Good Bye America

It’s been exactly one year since I landed in America. Due to some important personal priorities I decided to go back to India for good. A decision I took after careful thoughts and a decision I will not regret in future (I hope). But I had to do lot of explaining wherever I go as everybody wondered why I am losing out on a lifetime opportunity to get settled in US. Well… US is not that far away now… I have my visas still valid and I can be back here if I wish so in future.

The last few weeks in US were eventful. The same frustration and troubles I had faced while settling down here was repeated when I had to get myself detached from here. Starting from vacating the apartment, ending electricity, internet and phone connections to selling my car and house hold items was another kind of experience. Nobody was willing to give me back my deposit in time and I am keeping my bank account open and fingers crossed while waiting for their checks. When the person who is supposed to replace me at work here didn’t get the visa in time, I had to extend my stay for two more weeks in the last minute and stay in a hotel near by the office.

During the farewell lunch given by colleagues I was asked what I will be missing most in America once I go back. It will be the good long roads here. I thoroughly enjoyed driving nice vehicles on nice roads without any hassles (and without any Police tickets). Then it will be the varieties of food ranging from the Sirloin burger at ‘Jack in the Box’ to Asiago Chicken at ‘Apple Bees’.

Did I enjoy my one year stint in US? Yes… very much. Actually this has now become my longest stint abroad and the only place where I felt like settling down for a longer time. Good money, best infrastructure, clean environment, friendly people … reasons are many for falling in love with this country. The only problem I see is the longer waiting periods for getting the residency/citizenship or even visas for that matter. If our folks from home have to come here urgently, we will be helpless if the visa gets rejected. And it takes more than a day to reach home from here in case of emergencies.

I may come back again… but for now… good bye America!

Bronze Animals in Dallas

Now that we have decided to go back to India from US for good, it is time to focus on the sights in and around Dallas. Who knows if we will be able to come back to this place again or not. So spent a weekend day to shoot, well, the famous bronze animals in Dallas.

The first group known as 'Mustangs of Las Colinas' is located inside the Williams Square in Las Colinas area. There were nine larger-than-life bronze mustangs galloping across a granite stream.

Created by African wildlife artist Robert Glen, the Mustangs are the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. Water was pumped up from the stream at their feet giving a beautiful view of splashing water while mustangs gallop across it.

The next set was at the Pioneer Park in Down town. A herd of cattles (I could not count all of them; there were many) driven by few cow boys who are on horseback.

The longhorns were coming down the hill and was heading to an open space crossing a stream.

Tyler - America's Rose Capital

Tyler is a city 100 miles away from Dallas and is famous for its roses. It's been in my 'To Visit Before I Go' list since long time. More over I now have a friend, who is living and working there. I met this guy through our Malayali friends network here and was happy to know that his native place was not very far from my home town Manjeri. He is such a nice chap and his love for the Malappuram dialect of Malayalam is still so burning even after many years continuous life in US.

We started the trip at Morning and had a relaxed two hour plus drive enjoying the greenery of pine trees that dotted the sides of interstate highway I-20.

My friend was busy at his gas station and we spent few hours there waiting for his staff to turn up to replace him. While waiting there, I tried to understand the details of how these gas station plus 'you get everything here' shop is run.

The 5 security cameras inside the shop were covering all the areas and he was able to watch every nook and corner of the shop from his office room or even from his home through the connected portal using internet. It was possible to zoom in/out and pan the camera through mouse clicks enabling him to read even the numbers of an invoice!

We headed for a lunch buffet at a Chinese restaurant there and had a heavy meal. By then it was already evening and was getting late to see what Tyler is famous for.

The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden was supposed to have acres of roses of different colors and varieties. But it was the season of pruning, and we ended up enjoying the garden with few roses left here and there. Nevertheless, the garden was beautiful and there were bridal parties busy with photo sessions.

While returning, drove some miles off the highway to see the scenic country side and it was worth the time.

JFK and Sixth Floor

The top one thing Dallas is famous or infamous for is the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States.

The motorcade of President two minutes before the shooting.
Photo from http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm

JFK was on a visit to Dallas on Friday, November 22, 1963 and was fatally wounded by gunshots while riding with his wife Jacqueline in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza, Dallas’s city park.

Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza, according to the conclusions of multiple government investigations. But majority of the public either believed that he is not the killer or he was just part of a bigger conspiracy group. Oswald was murdered by another person before his trial and thus closing the door to more details behind his motive to kill the president.

The mug shot of Oswald from http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/

We spent this weekend day at Dallas City visiting those historic places. The road where JFK was assassinated was ‘X’ marked at the points where he was hit.



The sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository now houses the museum dedicated to JFK. We spent hours there going through all the exhibits and photos and other audiovisuals that explained in all detail on what happened that day here.



The sixth floor corner window was kept open as it was on the day of assassination, and the corner where the sniper fired his shot was recreated and kept intact. The museum also showcased all the investigations and ruled out the popular conspiracy theories.



Few blocks away from the spot stood the uniquely simple memorial for JFK. It was a concrete roofless room, symbolizing an empty tomb, 30 feet high and 50 by 50 feet wide with two narrow openings facing north and south.

Anniversary Again

I can’t believe it’s our third wedding anniversary today. Time is flying, and here I am still believing (or trying to believe) that I am a newly married guy! Lol!




We decided to celebrate it at one of the signature building of Dallas, Reunion Towers of Hyatt Regency Hotel. It is an easily recognizable landmark for Dallas and a dramatic addition to the evening skyline with its lighted dome and flashing light show.


The tower has a public observation deck as well as a restaurant and the Dome that rotate at the rate of one revolution every 55 minutes.


A less than two minute elevator ride propelled us 55 stories to the top of the Tower for a breathtaking 360-degree view of Dallas, while enjoying delicious food.



We reached there before the sunset and experienced the changing views of cityscape from day to night.