Case Study Trip: Day 3

Dec 15, 2012
6.54 PM, Room 2012, Hotel Narayani Enclave, Kasba, Kolkata
Mood: Lazy

What? I'm entitled to be a bit lazy. I take pride in being lazy. Also, the net connection here is so painfully slow, too slow to do any studies. Not to mention, I am completely saturated.

So there.

I want a purple velvet top hat with a green satin ribbon and a 10/6 card.

Wish list.

Moving on...

I went to sleep early last night, or rather, I meant to. Got a surprise call from a friend who didn't know that I was in Kolkata and then cursed me when I said that I was. Ended up yakking for about half and hour, after which my sleepy haze went 'pop' and I was struggling in vain to find the Sandman.

Ah well.

I went back to the Science City today after breakfast. The security guard at the entry gave me a rueful smile and a suffering shake of the head, asking if I was going to freebie-browse for a second day in a row. I managed to get through anyway.

I lingered a bit by the dog show in the small exhibition ground. So many dogs! So many breeds of beautiful dogs! They ranged from squashy pugs to devastatingly adorable beagles (I miss Wishbone, that was a good show), to boarhounds and white labs and pinschers and great danes and pitbulls and a tiny little daschund with a tiny little grandpa! And there was a husky! A white husky!

*dies from internal squee*

*resurrects self*

Jealously protective owners. Bah.

I got into a bit of trouble at the main electrical distribution station for clicking photos. Even the dog inside was giving me the evil eye. And I was arguing and explaining back and forth with a security guard that I wasn't some hooligan: me with my brilliant Hindi and him with his 'Bangla only' policy.

I got the pictures anyway, mate.

I snuck around the basement of the convention center's auditorium, clicking wherever I could and nearly fell into the adjoining dinosaur exhibit. Yes, twinkle-toes me.

It was a bit like playing the Doctor, really. Walk through 'No Entry' doors and rolling shutters that say 'Stay Out' like the whole place is your oyster and if anyone asks or argues, flash a piece of paper that says what you want them to see.

I was missing the pinstripes and the big coat and was having a bad hair day, but I did have the Converse trainers and the brainy specs.

Close enough, I guess.

I wore checks, does that count.

Didn't think so.

Scouting around the auditorium was good fun. I just kind of strolled in past the guard, climbed on stage and belted out the first couple of verses of 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien'.

Hee. :D

Somewhere up there, Edith Piaf was giving me the stinkeye.

I went up the stairs to find where the lights were operated from. It was pitch dark up there and the proper concrete stairs only went up for two levels, after which, it was a rickety steel stair. So there I was, notebook and papers tucked under my arm, camera in right hand and phone in left hand for flashlight. Even strolled on the steel catwalk for the front stage lights and crawled around the grid iron behind it.

Fun.

I felt rather dangerous.

Muhahaha.

Rubbish security guard, really. He didn't even notice when I popped him a salute, said thank you and sauntered out.

I finished all my scouting, got a few last bit clarifications from Mr. Chowdhury regarding sewage treatment plants and the like, said thank you and scarpered.

I had called Mr. Lai like he had asked and he told me to be in his office at 1.00 PM. It was 12 flippin' 45 and I kinda had to run, punctuality freak that I am. So I grabbed the first taxi I could find and got myself to Park Street.

Now, I believe that there is a bit of a need for specificity when giving someone directions, right?

Yes, I'm a hypocrite. No, I don't currently care. Deal with it.

So, when you say Park Street, Canac Junction, Mother Theresa statue, Titan shoreroom, building next to it, fourth floor, it's rather specific, right?

Park Street? Check.

Canac Junction? Gotcha.

Mother Theresa? She ain't that tall, but I see her.

Should be fine, eh?

I was wandering around the area back and forth for twenty minutes like a headless chicken, babbling queries about location to anyone who would listen.

Soo the Headless Chicken.

That's a new one.

And then, this really nice and brilliant security guard pointed my sorry bum to a Titan Eye shoreroom across the road, tucked away in a corner and told me to check the building next to it.

Titan Eye.

Not Titan.

Specificity, mate.

You wear one on your wrist, you wear the other on your face.

And when I finally found the place, he wasn't there yet.

And I was hungry.

Bah.

I met him eventually. Spoke English, bless him. He gave me a bit of a talk and some basic advice on how to go about the project and about how I ought to reduce the scale a bit.

Another person who has stated the deep rut I have dug myself into.

Huzzah.

Rah rah sis boom bah.

I got the drawings and photocopied them in a little ship on the ground floor. The guy there asked if I was from Vishakapatnam because of the terrible Hindi accent. Made friends with the elevator guy.

I had a full meal at a place called 'Magnolia'. I suppose I should have known better than to eat in a place on Park Street. Bleeding expensive. I did like the guy who took the order: a wee little half-bent grandpa in a tweed jacket who recommended the mushroom soup, which was lovely when doused in pepper.

By the time I finished, it was three. Too late to go anywhere and hope to get back to the hotel before dark. Like I said before, it gets dark early here and I don't want to be out on my own when I have a very obvious 'lost' face. So I took a ride back, which extended, thanks to Monsieur Cabbie getting lost.

Already did a web check in for tomorrow's flight. I'll sit and consolidate the lot tomorrow and check out at noon.

I might see the rest of the gang at Ahmedabad. Can't wait. :) Traveling alone is plenty fun, a different sort of adventure altogether, but it is occasionally lonely.

That's about it.

I'll write later.

Case Study Trip: Day 2

Dec 14, 2012
8.18 AM, Room 205, Hotel Narayani Enclave, Kasba, Kolkata
Mood: Stuffed and scraggly

Stuffed and Scraggly Soo. My games with alliteration will never cease to amuse me.

I just had a thorough tuck-in at breakfast. I skipped dinner yesterday and lunch will most probably run late. Two full meals a day is quite enough while traveling anyhoo.

I slept off early last night. It gets really drafty after dark. Finished my accounts and washed my icky mop, thus explaining the adjective 'scraggly'. I currently bear an odd resemblance to an oversized wet dog. Sat and sorted through case study reference notes, flipped through whatever I have to ask anyone and everyone there. I'm meeting Mr. Chowdhury at 11.00 and he'll delegate me to someone else to take me around. I just pray to all ye Gods up there that Whatshisname speaks a bit of English. My Hindi is broken and with my fantastic accent, it's only getting worse.

Scraggly Soo out.

***

Dec 14, 2012
8.28 PM, Room 205, Hotel Narayani Enclave, Kasba, Kolkata
Mood: Tired and tingly feet

More alliteration. Hee. :D

Yes, yes, Uncrowned Queen of Cheap Thrills.

Moving on...

The loo is weird. The toilet talks like the one at home. It croak-groans. Croans. It sounds like Lurch on meth.

Weird...

I did a lot of walking today, explaining the feet. Mr. Chowdhury and his seneschal (sub-director to those who aren't fantasy geeks), Mr. Sathyanarayana, signed the copy of the bonafide from college and I got myself a signed letter in Bangla from the security head. I dunno what it said; it could very well have been an ode to the Tooth Fairy for all I knew, but it seemed to work whenever I used it. No guided tour or anything, I just had free reign to go wherever the hell I wanted. As for info, I had to ask around to whoever was there.

Basically, I was playing critique slash Scooby Doo, sometimes sneaking around the service areas and walking right through the 'No Entry' doors like I bloody well owned the place. The expressions of those watching me were amusing.

As for the info, I spent half the day stumbling over my cracked-and-badly-splintered-at-the-seams Hindi with every security guard I could find. Every bloke in blue. Seriously, they were everywhere.

"Nahin, main Bangla nahin jaanthi hoon," became a refrain.

Give a Southern girl a break, mates. She's trying here.

Anyhoo, I couldn't finish everything today. I have to do up the convention center area and the service yard tomorrow, hopefully by 11.00 AM. I have to call Mr. Lai at 11, a person whom Mr. Chowdhury put me in touch with to get me drawings of the whole Science City. Have to see him tomorrow as well. He gave me directions to the office: 'Park Street, fourth floor by Mother Theresa'.

Brill.

I was worn out to hell and back by the time I got back to the hotel. Made some calls, sent a mail, donned the hoodie and went for dinner.

Where?

The same place I had breakfast at.

Looks like Tacky Spangles Bar next door is exactly what it is: a bar. No wonder the blokes there stared when I told them that all I wanted was lunch.

Meh.

God, I'm sleepy.

It's not even 9.00.

Yeesh, it's cold.

But it's not that cold.

...

Another bit of proof that my brain has a mild case of schizophrenia.

Bah humbug.

I'm gonna snooze.

Nighty night.

Case Study Trip: Day 1

Dec 13, 2012
8.32 AM, on board IndiGo (Chennai-Kolkata)
Mood: Quietly floaty

Keeping travel journals is an old habit, but so far, there's not oh so much to say. First time traveling by myself, but I think that the fact will sink in better once I reach.

So yeah...

Barely slept last night. The mosquitoes were having Mardi Gras. Bloody vampire insects...

Left home at 6.30ish AM. For some reason, bro had already gotten ready for school. Jumpy about chem exam, I guess. I don't blame the boy a whit.

Tu whit to whoo...

Bit tired. Slept badly and have a wee headache.

I waltzed through security and check-in. Knowing my talent for dancing, I had a few Matt Smith moments with my twiddle-toes, but I got through decently. If there were scares of looking the idiot, I think I covered it up well enough. Like I said, Matt Smith moments.

The stewardesses are taking the trolley down selling munchies, but I already had breakfast in the airport. Tasted terrible, but coffee is coffee.

Anyhoo, I read a few chapters of Chris Abel. I'm still valiantly trying to discover its relevance. I have to write up a proper checklist and spreadsheet the progress. Gods, I was just too bloody tired yesterday.

Me gonna catch a few snoozes. Maybe with the Smiths. Ta!

***

Dec 13, 2012
5.30 PM, Room 205, Hotel Narayani Enclave, Kasba, Kolkata
Mood: Really tired and really annoyed.

Twice in one day. TWICE IN ONE DAY. Oh wait, it was two plus a bungle. Seriously. This is just bloody insulting.

Bah.

I mean, it happens once and you're like, "Okay, fine, I'll deal, won't happen again", and then, you find out that it happened TWICE.

Karma karma karma!

Yeesh...

Anyway, I'm back in the room. No appetite; I'll probably skip dinner and get some sleep tonight. I'll get a proper tuck in at breakfast tomorrow. Speaking of which, I still have to call up reception and ask if it's a part of the package.

My feet hurt. I've been walking around all day. Chuck Taylors or no, they still hurt.

The case study is sort of taken care of, permission wise. I spoke to Pronob Guha, who connected me to Kallol Dutta who connected me to Arijit Dutte Chowdhury, whom I'm meeting tomorrow at eleven.

The hotel is decent, just in a wee bit seedy locality. After reaching here, freshening up and the whatnot, I had lunch at their adjoining restaurant next door. Restaurant plus bar. The fellows working there were all trussed up fancy in an 'I'm in a cool club'ish manner. White leather seats, white furniture and REALLY tacky purple spangly wallpaper.

Name?

'Cheeni Kum'.

Talk about an anticlimax. It was just so disjointed.

Disjointed and empty. It's rather uncomfortable to eat when you're by yourself in a wee restaurant with tacky purple walls and three males with nothing better to do than watch you eat.

Awkward.

Left as fast as possible.

The whole of today was kind of for my roaming, so I took a cab to Indian Museum. Saw a number of places en route: New Howrah Bridge, Eden Gardens, Victoria Memorial plus its Maidan, Netaji Circle, etc etc etc. The cabbie pointed the places out and I was watching avidly and asking questions.

Arse.

I should have shut up.

I was unsure when he named the charge and found out later just how badly the bum had frisked me. Two flippin' hundred, folks, two flippin' hundred.

Cue applause.

Stupid Soo.

Spent around three hours in Indian Museum. It's the oldest museum in India; the fact was evident. The way they exhibited would have put an insomniac to sleep.

Honestly, you have a gorgeous two-and-a-half foot high fossil of an ammonite on display and all you tack on it is its Latin name, what do you expect?

"Ooh, pretty swirly!"

Yeah.

Their Archeology exhibit was lovely and their Anthropology section wasn't bad either. The Vertebrae/Invertebrae areas were similar to the displays in the Naturalhistorische Museum in Viena, albeit not as nicely lit. This is a really old building. And as much as I know how useful it is to have the actual thing on display to have a better idea, taxidermal models have always freaked me out a bit.

Ick.

When I was at the Vertebrae exhibit looking at a real skeleton of an Irish stag, a fellow (curator or keeper or whatever) came up and started yelling at me in Bangla. When I made some reason out of it, I realized that he was pointing at my bag.

Looks like they weren't allowed.

Well, my bad. What was I gonna do, smash a glass and frisk a fossil of a Silurian mollusc?

Speaking of which, I had an internal laugh at the word 'Silurian'. Moffat took creative liberties with the word. Madame Vastra is a reptile from the dawn of time; the real guys were little squids in cone-y shells and twiggy eyes.

Anyway...

Yeah, I raised an eyebrow at the guy when he told me to "Get". He must have gotten a bit scared when I asked, "Out?" because he started apologizing and told me to deposit it at the counter downstairs.

That's all I needed to know, pal.

...

Someone's been buzzing my doorbell. Get lost, I'm not answering. I even put out a 'Do Not Disturb' sign.

Seriously...

I got followed around three different exhibit sections by a group of boys before I managed to lose them. Buggers....

Oh and interestingly enough, I bumped into two other architecture students who were there for case study: one from NID and another from Trichy. Well, hello hello. I was a walking neon sign with my Measi hoodie. I said hi and good luck to one and I pointed the other in the direction of the Anthropology section.

Was there till 3.30 PM and then, walked around New Market. It was a veritable zoo, but after braving Kolaba, this place was tame. I got a couple of colored shoelaces for the Vincent shoes.

Then, I took the Kolkata Metro from Esplanade to Kalighat.

Yeah, this is where my bungle occurred.

See, I should have remembered that I'm supposed to keep the little token with me after passing the gate and use it again after arriving and then, dump it in the wee slot.

What did I do?

Slipped it in the slot at Esplanade.

I thus had no token to get out at Kalighat.

Bah.

I suck.

There was a checker fellow who got me out of paying two fifty bucks as a fine, which would have been disastrous as I was running low on cash and needed money to get back to Kasba. He flashed his card on the sensor, blocked me from the view of three guys attired in uniform and holding rifles and told me to run. He took a hundred bucks as his payment.

Knowing my luck and knowledge and brilliant sense, he probably frisked me too.

Yeesh.

Gods, it's dark. It was dark even at 5 PM here.

Anyhoo...

I asked someone for directions to the Kali Mandir and took a hike there. When I reached there, I found myself  being swept along by the fellow who gave me directions (let's call him Teeth; he smiled too much). Teeth told me where to leave my shoes, thrust a basket of offerings into my hands and pulled me along into the temple. I managed to stop him midway and tell him that I don't have money for whatever program he had in mind. He just smiled again (honestly, people who smile that much are creepy) and took me in a different route and told me some sloka to chant. I was too bewildered too argue. Two fellow pulled me up close to the Kali and asked for five hundred bucks for a special prayer.

I was getting pissed off.

Not only was it insanely crowded, but these guys were ticking me off and I didn't WANT a special prayer; all I wanted to do was see Kali Maiyya, havign come so far.

What did I do?

I pretended to cry.

And yes, it worked.

Muhaha.

At least I got to see Her.

I gave twenty bucks to Kali, forty to Teeth for his troubles and then vamoosed the hell out of there.

Hoo.

I got half a coconut out of it.

I took a cab back to the hotel after a long hike during which I nearly got run over by a pint-sized bus and a tram (yes, they still use the old tram lines around here). Nice cabbie. Fair fellow from Bihar. He broke the news to me of my 'twice-frisked'-hood.

Bah.

Long day.

I'll just check my mails, call reception about breakfast and then relax. Maybe watch some TV. I'll make and finalize my case study checklists tomorrow when I'm functioning on recharged batteries. For now, I'm goo with glasses.

Goo with Glasses signing out...