Kolkata

This is my third day in Kolkata, and it's getting hotter by the hour!
Met up with John, the Canadian Australian I'd last seen boarding the 'dug-out' to cross Chillika Lake, at the Neelam Hotel. I took over his room as he was leaving for Canada that night. Also met Burke, an artist and the fourth Canadian in their group, who'd stayed behind in Kolkata.

Burke re-creating movie posters in the Neelam Hotel

Set off straight away for the Burmese Consul to apply for my visa as it was Friday and I was expecting to have to wait some days for it. Naturally, they'd moved 6 months ago and the old address was still on the website. So finally jumped in a taxi which pulled up at the new address right on 12 noon when applications close for the day (& week in my case). But they were OK about allowing me to apply, so 4 forms, 4 photos and 4 weeks later, I'll get my 'permission'.

Decided I'd head north to Darjeeling and Sikkim while I wait, so spent half a day buying rail tickets (including the one out of here on my return from Myanmar). Now this is getting to be more like the India I remember. Kolkata is glorious bureaucracy - they are so much better at it than anywhere else in India! After that I wandered around the maidan trying to find the entrance to Eden Gardens but finding only the 'red light lane' that cut across the field to the cricket pitches.

Today I spent at the Kolkata Book Fair - able to get some 'authentic' books for Liz to take to Texas, and then headed back to Chowinghree and saw Michael Clayton in the dress circle of the New Empire Theatre - there was interval too with boys bringing around trays of chips and icecreams! What nostalgia for childhood movie theatres! On my way back to the hotel now for dinner with Burke and then off to get my overnight train. Please Guruji if you are listening - no snorers in every single one of the other berths if at all possible! Now that would be a miracle!