Kolkata

I like this city. Its full of contrasts. I was watching a game of cricket yesterday with some skyscrapers in the background, some homeless people in the foreground and then a shepherd hearded some goats along. Made me laugh. I love India!
Yesterday (and today) is a fun festival called 'Holi'. Its the celebration of the end of winter, and the beginning of spring. There is drumming and music and everyone gets these coloured powders and dyes and attacks everyone else. My hands, arms, declotage, face and back are still stained with different coloured dyes after 2 long washes. They tell us now, afterwards, that we should have put coconut oil on our skin for easy cleaning. Hmm. It was horribly fun though. It was like being a complete child again, everyone looked they had been finger painting and their clothes were like those smocks we would wear. I think it is also a tradition to drink bhang - a strong natural plant that gets u very stoned, i tried it once and NEVER want to again. And you could identify the locals who were obviously under the influence. They were like in a trance rolling around on the ground to the music - very trippy indeed! I wonder how long it will take for my predominantly purple hands and nails to become clean again?? I'm guessing 5 days.
Tomorrow i start some volunteering at the Prem Dan centre which is one of Mother Thereasa's homes for terminally ill old people. Kolkata is very different to other parts of India that i have been to. Ie. there are relatively no Israeli's here! So strange, as most places are little Tel Aviv's! Here the Spainish dominate, as do the Japanese and Korean. What is it about people from these countries that make them want to volunteer, to help those less fortunate then themselves? Its beautiful anyway.
The street food is super tasty and extremely cheap. The chai is the best and cheapest then anywhere else in India (2 rupees!) and the weather at the moment is perfect.
Viva kolkata!