Civilisation!!!
Three very sound reasons why Kolkata currently gets the prize for best destination of my visit so far.....
1. Gin and tonic and nibbles before dinner; Linen napkins and sparking mineral water with dinner!
2. No cows, dogs, dung, goats or tractors on the roads nor a strong smell of urine or smoke pervading the place!!
3. Traffic that (mostly) sticks to the designated lanes, thus while incredibly heavy, doesn't look chaotic or feel the need to have car horns blaring 24/7 !!!
So Calcutta - and I should stick to modern day parlance - Kolkata - so far? It feels very Indian in a very British way, like an Indian version of London (which for me is home from home, for others, I guess may feel too full on, but you get my drift).
Think similar to Buenos Aires or what I imagine Havana to be like.
Loving it.
There's a custom here, hitherto unmentioned, that has happened to me frequently on the trip and especially today - people wanting to have their photo taken with you. Now getting used to it - including being mobbed by local school kids - that I have started returning the compliment.
So, some of the sights covered so far...
Maidan Park - similar to Hyde park - and the sound of cricket, chatting, clapping and cheering with the smell of GRASS (and I don't mean weed - shame on you for even entertaining that thought) for the first time on the trip.
Victoria memorial - beautiful formal gardens; the Ashutosh contemporary art museum and the British museum of Kolkata - the India museum - complete with examples of Minton donated by the good people of Stoke on Trent!
A good day - long may it continue.
And not one hint of animosity to my patriotic humming.
Hope all is going well with you.
Cheers!
M. Xx
A nifty way of fleecing tourists and lining the civic coffers - someone should tell Boris.
Three very sound reasons why Kolkata currently gets the prize for best destination of my visit so far.....
1. Gin and tonic and nibbles before dinner; Linen napkins and sparking mineral water with dinner!
2. No cows, dogs, dung, goats or tractors on the roads nor a strong smell of urine or smoke pervading the place!!
3. Traffic that (mostly) sticks to the designated lanes, thus while incredibly heavy, doesn't look chaotic or feel the need to have car horns blaring 24/7 !!!
So Calcutta - and I should stick to modern day parlance - Kolkata - so far? It feels very Indian in a very British way, like an Indian version of London (which for me is home from home, for others, I guess may feel too full on, but you get my drift).
Think similar to Buenos Aires or what I imagine Havana to be like.
Loving it.
There's a custom here, hitherto unmentioned, that has happened to me frequently on the trip and especially today - people wanting to have their photo taken with you. Now getting used to it - including being mobbed by local school kids - that I have started returning the compliment.
So, some of the sights covered so far...
Maidan Park - similar to Hyde park - and the sound of cricket, chatting, clapping and cheering with the smell of GRASS (and I don't mean weed - shame on you for even entertaining that thought) for the first time on the trip.
Victoria memorial - beautiful formal gardens; the Ashutosh contemporary art museum and the British museum of Kolkata - the India museum - complete with examples of Minton donated by the good people of Stoke on Trent!
A good day - long may it continue.
And not one hint of animosity to my patriotic humming.
Hope all is going well with you.
Cheers!
M. Xx
Ambushed by a school trip at the India Museum
The Victoria Memorial from Maida Park
VR
Ambushed by a family at the Victoria Memorial
I knew I should have put my khaki outfit on.
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