[Sam Kapasi]

You are correct. The flight out to KWI was an old airbus. But the flight to FRA was a 777. However the airline story will return. On my return lol.

I'll continue the story tonight.

[musicvj]

Woohoo my first live YetiBlog® . And I have never seen snow, for the last 6 odd years all my overseas work always gets over before winter D0h!!

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I reach for the snow and try to make a snowball. PFFFF.

Huh? What the? It turned into powder? What's going on?

TheOne® laughs and runs over huddling. She hates the cold.
You CAAN'T make snowballs!
Why?
It's too COLD!! She laughs again.

You can't pack the snow. It has to be like 0 or minus 2 then you can melt the snow and pack it into a ball. In this weather you can't make a snowball or a schneemann or anything

wondrous.

Ahh. It is too cold to make a snowball. I shake my head.

Too cold to make a snowball. Whatever next?

+1 to that. I had the same experience yesterday of the snowball turning to powder, which had me a wee bit perplexed.

Thanks for sharing the gyaan--I'll give it shot today as it is sunny now--but wait-- the TV channel says the temperature is 19 deg F, so I guess i gotta wait till the afternoon.

The flip side is that all the Smithsonian museums are closed today also (Sunday). Darn, why does this happen only on weekends?

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

e. As they fly labor junta predominantly, you can get away with murder when it comes to checked in luggage. I remember seeing 2 folks - each not able to read/write english, had over 40 kg in "502 pataka beedi" type bags !

Same experience. Low prices attracts the labor class. The cabin crew was changed over to 90% male because the stewardess used to be harrased.

My watch was stolen from my luggage when I flew Kuwait-Chennai (dunno weather to blame airline or Chennai airport). Kuwait to Europe was a totally opposite experience, awesome flight.

[Sam Kapasi]

The rest of the day is spent lazing around, sharing stories and catching up. Yes we go out for a bit, but this is what it looks like outside:









But I realise that it does not feel as cold as I did in New Delhi a week ago. Or does it?

We lack 2 important winter cultures in India. Perhaps it is the fact that our winters are not severe enough, or long enough - I don't know but here is the Yetitake® on the facts as I perceive them.

1) Layer culture:

Everywhere in Germany, Europe or elsewhere in the world, people dress in layers. There will be an undershirt, a shirt, perhaps a sweater, a scarf, a hat and gloves and finally an overcoat or sports jacket (something like a fleece lined windcheater).

Except for the shirt and undershirt, all other layers are dynamic.

This means that as soon as you get indoors (house or restaurant) the jacket is immediately off, the scarf and shawl is off. Slowly the sweater will be off too, allowing you to sit in your shirtsleeves, toasting up nicely. Your clothes do not remain wet, from the inside or the outside.

The warmth of the room gets directly to your body (instead of being prevented by the insulated materials of the jacket or coat)

Finally when you are reasy to face the cold again, you layer up all over again and the warmth stays trapped in your clothes for at least an hour or two. More than enough time to walk around or get somewhere.

In contrast we in India, especially in the north have no layer peel culture. In the winter we wear a thick sweater and never take it off. We're with it indoors and outdoors, in the restaurant or in the office. We wear exactly the same sweater regardless of the ambient temperature, simply because it's winter.
The sweater picks up smells everywhere too.

When I was in New Delhi, I went partying to a renowned nightclub. It was cold, winter season and I was wearing my overcoat. As soon as I entered the club (which was warmer than outside of course) I took my overcoat off and tried to deposit it somewhere. I could not. I had to carry it around on my left arm like a Romano-Greek philosopher holding his Toga.

Anyway what amused me to no extent was the sight of the rather well-dressed Dilliwallas walking around the nightclub, drink in hand, completely dressed up with their shawls and mufflers and even woolen hats (stylish ones nonetheless) partying in their overcoats to boot!

We have no layer culture: we dress up for winter when we leave the house and rarely do we change any layer until we return. Of course the shawls and mufflers come on and off, but rarely the jacket or sweater.

Which brings me to my second point.

2) Heater Culture:
We have no heater culture. Some of you may scoff, but a cold and windy 3 degrees in New Delhi is not a joke. The problem is that the houses are are done up with cold materials. Tiles, marble, granite etc. Materials like this remain colder than the ambient air.
Houses are rarely heated, almost none feature permanently installed heating equipement that is wither hot water or oil based.

Sure people do buy hot oil filled radiators today, but it is purely a luxury.

Some people use an electic heater, a dangerous firestarting contraption that is essentially a rather large hair dryer in a shoebox. Something like this:


High energy consumption and low result. Causes more blanket fires and electrical short circuits than one would like it to.

Perhaps our winters are not cold enough, perhaps they last only for a month in the year -- and that too only in the northern part of India (including a few high altitude places in the rest of India) -- I don't know what it is.

But give me minus 16 in Europe any day over 5 degrees in New Delhi -- THAT I cannot handle.

[Sam Kapasi]

How would you like to go to Hanau with me, says the BIL
Hanau?
Yeah, I have some work there and we can see the city and maybe shop there.
Is it a nice city?

It's ugly, says a voice behind me.
Ugly? say I in surprise to TheOne®
I find it ugly.

Which probably means it is not as nice as Bad Nauheim, but it's going to be a nice town.
But why do I know the name Hanau? It sounds familiar...

THe BIL smiles. Ever hear of the Brothers Grimm?

OF COURSE. Hanau is where the great Grimm Brothers came from. The greatest fairy tale writers there ever were. (No disrespect to Hans Christian Andersen fans) -- This is the city that gave the world Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty!!

YES. I want to go!


We're in the Pajero. Usually it would take an hour to get to Hanau, but today it will take longer.



I can take hardly any photos. If I try to lower the window, I am met with yells of protest. The car is a comfortable 24 degrees but just try touching the glass to know the hell outside.

Finally a break. I quickly step outside and take a few photos.






















We're not far from Hanau now.

[Punzabi]

Yeti Baba ki jai ho.
At last, we are getting to hear from you here in this section . I thought either you lost your internet connection or you don't fancy travel anymore. But I was wrong.Something here was long due Yeti baba. now you are back in action, nothing makes happier than this on this forum. Am glued and wanting for more...

happy writing

[MX6]

Snow in Europe is so good. Transports to a very melancholic state, yet beautiful. Good ones.

[dkhatau]

very nice pics sam waiting for the whole story to unfold. Cheers.

[Sam Kapasi]

We're in Hanau. The temperature is rising fast with the day.

In fact today it is about minus 3. I am aghast to see the black ice on the streets. Yes, I do understand that this is caused by the tyres of the cars that drive over the snow and the rising temperatures but it looks very yucky. lol.





Later in the day, we've finished the work we came for and I've quietly managed to buy my Christmas present for TheOne® while she is busy with the kids. Now we stroll to the city centre where the Weihnachtsmarkt (The Christmas Market) is.







A few joyrides and hot snacks and to be honest, as I expected, it is both beautiful and fun.



As I walk further I spot it. The town statue of The Brothers Grimm. You can see it in the centre of my photo.

[amit_3306]

Excellent narration with equally good pictures.. I m glued..

[SS-Traveller]

Good going, Sam. Don't get to read about such Great White Holidays too often. Enjoying your inimitable style.

[Hurrycane12]

Waiting for more. Sam i am hooked to this one too.

[Sam Kapasi]

We walk up to the statue and I take a good look.





An old lady walks over to us and starts talking. I wait for the translation - my German isn't good enough.

It seems that the town folklore doesn't quite specify which one is Jacob and which one is Wilhelm Grimm. In fact the old people of the town say that one brother gets up every night and stands while the other sits down.

I smile. Old wives' tales.

We walk around the Christmas Markt. I'm sploshing through this black slippery messy ice and I do not like it. Not too many people at the Markt because of the awful weather too.
But it is beautiful and quaint. Just as I expected.

Ugly. Bah. It is anyhting but ugly.








Now the little one wants the Giant Wheel. One can never say no to her without feeling guilty.

Besides, it is every child's joy to be seated in one of those.

Next thing I know, I'm in a kiddie Giant Wheel, lol. Not much of a Giant to be honest, but a great view of the Christmas Markt from up there.









Soon it is dark and time to go home. The days are short, very short.

[Sam Kapasi]

I've slept well but something has gone wrong. I've woken up with a terrible, terrible cold.

The temperature now dances around zero. It is time to make the Schneemann. No not me. I am sick and feel terrible.











Finally. Snowy the armless Schneemann is born. How the hell is he going to brush his teeth?