2013 – 25: Jersey Shore

I’ve been back in Delhi for a week and have returned to my chicken and rice diet.  Here’s the chicken part. 

 

We had a farewell party Friday for our good friend and colleague, Amit, as he heads to his new assignment in China. 

 

As employee number 6 at BMW FS in India, he is a true founding father helping to build the company from scratch.  We will miss him, and at the same time, we know China is in very good hands.

 

Meanwhile, the family is still in U.S. for a few more weeks.  Kayla and Greg surprised Nida at the library studying for finals.  Her family roots reach to Hyderabad.

 

Kayla caught up with former teachers on the last day of school…

 

…and Lynda had a girls’ night out with the ol’ gang. 

 

What follows are additional U.S. photos that didn’t fit last week.  Here’s something I’ve never seen before, Red Sox and Yankees fans under one roof.  It’s like flying both the Indian and Pakistani flags at your home.

 

Here’s a college we skipped past.  Kayla wouldn’t think of attending her parent’s alma mater.

 

Note the price of gas in New Jersey (for comparison to where you live).  It’s nearly $80 USD for 19.5 gallons of gas (that’s 4,800 Rupees for 73.8 liters, or 65 INR per liter).

 

This is downtown Manheim, Pennsylvania.  Population 4,899.  A town with only two traffic lights.

 

And this is the popular Root’s farmers market in Manheim which is only open on Tuesdays.  When I asked why, the answer was, “We’ve always done it that way – for 88 years.”

 

Gam shops at Root’s religiously each Tuesday and knows virtually everyone.  She’s one year older than the market. 

 

The proprietors and the shoppers are a mix of Mennonite, Amish and “English.”  Originating in the Netherlands and then migrating to Germany, Mennonites escaped persecution and found refuge in the U.S in the 1680’s via William Penn who offered land in Germantown, Pennsylvania.  Thousands more followed and put down stakes in Lancaster.

 

As “plain people,” Mennonites subscribe to a simple, non-flashy lifestyle which is apparent in their dress.  They’re known as the ‘black bumper’ Mennonites since all chrome pieces of their cars are painted black.

 

In 1690’s Switzerland, a subset favoring a stricter church discipline splintered from the Mennonites and formed the Amish, who also migrated to Lancaster.  Collectively they’re known as Pennsylvania Dutch.

 

The Amish do not subscribe to modern-day conveniences.  They do not have electricity in their homes. Horses are used for plowing fields and transporting the family to market with buggies.  In this photos, barefoot Amish girls are selling flowers.

 

Upon leaving Root’s, I cautiously moved through “traffic…”

 

…and less than a mile up the road found the world’s largest auto auction.  It was a non-auction day during my drive-by, but it’s a sight to be seen.  Millions of dollars worth of automotive inventory is sold within a few hours. 

 

Cars cycle through the lanes in perfect sequence every 35 seconds.  Auctioneers sell and buyers buy.  They pay, collect registration titles, keys and then load their cars onto transport trucks for destinations throughout the U.S. with synchronized efficiency. 

 

In this aerial photo you’ll see 600 acres of vehicles, refurbishment facilities and 33 auction lanes.  Cars clearly outnumber local residents.  It’s astonishing to see the old-world Root’s Farmers Market next to the efficient, modern-day Manheim Auction amidst rich farmland, all in a town with two traffic lights.

 

Now onto the Jersey Shore.  If you’re expecting Snooki updates, you’ll be disappointed and I apologize now if you feel misled.

 

Spring Lake has bounced back from Hurricane Sandy which smacked into the New Jersey coastline on October 29 last year.

 

This Internet photo shows Spring Lake damage right after the hurricane.  The boardwalk was completely ripped off its pillars.  Take note of the house on the right.

 

Here’s that same house today. You’d never know winds of 89 miles per hour and storm surge had pounded this area only eight months ago.

 

Spring Lake holds all the small-town charm of yesteryear.  It’s void of national-chains and is a place where mom-and-pop still run the show.  Spring Lake is a rarity.   It survived the takeover of mammoth, mega-malls surrounded by a macadam-sea of free parking.

 

It doesn’t get any more idyllic than this.

 

The boardwalk has been rebuilt…

 

…and is almost completed.

 

Greg enjoyed the waves.

 

We watchied a group of trapped eels attempting to slither back into the ocean.

 

It wasn’t fun and games for all.  This is not your typical, breezy, light-hearted, summer-romance, beach reading. 

 

Leave it to Americans to turn any experience into an advertising message.  This is old school.  Airplane banners pre-date Internet banners.

 

Yes, it’s safe to say, the Jersey shore is open for business.  Enjoy your week.  Bonus photos from Delhi are below.  ts

 

 I stopped on my way home from work Friday for some fresh chicken.

 

I never tire of watching the toe trimmer in action.  That’s my dinner for the next few days.  Note the wooden stump chopping block in the foreground. 

 

The efficiency is impressive. Everything is back to normal.  Look for more “two continent” updates next week.

2013 – 24: College tour

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the BMW New Jersey offices this week.  It was great catching up with everyone.

We quickly realized what we miss most about the U.S.  The food, the food, the food.  We can’t stop eating.  We’re inhaling everything in sight.  Nothing beats a steak and potato.

Hindus and vegetarians, divert your eyes.  Cows are NOT sacred in the U.S.  Beef is sold at all supermarkets.

Thanks to the Ross family for hosting a good ol’ fashioned cookout with hamburgers and hotdogs.   Note for traveling Hindus:  The hamburger is misnamed (the meat doesn’t come from pigs).  The more accurate name would be beefburger).  I know someone who has made this mistake.

It’s rare to get all 10 of us together.  From Los Angeles to Delhi, this group spans 12 time zones.

We compressed many activities into this trip.  We celebrated all the birthdays for the year on one go.

Kayla is picking up valuable time behind the wheel on the way to her driver’s permit.

We then hit the road for a 6-day college tour.  Kayla is a rising high school senior and will soon be sending college applications.

Lehigh has a beautiful campus (I have several cousins who hold Lehigh diplomas).

Quinnipiac was a pleasant surprise.  Note:  that’s Sleeping Giant Park in the background.

With college diploma fresh in hand, cousin Kristin provided valuable insights.

Then it was off to Boston.  With more than 50 institutions of higher learning, Boston is America’s premier college town and home to some 250,000 college students.

Boston College makes a lasting impression.  The architecture is absolutely stunning.

Who can forget this moment from 1984?  With only six seconds remaining on the clock, Doug Flutie threw a 64 yard ‘Hail Mary’ pass to defeat University of Miami.  The “Flutie Effect” brought a spike in Boston College applications the following year. That one legendary play is forever cemented in Boston College lore. 

Catching up with Lynda’s cousins brought an excellent perspective from Boston College alum Stephan.

Boston is loaded with historical significance and played a pivotal role in America’s fight for independence during the 1770’s (tea from the British East India Company was thrown into Boston Harbor in protest over taxes).  That feisty, revolutionary spirit is still alive in Bostonians today.

Here’s a statue commemorating Paul Revere’s historic ride in 1775 with the Old North Church in the background (one if by land, two if by sea).  Longfellow’s famous poem distorts history.  Revere was not alone. There were dozens of riders warning, “The Regulars are coming,” since everyone still considered himself British. 

For fans of the classic children’s book, “Make Way for Ducklings,” Public Garden is home to Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, Quack.

Boston is also famous for the 1980’s TV Show “Cheers,” a place where everyone knows your name.

Clam chowder is available throughout Boston, but we also found Indian food as well.  We only momentarily considered the paneer.

We visited our favorite Boston eatery, Mike’s Pastry, home to the second-best cannoli in the U.S.  Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken (the “Cake Boss”) still holds the record (see bonus photos at the end).

After two days in Boston, it was off to upstate New York to visit Colgate.  It’s a beautiful campus in the small town of Hamilton where the students outnumber the residents.  Yes, they know all the toothpaste jokes (the Colgate Company was an early benefactor). 

From there, it was a one hour drive to Syracuse where Dick Clark graduated in 1951.  Just prior to our visit, Dick’s family donated $5 million dollars to renovate the TV / radio studios on campus.

This studio was state of the art when it was built in 1974.  It will be converted to a fully digital facility over the next 15 months and be named the “Dick Clark Studio.” 

Throughout our campus tours, food was a key topic of discussion.  Look at efforts taken here to satisfy everyone.

Here’s Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, our ninth and final school on this tour.  It was an excellent circuit with many pleasant surprises along the way (we met families from Mumbai and Chandigarh who were touring schools as well).

There was a lot of “Breaking News” last week in the US.  Flags will be flown at half-mast in New Jersey on Monday in honor of James Gandofini, better known as Tony Soprano, who died of a heart attack in Italy.

I don’t think anyone truly knows why Kim Kardashian is famous, but she dominated the covers of four magazines this week.

And CNN blasted the news that Paula Deen’s contract will not be renewed after some inflammatory remarks.  (Hmmm, I wonder what’s going on in Syria.)

My U.S. visit wrapped up Friday at the Newark airport as I headed back to Delhi (8,000 miles via a 13 hour direct flight).  My family will stay a few extra weeks and return in July.

Here it is, my final burger of 2013.  I need a rapid return to my chicken and rice diet in Delhi.  Enjoy your week.  ts   PS: Don’t miss the two bonus photos below.

Here’s a 2009 photo of Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, home of America’s best cannoli (the shells sit empty and are only filled once ordered).

And here’s the proprietor Buddy, who thanks to television, is now nationally known as the “Cake Boss.”  The line now runs around the block for his tasty treats.

2013 – 23: USA

 

From Munich, we flew to the U.S. for our first visit to the homeland in nearly a year.  We headed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home to our immediate family (all except Dave who visited from LA). 

 

We’ve been complete gluttons since arrival.  U.S. food never tasted so good.  I had the spicy chicken cashew salad and laughed out loud.  Americans have no clue what spicy is.  They haven’t tasted spicy like we’ve tasted spicy!

 

Supermarkets offer endless choices.  The weight I lost in India was quickly found here in the U.S.

 

Shopping is striking to us with the cavernous, big-box retail stores warehousing infinite aisles filled with “stuff.”  Consumerism is king in America.

 

Richard is active in the Relay for Life cancer foundation.  His team raised more than $101,000.  The overall Lancaster organization raised more than $650,000 and is the 7^th largest chapter in the world.

 

John put his 34 years of skydiving experience to use with this tandem jump (the young man strapped to his harness is celebrating his 18^th birthday). 

 

Greg is happy to pose for a photo, but has no interest in skydiving.

 

These young ladies are outstanding in their field. 

 

March 28, 1979 is a date everyone in this area remembers.  Three Mile Island is the site of America’s worst nuclear power accident.  Lynda and I were attending college only 6 miles away.  School was closed and everyone sent home (which was only 15 miles away for me).  Note: Unit 1 on the right is still operational.  Unit 2 on the left is permanently sealed.  It had only been operational for 3 months prior to the accident.

 

Lancaster County is known for its yesteryear appeal.  Covered bridges are plentiful. 

 

The Amish community thrives.  They do not subscribe to modern ways.

 

Horse and buggies share the roads with motor vehicles.

 

Barns are colorful.  Note:  My father, brothers and I all helped to build this barn more than 40 years ago.  When the original perished in a fire, all the neighbors pitched in for a barn-raising (like the scene in the movie “Witness”).

 

Amish country is also known for its unique naming convention of local villages.  We started in Bird-in-Hand…

 

… and skirted past Virginville…

 

… on our way to Intercourse. 

 

It’s so obvious.  Two roads come together and create an intercourse.  What were you thinking?

 

Our family outting to the Fulton Theater was delightful.  Look for part 2 of our U.S. visit next week featuring Kayla’s college tour.  Enjoy.  ts

 

 

 

2013 – 22: Bavarian Love Affair

 

This was a week full of travel across three continents.  We stopped in Munich for several days on our way to the U.S.

 

It was cold and raining, but we were thrilled.  It was a refreshing relief from the heat of Delhi.

 

On our journey to the Alps, we stopped to change trains in Pasing where we had enough time to enjoy Bavarian delights, including the best Bratwurst we’ve ever had. Of course, a Lebkuchen was a must.

 

In Partenkirchen, we rode the Seilbahn to Forsthaus Graseck, one of our favorite Alp hideaways. 

 

As the expression goes, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.  With that spirit, we hiked through the rain (behind the fog are snow-capped mountains).

 

Unlike the cows of India, Bavarian cows wander steep slopes at high altitudes during the summer. The gentle sound of jingling cow bells is distinctive and memorable.

 

The remoteness of this alpine home personifies the charm of the Alps.  

 

We hiked over Partnachklamm (a gorge cut millions of years ago by a glacier).

 

With record rainfall, the view was especially spectacular.

 

Back in Munich, we visited our favorite landmarks including Marienplatz…

 

…and Schwabing.

 

Here’s something you’d never see in India — a steakhouse with a very graphic depiction showing the source of your meal.

 

It was a pleasure to connect with colleagues at the regional office…

 

… as well as American expats.

 

Heavy floods put the region under a state of emergency, but the rain finally relented which revealed the legendary Bavarian blue skies (this is the BMW headquarters on the left, known as the Hochhaus, along with the BMW Museum).

 

The museum is currently featuring an amazing collection of Rolls-Royce cars spanning the past century.

 

In our former hometown of Gauting, we introduced Enrique to Carmine, proprietor of our favorite restaurant (Enrique now lives within walking distance).

 

We grabbed a train in Gauting (the message wishes everyone a good journey)…

 

…and enjoyed the sun at Starnberger See (note the snow-capped Alps in the distance).

 

From there we visited Munich International School…

 

…where Greg enjoyed a reunion with his kindergarten teacher. 

 

Kayla has practically doubled in height since she last saw her 5^th grade teacher.

 

Here are individual perspectives from our Bavarian visit (first Greg).  Hiking through the Alps was fun.  Everything is so green.  Also, it was fun visiting my old school.  And the food isn’t too spicy!

 

It was nice to be in the Alps and enjoy the fresh air.  The food was incredible.  We gorged on Schnitzel, Kartoffelsuppe, Brezen und Bratwurst with the sweet Munich Senf (mustard).  I love Senf.  For dessert we devoured Afelstrudel with vanilla sauce and ice cream.  Bavarian food never tasted so good. 

 

Moving to Munich in 2004 was extremely challenging.  But over that three-year period, Munich became a part of us and now feels like home. I hope we get the chance to live there again. 

 

This photo was taken in 2006 near Lermoos, Austria, with Zugspitze in the background.  We created memories of a lifetime which we’ll always cherish.  Bavaria is forever in our blood.  ts

2013 – 21: School’s out

 

Hello everyone. This is Kayla writing this week’s blog, and I will gladly tell you that summer has begun! Yes, that is right. Exams are done, grades are finished, and it is time to relax. As of Thursday, I am officially a senior in high school and can’t believe it!

 

To celebrate the summer time, I had a sleepover with some close friends. We are quite an international group consisting of an Indian/Candian, two Koreans, a Japanese, and two Americans.

 

It was a stressful year, so it was fun unwinding with “Just Dance.”

 

We had fun doing all the things that you’d expect at the end of a gruelling school year.

 

We swam.

 

We had fun and loved it !!

 

We ate some schnizle and bratwurst at the local German restaurant.  It has a very authentic Bavarian décor.

 

I can’t believe that summer is finally here. I did not think I would ever make it through my first year of school in India. India has been stressful, but it has all worked out well. We will see you in the United States soon!  Kayla