[invincible7]

Hey sam cheers to you and jenny for bringing in the sweet pictures and travelogue to us all... its always good to hear the experiences about your country from someone who is feeling it for the first time. I know how it feels as have experienced this myself on a couple of occasions.. Be happy and keep enjoying..

[Technocrat]

On our way to Connaught Circus, we stop at the famous Janpath bazaar. I explain to Jenny that this bazaar is so famous that we have a famous Hindi Rap song on it.
"Hey Janpath, Janpath, Hey Janpath thoda daaru pila"

Sam you are too much.

Btw I must say TheOne® has her own interesting way of narrating experiences & this along with your excellent pictorials makes this blog so much fun to read. No wonder everyone is glued to this thread

[Sam Kapasi]

When we met my German friend in Pune, he explained so many things to Jenny. Living in India for 8 years had helped him understand us in a new perspective.

He said "Jenny, this is not a country which can ever be taken at face value. It is full of customs, traditions, religions, sentiments... you have to constantly feel the fabric when you talk to someone or he/she talks to you. There is always a complex way of doing things and that's what the Indians will do."

It got me thinking. And made me realise how true that is.

Let me explain to you what I mean. Here is a simple enough incident. Out of politeness, let us say you go to visit an aunt who you're not too fond of, but must pay your respects to.
In Europe, you would simply not go, if you did not like her. Complication number 1. You don't like her, but must go to her house to see her.

Glossary: What is said. (What is being thought)
-------------------------------
Welcome. Come inside. (What are you doing here?)

Hello Aunty, how are you? (As if I really care)

Come sit, sit, what will you have? Would you like some tea?

No, no thank you. (I am dying to have tea)

No, no you MUST have something (I don't really want you to have anything)

No aunty, thanks a lot I just had tea (14 hours ago, she is forcing me to have tea, what a nice lady, not so bad after all eh? Very hospitable, insisting to have tea, even though I said nothing doing)

OK wait here, I will make tea.

Thank you Aunty. (She gave tea with a lot of biscuits in a plate, did not even ask if I wanted them.)

Have a biscuit (I opened that whole packet for you and they will get soft now)

No No aunty, thank you (Yuck I hate those biscuits)

No you have to have some, Beta. *Lifting and offering plate*

Thank you. (What a nice aunty, she is forcing me)

---------------------------

We're a nation full of complex people. At work, a YES doesn't mean a yes. It depends on how the yes is said. We want money, but it is rude to ask for a salary increment, we pretend that our family needs money, not us.

We invite people we hate to our weddings and pay for their dinner and alcohol. Because we must.
We are often introduced to guests at our wedding!!

The bride is sometimes introduced to the groom at the wedding.

We are a complex people that are full of customs and traditions and complicated ways of handling issues.

Some 40 year old hands over his salary to his mother and waits for his allowance. Some husbands & wives have never called each other by their first names.

We have a different name for every relation. We call all our friends parents Uncle and Aunty, we call everyone's grandparents like our own. The guy who sells chips in the shop down the street is "Uncle".

How is Nanaji? Whose? Yours or mine? lol

In Europe they are straight-forward. Would you like lunch? No? Fine.
I don't like him, so I won't invite him to my wedding.
200 people at a wedding!! are you crazy?

Uncle, Aunt, Grandpa, Grandma. Ho gaya.

Not Uncleji, Auntyji, mamaji, Tau, Chacha, Kakaji, Chachi, Mami, Bhabhi, Dewar, Jijajee, Dada, Nani, Fui, Buaji, Bade papa, chotee mami, Bhatija, bhanjee, Daddyji, benaras-wali behenjee.....

Originally Posted by hydrashok

Write on, TheCouple(R)!

TheCouple®. Now there's a nice name.

Agra was one of the most interesting chapters in our tale. Also the place where we had our first incident.

But that will happen later in the day. I cannot and will not get ahead of Jenny, I know what's good for me.

[SohailPistawala]

Sam : very very Nice Office!! Where is it now located so that i can come again to ask you for an AD LOLS heheheh. Kidding

very very well said... Phir Bhi Dil hai Hindustani!!

[safari_lover]

@Sam couldn't agree more with you about us being complex. Very well written, cheers!

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I don a Kurta as well.

Attachment 7821

And a pair of jeans as well for a change

[vkochar]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Agra was one of the most interesting chapters in our tale. Also the place where we had our first incident.

Now If I would have been there, that wouldn't have happened Looking forward to this part very eagerly.

Very nice explanation of Indian relations Sam Bhaiya ( Lol !! )

[navin]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

I think Sam gets up at 3 in the morning and goes out with a big broom in his hand and cleans up all the places, he is going to take TheOne® the next day.

Not really. I will testify that most of those places n the area Sam likes to refer to as "Town" are pretty clean in the morning. Besides the camera cannot detail as well as the human eye.

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by navin

ha ha I now see a naked honey covered Sam running down a snow covered hill side with a load of buck shot in his backside.

you have the word Yeti in your mind isnt it Navinji???
rephrased:

ha ha I now see a naked honey covered Yeti running down a snow covered hill side with a load of buck shot in his backside.

[lambuhere1]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I cannot and will not get ahead of Jenny, I know what's good for me.

What's happening Sam? Started Thinking about what's good and bad ? So early

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

What's happening Sam? Started Thinking about what's good and bad ? So early

Dekho baba, gori ho ya bharatiya aurat, aurat to aurat hai. And takleefey bhi wahi hoti hai. Maar bhi wahi padti hai, bilkul wahi.

Translated into English for TheOne®: I will wait for my lovely lady, because that's the way I am. Waiting for you, hurry up and write

[speedzak]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Dekho baba,.....................
Translated into English for TheOne®: I will wait for my lovely lady, because that's the way I am. Waiting for you, hurry up and write

I will die if I put more smilies here!

[maddy42]

Sambhai i am rolling all over

[shajufx]

Reading through the pages gives the feeling of watching a romantic movie !! Totally different way of looking at things around us. This thread is very addictive. Thanks for the valuable time spent on it by both of you. Its highly appreciated and valued since its an open forum and nobody gets paid for writing !! Great going Sam and Jenny, dont you miss each other right now ??

[arif_t01]

Originally Posted by TheOne®

Speaking of chicken, there is another thing I had to struggle with a bit: while I usually like chicken, I do not eat it all the time! In Germany I go through chicken, lamb, beef, pork, turkey, or even wildboar and deer (I am a hunter's daughter hehe). Most of that is missing on the Indian menues, it is mostly only chicken (apart from fish maybe). I was explained the reasons for that coming from the different religions and I understand perfectly well, still it was very unusual for me.

The Gust of it all - The Chicken is 'Religion Free'

Like this -

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Dekho baba, gori ho ya bharatiya aurat, aurat to aurat hai. And takleefey bhi wahi hoti hai. Maar bhi wahi padti hai, bilkul wahi.

Translated into English for TheOne®: I will wait for my lovely lady, because that's the way I am. Waiting for you, hurry up and write

I never knew you spoke such fluent hindi sam