Through The Alps
Yuba Nath Lamsal
Turin was the last leg of my sojourn in Italy. Turin was a beautiful resort city of Italy surrounded by mountains like Kathmandu and Pokhara. It is an attraction for many tourists from Europe simply because it offers an opportunity to see the Alps in general and Mount Blanc in particular from a close range. The Alps is a great mountain range system of Europe. The word Alps was borrowed from the Latin language, which means 'white and high'. Mount Blanc that stands proudly between France and Italy is the highest peak in the Alps range. We arrived in Turin by a bus from Bologna traversing Italy 's vast landscape mostly the rural areas. The countryside, which we passed en route to Turin was serene and green. Though rural in nature, all urban facilities were available there. The only thing that was missing was the crowd of people and vehicles, smokes, pollution and hectic life. The land was vast and all cultivated. There were patches of houses in between. Every house was connected with a blacktopped road, telephone lines, electricity and other facilities. There were schools, hospitals and community centers. Even a single house in an isolated mountain slope has access to all facilities.The development activities we observed thus make us realise that the leaders of western countries keep the promises they once make with the people. Unlike in the Third World countries, the governments there serve the people instead of ruling them. "We have paid tax for this and the government must do it,"said an Italian colleague who was sitting next to me.A picture of my countryside suddenly flashed into my mind. There is no road, no electricity, no telephone and hospital. People have to walk hours to make a telephone call. Many people die due to lack of health care facilities. Even if there is a road linking villages, it is never blacktopped. Opportunities are scarce in the rural areas and people migrate to urban centers for employment and other opportunities. With little income, they can hardly afford for decent living in the cities. As a result, they live in slums and sub-human condition. There is no comparison at all between Nepal's village and that of Italy. The rural people in Nepal are a neglected lot denied of modern facilities. It looks as though the modern facilities are the exclusive right of the urban elite.Turin is beautiful town like Kathmandu valley surrounded by hills. People are co-operative. It is often called the city of slow food. Most people here respect food and give more importance to food. They oppose the fast food culture unlike in other western countries.Giovani, a doctor by profession, said, "Food is life and we must give time and patience to prepare food and eat?. "The fast food culture has not only harmed our health but is also slowly destroying our culture and tradition."To some extent, his views are acceptable and appreciable. Food is a part of culture and civilisation. Once it is done away with, it would slowly lead the culture to extinction. Europeans are now realising it and a new renaissance has emerged for the revival of tradition, culture and way of life. They are reviving and protecting their traditional food habit.They have felt that the growing MCDonaldisation is posing a threat to food culture throughout the world. Perhaps the same notion and concept might have inspired Professor Caro Patrini of Italy to initiate the global Slow Food movement to preserve and promote traditional food, food culture and bio-diversity.Most of the participants from across the world wanted to see the mountains. But my interest was more to see the city and find out human behaviour in Turin. With me were Cheng from Singapore and John from Mozabique. Cheng, though a journalist by profession, also wanted to explore some business possibilities. Cheng always called me Mr Nepal instead of calling me by my name. Cheng once asked me about the prospect of bird farming in Nepal.John was a jolly and carefree man. They were friendlier with me than other people. John once said, "Mr Lamsal, let us go out this evening and screw up some hookers in Turin."I was little taken aback by his words. But I did not react.But he kept on coaxing me to go with him. Finally, I had to politely and indirectly refuse. Sitting in the lobby close to the front desk of the Hotel Italia, John went closer to a lady in the front desk who was in her early twenties and said, "If you do not take it offended I would like to ask one thing.?"Sure?, the lady said."Can we find some girls to spend a night?"John asked.I was little frightened with John's question. I thought she would get angry or react in unfriendly manner. But she took it so coolly and answered every thing without hesitation."It is possible.?"Can I bring her to hotel room??"You can but you have to pay 50 dollars additional room charge and deposit her ID with us.?"What about the charge for the girl??"You can deal with her?."Normally, how much do they charge for one night??"For the whole night, I think, they charge about 100 to 150 dollars. But I am not sure as I do not deal with these stuffs.?"Who does that??"The other colleague knows well and he will be on duty in a couple of hours.?I was feeling a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable with their conversation. But for John and the lady, it was normal. Later I asked John why he was so crazy for girls. He simply said it was normal in their culture."Look I have ten girl friends back home and also a wife and so what if I spend a night with a girl here,"he said.I was at all uninterested in this stuff not because I feared God or disease but the cost involved. For a Nepali, saving each dollar was also a part of the purpose of the trip. Spending 150 dollars would be a lot for me, which I could not afford. So I was totally not interested with this idea. But I do not know if John had gone further as I moved out of hotel the same evening.
Turin was the last leg of my sojourn in Italy. Turin was a beautiful resort city of Italy surrounded by mountains like Kathmandu and Pokhara. It is an attraction for many tourists from Europe simply because it offers an opportunity to see the Alps in general and Mount Blanc in particular from a close range. The Alps is a great mountain range system of Europe. The word Alps was borrowed from the Latin language, which means 'white and high'. Mount Blanc that stands proudly between France and Italy is the highest peak in the Alps range. We arrived in Turin by a bus from Bologna traversing Italy 's vast landscape mostly the rural areas. The countryside, which we passed en route to Turin was serene and green. Though rural in nature, all urban facilities were available there. The only thing that was missing was the crowd of people and vehicles, smokes, pollution and hectic life. The land was vast and all cultivated. There were patches of houses in between. Every house was connected with a blacktopped road, telephone lines, electricity and other facilities. There were schools, hospitals and community centers. Even a single house in an isolated mountain slope has access to all facilities.The development activities we observed thus make us realise that the leaders of western countries keep the promises they once make with the people. Unlike in the Third World countries, the governments there serve the people instead of ruling them. "We have paid tax for this and the government must do it,"said an Italian colleague who was sitting next to me.A picture of my countryside suddenly flashed into my mind. There is no road, no electricity, no telephone and hospital. People have to walk hours to make a telephone call. Many people die due to lack of health care facilities. Even if there is a road linking villages, it is never blacktopped. Opportunities are scarce in the rural areas and people migrate to urban centers for employment and other opportunities. With little income, they can hardly afford for decent living in the cities. As a result, they live in slums and sub-human condition. There is no comparison at all between Nepal's village and that of Italy. The rural people in Nepal are a neglected lot denied of modern facilities. It looks as though the modern facilities are the exclusive right of the urban elite.Turin is beautiful town like Kathmandu valley surrounded by hills. People are co-operative. It is often called the city of slow food. Most people here respect food and give more importance to food. They oppose the fast food culture unlike in other western countries.Giovani, a doctor by profession, said, "Food is life and we must give time and patience to prepare food and eat?. "The fast food culture has not only harmed our health but is also slowly destroying our culture and tradition."To some extent, his views are acceptable and appreciable. Food is a part of culture and civilisation. Once it is done away with, it would slowly lead the culture to extinction. Europeans are now realising it and a new renaissance has emerged for the revival of tradition, culture and way of life. They are reviving and protecting their traditional food habit.They have felt that the growing MCDonaldisation is posing a threat to food culture throughout the world. Perhaps the same notion and concept might have inspired Professor Caro Patrini of Italy to initiate the global Slow Food movement to preserve and promote traditional food, food culture and bio-diversity.Most of the participants from across the world wanted to see the mountains. But my interest was more to see the city and find out human behaviour in Turin. With me were Cheng from Singapore and John from Mozabique. Cheng, though a journalist by profession, also wanted to explore some business possibilities. Cheng always called me Mr Nepal instead of calling me by my name. Cheng once asked me about the prospect of bird farming in Nepal.John was a jolly and carefree man. They were friendlier with me than other people. John once said, "Mr Lamsal, let us go out this evening and screw up some hookers in Turin."I was little taken aback by his words. But I did not react.But he kept on coaxing me to go with him. Finally, I had to politely and indirectly refuse. Sitting in the lobby close to the front desk of the Hotel Italia, John went closer to a lady in the front desk who was in her early twenties and said, "If you do not take it offended I would like to ask one thing.?"Sure?, the lady said."Can we find some girls to spend a night?"John asked.I was little frightened with John's question. I thought she would get angry or react in unfriendly manner. But she took it so coolly and answered every thing without hesitation."It is possible.?"Can I bring her to hotel room??"You can but you have to pay 50 dollars additional room charge and deposit her ID with us.?"What about the charge for the girl??"You can deal with her?."Normally, how much do they charge for one night??"For the whole night, I think, they charge about 100 to 150 dollars. But I am not sure as I do not deal with these stuffs.?"Who does that??"The other colleague knows well and he will be on duty in a couple of hours.?I was feeling a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable with their conversation. But for John and the lady, it was normal. Later I asked John why he was so crazy for girls. He simply said it was normal in their culture."Look I have ten girl friends back home and also a wife and so what if I spend a night with a girl here,"he said.I was at all uninterested in this stuff not because I feared God or disease but the cost involved. For a Nepali, saving each dollar was also a part of the purpose of the trip. Spending 150 dollars would be a lot for me, which I could not afford. So I was totally not interested with this idea. But I do not know if John had gone further as I moved out of hotel the same evening.
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