The Island less trodden

On November 21, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn Biking, NYCLeave a comment

It’s probably best known for it’s Orange Ferry. It’s the starting point for the NYC Marathon. And it’s infamous for its Fresh Kills landfill – where garbage from the 5 boroughs of New York City was once collected. The landfill was reopened soon after 9/11 to receive the debris from Ground Zero.

Until recently, I was one of many who knew nothing more about the city’s third largest borough (after Queens and Brooklyn) – Staten Island – than what has been stated above. My previous encounters with the island have literally been alighting from the ferry, stepping into the ferry terminal only to board again a few minutes later. I did this as a first time visitor to the city and in more recent times, as a guide to first time visitors to the city! I’ve also, on occasion, driven through the island en route to destinations in neighbouring New Jersey.

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Islands Abound

On November 15, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn Biking, NYCLeave a comment

Other than Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, which are all part of a larger land mass, everything else in the NY Metro area is an island. The borough of Manhattan included! In fact there are many more islands than boroughs in New York City. To me, it’s what makes the city and its surrounds all that more interesting and has also recently spurred my interest in and fascination for bridges.

While some of these were covered in my last blog, we travel north today from Queens into the Bronx via Randall’s Island, then back into Manhattan ending at Roosevelt Island. This also effectively serves in documenting my first cycling trip this summer.

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The Island with no Governor

On November 13, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn NYCLeave a comment

As a kid in school, we were taken on a field trip to the Governor of Maharashtra’s Bungalow in Malabar Hill, Bombay. To the majority of the passing public, the Governor’s Bungalow was no more than an ornate looking black gate on the drive up to Walkeshwar. Our class of about 40 was fortunate enough to venture past those gates. Not only did we get to see his Bungalow but also relax on his private beach. I’m sure we all walked away that day envious of him (whoever he was). I still am.

More than 20 years later, thousands of miles away and in a different city, I had visions once again of that private road leading away from the hustle and bustle of Bombay, down to the grandiose of the Bungalow and beyond to that secluded strip of sand. I was headed to little known Governor’s Island in New York Harbour.

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Summer Rush

On November 6, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn NYCLeave a comment

The heat was turned on a week ago, we switched over to Standard Time yesterday, the NYC Marathon is over, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and delayed as they might be, the leaves are finally beginning to change colour. It’s hard to accept but my first real summer in New York is finally over!

I say ‘real’ because my last summer was spent back home in India and the way the semesters are set up at school meant that I would come in to the city at the end of the summer and leave at the beginning. This was also the first time in my life I wasn’t in India for most of the summer and while I didn’t quite miss the extreme temperatures of Delhi, I did have to forego the entire mango season (sigh!) and the glorious monsoon and only I know how much I miss those two!

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Of Kings & Queens

On November 1, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn Home, NYCLeave a comment

It’s been sometime since I visited LA – the subject of my last blog. In between I’ve been to Chicago, the UK, made several small trips around New York, graduated, got a job and basically had a wonderful summer so far. Oh and I’ve also moved – from Brooklyn in Kings County to Long Island City in Queens County! About time I thought – if nothing else, at least the ‘move’ deserves to be blogged!

3830 29th St has been home to me for 3 months now. It’s also the 3rd apartment I’ve stayed in while in New York and better still my third borough (of 5) in the city. As always we’ll begin with a little help from friendly google maps.

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Pacific Bytes

On April 2, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn TravelLeave a comment

Spring break and it was time for a get away. I was west coast bound this time and all set to fly out on Friday the 16^th. The snowstorm had other plans for me however so after a failed attempt to leave on Friday, I was rescheduled to leave on Monday the 19^th instead. This meant a slightly curtailed itinerary and a missed weekend in LALA land. What worked in my favour though was the chance to meet a friend who I would have missed on my earlier itinerary (courtesy of him being away to China at the time) and a quicker connection on both legs of my journey. The first such connection was made at Salt Lake City in Utah after an early morning departure from NY’s snow covered Kennedy airport. Unknown to me, a few hours later, the A380 would touch down there on its maiden commercial flight.

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Bear Essentials

On March 30, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn Trains, TravelLeave a comment

In my college days in Bombay I was often nicknamed ‘Rip Van’ – owing in no small measure to my penchant for an afternoon siesta. While I get little of that luxury these days, I continue to be a late riser or ‘not a morning person’ in politically correct parlance. So what on earth was I doing at a little past 7 on a saturday morning last weekend?

Correction! This photo was taken around 7 but I was up at 6 that same morning. For those of you who know me well enough, you will appreciate that there can only be one motivation to get up that early – to watch a train maybe? Spot on! 🙂

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Morning at the Masjid

On January 27, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn IndiaLeave a comment

I have always been partial to Delhi during the winter months because I believe that is simply the most enjoyable time to visit there. Ok so our homes might not be the best insulated on the planet and we shudder at the thought of a morning bath. Flights are forever delayed and we all hate the fog. But all of that is more than made up by the feeling one gets every morning in the warm snugness of a razai (quilt) with the sun’s first rays filtering through the window…

…edging us on to make best the hours of sun light that lie ahead. Those lazy afternoons in the garden, enjoying the warmth, sipping on beer and munching on mouth watering ‘mooli’ (raddish / daikon) garnished with lemon and spice..ah, what I’d give to enjoy another spell of the Delhi winter..

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D5 – Terai Wonder

On January 16, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn India, TravelLeave a comment

I awoke sunday morning to find that I had a heavy head and nasal congestion. The cold had finally taken it’s toll on me. It was all downhill from here on in more ways than one. I would head for the plains in a bit, descend a steep road and my physical condition would deteriorate as the day unfolded. Worse still Roshan had decided to ditch, sending in a replacement in the form of Sushil Sherpa and a larger vehicle for company! I wouldn’t have minded so much had it been a Land Rover!

9:30 and we were on our way..leaving behind homely Alice Villa and her friendly staff.

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D4 – The Gloom in Ghum

On January 15, 2007October 30, 2008 By bratislavIn India, Trains, TravelLeave a comment

It looked promising that morning and I hoped it would remain a bright clear day. Going by the luck we had during our monsoon visit – seeing Kanchenjunga in all her glory – I was pretty sure I would have similar luck this time. Batasia had been visited umpteen times by now and today it had to be different – I just had to see that marvelous train set against the backdrop of the Himalayas. So on a hunch I rode the ‘joy train’ to Ghum that morning and was informed by yet another inebriated member of the railway staff that we would have a ten minute stoppage at Batasia. Great! I thought – this would be that elusive dramatic opening shot I was looking for. But my luck had begun to run out by then..

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