Calcutta

Shriva Ratri...an auspicious day to arrive in Calcutta but the worst night. Devotional songs and prayers, loudly amplified, echoed through the building til the early hours.

I was not at my best for my first day in West Bengal, a state very different to those I've seen before. The most notable absence-the auto rickshaw, or tuk tuk. There aren't any.  So confusing!! Here transport is by yellow taxi -surreal, like New York but these are all old fashioned ambassador style cars.

I'm in the city centre so set off on food to explore.  Oddity number 2:  street stall Tea is served in disposable  tiny clay pots. Um. Tasted the same though. And at 5 rupees (5p) I can afford two or three at a go.

The streets and alleys are typical India , chaotic bamboo scaffolding, potholes, beggars,  stall holders everywhere. Lurking to admire an old British tea shop I nearly got run down by a market rickshaw pulling tons of goods.   On the plus side, as well as the missing autos, there don't seem to be any cows.  yippee!!

Calcutta. Scaffolding everywhere these streets are lethal. No cows but dangers at every turn

Calcutta street views

Dodging the touts in the markets I hotfooted it to the park to admire the splendid white marble Victorian Memorial hall.  Dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria it is a popular sight set amid glorious gardens. I was transported back to Britain.

Think I was attracting more attention than the memorial!

It all looks rather British

Returned for a swim before the evening rush as I haven't even started to get to grips with this odd city. There are few tourists and whilst the youngsters are, in the main, westernised the older generation stare at me in perplexed awe. It doesn't have the cosmopolitain feel of Bangalore, instead it has a feel of being steeped in history.

Past is all around but not Indian Heritage

There is obviously a high level of poverty but the homeless live literally on the doorstep of high end malls and outside the security gates of the club.  I may have had my doubts when I first arrived but 24 hours on the cockroach in the bathroom matters less than to be staying somewhere safe with everything on hand. I don't fancy these streets after dark.

Poor horses and literally poor drivers as no takers