Wandering in Kolkata

This photo shows a view from the top of the Sunflower Guest House, which is where I am staying. I made a reservation by email just before Laur and I left the States; I asked for a quiet room away from the lift (elevator) and that's what they gave me.

A quiet room is a treasure in this city because the noise from traffic, or rather car and motorcycle horns, is way more than I remembered. I am getting used to it but it is still jarring to be walking across a street and have the car right in front of you sound its horn. Not a polite little beep either, but a long harsh blast.

Today I just walked around and took in the atmosphere of the old part of the city. I started out by visiting McDonald's, where I had a veg McMuffin and real coffee, which was what I was really after. I went to Hogg Market but not a lot was going on there at nine am. Then I joined the throngs on the sidewalks in the older part of town. The sidewalks were all lined with makeshift shops, mostly selling clothes. I saw only three or four other tourists the whole time which meant I attracted a lot of attention. Most of it was good natured and easy to deal with.

Kolkata used to be the capital of British India and still has a lot of old buildings from that era. I didn't try to figure out what I was seeing but was fascinated by the decay. It's a wonder some of the buildings are still standing they are so decrepit. Then there's the bird's nest of wires leading into every building. Some of it looks like something out of a steam punk novel.

I have one more day in Kolkata then on Sunday evening I will fly to the Delhi airport, where I will spend the night. Monday I'll fly to Khajuraho. Then it's on to Varanasi, where I plan to spend most of the remainder of my time in India. I have been in a lot of places during the past couple of weeks and I want to stay put for a while.