A memorable visit to Malibu

Malibu is a beachfront city in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States. An internship in San Diego, CA gave me the opportunity to visit this beautiful place many a travel blogger had raved about. In addition to that, Malibu also has a pretty beautiful Hindu Temple. 
It was the new year's day of 2013 and proved to be a perfect opportunity to drive up the State Highway1 to visit Malibu. I've heard a lot about the Highway1 and it totally lived up to it's name. It winds along the lovely beaches of California state and the drive is a sight to behold. 
The original inhabitants of Malibu were a Native American tribe called the Chumash. They called the area 'Humaliwo' from which the present name is derived. This region started developing after the Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo landed here in 1542 looking for fresh water.
Being the typical TamBrahm, my first visit was of course, to the temple to offer thanks to the Lord. The main deity in the temple is Lord Venkateshwara, modelled after the presiding deity of Tirupati, India. The temple is located in the midst of undisturbed forest and hills.

 
The drive from the temple to the Malibu State Beach Park is extremely scenic. I could not take any pics as it was a solo drive. But the beach itself is extremely pretty and serene. There's not too many rough waves, and can be a good kayak place due to the gentle waves most of the time. If you are at Malibu, do stay back for the sunset. Pics below will tell you more:

Can't get much better than these can it. I mean, if my amateur camera can capture this much, imagine the feast for your eyes. That concluded my short trip to Malibu. It was back to work the next day, so had to run back to San Diego. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I loved walking and driving around Malibu. Brickbats and Bouquets welcome as usual.
  

San Diego Zoo - A must visit place

It's been a while since I blogged. Things have been frantic and I've been moving around a lot, coast to coast in fact. Got an opportunity to intern in San Diego, yeah sunny San Diego. Of all the places in the west coast, I've always wanted to see the San Diego zoo. This was the perfect opportunity and I was not gonna let it pass. The long break for Christmas was the perfect opportunity for me to be one on one with nature.

So, an early start to the day. I had booked my tickets in advance, so no standing in queues and went straight in. That makes for tip#1: Do buy tickets in advance. There is a considerable amount of crowd coming in daily. Tip#2: Get the free map at the entrance. Its available both in English and Spanish. That will help you navigate easily through the labyrinth of exhibits.

Being a reptile lover, headed for the snake house first, which is immediately to the left of the entrance. They've got an awesome collection of venomous, exotic and rare snakes. I was mighty impressed. Here are some clicks  

LanceHead Viper

Gabboon Viper

 

Green viper, a venomous species

Blue lizard from Africa

Iguana

Vine snake in action

There is an area where you can pet and feed mountain goats. They are super friendly and a joy to be with.

A sleepy and lazy one, refused to budge

Met a very friendly and curious otter after that. He was a dream to take pictures of. He'd respond to my clicks and whistles and look in that direction. He'd then jump into the water, come out, dry himself and pose again. Here's our hero:

Hero material this guy

Got to meet a very loud and territorial parakeet. He'd give a loud sound if we got too close. But he was absolutely gorgeous.

Wish he spoke actually

Flamingos were up next

I was transported back to the Rann of Kutch in India where they nest

You can feed the friendly giraffes here. They accept the food gleefully and slobber all over your hands

A juvenile Giraffe, or a calf

Meerkats, never saw them before, other than TV maybe

Meerkat Manor

Met a lazy bum of a Polar Bear

Did you just call?

Never expected to meet these lil' beauties

I've never seen this bird before, probably won't see it again

Mysterious bird, who art thou

Is that me looking at a mirror?

Coming from someone who's been to the zoo, here's a tip that could make your day, DO take the backstage pass. You'll be totally surprised. I could describe it and spoil the fun, but naa, it's something that needs to be experienced.

Hope these pics made the zoo make your bucket list. More SD experiences to come. Stay tuned!! :)

Indian To-Do List: A very short blog this!

Ok, so this one's gonna be pretty short. It is all about a 100 things that you probably must do, especially if you're an Indian to be even able to remotely appreciate what India is all about. Its not my list, its a list I've flicked from the wall post (yeah, facebook) of a close friend. So here it goes:

http://www.thrillophilia.com/blog/things-to-do-in-india-101-best-one/

Its pretty comprehensive in all aspects and covers major regions, states, cultures and every other features associated with it. Read through, plan, execute and get enlightened! ;)