India, Sri Lanka and The Maldives - Days 24 to 28 - Kolkata

Top bunks for us in a cabin for four. Thin mattresses, noisy aircon (also too cold) and unspeakable toilets! An 'interesting' night 

The dossier said look at more ghats (steps to the river) or temples, or relax at the hotel. We relaxed at the hotel. Did the last blog, had a big lunch and psyched ourselves up for the overnight train. We had had a message that we were going to be in different compartments, one in A and one in C, which for 14 hours overnight was not what we wanted to hear. "Don't worry, we'll speak to the onboard ticket man, and the passengers" 

Here's why India are better at cricket than England. Its a Sunday morning and we've gone for a walk on our own over the local park. It you look closely at this photo there are multiple games of cricket going on. They are literally mad about cricket here and they are always playing it, wherever we go. The litter is also very common here

We were early, the train was late, but eventually it pulled in. Our assistant was straight on the case, but I don't think it was too difficult as it appeared that a lady from compartment A had already moved to C to be with her family. It took a lot of chat with the 2 grumpy men, but all seemed good. We thought he could go, he had a pick up at the airport where the driver had already left for, he was going to have to grab a fast tuk tuk! But no, his boss there, who I had briefly spoken to the previous day as Pavam was checking on the details, told him he had to stay till the train left incase he had to take us off the train and back to the hotel! People really have been taking care of us so well, it is almost a little claustrophobic, but is all for the best reasons.

I showed this photo to the lad with the cricket bat. He was so impressed I emailed a copy to him and they all came over to have a chat. Really nice bunch of people. We next went to watch a football match going on and had another bunch of people come over who all wanted photos with us. We were introduced to their coach too. Just a lovely morning with friendly people

We were given clean sheets, pillowcase and towel, and the blanket neatly folded. The compartment was actually ok, though the AC absolutely deafening. The toilets however, for general use, were another story! The train had come from Amritsar, so had already been travelling for 24 hours! I did my normal, according to Brian, disappearing act. I'd seen a white face as we'd been negotiating on our arrival, so went to have a nose. I met a young couple, from Eastern Europe on their honeymoon. Had a good little chat during which I found out she had had food poisoning on arrival, involving hospitalisation and injections. Her face when I went back to her with bananas, oranges and hard boiled eggs from our packed tea (I did say we were being looked after well) was a picture!

There are  a lot of these in Kolkata and they are mostly taxis. Its the Hindustan Ambassador, which was originally the UK's Morris Oxford MkIII. They have been made here in Kolkata since 1957, production only ceasing in 2014. That's 57 years almost unaltered (they changed the engine from the old B series Austin-Morris engine, but other than a few minor tweaks its almost the same). Peugeot now own the brand name and have a factory in Chennai, southern India where they are thinking about bringing out a modern version, but with similar looks. Watch this space

We cuddled up on one bunk to do the crossword which passed some time, before going to make our beds. We'd brought some security tags with us for this journey to attach our bags to something, but they'd just been slung under the seats. Did we appear really mistrustful and pull them out? And what would we attach them to? We didn't. We did move our hand luggage to the head end of our bunks which made it a little cosy, but that seemed only sensible particularly as I'd asked one of the guys if he was going to Kolkata to get a 'no'

This one had overheated, he had the bonnet up so I took the opportunity of getting a photo. This is, I think, a 1.5L diesel engine now. When I was 17 I had the Austin equivalent of this which looked very similar, so it was like going down memory lane for me

It didn't occur to me that the guys would both be getting off, but they did, about 22.30. Brian slept through this completely, but I kept a beady eye out. No one came in, so I nipped out and locked the door.

We've got a nice room at the Astor hotel, very central in Kolkata

This was fine till the next station, when there was a rattling at the door. I'd better unlock it then I guess. Two grumpy young men entered, turning on the big bright light, going off to find new linen. Brian turned the light off. They came back with the linen boy and turned the light on. We don't want a fight. It was probably only 23.00 so very early for them to be going to bed, but they did and we all settled down. Would that be it or would they change again? It hadn't crossed our minds that out room mates would change!

And it has a nice outdoor bar (which is very nice in these temperatures)

Day 25

We did get some sleep, though the bunk was very uncomfortable, no mattress, just a leather hammock, and the roaring AC. Brian obviously did better than me, but I did get some.

Our walk through the white town (Colonial area) of Kolkata (Calcutta as it was known) started at the All India Radio Kolkata building, obviously of interest to Jackie even though you can't see much

We were met from the train by another lovely man, Suman, (who it turns out is the boss of the travel franchise here) who again had had to run around half the station as we'd arrived to an unexpected platform. To the hotel, early check in has been requested, but is not guaranteed, and it's only 09.30. Have some breakfast and see what happens. We had a good breakfast, but no room, so we went out for a little walk, towards the park where there were cricket tournaments and football tournaments going on, well it was Sunday morning. We chatted to a lot of people before Suman rang, telling us not to pay for breakfast, he'd persuaded them to give us that breakfast as we will miss our last breakfast as our flight to the south is so early. He seemed quite horrified that we were out, on our own, but we were fine!

This is the State Government Office

We got a room about 11.30 so I could shower and clean my teeth and feel human again. Chill till 15.00 when our guide Manav would arrive to take us out.

This was the Supreme High Court building, now Calcutta High Court. All these buildings are built in old colonial style and are all protected by law

He arrived, bang on time, as expected to take us on a walking tour of White Town, the colonial area. Still being Sunday (it felt a very long Sunday) it was very quiet which was a joy. We could safely cross the road! There were some beautiful buildings as the pictures will show. Things of interest to me are the old post office where letters went to die, the dead letter office for all the post that couldn't be delivered. We also passed the location of the 'black hole of Calcutta' in 1756 when 123 people were imprisoned in a tiny underground room, all but one, to die overnight from suffocation. They built a lifesize memorial to the structure, only for it to then be removed as it couldn't possibly have happened!

This is the GPO (General Post Office) and it was in a little room down on the right, past that blue bus that 123 people were supposedly locked up in 1756 and suffocated except for one.

We finished up at the river, in theory I think for sunset, but it just vanished behind the smog. It was a lovely area though with a lovely Sunday feel. We stopped for chai and chat after a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Peering through the gates at the end of the building, that small white building you can see there was the 'black hole of Calcutta'

Manav is a joy, the first person we have met who has actually travelled, and retired engineer who has a huge interest in history. He and Brian are very much on the same wavelength. I'm quite happy I just wish he would walk a little faster, but he is 76!

This huge building (it goes down as far as the distant roof with the flag on) is known as the Writers Building and Manav told us it was built in 1717 by the British East India Company. It contained a huge number of administrator who wrote down all the trading transactions of the company. One of those writers rose through the ranks and became instrumental in annexing the whole of India to Britain. His name became infamous for all that was bad about colonialism, it was Robert Clive

Some of the old buildings have fallen into disrepair, despite being protected and here trees are taking over and have swamped the building with roots. I plotted the route of our walk through the Colonial centre and created a Relive video of it with a few more photos. If you'd like to look at it click here

Day 26

Started off with an explanation about the mission we were going to Rama Krishna mission founded by Swami Vivekanandena a young man who had travelled to the US in 1893 to talk about religion. We love the ethos that religion comes from inside and really we are all working towards the same goal of being kind to each other. It seemed a long way to get there, for a short visit, though the temple is beautiful, looking like a Hindu temple, a church, and a mosque from different sides. I did see my first cats, and actually got a stroke of a little pregnant cat as we were making our way to the ferry to bring us back to the other side of the Ganges.

Down to the river with Manav. The river should be the Ganges, but the British named this section the Hoogly. The bridge is a huge suspension bridge completed in 2001

A big Hindu temple that we went in to on our own as Manav had to wait outside with our phones, camera, water, everything. It did feel slightly uncomfortable queuing to look in to the shrine thinking that all our stuff was outside with a little old man.

Sunday night stroll along the side of the river where crowds of relaxed, friendly people were taking in the warm evening fresh air

A slow journey to the book shop area by the university was next. We had coffee in a famous coffee house, frequented by students, including Manav in his youth. We also had fish fingers, which were very nice, but not what I would have expected in a coffee shop.

We stopped at a chai stall to take tea

He added in a quick stop at the house of Mother Theresa of Calcutta the mission of the sisters of charity. I don't think it was on the itinerary, but I'd asked and it was on the way back to the hotel. She was an amazing woman, not just for her work in India, she established missions all over the world, including in New York, the first place for AIDS sufferers to go.

Its served in these single use clay cups. At least they are fully recyclable

Day 27 

We are on another train, 2.5 hours each way, just for a day trip to the university in Santiniketan established by Rabindranath Tagore the first Indian winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, a man Manav considers the most amazing man who ever lived. This trip should have been tomorrow. I wanted it changed because we won't be back till 20.15, assuming the trains run on time, and our flight to Cochin is at 06.00. Manav wanted it changed as the museum is closed tomorrow. We are all happy!

I'm a day behind Jackie's writing now because this is from Day 26. It's the Rama Krishna building that attempts to reduce religion to nothing more than a feeling inside of just being kind to other people no matter which God they believe in. The building is designed to encompass various religious buildings, Mosque at the front, a cathedral down on the left side and (out of sight on the right) a Hindu temple

Tagore is obviously very famous in the arts, for those that know. He is a poet, artist and composer. I'm not sure about his art, and obviously translating poetry can be difficult, but he has got a Nobel Prize and has written the national anthem, not just for India, but for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Fortunately the museum shut at 1.00 for lunch, so we had a reasonable look round, but couldn't go in the variety of little houses on the site. Apparently he didn't like waking up in the same space every day so he'd built a number of small houses on the property that looked quite interesting. He came from a wealthy family, his father was second wealthiest man in India or something, perhaps it's easier to be big in the arts when you don't have to worry about money.

Manav and Jackie on our ferry ride across the river

Lunch at a strange hotel followed by various stops and then a big cultural park showing how various indigenous people used to live. Then an outdoor market with local crafts where somehow I had to dance and an indoor craft showroom where Brian did buy a shirt. 

Manav asked a man opposite to take a group photo and, in his wisdom he decided on aa sloping shot

Back to the station via a temple. I did start wondering if our electric tuk tuk was going to make it. Definitely going slower than when it collected us, but yes, tea then? I assumed we'd just stop, but no, back to the same weird hotel, for a horrible cup of chai with long life milk. Station then, better to be early, though the train predictably was late, but only by about 20 minutes in the end. 

Nearly forgot to put Jackies cat encounter on!

I did quite enjoy the hippy vibe I got from Santiniketan but it was a long day out.

Passing the Rama Krishna mission on the ferry

Day 28

We've actually had 4 nights in the same hotel which has been great. Looking at the itinerary for the south though it looks like 2 nighters. How am I going to get my pants washed?

Snacks being served on the ferry. He puts all the ingredients you want in his cup, mixes it all up, pours it into a paper bag and puts on a topping off your choice. We declined as we weren't sure how often he'd washed his hands, but it was very popular

Anyway 09.30 for Manav today, first to a big, new Hindu temple (no pictures indoors). Then a beautiful Jain temple (no pictures indoors) and then..... The house where Tagore was born and died. Huge museum mostly of pictures of him in different countries. Manav was thoroughly enjoying himself, Brian was just about OK and I lost the will to live.

Under the two adjacent bridges over the Hoogly to the jetty beyond and our visit to a temple

The Victoria memorial, we'd driven past it on arrival day and it is a very impressive building. Good to see it, and it is very pretty. We'd bought our tickets £5, which is fairly standard at attractions, for foreigners, got to the gate, and they wouldn't let Manav in, his guides pass was in his bag, in the car. At least tickets for locals aren't that expensive! Just when I thought I'd finally finished with Tagore, there was a special exhibition of the artwork of his nephew, in the memorial. I liked his art much better than Tagore's! Last stop, St Paul's Cathedral, might as well cover as many religions as possible! 

There it is, the Dakshineswar Kali temple. No photos beyond this point!

Our early day wasn't as early as I'd hoped, but we were back before 15.00 so blog, repack to split the luggage, and early dinner. We are being collected at 03.45 tomorrow morning for two connecting flights to Cochin for the second, and much warmer, leg of the trip.

Those are not Nazi swastikas on that arch but the Buddhist peace swastikas (stolen by the Nazi's)

The Indian Coffee house is a very famous building in Kolkata in the university area and amongst many bookshops selling books for various courses. In the British era it was known as the Albert Hall coffee house and was and still is a meeting house for university students to discuss and take coffee and snacks. Manav himself attended here in his student days and told us tales of how they would share a fish finger plate between six of them as they couldn't afford one each. We had to try the fish fingers and coffee, they were fab!

From a little balcony looking down. Through the fan in the centre you can just see Jackies purple top

The price list on the wall. Hot coffee is 28 rupees (28p). Fish Fry 100 rupees (£1)

I love the uniform all the waiters wear. Manav said it was exactly the same when he was a student here

Our visit to Mother Teresa's house

Mother Teresa's tomb. Strangely we were allowed to photograph this but not anywhere else. They had a nice museum there and we could walk upstairs to see the simple room where she lived and wrote and, eventually died. She was quite a woman!

OK, I'm on to Day 27 now and our driver drove us straight into Howrah Station which is the main railway station in Kolkata and the biggest (? Possibly) in the world with 23 platforms.

On the platform they  display a printout of all those on the train. On this sheet we both appear at 5 and 6 from the bottom. Train number 13053 and carriage C1. Helpfully, and because their trains are so long, they have illuminated signs showing where the carriages will be so you can walk along the hugely long platform to where your carriage will be

If you need any help with baggage porters are on hand with fixed rates. For UK £ move the decimal point two places left, so 85p and £1.70

We've got a diesel engine today. Have you seen one of these before Tim?

One of Rabindanath Tagore's houses on his complex. I have to confess to having never heard his name before. Jackie had a vague recollection of him, but here he is revered as we in the UK revere Shakespeare. As Manav pointed out, Shakespeare only wrote plays, Tagore wrote plays, music, poetry and art and travelled the world 

This was a meeting house of a now defunct religion, but its a very pretty house. I'm afraid I've forgotten the significance of it now, but it's very near Tagores houses

Our tuk-tuk driver, determined to show us everything stopped here too. The palm tree is growing straight out of the roof. There might have been something significant about it too but I've forgotten

We love these Banyan trees, the branches send down roots which form new trees connected to the main one. They are of great significance here, Buddha is said to have first preached under one in Sarnath and this one was planted by Rabindanath Tagore on a mound he constructed himself 

Lunch was steamed basmati rice, grown locally, a spicy dahl, potatoes cooked in a creamy sauce and a local river fish in a tasty sauce. The other small dish was dessert, which had mangoes, tomato and other sweet things. All very nice

After visiting a cultural centre, for which I wasn't allowed to take photographs, we came here to a big outdoor market in the woods where local people were selling their home made goods

We stopped to watch some local ladies perform a dance, but they wanted Jackie to take part. I was going to upload a short video I took of them dancing with Jackie to their local music, but the Wifi here is so bad it was taking forever to upload, so I gave up. You'll just have to imagine. You can see the guy in light blue there with a drum, there was another with a long instrument with a lot of shakers on it and it was accompanied by some, not singing, but melodious mouth noises lets say

Girls seem to want to have their photos taken with Jackie. I don't feature in this!

Mum dog with two little puppies

This is the shop where the locals sell their goods. I bought a shirt, actually a batik, its bright orange with some dark red streaks on it (they screw up the material and dip it in the red dye, so every piece is unique) and has a local folk dancer image on it. Its fabulous! Cost me 452 rupees (£4.50). Manav bought one the same

Here's our tuk-tuk driver. They are all electric in this town. Manav told us the drivers buy them themselves and they cost about 10,000 rupees (£1000). The charge should last all day and they recharge at night. However he told us the batteries only last six months and then have to be changed. I didn't find out the cost of battery replacement. They are built in India. Apparently China tried to muscle in and offer one a bit cheaper but all drivers are encouraged to buy local

Next day now - today - Day 28. This is our first visit to a newish (built in 1996) temple in the South of Kolkata. Its called Birla Mandir and is very impressive. Unfortunately, once again, no cameras were
allowed past this point. The best viewpoint was from across the road, a dual carriageway. I looked at the traffic and decided that wasn't going to happen!

Later, however, I bought a pack of postcards from a street vendor and it had this photo in from a much better angle, so this is a photo of a photo. Its built of sandstone on the outside but is finished in marble on the inside. The central hallway is very high with a massive chandelier hanging. Its just a pity that they don't allow photography, we can't show people how beautiful these things are

Second visit was to a Jain temple, which vies with Hinduism and Judaism for the oldest religion or way of life on earth. No one knows which it is, it's lost in the midst of time. Anyway, I took this photo as we walked in and I thought, nice temple. However, on walking in and looking left I saw the real temple...

Its just amazing! Once again, no photos inside, such a pity it was fabulous! All glittery, chandeliers, just can't describe it

Jackie did take this from the outside looking through an open door, just to give you an idea

Walking towards the Victoria Memorial built just after Queen Victorias death in 1901 and inaugurated by George, Prince of Wales in 1921. That's a bronze statue of Queen Vic up there on that plinth and the building is a fabulous piece of architecture

There it is, isn't it fabulous?

And for once we were allowed to take photos inside. This rather magnificent painting is of George V parading through Jaipur on elephant. The building behind is the Hawa Mahal that we visited earlier in this trip

Queen Victoria learnt to play piano on this

Statue of George V with his knees out

The foundation stone laid in 1906 by George, Prince of Wales

And there's Queen Vic in the centre of the high domed room. It is very high! See that guy with the horizontal striped top on the left pointing his camera up? I did the same...

I did the same, but it just doesn't do it justice. It is massively high and very impressive

Beautiful gardens out the back and another impressive view

Nice view round the side through this fountain too. 

In the book of postcards I'd bought earlier was this view from across a lake so, obviously I wanted to recreate this image. I left Jackie and Manav to talk and I went off to find it....

This was my effort which I fully accept is no where near as good and, actually not in quite the right position either. But, I was there!

Nearly forgot to put this in. Inside the memorial building was this sculpture of the famous (or infamous) Robert Clive of India

And alongside it this cannon that was captured by Colonel Robert Clive from French troops at the battle of Plassy in 1757. I don't know much about this battle, Manav did, and apparently it was decisive in the East India Company gaining full control of India. Must make a note to read up about this, I haven't got time now

Across the road is this magnificent cathedral. It's called St Pauls, but quite different from the one in London. A beautiful Anglican church, but once again, no photos inside. Jackie noticed on the wall inside a cross of nails presented to the cathedral from Coventry Cathedral in the UK and I was able to tell Manav that, following the destruction of Coventry Cathedral by Nazi bombs in the last war the burnt out shell still stands next to a new cathedral and nails from the old cathedral were sent to various churches around the world as a sign of peace and reconciliation. Pleased to see one of those here. I bet Manav uses that on his next guided tour!

That's all for now and all from us in northern India. tomorrow we fly to Kerala in the south and start the second part of our India tour. I'll leave you with this nice water feature outside the planetarium in Kolkata. Off to bed now, we have to be up at 3:15am to catch a 6:00am flight...