Hopscotch
My USA visa expires in 2 years hence I chose to travel the East coast with friends and family here. Have been pampered, taken around, directed to interesting places. Concerts, art museums, parks. It’s been an experience. This is for all the people I have met and who have contributed to special memories. Some I missed meeting. I guess you can’t have it all.

Athens, Georgia, New Orleans, Miami, Boston, New York, DC.
The USA is intriguing, diverse, friendly. It changes its character South to North. The South has whimsy, colour, buildings homes are quirky but very definite styles. The North is old fashioned. Majestic buildings, stone facades, stone carvings. Almost all buildings are different. Even in New York the sky scrapers barring some have unique idioms. Quite riveting. Beautifully maintained, stare and click worthy.
• Athens is a University town, with young people, happening spots, I saw the big game vibe.
• New Orleans is special with music, steeped in History. The richest place in the US once upon a time.
• Miami is a beach town. A very interesting efficient transport system. It has colour, and oomph, graffiti, and art deco plus some
• Boston is staid, sober. Maroon bricks, Grey facades. Home to Harvard.
• New York is special. I loved it. The vibe. A city that truly never sleeps. I walked around, stopped for coffee, mastered the subway and really got around.
• DC has smaller buildings. They cant be higher than the White House. Again beautiful. I arrived in a Federal shutdown. I had kept five days for all museums. Alas…

People
• Contrary to what I was told everyone has helped me along, taken pictures, shared info. The ones who didn’t were the ones who didn’t know. Visiting or working.
• Large families travelling together. Young people with grandparents. It was hearwarming. They are not insular but family oriented for sure
• Everyone smiles and says Hey there. Robotic? Perhaps but it still feels nice.
• Everyone is rushing, they have a full plate. Work, chores, grocery. Despite that the bars and eating places have been full.
• They follow rules, the system works. I did not hear dogs bark or kids cry. I wonder why?
• Strangely most of the homeless people were men.

The transport system
• Its super efficient. The traffic lights synchronized. The lanes well defined. The 100 yard rule assiduosly maintained.
• I forgot to wait for the white light at the zebra crossing. The first few times. Then I learnt.
• Each place I visited had something different, customised. By and large orderly. Its in their DNA.
• All vehicles are hybrid. The charging happens automatically
• Gas has flexible pricing across the country. Even across cities. $3 to 3.6 per gallon is what I saw.
• 90% of the buses are driven by black women. Greyhound, HOHO. They drive these beasts with ease.
• Cars on the road are largely Asian. Even KIA. Only the posh localities have Merc, BMW, Porsche etc

Food
Pizza, Cuban, Ethiopian, Mexican, French. Vegetarian and superb

ETC
• The Metros hardly have escalators. At least 50 steps to climb. Everyone old, young run up the steps with ease. I climbed a few. Waited. Then the rest.

Just a few jottings!