Leaving the best till last.

As the saying goes. 

Kolkata is everything I didn’t expect it to be. I knew of the slums where Mother Theresa worked and for some reason expected a grimy poor city. I could not have been more wrong. There is so much evidence of the East India Company’s influence, the slums are largely frequented by transient people coming to the city for seasonal work, the people are more chilled, the streets cleaner, the cabs yellow and there are parks everywhere. 

Over the two days I have been here I have walked and walked, often with no specific destination but happily wandering and looking. I did an evening walking tour with a lovely young lady who told me much about the British colonisation and showed me some of the beautiful buildings of the area. 

We visited the Black Hole of Calcutta Memorial which  has been relocated from its original site. The original story about the Brits being held captive there is in doubt and the new story is ‘evolving’. 

The Victoria Memorial is set in park like grounds and is now a museum. It is the most glorious  place built to honour Queen Victoria  and to replicate, in its own way, the Taj Mahal. Horse driven carriages take people for rides round the park and mini fair ground rides entertain the kids. 

We passed many more beautiful places along the way. Too many to describe. 

I visited the Mother House where Mother Theresa lived when she was in Calcutta. Photos were not allowed of the house but I got this of her tomb. 

I would have liked to have spent time in the garden but you guessed it; it’s closed for functions. One after the other, lavish decorations that go up and come down in an instant. 

I’ve had some great meals and the best yet; a chaat in my room. Papri Chaat is a mix of crunchy fried bread,  chick peas, cubed potato, tamarind sauce and other stuff topped with crunchy fried noodles. Its generally sold as a street food and always delicious but this room service version was out of this world with pomegranates and lots of onion thrown in for good measure. I managed to avoid the bit of yogurt dressing on top and was smacking my lips throughout. So many flavours and textures zinging and popping in my mouth had my saliva drooling. I want more and am seriously thinking of getting a late checkout just so I will be here for the few hours it is available. 

I’ve spent a lot of time just wandering and taking things in. 

Today is my last day in India. I have a long flight schedule ahead and 12 hours to kill after checking out and boarding my first flight. I’m not looking forward to any of it. But as recompense I shall fill my time in a mall, the largest in West India.