A sea-gull, pretty and peaceful, descended from the air. It settled on a wooden railing at the Stearn's Wharf, where we had sauntered, eating the fabulous ice-cream. Yes, it seemed ready to share a spoonful and accepted an invitation from our host and my sister, Pratibha. Before I could take a picture it winged off yonder, in enchanting circles. We called it again, and Lo! it came, as if to say: "Here I am, your friend, Homo Sapien, if only you'd choose friendship!" Its beautiful eyes met mine, conveying a strange message of tranquil delight. And then, in a split second, it flew away.

Across the waters, glistening under the setting sun, in orange and gold, I saw a cluster of Islands. One of them was Santa Cruz. Santa, in Spanish, means a Female Saint; sadhvi, you could say. Instantly, my memory took me to our own Santa Cruz, and its once peaceful Juhu beach.

Treasure-Trove: On the right of California's Santa Cruz stands Santa Barbara (Queen of he Missions) a glorious little settlement dating back to the 1780s, established by Spanish priests. Its population is 91,200, less than one-tenth of Vadodara's. Yet it's bursting with cultural activities, varied and wondrous. It has a museum of Spanish and Mexican origins, a trip back in time. It has 20 musical organizations, including its renowned Santa Barbara Symphony. A Year-round festival goes on at Plaza der Mar. They call it "Art in the Park."

Santa Barbara houses a unique Zoo, spread over 30 acres of evergreen park, with an enthralling view of the majestic Pacific. It holds its prestigious "Writers Conference", an annual event, and celebrates Summer Ethnic Festival. Above all, it has a fairy tale "Museum of Art," with 400 years of Art Collections from the Orient and the Occident -- Japan, China, Tibet and India included. Among them is a truly captivating work called "Apollo and Daphne," carved in ivory, that blends grace, rhythm and infinite charm, all at once! Gestalt!

Rakhi-Poonam in California: California is full of soul-soothing beaches, each one having a personality of its own. However, the one I shall treasure eternally in my memory-computer is the "Carpinteria beach." Literally tearing through mountains on one side and valleys on the other, fragrant with roses and orchards, we reached the sloping, silk-soft sands of Carpinteria, a little before midnight. The full moon of "Shravan", our "Raakhi-Poonam", was showering nectar on the gentle Pacific. The waves of the ocean beckoned me. Bending down, I cupped the Pacific waters in my two palms and prayed to the Sea-Goddess for blessings. All of a sudden, I recalled the couplet from Ila Kavyo, Vadodara's beloved Chandravadan Mehta's unique collection of poems `from a brother to a sister'.

Freely translated, it would read:
"Ila! If I were just a fairy-child I'd bring thee a basket, full of stars from the Wild!" (The author may be contacted on e-mail at: ashokd@juno.com)