Walking the streets of Kolkata

We continue to walk the streets of Kolkata as we soak up the many and varied cultures of the city.

On Saturday we rose early for a second visit to the morning Flower Market, to see it on what is reported to be very busy day and that it was. It is difficult to describe the many and varied activities at the market as everyone is making or selling something Floral to help put food in their mouths. Most of the stallholders are living it the small shed or lean-to that is their stall.

On the banks of the river at the market is one of the many Ghats for washing and bathing. It was quite busy during our visit with all sorts of washing and cleaning. I struggle to comprehend the concept of washing in a river that also doubles as the sewer, but I guess so be it when you have no choice.

From the flower Market we walked over the Howrah Bridge to the Howrah Fish Market, which is the wholesale fish market for Kolkata. OMG so many and different sorts of fish! Julie and I wondered how the rivers and oceans keeps supplying enough fish for Kolkata everyday let alone the rest of India and the world. All the fish arrives packed in Polystyrene boxes with ice that are held together with packing tape then sown up in Hessian bags to keep them together.

After lunch we visited the poet Rabindranath Tagore’s house and Museum, before going to look at the Marble Palace. At the entrance to the marble palace we were shown a sign and asked if we had permission from the government. As we had no knowledge of needing permission we said no and was turning around to walk off when he told us if we paid him 100 Rupees each and we gave the guide inside 400-500 Rupees we could look around, so of we went to check out the Marble Palace. Inside was a huge room full of the sort of stuff that Palace’s collected in the past and can’t afford to look after, like at least one Rubens. Paintings and sculpture’s everywhere and not the best environment for them with the humidity and heat of Kolkata.

Then it was time to head home via the Saree and Kurti shops. For future reference don’t try shopping in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon as the other 14.48 million people of Kolkata had a similar plan and it’s worse then Christmas shopping on Regent St London. We ended walking the 3.5 k’s home, as it was faster then the traffic.

Saturday night and Sunday morning was catching up with friends from previous rallies.

Sunday started with catching a taxi to the Belur Math a Ramakrishna Math Temple in the morning. We then proceeded to a shopping district for retail therapy for Julie, which ended most successfully with the purchase of some Salwar Suits.

Following a street side lunch we made a visit to the Victoria Memorial Hall and Museum. A lot of attractions in India you are not allowed to take photograph so I have no pictorial records to share. I have put up a collection of images in a gallery below.

Till next time thank you for reading my ramblings.