Early hours in the morning, along with my friend, took a stroll down the snow-covered lanes in Salzburg. Suddenly, my face lit up when I gazed at this - 'Taj Mahal' - Indian cuisine..I figured out a few familiar words in the German jargon and we thought of returning here for the night to give a wholesome finish to the tour. After a day-long ravishing tour around the snowy hills and lakes, we got back to our food destination. Deprived of asian food (forget Indian..) for more than a month now, we were welcomed with some spicy aroma and a big smile from the waiter. I glanced into the menu and called up the waiter who was was smartly dressed up and sporting a professional look. I placed my order - 'Like to have the rajasthani thali. Can you make it a bit spicy ?' The waiter replies 'Maaf kijiye..mera english thoda karaab hai... aapko german ya hindi teek haina??'...
urgh..I was taken aback more than surprised..then had to speak my 'karaab hindi' (didn't want to embarass me or him by talking my 'karaaber' german :P) Out of curiosity, I 'd to ask him - How do you manage your Asian customers from India or elsewhere who can speak just English? Curtly, with a lot of pride, he beamed a smile to say 95 % of his customers are Germans. Such can be your plight at an Asian place in Europe...Nevertheless, I was delighted with the taste and never dreamt i would end up with such stuff in Austria..
Now, somewhat adept at eating, drinking, sleeping and even trying to look German (well...just need to smile and wish anybody you come across, never mind if not acquainted!), it now boils down to the toughest lesson for survival..'Talk German!'...Or atleast pretend! :D
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1 comment:
Karaaber German! You're hilarious man! :-)
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