Travel Day 862 – Kolkata, INDIA
Yesterday it wasn’t until late in the evening that I finally found my teacher, but besides being able to sit in a rehearsal, at least I got a hint of was going to happen over the next couple of weeks…
Street Vendors in Kolkata India
Well, actually I really didn’t get too much information other than that I had to report to my teacher’s house every morning at 9am and that we would be visiting a lot of different concerts at the end of the month. But one other thing I learned was that today was actually a day off for me and so besides practicing a little bit, I decided to go to the city center and see where I used to stay two years ago…
Since this time I was staying in the north of Kolkata, I had to first find a rickshaw stand, get a ride to the last station of the subway line and then go into town from there. While everything wasn’t really complicated, it still took up a lot of my time. Waiting in line at the subway station to buy a ticket alone took at least 15 minutes and the subway ride maybe 30, but at least the 10 minute rickshaw ride through the maze of alleyways was a real adventure and made me fully realize that I had arrived in India…
The second thing that helped me a lot to realize where I was on my first full Arrival Day was the visit of the Sudder Street and Park Street Area. This was not only the typical backpacker area of Kolkata, but also the place where I stayed two years ago and so it was great for me to see some things that I had seen before. I always liked doing that when I came to places for a second time and so I walked the streets I walked before, I had a look at the hotel I used to stay at and I had lunch in the same restaurant I used to eat at…
Touristic Sudder Street in Kolkata, India
Overall it seemed like the areas was doing quite well as there were all of a sudden some boutique hotels, spas and nicer restaurants around. Even my little local restaurant had upgraded with a big neon sign and glass store front. But besides that, the street vendors, the squatters, the beggars and hustlers trying to get money from tourists were still al the same and probably would never change in the future…
For me personally, this great little day trip, the adventurous ride into town and my Tabla practice back home in the peaceful hotel made this a really perfect Arrival Day in India….
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