normal in india, normal in amsterdam

indian train station, early evening. crowds of people waiting for their trains. lugagge, packing, chai-sellers. two western girls piled up on top of their backpacks, observing the scene in front of them.

they cringe at the amount of rats moving frantically along the train tracks. they freak out over the mice running bravely across the platform, close to their toes. they feel sick at the smell of human excrement.

soon they settle in, and start to enjoy the scene, as if watching a TV. they get snacks and drinks and enjoy a cigarette to go with the entertainment. things start to heat up as they throw the remains of a crisp-bag at the rat-family under a pile of junk nearby- a fullblown rat-fight breaks out, crisps and bag flying, rats biting at each others' throats.

and then.... a huge, black bull comes strolling in along the platform.

nobody reacts.

the two western girls observe the majestic animal with fear. and a bubbling laughter. i mean, yeah, this is india- we have seen many of these animals on the streets. but this whole scenario was just extreme. a HUGE BULL walking carelessly right through a train-platform, recieving NO REACTION from anyone.

our TV show got more interesting as we started picturing what would had been the scene, had this been in amsterdam or stockholm.

as the bull proceeded, it found a bin, with some yummy food inside- it stuck its whole huge head in there and as it was munching away, we started laughing, bursting out in an explosive giggle at the bizarrity of everything- and then-

WE became the TV for the rest of the platform. all indian heads turned to us and STARED as we were folded double in laughter. they just couldn't believe their eyes and ears, that two women would sit on a pair of bags, and just laugh straight out like that.

and of course, that made us laugh (and cry) even more.

what is normal in india, is definitely not normal in amsterdam and stockholm. and vice versa.