Submarine Ride

The whole of last year, I took a kind of sabbatical leave from blogs. I published only 2 posts in 2011. Lots of stuff I wanted to write was left behind. I am just catching up.

Last November, we went to Honolulu to attend a Tamil wedding. That in itself is a different hilarious story. In Honolulu, there are these usual attractions like Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor Memorial, Battleship USS Missouri, and Polynesian Cultural Center. I will write a post on these soon.

In addition to the above “must see”, we wanted to go on a submarine ride. We thought it will be an opportunity of a life time for us. This submarine has a seating capacity of 48 passengers. We went on a 45 minutes ride and enjoyed every minute of it. We felt comfortable and safe throughout the ride. A different experience.

This is the ferry that took us to the submarine

View of Honolulu from the ocean

Submarine surfaces

Passengers waiting on the deck

Looking out in the ocean 100 feet under water

Almost touching the ground

Turtle

Sunken plane

Sunken ship

Signature Confusion

Lot of news items nowadays from India about Pranab Mukherjee’s signature not matching in two different documents. I am not going to go into that.

I am talking about how banks in India reject a check for not exactly matching with the original signature given to the bank when that person opened the account. He/She may have opened that account many years ago. Therefore, a slight variation over the years is very much possible.

I know banks want the signatures to match exactly so that they are assured that it is YOU who have signed your own check and not someone else.

Here is a funny incident that happened a few years ago.

My brother and his family were living in New Delhi. Safdarjang Enclave. We were visiting India and stayed in New Delhi. My brother wanted to cash a check and he asked me to come with him to the bank. I went with him. Apparently, the bank manager (also a Tamil guy) knows my brother very well. The following conversation took place when he wanted to cash his check.

Ennappa Rajendra, soukyama? (How are you Rajendra, Are you ok?)

Hmm

Appa soukyama? Ippa udambu thevalama? (How is your dad? Is he OK now healthwise?)

Hmm

Anna Americavulendhu vararnu sonniyay. Vandhootara? (You said your elder brother is coming from America. Did he arrive?)

Vandhootar. Ivardhan en anna. (Yes, he has arrived. He (pointing to me) is my elder brother).

My brother gave his check for cashing. The bank manager checked his signature with the original given sometime ago. And then he said:

Rajendra, signature tally aagala. Innoru thadava sign pannu. (Rajendra, your signature does not match. Please sign one more time.)

My brother signed and he got the cash.

I was thinking to myself. Signature tallying is to make sure someone do not forge the signature of someone else and get cash. Here the bank manager knows my brother very well, knows what is happening in his family (like father not keeping good health, elder brother visiting from America). My brother himself is presenting in person the check to the bank manager. Still he does not trust my brother's signature and wanted him to sign again.

I give up.

Visit to Amritsar

One of my life long ambition was to visit Amritsar. I wanted to see the 3 main attractions there. Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh Memorial, and Wagah Border military ceremony. This past January we visited Amritsar and had a memorable time. We enjoyed every minute.

Jallianwala Bagh Memorial

On a Punjabi New Year day, April 13, 1919, British General Dyer ordered the shooting on innocent Indians assembled for a meeting. About 400 people died and 1200 wounded.

Entrance

Actual Memorial

Bullet Marks

Many died jumping in this well during escape

The Wagah Border Ceremony

This border separates India and Pakistan.  This side is Amritsar. That side is Lahore.  Every evening both the armies do military exercise.  At the end, both the countries flags are lowered simultaneously. The ceremony ends with both sides shaking hands with each other.

The Gate and the Pakistani Side

Sitting area for Indian citizens

Indian Army

Ceremony over for the day

Golden Temple

This is the holiest shrine in Sikhism. Words cannot describe its beauty. You have to go there to see it to experience.

The Temple

Main Entrance

Architectural Beauty

Streets of Amritsar