Sept 26, 2008
My wife and I were touring France in the fall of 1985. In Paris, we were staying in a small hotel on Boulevard de Strasbourg. It was near Gare de L'Est, and we could hear the rumbling sound of passing trains almost all the time.
However, we had a problem. We both were vegetarians and it was not easy to find vegetarian food easily at the hotel or in the neighborhood. Luckily, the concierge of the hotel proved helpful. He told us there was a joint called Jai Bharat which might be an Indian restaurant.
After walking for more than half an hour on the beautiful cobbled streets of Paris, we could locate it. And voila! It was a Pakistani restaurant. The restaurateur was a middle-aged, cultured gentleman from Lahore. He served us steaming hot vegetarian food prepared especially for us. Not only this, he refused to accept payment. He said most graciously, "Indians and Pakistanis are bhai-bhai. How can I take money from you for the food served for the first time?"
My wife and I were touring France in the fall of 1985. In Paris, we were staying in a small hotel on Boulevard de Strasbourg. It was near Gare de L'Est, and we could hear the rumbling sound of passing trains almost all the time.
However, we had a problem. We both were vegetarians and it was not easy to find vegetarian food easily at the hotel or in the neighborhood. Luckily, the concierge of the hotel proved helpful. He told us there was a joint called Jai Bharat which might be an Indian restaurant.
After walking for more than half an hour on the beautiful cobbled streets of Paris, we could locate it. And voila! It was a Pakistani restaurant. The restaurateur was a middle-aged, cultured gentleman from Lahore. He served us steaming hot vegetarian food prepared especially for us. Not only this, he refused to accept payment. He said most graciously, "Indians and Pakistanis are bhai-bhai. How can I take money from you for the food served for the first time?"
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