A quick flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh and we were in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. Bangladesh is known as Bengal and Kolkata is known as West Bengal.
Kolkata is the 7th most populated city in India and home to the Mother House aka the Missionaries of Charity’s Motherhouse where Mother Theresa selflessly tended the sick and destitute – her final resting place. It’s still active carrying on Mother Theresa’s legacy in caring for others.
It’s a stop along the way to our intended destination so we only stayed two nights.
The hotel window overlooked gorgeous fields of crops all in various stages of grown (beyond which the dump burned day and night). It was such a contrast to the concrete, smoggy city it felt as if we were looking at a painted backdrop. The taxi driver toured the fields so we could admire the greenery at street level. He referred to corn stalks as popcorn trees.
Kolkata is the only city in India that has the old classic Ambassador Motors yellow taxi cabs. They feel solid as tanks. The cabbies take off in second or third gear rattling our innards while the non- stop horn blowing rattled our brains.
We revisited the places we went 11 years ago to see if we had any brain cells left by recreating the paths we walked to see what had changed. Surprisingly, nothing had changed but the inclusion of cell phones. Tap on this and that to see video of the Mullick Ghat flower market.
From Bill: l had a message from his doctor to get an X-ray. Paige decided that meant now. She called the desk. The desk called the hotel doctor who drove an hour to see me. The doctor read the records and wrote a prescription for an X-ray. The doctor drove us downtown to the clinic. An X-ray was had and read in 20 minutes. The cost for the X-ray was $7.00 – the cost for the house call and ride was $50.00.
The X-ray was clear and we exchanged a one hundred dollar bill for rupees because the doctor is planning a trip to Hong Kong and wanted a solid currency.
Onward…
Love this…
😊😊😊
Color, color and more color! You really copy the essence of what my mind conjure up for the area based on movies I’ve seen and my National Geographic
You two look Rag tag but smiling and happy ❤️ Collagen probiotic
😂😂. we are rag tag for sure.
Ignore the last two words I had the speaker thing on and a commercial was in the background
Hi Paige and Bill,
what I saw overwhelmed me. The constant noise, the beautiful flowers, the crush of people and the pink bird! I have visited India and do remember the crowds and I found the people very friendly. I was in my twenties when I was there and the poverty saddened me. We must be thankful for our Country and what it offers us. I will continue looking for that fluffy pink bird.
Blessings and love.
Elinor
I wish I knew about that bird. Do you think someone dyed it?? The poverty in all these countries is heartbreaking. The trash too is heartbreaking.
I have never seen a bird like that and yes, it reminds me of how people used to dye the chicks that many years ago were sold in the 5&10 in the small town I grew up up in.
😂
Why did Bill need an x-ray? I think I’m getting mixed up with all these newsy picturesque adventure stories. Tats ok doe😂. Keep them coming…
and keep on going🤗!
Seems they don’t make cars like they did those “yellow cabs” you described anymore, alright!👍🏼🕊️
What beautiful pictures! Loved seeing my city through your eyes (camera)! I don’t live there any more but visit often. Sometimes, you need to see things through another pair of eyes. Your colourful shots made me fall in love with my city again. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your kind words. My husband and I love Kolkata. What a beautiful and colorful city.