A Taste Of Chinese Hospitality.............Part 7

I had heard stories about the crowded trains of China during the festival rush and have had the actual experience of travelling in jam packed Indian trains and so wanted to get the tickets for first class but we had no option.

我聽說過不少春節期間擠火車的故事，也有過在印度擠火車的真實經歷，所以我很想買頭等艙的火車票，但我們并沒有選擇。

上海的立交橋

We boarded a bus for Naning on 15th February at around 3 PM and informed Unicorn about it. There was a lot of traffic on the road but the traffic moved smoothly. The day was dull and gloomy. The whether didn’t seem to share the mood of the people. The evening made it gloomier. I tried to take some pictures of the moving scenery to tell Unicorn about our location but he couldn’t guess much. But he was there on time to receive us when we landed. I had only seen Shanghai’s bus terminus before this. I found it as grand as that. It stretched beyond the limits my imagination could allocate for a bus terminus. And like in Shanghai and perhaps it’s so everywhere in major Chinese towns, the Railway Station and Bus terminus formed a part of the same complex. What an excellent planning it is!

我們于2月15日下午3點左右坐上開往南京的客車，并通知了Unicorn。路上的交通很擁擠，但還算順暢。那天的天氣既沉悶又陰郁，不像人們過年的心情。夜幕降臨后，天色更加暗沉了。我試著拍一些移動的風景照片，告訴Unicorn我們所在的位置，可惜他猜不出來。但他準時到達車站接我們。在此之前，我只看到過上海的客運總站。我發現這個汽車站和上海的一樣大，超出了我對汽車站的想象范圍。就像上海一樣，也許中國的其他大城市也都一樣，火車站和客運汽車總站連在一起。這是多好的規劃啊!

Chandigarh, my home town is touted to be the most modern city in India and much of the dilapidated and decaying structures are being spared the hammer in the name of preserving the heritage town designed by Le Carbousier.

我的家鄉昌迪加爾被視為印度最具現代化的城市，許多破敗的建筑都被以保護勒·卡布西耶設計的遺產小鎮為名保留了下來。

The city is in dire need of high rise buildings and clover leaf flyover for smooth running of traffic but because of this heritage debate, not much is being done. The city council has gone a step further, as it seems to intend to retain the roads and the streets in their original state they were in when the city came to exst.

這座城市急需高樓大廈和立交橋以保證交通順暢，但由于這一遺產的爭論，目前沒什么進展。市議會打算保留道路和街道在城市形成之初的原貌。

The people have no choice but to sweat, swear and fret at fifty years old rotaries jammed due to huge influx of automobiles. If the city administration is so concerned about preserving the heritage than it must restrict the people from procuring cars and ask them to ride bicycles or it must provide some rapid means of mass transportation.

由于車輛大量涌入，人們別無選擇，只能在50年歷史的老轉盤上擁堵著，焦急等待，一邊咒罵一邊煩惱。如果市政當局如此關心保護遺產，就必須限制人們購買汽車，要求他們騎自行車，或者必須提供一些大眾交通工具。

But all that will remain on the drawing boards for another half a century. A city, a nation must evolve with time. We cannot play bag pipes wearing skirts and feel proud of being stuck in a time slot. We cannot sing glories to the queen and continue to dream that sun would never set on the horizon of our extended land, at midnight. Change is the law of nature and rapid change is the need of the hour.

但這一切仍將持續半個世紀。一個城市，一個國家都必須與時俱進。我們不能因為穿著裙子吹奏風笛，在時間長河中停滯不前而感到驕傲。我們不能歌頌女王，繼續夢想著在我們的土地上，午夜時太陽也永遠不會落入地平線下。改變是自然法則，快速變化是當下的需要。

Since at the time the city started taking shape, there was only one train connecting it to other major towns, so most of the city developed around the bus stand which became central and the roads leading to it became so laden with traffic that the administration finally brought up another bus stand which was further removed from the railway station by another five kilometres.

當這座城市開始成形時，只有火車連接其他主要城鎮，所以大部分的城市圍繞著汽車站為中心進行發展，通往車站的道路變得交通繁忙，政府最后在5公里之外新建了另一個汽車站。

昌迪加爾火車站

I wonder why they could never think of a brilliant idea making a bus stand next to the railway station. Maybe, because they never got the idea of making a ‘study tour’ to China on poor people’s expenses.

我不知道他們為什么就想不到這個絕妙的主意：在火車站旁修建汽車站。也許是因為他們從來沒有想過為了窮人到中國“學習參觀”。

And why don’t they come to China for study tours? Because study tour is just a ruse for free holiday and they would like to go the places where they can enjoy dinners and shop with their spouses and they don’t know much about China. They cannot enjoy food either.

為什么他們不來中國學習參觀呢？因為學習參觀是公費度假，他們想去那些可以和他們的配偶一起享受晚餐和購物的地方，他們對中國的了解不多，他們也吃不慣這里的食物。

Perhaps it discourages most of the Indians. I have been exploring the possibility of introducing the beauty of China to my people but it is begng to look to me that I don’t have the spark to make things work.

也許對大多數印度人來說這也是一個阻礙。我一直在想辦法向我的同胞介紹中國之美，但我覺得我沒有這個靈感。

I have to be contended with a little appreciation for my small ability of writing. My finished and unfinished works will keep lying piled up on my shelves, unread and unappreciated.

我很滿足于我那微不足道的寫作能力。我會把完成的和未完成的作品堆在書架上，沒人閱讀，沒人欣賞。

南京南站

【印度網友和Navneet的互動】

譯文來源：三泰虎

Lingli

the India old buildings are full British style,will look beautiful if do some clean work,our buildings are modern but simple,not designed,look all the same.hope look a clean and neat India and Indian people,so that i will like to travel there

印度的老建筑充滿了英倫風情，如果打掃干凈，看起來很漂亮。我們的建筑雖然都是現代的，但是很簡單，沒有什么設計感，看起來都差不多。希望看到安靜整潔的印度和印度人民，這樣我以后就可以去旅游了。

Heavenliness Fanfan

You are really a good traveler，And you almost have been to more place than I have.

你真是一個好游客。你去過的地方可能都比我多了吧。

Ashualec

Good write up Sailor uncle.

寫的真好，水手叔叔

Navneet

Thanks Ashu

謝謝Ashu

Anneshwa

My God! How you have got this photograph of crowded train in India. BTW, all signboards are in Chinese, how you manage to read the road-marks?? You've learnt Chinese?

上帝！你怎么拍到印度擁擠的火車的照片的？還有，所有標示都是中文，你怎么看路牌的？你學過中文？

Navneet

Hello Anneshwa,

This picture of crowded train in India is quite a celebrated picture on the internet, I have picked it up from there. I don't have to read the signs because I don't drive, I don't have a driving license and perhaps can never get it here. I think it will be easier resolve for me to climb mount Everest than to decide to learn Chinese :))

這張印度擁擠的火車的照片是網上很火的照片，我從網上找來的。我不用看標示，因為我不開車啊，我沒有駕照，估計這輩子也不會在中國考駕照。我認為爬珠穆朗瑪峰都比學中文簡單。

Navneet

Dear RCay,

Yes, there is no doubt to it. We are progressing but the pace is very slow.

是的，毫無疑問。我們印度也在進步，但是速度真的太慢了。

Vijays Desk

Beautiful narration and lovely pics.

The problem in India is 2 fold. First that a lot of money shown spent for infrastructure work carried out gets siphoned out in corruption. Probably only half the amount shown is actually spent.Second is the mentality here of urinating and spitting in public places, throwing garbage out because of which we are not able to maintain hygiene in public places.Another point is that we do not maintain places by way of regular repair and proper upkeep.

I Had the privilege of visiting Chandigarh twice in my work , and I was very impressed with the city- it looked totally different when compared to our other cities. Has it now deteriorated so much??

寫的真好，照片也很好。

印度的問題有2個方面。首先，表面上投資了很多錢用于基礎設施建設，但實際上被貪污了許多。估計實際支出僅有50%吧。其次，因為無法保持公共場所的衛生而隨地小便吐痰、亂扔垃圾的風氣。另一點是，我們沒有通過定期維修和妥善保養來維護公共場所。

我工作期間去過2次昌迪加爾，我對這座城市很有印象，城市跟我們的其他城市看起來完全不同?，F在變得那么差了？

Ushasuryamani

A beautiful narration indeed !!

Nice to see the roads and station etc. etc. Don't you feel sad...things are changing here too. I travel a lot bu train and car and bus at times..The Bus Station here has changed a lot and I heard more changes for the better are being brought in. The R stations are much cleaner...the food better...In a few years' time things will improve..

BUT

The mentality of the people should change..the "I don't care " attitude whish make them spit and litter everywhere should undergo a change..

Looking forward to the next..

Am late this time...was away travelling

很高興看到道路和車站這一切的一切，你不覺得可悲嗎?印度也在發生變化。我經常乘火車、汽車和公共汽車旅行。印度的汽車站發生了很大的變化，我聽說還將變得更好?；疖囌疽蓛舻枚?hellip;…食物也更好……再過幾年，情況會好轉的。

但

人們的心態應該改變。“我不在乎”的態度讓他們隨地吐痰和亂丟垃圾。

期待下一篇文章。

這次來晚了……我外出旅行了

Prasad Ganti

Navneetji, what a contrast. Like you, I am a fan of China, although I have not been to that country. Hope you will publish a book on China someday which will be a good reference for people like me !

Navneet，這簡直是天差地別。像你一樣，我也是中國的粉絲，盡管我還沒去過中國。希望你能出一本關于中國的書，給像我這樣的人一些參考。

Navneet

Hello Prasad Ji,

The more I see, the more yawning the contrast seems to me. This country has made tremendous development in the last twenty years and we are where we were. We too have sincere and hard working people but spirit is missing. The guidance, the motivation, the inspiration is not there. One publisher is bringing out a book based on my blogs. I hope your wishes will come true :))

這些差距我看得越多，就越覺得打不起精神。在過去的二十年里，中國取得了巨大的發展，我們呢還是原來的樣子。我們國家也有真誠和勤勞的人，但民族精神已經消失不見了。引導，主動性，靈感都沒了。已經有一個出版商用我博客上的內容出版了一本書。我希望你的愿望能成真。