Metro, trams and tagore. Review on Kolkata

I have been to Calcutta only once. I spend around two weeks. Its too short a time to know a city, especially one like Calcutta.

Its grand city but looks little like an old grand dad. You get a feel it would have been a grand place a few decades back.

One thing I like about the place is the people, very relaxed. Many criticise this quality saying it effects productivity etc. But I am of the opinion there is more to life than money and career.

There is so much to eat there and believe me road side stuff is truly great and very inexpensive. So do try all of those items. And if its your first visit there - dont forget to try the tram and the metro rail. Its really two worlds. One a very efficient fast and clean underground train service, which shouts modernity. And other very old over the road train service which is so slow u can get down from a running tram and it can just stop completely for hours. But very cheap and best for tourists.

Then there are these rickshaws which are pulled by people. Depending upon your moral or ethical standing you can try them.

I will tell a few instances about the attitude of people. We took a cab and at one junction there was a traffic jam and you know what the driver did. Switched off the car and very cooly lighted a beedi and said relax it will take a few hours. For anyone from Mumbai this style will be appalling.

Secondly me and my friend (girl) went to a restaurant and ordered few drinks. This was like a business district and the waiter was so confused he asked me to buy and bottle and go home and drink as girls dont drink at restaurants. But dont worry there are hep pubs and discs there. took some time to find out.

thirdly while buyig a cigarette at a pan shop, somehow we started having a conversation, in the end the guy told us what play to watch. which museums to go. The people there are well informed.

Its a very strange mix of modern vows, crumpling traditions, strange mix of red flags and kali. The kali temple as popular as communist hoardings.

And lastly wine shops here have grills and you need to transact through this closed shutter.

Oh sorry oone more... You can see men buying live fish at 6.30 in the morning.

more later