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I visited some of their national parks, and what surprised me is the cleanliness in the parks. Not a single piece of litter anywhere. The park rangers even protect the grass, by fencing it; which is degraded by footfalls and letting it regrow. I have not found a single so-called VIP, which mostly are the bureaucrats, for whom the parks were closed or for a politician whose visit would cause a serious bit of discomfort to any ordinary citizen. Contrast this with India. The district collector visiting a park would have a retinue of minor minions following him and ahead, who would shout for people to stand aside. Just imagine a local MLA or a politician visiting a national park in India. The park would be closed for the time of the visit, and the ordinary citizens would be put to inconvenience. This is a vestige from the colonial past and that is what is required to be removed. Wiping clean the colonial past is in the minds and not in books and statutes. These vestiges remain with the bureaucracy and the politicians.
The Yosemite and Sequoia national parks are worth a visit. Yosemite National Park is a treasure, full of great spaces, wilderness and peace. The Dome in Yosemite is the picture one often sees as a screen saver. Entry is regulated on certain days to restrict the number of visitors and would need a reservation. So many waterfalls in the national park, pristine and clean air, that you feel rejuvenated. I was surprised to see a patch of wild grass fenced to ensure its regrowth. Not a single piece of litter anywhere. The Americans are considerate to the differently abled. There is separate parking earmarked for them. It was at Yosemite National Park, that I saw two cars being parked in the reserved parking lot and there emerged two young families of software engineers(probably), speaking loudly and from India.
Sequoia National Park has the giant redwood trees some almost 3,200 years old. They are majestic trees towering into the sky, some almost 275 feet tall with girths around 102 feet. The Sequoia groves have a large number of trees with impressive girth and height. They are some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. The General Sherman tree (over 2700 years old) and General Grant trees are a treat to see. General William Tecumseh Sherman (born 1820-died 1891) was an American civil war general and known for the ‘Sherman March’. He led some 60,000 troops on a march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia on a 285-mile march. He was the most renowned of the Union military leaders, who launched modern warfare and destroyed the Confederates ability to wage war through destruction of war material and breaking the psychological will to fight a war. The success of his campaign enabled Abraham Lincoln to be re-elected. The Giant Sequoia is named after him. The other Giant Sequoia is named after General Ulysses S Grant (born 1822 – died 1885). He was a military officer and politician who became the 18th president of United States from 1869-1877. He became the youngest president of the United States at the age 46 years. Both the generals belonged to the Union Army.
The Grand Canyon is sight to behold. The Colorado river flows through it. The Grand Canyon was caused by erosion and is a mile deep.
Americans are very courteous people and are well mannered. When you look at an American he or she will greet you first , smile and acknowledge your presence. They will return a greeting, unlike us who look the other way, ignoring one from the same country. Not one individual will break a line. They will wait patiently for their turn to come. Their communities and houses are clean. Their lawns are well maintained and one can always admire a flowering bush or a tree in their front yard. They take pains to ensure their surroundings are clean. What you breathe in, is generally clean air, except in some areas where there is pollen in the air, which can cause an allergy. Clean creeks, streams, rivers and environment abound. They take pride in keeping them pristine.
The roads in the US are a treat with well-marked signages. They are the best roads to travel on, including the rural roads. Unlike our roads signages which most of the time has advertisements, these are clear, large and readable from far and at a good height. Contrast this with some of the direction signages in a few cities in India, which are full of advertisements for malls and townships, hospitals; where traffic signals get obscured by a bus or lorry in front . Not a single blare of a horn! The drivers are considerate unlike drivers in Delhi with the philosophy that ‘might is right’.
It is an exemplar for the rest of the world.
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