Summer 2023 – Beautiful Niagara Falls

 

My family and I decided to visit Niagara Falls from the Canadian and American sides. We chose this route because we had previously visited Niagara Falls from the American side. To see the multiple falls at Niagara Falls, we decided to do the Canadian City Cruise(the Canadian equivalent of the Maid of the Mist), the Scenic Drive, and a lot of walking/mini-Hiking. I've been to Niagara Falls many times, which amazes me.

Since the falls produce approximately 75000 gallons of water every second, the river before the fall is incredibly turbulent. Everything about the falls is interesting to observe, and the roar of the falls is also quite remarkable to hear. Various activities beyond the Falls include minor entertainment venues, a waterpark, and a bird zoo. The primary attractions, however, are located near the Falls and include Maid of the Mists, a zipline, the Cave of the Winds, and a journey behind the falls. These attractions are incredibly unique and cool because they allow you to get a close-up look at each of the Falls and feel the mist tap you in the face. 

I plan to enjoy Cave of the Winds if we return there again.

 

Summer of 2023 – Northeast Visit – The Home of the Ivy Leagues

My family and I decided to take a one-week vacation to the Northeast to visit some of the cities, sites, and most outstanding educational institutions. We took a road trip starting from Boston to Niagara Falls, Canada. We passed through New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. We visited Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and MIT. We also visited New York and saw some tourist attractions, such as Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center Memorial, and the Observatory. 

Harvard University is an Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a high ranking in numerous fields, including medicine and law. Tourists included curious and eager students like me. Established in the 1600s, the campus is enormous and very decorative. The buildings are all built with red bricks to match the color of the Harvard logo. Harvard Square, which seemed very busy with students and tourists. It has various restaurants and "The Coop", which sells Harvard gear and books. Most of the books are authored by Harvard Professors, which justifies the reputation of the high-ranking research school! 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) is located relatively close to Harvard, about 10-15 minutes away by car. MIT is the country's second-best college, noted for its STEM courses such as computer science, engineering, physics, etc. MIT is a pioneer for its research and collaboration between industry, government, and academia. MIT campus is not as vast and ornamental as the Harvard campus, but it is placed along the Charles River and provides a lovely and clean perspective of Boston. Many people sail their boats along the river and walk, jog, or cycle on the river bank.

Yale University is a private institution in New Haven, Connecticut. It's a highly-ranked Ivy League University. Yale offers many popular courses such as medicine, Computer Science, Psychology, Biological and Biomedical Science, and History Engineering. Yale's campus is vast, with several buildings constructed of grey brickwork. The buildings were fashioned in an antique style because the most of them were constructed in the late 1700s.

Princeton University is a private research institution in Princeton, New Jersey. It is the highest-ranked school in the country. Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Public Policy, and Psychology are some of the most popular majors at Princeton University. Princeton's campus is relatively large, with several restaurants and shopping areas nearby for students to sell their wares. The structures, like Yale University, have old and magnificent architecture. The Nassau Hall has an Ivy planted for each graduating batch going back to the 1800s!

I could not tour many additional Ivy League schools(UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Cornell). I plan to visit them next year before the college applications. These Universities started around the same time because they all sprang from the Original 13 colonies and have been around for a similar amount of time.  

Winter 2022 trip to LA – Historic Coliseum and Majestic Endeavour Space Shuttle

 

This blog is a late post about my trip to Los Angeles in the winter of 2022. We decided to undertake various activities in Los Angeles, including the LA Coliseum and the California Science Center, walking down Hollywood Boulevard, and visiting multiple natural beaches. All these activities were a lot of fun, but I also learned a lot about Los Angeles as a city while we were there. 

The Los Angeles Coliseum hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics and will also hold the 2028 Olympics. This 100+ year legacy stadium has an honor wall honoring the athletes and countries who have won specific Olympic events in that stadium.

There were no games at the time, but we got to view the stadium and learn about its history. Apart from the Olympic games, LA Coliseum has also served as a baseball stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a football stadium for the Los Angeles Rams, and many more leagues. It now hosts collegiate football games for the University of Southern California Trojans. I was amazed by the legacy and splendor of the stadium.

California Science Center is a popular tourist attraction because it is the only museum in the world with a space shuttle that has traveled to the moon. Endeavour has completed 25 missions, the most recent of which was in May 2011. We could observe the shuttle and closely examine the amazing machine which has accomplished so much in its lifetime. We watched two scientific films in the theatre. One was about the scientists who discovered evolution, and the other was about how to avert an asteroid from hitting Earth. California Science Center has a lot packed for a day trip. It’s a must-see for adults and kids when visiting LA.

India Visit 2022 - Exploring the world heritage sites

 

(Photo Courtesy: Odisha Tourism : Glimpses of Odisha)

This summer, my family and I took a trip to India, to the state of Odisha. Odisha is a part of Eastern India. This was our first trip to India in four years since my family and I last went in 2018. We usually go to India for family gatherings, but on this trip, we decided to see some relatives and several tourist sites. We were in India for around three weeks. We didn't accomplish much during the first week after going there because everyone in our family was jet-lagged. We spent most of our time on our phones and visited a few relatives. We saw several tourist spots after our jet lag subsided. 

Khandagiri and Udaygiri Caves: Hill of Rising son

We started by traveling to Khandagiri. Khandagiri is a 110-foot-tall hill that contains 15 caves. Udaygiri, situated adjacent to Khandagiri, has 18 caves. There are numerous Jain drawings in the caves built during the 1^st century BCE. These caves are popular tourist destinations and are crucial to Odisha's history because they provide the earliest proof that Jainism existed. King Kharavela built the caves as the living place of Jain monks. They also contain several inscriptions by the king.

Dhauligiri: Shanti Stupa or Peace pagoda

We traveled to Dhauli from Khandagiri. Dhauli peace monument sits on a lovely and quiet mountaintop. The peace monument was established in 1972 to commemorate King Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism to promote peace worldwide after the Kalinga war(261 B.C.). Asoka, the victorious king, became a Buddhist after seeing the devastation and pain after the war. Popular folklore mentions that the nearby Daya river was dyed red due to the massive number of deaths during the Kalinga war. 

Nandankanan Zoo – Home of White Tiger

We visited the Nandankanan Zoo after Dhauli. The Nandankanan Zoo has a large variety of species. White Tiger, one of the rarest creatures in the world, can be found here. In addition, this zoo houses lions, eagles, wolves, snakes, elephants, and crocodiles. 

Konark – The Sun Temple

We traveled to Konark to see the Sun Temple the next day. This temple was built in the 13^th century for the Hindu sun god "Surya". The original temple was created as a chariot of Sun God driven by twenty-four wheels and pulled by seven horses. The main temple has collapsed over the years; the only remains are the entrance to the temple. It features numerous intricate embellishments. Beautifully carved elephants, lions, and wheels may be seen at the temple's front and sides.

Puri -The abode of Lord Jagannath

The Jagannath temple in Puri was the last spot we visited. This temple is among the most well-known temples and tourist sites in India. The Hindu god Jagannath, often known as the Creator of the Universe, is honored in this temple. Other smaller temples are close to the Jagannath temple, while the main temple is the tallest at 214.8 feet. Puri also has a beautiful sea beach(the Bay of Bengal). We had a fun time on the beach! 

I had a great time on this trip because it was the first time I could explore Odisha fully and see it from various angles. I gained a lot of knowledge about the rich history of Odisha, as well as Buddhism and Jainism. Additionally, I got to view the local wildlife, and the vacation was generally a lot of fun. 

For further information:   Odisha Tourism : Visit Odisha | Travel & Tourism | Official Site