Yo Say Mite like Vegemite sandwich, and he said I come from a land down under. Hike 19 Hetch Hetchy =D

This is the third time I am writing this post. For some strange reason, it would not save!  Two years ago, for the first time, before memorial day weekend, I drove through a whole array of cemeteries out of curiosity. In the Indian cemeteries, women are not allowed. Cemeteries here are very different. I read many engravings and saw how each stone was different from the other. I even went to a funeral during that time. The experience was very different from home. And I will write a post on it someday. For now, I'll tell you about my Hetch Hetchy Hike two years later!

We drove to Hetch Hetchy, Hiked for a good 4 hours and soaked up a lot of sun. Had a long lunch under some shade, on top of a rock by the water. We walked around the reservoir to the waterfall and along the river. It was beautiful ! I could set up a tiny shack there for a couple of years !

This reminded me of the fjords in NZ and the Gorges in Australia !! Granite cliffs were beautiful!

The Wapama Waterfall

Pure Beauty :)

Through the cave

Water out of my ear.

Lunch =D

 Setting up Tents :)

Damn Dam, O'Shaughnessy Dam
Reminded me of the Barvi Dam I went to often as a kid ! The loud sound of water and the beauty around is peaceful.

The reservoir of clean water straight to the taps.

 A last glimpse of the grand Sequoia Groves... ahhh i want to stay so bad!















Packing Up :(

 Ended the hike with Santa Cruz beach. Ever worn thermals to the beach on a hot day? Try it. It gets hot.

Returning equipment to REI !

Oh bye bye sleeping bags that kept my soul warm :)

Hike distance: 6 Miles
Time : 4 Hours with lunching and soaking in the water and in the sun :)
Weather : Sunny and pleasant :)

Tip for the Hike : Try the Wood Creek biscuits in Jamestown on your way to Hetch Hetchy :)
 After cancelling my Yosemite trip 3 times since the first month in Cali, I finally made it there =D ! 

Hike 17 & 18 Mission Peak second around!! SUPER MOON TIME =D Hike 18- Redwood Regional Park

Hike 17 was the Super Moon Hike =D

So last time I went to Mission Peak, I backed out because of the severe Heat ! But I dont leave anything unfinished, so I went back the second time and this time wisely chose an evening time =D

Started the Hike in the evening around 5.30

Sun set time:)

 

Moon Rise Time-- seems like it got lighter after the sunset

An awesome friend always brings such good food along =D some people are awesome !! Their secret- Strawberries with Hummus ! its yummay !

Yes the iphone takes great pictures sometimes !

That was Very SteeEEp!

See those people? I mean down low? Yes, I was on a much higher hill than that ! =D

Hike - 6.5 Miles ( Felt like 14 because it was so dark on the way down) 
Time- 5 hrs 20 mins
Very Steep- Toes hurt a bit for a week because of the impact on the way down !
Weather- Windy, breeze was much needed in that very hot area. 

Hike 18 =D Redwood Regional Park 
 

Beautiful trail, but getting to the trail from the parking lot the walk on concrete, is 15 minutes long and no fun at all.

This Hike was beautiful ... Early morning hike =D There were many BEAUTIFUL views !! and I soaked it in so good that I even forgot to take pictures of the views. But this is at the end of the hike =D We hiked for about 3 Hours =D Lovely conversations and lovely Hike =D I'm definitely going back here =D

Time - 3 hours
Distance - Maybe 6 Miles
Weather - Pleasant =D

Celebrating Yin this month of April !

This month, since I felt a little bit unwell, I decided to eat a LOT healthier. A Chinese Medicine Healer told me I may have a lot of Yang meaning heat in my body and that I maybe lacking Yin meaning coolness. So this month is to restoring Yin !! Ice cream could do the trick, but i'll add fruits and veggies to be on the safe side.

For the rest of the month, Im having only fruits and vegetabes, except for lunches I get to pig out on fried stuff if I must. For the rest of the meals, here you go :) 

First Step-

Lots of fruits with cool milk and tiny bit of Salted Caramel from Bi Rite

i.e. SMOOTHIES !

If you are a smoothies lover you MUST own a NINJA ! Its a blender thats simply brilliant !

Blend Strawberries, Bananas, Milk, Ice Cream and sugar =D And you are good to go !

Yin Smoothie number 1

 in just 10 seconds =D

Celebrating a KNEW hobbY NITTING this month =D

Sometimes I find my mind with knots and knots of thoughts. So many maizes and webs and complex networks of thoughts. Last year I had developed a ton of interest in something and I cared about nothing more than that. But today, it is on hold and I need and want something else to keep my mind from racing and jumbling. I have seen people on the trains knit and it did not look complex at all. It looked fairly easy. One of my tough  football player friend recently revealed he actually loves knitting. So, I thought, I need to give this a shot. If people do it with so much focus, I may start liking it too. Also I had read a girl friend's blog last year, Jaanus blog ! and after many influences, one fine day this month, I just went to the store and STARTED on my needles.

As a kid, I learned how to crochet although, I may have forgotten I ever knew to crochet. Only after I saw once of my friends crochet did I remember that as I kid I owned one of those needles !! And then I thought, maybe, I should have gone back to crocheting, and I would have recalled all of the stitches. But, it was too late and I already bought knitting needles and already learned and liked the stitches. Plus, my friends Jaanu and Sara have been such awesome knitting mentors, I am certain, there is no room for failure !!

I have quickly learned to love it and I am aiming to make a beautiful buff ! I see myself knitting 4 rows a day. Though, if I make a mistake , I have no idea how to correct it, so I try very hard to make no mistakes at all. I have so far made mistakes and then undone everything and redone it, and that has taught me to focus a lot harder !

My deadline for the buff is May 10th ! Will have it ready !! 

Celebrating more Museums- MOMA and Exploratorium

Alfredo Ramos Martínez

Mexican (Monterrey, Mexico, 1875 - 1946, Los Angeles, California)

Zapatistas [formerly Mexican Soldiers]

ca. 1932

painting | oil on canvas

Anything to do 

with Soldiers and I am a lll over it ! 

Look at those toughies ! 

Luc Tuymans

Belgian (Mortsel, Belgium, 1958)

Couple

1998

painting | oil on canvas

Always been a sucker for Romantic art :) 

Parra piece is very cartoon like and the mural fills up an entire wall. This mural is by a Dutch Graphic Artist. Its a post pop design style. 

This piece is mad amusing because it reminds me of Nacho Libre with Jack Black =D And an awesome friend of mine whose name I cannot reveal,  played the stunt man for that movie , underneath those clothes =D 

Zipper getting All the attention from the  instant narratively Dora Garcia. Red the text in the back, it's talking about our  ZIPPER!!

Jelly Fish from Monterey in Blu Ray with a descriptive narration. 

Flash Burst Speed. Calculating the speed of the flash to get a perfect picture reflection in the drop of water! 

Upside side down image in the droplet. Coolest Experiment ever !

How many of me are there? Capturing all motion in one still. 

Deep Fried Worms :) 

Cricket Dessert. It was YUM !! Crunchy 

That was in my Tacos =D

Reflective Mirror  giving me a chance to become a Devi of sorts. 

Being a Pundit and talking to god, asking him, when i'll have my next pair of shoes. 

Hike 15 and 16 - MArin Headlands and Some of Mission Peak

 Started the hike a bit later in the day but it was nice and warm and I made it all the way up to the Marin Headlands from near the bridge. 180 View of SF.

 Saw a ton of Kite Surfing !!

 Every time I drove over the Golden Gate and saw people climbing up on the hill, I wondered how they got there. Finally I know went on that track myself and I feel sassy :)

 Went back down and over the bridge !! For the 3rd time in 10 days =D

Hike 15 !!  Mission Peak was beautiful and very steep ! I walked in one mile and turned back because I was feel a ad bit under the weather.

Took a picture or two and ran back to the car :)

Hike 14 : Marin Headland & GGB
Distance: 7 miles
Weather : Fabulous !

Hike 15 : Mission Peak
Distance: 2 miles
Weather : Toasty !

Hike 13 and 14 :) A NIght Full Moon Hike and Alamera Falls All the way :)

The Full Moon Open Space Reserve Monte Bello Hike & Alamera Falls Hike                                                   

 Alamera Falls Hike round two ( I lost all pictures of Alamera Falls round 2 hike :'( because my phone decided to restore itself to an older date :'( I even went down to the BIG Falls and took nice pictures but Alas! They are gone. ) Anywho... I have pictures of the Night hike and here they are =D YAY!

The Full Moon Night Hike started with Lots of deer in the backdrop and in fron of us and around us :) Lots is about 7, 8. Not heards of 100's  like I saw in New Zealand. But these deer were an attraction too :)

The best pictures we could get in the dark. That's the beautiful moon in the back and possibly San Mateo in orange .

Basking in the Moonlight

Watching the beauty of the moon, Craters and all ... with Galileo 
Hike was 5 Miles Long , Mostly Flat

Alamera Hike was 8 miles long and it was a beautiful day. There was big blunder though. A huge wave hit me unexpectedly and all the sand and water went into my shoes and for four miles I was walking with sand rubbing up against my skin. I have band aids all over my foot now. I tried the Bare feet walking for about a mile too and it was fun :) It was free acupuncture for my feet. And the feeling of having my bare feet in the mushy mud was soothing :)