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Calcutta - A travel report by Del

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Calcutta, India - West Bengal	4441 readers		travler's travel reports
Travler's Calcutta	15 votes

I came to Calcutta because I wanted to see where Mother Teresa lived. Calcutta, ((now called Kolkata), is in the State of West Bengal on the Hooghlie River.




	Entally School

The population is almost 12 million but I'm not sure how they counted the people who have no homes. This is a city of contrasts. The rich are very rich and the poor people are so very very poor. I found the city to be in as state of needing repair because of the poor condition of the roads and the not so well maintained drainage system.

Favourite spots:




	Hooghlie River

I decided not to take a tour so I walked used a auto & bicycle ricksaws, ferries and a few taxis.

I went to the slums to see the place that Mother Teresa worked. I visited the Entally School and saw the huts where she taught, her place for people who were dying and the Creek Lane room where she once lived.

The Victoria Memorial is like one of the seven wonders of the world. It a marble structure at night it is illuminated.

Several attractions are near the Victoria Memorial Hall like Birla Planetarium, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Academy of Fine Arts.

Park Street is easily my favorite part of Calcutta. This area the main commercial center of Calcutta.

What's really great:




	Slum Area

Several attractions are near the Victoria Memorial Hall like Birla Planetarium, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Academy of Fine Arts.

Park Street is easily my favorite part of Calcutta. This area the main commercial center of Calcutta.

Nicco Park is an amusement park. The roller coaster ride was great.

At Science City the shows at the space theater are worth watching.

Thakurbari, (the house of the Tagores), is now a museum at Jorasanko.Near the temples you might see a snake charmer. The one I saw had five baskets. One had a hooded cobra and the others had vipers in them. He picked up the hooded cobra and walked around asking for money. I gave him a few coins.

I think these places are all worth a visit: The Kalighat Temple is at Ballygunge. The Marble Palace is on Muktaram Babu Street. Birla Mandir Temple is on Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue.

Aquatica is the only water theme park of its kind in Calcutta.

Sights:




	Queen Victoria Memorial

Nicco Park is an amusement park. The roller coaster ride was great.

The Botanical Garden is at Shibpur. There is a giant banyan tree that covers about 400m of land is its main attraction. But one cant help wishing that the garden be kept cleaner.

At Science City the shows at the space theater are worth watching.

Thakurbari, (the house of the Tagores), is now a museum at Jorasanko.

I think these places are all worth a visit: The Kalighat Temple is at Ballygunge. The Marble Palace is on Muktaram Babu Street. Birla Mandir Temple is on Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue.

Aquatica is the only water theme park of its kind in Calcutta.

At the Birla Planetarium you can select what you want to see the "New View of the Solar System","Journey To Arctic," "Rashis" & "Nakshatras."

Near the temples you might see a snake charmer. The one I saw had five baskets. One had a hooded cobra and the others had vipers in them. He picked up the hooded cobra and walked around asking for mo

Accommodations:




	Rollercoaster at Nicco Park

I stayed at the Fairlawn Hotel on Sudder Street. When you see the hotel it's like a Victorian mansion straight out of the British Raj.

As you walk from the garden into the lobby get transported to a bygone era. The 220-year-old building seems to be caught in a time warp.

The rooms and bathroom have only the necessities ! They are small but immaculately clean, and more importantly, extremely cozy.

The Upper Lounge has a large library, and game like of bridge or scrabble.The Garden Bar is a great place to relax.

Don’t be surprised, but there is no room service. This is to encourage guests to come to the main dining area for the meals

You knew it was time to eat when you heard a gong.

Nightlife:




	Snake Charmer

I like to eat at Bombay Shivsagar, (Camac Street), and India Gate, (Chandni Chowk), offer good and cheap food while Ambar and Sagar make the best Bar-B-Q.

I tasted authentic at Aaheli Restaurant (Peerless International) and it was superb.

Flurry’s (Park Street) is a must to have some of their ice cream cones puffs, pastries and scrumptious sandwiches.

Park Street is famous for its several restaurants and bars. Just take a stroll in this street there’s an unending variety of good restaurants like the Blue Fox, Peiping and Don Giovanni’s.

The Saturday Club and the Tolly Club are some real relaxed and my kind of places to unwind.

Hangouts:




	Slums

Shopping is expensive at the Malls, Forum, City Center, Gariahat Mall, Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop & Shree Ram Arcade.

I prefer to shop at the Bazaars and the numerous markets.

Shyam Bazaar is near the Shyam Bazaar station. I bought a silk shirt here.

Beg Bazar and the Barra Bazar had to buy some ’shaka’, (Bengali silver bangles), for my mom and the Dakshinapan market I bought a silk tie for my dad.

New Market, (is Calcutta’s oldest market). I bought some cool sandals from Khadims opposite New Market. The Shriram Arcade, (Lindsay Street), A.C. Market, (Shakespeare Sarani), are other places to shop at.

I like to eat at Bombay Shivsagar, (Camac Street), and India Gate, (Chandni Chowk), offer good and cheap food while Ambar and Sagar make the best Bar-B-Q.

Restaurants:




	Street near my hotel

10 kms away from Calcutta is the Belur Math headquarter of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, founded by Swami Vivekananda. Its architecture is a mix of the temple, mosque and church patterns.

Other recommendations:




	Food offering near the Kalighat Temple

Please don't drink the water or have ice in your drinks. Don't buy food from street vendors.

Be careful where you go especially at night.

If you are buying gems buy from a jewelry shop. The gold here is bright yellow and people in America aren't use to that color of gold.

On the streets you will see poor people begging for money.

For more informantion: http://www.indialine.com/travel/westbeng-al/calcutta/attractions.html

Published on Tuesday February 13th, 2007