Trip to India March-April 2010 _ Kolkata

The Market was just one block from my hotel.  The clock tower in one of the buildings was a prominent landmark.  I had huge problems with the market since it was "infested" with touts.  They met you outside the door (these had red shirts and carried small baskets which marked their trade) Since the market is huge their task was to help you find what you wanted for which they received a commission from the shop (which, of course, increased your price).  They were difficult to shake off. 

If you successfully shook them off then you were faced with more touts inside dressed in white who followed you around trying to lead you into various shops.  I found myself spending time hurrying this way and that trying to fend them off and not really shopping.  Very frustrating.

On my last trip here a few years ago I found a fabulous necklace at a Tibetan shop in the market.  I managed to find the shop this time but there was nothing of interest.  I bought a few yards of trim and that was it.

After two days in Kolkata it was time to go back to the train station and head for Puri.

Trip to India March-April 2010- Kolkata

A man asleep on the sidewalk just outside the hotel entrance.

There is a group of people who "live" beside the Indian Museum just up the street.  Their "houses" are closed up in the daytime.

Kolkata is one of the few places left in the world with people drawn rickshaws.  The government has tried to outlaw them and they are restricted to certain parts of the city.  However people find them very useful during the monsoon when some streets flood.  This photos was taken from the doorway of my hotel.

The "house" of some street people in another section of Kolkata.  They just cook on the sidewalk.  There are usually 2 or three of these structures together so they can watch out for each others possessions.This was a busy main street in the downtown area.

The ubiquitous yellow taxi found everywhere in town.  There were no tuk tuks just these taxis and the people drawn rickshaws.  I found it difficult to get an honest rate from the taxi drivers.

Trip to India March-April 2010- The Fairlawn Hotel Kolkata

After a lovely day in New Delhi it was time to head for the New Delhi train station and a 5 pm train to Kolkata, my next stop.  Unfortunately there was a problem with the tracks...the Naxel Maoist organization had blown up a section a couple of days ago derailing a couple of trains and causing delays.  My train left five hours late.  Undaunted, the train staff (meals were included on this deluxe train) were serving dinner and ice cream for dessert at midnight and 1 am before tucking us in for the night.

At the crowded Kolkata station I took a taxi to my hotel,,,the Fairlawn... in the backpacker area...Sudder Street, next to the Maiden and the Indian Museum.  The hotel is a real throwback to the Raj era and has been owned by the same family for decades.  Its's not everyone's "cup of tea"

The rooms have been updated a tiny bit, but you would hardly notice.

Madam's dressing table And the bathtub on blocks.

And a separate room for the toilet.

And high tea in the afternoon served in the lovely garden. Or in the dining room where other meals were served.

The garden was very popular with guests and people staying in other hotels in the area.  It was beautifully lit in the evening and full of birds.

The upstairs sitting area was full of bric a brac, family photos, and photos of the owners with various celebrity guests.

The owners also had a lovely private little porch upstairs.

More of the upstairs sitting area.

Planning a Trip To India

Its a blizzard out there. Well, ok, its just some snow. Time to plan yet another trip to India. As usual I will start off in Delhi...mostly because I know the city well and its usually a good jumping off point for where I want to go...either Nepal or Rajasthan. This time I'm not going to either place but the flight was quite cheap. $960 on Northwest Airlines. I usually like to take either Continental or American Airlines to New Delhi as they have a direct flight from New York. But I found I could save around $150 by going through Amsterdam and I like that airport anyway. And now Continental is charging $50 for the second bag on International flights. I'll only arrive three hours later. Not a big deal.



My new favorite hotel in downtown Delhi will send a car to pick me up for 550 rupees (around $13) and after a good sleep and breakfast on their rooftop (the eggs and toast wrapped in a napkin) I will take the First Class overnight train to Kolkata (Calcutta) I have become addicted to First Class trains...so pleasant and with comfy beds. Plenty of space for my usual packed suitcases. Four to a compartment...free food and a waiter who brings you a rose and tea. They even serve you ice cream! I will be taking three First Class overnight trains. First to Kolkata, then to Puri and then from Bhubaneswar back to Delhi. The total of all three is about $100. Distance wise it is the equivalent of traveling from New York to Miami, back to Chicago and then back home. And it saves me three nights of hotel costs as well as expensive taxis to the airport. And I don't have to worry about overweight baggage as internal country flights are usually restricted to around 44 pounds checked baggage.
In Kolkata I am staying at one of my favorite hotels, the rather funky Fairlawn. It is like something right out of the Raj era. It has beautiful lawns and gardens, right in the downtown area. The rooms are rather old fashioned and they announce meals with a gong. You are served by waiters in traditional garb and white gloves. And in the afternoon they serve you a formal tea in the garden.


The place is full of bric a brac and photos.
If you saw City of Joy with Patrick Swayze this was the hotel where he stayed .

On my way back to Delhi I will stay a couple of days in Bhubaneswar, a small city full of temples . Its not far from Puri.

But my main destination in this area is Puri. A beach town which comes alive in the summer when thousands of pilgrims descend on the town for a festival. They come to visit this temple.
I will be staying on the beach and visiting several towns known for their needlework. The entire trip with airfare, three trains and hotels will cost me around $1400. I already have my visa which is still valid from my last trip in September.

One of the main towns I want to visit is Pipli, a village of artisans about 15 km from Puri . This village is famous for its colorful appliqué textiles, a craft that originally served temples. Using some of the same techniques and vivid color combinations, Pipli artisans create garden umbrellas, wall hangings, bags, and hanging lanterns/wind socks. Common motifs include the wide–eyed face of Lord Jagannath, peacocks, birds, flowers, animals, children, and radial designs. The style and subject matter depiction on some of the wall hangings and bags reminds one of Hmong Story Cloths, with a rather “folk art” style, a combination of appliqué and embroidered enhancements to the village or animal scenes.


Will I have fun here or what?