We traveled to Calcutta, sometimes referred to as the Paris of the East, last weekend, which was my first visit to the former British capital. It's the third most populous city in India, after Bombay and Delhi. It's known for its heat, dust and poverty, but also for its food, sweets, arts community and architecture. I loved Calcutta and thought it felt much more like a city than Delhi. You could actually walk places or easily hop on the metro (the first in India). Though old, the metro convenient and cheap. People were also out and about throughout the day and night, unlike Delhi where you would think twice about anyone walking down a street late at night. People also seemed much nicer, but I feel this way about most places in India, so I am coming to the realization that it is Delhi that is mean and rude.
Calcutta is the literary and arts capital of India and this can be seen throughout the city. Book stalls line the streets and there's a bookstore or two around every corner. I couldn't resist the urge because books are so much cheaper in India. A book that costs $10 or more at home, is only about $4 there.
The focus of the weekend really seemed to be eating and we took this opportunity on every street corner. Between bites of rasgulla and prawn curry, we managed to squeeze in some sightseeing to Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, the Marble Palace and even a quick dip into the hotel pool.
Calcutta is the literary and arts capital of India and this can be seen throughout the city. Book stalls line the streets and there's a bookstore or two around every corner. I couldn't resist the urge because books are so much cheaper in India. A book that costs $10 or more at home, is only about $4 there.
The focus of the weekend really seemed to be eating and we took this opportunity on every street corner. Between bites of rasgulla and prawn curry, we managed to squeeze in some sightseeing to Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, the Marble Palace and even a quick dip into the hotel pool.
Calcutta's architectural history is due to the British, as Calcutta was the capital of the British Raj before New Delhi. Unfortunately, much of that history is fading, crumbling and unprotected. Victoria Memorial is one exception though. The entire grounds are very well-maintained and inside we found a surprisingly nice museum and a photo display from the British era. One of my favorite photos showed a street in Calcutta, with wide avenues and crosswalks to our amazement, all of the cars were in their lanes and all of the people were in crosswalks. Funny to think that 100 years ago, things were much more orderly than they are today!
