Lavon Lake from highway 380

Last week I was driving on 380 and chanced to cross the Lavon lake which supplies water to most of the cities around. The lake's water levels have drastically gone down as a result of the drought this region has experienced during the past couple of years. Here are few pictures...

Winter Sky Views of Rural Texas

Rural Roads in Texas

When I was in India and new in America I was under the impression that all roads in this country are fantastically paved super highways built so vehicles can whizz past hundreds of miles in a matter of hours. While this is largely true there are some roads that are not too different from Indian roads.


Case in point is the rural roads in Texas that I just drove past today in a bid to reach the Mineral Wells Fossil Park. This road known as "Indian Creek Road" is quite a mess, there is no trace/ sign of asphalt, it is mud and rock all the way the minute one turns off the highway and passes the Indian Creek Cemetery. It seems as if after the cemetery the road construction is also dead.


Here are some pictures :-

The Great American Mistake - continues to be celebrated

Remembering the "Good Old Days"

One of the favorite pastimes of Euro-Americans is to reminisce about the "Good Old Days" when everything was so perfect and now it has all become corrupted. Well one of the favorite memories in Texas is the days of cowboys, cattle drives and railroad. Almost every city I have visited has some connection to the railroad of the bygone era. They all have some kind of memorial, museum, or installation to commemorate the railroad. Here is the railroad memorial in Frisco, TX, installed in the green area in front of the city hall and library.

Street views in and around Dallas

For a long time in the past few weeks I have attempted to be more regular at updating my blogs. But, life happens and then here I'm trying to post some images onto my blog. These images were shot when I was travel from school to home or when I go to work and of course on errands like grocery shopping, paying bills, etc. These images reveal the essence of what I call the American way.

These pictures taken on the road depict commercials, clouds, accidents, etc.

This is an accident scene off highway 635 when an 18 wheeler had hurtled off the road. I wonder what the driver trying to do with this huge vehicle when this happened.


Advertising billboard of an upcoming hospital in McKinney, Texas. I would like be curious to know how they will work when they finally build the hospital and start functioning.


Shaky picture of a hazy morning shot through the windshield of the car.

Views of Mysore and Nanjangud

I recently had the opportunity to visit the ancient Nanjundeswara temple at Nanjangud, Karnataka, India. The temple was undergoing renovation and hence looks a little odd, with newly painted upper part and ramshackle lower portion. Nevertheless the temple presents an impressive vista and evokes devotion and respect from the devout visitors.

Mysore city Road

Street scene in downtown Mysore

View of the Entrance to Nanjangud temple

A view of the pillars that support the entrance to the Nanjangud temple

Attractive temple frescoes

Sculptures inside the temple

Newly renovated and beautified roads of Bengaluru

Everyone across the world is familiar with traffic snarls and congestion in Bengaluru aka Bangalore. It is a common crib I hear pretty much from whomever I meet wherever in the world. The hard work done by Bengaluru's city corporation is not highlighted even to the tiniest extent. Bengaluru's roads are much better than when I left the city to move to the US over 30 months ago. Traffic has increased but it moves faster and smoother no doubt. Roads are wider and have lesser potholes... there are few roads that need repairs badly, but these repairs have not been done mainly because of the infrastructure development works that are being done...

Road Views From Google Maps

I was browsing the internet to get directions to reach a particular location and I found this interesting feature. I had come across this feature over a year ago but hadn't used it to the fullest extent. Today I just thought I'd try out and see how this feature works and decided to do some copy and pasting of images on my blog. Google has really come to the doorsteps of our homes. Cameras are everywhere it is a matter of time before corporations or government will invade the privacy of our homes and rooms. Right now through this feature one can zoom in to the doorsteps of houses. Here are two pictures I just captured from Google maps just the quality is good and it seems like shot from a high resolution camera.

New Orleans - Street Views

I am still back in my list of blogging topics because I have been very busy with school and other mundane activities. Anyway I shared my experience of the swamp tour in New Orleans, now let me tell you a little about the roads and what I saw around there. First of all I didn't travel much of the city except for the downtown areas. So I don't know what the suburbs look like and my opinion of downtown New Orleans is definitely not great... this is one of the rundown cities in the US that I have visited. The roads are narrow, potholed, there is the tram that still runs, like in Kolkata, the city seems heavily dependent on tourism. This is city is quite like any big city in India, one can see abject poverty as well as extravagant opulence. Fancy flyovers and highways, but narrow roads within the city. Dirty sidewalks especially around the Bourbon street area. Skyscrapers overshadow small homes and generally it is obvious that there is a lot of poverty in the city.
Our host was telling that earlier he would walk to his work which is just a mile away. He stopped doing so because every day he would be accosted by at least 3-4 dirty, grimy, beggars (pan-handlers) asking for a Quarter (25 cents), food, etc. They would not beg but rather ask/ demand. Now he drives the distance or takes the tram. Here are some pictures I shot while travelling in the car check it out and let me know what you feel?

Houston Road Views

Last weekend while in Houston I captures some images on the road. They include pictures of sculptures, churches, buildings and roads in general. The roads in Houston have maniacs driving their cars as if to cause an accident. The city seems to be full of roads, fly overs, exits and ramps and large shopping areas. I didn't see any school, college, park or open space within the city. It is all choc-a-bloc roads, and development. Of course like all other cities there are random artworks strewn around the city.

Vistas of Collin County

Last weekend I had gone driving to explore the rural areas of Collin County and what I saw flabbergasted me completely. There are roads which seemed as if they had not seen asphalt for decades, lined by trash on either sides, these roads had only gravel on the surface. Then of course there were several modern style village roads with good signage, smooth surface and wide enough for two large vehicles pass each other. But overall the road signs in rural Collin County needs improvement. Here are some images.

Showers in the Metroplex

I shot these pictures while driving around run errands. These pictures depict rain-soaked metroplex roads and landmarks along the way. Your feedback will be appreciated.

A tower like structure along the Central Expressway - Mockingbird lane

View of a commercial building on Coit road... The clouds lend an eerie feel to the picture"

California - Vibrant West Coast of US

These pictues are random road views shot from inside a moving car while we were driving to California. So I can't really pinpoint the locations.

Texas Road Views

Some pictures shot while traveling recently. These are nothing great but general sights I see on the road. Hope you all like the views.

This is a shopping mall.. built in a different style with parking lots bigger than the buildings

Loaded pick up trucks are a common sight in Texas

Texas is a state full of multi-level highway intersections.

A Poem about Road Travel

I am trying to inculcate the art of writing poetry/ stanzas/ verses in English into my skillset and I keep trying to pen down some lines whenever I feel the inspiration. I was recently thinking about my last year's adventure on two wheels and this verse flowed. I have titled it as road travel and I hope it captures the emotions of road...

Road Travel
Riding thru lanes, streets, crossroads, highways and boulevards
I see vistas of happiness, grief, hope and loss
Scenes of prosperous grandeur and sights of abject poverty

As I make my way through villages and cities, I wonder sometimes
When the world is so beautiful And full of goodness and beauty
Why do people fight in the name of religions and deity?

And when I feel tired, lonely and hungry I wonder
Am I on the right path Or have I taken a wrong detour
Is this tour an adventurous reverie?
Or is it a grand plan gone badly wrong?

I am not alone meandering across nations
For there are others on the road
Searching for love, adventure and livelihood

My dear friend these roads are not only for us to enjoy
It is for all those who seek adventure.
And a break from their daily grind

So learn to share the road like families share homes
And you will reach your dream destination
Safe and sound within a reasonable span of time.

Roads, trails and rails

I am still blogging about the sights of Oklahoma and Arkansas. I shot so many fantastic pictures during the memorial day weekend trip to the Talimena Scenic Drive, Cedar Lake and the Queen Wilhelmina National Park that it will take some more days before I can finish off the trip. Anyway I am kind of theming my pictures and here are some pictures about the pathways we use to move from place to place. The pictures range from hiking trails, super highways, city roads and even railway tracks. Enjoy and do leave your comments..