Working in American Citizen Services made me really enjoy my job for six months and hence allowed me to breathe a little, lighten up a little, and enjoy India a lot.
Michele came in December! She visited and spoke at a clinic in Chennai besides doing the normal sightseeing. Then she and I went to Kochi for one night (for me it was a work trip but it gave her the chance to see Kerala and its beautiful palm tree landscape) and then on Christmas Eve we started our adventure, heading out to Calcutta.
We started out trying to walk around and made it to Victoria Memorial. Then we tried to walk to Mother Theresa's house...big epic fail. We just walked and walked and walked and since Calucutta is colder I was wearing close-toed shoes for the first time in ages and getting blisters. So we hailed a cab. And the cab just started going. and going. and going. And then it turned into some shady looking side streets. And then some alleys that can't really be called streets. And just when I was wondering if I should suggest a tuck and roll exit to Michele, the dude stopped and ejected us in some shady corner.
To his credit, it did appear that there was some connection to Mother Theresa though that mission would not allow visitors in. However it was not the Mother House. We then had a pretty gnarly dude lead us down some other shady alley to another temple before we both realized we needed to get the heck out of there. But alas no cabs to be found as the tight little roads could barely fit them in that corner of Calcutta. Finally we found one and decided we should try the oft recommended Park Hotel for a drink. After TONS of traffic we get to the place only to have them tell us we were not welcome as we didn't have reservations. Well poo on them!
We got back to our hotel, the Taj, just as the sun was setting. Calcutta does have truly beautiful light, admittedly due to all the particulates in the air from the pollution but still very beautiful and driving past the Victoria Memorial at sunset is inspiring. Until you think about the iron fisted colonial rule that created the building.
So we got to the room and were watching the little reel about all the awesome things at the hotel as the sun continued with its magical lighting...we decided to go to the upper floor bar with the view. When we got there they wouldn't let us in. Hmmmph. (so of course later in the evening i sent a huffy email to them about it. which led to us getting a free bottle of wine the next day and a personal invite from the manager to go there. which we did. and realized it sucked and we didn't want to be there anyways....)
So we ended up at the poolside bar. Which was so fantastic. Apparently they were rocking it out for Christmas Eve. With blue lights everywhere. Yeah. They were having a super special dinner and did we want to go? No, we didn't. We just wanted to sit and drink champagne. So we drank a bottle of champagne and then decided it was time for dinner. We asked our new best friend Raja the waiter if we could go to the Lebanese restaurant....he said sure when it opened at 7:30...wait what time is it? Oh only about 5:40. Yeah. The sun sets REAL early in December in Calcutta, especially since India is all one time zone and Calcutta is the eastern edge. OOOOOOOPs. Well the only thing to do was to have another bottle of champagne and really catch up. And by catch up I mean act like we were 22 again (or 27 for that matter) and years of not speaking never happened and remember that we have known each other for nearly 3 decades and pretty much have a lot to laugh and cry and celebrate about together.
And then we ate. And it was awesome. And then we went back to the poolside bar where Raja had saved our bedseats (yeah it was that kind of a comfy place). And there was more champagne. But I'm pretty certain Raja was just giving it to us from the fancy dinner going on....he he he. And then bed.
Man I do babble. Yeah there is no way to catch up on 5 months in one post. But I'm trying to get some of this down before I leave India in just over 2 months. Currently in Bali. Hoping to use some of this alone time to do some of the catching up. Gotta go to bed now though since I'm going to bike down a mountain tomorrow. Yeah.
