USA

Top 10 Things to Do In Chicago

Chicago, Travel, USA / By / August 22, 2023

I visited the ‘Windy City’ – Chicago – back in 2018 as part of my work trip (as I mostly do) to visit one of my best friends who stays in a suburb called Naperville. That trip was one of my favorite trips because I got to spend my first trip to USA with my dearest friend.

The Windy City

Situated on the banks of Lake Michigan, Chicago is one of the largest cities in the USA. The origin of the name Windy City is not clear; some say its because of the winds (obvious explanation) while others say its because of politics! Anyhow, Chicago is a lively city with some truly wonderful places to see and enjoy. It is known for its eclectic architecture, its skyscrapers and its museums. It is always bustling with activity and there’s an ever-present sound of ambulances in the background for some reason!

MY Top 10 List

There are many must-do or to-do lists on Chicago. My list is based on best of all worlds, a little of everything thrown in. Here’s MY top 10 things to do in Chicago.

  1. Visit the Chicago Bean (Millennium Park)
  2. Walk the Magnificent Mile
  3. Stroll through the Navy Pier, ride the Centennial Wheel
  4. Take the Chicago Architectural River Cruise
  5. Go to the Buckingham Fountain
  6. Be fascinated by the Shedd Aquarium
  7. Get a bird’s eye view of the city from the Skydeck
  8. Take a water taxi
  9. Have a deep dish pizza
  10. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago Bean / Millennium Park

The Chicago Bean, so nicknamed because of its shape, is officially named Cloud Gate. This is a steel structure whose extremely polished surface reflects Chicago’s skyline. The Bean was designed by Anish Kapoor as part of a design competition, and is the centerpiece of the AT&T plaza at Millennium Park (source: Wikipedia). Stroll through the park and then walk over to The Bean. You will be impressed by the shiny sculpture and Chicago’s warped skyline projected on its surface.

$$ Free

The Magnificent Mile

This is a stretch of road in Chicago which sports famous buildings and luxury shops. Take a walk and admire some of the tallest buildings ever, such as The John Hancock Center, The Wrigley Building, the Tribune Tower etc. Stop and shop – if you dare! – at one of the most upscale shopping districts in the America. Apparently, the rent here is the third most expensive in the United States! (Source: Wikipedia)

$$ Free, except any shopping you do of course!

Navy Pier

This is one of Chicago’s must do things. The Navy Pier is a pier (of course) on Lake Michigan which houses amusement parks, attractions, exhibitions/shows, restaurants and shops. Soak up  the culture, enjoy the view, be entertained and treat your tastebuds at this hotspot of activities. You can ride the Centennial Wheel too.

$$ 20

Chicago Architectural River Cruise

This 90-minute tour (general duration) is a guided tour which takes you through the Y-shaped river pointing out the various skyscrapers of the Chicago skyline, their history, the era of architecture and the famous buildings like Trump Tower, Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building etc. along the way. It is a fascinating tour where you learn so much but are still entertained while you move slowly up and down the river.

$$ 35-40

Buckingham Fountain

One of the largest fountains in the world, the Buckingham Fountain is a majestic tiered-cake shaped water feature. It’s unique characteristic is a 150-foot high water jet which shoots up in the air every hour for 20 minutes. In the evening, the fountain is lit up and there is a light and musical display along with the jet. Check out it’s timing and operating hours here.

$$ Free

Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world. It has an amazing diversity of fishes, amphibians, and other marine inhabitants like seahorse, jellyfish, seals, whales, whatnot! It has some truly enthralling and entertaining displays. I especially loved the dolphin show. Read about my visit here.

$$ 40

Skydeck / Willis Tower

The 103rd floor of the Willis Tower in Chicago has a 360 degree observation deck called the Skydeck. The best – and dangerous – part is the all-glass box ledge where you can step out for an exhilarating view 103 stories down! Experience that moment of fear just before you step out into seeming nothingness and look straight down to the road 1353 ft. below.

$$ 28-35

Water Taxi

These operate on Lake Michigan to and from Navy Pier. While the river cruise is a slow, leisurely ride through the river, a water taxi is quite exciting out on the lake with gulls and the boat at super speed!

$$ 10

Deep Dish Pizza

This is an iconic Chicago dish, so called because of its high sided crust which gives it an almost pie like appearance. The high sides enable enough space for generous amounts of sauce and toppings or rather fillings. It is a yummy treat! It will be available at most Italian joints in Chicago.

$$ 15-20

Art Institute of Chicago

It is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. It hosts legendary artwork like Pablo Picasso’s The Old Guitarist, Grant Wood’s American Hawk and such like. It contains nearly 300,000 works of art apart from special exhibitions (source: Wikipedia). It is also known as the place where Swami Vivekananda gave his famous speech, to commemorate which the speech is printed and highlighted on the steps of the Art Institute.

$$ 19

Honorary Mention

I was coincidentally in Chicago during the 4th of July weekend which is one of the biggest celebrations in the USA. On that day, I got to experience a quintessential american barbecue at the beach! It was a fun day.

It's a curated list but all expansive

These are the things which I did during my own 2 days’ visit of Chicago, except the last one. 3 days should be enough to cover everything easily and at a leisurely pace. I did them all except the last one because I ran out of time. This list was curated based on some of the famous attractions along with one museum – which I substituted for the aquarium – and some exciting activities. It covers walks, food, art and culture so it’s the best of all worlds. Be sure to do most of these things when in Chicago to get a taste of this vibrant city.

The Naperville Photo Diaries

Chicago, Travel, USA / By / December 31, 2021

On the trip that I visited the Shedd Aquarium on, I stayed with one of my oldest and dearest friends. She lived in a small town outside Chicago, called Naperville. I spent 5 days there living like a local almost. I visited the local grocery stores, Walmart, eating at local establishments and driving – or rather being driven seeing as my friend was the one driving – into Downtown and exploring the local sights.

Naperville, founded in 1831, has a population of around 150,000 and is located on the banks of the DuPage River. Presenting my photo diaries of Naperville.

House of the Aquatic Beings – Shedd Aquarium, Chicago

Chicago, Travel, USA / By / December 16, 2021

I have been fascinated with fish since childhood; I used to have pet goldfish and guppies. I tended to them – tank cleaning, feeding, water changing, the works. Their colorful selves and fluid movements attracted me. But all I ever knew and saw were these personal fish tanks at people’s homes or some semi large ones used as decorations. I never knew such official aquariums housing millions of sea life even existed. Until I saw a tiny portion of the Dubai Aquarium and was stunned.

The first and only one that I visited full fledged is the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago when I took a trip to Chicago to visit my friend and went for a Chicago sightseeing day.

On The Shores of Lake Michigan

The location of the aquarium itself is a stunning one – on the shores of the beautiful Lake Michigan. The day was a gloriously sunny day with gusty breeze from the lake. We did try to book tickets online but unfortunately that was only available for Chicago residents (at that time atleast or we were looking in the wrong place?) and we stood in line. The wait wasn’t too long and we bought were soon inside.

Tip: Tickets can now be booked online here.

The Amazing Diversity of Sea Life

The aquatic ecosystem is so diverse and astounding! The Shedd Aquarium opened my eyes to the truly enthralling world of underwater. There were seahorses and sea-dragons with transparent paper thin fins and bodies, corals housing plethora of organisms, jellyfishes, seawater fishes like angelfish, clownfish, freshwater fishes like paddlefish, sturgeons, starfish, octopus, and many many more.

Then there were the shellfish, turtles, sea otters, sea lions and the reptile section – which I did not visit because I am terrified of them, unlike my childhood! There were those utterly cute creatures – penguins! And, last but not the least – sharks! – feared but revered.

The Whales and The Dolphins

Two of the best parts of the visit though, were the Beluga Whales and the Dolphin show. The beluga whales are cared for by dedicated staff of the Shedd Aquarium. It was such fun watching them frolic around and play and interact with human beings.

The Dolphin show was about a 10-15 minutes’ show where trained dolphins danced to music, showed their tricks and entertained us in general in tandem with their trainers. It was such a remarkable event!

Beluga Whale

The 4D Show

There were a few 4D experiences to choose from – we chose the Coastal Predators show. It was a novel experience where, apart from the realistic feel using 3D glasses, the chair vibrates, there’s water squirting, wind blowing – all to create that full lifelike atmosphere.

Care and Conservation

Shedd Aquarium takes the conservation of nature and care of creatures very seriously. At the time of our visit, the aquarium had several larger-than-life sculptures made entirely of plastic waste from oceans! The aim was to raise awareness of the harmfulness of plastic and just how much we are polluting the ocean – home to these magnificent creatures.

They also:

  • Rescue and rehabilitate animals – turtles, belugas, penguins
  • Contribute towards research which benefit these creatures.
  • Have an animal response team who work with conservation partners.

Find more about their efforts here and here and here.

Map of Shedd Aquarium

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post via Blogchatter’s Cause A Chatter campaign.

The Dream Trip to New York Part 2

New York, Travel, USA / By / November 22, 2021

Major part of Day 1 in New York was spent in touring Statue of Liberty and  Ellis Island. Read about my experience here.

Brooklyn Bridge

I decided to go to the Brooklyn Bridge as the first destination of my explorations. It was almost a 20-minute walk during which I just took in the sights and sounds of New York and did some people watching. It was fun!

The iconic Brooklyn Bridge stood before me in all its glory and majesty. The bridge is a suspension bridge which connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. I took pictures of the bridge, regarded the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines from a different angle than the morning’s and watched the high-speed traffic on the lower tier of the bridge.

Walking halfway across the bridge in the last rays on the sun, fatigue and jet lag set in and as dearly as I wanted to walk the whole bridge, I just couldn’t. I turned homewards.

Tip: If you are a biker (cyclist), you can take (guided) bike tours which are included in the NY pass.

Day 2

Highlights of New York

Next day was to be a big day – I was trying to capture all of my heart’s desire about New York in 1 day! There is so much to do and see and experience, I knew this would be impossible, so I simply chose what I called – the highlights of New York!

Madame Tussaud’s

First up, I had to collect my New York Pass and guide. I wanted to start with the Hop On Hop Off Bus tour to move from one attraction to another. HOHO bus tickets were free with the NY Pass so I headed to the nearest stop. As it turns out, Madame Tussaud’s was the closest HOHO bus stop, so I decided to tour the museum first.

The hour or so spent there was so much fun, going around the wax figures – from living people to dead legends, from royalty to scientists. To be honest, some were not such a good likeness but most of them were so astonishingly real and detailed that you’d think they were about to move. It’s marvelous and a must-visit for all.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

Emerging onto Times Square, I gazed up at the skyscrapers and just couldn’t hold in my excitement – I was in Time Square in New York!!! I just turned round and took it all in. After soaking up the atmosphere, I climbed onto the HOHO bus and traveled to my next stop – the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

On the way, the guide on the bus relayed interesting facts and history about New York City – old and new. Like, the new part of NY was planned and hence laid out like a grid – avenues and streets whereas old part of NY – south of SoHo (meaning South of Houston), is more haphazard and doesn’t follow any such pattern.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is located at the spot where the original World Trace Center used to be. It honours the people killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001. The memorial consists of two reflecting pools set in the footprints of the Twin Towers and a plaza of trees, including the Survivor Tree. The museum relays the events of that fateful day and the horrific tragedy through artefacts, videos, some surviving structures while also conveying personal stories of loss and memories. It was with a somber feeling that I left the museum.

Empire State Building

Lunch was delicious lasagna at this cute little restaurant. Post lunch, I walked to my next destination – the Empire State Building. This iconic building is mainly and office building, but its fame is due to its Art Deco architecture, its height – before the WTC, it was the tallest building in the world – and mainly because of its observation decks.

It has 2 observation decks – on the 86th floor and on the 102nd floor. With my pass I had access to the 86th floor deck and that’s where I headed. The ride itself is exciting one – via elevator – nearly half a km. above the NY streets. Once there, I was treated to amazing panoramic views of the entire city of New York, its boroughs, the Hudson and the skyscrapers that distinguish the Big Apple.

Tip: The 102nd floor is not included in the NY pass and access must be purchased separately. But I can recommend the 86th floor is not to be belittled.

Central Park

After I had my fill of the NYC skyline, it was time to return to the ground – literally. I was now going to visit another iconic NY attraction – the Central Park. Traveled by bus – guided by Google Maps – I reached the park in the early hours of the evening. Lush foliage, abundant greenery and neat pathways greeted me.

With no particular aim in mind, I roamed around the park and enjoyed the fresh air and more importantly the wonderfully alive and vibrant atmosphere of the park. Groups played music, people danced, others simply strolled while yet others lay on the grass to absorb the last rays of the sun. Unbeknownst to me, I had made my way to the heart of Central Park, the famous Bethesda Fountain. With its Angel of Waters statue, it is a lovely sight indeed.

Tip: If you are a biker (cyclist), you can take (guided) bike tours which are included in the NY pass.

Times Square and Rockefeller Centre

From the park, I headed back towards my first stop of the day – Times Square. I wanted to experience it during the night-time and oh, was I right?! During the late evening, it was a different ambience there altogether – it was fun and party mood. Times Square is glorious in the night – all lit up with smorgasbord of colours, sights, sounds and smell!! I just fell in love with it. It would have been nice to share it with someone though. I walked around for a while, snapping pictures and just being.

Finally it was time for my final attraction of the day – the Rockefeller Center! What I was headed for was the Top of the Rock observation deck. I rode the glass sky shuttle to the Top – the 70th floor, which is actually 3 stories of open-air observation deck! I was presented with a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of New York at night. I was mesmerized, I went round just gazing out from the outdoor deck at dazzling view in front of me. It was late at night and I had actually had to wait outside for my slot, but this was so worth wait! A worthy end to my day in New York.

Tip: The New York Pass has to be presented at the Box office to convert into tickets as per available slots. I had a late slot available at 10:10PM. The pass also helps skip the general line at concourse level.

Times Square in the Evening
Views from Top of the Rock

Eating and Shopping in New York

That night, I had a hot dog – with mustard and ketchup – from a stand in true NY (read: Hollywood) style. There is no dearth of eateries in New York, any and all kinds of cuisine is available. I had Italian, Mexican (yummy tacos), American obviously (burgers, pancakes) etc. So don’t be shy and eat your heart out.

There are gift shops available at all attractions to get your mementos. While I did buy magnets, keychains, pens etc. I also bought some fantastic costume jewellery at this shop I spotted near my hotel. The shop said “everything must go!”. I went in and just went a little bit crazy at the offers and the variety of goodies. Suffice to say, I bought a lot. So be sure to keep a lookout for such deals.

On My Next Trip…

I know that I barely scratched the top of the jewel that is New York. While I was supremely happy with my time there, I know that I will surely return again. And on my agenda are the below, which you should definitely do if you, unlike me, have 2 more days.

  • Visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) – this iconic museum which holds 5000 years of art history from all around the world.
  • Visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – it has world famous collection of modern and contemporary art including van Gogh’s The Starry Night.
  • Do the Rockefeller Centre Tour – apart from a Top visit, there is a tour of the rich art, design and architecture of the building.
  • Walk the Brooklyn Bridge end to end.
  • Browse Bloomingdales (not going to buy anything but still!)
  • Be an audience on one of the late night shows – they were giving tickets near the Rockefeller Centre but unfortunately I didn’t know the scene at night for a solo woman.
  • Walk The High Line – elevated park and walkway created on former New York Central Railroad on the west side of Manhattan.

Tip: There are also a ton of walking, bus, ferry tours available on the Pass which are highly interesting, be sure to check them out and choose as per your taste. I just know, there’s something for everyone in this versatile and ever-embracing city!

The Dream Trip to New York Part 1

New York, Travel, USA / By / November 22, 2021

Watching all these TV shows (Friends) and Hollywood movies (You’ve Got Mail, Serendipity) and reading about it in books (Shopaholic series) has always made me yearn for a trip to New York. There was so much I wanted to see and do – to me it represented the ideal place which represented all things American. In 2018, I was presented with an opportunity to make this dream trip come true. I was to go on a work trip to Austin but I arranged to arrive 2 days earlier in New York out of my pocket so I could finally visit this city.

Only A Day and A Half

Considering flight timings, hotel check-in etc., my time in New York was actually a day and half. As such, I had very little time to visit all the places I wished to. I planned carefully, checking distances between places, prioritizing what I wanted to do most and researching passes vs. direct tickets.

Finally, I chose to buy a 1-day New York Pass, and separate tickets to the Statue of Liberty. The reason was, that New York Pass did not cover the entrance into the Statue, only entry to the island and also because I wouldn’t really have 2 full days to consider getting a 2-day pass. This combination was much cheaper.

Tip: Pedestal access tickets including the ferry and access to Ellis Island Museum was $18.50 and the New York Pass was $124. Check current price for the former here or here and the latter here.

New York Pass w/ Guide

Day 1

Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island-Brooklyn Bridge

Mini Disaster Averted

My destination for the day – Statue of Liberty! I used the metro, to travel to New Jersey. Google Maps helped me find the approximate location of the ferry, but I got lost locating the boarding point. I stood for a while at a spot I assumed to the location but turned out to be incorrect. Even though I had arrived with almost 30 minutes in hand, time was slipping away. Having finally found the correct place, I waited for the next ferry.

Here I realized that this ferry was a 2-minute one to take me across the water channel to the main ferry building from where I had to board the final ferry to Ellis Island/Liberty Island! Anyway, the smaller ferry soon arrived, and I reached the Ferry Building with minutes to spare. I frantically ran to convert my soft copy to a physical ticket and then to the ferry boarding gate, boarding just in the nick of time!!

Ferry Views...

Ellis Island

The first stop of the New Jersey ferry was the Ellis Island. The Ellis Island is where millions of immigrants first entered the United States of America, and this was where they were processed. The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration depicts this history of America and is also a tribute to the nation’s past.

The museum has 3 floors of exhibits which document immigrants’ experiences as well as the general history of immigration. There are various rooms like Registry Room which is a huge hall where the initial processing was done, Dormitory Room where the immigrants stayed, Treasures From Home where possessions of immigrants from their homeland are displayed and so on. I took an audio guide which helped me through my whole tour through the museum and America’s very interesting and rich history.

Statue of Liberty

As I reboarded the ferry which now turned towards Liberty Island, I could barely hold in my excitement. In a few minutes, the famous lady in green holding aloft a burning torch came into view. The Statue of Liberty was gorgeous up-close! As I stared up at the statue, I admired it for its might, for its significance and for its beauty.

I had booked my Statue of Liberty Pedestal Access ticket online via Statue Cruises a week in advance. This was a mistake because I waited until the last moment and hence couldn’t get a ticket either for the Battery Park ferry (in Manhattan) or a ticket for the Crown access. I could only get the pedestal access via New Jersey ferry.

Tip: Never leave it until the last moment to book tickets for pedestal and crown access. Book atleast a month in advance to get your desired tickets.

After landing on the island, I made my way to the statue, where I had to pass several security screenings before being granted entry. Once inside, I climbed hundreds of stairs (did not count), to reach the pedestal level of the statue. At the pedestal – feet of the statue – I visited the Museum where the history of the statue was laid out – from its emergence to its being gifted and to its final construction and place at the entrance to New York.

Tip: There is an elevator available, but it is only for senior citizens and physically handicapped. So be prepared for a long walk up numerous stairs.

Edouard de Laboulaye, a Frenchman, conceived the idea of a monument of liberty to be gifted to the US. Auguste Bartholdi, a young sculptor took on this opportunity to create a modern-day Colossus. The statue was assembled in Paris, foundation work was done on Bedloe’s Island (later renamed to Liberty Island), and the statue was finally dismantled and shipped to New York. 21 years after conception, Liberty Enlightening The World stood in New York Harbour. It was declared a national monument in 1924.

After touring the statue museum and learning about its origins, I made my way back down and just strolled about and toured the Liberty Island. I had my lunch – burger, fries and cola! – and also visited the gift shop to buy some mementos. It was a sunny day and the views of the Hudson and the New York skyline just made my day. It was a charming sight.

I finally left via return ferry to Battery Park in Manhattan. Since it was still daylight, I decided to do a bit of exploring on foot.

Tip: To know about current visiting rules in the light of Covid-19, please visit their website here.

My evening adventures and highlights of New York visit the next day – all coming up in Part 2.

3 Hours in San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Travel, USA / By / August 15, 2021

San Antonio is a city rooted deep in history. It is one of the most populous cities in Texas and it’s oldest municipality. It was founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718 and became the first chartered civil settlement in Texas in 1731.

Located 50 miles (80 kms.) from the city of San Marcos, San Antonio is less than an hour’s drive from the former. That’s how I winded up with a mini trip to San Antonio – from San Marcos, which is where my company’s factory is situated. We were a group of 5 visiting from India. After a morning tour and training at the factory, our colleague offered to drive and show us around San Antonio. We gladly accepted.

The Alamo

We had a pleasant drive to San Antonio. Our first stop was The Alamo – the most famous attraction in San Antonio and the basis of the city’s foundation. Originally named San Antonio de Valero, it served as home to Spanish missionaries and Indian converts for more than 70 years.

The Alamo is called “The Cradle of Texas Liberty”. This is because it served as a secure fortress during Texas’ war of independence from Mexico in 1836. The Texan soldiers resisted the 12-day siege before being overpowered; however the “Battle of The Alamo” became a symbol of resistance for the Texans and their fight for independence.

There is a 17 minute film depicting 300 years’ Alamo history which plays in the Long Barrack theater and the Alamo Arbor throughout the day. It is highly interesting a must watch for all! The main church is very beautiful, and signs of battle are preserved – bullets in the wall, the cannons etc. There is also an exhibition museum near the theater which includes memorabilia from the war and the overall history of the place. Discovering the history of the Alamo and being inside the church which served as a battle fortress is awe-inspiring.

Tip: Entrance is free but it requires a reservation. Head here for the timed tickets. We had visited on a weekday afternoon so we got a reservation at the site itself.

Tip: There are guided tours and experiences available; check them out here. We did not opt for these as we simply explored on our own and the film was quite informative.

Photography is not allowed inside but we took a few outside; also do not touch the walls or the exhibits and keep your phone on silent and refrain from using it.

The San Antonio River Walk

The other most famous attraction in San Antonio is the River Walk and that’s where we headed next. It’s a 5-minute walk from the Alamo to the Riverwalk.

The River Walk is basically a special pedestrian street flanking either side of the San Antonio River. The winding river loops back on itself. The two sides of the street are interconnected by bridges at various points. The streets are lined with a multitude of shops, restaurants, hotels etc.

Robert H. H. Hugman, a young architect, designed the concept of winding pathways and bridges flanking the river as a beautiful solution to harnessing the river running through downtown. It also managed heavy seasonal rains, saving both lives and dollars. Find more about the River Walk’s history here.

We took a walk along the river, sometimes crossing over from one side to the other. Strolling along the River Walk was an enjoyable experience; the vibe of the place is exuberant and buzzing with activity. We then sat down to an al-fresco lunch at a Mexican restaurant where I had yummy melt-in-the-mouth enchiladas. The food scene on the River Walk is diverse and one has so many dazzling options to choose from.

San Antonio River Walk

Boat Ride

After lunch, we took a boat ride on the river. With my stomach pleasantly full, a light breeze and the lazy bobbing motion of the boat on the water almost lulled me to sleep but our colleague was pointing out interesting hotel facades and reciting some facts about the place so I listened with attention.

Tip: I’m told there are events held there, floats on the river to celebrate occasions and a lot more. If you plan your visit to coincide with these, it all looks really amazing. Check out more here.

Short and Sweet

The short trip with some window shopping at Rivercenter where I was almost tempted to buy some sweets but refrained due to time lack. The short 3-hour trip had it all – history, fun, vibrant culture and delicious food! It’s a memory which brings a smile to my face.

This post was written as part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.

Views of the New York Skyline

New York, Travel, USA / By / August 29, 2021

New York is glamorous, effervescent, opalescent, and plain, simple fun! It’s busy, fast-paced and expensive sure, but as tourist these did not strike me as negative factors. I was there was 2 days and I wanted to just enjoy the kaleidoscopic New York which I had seen in movies and which I had always dreamed of experiencing one day.

I will write a post – maybe several – about my New York trip and the must-do things, soon. Today, I bring forward the views of New York’s skyline – as seen from various vantage points.

From the water

From the top decks

From the Empire State Building Observation Deck

From top of the Rockefeller Center - Top of The Rock

off-the-beaten track view

NYC a.k.a New York City at its best – as seen through my eyes.

This post was written as part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.

Top 5 Places to Eat & Shopping Havens in Pearland, Texas

Houston, Travel, USA / By / August 7, 2021
Featured

Most of my international trips were part of my work trips, when I arranged to reach couple days earlier than the agenda or stayed back a few days after the work was over so that I could enjoy the highlights of what the city / town has to offer. Twice, I took side trips to San Francisco and Chicago. Sometimes, however, the workdays themselves offered opportunities to do a bit of exploring. Such was the case when I was in Houston for work for 2 whole weeks.

2 Weeks in Pearland

During the 2-week stint at my company headquarters in Houston, I stayed in Pearland – a city just outside of Houston, Texas. Pearland has a total area of 47.5 square miles and a population of 91,252.

My hotel was in the heart of Pearland City near Pearland Town Center. Every evening, after work, I would roam around the City Center, venturing into shops, gazing into the various boutique displays and when the time came for dinner, hopped into one of the many eateries scattered around Pearland. On the weekends, I had time to explore some more, go into the little side streets and taking in the feel of suburban township.

Top 5 Eateries

The fortnight, including weekends, saw me have my meal in a variety of restaurants and trying out different dishes every other day. Thus, I compiled this list of the 5 best places to eat in Pearland, Texas.

  1. Fish City Grill – This was my number one go-to place. A fish-based restaurant, this serves up a diverse menu ranging from familiar dishes to some exotic and unique ones. You have got to try their oyster tacos and shrimp & grits! Alongside, they serve a pink lemonade which is so tasty and is a lifesaver in the scorching summer days. All of this at very reasonable prices.
  2. LongHorn Steakhouse – You can’t visit Texas and not eat at a steakhouse. It is a must do! In Pearland, LongHorn is a classy restaurant with a subdued décor which serves mouthwateringly delicious steaks. This one is a little heavier on the pocket.
  3. BJ’s – BJ’s is a sports bar and brewery with a wide range of food choices from pork ribs to steak to pizza to chicken wings and their very own award-winning handcrafted beers. The décor is large TVs telecasting sports and the atmosphere is casual bonhomie.
  4. Bonchon – It’s the Korean version of KFC! I dare to say, even better than KFC. Fried chicken – wings, drumsticks, strips – and hot, sticky, sweet sauces to go along with them. Served with different types of sides, it’s there to satisfy your chicken craving.
  5. La Madeleine French Bakery & Café – Right near the main highway lies this gem of a French café. It has sandwiches, salads, breakfast and brunch items and ofcourse coffee. But its bakery items are to die for – tarts, crème brulee, eclairs etc. Delish!

Top 5 Shopping Stops

In my wanderings around Pearland, I also did quite a bit of window shopping. Oftentimes this would result in me succumbing to temptation and buying something or the other. Anyhow, I still had time to browse through a lot of shops, so here’s my list of 5 best places to shop in Pearland.

  1. Bath & Body Works – I absolutely loved this store. The smells and colors were fascinating. Most times they have lucrative offers like buy 2 get 1 or reduced prices in general. Shower gels, lotions, hand creams – these are my jam! Their aromatherapy range is just mindblowing.
  2. Rue 21 – This is a cute little shop which sells clothes and accessories. I especially loved their range of perfumes, got myself some. They also have cute tops at very reasonable prices.
  3. Dillard’s – This is a department chain store which has good sale and offers. While there were quite a bit of pricey branded stuff, I was able to spot a cool offer on Clinique products which made my day.
  4. Macy’s – This is another department store for clothing and accessories having a wide variety of collections and you will have a fun time browsing and maybe buy a dress or two!
  5. Walmart – To Americans this may sound too banal, but I absolutely adore Walmart. You can get anything under the sun at cheap prices and can browse for hours to find your perfect thing. I have bought cosmetics, comfy pajamas, stationary, kitchen items and whatnot from there. So do step in and wander.
Bath & Body Works lotion and body wash

Notable Mentions

Some other stores worth a mention. If you are so inclined, don’t forget to visit these stores.

  • Barnes & Noble – This is a famous bookstore complete with a seating section for reading and a café. The store also sells book-themed magnets, bookmarks, bag pins, stationary and some really cool and funky stuff. Visit this one for the books and the bookmarks. You’ll love it!
  • Chick-fil-A – I hadn’t heard of this until I visited Houston. It’s a better, tastier version of KFC, I can personally vouch for that. Pearland has a branch, so be sure to get a quick takeaway and enjoy the crunchy chicken with yummy dips.
  • Charming Charlie – Last but not the least, Charming Charlie is an utterly adorable and bohemian shop for accessories like bags, jewellery, hats, scarves, shoes etc. The décor is charming and the collection is wonderful. I shopped quite a bit from here and I loved everything! Unfortunately, I think it’s closed now (as per Google) but I thought it’s worth a shout-out.
Barnes & Noble (Pic from google)

So there’s my list of places to eat and shop in Pearland, Texas. If in town, do not forget to check out these places and let me know if you found this helpful.

This post was written as part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.

Stopping by the Woods – Muir Woods, California

Environment, San Francisco, Travel, USA / By / August 2, 2021
Muir Woods

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep” – Robert Frost

Muir Woods epitomizes this quote. I visited this U.S National Park in 2019 when I had taken a side trip to San Francisco after my work trip to Houston. From SF, the Muir Woods tour was arranged as a half day trip. When I had planned the trip I had no idea how fulfilling this experience would be, how enriching a sojourn. This is a must do trip from San Francisco – everyone out there and not just nature lovers.

Reaching the Woods

I booked the Muir Woods Tour via Tower Tours which included a shuttle bus ride to the woods and back to SF plus the entry ticket to the Muir Woods itself. It also included a tour guide for the shuttle ride part. I compared this with the Big Bus tours – this was cheaper, and the pickup point was much more convenient.

Tip: You can also drive or bike there but parking there is limited and from what I gleaned on the internet, its better to take this shuttle. Know more here.

  • Cost for the tour was $69 at that time (all inclusive) but do check the latest prices here.
  • Starting point of the shuttle bus is the Tower Tours office near Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Tour guide gives commentary as we drive through the city and to the woods.

The 30-minute drive to the woods is over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the lovely town of Sausalito – my trip to which I have previously shared. I was treated once again to the wonderful views of the Pacific Bay and the iconic Golden Gate. It was a typical San Francisco foggy morning and the drive was an enervating one.

Once there, I was free to enter and wander as I wished but had to return within 2.5 hours for return trip.

Muir Woods National Monument

The woods are officially called the Muir Woods National Monument. It is an isolated canyon filled with ancient coastal redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) which are native to the Pacific Coast. It is a United States National Monument and is under the National Park Services. Congressman William Kent donated the land to protect the redwoods from the logging industry boom and insisted it be named after naturalist John Muir.

The redwoods are over 1000 years old and tower to heights of 260ft!! These are some of the oldest sequoias of California which are sustained by the region’s famous temperate marine fog.

“This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world” – John Muir

Hiking Trails

The entire forest is laid out in numerous hiking trails of various levels of difficulty but with different views and experiences. There is a map at the entrance to indicate all the trails and their routes. At various points where there are branch offs for a new trail, there are markings and a map indicating the trail start. The map also includes information on the estimated time required to complete that particular trail and the difficulty level of the same.

The main trail is the Redwood Creek trail which covers the main area of redwood alleyways interspersed by creeks at ground level. One can cut off at various bridges – Bridge 1/2/3/4 – and loop back to the start.

Trail map

Some of the other notable trails:

    • Bohemian Grove Trail
    • Hillside Trail
    • Ben Johnston Trail
    • Dipsea Trail
    • Bootjack Trail
    • Canopy View Trail

I took the main Redwood Creek trail right upto the Bridge 4 which took about 45 minutes. From there I returned to the main trail via the Hillside Trail which is where I climbed above the main ground level of the forest and hiked along the lower edges of the mountains. This took about an hour.

The hikes provided good exercise and I could feel my adrenaline pumping as I explored the trails and went up and down the hilly paths. The weather is cool and pleasant and is very embalming and invigorating.

Tip: Do carry a jacket with you at all times of the year since it gets chilly inside due to all the tree cover.

Towering Beauty of the Redwoods

The hike through the woods was an amazing experience. The lofty trees soaring into sky was a stunning sight to behold. Here and there were some small streams intersecting the dense forest and adding to the beauty of the scenery. The dense redwoods were sometimes grouped into groves, sometimes they stood like sentinels guarding the inner secrets of the forest. Along the base of the trees were shrubberies crowded with such pretty flowers!

Even though most of the trees are redwoods, the view never got boring or repetitive. Each tree seemed unique in its own right and had its own personal charm – some were knotted, some bent double, some with double trunks, some with mini caves at their base; the diversity was unbelievable.

Be One with Nature

The woods are so calm and serene that it pervades your soul and brings that sense of peace in you. The tinkling sound of flowing water along with the occasional chirping of birds were the only sounds and it was such melodious music to the ears.

The strength of the trees provided proof of the longevity of nature and inspires one to help preserve the redwoods as they are. There were few trees which had been struck by lightning and literally burnt to the ground some time back. From those scorched remains, the trees grew back and ascended to their true glory. Nature is resilient but we should never take that for granted. Care and love are much needed by them.

Due to dense population of the trees, there is not much wildlife in the forest – but that’s how nature works and its a wonderful ecosystem.

Café and Shop

Near the entrance gate are the woods’ café and shop. The café boasted of delicious cookies and other food which I unfortunately had no time to taste. The shop sells pretty curios and mementos – magnets, Tshirts, keychains etc. Do check them out and buy one memento of this beautiful monument. I got a cute magnet.

This post was written as part of Blogchatter Half Marathon and Blogchatter’s Cause A Chatter campaign.

Cockrell Butterfly Center, Houston Museum

Environment, Houston, Travel, USA / By / July 21, 2021

A visit to the Houston Museum of Natural Science yielded a wonderful surprise. During my sojourn to my company headquarters in Houston, Texas, I used my free weekend to visit one of the most interesting sightseeing places there – The Museum of Natural Science. While I was superficially aware of its attractions, the Butterfly Center coupled with the Hall of Entomology was like an exciting find – a wondrous hidden gem.

A Specially Designed Natural Habitat

The butterfly conservatory is a 3-story glass structure which has been built to emulate a tropical rainforest. It is home to thousands of butterflies of varied species, which are all allowed to grow and thrive in their natural habitat. The butterfly museum, called the Cockrell Butterfly Center, boasts of a central display of a 50-foot-high waterfall and numerous tropical plants and flowers.

Upon entering, my senses were hit with an explosion of colours and movement. Unlike zoos or other museums, these butterflies are live ones and roam around freely in the simulated forest. The innumerable brightly coloured creatures are a delight to watch. I spent ages going around the place, watching these butterflies and their vivid patterned wings, observing the jewel like insects fluttering about or landing on the leaves or flowers. There was also an iguana!

Entomology Hall

The Brown Hall of Entomology precedes the Butterfly Center; it is located on the same floor as the entrance to the latter. The entire floor is dedicated to a large plethora of insects and their study. The experience is an interactive and educating one. From introducing me to new species and hitherto unknown insects to informing me about the sounds they make to their food habits and their life cycles.

There are both live insects as well as preserved specimens The exhibit also contains an area for cocoons from where butterflies actually hatch out! That is something to look out for. There is another play area for further interaction and games with these arthropods. I did not visit that because it was more for kids.

  • Cocoons…some have metamorphosed!

Tip: Learn more here –

  1. The Rainforest
  2. Hall of Entomology
  3. https://www.hmns.org/cockrell-butterfly-center/our-residents/
  4. https://www.hmns.org/cockrell-butterfly-center/pollinator-gardening/

Education and Conservation

While this is mostly an educational experience, this museum does its part in conservation of nature. Breeding new insects, creating a natural, sustainable environment for them goes a long way towards preservation of nature as it was meant to be. Bringing about awareness and knowledge leads to appreciation of God’s creatures which in turn help the next generation carry on the job of environmental preservation and enhancement.

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post with the aid of Blogchatter’s Cause a Chatter campaign.

Other Exhibits of Interest

The Houston Museum of Natural Science has various other highly interesting exhibits and shows. Notable ones are:

  • The Paleontology Exhibit – let’s face it, dinosaurs are always interesting!
  • Foucault Pendulum – mimicking the Earth’s rotation.
  • Hall of Gems and Minerals
  • The Planetarium – the Black Holes show is very interesting, and I highly recommend it.

Tip: The museum is full of interesting attractions, you may want to check out the various offerings online to help plan your visit. The HMNS.

Tip: Entry tickets are for $25 while the special exhibits and shows require extra tickets. Butterfly Center (including Entomology Hall) is ~$9.

Check current prices here – https://www.hmns.org/visit/hours-and-pricing/. Also check out the safety policies and precautions: https://www.hmns.org/visit/health/