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Post by fretslider on Dec 22, 2011 8:25:05 GMT -5
Not me, guv - honest.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2011 20:06:19 GMT -5
Good morning, just to recap on the events in the hospital. .... I give you pedestrian crossings in this country, How many of the drivers on this board have had to avoid children and grown ups crossing the road yards away from a proper controlled crossing, how many drivers on this board have wondered at the stupidity of cyclists who prefer the road to the cycle lane provided for them at great expense. How many people on this board in industry and the building trade have ventured into a hard hat area with out one (just for a minute). Good morning to you too, Chris although you might well be asleep now if you are in England or having an evening meal yesterday if you are in the USA. It's 0629 here now as I type. Dawn is just breaking over Kolkata. Temp. indoors a very pleasant 20 degrees Celsius, 68 degrees Fahrehheit to those who use that scale. No heating of course; the air conditioners are really air coolers, very efficient in cooling and de-humidification (from RH 100% down to a pleasant RH 80% minus), but have no heating device. Your points about the events you describe are well made and taken. Thank you for the comments, which are useful as always. Your comment about pedestrians crossing busy junctions brought a wry smile. I wish I could show you a youtube video of pedestrians crossing Gariahat junction at 6 pm which we did the evening before. It was an adventure, potentially deadly to the defenceless pedestrians, many of whom are children or disabled, or sight or hearing impaired. Everyday they have to risk life or limb just to walk in Kolkata. On to yesterday: Visited South City, a mini town within the city of Kolkata, population 4.5M, area 185 sq.km, population density 24,252 persons/sq.km A photo of its entrance is given here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata#Economy 3rd photo in the "Economy" section. Entrance is guarded with security scanners and very visible security staff. Not unexpected, given its incredible value in terms of investment, population and trade. It has been the subject of terrorist threats. Inside is a shopper's paradise and that rarest of sights in Kolkata, drinking water from a tap. Here and perhaps ONLY HERE, there are taps attached to a stainless steel tank in the pedestrian paths ion every floor, marked "drinking water". It is possible AND SAFE, IMO, to drink water directly from the tap here, although I did not do so, on medical advice. The place being what it is, what appears to be a simple tank in fact contains highly sterilised water, safer perhaps than the bottled water tourists usually drink. Dwarfing everything else in the huge enmtrance hall is a Christmas tableu, complete with snow (actually balls of cotton wool) huge teddy bears, Santa and sleigh. Locals we saw lined up against the tableau to have ytheir photos taken by enthusiastic family members. Christmas themes and carols were everywhere, just as in any shopping mall in London, NY or Paris at this time. I have seen plenty of Christmas decorations and festivities across Kolkata with locals joining in the cheer. Shops in the mall include Marks & Spencer, KFC, Levi's, Samsonite, Sony, Canon etc. and sell practically every brand available at 5th Ave, Oxford Street or Champs Elysee. Naturally those include cosmetics made by Chanel, Christian Dior, Elizabeth Arden, Versace and Yardley. We bought Muesli for our breakfast there as we had nearly exhausted our provisions brought from England. We bought a few gifts for relatives and friends, had a meal at the well appointed and cheap (to us) cafe and left with well-laden bags. Beside the mall are multi-storey residential apartments, some 35 storeys tall, the tallest in Kolkata so far, it is claimed. Priced astronomically, most apartments are owned by NRI's (Non-Resident Indians) or foreigners or Indian Businessmen who do not live in Kolkata, but visit on business. Ordinary locals can only dream of living in such a place. So they visit the mall, have a ride in the escalators (a novelty ion Kolkata) and perhaps a coffee or some light snacks at the comparatively affordable snack bars, as we did. There is International School for the children of the residents of occupied apartments. It is exclusive and expensive, very expensive. It has to be; among its attractions are ballet classes led by ballerinas from Paris! It is comprehensively described with pictures here: www.southcityprojects.com/index.htmlI left with a heavy heart, with unshed tears for the millions of Kolkatans who cannot afford even to enter the place. Regards. Prashna
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2011 0:00:06 GMT -5
""""Like the deadly cocaine trade , Noor Islam Sheikh's multi-million empire was based on human misery, extortion, human trafficking and lately gun and explosives trafficking.""" this is one of the reasons i loathe islam...and no doubt the man called,,Noor Islam Sheikh's would describe himself as a muslim....if some one who did this proffesed to be christian he would be mocked and reviled for being a total hyporcrite .... interesting readings prash..keep up the good work ...first hand acounts are much better than dry readings Thank you, mouse for your kind comments. As you surmised, Noor Islam Sheikh is indeed a Muslim. But I do not think his actions are motivated by his origin. He just lacks conscience and compassion, to an unusual degree. I regret to say that I can see similar lack in all origins including Hindus, though usually never to such a degree. The irony is that many of his victims and the dead are very poor Muslims, who are supposed not to drink alcohol at all. I believe that their addiction was caused at least partly by abject poverty, despair and hopelessness. I cannot help but feel sorry for them. That's why I felt it necessary to post this comment. Regards. Prashna
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Post by mouse on Dec 23, 2011 4:22:31 GMT -5
just how long can the mass of the people be expected to live side by side with obvious wealth so close at hand ..i would have thought it may get increasingly uneasy daughter is enjoying this thread too prash..as you know she has a great fondness for india i hope you and mrs prash are enjoing your trip thus far
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2011 7:10:38 GMT -5
just how long can the mass of the people be expected to live side by side with obvious wealth so close at hand ..i would have thought it may get increasingly uneasy daughter is enjoying this thread too prash..as you know she has a great fondness for india i hope you and mrs prash are enjoing your trip thus far Very much so, mouse. We are going to one of the finest restaurants in Kolkata for dinner tonioght, courtesy of my wife's sister and her husband, who is an IT consultant. It's in Park Street, where I studied for 2 years (age 13-15) for my A-level equivalent at St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. I know the area well, it is one of the plushest in Kolkata, with lavish Christmas decorations. Park Street decks up in carnival colours TNN Dec 19, 2011, 03.13AM IST Tags:
* Usha Uthup| * Park Street| * Mother Teresa
KOLKATA: The free-spirited and carnivalesque air that usually grips Kolkata around this time of the year is perhaps a bit subdued. The city folk are yet to recover from the shock of tragedies like AMRI fire and hooch deaths. But Park Street finally tried to break free on Sunday with music, dance and even a touch of magic at the Kolkata Christmas Festival, which started a week ahead of Christmas...Just look at the pictures here: www.flickr.com/photos/oum/3139219278/The Restaurant is Peter Cat, curious name but they don't actually serve cat. What they do serve is food that is delicate and rightly famous. This is how TripAdvisor sees it: www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g304558-d812876-Reviews-Peter_Cat-Kolkata_Calcutta_West_Bengal.htmlMy report will follow. Regards. Prashna
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Post by sadie on Dec 23, 2011 11:33:36 GMT -5
It sounds wonderful Prashna. I love the name of the restaurant!!! Can't wait to hear what ends up on your menu!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2011 19:14:47 GMT -5
It sounds wonderful Prashna. I love the name of the restaurant!!! Can't wait to hear what ends up on your menu!! Thank you, Sadie for that encouragement. This report yet again may be regarded as verbose, so I shall cut to the chase right now. Quality of food - Excellent Choice - Vast, far more than necessary or adequate. Freshness of ingredients - Faultless, as fresh as fresh can be! Presentation - Excellent. Not overdone, just right. Price - High, by Indian standards. Low by UK or US standards. Here is the menu to enable you to judge for yourself. All prices are in Indian Rupees. APPROXIMATE equivalents are 100 Rupees = $2.00 = £1.25 www.zomato.com/kolkata/restaurants/central/park-street/peter-cat-20404/menu#tabtop Overall - Well worth a visit, BUT beware the long queues. We waited on the street outside the front door for 45 minutes. Still it was the 23rd, 2 evenings brfore Christmas on a street that is the equiovalent of Oxford Street or 5th Avenue, both in terms of shopping choice and abundance of christmas festive lighting. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I had Lassi for aperitif (Excellent) Fishfingers with Tartare Sauce for starters (page 1)(Outstanding) - Rs 145/- Chelo Kebab (page 2) for Main (Outstanding) Rs 143/- Pistachio Ice Cream (page 3) for Dessert (Average) Rs 75/- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Total Cost about Rs 300/- per person or hungry horse! About $6.00 or £3.70. Even with tips (optional) @10% $6.60 or £4.07 would be considered ridiculous by any top grade Restaurant on Oxford Street or 5th Avenue. But this is Kolkata, where Rs 330/- is more than the average local earns in a day. The other remarkable item we tried was: Sizzler House Special at Rs 151/- about $3 or £1.90. The taste, sound, aroma and choice of a hot barbecue brought to your plate. Our son who is no strager to excellent barbecues loved it. Outstanding, fantastic, excellent! Hypes, I normally avoid, but need in this case. The cat is indeed right to show off its whiskers with pride. No wonder the place was overfull with long queues outside. On a street where some top restaurants were notable by the absence of customers entering! Two dishes the Chelo Kebab and the Sizzler are what the Cat is famous for. IMO, rightly so! We left with our stomachs full and memory banks overflowing. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This post is already too long. The backdrop must await another! Regards. Prashna
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Post by sadie on Dec 23, 2011 20:23:04 GMT -5
Sweet or sour Lassi??
It sounds divine....yum....and when shared with family I'm sure it makes it even better.
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Post by mouse on Dec 24, 2011 2:13:55 GMT -5
i have only ever waited in the street out side a resturant..it was at"" hard rock"" london just after it first opened..the place was littered with slebs...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2011 9:50:52 GMT -5
Sweet or sour Lassi?? It sounds divine....yum....and when shared with family I'm sure it makes it even better. Sweet, Sadie. Prashna
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Post by maggie on Dec 24, 2011 11:24:18 GMT -5
Kolkata looks lovely. Thanks for sharing the photos Prash. I love the decorations and the Victoria memorial looks amazing. Looking forward to more photos - I hope! Sounds like you are having a wonderful holiday. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Maggie x
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Post by Soulman on Dec 24, 2011 11:43:55 GMT -5
Some great insights on this thread. Thanks Prash, and have a peaceful and merry christmas...you and yours.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2011 19:38:19 GMT -5
Some great insights on this thread. Thanks Prash, and have a peaceful and merry christmas...you and yours. Thank you, soulman for your kind words. On this auspicious day, I would like to wish everyone at JT and indeed elsewhere, a joyful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. In England and across Europe right now, the public transportation is either at a standstill or virtually so. As it would remain for the next 24 hours. But not here. The millions who depend on the Kolkata Metro system for getting about this fascinating city of contrasts will have the same service as on any other day. Here is the Metro map, a most useful information for any traveller to Kolkata. The green portion was in place when I visited last 7 years ago. The pink portion has been constructed since and is operational now. To the North, the last station Dum Dum is the Rail Station, NOT the airport. Heavy construction work to take the Metro to the Airport is going on now and causing huge traffic jams to commuting traffic from the populous Northern residential areas, Bidhan Nagar (Salt Lake City) and elsewhere. I was given the chance to rent a flat in Salt Lake. Thanks to advice from my brother here, I declined. The superbly located flat I found and rented, is within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Kalighat, a major Metro Station, for obvious reasons. Therefore my transportation links are excellent, by pure good fortune. Today, we shall be visiting relatives who live near Naktala Metro Station. We expect to be quite some time, as I expect a sumptuous meal or two have been arranged. Soon we shall be hosting a family get-together at the Peshawari Restaurant within ITC Sonar, Kolkata, one of the finest (and most expensive) hotels in Kolkata. This is how they see themselves: itc-sonar-kolkata.hotel-rn.com/?lbl=gglAnd now off to my daily work-out before breakfast. Regards. Prashna
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Post by fretslider on Dec 25, 2011 3:59:52 GMT -5
Merry Christmas Prashna. Hope you're having a great time.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2011 20:51:41 GMT -5
Merry Christmas Prashna. Hope you're having a great time. Thank you, Fret and likewise. Today is boxing day, a Public Holiday in England and many countries as it was yesterday. Many shops are closed, except of course the filling stations, supermarkets and corner shops. But not here. I expect to go shopping today for a laser printer for a dear friend who sadly is severely sight-impaired. Yet I see him poring over the keyboard and monitor of his PC ( a decent one, by local standards) with a hand magnifier. Despite his obvious handicap his valiant efforts to communicate through the PC are truly humbling. With him as with so many in this city of contrasts, the courage of the human spirit against overwhelming odds both humbles me and gives me the will to live. Just as hopelessness and despair can be found evereywhere, so can courage, hope and love. Again and again again, I have seen evidence of that even in this short visit. My friend's PC showed evidence of help(?) given by several friends and well-wishers. His desktop was cluttered with icons all stacked on the left in default mode. Icons that included saved copies of web pages long forgotten, scraps of drafts long abandoned, copies of copies of folders never opened and other desiderata. But one aspect was notable by its absence: Any attempt at utilising the accessibility tools incorporated in the installed o/s, Win XP Premium. My first task then was to remove all the superfluous icons, arrange them around the screen in logical order and increase the default fonts size to suit his impaired vision. I would have liked to make his PC respond to spoken commands and reply with generated words, but couldn't due to hardware and time limitations. Economic progress has given India the Western material goods but taken away the time to pause to live. LG, Nokia, Apple, ITC and Samsung abound, absent is the spirit to share. I tried to quench my friend's thirst for knowledge and meet his obvious need to gain some computeracy. But a quart into a pint pot cannot go. My schedule was to return in about two hours. I spent some 4 hours just with him just to scratch the surface. But I left his desktop sparse and tidy and him able to compose simple text and play music on the PC. He was happy. I shall have to return. There seems to be no audiobooks for the sight-impaired or other provisions. Guide dogs are common in such situations in the UK but undreamt of here. The blind and nearly blind have only relatives to fall back upon. Not everyone can. Regards. Prashna
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