Blog 86
God's presence is unquestionable
-
View from my window
View from the window---------
Near my sofa cum bed is large French window and while reclining on my bed, I get bird’s eye view of the landscape around. It is very beautiful scene of San Francisco, Richmond area. Richmond area is predominantly Chinese area with white community and sprinkling of other communities. Our Indians are also visible but only a handful. There are three major roads in this area, California street ( in a city at least one road is named after the state in which the city is there. Then secondly Clemant street, and thirdly Geary street all these roads leading to downtown from ocean beach. Perpendicular to these streets are avenues from 1 to 48th. We are staying on 8th ave, near Clemant street. So market on Clemant street is near to our home, there are big stores of vegetables as well as fish and meat market. Early morning when I go out for a walk, gigantic trucks of this produce are seen offloading their wares. Many times live fish or crabs are brought in tankers and stored in shops. Chinese and Japanese people prefer live fish and crabs for them this arrangement. Then all type of grocery is brought to shops including liquor. There are separate liquor shops but most of the grocery shops also keep liquor. From salt to large packets of rice everything you get here that too best quality that is available. Or fruit of which the season is not on for example Leechy, or Mango, of course not Indian mangoes. And certainly not Alfonso.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -
San Francisco
SDan Francisco is very ancient city and its history dates back from 15th century since Sir Fracis Drake, in fact the name San Francisco is derived from Francis's name. and Chinese people are associated with this city ever since old times, in the first war and second war San Francisco had been an important garrison. especially in the second world war after the attack on Pearl Harbour, this city has played an important role. the past glory of San Francisco is preserved in history and in the form of statues and historical monuments.
-
Dosa again
Dosa---------the food served in Dosa restaurant is an excellent specimen of culinary art. Goan king size prawns were as if from a kitchen of Goa, such authentic taste and mouth watering preparations. The tinge of sour sweet taste lingered on our tongue for a long time. Even the smell of hand reminded you of Goa.. I personally wanted to convey my special thanks to Mr. Mitra for a wonderful treat. Amol had ordered chiken korma and that dish was good but prawns conquered us hands down.
The decoration of the dining room was artistic and reminded us of India. When you entered a giant Nataraj welcomed you. It was very expensive statue of brass or gun metal. At one side of Nataraja was first class bar with two bar tenders. And opposite side was dining halls where patrons were comfortably dining or drinking. Any lay man would be charmed by the arrangement. The service was quick and ready to give a smallest thing if demanded. Kashmira’s chair was placed in between us but through out dinner she kept constantly changing her seat. We were afraid she might roar but she did nothing of the sort and won applause from the staff present. Then our ladies had ordered only masala dosa, and they were satisfied with what they got. In short everybody was fully satisfied and satiated. The hotel was going to remain open upto mid-night that day so no problem for us. -
Dosa restaurant in San Francisco
The preparations in the hotel is matchless. for starters we had papadam and chiken, it was wonderful. I was really glad when i found that Goanese sea food is available there. the goanese prawn curry with original spices was wonjderful and with it coconut rice had taste of Kokan. i fell flat when curd rice was served with original taste, from where had they brought the cooks, i wonder!
-
Dosa restaurant in San Francisco
Dosa the restaurunt------------
The other Sunday Amol said “let us go to Dosa.” Then he explained that Dosa is famous restaurant in San Francisco. We got there about 8 o’clock but could not find parking space. Later Amol dropped us near the restaurant and found a parking place. We were told that we had a wait of about half an hour, so we sat on bench. We were worried about Kashmira, no t because she will be asleep untimely but her mood change. Fortunately Kashmira had excellent mood and partook in the feast whole-heartedly. The owner of the hotel is Mr. Mitra and he came over and personally talked with Amol assuring their personal attention. We thanked him.
At last we were seated on our appointed places and menu cards were handed to us.
Dosa restaurant is fusion restaurant. Means it a fusion between American culture and Indian cutlture. The place was crowded and crowd was up to date. The Americans were in suits as usual but Indians were also well dressed. Unfortunately on the next table was a couple who must be on a date. Because he changed expediatiously when he saw our crowd lest his date should run away. Kashmira was in top gear and baring some explosions of silver, she co-oprated with us. She took the taste of every single dish including the deserte. I was she is always the centre of attention of the staff. Kashmira in her musical voice was giving her grandpa instructions. -
A melancholi evening.
In such a beautiful and thirving city there is some times an evening that is melancholi and one is quite lost or forlorn so to say. San Francisco is bustling, happening city otherwise, but in such a city one is alone and he goes alone. this melancholi feelings overcame me one evening when i was sitting alone at Ocean beach. the evening sun was setting and seagulls were clambering for something. there were stray pedestrians on the beach, one man was playing a sad tune on violene. men seldom shed tear but at that moment i was on the brink of weeping for some unknown pain or mental agony. the ocean beach is most refreshing spot in my life and i dont know how i fell for that sorrow.
-
Kashmira--a riddle
Kashmira, my grand daughter is kind of riddle to us or to anybody she comes into contact with such is her behaviour. her mind is very sharp and miriads examples hae proven this she likes Dora classics, designed by Disney very much. on TV whenever Dora is playing and she is plating her mind is to Dora and if anything wrong is sensed she immediately comes to TV and rectifies it. she is only three years old. she has sharp sight about where i keep my glasses and if i am searching then she quickly hands me my glasses. similarly, she keeps tracks of all important things possessed by her Daddy, Mom amd Granny. how she remembers all these things, i wonder. Kashmira is wonder in our family. we usually visit Yerba Beauna gardens and there also she shows her sharpeness. she perfectly knows where we have to take horse rides and where we have to wait for our son Amol. she tells grandpa we have to wait here. her voice is so melodious and her manner so captivating that we fell for her. indeed Kash is precious gem in our family. God bless the child and make her live longer. Amen!
-
We fly to America
WE FLEW FROM Mumbai airport alone for first time. But everything went as expected. It was British airways and flight was over the Atlantic ocean so with trepidation as to all would go well, but all went on as desired. At Mumbai airport our request for wheel char was hoodwinked but at London airport it was taken very seriously. Under strict supervision of airlines personnel we moved everywhere. And that too separately so that sometimes I lost contact with my wife. Terminal no 5 on Heathrow airport is gigantic affair, there are 10/12 gates and to reach at certain gate becomes very difficult. We had four hours break but we could see only our terminal. The next was our journey was over the Atlantic and quite long. The food and drink service of BA is veery good but we could not take advantage of change of the diet. Air hostess and air pursurers were cordial and air hostess were not very bad to look at. Our airplane moved over Bermuda and Canada with land in sight so less time over ocean. As we moved into air space of San Francisco we were happy. Amol had come to receive us as expected.
San Francisco is very colder than we thought. So right from the very hot climate of Mumbai we are in cold climate of SFO. In this long and comic episode many times fearful and laughing incidents occurred but about them I will write you later, okay? My daughter Bageshree and her daughter Kashmira we met and that was the most happy incident and meeting with my dear Amol. The possibility of meeting wth my daughter Madhura and son Mahendra has increased our joy. So folks on this happy note I end this narrative. Cheerio. -
In the Parks of San Francisco
we have been going to different parks in San Francisco such as Sutro Park, Lincoln park, Golden Gate park etc. everywhere same wonderful picture is seen. no i am talking of beautiful flowers or scenery, i am talking of small children gamboling in the garden. even our Kashmira, otherwise reserved she is, opens up in the company of children. in the garden there are white, black, chinese, mexican children but they play with singular unity. all the grown ups should learn lessons from them. in the childrens' minds there is no superiority/inferiority complex, really my heart goes to them when they are playing.
They may indulge in fighting but they forget everything as soon as the play is over. i have seen children fighting over nigligible things but uniting immediately. -
Chinese in San Francisco
CHINESE LANGUAGE----------------
Have you heard two Chinese ladies quarrelling? They sound exactly like our fisher folks. Nearly 30% of the population in San Francisco is Chinese. Or they are mixed up with other ethnicities. The Chinese in the city are as fair as white people. Their cheeks are as red as white people. Chinese girls are beautiful and charming. I don’t know why but in their home land, Chinese people are not as attractive as they appear here. Perhaps it is the virtue of the place which makes them fair. San Francisco is beautiful so everything in it is beautiful, I feel. But Chinese people speak very difficult language or their language appears to be difficult to outsiders. But the spoken language is not so difficult but written is very cumbersome. In San Francisco everything is mixed up right from school days. There the Chinese, white and black or brown children go to same school. As such we find a white boy in love with a Chinese girl or black girl flirting with brown boy. Chinese people in this city have accepted this life whole-heartedly. They are toilers, law-makers, teachers and research fellows. They have totally blended with American way of life. Of course some of the Chinese people have been here since seventeenth century, so old is their history. However some of the families still speak Chinese but majority of Chinese have accepted English language as their mother tongue.
