Yosemite Valley / 19 July ’24

This viewpoint is called the tunnel view for obvious reasons.
At this point, you are standing on the fold of a mountain and looking in.

Nature doesn’t believe in socialism. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have showered such an abundance of natural beauty on just 760,000 acres (30 sq kms) of Yosemite (pronounced ye-SO-mi-te) in Northern California.

In a daytrip to the Yosemite National Park yesterday, what did we not see in 8 hours? A sheer granite rock rising vertically to 3000 feet, hills forming the largest abstract sculptures on earth, giant sequoias, the largest trees in the world (some of them over 3,000 years old), and other trees of countless variety, a waterfall in whichever direction you look at (if you allow me a little exeggeration), a gentle blue river meandering through a lush green meadow! I have been fortunate to be in many other beautiful parts of the world, but Yosemite can be compared with no other place.

El Capitan. In Spanish, it means "The Boss" or "The Chief". This solid granite goes up 3000 ft.

Salman Rushdie has  written—possibly in the Satanic Verses—“You cannot be an American outside America and be loved.” So true! When one thinks of Vietnam, Chile, Iraq, or Afghanistan, a truly sad picture emerges of the United States of A. But within the US, there is so much to appreciate about Americans … and to learn from them: Their unfailing commitment to whatever they do and their hard work (I haven’t seen a lazy American during my many visits here), their respect for manual labour, their honesty in everyday transactions, their general disdain for formalities, their cheerfulness and love for fun (including an inclination to crack jokes at every opportunity)! If I may call this the American spirit, Dustin, the young man who drove our tourist bus to and from Yosemite, was a personification of the spirit.

In a day, he drove about 550 kilometres, partly along winding hill roads; simultaneously gave a decent running commentary about the National Park; cracked jokes; answered questions patiently; at some places, he got off the bus and led us along in the trails. At one point, someone had spilled water in the aisle of the bus. People walked over it and soon, the aisle became dirty. After the next stop, I found the area clean and dry. Finally, at the end of the day, Dustin’s beaming smile hadn’t shrunk.

The Bridalveil Fall

Another aspect of the American way of life is their general disdain for dressing up. The dress code is casual outside TV studios. Yesterday, among a fairly large crowd, I noticed only two men wearing shirts with collars. One of them happened to be me. As it’s summer, people weren’t wearing much either. Most men were in casual shorts and just about something above. Many women too were in short briefs and something above. American women exude confidence and seem to be aware that they are the masters of their own body. If they are scantily clothed, I believe the purpose is not to show skin, but just to feel comfortable.

Here are a few pictures, not of the women though.

Cupertino, California / 20 July 2024

A little deeper into the Tunnel View

More granite walls

Acquired new friends. This wonderful couple from Mumbai are now settled in the US

Photographs can misguide you.