushed out to have photographs within what little times given to explore the area by our tour guide . Times Square, the most bustling square of New York is known for its many Broadway theatres, cinemas and supersigns. It is one of those places that make New York a city that never sleeps. We find everywhere neon lights and advertisements. Advertisements at Time Square are very expensive . Ordinary companies cannot afford to advertise at Time Square. We found advertisements companies like Yahoo, Toshiba etc only there.

Rockefeller Center or Rockefeller Plaza was our next destination. It is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51 st streets in New York City. It is a land mark in New York City. It was built by the Rockefeller family. It is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan spanning area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It is one of the first building complexes to incorporate artwork throughout, all reflecting the progress of man and new frontiers. It is the most significant urban complex of 20 th century. Rockefeller Center's innovations included heated buildings and the first indoor parking complex. The centerpiece of Rockefeller Center is the 70-floor, 872-foot GE Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza .

There were many more places worth visiting in New York City but we had to put a stop to our New York City tour due to lack of time at our disposal. Our bus once again through Holland tunnel entered New Jersey. All along length and breadth of America we find Mcdonald outlets. Soon we were at a MacDonald for our supper. Thereafter, we were left at Holiday Inn, New Jersey for our night stay.

Next morning , on 23-8-2010, at about 5.30 a.m. , we had a free continental breakfast in the hotel. At 6.00 a.m., we embarked on our onward journey. We traversed through interstate highway 295.

At about 8. 30 . a.m., we reached Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and sixth -most populous city in the United States. Independence Hall at Philadelphia is , by every estimate,is the birth place of United States.It was within within its walls that theDeclaration of Independence was adopted. It was here that the Constitution of United States was debated,drafted and signed in the year 1776. The building is open year round between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., though hours vary by season. Since, we had reached a little earlier, we had a little time at our disposal. We roamed and enjoyed the National park and its surroundings . At 9 a.m. sharp Liberty Bell Center opened . The Liberty Bell Center offers a video presentation and exhibits about the Liberty Bell, focusing on its origins and its day role as an international icon of freedom The Liberty Bell itself is displayed in a magnificent glass chamber with Independence Hall in the background. No tickets are required for admission to Liberty Bell, however , one must go through security screening to gain entrance to the center. The old cracked Bell still proclaims Liberty and Independence Hall echoes the words " We the people" Explore Franklin's Philadelphia and learn about the past and America's continuing struggle to fulfill the Founders' Declaration that ," all men are created equal"

After a brief halt at Philadelphia, we hurried towards Washington D.C. The distance between Philadelphia and Washington D.C .was about 132 miles . We needed about 21/2 hours to cover that part of journey. Washington D.C . is capital of United States of America. It does not belong to any state. It is a separate state known as District of Columbia. Washington D.C. is filled with exciting and memorable places to visit. The city is located on the bank of the Potomac River and is bordered by the states of Virginia to the southwest and Maryland to other sides.

Soon after entering Washington D.C. our bus Vanffool was parked near The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum on Independence Avenue . The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight , as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. The museum has two display facilities. The Museum has has hundreds of artifacts on display including the original wright 1903 Flyer, the Apollo11 command module , and lunar rock sample we can touch. Almost all space and aircraft on display are originals or backups to the originals

.

After utilizing fully our alloted time at The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and having completed our dinner , we walked towards Capital Hill . A Capitol Hill's landmarks include not only the United States Capitol ,but also the Senate and House office buildings , the Supreme Court building, Library of Congress ,the Marine Barracks, the Washington Navy Yard, and Congressional Cemetery. besides, Capitol Hill is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington D.C. , stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the oldest residential communities in Washington ,and with roughly 35000 people in just under two square miles. It is also one of the most densely populated. On the eastern front of Capitol Hill, we can see Washington Monument in the background.

After having a glimpse at Capitol Hill and it surroundings, we remembered world famous White House. As such, our bus rolled towards Pennsylvania Ave. It was parked along with numerous other buses that were in Pennsylvania Ave. We walked from there to the front of White House. A beautiful garden was adding grandeur to White House. It was fenced . We could look at White house by standing near that fence only. The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. The White House is made up of six stories. The White house grounds include the South Lawn,Rose Garden,Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, and North Lawn. Wherever we move in Washington D.C. that which catches our eyes and attention is The Washington Monument.

Though, we had seen The Washington Monument several times from a distance , we all liked to have a closer look at it. Hence, our bus made a trip to it. The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington., D.C. , built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington.The monument, made of marble, granite, and sandstone, is both the world's tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 555 feet 5 1/8 inches. The Washington Monument is surrounded by flagpoles, with each flag representing one state. Near Washington Monument , we find The U.S. National World War II Memorial . It is a National Memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. The memorial consists of 56 pillars and a pair of arches surrounding a plaza and fountain

No trip to Washington D.C. is complete without a cruise on Potomac River. History unfolds as castles and cathedrals appear one after another on either side of the river. Cruise on Potomac river embarks and ends in Pier 4 .We come across landmarks such as the Kennedy Center, Watergate, The Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, the Jefferson Memorial , General's Row, Fort Mac Nair, U.S, Naval Research Lab, Woodrow Wilson bridge, National Airport, Old Town Alexandria, Torpedo factory, Admiral's Row, Jones Point Lighthouse. Titanic Memorial, and Pentagon during the cruise. On account of this cruise we had at least a glimpse some of those places which we could not visit due to paucity of time.

In fact, we visited The Thomas Jefferson Memorial after the cruise. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington D.C. that is dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding father and the third president of the United States.The neoclassical building was designed by John Russell Pope. It is dome-shaped rotunda that honor'sThomas Jefferson. We find a 19 foot bronze statue of Jefferson and passages from the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson other writings inside the memorial The Memorial is located at the south side of the Tidal Basin. The man made inlet is surrounded by cherry trees .The trees were a gift from the city of Tokyo . It seems it is one of the most photographed sights in Washington during two weeks when trees bloom.

Our next stop was near Vietnam Monument in Washington D.C.,Vietnam Monument was designed by Maya Lin. It consists of two low, black granite walls that meet to form a wide V shape. We find on those walls he names of the more than 58000 U.S. dead and missing in action who served in the Vietnam war engraved . In vicinity of Vietnam Monument is Korean War Veterans Memorial. The memorial is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. The memorial features 19 larger -than -life heroic statues, representing a squad on patrol in Korea. They represent an ethnic cross section of America with 12 Caucasians ,3 African Americans, 2 Hispanics, I Asian and 1 native American . Further, a granite wall there bears the simple message, inlaid in silver. "Freedom is not Not Free"

After Vietnam Monument and Korean War Veterans Memorial, we stepped into Lincoln Memorial built to honor 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is as if it is on the top of a hill. There were numerous steps to climb.. Yet, people were unmindful of stress and strain. Thousands of people , old and young , from various parts of globe enthusiastically climbing steps. Of course, one can reach the memorial with hep of an elevator also. The Lincoln Memorial is spread over an area of 107 acres. The Lincoln Memorial is located at west end of the National Mall. From the top of the stairs in front of the memorial , we have a great view of the Washington Monument and the U.S.Capitol .It reminded me of Raj path , Rashtrapati Bhavan, Amar Jawan Jyoti at New Delhi . Lincoln Memorial building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple. it contains a large seated 19 feet high and 19 feet wide sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of his two well-known speeches namely "The Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address." Over Lincoln's head is the inscription " In This temple as in the hearts of people for whom he saved the union

It was getting darker and darker. It was time for supper. We had to bring down curtain to our day's schedule though there were innumerable places to be seen at Washington D.C. Our guide Mr Allen, announced that our bus would take us to Tyson Buffet & Restaurant, Rockville. Chinese tourists as well as other non vegetarians rejoiced the announcement. Mr Allen was found to be partisan . He was not looking after comforts and needs of everyone alike. Consequently, we vegetarians were put into a lot of inconvenience. We vegetarians were informed that vegetarian restaurants would be found there nearby. Our bus was parked in the parking lot of Tyson Buffet & Restaurant. We were not left anywhere near vegetarian restaurants. In fact, we had to go in search of vegetarian restaurants in an unknown place. One vegetarian restaurant was found to be closed for the day. Another was far away and was to be located and it was at that time we noticed " Dana Bazaar " on the opposite of road. It was there at Dana Bazaar Fremont we used to come from Alameda to purchase Indian grocery requirements. We thought that Dana Bazaar personnel would guide us properly for our supper. Hence, we entered " Dana Bazaar". There Mr Agarwal readily welcomed us inside.He was polite and courteous. He informed us that we need not go in search of vegetarian food anywhere. He undertook to provide it himself in shortest possible duration. He said that it did not matter even if we had no money or credit card. He won our confidence. He was really a clever business man . He disposed of his unsold stuffs at abnormal prices to us. Thereafter our bus went in search of a hotel for our night stay. We stayed at a hotel called "Sleep Inn'' in Pumphrey Maryland.

Next morning i.e on 24-8-2010, we left Pumphrey at 7.a.m. At 9 am , we arrived at Hershey's Chocolate World.. Hershey's Chocolate World shows to world how an industry would make a place prosperous famous and tourist destination. We did not want to miss an opportunity of visiting Hershey's Chocolate World in the town where chocolate making has become an art. Hershey, billed as 'the sweetest place on earth. Chocolate world was like a movie theater in appearance . Fleets of tourist buses and other vehicles were parked in the parking lot there. A free of charge simulated factory tour ride was offered at the official visitor's centre of the Hershey Foods Corporation, and a new Chocolate Tour began in a tropical rain forest where the chocolate beans grow,and it was followed by a journey that led chocolate beans into Hershey's. We attended a 20-minute presentation on how Hershey's Chocolate is made, in the 3-D Theater Lobby. There were also gift and souvenir shops, a food court, and theHershey's 3-D show. We enjoyed every minute of stay at Hershey's. We were treated royally at Hershey's. We were presented a sample pack of chocolate bar at the fag end of tour there. Our photos were taken while we were on round trip in the factory. We had a cup of coffee in the food court there. We purchased a gift pack of chocolates for our grand children and continued our journey.

Our bus gradually moved into Finger Lake region. With the construction of feeder canals linking the lake to Erie canal stimulated agricultural & industrial growth in this area. The climate is suitable to growing grapes. The Finger Lakes are an ideal destination, drawing countless visitors to the natural, scenic beauty of the region. From watersports to wineries, the Finger Lakes region of New York State has unlimited appeal. Anglers and sportsmen will find more prime fishing spots than they can visit in this region. And wine lovers will enjoy touring the 100 + wineries and vineyards that have gained worldwide recognition in this region.It is here only we come across Corning . Corning is one of the most prominent glassmaking towns in America . Corning has grown from farm town to crystal city. The Corning Museum of Glass explores every facet of glass, including art, history, culture, science and technology,craft ,and design. The Museum is home to the world's most comprehensive collection of glass-more than 45000 glass objects , spanning 3500 years of glass making history.We can also explore the science and technology of glass in a hands-on exhibit, see live narrated glassmaking demonstrations. The Museum is an educational institution, dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of the art , history and science of glass. The Museum's Glass Collection Galleries contain objects representing every country and historical period in which glassmaking has been practiced, from antiquity through present day. The Juliette K. and Leonard S. Rakow Research Library of The Corning Museum of Glass is the world's foremost library on the art and history of glass and glassmaking. Its mission is to acquire everything published on the subject of glass, in every format and in every language.

I always envy size of U.S.A. and its vastness. In U.S.A., we come across beyond every freeway another freeway, beyond every city another city, hills beyond mountains and mountains beyond hills ,and, beyond those, more cities and more people. The distance between Corning and Niagara Falls is about 117 miles. It is as beautiful as Finger Lake Region is. After 3 hour of our leaving Corning we ended up on the first of the Twin Bridges on Niagara river. Niagara is 12500 years old. 14 million people visit Niagara in a year. Niagara Falls is second largest falls in the world. Victorian Fall in South Africa is the largest falls in the world. We eventually reached the welcome center for Niagara Falls. We were thrilled to find Indian kitchen at welcome center there. We had sumptuous Indian food there. After supper, we entered the visitor’s center through Niagara park. The Visitor's center contained a movie theater. The IMAX Theater is located at the central location at the ground floor of the visitor's center. The theater is is having a a 45 feet screen. 1.5 times the normal screen and is equipped with digital Dolby sound effects. The sitting arrangement is in semi circular shape giving all the viewers a good view . We had to wait there up to 9.p.m. for the movie. There was a long queue for the movie.

We eventually was herded back in for an IMAX viewing of a movie -Niagara: Legends of Adventure. The movie was produced by Academy Award winning producer Kieth Merrill. It was shown in six languages. It was a 40-minute show. Adventure immerses us in the history of Niagara The film shows the two most daring adventures made by the persons in the past. One of them was of Great Blondin who completed the tight rope walk over Niagara River across both the shores in the year 1859. The other incident covered the adventure of 63 year old school teacher by name Anna Taylor, who was first to jump over the falls in the wooden barrel to tell about her story. After movie it was time for us to witness illumination of Niagara Falls. It starts everyday at 9 p.m. in summer. Niagara Falls at night is a truly spectacle. We viewed it from a gallery behind Visiting Center. Lighting of falls is to allow us to enjoy the beauty of the mighty Niagara even at night.

Illuminated Niagara Falls with its frequently changing pattern of rainbow colors, was wonderful. What gives Niagara Falls night such a special sight are twenty -one xenon lights,76cm in diameter and ever changing colors.There is United States of America on one side of Niagara Falls and on the other side of it is Canada. Niagara Falls contains three falls namely American falls, Bridal Veil and Horse shoe falls on American side. On Canadian side illuminated hotels Marriott, Sheraton, CrownePlaza,Embassy Suite and Casinos appear. They remind us of LasVegas. It is Rainbow bridge across Niagara that connects United States and Canada here. It was late in the night, we had to make last leg of our tour. We reluctantly moved to a hotel by name "Sleep Inn" near Buffalo Airport for night stay .

Early on the next morning i.e. on 25-8-2010, we arrived at Goat Island from hotel. It is opined that one can have a closer view of Niagara Falls from American side of falls whereas Canadian side gives one better view of Niagara Falls than American side. Our intention was to view falls from the cliff. Goat Island is the oldest state park in the U.S. Goat Island is a scenic park where we can walk next to the Falls. Goat Island is a uninhabited island in the Niagara River It is located in the middle of Niagara Falls between the Bridal Veil and Horse shoe falls. The island offers a great view of Niagara Falls from U.S. side. It is easily accessible now a days with the development of a bridge .

We came across in Goat Island a statue of Nikola Tesla of Yugoslavia. He was an inventor of the AC poly phase system. Tesla's inventions were incorporated into Niagara Power Station in 1896. The statue was erected by the people of Yugoslavia to commemorate the 120 th anniversary of Tesla's birth and 200 years of American independence. We were right in time in Goat Island. We were greeted by most colorful rainbows. We rejoiced appearance of rainbows a lot . We observed water falling from top forcefully. At many spots, water was appearing like milk. After Goat Island , we walked into Luna Island. Luna Island is a small island between American falls and Bridal Veil Falls. We can traverse from one island to another by walk joyfully & playfully. It was an forgettable experience. After walking around and enjoying , we desired to view falls from bottom. In this context, The Maid of the Mist Cruise helped us a great deal. The Maid of the Mist Cruise is a boat tour of Niagara falls. The boat starts of at a calm part of the Niagara River near the Rainbow Bridge. Access to the tour was via the Observation Tower elevator at Prospect Point in the state park. We found heavy rush of people in elevators as well as boat. We found people from all corners of world in the queue and everybody maintained high discipline. Everything was well managed. Whether one is young or old does social work in U.S.A. There is no age limit. A eighty year old man was collecting tickets from us for cruise.

We were provided with waterproof clothing . The boat took us past American falls and Bridal Veil Falls and landed us into the dense mist of spray inside the curve of the Horse shoe falls. Water splashes on us and we become wet and thrilled during boat ride. This world -famous scenic boat tour was a spectacular half -hour ride we saw water falling from a height of 180 feet. Certainly, it would remain in our memory for a long time. We started to Boston at 10.45 a.m.

The distance between Niagara falls and Boston was over 400 miles. It was a long journey. With beautiful roads connecting one place with other travel is pleasure in America. There were no roadblocks. Our Vanffool traversed through Albany , Pembroke, Batavia in Finger lake region once again and reached Clifton Springs for our dinner. Clifton Springs is a village located in Ontario county in New York state. It was a nice place to dine and rest. As we moved farther and farther in New York State, we had to encounter heavy rain and dense forests. The places were not as beautiful as finger Lake region. In order to kill time tourists got engaged in one or another activity. A family was conducting competitions among its members. We passed through Geneva Lyons, Port Byron,Syracuse, Mohawk, DolgevIlle,Canajaharie, Fulton ville, Schenectady, Mass Tp Ke Boston, Lee, Springfield, Bland ford ,Sturbridge etc Ultimately, we entered Boston City through a tunnel. Boston is the capital and the largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Downtown Boston is really the heart of the City. Many companies and agencies have head quarters in the area , and City hall and the State House are also located here. Downtown Boston is probably the most European like downtown in US, with pedestrian-ized streets, a very popular public area near Faneuil Hall, lots of street performers, lots of historic sites, and an efficient public transit. Our bus halted at Downtown Boston for our supper. Rain had not subsided. It was raining heavily.Our guide was not allowing anybody to sit inside bus also.Without bothering about vegetarians, our guide hurried into a restaurant for lobster dinner. Our plight was inexplicable. We had to search ourself in that vast raining Boston downtown a vegetarian restaurant. Ultimately, after search for half an hour, we were able to locate a hotel by name Tantra . However,our search was futile because Tantra was a Bar& Restaurant. We had to ask our guide to be human at least in future. We were provided accommodation in Quality Inn for our night stay. There we cooked our food late in the night and had supper.

on 26-08-2010, we embarked on city sight seeing. There is no other country in the world which has as many universities as US has. Through out length and breadth of US we find universities. US is a super power not because of its nuclear arsenal but because of its universities. Harvard University was our first destination. Harvard University is a private university, located in Cambridge , Massachusetts,established in 1636. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation charted in the country. The university comprises ten separate academic units with campuses spread over the Boston metropolitan area. Harvard's 210-acre main campus is centered on Harvard Yard in Cambridge. Over 14000 people work at Harvard including more than 2000 faculty. The Harvard University Library is the largest academic library in United States , and the second largest library in the country. Eight U.S.Presidents have graduated from Harvard and 75 Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with university as students , faculty or staff. Harvard is also alma mater of 62 billionaire, the most in the country . Harvard University was like a fairly big town. We noticed numerous buildings amidst trees there housing various departments and libraries etc. We came across a statue of John Harvard too. The statue was sculpted by Daniel Chester French. The statue is known as the statue of three lies according to our guide because it depicts John Harvard , Founder, 1838, but in reality Harvard was a contributor , not a founder , the institution was founded in 1636, and statue is actually likeness someone else. Further, our guide told us that one would have good luck , if they rub John Harvard's left foot. An IBM computer was on display at Harvard. It was IBM's first computer. It was presented to the university on August 7,1944.

After viewing as much as possible at Harvard, we entered The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge. MITT has five schools and one college ,containing 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological research.MITT is one of two private land -grant universities and is also a sea-grant and space- grant university. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was founded by William Barton Rogers in 1861. Its current 168 acre campus was opened in 1916 and extends over 1 mile along the northern bank of the Charles River basin. MITT researchers were involved in efforts to develop computers, radar, and inertial guidance in connection with defense research . MIT's educational disciplines have expanded beyond the physical sciences and engineering into fields like biology, economics , linguistics, political science, and management. MIT enrolled 4232 undergraduates and 6152 graduate students for the Fall 2009-2010 term. MIT employs about 1009 faculty members. 75 Nobel Laureates, 47 National Medal of Science recipients , and 31 MacArthur Fellows are currently or have previously been affiliated with the university.

Our next program was Boston Harbor cruise. It was of about 45 minute duration. Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and is located next to the city of Boston. The harbor itself comprises fifty square miles with 180 miles of shoreline and 34 harbor islands. We enjoyed skyscrapers of the downtown from decks of our boat. We looked at the cannons of U.S.S.Constitution,Americas's oldest commissioned sailing ship. We came across numerous wharfs and whales. We had a glimpse at The Boston Naval Shipyard. We could not evade the beauty of Province town,Boston Light and Old North Church. Thereafter We visited a few skyscrpers like Trinity Church , Boston Public Library, John Hancock Insurance buildings and Prudential Towers situated at nearby Copley Square in Back Bay in Boston. Trinity Church's architecture is Richardsonian Romanesque style. It is continually lauded as one of the top ten buildings in America. It was built between 1872 -1877. The wonderful Boston Public Library is located on another corner of Copley Square. Also overlooking the square are the three John Hancock Insurance buildings and Prudential Tower. The New York Times had called Prudential Tower as "the showcase of the New Boston.

After visiting universities , after harbor cruise and city sight seeing , we came to Quincy market. The Quincy market is two stories tall. The building's shape is long rectangle , providing for a long hallway down its centerline. On the roof are 8 evenly spaced chimneys , and a copper -based dome in the center of the building , which covers an open common seating area and the major side entrances. The main Quincy market building continues to be food -stall, fast -food , and restaurants . It provides food to not only Bostonians but also people from other parts of globe . It is a popular and busy lunchtime spot for Boston downtown workers.Further, street vending space is available against the outside walls of Quincy market building. Most stalls in this space cell trinkets, gifts, and other curiosities. It was at Quincy market we had our dinner. We had Indian vegetarian food there. After dinner , we bid good bye to fellow tourists. Our bus dropped us at Logan Airport at 1. 45 p.m. Our Jet Blue flight 475 to Oakland was at 7.55.p.m. We had ample time at our disposal. We thought of visiting Nashua . Nashua is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. Nashua was twice named " Best Place to live in America"

Our interest in Nashua was because Ravishankar my eldest son lived in Nashua in early 199o s. It was where he got married too. Nashua is at a distance of 46 miles miles from Boston. It was at Logan Airport my youngest Arun first arrived in America in 1994 to join his brother at Nashua. My wife and I had not visited Nashua at all. Further, Lowell which is on the way to Nashua supposed to have two Udupi restaurants. We thought of having food at one of them. That was why Arun rented a car near Logan Airport. We reached Nashua within 45 minutes. Nashua is a city on the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. There on Spit brook road we found Royal Crest Apartment. It was where Ravishankar lived. It was a comfortable and decent apartment. We were happy . Nashua is not only a big city but also a beautiful city too.We found in Nashua, Macdonald, and Pheasant Mall. We were back at Logan Airport by 6.30.p.m. We flew to Oakland at 7.55p.m. The flight was in time. After five hours of air journey, we reached Oakland air port . Dear Ravishankar was waiting there with his car for us. Thus, our tour west coast to east coast came to an end.