Pictures

First a couple on the work of EMC and the many children we've met and played with. Each one a star.

Above we have the Kids at the Ripon St pavement club, all gathered to greet us.

Never slow to strike a pose, a kid we met at the Pauline Bhawan home for poor or abandoned children. He excitedly showed us around his dorm and then his class room in the Calcutta Emmanuel School next door.

Trying to get shots of what the streets are like here. I could never do it justice in words and I fear pictures are inadequate. You'll all simply have to come for yourselves.

A guy making and selling chapatis at the road side, theses are all along the streets.

A local home typical to certain streets (a little blurred since it was taken form within the minibus as we took a tour near Howrah station - enormous!). It's difficult taking photos in the streets because it feels roughly equivalent to walking into someone's living room or kitchen back in Bristol and snapping away. I think I've said before, people live on the streets in all senses.

On the way here I passed two families settling down for the night, one group on a table, another on the pavement. The food stalls were still open (it's 9pm) but are relatively quiet now. Plenty of hand pulled rickshaws offering you a ride the moment they stop a white face. A dog takes a nap, briefly woken as we pass. A lot of stray dogs around, and two cats at the YWCA maintaining an interesting perhaps uneasy relationship between themselves. I've said hello rather cautiously so far since any animal is a potential rabies death trap. The white cat is particularly edgy so best avoided, but the chocolate dappled cat seems a whole lot more relaxed.

Then to let you know some practical aspects of my stay:

The fan is your friend, everywhere
My shower, cold water but that's good.
It's hot. Has been very hot especially these past few days. Even the locals have commented. Bright sunshine and only a little rain. When it falls it's heavy but is soon dried up.
Breakfast is a standard three slices of bread, butter and jam, an egg and a banana. This is the case, it seems, everywhere in Kolkata.

Visited the Victoria Memorial Hall today. Made of solid white marble. Very grand, very peaceful grounds, but decidedly odd in the midst of Kolkata.

Last day of visiting the projects tomorrow (Monday) and everyone will agree where they're to be for the rest of the time. Spoke to the lads from Ananadaloy at church this morning and they are already lining me up for a footy game on Tuesday.

The team was all together for the first time in days tonight for the meal. Claire's back from hospital, staying at Ripon St still where the room is cooler, but up and about a lot more. In a couple of days she should hopefully be fighting fit and getting involved.