A day wandering around Kolkata.

17/1 - Up and at 'em. The hot water had to be coaxed out of the shower, but I am less smelly and out and feeling good. A quick round of lovely golden brown toast and a cuppa and on shankses again. I headed towards the Maidan, there is something about them that I like. This one in huge, there must be about 100 cricket games going on. The posher ones have whites, helmets, sightscreens etc. and their own boundary. The more casual one where it looks like mates turn up for a game on Sunday in the Maidan are pitched anywhere, the path through the maidan seems a popular spot for the wicket, so getting through the maidan is not by following the path, but by dodging the balls. The lads turned up for knockabout on Sunday tend to use a tennis ball and are always having a laugh. The lads in whites are a bit serious about the game.
You see a bloke in the casual games completely ignore a ball going passed him, then realise he is not in the same game. The boundaries all overlap. There are ice cream, drink, food stalls, it looks a good way to spend Sunday. This is in the middle of Kolkata and there are goatherders here, complete with goats, steering them amongst the games and into shade under the huge trees here.
A bunch of lads come up and introduce themselves and shake hands. One is called Irani, which tickles them because of Ronnie Irani, the English cricketer.
There are a few bunches of Army cadets sitting being given instruction in something by their NCO. A few of them spot me coming and the heads start to turn. I told them "Face the front", but just like when I was a sergeant, they ignored me.
I made it across the Maidan, unscathed. Notice the lack of reference to maidens, well until now.
I got passed the monkey dancers, rickshaws, taxi, horse rides etc. etc. etc and into Victoria Monument. A very impressive building in very impressive gardens. It is only Rs4 to get in the gardens, so I may come back here for a sit and people watch, perhaps even a snooze. It is Rs150 to get into the building. The inside is not as spectacular as the Maharajas Palace in Mysore, but it is very interesting and worth the money. There are pictures, paintings and text giving a run through of some of India's history. We were buggers us Brits, that's my opinion anyway. There were good things done for India, but they had to pay for it. That's probably why we get bugged so much for money now. PAY BACK TIME.
Wandered back into the Maidan and spotted Eden Gardens, the international cricket ground, so headed in that direction. I get drawn to sports stadia for some reason. Don't ask me why. I spent ages at Soldier field where the Chicago Bears play. Perhaps it is dreams of what could have been.
The Maidan is about 3Km long. There are private cricket, tennis, etc clubs for the magistrates, police etc along the side. These are fenced off and have refreshment bars, nice gardens, all very high brow. It is more British than Britain. It must be a hang over from the old days.
Eden Gardens looks a good place to play cricket, I wouldn't mind watching England play here. Something to consider for the future.
There are government buildings after Eden Gardens, a lot hidden behind fences and a lot of greenery. One on the streets, which I think is the Treasury Building, has people lying on the streets infront of it, but it is siesta time. The ground floor arches do look like they may be home to some people. There are quite a few food stalls cooking fayre too. A bunch of lads have set up their stumps between 2 buildings on the white lines in the middle of the road. I love the way cricket is played anywhere and it always looks like they are having a great time.
Headed for the Strand, which runs alongside the Hooghey river. Thought I'd check the river out, another feature that draws me like the sports stadia. Anyway, I'm not supposed to look at the river, some sod has erected a bloody big wall between it and the Strand. I can't see bugger all. I was just about to turn around and head back to town, not that I am out of it, when I spotted people getting through, so in I went, across the trainlines. It is all gardens with admission charges. I suppose it stops the river being used as a refuse dump, for this part anyway. There were home setup at the end of the Government buildings, from plastic sheets and bamboo. Travelling around India, these contrasts are everywhere. Posh, then rundown next to each other.
I snook/sneaked into a ferry loading area for a peek at the river. It is wide and fast and very brown. I'm sure I saw a snake too, but one it went below the surface, there was no chance of seeing it. I was going into the gardens, but I think it is Gil's siesta time, I'm knackered, so thought I'd treat myself to a taxi. I reckoned on Rs40. 1st one Rs100, 2nd Rs90, perhaps I have it wrong. 3rd one Rs50. That'll do nicely. He switched the meter off, so perhaps it was 40. I have never seen a meter used yet.
Power nap and a wash. I couldn't coax any hot water out of the shower, only the taps, so it was a splash it all over job. Off out to find a trough. All the joints around here are posh, people all togged up and place settings. There are even queues outside some of them. I'm sure my Quiness T-shirt and jeans would be OK, but they are not what I am looking for. I found a greasy spoon that does the local delicacy "rolls". Not like a bap, balm, batch or bread roll, depending on which part of the UK you live, but like a savoury pancake wrap. I had a mutton one and a chicken one with vegetable and chilli fillings. Very tasty and a wake up call for the mouth. Murphy's law came into play again, as soon as I walked around the corner there was a restaurant.
This area is Sudder St, popular with backpackers and between the flash Park St and poorer areas. I must have my dope head on, I've been offered weed a couple of time.
Stop off for a couple of cups of Darjeeling and a piece of walnut and date cake and I'm off for my football fix. Kolkata still has the man pulled rickshaws, but I don't think I would feel good about some old fellow trogging along the streets pulling me.