Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Madison, WI - America's Dairy heartland
Madison, WI is a good 200 miles from Rochester and the drive was accomplished in over 4 hours after brief stops for dinner and fuel. Why did we choose Madison for our short vacation ? Well, frankly, it didnt involve too much driving. And unlike tourist destinations, we didnt have monuments or museums to dictate our schedule. But perhaps what really mattered was it being a University town. University towns are vibrant, energetic and inspiring. A good way to recharge one's batteries.
We stayed at the Country Inn Suites, a 2 1/2 star - the room was clean and well furnished and the staff courteous ( will recommend ? yes.).
On Sat morn we set out to State Street in the heart of Madison but got diverted by the farmer's market that was on. Much like the Indian "santhe" or "bazaar", farmer's markets are huge draw with the local folk. The mood is really festive and the compulsive shoppers are happy ! We succumbed into buying cheese, fresh basil, giant aubergines (that Y loves to hate) and some freshly made salsa.
Next stop was the Museum of history, Wisconsin. One section of the exhibits trace the migration of the Native Indians and their history. It was interesting to note that the front desk was manned by a potential student of archaeology and she was earning her way into college. It is commendable that the University system in the USA emphasises original work and contribution along with financial sufficiency. Both of these are super catalysts to academic progress.
Madison is proud to be the pioneer of Dairy farming in the country and the University has its own dairy and outlet as continuing research. They take their cows quite seriously and the whole city has plasticine models of cows decorated by local artists. This one, dressed as Uncle Sam, caught my eye.
State street offers a variety of cuisines and we lunched at a Greek restaurant. Post the meal, we walked around the University campus a bit before we headed out to Mount Horeb, 14 miles from downtown Madison.
The singular attraction in that city of 5000 people is a Mustard Museum that has over 20,000 different types of mustard ( a sauce made primarily of mustard and flavoured differently acc. to taste).
It was interesting to see how important mustard was to the British - endorsed by no less than W.C.Grace.
But wait, I must not forget to mention the Trolls that dot the main street in Mt. Horeb. Those are definite tourist attractions too. See this picture of the troll trio :).
A few miles further is the Cave of the Mounds. We took a tour and were led through over a mile of stalactites and stalacmites. Here is one way to remember which one grows in which direction ( courtesy the tour guide). A stalactite stays tight on the ceiling and stalac"mite" get there one day ! Ha ha.. Interestingly, the caves are a constant 50F ( around 10C) round the year.
After an excellent meal of tofu kababs at a Nepali place downtown and a short walk downtown, we called it a day.
Sunday dawned bright and very pleasant. We walked along the Lake Monona and had a good look at the University campus spread along its shores. UofM has a pride of place being ranked 13th in the country. Har Gobind Khurana, our desi Nobel laureate, was an alumni of this institution.
We left Madison at 11:30 AM and headed towards Baraboo, WI where the International Crane Foundation allows visitors to get familiar with these large, loud, ungainly but extremely lovable birds. It was the most rewarding stop for me. The ICF continues to be a breeding and rehabilitation site for many endangered cranes including the Whooping Cranes. I was surprised to learn that cranes are closer to coots than to egrets. Looks can be deceptive indeed !
The tall single bird is the Indian Sarus crane, the largest of the species. This one, Majnu, is 44 years old and continues to helps its communal cause by breeding ! Its latest mate is called Chandini. Laila is a "used to be"..
We had an uneventful journey back. But as a friend said, driving into the garage from a vacation always rudely shocks one into reality !
We stayed at the Country Inn Suites, a 2 1/2 star - the room was clean and well furnished and the staff courteous ( will recommend ? yes.).On Sat morn we set out to State Street in the heart of Madison but got diverted by the farmer's market that was on. Much like the Indian "santhe" or "bazaar", farmer's markets are huge draw with the local folk. The mood is really festive and the compulsive shoppers are happy ! We succumbed into buying cheese, fresh basil, giant aubergines (that Y loves to hate) and some freshly made salsa.
Next stop was the Museum of history, Wisconsin. One section of the exhibits trace the migration of the Native Indians and their history. It was interesting to note that the front desk was manned by a potential student of archaeology and she was earning her way into college. It is commendable that the University system in the USA emphasises original work and contribution along with financial sufficiency. Both of these are super catalysts to academic progress.
Madison is proud to be the pioneer of Dairy farming in the country and the University has its own dairy and outlet as continuing research. They take their cows quite seriously and the whole city has plasticine models of cows decorated by local artists. This one, dressed as Uncle Sam, caught my eye.State street offers a variety of cuisines and we lunched at a Greek restaurant. Post the meal, we walked around the University campus a bit before we headed out to Mount Horeb, 14 miles from downtown Madison.
The singular attraction in that city of 5000 people is a Mustard Museum that has over 20,000 different types of mustard ( a sauce made primarily of mustard and flavoured differently acc. to taste).
It was interesting to see how important mustard was to the British - endorsed by no less than W.C.Grace.
But wait, I must not forget to mention the Trolls that dot the main street in Mt. Horeb. Those are definite tourist attractions too. See this picture of the troll trio :).A few miles further is the Cave of the Mounds. We took a tour and were led through over a mile of stalactites and stalacmites. Here is one way to remember which one grows in which direction ( courtesy the tour guide). A stalactite stays tight on the ceiling and stalac"mite" get there one day ! Ha ha.. Interestingly, the caves are a constant 50F ( around 10C) round the year.
After an excellent meal of tofu kababs at a Nepali place downtown and a short walk downtown, we called it a day.
Sunday dawned bright and very pleasant. We walked along the Lake Monona and had a good look at the University campus spread along its shores. UofM has a pride of place being ranked 13th in the country. Har Gobind Khurana, our desi Nobel laureate, was an alumni of this institution.
We left Madison at 11:30 AM and headed towards Baraboo, WI where the International Crane Foundation allows visitors to get familiar with these large, loud, ungainly but extremely lovable birds. It was the most rewarding stop for me. The ICF continues to be a breeding and rehabilitation site for many endangered cranes including the Whooping Cranes. I was surprised to learn that cranes are closer to coots than to egrets. Looks can be deceptive indeed !
The tall single bird is the Indian Sarus crane, the largest of the species. This one, Majnu, is 44 years old and continues to helps its communal cause by breeding ! Its latest mate is called Chandini. Laila is a "used to be"..We had an uneventful journey back. But as a friend said, driving into the garage from a vacation always rudely shocks one into reality !
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The Meandering Mississippi
6th May 2006
The "great river" of the native Indians winds its way through the mid-west and is the geographical boundary for many a state in this region of the United States. Over the ages it has helped nurture life, been a conduit for trade and a haven for wildlife.
The "great river" of the native Indians winds its way through the mid-west and is the geographical boundary for many a state in this region of the United States. Over the ages it has helped nurture life, been a conduit for trade and a haven for wildlife.
In my younger days, the river was a nightmare for all of us students alike, with its repeating "s"s and "p"s. Now, under no grim compulsion to spell it right, the river seemed a lot friendlier as Y and I drove by it on a warm Saturday morning. Winona, a week ago had given us a birds-eye view of the river. This morning, we were cruising alongside it.
From Rochester we worked our way Northeast towards Red Wing. Enroute, Bushel & Peck beckoned us with its signboard for fresh orchard apples. Though they had run out of apples, but we got to meet a friendly dog and window-shop a variety of fruit and vegetable preserves and sauces. Some persuasive marketing by the owner had us buying morels. This is morel season and hunting for them is a past time and often a prelude to a fine meal for most farmers.
Red Wing is a small town 45 miles from Rochester. It is proud to be one of the habitats of the American Bald Eagle that was successfully saved from extinction and is now a strong symbol of conservation. Barn Bluff at over 350 ft is the highest point in Red Wing. The trails to the top are walled by rock and we met a few climbing enthusiasts straining their sinews. The west scenic viewpoint overlooks the town of Red Wing and also the bridge across the river into Wisconsin. At the top, we were caught unawares by the sweet smell of corn syrup wafting into the air from a processing unit below.
Crossing over into Wisconsin we drove south along The Great River Road along the M, stopping at historic markers at Bay City, Maiden Rock, Stockholm and Pepin (see this). Each of these markers tells a story. The Maiden Rock marker, for instance, recounts the legend of an Indian girl who jumped to her death to avoid being forced into marriage (ah ! this is a recurring theme). At one such marker, Y and I met a couple of bikers and got to exchange a few words. Biking is a very popular hobby during the spring, summer and fall and couples often travel in several pairs. The sight of gleaming machines zipping across the road at 70 mph is an awesome sight.
We continued our journey south and crossed back into Minnesota at Winona later in the afternoon. Summing it up: The weather gods were benevolent, the mighty M open and gushing to appreciation and the soaring birds of prey unperturbed by our visit. We could not have asked for more!
Monday, May 01, 2006
Winona - the first born daughter
Winona is a small town east of Rochester, Minnesota. It was not the best of days to travel 40 miles but on Y's insistence, we set forth on a wet, cloudy Sunday afternoon. The drive to Winona is to say the least - breathtaking. Spring was in the air, cows in the meadows and verdant fields rippled in the strong breeze. Grain silos stretched into the skies and totem poles dotted well-kept gardens.
The ride to the viewpoint at Garven Heights is winding but short. At 575 ft, the highest point offers a breathtaking view of the town and beyond. The eastern front is of the mighty Mississippi winding her way along the state border with a two-lane bridge spanning the river into Wisconsin and on the north side are the bluffs shrouded with deciduous vegetation. The mist in the air and the tall, drenched cedars added a romantic touch to the visit.
On getting back to ground level, we walked around the streets of Winona. Downtown Winona is centered around the University campus and like every U town, the denizens projected a carefree attitude. A desperate coffee hunt yielded Abbey's Soda Jerk and Candy Cafe built along the 1950s soda-pop place.
Winona appeared to have a fairly strong Christian population. Lutheran, Catholic and Episcopal churches are numerous and are all visual treats with their tall spires and manicured lawns. However, the one that caught our eye was the domed St.Stanislaus church with its white facade and prim exterior.
A walk around the local lake was refreshing. I noted hundreds of dead worms ( earthworms I presume) washed out on the tar from the lake. What caused death in such numbers ? And for my mental notepad : the black-winged bird with a touch of bright red on its shoulder and a shrill call needs to be identified. (Post-script : this is the Red-winged Blackbird )
The return journey through the spectacular White Water State Park was relaxing. We were guided back to Rochester by road signs and the dark, water-bearing clouds that condescended to shower us at intervals.
A trip to the grocery store marked a mundane end to a delightful journey ..
The ride to the viewpoint at Garven Heights is winding but short. At 575 ft, the highest point offers a breathtaking view of the town and beyond. The eastern front is of the mighty Mississippi winding her way along the state border with a two-lane bridge spanning the river into Wisconsin and on the north side are the bluffs shrouded with deciduous vegetation. The mist in the air and the tall, drenched cedars added a romantic touch to the visit.
On getting back to ground level, we walked around the streets of Winona. Downtown Winona is centered around the University campus and like every U town, the denizens projected a carefree attitude. A desperate coffee hunt yielded Abbey's Soda Jerk and Candy Cafe built along the 1950s soda-pop place.
Winona appeared to have a fairly strong Christian population. Lutheran, Catholic and Episcopal churches are numerous and are all visual treats with their tall spires and manicured lawns. However, the one that caught our eye was the domed St.Stanislaus church with its white facade and prim exterior.
A walk around the local lake was refreshing. I noted hundreds of dead worms ( earthworms I presume) washed out on the tar from the lake. What caused death in such numbers ? And for my mental notepad : the black-winged bird with a touch of bright red on its shoulder and a shrill call needs to be identified. (Post-script : this is the Red-winged Blackbird )
The return journey through the spectacular White Water State Park was relaxing. We were guided back to Rochester by road signs and the dark, water-bearing clouds that condescended to shower us at intervals.
A trip to the grocery store marked a mundane end to a delightful journey ..
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
An eternity in an hour.
- William Blake
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