So... a few weeks in to our time here in Kolkata (yes folks ...that's the new spelling for Calcutta!) & here are a few pictures and some stories/reflections to go with them...
I must have been really sick in hospital as I have developed an interest in cricket! Ok...its 20 overs a side and all over and done with in about 4 hours ... and they market it really well...complete with blonde western bimbos as cheerleaders! Think about it...would you wanna strut your stuff in front of a mostly male Indian crowd? The money must be pretty good I figure! Anyway... a couple weekends back we went to see the Kolkata Knight Riders thrash the Chennai Super Kings...quite disappointing as the Chennai team opened as batters and played poorly, Kolkata was doing great and then it rained and game finished early...Kolkata was still declared the winners tho...we celebrated with a great curry washed down with "Thums Up" the Indian equivalent of coke - but twice as sweet!
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| The Crowd was the size of Hamilton! |
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| We are now used to the constant noise and small living quarters & sadly now that it's pretty hot we escape to anywhere with air conditioning in the weekends and evenings too! That's our little place above |
We live in this building in a lively noisy neighborhood ...the "fast food centre" makes me laugh every day!
Human pulled Rickshaws still exist here...
as do a million and one yellow cabs...
For many Kolkata dwellers life is tough and so much of it is lived on the street..there is little that is private...public space is just that...and it all happens right in front of you. I took a walk early Sunday morning and so many people were just sleeping on the sidewalk, on the back of a cart, on a bench. As the heat rose so did many of the people to take their bath...
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As I made my way home a group of kids waved hello to me and proudly showed me their armless pink doll and the ubiquitous request of "photo, photo" was soon made. They laughed as they saw themselves in the playback of the camera and carried on happily playing outside their one room "home" made from plastic sheeting as their Mother tried to put together something for them to eat that day
You cant come to India without being challenged about how much I personally own, how many choices I have and how easy that is to take for granted. I have so many times been humbled by the genuine smiles and warmth shown by people here who have every reason to not be happy but are. It seems to be a choice, despite the little material possessions and comforts around. It is a challenge to me.This last shot ...well... a picture paints a 1000 words...
In the next blog:
More Kolkata pics including the malls!
Going to Darjeeling
Nicole has a real blue tooth!
Glad you're better now. I remember you saying (on this blog?) that you're with Free Set? I have a friend of a friend who worked with them, Kelsey, who is getting married very soon. Yes? My connection is the ladies from International Princess Project. Laura Roebuck, my best friend...
ReplyDeleteHave just traveled across the southwest of the US over the course of the past week and thought of you, on your bikes.
Hope this is a special time for you both! xo