The one where 'A friend gets drunk and disappears for a hour at Someplace Else'

30th September 2009. Kolkata's hot stickiness is almost over. I board the Kamrup Express this evening for Darjeeling. I like the city - the buildings at Dalhousie Square, the friendliness of the people and the fact that I can bargain at the markets with a smile :) But I ABHOR the humidity - its worse than Bombay and that is saying something...

I have had a very pleasant day. Went shopping - a fact that gives my heart succour. Went to 'Old' New Market which is actually called a fancy English name!


Shooped for silver to my heart's content. Recommend Chumbalama - a Tibetan shop here. Decently priced silver. I went slightly beserk and even bought myself a 'lizard' pendant! And that cost me like 300 bucks!!

Shopping finished, I wandered around Dalhousie Square and there were enough architecturally significant monuments there to keep my trigger happy fingers..well happy :)




Headed back homewards to give myself a little rest before a night out drinking at 'Someplace Else'. At the Park, this place is legendary. I had heard so many tales about the place - it was a must do on my list. But before that, we went to a place called 'Beyond the Blue' opposite New Market. Ambience top class as it affords a view of the city's nightlights but that is it. Nothing more to say really. They screwed everything in terms of the order that they could possibly screw!

'Someplace Else' lived upto its expectations and more. It totally rocked. Drinks were reasonable except the place as big as my living room. But I wouldn't crib about that too much. Now comes the highlight for the day. Friend with us got drunk and sort of disappeared. No other way to put it really. We looked everywhere for him. We went even to the hotel's reception and like in the movies asked, 'Can you use your cameras to check where he is?' Hhhahhahaahhaa...We finally found him - thank the Lord! He had gone and dozed off in the far corner inside the pub of all the places!

Dispersing, I found myself in a taxi speeding homewards at 12.30 pm. I didn't get the unsafe feeling that I normally get when I would leave the hotel at Delhi at 5 pm. Knocked myself out for the night and fell asleep almost immediately...

The one where 'I had an uneventful day in Kolkata doing touristy things'

29th September 2009. A day spent fruitfully. Victoria Memorial. Mocambo's. St.Paul's Cathedral. Bengali saris. Like dil se khush ho gaye hum. Walked the streets of Kolkata in the dirty sweaty heat. Victoria Memorial - gorgeous in the light and standing utterly majestic against the array of blue-gray clouds.

But on the inside, it was an entirely different story - the Museum was awash with a sea of humanity who had absolutely no clue about why they were here - one more tourist spot to take off the list.

Thomas and Willam Daniell painted watercolours of an age gone by - to see India through their eyes - eyes belonging to the 1700's - 1800's - reminds me of a glorious past. A past which was well exploited by the romance of watercolours. The paintings are beautiful and the little details make them really interesting.

Old photos of Kolkata were also on display. I love the sepia-tinted nostalgia evident in photos like this. Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Queen Elizabeth, Nehru, Jinnah - all real people - standing, waving and smiling through a black and white window.

Really really wanted to see more but the sea of people were starting to drown me and I was literally scrambling for air at some point.

The sea of people coming out after the rains

I literally ran my way out and ended up waiting at the steps as the rain came down on us. Five minutes and the sun shone with clear blue skies.


Headed towards Mocambo's at Park Street for grub. Food was decent but the ambience was brilliant. After a nice lunch spent in the company of T, went in search of St.Paul's Cathedral. Wandered around and got lost - ended up at some Tamil church in the bylanes of Kolkata.


A call to a friend in Kolkata made my life easier and lo behold stood St.Paul's. Old tablets inside spoke of young Englishment dying in cemeteries very far from their own homelands.


Then came the bestest part of the evening - sari shopping. Had been recommended 'Adi Dhakineshwari Bastralaya', near Kalighat Metro and I had such a happy time spending much monies on something that brings my Mom loads of happiness :) Dinner at a friend's place with some yummy methi chicken thrown in totally made my day.

My weekend

Started Fri nite with S n T. Went out fr a couple of drinks and literally for me it was like tht. Got done with tht and next morning after much existential angst, managed to catch a 10.30 show of Ratatouille. Was fabbbbulooous. Loved the theme behind it and yenjoyed myself v v much like tht. For a 10.30 show the theatre had abt 20 seats left. Very nice graphics and very nice storyline too- perspective etal....

Did shoppin with Dee aftr tht- we bought the same pair of shoes- loverly green n beige they r! So kicked abt them!! Of course me and she bought similar tees as well :D Its v weird coz I was on this green trip yest and she told me (so weird tht I didn't knw this) tht she has this weird fixation fr olive green much like my blue fixation when I go shopping. I have known her for 10 yrs and didn't knw this abt her!

Anyways, we maxed Max out (as Mahmah said) then went fr lunch to Nandos. Purportedly African cuisine- bleh. For a one time experience it is ok but am not gng back there again for sure. It was like gng to TGIF the first time (in town) and getting chappatis instead of tortillas. So the ingredients r right but the style of cooking is still Indian. Tht sucks especially when u r paying good money for your food. Anyways, peri peri cuisine made Indian style is horrible.

Left and did more shopping. Dee bought a hat and we have come to the profound conclusion tht she is a hat person (checks out hats everywhere she goes)! So done with shopping homeward bound at 6 pm. Very nice eet was. Home at nite (wowwweee n on a Sat nite!) and then next morning dawned brite n early in my house.

Ordered pizza (Valentino's Delite) from Garcia's. V nice eet was- loved the sundried tomatoes bit -yumyum.. Dad made pulao and of course tried with with tomato pachidi (v nice eet was too). Slept 15 mins after luncheon and then went onto I-Rock happening at the Andheri grounds. It sucked- nothing more to say :( I wish I had seen I-Rock in its heydays when it was unsponsored and meant unadulterated rock instead of the corporate shebang it has become. I understand why FW sold out to some extent but feel its just crappy rt now.

Anyways, crowd was all under 21 and tht of course made us feel like dinosaurs. Everyone smoked and smoked up as well. There were a few mohawks around. Everyone gushed at PDV. They have celeb status amongst the crowd – their kind of music personally doesn't appeal to me but wotver. Chiks and guys all over these guys – 'excuse me, one pic pls'. The guys smiled politely and did duty. :) T took a fotu of the bassist's tattoos without realising who eet was :)

The Dinosaurs of Rock disappointed. FW – decent. Gary Lawyer was good. The chik Shazneen was terrible. She tried v v v v v hard but didn't make grade. The highlite for me – Zephretta live by Dem Clones. Was soo happpppppppppppy abt tht. A actually called up so he cd listen to them sing the song. Reminded me of the time Chris called me frm Holland to get me to listen to my fave Welsh band – Stereophonics. And of course how I missed tht call to my everlasting regret!

Ate tht bhurjee Haris keeps talking abt n pav bhaji at this roadside place near Amar Juice Centre, Irla. I loveeed it and tht Egg Tawa Pulao was to die for esp the aftertaste which we kept talking abt. My stomach didn't unfortunately agree and tis the end of my never begun love affair with tht place :(