Chirpings

Street Shots From Germany

“Bindaas, just go ahead & have fun!!!” said my colleagues when I was named to visit the Interpack fair at Germany. Heck. I’d never been abroad before & didn’t even have a passport . What followed was a full fledged campaign to acquire the precious named document . A fortnight of flurried activity followed …. Affidavits, certificates, signatures, attestations ….. passport in hand .. the Shenegan Visa was a logical conclusion.
Concurrent with the Passport activity was a small investment in an interactive German language CD. Any new language after all would only build new bridges, open new doors and help reach out to more people & newer peoples. The days before takeoff were aptly peppered with “Guten Morgen “ ( good morning) , garnished with abundant “Danke’ s” (thank U) & generous helpings of “Bitte” (please) and whatever else my 54 year old grey cells could absorb at such short notice.

Hitting the highgway , coming out of Dusseldorf airport, the first reaction was of sheer awe. The entire country looks perfectly manicured, though you never see anyone doing the manicuring; not an inkling of even the slightest chaos anywhere, everything so organised, though you don’t see anyone doing the organising; everything was systematic, though you never found a soul enforcing the system.

But like us back home, they had street food with their own delicious local flavours. Even saw an Indian restaurant , KS Rawat, advertised on a local ट्रेन. They seemed to have similar concerns too, there were so many miniature cars , the Mercedes SMART
, two seater on the road , belying their concern for gas.A glance at the local Gas Station showed the types of fuels … Bio Diesel , Benzene etc they use. So many two wheelers too.

What really floors you is the charming cottages and their exotic gardens… like a scene straight out of Grimms fairy tales. So delightful , you could spend a lifetime just soaking in the visual.

A half day at Cologne ,was what I managed to take time off. The vintage Cathedral. Have no words really to describe the experience. Yes, it can only be experienced , not described . A cultural hub, there is a lot that Cologne had on offer. The Lugwig Museum, The Stone Sculpture Museum, the music, the Film Museum, the Cafes & the promenade along the River Rhine….. there is a timelessness about Cologne which touches you.

Adding to the charm were cycle rickshaws, a painter vending his ware along the streets, a local “phugawalla”, a girl creating a wonderful picture on the pavement with powder colours ( like our Rangoli), and even a beggar elegantly dressed in jet black.

A lasting image was the flawless sunset over the mighty Rhine, a sight that takes you back to our own Kanyakumari.

Back again now in Mumbai, I’m sure of one thing, next time round, atleast I wont have to run around for a passport !!! I’ll just take off !!!

Vinod















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