A NICE GUY FROM SWITZERLAND

It was purely a chance meeting with this tourist guy from Switzerland the other day at Trichur in Kerala (India) that lasted for about 10 minutes time. The tete-a-tete with this gentleman left me a very loving and everlasting impression of him and the people of Switzerland and its culture.

I had been to Trichur to visit my friend Mr. V.R. Satheesh, and to condole him over the demise of his mother.After spending sometime with him and his family at his residence in Poonkunnam, I came to the city Round. It was almost like a habit for me to walk around the circle-shaped round with shops and establishments of all hues laning one by one, as and when I visited the city. Its a pleasant sight to see the famous Paremekkavu temple and Vadakuunnatha temple on either side of the road and also to sit in the Thekkinkadu maidan (the ground of teak trees..but you won’t see any teak tree here). Trichur, the cultural capital of Kerala is a pot-pourri of festivals of different religions and cultural events.The notable among them is the famous Trichur Pooram, which falls on 3rd May this year. People from far-off places including abroad visit the city to witness the Pooram and the large-scale fire works which literally blast the town and the nearby places due to its highest magnitude.

I walked around the round on the day when the sun was its highest fury and the heat burning one. I reached the one end of the round and walked straight to the place near the railway/transport station. It was around 1.pm. I thought of having something chilled to quench my thirst. I went to the roof eatery of hotel Aramana and ordered for something cold or chilled.

While I was sipping it, this man looking to be in an enjoyable mood and high spirits came to my side. I waved my hand as a gesture of courtesy to a foriegner in an alien land .He responded with a warm wish. We exchanged a few pleasantries. He said his name as Charley or something like, which I don’t recall. He said he is a tourist from Switzerland and is proceeding to Coimbatore on his way the famous hill-beauty, Ootty. He is in a hurry as his bus, in which he has reserved his ticket, would be leaving in some 10 minutes timefrom the nearby bus station.

He ordered for the traditional Kerala cuisine, consiting of rice, fish and vegetarian dishes, pappad, upperi, rasam, curd etc. He seemed to be enjoying his meals. I was wondering as how a foreigner on world trotting could take the typical Kerala meals. He was well-behaved, friendly and ameanable througout the conversation with me. After finishing his meals, he shook hands with me and bid me adieu. It was really a pleasant experience spending sometime with a nice gentleman from a far-off country.

He may not read or know about this post. But I would like the readers of this post who happen to meet him or some Switzerland people to convey that there is a man here who like and adore him and his nation