Back in school after an amazing time at home. Yes, it sucks!
Cal was about meeting old friends, cribbing about Oly not being the same again after the ban, meeting relatives, a small city walk (few photos here). And then stepping into this room, the six wasted months took some time to recall. Football has been the high point, winning an inter college cup, some press coverage and some general feel good stuff. Lows, well...
Slept like a sleep deprived student from A on the plane. (Yes, that ought to be a new expression!) Campus seems to gearing up for the end of the month sports meet against B. Somehow over the years that's the one constant thing that feels good. Great exercise and the best way to take your mind off things.
Cal. is delightful just as always! Standing at Esplanade I heard one passionte michchil speaker blame the recession and the general gloom over the world on Buddhadeb (chief minister). I still don't comprehend metros not running on Sundays; a public transport system taking a day off! Every bus I boarded they blasted the driver for either driving too slow or too fast. One day I saw a mini bus driver stop his bus cause he saw this clown of a young couple who couldn't cross the road. So he stopped, stuck his head out, raised his hand and tried to stop the other cars coming so that these two idiots could cross the road, while the bus full of passengers waited for these two to cross!!!! And they weren't even going to take the minibus! Just two random strangers. Looking at the number of micchils we have, I wonder how there is so much we have to complain about. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad, but surely we're a tolerant lot to have demonstrations everyday in the busiest of city roads.
All in all I can't substitute the place for some other.
It was a great trip. I want to do a city walk thing badly. I love going around cities. Bombay has probably been covered most extensively. Delhi in bits and pieces managed to turn me around from my previous prejudices about the place. Calcutta is a treasure trove. Maybe next time.
