Kolkata Shopping List

Cool things I simply must get while I am here:

1) A "Bengal Tigers" Communist Party flag. When I was on the bus last week, I saw a whole street lined with these cool red flags sporting the hammer n' sickle and a hardcore lookin' tigers leaping across them. I would probably be stopped and arrested at O'Hare airport if I brought one back though.

2) A tabiz a.k.a. maduli a.k.a. potok (?). These small silver lockets that people fill with medicinal powders, tiny pieces of scripture and other items that reportedly have healing powers. People tie them to a string and wear them around their arms or their hips. I could use the immunity boost and I think they look kind of cool.

3) A poster of Baichung Bhutia, Bengal football captain and Indian sports star hottie (see picture above). He's adorable and he speaks--according to my aunt--"broken-broken Bengali...just like Thania!"

4) Baichung Bhutia's phone number. Ahem.

5) An Argentina football jersey. They're pretty costly even here though, and I don't know about supporting Nike. The sweatshop in which the jersey is likely to have been made is probably across the street from where I work.

6) Some homeopathic meds. These preventative, natural medicines are widely available in India and very good from what I hear. The little tablets look like sprinkles on a Dunkin Donut, however. Mmmm....Dunkin Donuts...I miss Worcester...