Kolkata

Finally arrived in the city of Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, on Thursday afternoon the 29th. Was sitting next to a couple on the plane, Canadien guy, Hayden, and Korean girl, Lee, who had been teaching English in Japan, and we decided to get a taxi from the airport to Sutter St. in Kolkata, the street known for guest houses and other places for foreigners. Quite a surreal experience being in the city of Kolkata. Absolute mobs and mobs of people whereever you go, super noisy with endless honking by all the cars and 50's era taxis throughout the city, and incredibly hot and humid with temperatures above 40C, easily past 100 fahrenheit. Saw my first pair of cows in the taxi ride on the way to Sutter St. Along with these, endless street dogs similar to Thailand. Also many crows flying all over the place in the city scavenzing for food in the gutters and trash heaps.



The beggars in the street were much more aggressive and in your face than in Thailand. I had one woman begging me to buy milk for her baby she was carrying on her shoulder. This is a common scam which I have heard about, with these woman being dropped with their or others babies to make money off of unknowing and sympathetic foreigners. The beggars, many of them young children, are relentless in their pursuit of rupees. They will follow you for over a block, or minutes at a time, tapping on you and gesturing for money. It gets of bit annoying after a while but u learn to live with it. Sometimes I just drop them a rupee or two and it gets them away from you. One time I had a bag of cookies and just handed it to them to get them off me. Other times I just start walking extra fast to get away.



The most surreal and interesting experience for me in my several days in Kolkata was visiting the Kali Temple where they do ritual beheadings of goats for the benefit of the Hindu goddess Kali. Made two visits to the temple, the first time by myself and the second time the following day with Hayden and Lee. First time there I had a guide showing me around within seconds, standing out as I do being a white foreign traveler, and him hoping to make a few bucks. I allowed him to show me around and it turned out to be worthwile and a bit educational. He showed me the stall where the goats are ritually beheaded, which was a bit gruesome with blood residue sticking to the ground, many flies, and an aura of death. My sense of smell is not that great so fortunately I wasn't able to completely take in a huge breathe of what would undoubably not smell too fragrant. I was also shown a bunch of the altars where prayers and other acknowledgements are made to the Goddess. I was able to make some prayers and toss some flowers to a statue of Kali. The platform and wooden poles where the goats are placed to be ritually beheaded are also used by Kali devotees to pray to Kali. Here devotees stick their heads in between the poles colored red from goat blood and pray to the goddess. Was a bit of an icky feeling being in such close proximity to such a location. Heard so much about diseases like tuberculosus and AIDS being so rampant in parts of Calcutta, felt like a location where it would be alive and thriving. Glad I got shots for Hepatitis and Tetanus.

Next day made another trip to the temple with the Hayden and Lee. We had decided to cut costs and got a room together which had 3 single beds. Was a rathole compared to rooms in Thailand but was a place to stay. Tough sleeping at night with the heat, just glad I didn't have any bed bugs biting me. My second visit to the temple with Hayden and Lee was more interesting than my first visit. Was much more crowded as apparently it was an auspicious day of worship for Kali. Also had a much more interesting experience as this time around they were sacrificing goats. While I didn't get a chance to see any goats beheaded in the small enclosure where the sacrifice takes place, I did get to see goats walking around along with goat corpses and heads being carrying off to be deskinned and butchered. Apparently all the good goat meat doesn't go to waste. It is chopped up and provided to the many indigent of Calcutta for food.

Wasn't able to get any pictures inside the temple area as it was forbidden unfortunately. Hayden was able to sneak a few pictures in with his camera of some goats being deskinned before he was hollered at by an intimidating Indian man holding a butcher knife and splattered with goat blood and guts. Not the type of person I felt like pushing the limits with myself.

During the day time about the only thing myself as other foreigners felt like doing was hitting up the air conditioned coffee and tea houses to escape the dreadful hit outside. The temp had to been at least over 105F and super humid. The 3 of us would go to Park St., several blocks from where we were staying on Sutter St., find a coffee house with other travelers to talk to, then move onto another one. Park Street is another famous street in Calcutta with lots of history. Half a block off of Park St. we enjoyed ourselves a fine meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Have seen them as well as Dominos and Pizza Hut in Calcutta. About the only place in India where I where chance eating chicken or meat. One of the easiest ways to get sick with diarrhea and nausea, eating meat.

Fascinating walking through the streets of Calcutta as it cools down a little bit around 5pm and seeing all the sights of city, on the main and side streets. Such a different vibe from Bangkok and very few foreigners, this time of year at least. Felt like a more aggressive type vibe from the people than Thailand, but I never felt any sense of threat or danger. The unbelievably high level of noise takes a bit getting used to. I'm glad I don't got to live in that type of atmosphere fulltime.