My first trip to the US was well worth the long wait. It could have happened 7 years back, when I had admissions from US universities for an MS course, but I guess the experience was destined for now. And it took off, quite literally, on a roll at the Universal Studios in Orlando.
I am not a big fan of theme parks, especially the ones with scary rides (though I love the wet ones), but this one was very different. It looked straight out of all the comics I used to read as a kid. And it was not limited to the characters alone. From the rides to their ushers, and cafes to street shops, everything is inspired by legends of Universal’s magical creations. My favorite though is the Spiderman ride with 3D effects, especially the part where your cart slides down a high rise roof, only to be caught in the spider’s web just inches off the ground. The Sindabad show is another memorable one, but what caught my fancy most was the entire ambience of the place; it was mesmerizing. Check out a pic of this colorful place here:
Just about when you regret not budgeting more days at Universal Studios, you wish you had a week extra to tour all the 4 parks at Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, I had just 1 day and I tried to make the most of it in its Magic Kingdom park. Even before you enter the park, you can predict what it’s going to be like from Cinderella’s castle towering over tall trees and beautiful lakes on your drive over the monorail. And Disney World doesn’t disappoint you at all. But hold on to your camera battery until the evening when the castle is lit in all its glory (learn this from my mistake, and you’ll save yourself from your wife’s ranting). The best show here was Mickey's PhilharMagic that has all of Disney’s characters in a 3D movie. Never before have I seen Mickey, Donald Duck, Aladdin, Peter Pan and Little Mermaid, all in one movie. There are a number of other good rides (It’s a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean are just a few examples), each with excruciatingly long waiting times. However, every time you come out of one of these, you credit yourself dearly for your patience.
The Disney experience reaches its crescendo though at its character parade, rightly called, ‘Celebrate a dream come true’, and I am sure most folks who see this promise themselves to come back to watch it again with their kids, and budget permitting, even leading it with their family on the vintage car. Since my camera battery ran out, I couldn’t record it; thankfully someone else was smarter to capture this video:
If Walt Disney World was my childhood dream come true, Miami is a true adult fantasy! Yup! While what you just imagined is right, the place is good for some un-adulterated (pun, completely intended) fun too! One of the few places, where you can delight all your senses. Miles of beaches to get that perfect tan for your skin, the most beautiful of automotive and human babes (in that order) for your eyes, delicious food and cocktails, and Spanish / Latino music – the kinds one doesn’t quite understand, yet peppy enough to get even the most boorish guys dancing! Not to mention the tall buildings and beautiful (also read aspirational) island mansions of the rich and famous. Not surprisingly, the guide showed us around one of the most expensive ones that belonged to the inventor of the wonder pill!
Just as groovy Miami is, Key West is equally laid back. I noted in one of my previous blogs that I enjoy the journey as much as the destination, and the drive to Key West is one of the most beautiful one would come across.
Crossing over 42 bridges (including one that stretched 7 miles, aptly called the 7-mile bridge) and 34 islands, Key West is the southern most point of the US, but by no means its lowest tourist attraction.
It’s got a certain Carribean flavor, and anyone who has been to Goa would instantly compare it with the latter. It is a very popular destination for water sports, boasts of the only living coral reefs in the US, and is known for its famous Conch train. Para sailing over the Atlantic Ocean at Key West is as chilling as its local draft beer!
Moving on from laid back Key West to back breaking New York, though not really in that order. On my onward journey (Bangalore to Orlando), I had a 6 hour stop at New York. On any other occasion, I would have utilized this to catch up on my favorite pastime - sleeping. But a fellow passenger (the ever helpful conversationalists that one generally despises on a long flight) advised that I would be better off using the time to see downtown Manhattan and the famous Times Square. Thankfully, I followed his advice. Times Square actually looks just as it does in Karan Johar’s movies. It has the same busy city buzz and is full of electronic billboards. However, what they don’t show in the movies (or at least we don’t feel) is that it is far cooler; in fact freezing! I was shivering so much that I could barely hold my camera steady and even the bland Starbucks coffee didn’t help here. But then the buzz in these big cities such as New York, London and Mumbai is the kind that inspires movies, books and music galore!
I was wondering how I could ever thank this gentleman who pushed my decision to tour New York despite the rush to get back to the airport on time. As luck would have it, he was on the same flight (in fact the same row) while returning too and I made it a point to thank him, though only once we landed! Also profusely thanked the guy who used my memory card in his camera (after my battery fiasco) to click this pic at Disney World, indeed cherishing a dream come true!
