Reflections

Fall colors add a new dimension to reflection photography. This one is so close to one of the imaginary pictures that would pop up in my mind when ppl talked about a "foreign" country (when I was a kid) ....the other being snow covered mountains!!

The swans in the pool beats even my imaginary world!! or probably i'm deprived of such creative imaginations ;)

and all these in a place thats so closely connected to India!! it can't get better... all these pics are from a lake in Iskcon temple (Palace of Gold) @ Wheeling, West Virginia.

Visit to a Choclaty World

Being the chocoholic that I am ... it was a dream come true as I had been to "Chocolate World" at Hershey famous for the popular brand of chocolates with the same name... and specially for the Hershey "kisses".

Chocolate world has a very informative tour about exactly how chocolates are made @ Hershey.. starting from how cocoa seeds are selected ( a mix of seeds from Ecuador (south america) and Africa!!)... fermented... broken.. powdered...

to make solid bars of chocolate.. yummm !!

and how they are further melted and mixed with milk to make milk chocolate... mouth watering! ain't it ?

how chocolate is refined and conched (no pic of conching here)....

to get these delectable stuff... i just luv them!!

specially when melted chocolate runs over roasted almonds...

broken almonds

or better.. if its whole... yummmmm...

and finally packed...

As you would've imagined by now, I couldn't resist the temptation for any longer.... I got myself.. more than a KG infact 1.25 KG of chocolate finally!!

Colored Clouds

Splendor of Niagara at night

Maid Of The Mist

Having visited umpteen cascades in the west, a visit to Niagara which is only about 240 miles from my place was definitely on the cards.. We had to make it before winter set in.. coz we didn't want to freeze in no mans land (neither US nor Canada)...

Also, the first time ever I got so close to any international border .. so much so that pedestrians are allowed to cross through the border...

And a beautiful bridge separating the two countries...for most ppl who drive to cross the border

...and in between is a special gift from US to Canada, as a token of appreciation of a long lasting friendly relationship (unlike our neighbors).. Its this view.. of US falls from Canadian side (as seen from the Maid of the Mist boat ride...

The USP of this falls is not its height or width but the sheer rate at which water is pushed down.... more than 200,000 cu feet per second!!!

and to top it all .. u get an easy access point to a top view of the falls to check out how the falls is formed... which is also rare in most other falls I have seen..

and not to forget .. the ever lasting rainbow at the falls to add to its beauty...

Welcome Fall

Late this year ... nevertheless, its coming .. its almost here .. the "fall colors" have started appearing and here are some pics from the first appearance!

Not the best photographs .. most of them are shot during a drive.. and btw .. some of them are shot by my dad too!!! donno exactly which ones.