HOUSTON

We shifted out to Houston on 2nd February from Champaign,IL. After over an an year and a half, we moved out from U-C exactly when I had fallen in love with its quiet, small town university atmosphere. I have come to even miss the winters and sub-zero temperatures!!!! Yeah that's right!!! I miss it. I like the appearance of snow (though I agreeeeeeeeeeee......not the slipping and slithering ice!!!). I would any day exchange icy environs for hot 'humid' climate! We had uncovered and explored every small and big beautiful streets or anything worth seeing in U-C. I guess there weren't too many to enlist but it was mostly the pleasant, quiet, academic environment that really got to me. I remember when I landed for the first time, I immediately sensed how pleasant and peaceful this place was, so well suited for academic perusals. I also realized why people want to come to the US to study further. What with all the facilities and world class professors.
We traveled from C in our car and along the way, the level of snow was visibly reducing :( with the temperature steadily rising. Around mid day we hit a gas station at St. Louis and outside the temperature was so pleasant that we didn't have to wear our heavy coats anymore. This time while we passed the St. Louis downtown, we passed so near the Arch that I couldn't help myself click away as and when I could sneak one. I say sneak because I was the navigator and downtown can be so confusing. You almost always have to take a turn when you see a moment which is perfectly camera worthy. I missed the Dallas downtown that way. :(
So we kept moving and took stops whenever we needed to stretch our legs. We reached my husband's uncle's place around 10 in the night. Though the children were supposed to be sleeping they were up and waiting for us... :)  We had a swell time eating great food and laying back for a day in their place.. It was still a little chilly in Arkansas. But once we hit Oklahoma, it was warm! And the more you head south, the more it gets warmer. The drive from Arkansas through Oklahoma to Texas border is a beautiful one. You pass over mountains, tunnels and over rivers. It was splendid. Thanks to some goodies from his aunt, we nibbled away along the way!

Once we entered Texas, EVERYTHING WAS BIG. The roads were bigger and the cars were bigger.  And there were vast plain fields on either sides. We covered this stretch pretty fast. We reached Houston around 7 pm. The weather was so pleasant that I needed only a sweater. Now its been over a week in Houston and I am getting used to the place. Its a huge city and a different atmosphere.. There are a lot of Indian restaurants, grocery stores and temples(not so much a biggie for ones in big cities. But it certainly made a difference as we came from a really small town of Champaign). We went to the Meenakshi Amman kovil on the Sunday. It was such a beautiful temple and we were too late for the dosas and idlis but the plain curd rice which we got was so simple yet so yummy....... :) It ranks among one of the biggest temples I have seen in the US and a very beautiful temple.
I am writing this blog after such a long time and This is my first blog of this year. I am too late for the Happy new years and Happy pongals.. But I want to wish you all the same! Good day!

Rema