Catching up whilst I've got the opportunity, as the last few days may be a little busy.
So yesterday afternoon I just went walking around the streets to soak in some atmosphere, of which there's plenty. Was walking along Chowringhee amidst the market stalls on the wide pavement. Selling rubbish mostly, cheep toys and clothes, with occasional fruit stalls and stalls selling mass produced but reasonable 'craft' items, bags and such. Took a turn down a side street and heard an Indian say in clear English "hello". So I turned and replied and he struck up a conversation. So I thought, I've time to mingle and sat down when he invited me. He was from a rural area out of Kolkata, he told me, as was his friend who's English wasn't so good. He offered to buy me chai from a nearby stall which I accepted, so we shifted benches and continued to talk. This was my first time in India etc. etc. He asked me what I did for a living, I told him Engineer. "And you?" I asked. It turns out he had a stall further down Chowringhee. "I could show you if you like."
This was business. I'm sure it's possible to chat to someone who hasn't got an ulterior motive, but it's probably not possible to complete a business deal of any level without first a social interaction. Still, suitably entertained by the experience I agreed to see his stall, so he led me down the street and then through a gate into a wide alley. This was the reason he was out getting customers. His shop, which was new apparently, was hidden away deep into the mass of buildings away from the bustle of the pavement, away from the passing trade. He led me further into the alley way whilst I psychologically prepared for two years handcuffed to a radiator, then deeper still into a small passage way into a tiny room. It was approximately 5ft by 10ft, with a slender counter cutting it into two lengthwise. Further on it led to a lower showroom or storeroom that seemed to be full of fabric. The shop had two men inside. These, in addition to the two I met on the street and the guy just hanging around in the passage way, meant the total of attendants were five. All now waiting for me to buy something. The guy who first spoke to me waited, he job done. A man in the shop now took over.
The main room was surrounded by cabinets full of small wooden or stone ornaments. Statues of Krishna, Ganesha, Buddha and Jesus. Wooden elephants. Soap stone animals carved with a lattice pattern so that you could see the smaller animal carved inside. The counter had a glass top through which you could see jewellery, up until the point he started to stretch out Bengali Silk as I think he called it. "Very nice silk, look at the colours. Which one do you like? Tell me and I'll give you a price." "They are all very nice but I'm not going to buy any today, thanks." They insisted I sit down and the attention was turned to something else. First the jewellery, which he laid across my wrist. "You are my first customer today, I'll give you a good price and you'll give me good luck." I kept asking him "so where does this come from? What's this made of." almost deliberately inviting him to make up some exaggerated claim for his goods. We turned to wooden elephants which were rather nicely done, and so the bidding started. He said they were Rs350 each, but for two he'd give a special discount so that they'd cost only Rs600 for the pair. I got him to give a price for a few other items until I eventually came to the thing that first caught my eye as a present for Mother. So for a while we traded prices for this plus the two elephants. I had two advantages now I look back. I had little cash in my wallet and there was no way I was about to pay by card. So this meant when he asked me for my best price for everything I gave an completely outrageous price for the absolutely true reason that I didn't have any more. Secondly I think he may have interpreted my innate indecisiveness for hardened bargaining skills. The gift was originally priced at Rs1050. He offered a special discount of Rs900 when purchased with the elephants. When asked I suggested the gift should be Rs500. "But that's half the asking price." He replied, to which I nearly told him that that's what all the guide books and Indian friends have told me to offer. Eventually I got it for Rs700. Which seems reasonable to me and I was quite reassured by his begrudging waggle of the head as we shook hands. I also escaped to tell the tale, smiling as I left he dark passage way.
The others came back from Aquatica with a variety of cuts and bruises. Turns out this water park, with pools and slides, had very shallow water and cracked tiles. We went to Pizza Hut again where Claire had spaghetti because of her jaw injury! Everyone is absolutely fine. It simply meant there was much to talk about over dinner.
Today the rain has returned. It's not as heavy as before but was going for much of the night. It's now a drizzle and the streets are flooded in parts. I'm off to Anandaloy again where I'm guessing the usual footy is cancelled, so we'll think of something else indoors to do. the advantage of the rain of course is that it's much cooler. The disadvantage is that the cold shower in the morning is less welcome.
If you look back over the previous entries you'll see a young lad eating a chicken roll. His name is Saddam and we've not seen him since the severe flooding a few days back. Before this he and his family were always around. We're not sure if perhaps a regular movement of the family is usual, from street to street, or if there is some other cause.
We've only a week left now, or in the counting system of Leonora "we've only got one of each day left!" I'm hoping to spend a lot of it in the projects after two days off.
If you're praying, thanks.
Some thoughts for the last week. Thank God for a good time and safety; Pray we would all make good use of the remaining days; Karen is suffering a little with blisters on her feet; Pray for the children and the projects affected by the flooding, it causes great difficulties for the poor on the streets like Saddam and his family; and do Pray for EMC as they continue the work.
So yesterday afternoon I just went walking around the streets to soak in some atmosphere, of which there's plenty. Was walking along Chowringhee amidst the market stalls on the wide pavement. Selling rubbish mostly, cheep toys and clothes, with occasional fruit stalls and stalls selling mass produced but reasonable 'craft' items, bags and such. Took a turn down a side street and heard an Indian say in clear English "hello". So I turned and replied and he struck up a conversation. So I thought, I've time to mingle and sat down when he invited me. He was from a rural area out of Kolkata, he told me, as was his friend who's English wasn't so good. He offered to buy me chai from a nearby stall which I accepted, so we shifted benches and continued to talk. This was my first time in India etc. etc. He asked me what I did for a living, I told him Engineer. "And you?" I asked. It turns out he had a stall further down Chowringhee. "I could show you if you like."
This was business. I'm sure it's possible to chat to someone who hasn't got an ulterior motive, but it's probably not possible to complete a business deal of any level without first a social interaction. Still, suitably entertained by the experience I agreed to see his stall, so he led me down the street and then through a gate into a wide alley. This was the reason he was out getting customers. His shop, which was new apparently, was hidden away deep into the mass of buildings away from the bustle of the pavement, away from the passing trade. He led me further into the alley way whilst I psychologically prepared for two years handcuffed to a radiator, then deeper still into a small passage way into a tiny room. It was approximately 5ft by 10ft, with a slender counter cutting it into two lengthwise. Further on it led to a lower showroom or storeroom that seemed to be full of fabric. The shop had two men inside. These, in addition to the two I met on the street and the guy just hanging around in the passage way, meant the total of attendants were five. All now waiting for me to buy something. The guy who first spoke to me waited, he job done. A man in the shop now took over.
The main room was surrounded by cabinets full of small wooden or stone ornaments. Statues of Krishna, Ganesha, Buddha and Jesus. Wooden elephants. Soap stone animals carved with a lattice pattern so that you could see the smaller animal carved inside. The counter had a glass top through which you could see jewellery, up until the point he started to stretch out Bengali Silk as I think he called it. "Very nice silk, look at the colours. Which one do you like? Tell me and I'll give you a price." "They are all very nice but I'm not going to buy any today, thanks." They insisted I sit down and the attention was turned to something else. First the jewellery, which he laid across my wrist. "You are my first customer today, I'll give you a good price and you'll give me good luck." I kept asking him "so where does this come from? What's this made of." almost deliberately inviting him to make up some exaggerated claim for his goods. We turned to wooden elephants which were rather nicely done, and so the bidding started. He said they were Rs350 each, but for two he'd give a special discount so that they'd cost only Rs600 for the pair. I got him to give a price for a few other items until I eventually came to the thing that first caught my eye as a present for Mother. So for a while we traded prices for this plus the two elephants. I had two advantages now I look back. I had little cash in my wallet and there was no way I was about to pay by card. So this meant when he asked me for my best price for everything I gave an completely outrageous price for the absolutely true reason that I didn't have any more. Secondly I think he may have interpreted my innate indecisiveness for hardened bargaining skills. The gift was originally priced at Rs1050. He offered a special discount of Rs900 when purchased with the elephants. When asked I suggested the gift should be Rs500. "But that's half the asking price." He replied, to which I nearly told him that that's what all the guide books and Indian friends have told me to offer. Eventually I got it for Rs700. Which seems reasonable to me and I was quite reassured by his begrudging waggle of the head as we shook hands. I also escaped to tell the tale, smiling as I left he dark passage way.
The others came back from Aquatica with a variety of cuts and bruises. Turns out this water park, with pools and slides, had very shallow water and cracked tiles. We went to Pizza Hut again where Claire had spaghetti because of her jaw injury! Everyone is absolutely fine. It simply meant there was much to talk about over dinner.
Today the rain has returned. It's not as heavy as before but was going for much of the night. It's now a drizzle and the streets are flooded in parts. I'm off to Anandaloy again where I'm guessing the usual footy is cancelled, so we'll think of something else indoors to do. the advantage of the rain of course is that it's much cooler. The disadvantage is that the cold shower in the morning is less welcome.
If you look back over the previous entries you'll see a young lad eating a chicken roll. His name is Saddam and we've not seen him since the severe flooding a few days back. Before this he and his family were always around. We're not sure if perhaps a regular movement of the family is usual, from street to street, or if there is some other cause.
We've only a week left now, or in the counting system of Leonora "we've only got one of each day left!" I'm hoping to spend a lot of it in the projects after two days off.
If you're praying, thanks.
Some thoughts for the last week. Thank God for a good time and safety; Pray we would all make good use of the remaining days; Karen is suffering a little with blisters on her feet; Pray for the children and the projects affected by the flooding, it causes great difficulties for the poor on the streets like Saddam and his family; and do Pray for EMC as they continue the work.
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