KOLKATA
19 March 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
The overnite train brought me to Kolkata around 5:00 am. I took a taxi from the train station to an area know as Sudder Street, another backpackers ghetto that has been compared to the Kao Shan area in Bangkok. It has similarities, but nothing compares to the Bangkok area. I asked the
driver to take me to the Zurich restaurant, very centrally located in the Sudder Street area. As it turned out, half of Sudder street has been dug to repair a huge water leak and the taxi could not make it to the restaurant. We stopped at a small restaurant in a side street. I had a small breakfast and tea. A man came in and offered to take me to a cheap hotel that was already open this early morning. This is a common practice and a kickback from the hotel is expected. I followed him to the Capital Guest House (one that happened to be on my list) and booked a very basic room for two nights only. Took a shower (no hot water!) and went out to survey the area. I had breakfast at the Zurich, were you can be sure to find other backpackers. An open-to-the-street bright restaurant with a choice of continental, Indian, and Chinese food.
Kolkata features one of the most beautiful building in India, the Victoria Memorial, a very large white marble commemorative monument to Queen’s Victoria 1901 diamond jubilee. Unfortunately the building was not completed until 20 years after her death. I could not get to the entrance, nor to the museum because of some construction. The Birla Planetarium is near the Victoria Memorial, and I went there to see the somewhat interesting star show. Further down the avenue is the very 
whitewashed St Paul’s Cathedral, with its original wooden pews, which would not be out of place in Cambridge. One of the highlight of Kolkata is the 700 meter long single span Howrah Bridge over the Houghly river, is said to be the world’s busiest bridge. I crossed the bridge by foot with another few hundred people, to the other side to the 1906 train station. Another interesting building featuring towers topped with terracotta tiles. Park Street is one of the main arteries in Kolkata and the place to splurge on a fine meal. On the same street is Park Street Cemetery full of Raj-era tombs in the form of soaring pyramids and rotundas. The highlight of my visit in Kolkata is probably my experience with Mother Teresa’s Mission. I went there one day to visit the place where they have a small museum and the tomb of Mother Teresa. I approached one of the sisters to find out about making a donation. The sister suggested that I come back one day to attend the 6:00 am mass, participate in the breakfast and then I would be taken to one of the places where they work. A couple days later I entered the complex,and they directed me to the chapel were the mass had just started. There were approximately 200 sisters attending, some with the blue stripes (full-fledge sisters), some in an all-white uniform (the novices I
assume). In the back of the room there where about 50 other people participating in the mass. I had no idea who they were. Have you ever been in a room full of people and you feel that you are the only one who has no clue about what is going on? Well everybody followed the mass perfectly they new what to do and when, they also sung along with the sisters. I later found out that these people were volunteers working in different building all over town. Some houses take care of the dying, some houses take care of people with long illnesses, some look after retarded children, etc. A priest came in with his assistant to conduct the formal mass and give a sermon. One of the message was that the countries with negative birth rates are going to regret it one day (more about his later). After the volunteer breakfast, bread, bananas, and tea, I handed in my donation and followed a group of volunteers to the house for retarded children. Several of the young volunteers were from South Korea (which has a large catholic presence). I am not totally in agreement with everything the Mission stands for but I thing that they fill a great need.
Mother Teresa (who lived in absolute simplicity) is not universally beloved. She has been accused of religious imperative, and the acceptance of donation from dictators and corrupt tycoons. The stronger criticism is the Mission’s staunchly Catholic position against contraception. When you see women beggars with two or three children, Kolkata growing AIDS epidemics and the very large number of homeless people, the Mission’s position does not make any sense.
The 20th I will begin my long (a total of 28 hours) return trip to Spokane
I will write one more closing email with some of my thoughts on India
Love and peace - henri
driver to take me to the 
whitewashed 
assume). In the back of the room there where about 50 other people participating in the mass. I had no idea who they were. Have you ever been in a room full of people and you feel that you are the only one who has no clue about what is going on? Well everybody followed the mass perfectly they new what to do and when, they also sung along with the sisters. I later found out that these people were volunteers working in different building all over town. Some houses take care of the dying, some houses take care of people with long illnesses, some look after retarded children, etc. A priest came in with his assistant to conduct the formal mass and give a sermon. One of the message was that the countries with negative birth rates are going to regret it one day (more about his later). After the volunteer breakfast, bread, bananas, and tea, I handed in my donation and followed a group of volunteers to the house for retarded children. Several of the young volunteers were from 
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