Around the world in less than 24 hours ! Last 24 hours of my life have witnessed extensive international encounters. People, culture and food from civilizations across the globe. Should be an interesting blog I guess.
It started with the birthday party of a sweet girl at an exotic Balkan food joint belonging to people from the Ottoman land. The belly dance was a sort of let down though, imagine any eroticism in dance without a curvaceous midriff, if you can ? The show stealer ? On the house Hukka aka Hooka and curious conversations on an odd threesome...My first tryst with Zatar and Budemjune, I must say I relished the food. Save the best for the last, ended up enjoying hardcore Punjabi music at the Mediterranean land. Barely managed to save my esteem else birthday girl had all plans to hit the G-bar at closing hours of the day err night...
Thanksgiving Day. One of my QCF senior - Abe Riazati (03 batch) invited us for Thanksgiving lunch. Couple of my friends were suppose to join me at my place for the lunch. Poor fellas, selected a day on public holiday to use public transport. Anyway thanks to $ power they cabbed. Already late by some 1 hour, we searched hard to buy some wine, flowers and candies for the host. Phew, never go shopping on day before Black Friday! Anyway, once at Abe's place it was a different world. Iranian Host , Indian Guest, American Festival and loads of food to eat :). To my surprise there were more vegetarian dishes than Turkey and Co. Couple of rounds of main course packed with 7-8 variety of deserts made the meal more than sumptuous. Thanks Mrs Abe..
The rats settled down and it was time for some engrossing conversations. We talked about everything. We talked history - Journey from Persia to Iran, involvement of Tigris & Euphrates and Missouri & Mississippi in this process, rise and fall of Shah's regime , Revolutionary Guards uprising and current cost of living at Tehran. It was informative. We talked religion - Zoroastrian aka Farsiis (yeah, famous Tatas et. all and its F not P), Islam, Baha'i and Hinduism. I got answer to a question that was floating since long in my mind, If Farsiis in India are the original inhabitants of Iran then why do they follow Zoroastrianism ? Focus then shifted to literature and it was captivating to listen others taking deep dive into Indian literature. We discussed Bhagwat Gita, we discussed Kamasutra , we discussed Yoga. Abe was in particular more exited in sharing his Indian experience , mini bus ride from Political Heart to Love Tomb , chicken driving and importance of birth time, place and horoscope in life of an Indian. Horoscopes lead the discussion to Indian wedding and finally a question about my single status :( . You talk India, you need to talk its troubled neighbor -P. Abe's friend, sorry his name slipped out of my mind... talked of his life , escape from Iran via Pakistan and his experience in Pakistan. Quite insightful and and contrary to perception , an average Persian's thought about Pakistan and Co. He smartly did some pre-sales job for his yet to publish book - My Life , his stories with people and culture of countries he had seen specially Iran and Pakistan. What made conversation more productive was the sheer diversity of the group involved - Indian, Iranian and Americans.
Phew..Need a break..Earl Grey tea make it easy to move to advancement of technology and generation Z of kids. Needless to say current economic condition and life of Quant was also discussed at a somber note. We talked of Punch Cards ,Wimax 4G , Dos, Windows and what not. It was moment of self realization about my technical illiteracy when a I learned how a 11 year kid controls his Mac from Iphone. God, where is the world heading to ?? 2012 is playing closeby in Dollar Theater.
Finally time to call off the 24 hour cycle, goodbye - thanks a lot Abe. Truly 24 happening international hours. Back home, its CFA time.
BTW: What do you say about the look of the day ?
