Kolkata Thoughts

We visited the Victoria Monument, which was built at the turn of the twentieth century and was intended to represent the strength of the British Empire in India.  It is a massive structure with soaring towers and a rotunda 184 feet high with Roman columns and painted frescos on the upper arches. Amazingly impressive. They thought they would be here forever.  Little did they know.  I can’t help quoting the Percy Bysshe Shelley poem Ozymandias “Look on my works, ye mighty and despair.  Nothing besides remains…the lone and level sands stretch far away.”

I had my first and probably last experience on the Kolkata subway today.  It is hot, crowded, dirty and noisy.  On the other hand it gets you across the city quickly for about a nickel.  Although everyone seemed respectful the gender mix was about 85% men and 15% women so that was also slightly uncomfortable.  We did take it to the Kali temple, which is the temple to the goddess of destruction, which seemed appropriate

The privileged in Kolkota live behind high walls and hidden entrances.  Unlike most cities we’ve visited where wealth is flaunted and main streets host huge shopping malls with designer brand ads in hundred foot banners floating in the breeze, here many of the malls are hidden in private driveways.  While street vendors sell food to the many working poor, the wealthy dine in high end restaurants, the women bright as butterflies in their colorful saris and jewels, their hair and makeup immaculate.

India is on high security alert.  Everyone is wanded and/or patted down on entering hotels and malls, military and police with automatic weapons are everywhere and security guards at every entrance.  It’s unclear whether those with weapons actually are well trained to use them.  Cars are searched before they enter the hotel driveway.

It’s hard to maintain a healthy diet here.  The food is excellent but all either fried or heavily sauced or both.  I’d kill for a plain piece of grilled fish and steamed veggies.  Most of the hotels have huge breakfast buffets and sometimes I can get some yogurt and fresh fruit but they're also filled with tempting things like samosas, which I’d normally never have for breakfast, but are really yummy.  I’ve been able to swim some but most of the hotel pools are not well designed for lap swimming.  We, or course, walk a lot so that’s some exercise.