California Calling
What the locals see
Given that the conceptions of America for compulsive movie watchers like myself have been heavily influenced by Hollywood, California has always held special appeal. It is the forefront of popular culture, that embodification of Americana which perhaps to an international no other state shall ever be. But there is more to this state than Los Angeles, San Diego or even San Francisco. You might have come across my fawning over the city of the Golden Gate.
Perhaps it is because I haven’t witnessed any of the spectacles which the US has to offer or that the joy of a break from studying exacerbated the sense of elation delivered by otherwise commonplace sights. In any case the sights covered in and around the small surrounding towns of the Bay Area, were all a delight. Hopefully with a little visual persuasion, again hastily captured with a mobile phone, you too shall agree.
Saratoga
While traffic in the Silicon Valley can be irritating and trying, as you move away from the major centers of IT commerce, life gets increasingly peaceful. From the populous city of San Jose, one can head to the satellite town of Saratoga. A peaceful place with restaurants, cafes and bistros, frequented by men and women with laptops and busy weekends. The streets are pleasant enough to walk on and you can see lush green hills in the distance. The drive too is pleasant, enough to generate envy of those who live here.
Fremont Older Open Space Preserve
Given the hilly terrain which makes for the Silicon Valley, there are plenty of trekking trails. Frequented by the elderly rich who can afford villas and mansions on the slopes overlooking the bay area, these trails offer great vistas along with exercise. On a rainy afternoon we went to Fremont Older. Winding roads lead to this gem of a place. There are putting greens near the beginning of the trails and several walking and cycling paths. Walking past warnings of “What to do if you see a Mountain Lion” we soldiered onto slushy slopes. Abundant greenery and the occasional mansion greet you on the trails as you head to a vast open rolling green.
Fun@Work
In case you have not had the fortune of working under the umbrella of a enthusiastic human resources department in India, this title might not hold as much significance to you. But for us who have, this conjoint phrase would indicate feeble attempts by MBAs at injecting lighter moments into otherwise professional monotony. Here in the Silicon Valley however, such trivialities are made redundant. By perks and bucket loads of money, but also by pleasant surroundings. Water bodies often have the effect of improving the ambiance in general. Add Green hills, a few birds and we are talking about extremely pleasant after lunch walks.
Shoreline Park
Google’s Mountain view campus is now perhaps the closest we shall come to a Mount Olympus in the world of Technology. With the movie The Internship among other media mentions of the place, it forms the epitome of the career ambitions of many a young, aspiring computer engineer. While I knew no one at Google, to earn an official visit, we did end up a stone’s throw from it. Much of the Bay facing area in Santa Clara actually has water treatment facilities and sewage plants. So there are very few places where you can actually enjoy the water or the view. That is where Shoreline Park comes to the rescue. A secluded lake built at the site of an old landfill. It is a beautiful spot to observe a sunset, get your kids to play or just walk admiring nature around you. The mallards here are fearless, the squirrels playful and people few (in the winters at least). You can rent a paddle or row boat or get yourself a kayak. There is also a golf course on one side and old marshland on the other. Overall a nice early evening getaway from work.
I should be able to churn out one last post about this trip to California. Pictures are rarely able to do justice to the true experience and yet are so important in reminding one of the sensations experienced while taking them. Perhaps the photographer sees much more in his images than others do. Not only for egotistical reasons, but because to him they capture not the sight but the memory.