We've got the hang of catching cabs by now and took the hour fifteen ride to the tourist train office without too much hassle. We've started giving directions to the drivers to keep them from taking us in big circles.
The office seemed immediately more promising than the last time we were here. It's less than half as full and they're only 20 numbers away from the slip we grabbed. Our process is more complicated today because we are trying to cancel our first ticket and rebook a new one for a few days later. At the urging of our hosts, we've decided to stay an extra couple of days and take a train straight back to Bhubaneswar on Monday. There are some confusing logistics to work out but assuming things aren't too Indian, we should be able to make it happen.
That was great. We only waited about half an hour before being helped by the same person as yesterday. He explained the process to us. We would only get a 50% refund because it was less than 24 hours before our train but the second one we booked was cheaper anyway. Our first choice train was full so we're taking the 7 hour night train to Bhubaneswar on Sunday night. Looking forward to having two more days here.
The museum was about 3 or 4 kilometers from the office and we walked along the street. We walked along areas that were dirty or dirtier. There was a busy bus terminal, a creepy park where a hundred different species of trees were planted in uniform rows. We passed a smaller park and there was a volleyball tournament going on, we were the only white people there, but went in and sat right by one of the games to watch for about an hour. There were both men and women's games going on. It was nicer than it should have been to see women playing sports in public. We rarely see women outside of the home in our village and seeing proof that not all India is like that, was reassuring.
By the time we got to the museum, it was only about 50 minutes before closing. It also cost 500 rupees, which seemed like a lot at the time (and was 25 times the price of the tickets for Indians). There was a huge market nearby and we walked through it. All the vendors are super pushy and several people tried to get us to follow them to their shops in alleyways or to sell us hash/marijuana. They all start with the same system "where you from? Hello hello, I love that place, my sister/cousin/aunt lives there, how you like India? What're you doing? Don't do that, just look at my shop" or something like that. Connor and I have gotten the ignore, or answer-but-keep-doing-whatever-we-were-anyway-technique down. We bought a small curved turtle for Carlos for his birthday in recognition of the time it takes him to get up in the morning.
After the madness of the market, we caught a cab to Eco Park, near city center two. It's a huge grassy park area near a lake. Everything about it, from the location, to the attractions inside, is haphazard. It's like someone was playing Roller coaster tycoon and just threw down a ton of random objects. It has fake bamboo huts, tea shops, fountains and ponds, bumper boats, a maze, golf, a butterfly garden and many other attractions. There were little reminders of India hiding everywhere, in the halfway built structures and wooden/metal shacks sprinkled throughout the otherwise-pristine grounds. Connor and I spent some time walking through the mask garden. There must have been a couple hundred masks taller than we were lit from the bottom that gave it a sinister feel in the dark. Some areas of the park were closed but it didn't stop us or anyone else from going to check them out.
We got a "veg pizza" which was nothing at all like pizza and a couple egg rolls and sat watching the lake. I don't think I'm doing the strangeness of the place justice but it's difficult to explain. It's kind of how I feel when describing India. But I'll get into that more later.
We walked through the park for a few hours, stopping for a few music/fountain/light shows on our way.
When we left, there was a gap in a huge metal fence that we walked through to watch them rehearse on a giant stage for a concert tomorrow night. We took a cab back to Uniworld and sat outside the apartment for about half an hour waiting for Bame or Andreas to get back.
When they did, we sat around drinking beer and talking and got to meet some of their other friends who came to hang out. Paola and Boris were from Columbia as well and we spent a bunch of time with them the next couple of days. Bruno also came to hang out. He's one of the group that I met in Thailand. He enjoys putting on an awful California accent and pretending he's from there. We watched a bunch of Columbian music videos. I'm going to go visit them sometime after their work here finishes. Have I mentioned that I've been bitten by the travel bug?
Later in the night we went to look over the compound from the roof. This area really is a little oasis from the madness of Calcutta and india in general.
After the roof, Connor and I went to sleep. Connor and I are sharing a mattess on the floor which is usually Carlos' bed. He gave it to us and is sharing with Andreas. It's been really nice spending time with all of the people here.
-AB
I'd like one "chicken Internet" please
I forgot to mention the ice rink.. With no ice. The material is like that white synthetic surface that is sometimes under ice rinks. It didn't look slippery at all.
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