A Brit In Kolkata

 

The way I feel adapted now, it's hard to believe I arrived in Kolkata a whole month ago. Here is, from the perspective of a young Brit who had never been to India, my insights to Kolkata.

At first, everything was overwhelming. The never ending chaos of car horns, the constant rush of people around the city, different tastes, people and temperatures. My senses were working in overdrive to take everything in. My first observation when travelling from the airport was how colourful Kolkata is. It made me realise just how black and white everything is back home in London. Here, every  building contributes to a vibrant canvas landscape. Each angle, back lane and building would make an amazing painting or photograph. I've grown to love the fact that there's always so much to take in. It's exciting and it accurately represents the upcoming, bustling city that Kolkata is.   
 

 

During my first weekend, I got the chance to explore some of the best tourist spots in Kolkata. We started the day bright and early in order to catch the flower market in action. We'd been told to get there at dawn so we could see the market's greatest displays as people come to collect their temple offerings. It was definitely worth the early start. If you're a local that's neglected seeing  what your city has to offer, as many of us do, I recommend this  tourist experience. The wealth of colour was breathtaking.   Westrolled through the market lanes, ducking and dipping onto the   road to avoid being caught out by the market's sellers carrying their huge crates of colour over head. This just enhanced the way you could feel the buzz of the place though.  

We next took a walk across the famous Howrah bridge. We enjoyed reading the story of its construction as we walked across and watching people dip into the river for a morning wash. Of course, the Howrah bridge took us to... Howrah. This busy town's colonial feel put us a bit on edge but the ageing buildings were grandly designed and all full of goings on.  
 

 

Next was a visit to the Victoria Memorial. With low entry costs, I highly recommend paying to enter the gardens. The lakes and water features create a tranquil atmosphere for a morning stroll. Even  come here for a touch of bird spotting or to watch the chipmunks scurrying around the paths. It costs more to go inside the building itself, but is worth it to admire the grandeur, especially if you're  into architecture.     

   

One of the best things about getting to explore Kolkata is getting to try all the different food on offer. I think one of the most surprising things for me being here was the variety of styles of food around the city. Whilst I didn't think my weak British stomach, brought up on a diet of blander food, would appreciate me indulging in the tempting street food, I did definitely try all that Kolkata had on offer. For Bengali food, 6 Ballygunge place was my favourite. The service was attentive and each dish varied so much in flavour, creating an eruption of taste in my mouth. If you do go, you can't miss out on dessert. The baked yogurt and homemade ice cream were the highlight of the meal. I was also particularly impressed with the Chinese food on offer in Kolkata. It was of a much higher  quality than what I'm used to in London. A favourite in this category was Ping's Oriental off Park Street. With a vast cocktail menu, it's the perfect spot for a sociable evening with friends. The unique dim sum, bao and momos are all perfect for sharing. Food and drink wise, another Kolkata discovery was Tulsi Masala Chai. This classic Indian drink is sweet and delicious. It's soothing, destressing properties are also a bonus. I've stocked my suitcase full of boxes to last me at home. 

 

The main way that Kolkata has surprised is by how progressive it is. I'm not sure why I didn't expect it, but Kolkata seems to be steps ahead in some ways. Admittedly, not in others, but in terms of the values and societal responsibility people feel here, there's a sense of being right in the frame of modernity. Upcoming is probably the best descriptive word here. The fact that the city is full of entrepreneurial minds and high hopes is evident all across the city. I've had the chance to have come across some extremely motivated people, some incredibly creative brands and to see the community spirit of the city. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Kolkata. I'd be very interested to come back in the future and see the ways it has grown.