35. Where east meets west..

Kolkatta – Where East meets West.

Wow – women walking around the streets – such a pleasant change! In Delhi, we found ourselves walking amongst men, men, men..and then more men. But here, in Kolkata – women were roaming freely, and some (definitely not all but enough to notice) were wearing jeans and t shirts. No one would stop and stare as if they’re seeing some foreign species for the first time and wondering what we’re are looking for on their Planet ”India” It was rather refreshing to have this western spin on India in the way that we saw in Kolkata.

Yes there are street vendors selling quick on the go dishes, but here, next to it will be an 'Oxford books' and to the right of that will be two women selling strange items – from toilet paper to plastic dogs with bouncing heads, and in front of that is a Giovani’s with a couple of real dogs around it. A coffee day store next to a fruit vendor..and so it goes on..

There are no tuk tuk’s in certain parts of Kolkata. There were where we stayed but they don’t drive to certain parts. Instead they have the sweetest old yellow and white taxi cabs – which just add to the city’s appeal!

The market and bustle is still there, but just a walk down the street and you can watch a cricket match at the local park :) we did - albeit for about fifteen minutes - never been too into sport :) but was cool to see :) After which we went to the Milenium park – and boy! lol.. What a sight we found. It was something out of an old movie – couples everywhere – but seriously, only couples spread out in pairs along the banks, kissing and stroking each other, hugging, and cuddling, some walking in pairs holding hands under an umbrella, others whispering sweet nothings into each others ears all while this soft and rather romantic music played through the speakers – all dotted around this “lovers lane” It was the weirdest sight. I've never seen anything like it. But the music was beautiful, the scenery (the view of the river and all) was beautiful, and I suppose, so was all the love in the air.

Kolkata is a place where you can get that beer in the dark room with the blinds down - Where I pulled out the batgamon set and was told to put it away at once as it was illegal to play games in their bar?? Weird. But you can also drink a cocktail in a busy restaurant with beautiful - and bright lighting – in full view of the people! yay! :D You can go to New Market and do lots of cheap shopping or you can shop in expensive shopping malls down the road, eat off the street - the egg, veg panner rolls were soooooo yummy! Or you can treat yourself which we did on our last night :) It has to be said that it was one of the best meals I've had my entire life (and of coarse i can't remember the name:) But we got served by men wearing turbans, it’s all about the turbans you see ;)

Kolkata  certainly has a sophistication about it – a western influence that makes it a place where us ‘westerners’ can relax more so.. Not that you can't relax in India - that wouldn't be any fun:) but we can sit with a cup of coffee and have a cigarette and no one will care , no one is gawking for days and no one will come up to you and ask you a million personal questions. You are more camouflaged in a sense :) 

This is not to say that you can let down your guard completely as the strange crazies’ are still lurking around any given corner – we were walking home and were followed by this Indian man asking us if he could be our boyfriend or service us in any way. Eventually he came right out with, ”Can I come sleep with you? ” Ew. Another man flashed me his penis – so gross. So yes you still get the weirdos – but less so and oddly enough most of this has become so normal by now – I walk past a naked Indian child having a wee on the pavement and I think nothing of it, a fat half naked Indian man comes up to take Sian’s cigarette and she just hands it over as he mumbles some crazy, and we think nothing of it. A weird women hassles us with sounds of child labor and we smile and think nothing of it. We see a dead dog next to the book store, or a painted person blessing the skies and we just think nothing of it, this has become our new “normal.” What is normal anyway? Clearly it’s all a matter of what you get used to, perception..hmmm.

Oh! Come to think about it, we did not see one single cow. Not one. Now that my friends, is not Normal!