from calcutta
am updating very quickly from a dishnet cafe in calcutta, although i have no hope of actually writing about all my impressions, i've been writing them down, and may log them in later. just returned from Sundarbans safari trip, which was beautiful - the floodplains and empty vistas of magrove forest are really refreshin after a week of crowded calcutta. took lots of animal pictures from the boat, (it was a steamer trip through the rivers) and had a good time. more about that when i have more time to write.
calcutta is interesting. strange for once to be in a truly bengali city where everyone speaks my language. people here are very friendly, always willing to extend a hand or tell directions to strangers. have been dining well, in glitzy restaurants where people wait on you like royalty, quite an experience, even here in India where everyone has servants, or are servants. very little inbetween. calcutta itself is a city of shutters and wrought iron grillework, european in style, but being totally taken over and subsumed by the moist air which destroys buildings, dirt from the billions of maniac cars (Rome has nothing on these people!) and Indian weirdness which covers the city like farce.
more details when i get the time.
also hope everyone is well, haven't been checking friends list of course, but am thinking of you all...
calcutta is interesting. strange for once to be in a truly bengali city where everyone speaks my language. people here are very friendly, always willing to extend a hand or tell directions to strangers. have been dining well, in glitzy restaurants where people wait on you like royalty, quite an experience, even here in India where everyone has servants, or are servants. very little inbetween. calcutta itself is a city of shutters and wrought iron grillework, european in style, but being totally taken over and subsumed by the moist air which destroys buildings, dirt from the billions of maniac cars (Rome has nothing on these people!) and Indian weirdness which covers the city like farce.
more details when i get the time.
also hope everyone is well, haven't been checking friends list of course, but am thinking of you all...
adventurous... the road finds you in good company
of thee, O Road, but now when thous leadest me to
everywhere I am wedded to thee in love. - R. Tagore
I happened upon your journal as my left hand was literally resting on a copy of Stray Birds. I wish I had command of your language; hope to someday.
I hope you get a chance to share some of your impressions of your trip; most of my glimpses of the area come through the second-hand atavism of literature.