When we moved to India, we put together a list of places we really wanted to see, and were determined to get the majority of the way through the list, even when our two years were cut short. With our days numbered living in India, we decided to tick another destination off our list - Kolkata. We had heard a bit about it - the most common thread seemed to be 'hot, hot and even hotter' ! I can't say we disagreed with them and it is only early March when we visited !
We arrived on Friday at lunchtime and the boys were quick to check out the pool - always the best part of any holiday for a 7 and 9 year old. They were suitably impressed and had a plan to stay there most of the weekend. I had other ideas....... but really it ended up with a fair split of culture and fun in the pool.
On Saturday morning, I arranged to do a photography tour of the inner city and unfortunately no one else had signed up for that day, so Mike and the boys had to join me. I warned Manjit (the guide) that the boys were coming and that the number of architectural sights and temples would need to be limited, and some fun stuff would need to be added to keep the boys entertained. By the end of the 3 hour tour, the boys were definitely ready for breakfast........ but hopefully learned a few things too.
We headed into the old town and were happy to wander through the streets seeing how the locals live. Max and I had chai along the way and even visited a bakery that was 100 years old. We saw the Indian version of a milk delivery, which was a herd of goats being walked through the streets with the farmer yelling out to the neighbourhood. If anyone wanted milk, he would stop the herd and milk the goats there and then. Can't get fresher than that !
The old yellow Ambassador cabs are unique to Kolkata and we took a trip downtown in one - even if Mike's head nearly went through the roof - hee hee. They are one of the lasting visions of Kolkata. Seeing the young children playing cricket and football in the streets and then riding home was lovely, and to see all this in a community full of different cultures. The area we visited first was Anglo/Indian, and then we saw the Muslim community, then Jewish and then Chinese. All living 'peacefully' within a few streets of each other. Kolkata has had it's fair share of unrest over the years, and talking to people there, they feel that the tide may turn again with the balance of Hindus and Muslims changing in the last few years. Lets hope they can continue to live in harmony and show tolerance to the differences they have.
The food markets in India always amaze me and the one in Chinatown didn't let me down. It was full of lots of fruit and veggies, but also fish, crabs, chicken, wood pieces, dumplings ...... you name it, you can get it. The boys don't often get to see this side of the cities we visit, so I was happy they did on the weekend.
One visit in Kolkata that is an absolute must - is a trip to Mother House. This was the home of Mother Teresa while she completed most of her work in later years, and I didn't appreciate how moving a visit to this missionary spot would be. She really was a very special lady and explaining her commitment to the boys and seeing their reaction was wonderful. Just along the street from Mother House (through all the sidewalk bike and car repair stops) is Park Street Cemetery. This is one of the largest non-church cemeteries in the world and the tombstones were a real mix of gothic style and British colonial styles. It was such a pity that the condition of the park was so bad - it was a little eery and scary in there, and there is talk of it being haunted too.
After a long walk on a very hot day we grabbed a cab down to Book Street, where millions of books are for sale. Most of them are college text books and it is located just outside one of the main colleges. It was completely crazy and I have no idea how anyone ever found the book they actually needed !!
The following morning we visited the home of cricket in Kolkata, Eden Gardens, and were lucky enough to get in. Apperantly it is not always open, and we were very lucky to get in and feel how it would be to watch a match there with 90,000 Indian supporters. Fabulous experience and I'm so happy we made the effort to go there. As we left, Max was asked to play cricket for the Howrah Union Cricket club - just outside the ground. He didn't do too well but had fun being a part of the team. Only in India do things like that happen.
Kolkata was not exactly a place I would say you 'must' visit in India - but we are very happy we went.
We arrived on Friday at lunchtime and the boys were quick to check out the pool - always the best part of any holiday for a 7 and 9 year old. They were suitably impressed and had a plan to stay there most of the weekend. I had other ideas....... but really it ended up with a fair split of culture and fun in the pool.
On Saturday morning, I arranged to do a photography tour of the inner city and unfortunately no one else had signed up for that day, so Mike and the boys had to join me. I warned Manjit (the guide) that the boys were coming and that the number of architectural sights and temples would need to be limited, and some fun stuff would need to be added to keep the boys entertained. By the end of the 3 hour tour, the boys were definitely ready for breakfast........ but hopefully learned a few things too.
We headed into the old town and were happy to wander through the streets seeing how the locals live. Max and I had chai along the way and even visited a bakery that was 100 years old. We saw the Indian version of a milk delivery, which was a herd of goats being walked through the streets with the farmer yelling out to the neighbourhood. If anyone wanted milk, he would stop the herd and milk the goats there and then. Can't get fresher than that !
The old yellow Ambassador cabs are unique to Kolkata and we took a trip downtown in one - even if Mike's head nearly went through the roof - hee hee. They are one of the lasting visions of Kolkata. Seeing the young children playing cricket and football in the streets and then riding home was lovely, and to see all this in a community full of different cultures. The area we visited first was Anglo/Indian, and then we saw the Muslim community, then Jewish and then Chinese. All living 'peacefully' within a few streets of each other. Kolkata has had it's fair share of unrest over the years, and talking to people there, they feel that the tide may turn again with the balance of Hindus and Muslims changing in the last few years. Lets hope they can continue to live in harmony and show tolerance to the differences they have.
The food markets in India always amaze me and the one in Chinatown didn't let me down. It was full of lots of fruit and veggies, but also fish, crabs, chicken, wood pieces, dumplings ...... you name it, you can get it. The boys don't often get to see this side of the cities we visit, so I was happy they did on the weekend.
One visit in Kolkata that is an absolute must - is a trip to Mother House. This was the home of Mother Teresa while she completed most of her work in later years, and I didn't appreciate how moving a visit to this missionary spot would be. She really was a very special lady and explaining her commitment to the boys and seeing their reaction was wonderful. Just along the street from Mother House (through all the sidewalk bike and car repair stops) is Park Street Cemetery. This is one of the largest non-church cemeteries in the world and the tombstones were a real mix of gothic style and British colonial styles. It was such a pity that the condition of the park was so bad - it was a little eery and scary in there, and there is talk of it being haunted too.
After a long walk on a very hot day we grabbed a cab down to Book Street, where millions of books are for sale. Most of them are college text books and it is located just outside one of the main colleges. It was completely crazy and I have no idea how anyone ever found the book they actually needed !!
The following morning we visited the home of cricket in Kolkata, Eden Gardens, and were lucky enough to get in. Apperantly it is not always open, and we were very lucky to get in and feel how it would be to watch a match there with 90,000 Indian supporters. Fabulous experience and I'm so happy we made the effort to go there. As we left, Max was asked to play cricket for the Howrah Union Cricket club - just outside the ground. He didn't do too well but had fun being a part of the team. Only in India do things like that happen.
Kolkata was not exactly a place I would say you 'must' visit in India - but we are very happy we went.
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| This is a local 'library/reading room/ where all the supplies and management is completed by people within the neighbourhood. |
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| Ironman 4 - the old school irons heated on a fire |
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| The local cricket pitch with the scoreboard on the wall. |
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| this was the hearse outside the undertakes - the fanciest vehicle I've seen in India. |
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| this trash is suppose to be cleared out daily...... I wasn't convinced. The ladies are scavenging for metal scraps etc. |
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| TV and phone cables..... thank goodness it isn't power wires !! |
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| time for chapattis ! |
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| chai time |
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| The only butchers in town are muslim and the flies and dust just make this a scene I will never forget |
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| The daily milk delivery |
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| this old man chatted to Mike about the cricket and then about his lovely family |
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| I love that these two men were reading the same paper, and then the man closest to us, finished his article and just got up and left. No thank you or goodbye - just finished and left. |
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| Max wasn't sure how he would reach the bell - too funny |
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| this water source was from the local river (which is from the Ganges) but is completely untreated, and they bathed and brushed their teeth in it !! eeeewwww |
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| The boys with a tram coming in the background |
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| if only people actually read this and acted as such ! |
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| This poor guy got his load stuck in the lines above... hilarious ! |
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| Do you now see why I miss eating fish ???? |
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| chicken anyone ?? |
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| pick a switch, any switch ! |
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| this is straw that is intertwined into a rope that is used as 'bubble wrap' around the furniture for sale. Only in India. |
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| A slice in the wall - making carbon brushes ! |
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| The village people - eat your heart out ! |
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| This was at Mother House - incredibly moving. |
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| the tomb of Mother Teresa |
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| Park Street Cemetery |
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| Eden Gardens |
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| Max got asked to play in one of the local games - he's the little red blob on the left !! |
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| what can I say ?? |
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