I ordered vegetable salad and a vegetable soup. Food is a major worry here in Eurpoe (as I told earlier)if you cannot spot an Indian restaurant. I had to settle with raw vegetables and half cooked Cauliflower pieces for lunch most of the times. There is a vegetarian restaurant in Manheim-where I spent most of my stay in Germany- that serves only vegetarian food items. I visited this restaurant several times.
The other three men with me ordered something of their taste. I do not know what they ate. As we were waiting for the food to be served, a lady of around 35 years old, came to the person who represented the sub vendor and started talking. She was sobbing while talking. This man had been consoling her. Since he was a regular visitor to this restaurant, as he had to accompany the guests to his factory for lunch.
After a brief impromptu melodrama on the spot, she walked away. As she left, the man told us that her father-in-law had passed away. A big hiccup welcomed this news. She was sad at the demise of her father-in-law! First time I saw a sad lady with such a reason – that too in a western country! I wish she was sincere in her grief. Dear ‘bahus’ of Bharat, here is a German “naari” for you all to emulate.
Bad Durkheim was my first halt in Germany. I still wonder how I reached this hitherto unknown place. It is hard to even spot this place in the map. But then, as I told, it is so simple here. We can easily travel. Trains, buses, trams and above all taxis are there at our service always. The only thing we must have is money. I had no worry about it as I possessed a pre-loaded Euro card that carried 2000 euros at that moment and around 1000 euros on hand.
On the first day of my arrival, the temperature was -7 degree celcius at Bad Durkhiem. There was heavy snowfall on the previous night and the entire area was covered with snow. The white canopy was so beautiful that it took my breath away for a while. Bad Durkheim is not bad at all It is, in my view, is one of the most beautiful places I had so far seen besides our Mahan Bharat...
Like a bride, the little town - good Bad Durkheim looked so enchanting and shy. I should use a few more adjectives- enticing, fabulous, marvelous, mesmerising - to describe her. The single and double storied houses that were thatched with Kerala style tiles, the hill behind the village, leafless as well as the leafy trees wearing snow all over and the gentle smoke emanating from the chimneys of the houses …if I had a poet’s heart, I would have certainly relinquished this kite like job and settled down here. But then who can’t become a poet in an ambiance like this? Only requirement is a heart, per se!
On the first day of my arrival in Germany, I simply sat in the room. The room was facing the hill. The entire forest and the hill wore only white and the houses in the valley had their roofs covered with snow. Lazily sitting in the room, I was just wondering how I reached here! I had passively sat in the bed like in a trance for hours together. The mesmerizing beauty of the nature in Bad Durkheim guarantees to lighten our hearts by tons together.
Those who are tired and worn out running after ‘Gandhis’ and dollars, listen to me. Come to Bad Durkheim, and just spend two days here. You will be a rejuvenated person, raring to run after the big bucks with never before energy. The entire landscape looked as if the Almighty himself had designed it so that he can take a break from his grueling busy schedules and settle down here for a while. The serene valley and the white canopy gave an impression nothing less than this.
For more photos of Bad Durkheim, click the link : https://picasaweb.google.com/ppnatesan/BadDurkheim?authkey=Gv1sRgCPHw4urq74CMXQ&feat=email#
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