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Post by mouse on Jan 1, 2012 3:52:31 GMT -5
sign up three memebers of the mouse family who would be overjoyed  |
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Post by fretslider on Jan 1, 2012 6:00:13 GMT -5
London prices - must be for the elite. Looks very good though, Prashna. Buon appetito Elite, Fret? Well, those with adequate disposable income |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2012 6:17:10 GMT -5
sign up three memebers of the mouse family who would be overjoyed Good as the rightly famed Peshawri at ITC Sonar or the Ritz, Savoy, Dorchester or Tiffany's are, they cannot match the facilities on the holodeck of the Enterprise, nor can they within foreseeable Earth centuries. Next time the Enterprise comes within transporter range of Earth, I shall request the Captain to give permission to welcome you as my personal guests. Within reason, the Enterprise can cater for all human needs. I calculate the probability of my request to be granted at 99.99 percent. I look forward to the privilege of sharing a meal and a few precious star-hours with you! Regards. Prashna |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2012 6:21:29 GMT -5
Well, those with adequate disposable income Spoken like a true gentleman, Fret. I recall an American person asking his host during the ride in a Phantom to the Ritz, How many horsepowers in this thing? The host did not raise an eyebrow (he was not Vulcan). He was succinct and to the point: adequate;he said. Prashna |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2012 19:49:11 GMT -5
Time progresses in its inexorable path. Day follows day, night comes after night, Like a the spokes on a turning wheel, joy and sorrow take their turn. As someone born millenias before me observed:
Chakrabat paribartante,___ Sukhaani dukhaani cha.
Yesterday, quite out of the blue, we dined at the floatex, who see themselves thus www.floatelhotel.com/We went to the top deck. To the NNE was visible the memorable Rabindra Setu, built in the year of my this earthly birth, an internationally recognised icon of Kolkata. This is how it looks: howrahbridgekolkata.nic.in/To the SW is the now equally iconic and aptly named VIDYASAGAR SETU. Some images can be found here: www.google.co.in/search?q=Vidyasagar+setu+kolkata&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=XFX&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ZwABT_HXJozyrQfMnODBCg&ved=0CEQQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=384A gentle breeze cooled yours truly adequately. Kolkata in January can be distinctly hot by Vulcan standards. The rest of the party found it pleasant, even invigorating. Thus refreshed, we proceeded to the soup, followed by the starter. It was cooked in a tandoor. Temperatures in a tandoor can approach 480°C (900°F), Needless to say, the small pieces of lamb, chicken and paneer (pressed cottage cheese) were cooked to tender perfection. The Floatex earned its four stars from me there and then. The main was a buffet in which we could choose from five forms of Biriyani, several vegetarian dishes cooked with paneer, and of course a selection of desserts including the various cakes and the ever-present Rasogullah. Altogether a memorable experience at a very reasonable cost, by WQestern standards. The bill came to INR 6500/- for six ( £81 or $130 approximately). We left contented in stomach and mind. Regards. Prashna |
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Post by maggie on Jan 2, 2012 16:54:31 GMT -5
This is making my mouth water!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2012 19:51:59 GMT -5
This is making my mouth water! And subjecting my digestive systems sometimes to overload, Maggie. There is the little matter of too much of a good thing! However, duty prevails. Our nearest relatives and friends have not seen us for years in some cases decades. They wish to entertain us and we need to reciprocate. There is a significant amount of fine dining but there are unavoidable and unfortunate consequences. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Monday, 2 January, 2012 It had rained a little in the early hours. At dawn, from our first floor balcony we could see the pavement still wet. But the rain had stopped. After 25 days of continuous sun and warmth, the rain was most welcome. Soon the sub-tropical sun broke through. We made our way to the fabulous (to locals) South City Mall, had a filling and delicious lunch @ INR 450 (£5.60 or $9) for the three of us. Then enjoyed a film at the well-appointed cinema there. It cost INR 170 = £2.12 or $3.40 perperson for the best seats. The film? Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Noisy, violent and totally unbelievable, but some humans seem to enjoy that sort of pseudo-excitement. A fascinating experience. The Mall features all the brands common in the West, including Mothercare, M & S, Levy's and KFC. The grocery superstore, Spencer's stock include various cheeses inc. Camembert and Gouda, various hams inc. parma and all the cereals common in the West inc. Kellogs and Weetabix. No shortage of items but at prices that are mostly out of reach of the average Kolkatan 8:15 pm - We walked to the Hatari, a tiny but perfectly formed Restaurant within walking distance of our apartment. Their menu can be found here: www.zomato.com/kolkata/restaurants/south/rash-behari-avenue/hatari-20240/menu#tabtopReviewers thought it was excellent. So did we.
Quality food, freshly cooked, quantity very filling indeed! What more can one ask?The cost, perhaps! It came to INR 2000/- for a very filling dinner for eight (£25 or $40; about £3.15 or $5.00 per person). We were served well and very attentively; not rushed even once during the 1.5 hours we stayed. Altogether a most enjoyable 2 hours in the company of those nearest and dearest to us. Today we have to keep the next dining appointment at my favourite place in Kolkata; the Oberoi Grand. A little expensive, but worth it, IMO. Regards. Prashna |
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Post by mouse on Jan 3, 2012 2:51:19 GMT -5
dont put on too much weight or you will be paying excess baggage on the way home
it sounds as if your both having a really super time catching up....keep up the good work
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Post by nira on Jan 4, 2012 11:47:52 GMT -5
sign up three memebers of the mouse family who would be overjoyed Yay, mouse, that is wonderful. I'd be delighted to get acquainted with the lovely mouse family Oh, btw, have to rush now, got a party to plan, timings to be co-ordinated, you know the drill  |
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Post by nira on Jan 4, 2012 11:53:17 GMT -5
sign up three memebers of the mouse family who would be overjoyed Within reason, the Enterprise can cater for all human needs. I calculate the probability of my request to be granted at 99.99 percent. I look forward to the privilege of sharing a meal and a few precious star-hours with you! Regards. Prashna That is cool, Prashna. Thank you for being so generous in agreeing to host a party for us. Can we put in our favourites for the party menu ?  For now, enjoy your holiday. We look forward to the party; the yummy food and of course the delightful conversations. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2012 19:41:41 GMT -5
dont put on too much weight or you will be paying excess baggage on the way home it sounds as if your both having a really super time catching up....keep up the good work Thank you, mouse for the timely reminder. Excess body weight is not my problem, quite the reverse. Prior to the trip, I weighed 64kg at a height of 5ft 10in or 176 cm. I would like it to be 70kg. I don't believe I have made much progress. Still, one must persevere. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3 January, 7 pm: We entered the Oberoi Grand near Esplanade. From the sentried gate, the impression is one of tradition and grandeur. It is like a stately home in England, but curved long drive at the entrance is lined with tall palm trees that are native to sub-tropical Kolkata. Even on a hot summer day, these would provide cooling shade. The entrance is a wide arch to accommodate horse drawn carriages to bring in the gentry in times gone by. No wonder it is rated the second best luxury hotel in India by trip advisor.
The photos here speak for themselves, with quiet elegance.We admired the polisheed green marble floor, the magnificent chandlier at the centre of the huge hall; so huge that the grand piano at the corner was dwarfed into near invisibility. Naturally every piece of glass heavy and deep bevelled, the mirrors huge and without a single blemish or spot. The long corridors had the same green marble floors, polished uniformly to a mirror finish. They were lined with graceful marble statuettes and antique furniture at discreet intervals. The building is shaped in a square, with a large open area at the centre. In that area is a large swimming pool filled to the brim. The water spills over at the sides but is neatly drained away about 10 inches (25 cm) from the edge by a most ingenious gap arrangement. Through the Chowringee Bar I had booked a poolside table in advance. The head waiter at the CB met us, curtseyed and led us to our table with our places set. While waiting for our set meal, we quenched our thirst with pineapple juice, freshly pressed and cleanly strained. The waiters asked us our preferences most reverently, with frequent use of 'Sir' and 'Madam'. The soup arrived after 10 minutes; mushroom or chicken consomme. The main was a "sizzler". Aptly named it did sizzle. A searingly hot cast iron griddle, large and rectangular was brought in a wooden underpan. It contained grilled kebabs (mouthwateringly soft and tender), fish, mutton, rack of lamb, and king Prawn all on a bed of cabbage and lettuce. We were duly warned not to scald our fingers by touching the hot griddle. It was good advice. The contents crackled in the sizzling heat, it was noticeable and memorable. The waiter promptly lit opur candle, in the centre of bunch of violet bi-colour orchids, freshly picked. The candle flame flickered gently in the mild breeze across the pool but never went out. The tall and stately palms around the pool overlooked our dinner. So did the neatly manicured 6 ft tall hedges, in neat intervals. All lit from the ground with subdued lighting. The pool likewise was lit from underwater and the water crystal clear. All as expected, from a hotel named Grand. Dessert was a house soecial caramel pudding or creme bouille. I regret that the food was only delicious in parts. Some of it was disappointing. But the ambience was out of this world. The cost? A mere INR 15,500 for five (£200 or $310) not unreasonable for a hotel of this class, rated the best in Kolkata. We took lots of pictures, both still and video, with the waiters readily offering to take our pictures as a group by the pool. Although their photographic skills may not be the best, it was most helpful, genuine and courteous. We left at about 10 pm contented after admiring the marble fountain in the business suite decorated with freshly picked pink lotus floers. Graceful and memorable. Regards. Prashna |
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Post by mouse on Jan 5, 2012 3:48:28 GMT -5
prash it looks and sounds absolutely wonderful...am so glad your getting to enjoy it all
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2012 20:34:10 GMT -5
prash it looks and sounds absolutely wonderful...am so glad your getting to enjoy it all Thanks mouse but easy on the pocket it wasn't, by Kolkata standards. Now that the round of away eatings are almost over, it is time for evaluation. Taking into consideration quality and choice of food, ambience, accessibility and value for money (in that order), my order would be: Floatex, Hatari, K C Das, Oberoi Grand and ITC Sonar. I have excluded meals at our relatives and friends where, the quality of cooking exceeded any of the 5 venues mentioned. I cannot put a value on emotion and feelings, which however balanced and equalised remain priceless. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4 Jan : Took the Metro to Maidan, only 4 stops away. Ticket cost INR 4 (£0.05 or $0.08). it has to be that cheap to be affordable to the average Kolkatan, for whom it provides a fast, convenient and clean transport to work, leisure or pleasure. Yes, clean. The vast expanses of marbled floors in the cavernous uinderground stations are kep[t immaculately clean, an incredible contrast to the streets just outside. Kolkata, the city of contrasts, again. The trains are crowded most of the time and jam-packed at peak periods. Forget about standing room only, visualise elbow room only. Jump aboard or be left behind; decide fast. Maidan is a delightful station with beautiful parks outside. We visited two indoor markets, one on Ho Chi Minh Sarani and the Air-Conditioned Market at Shakespeare Sarani, where the British High Commission can be found also. The markets featured a bewildering variety of shops selling clothes, food, electronic goods, shoes, watches and clocks etc. The waterproofing seal on a diver's watch belonging to one of us had perished and let in some moisture. In Britain it would have cost between £10-£30 to rectify and may have been uneconomic. Here it took 30 minutes and Rs 75/- (£0.95 $1.50). Understandably, some expressions of delight were observed. We had a quick lunch at a vegetarian restaurant, with double cheese pizza, one masala paper dosa, one masala dosa, a plate of panipuri and two freshly pressed pineapple juices. The cost for three of us came about Rs 300/- ( £3.75 $6.00). Adjacent was the famous Birla Planetarium. We were just in time for the English show at 1:30. Just as well, since the next show in English was scheduled for 6:30 pm by which time we had returned to our apartment. It was truly now or never. The show was good, the English commentary less so. But at least it could be followed, albeit not without difficulty. The huge and magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral was next. It is very much worth visiting. Superb gardens, magnificent lofty Gothic arches, luxurius seats (by Church standards). Adjacent was the Victoria Memorial. Ditto. It is also very much worth visiting. Obviously to young courting couples who are temporarily oblivious to its extensive and superb gardens. The beautiful building is in white marble and contains a truly impressive collection of original oil paintings showing India in times gone by. Cannons captured in the Battle of Plassey are maintained with loving care and prominently displayed in the corridors. The view from the upstairs gallery is stunning, to say the least. The entrance fee is Rs 10/- for locals and Rs150/- for foreigners. Considering the importance of the attraction and its contents, it seems a most reasonable charge. Outside the gates were plying several highly decorated (one even illuminated) horse drawn carriages, operated by local entrepreneurs. Some visitors availed of their services. We didn't. Took the taxi back at a cost of about Rs 80/- (£1 or $1.60). Rest and peace at last, at least for the day. Regards. Prashna |
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Post by beth on Jan 7, 2012 2:55:39 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing your day with us, Prashna.
Sounds spectacular. All that within a few blocks! Nice prices, too.
The Market must be similar to what we call a Mall.
Hopefully, you took a camera along for preserving the visuals which sound wonderful.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2012 19:05:11 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing your day with us, Prashna. Sounds spectacular. All that within a few blocks! Nice prices, too. The Market must be similar to what we call a Mall. Hopefully, you took a camera along for preserving the visuals which sound wonderful. Indeed, Beth. Mall it is, now. The markets that I mentioned simply continue the old name 'market' of the time-honoured markets that I used to go as a child. Ordinary Kolkatans still do, for their everyday groceries, fresh vegetables and the inevitable fresh fish. The AC Market is a newbie, relatively speaking. It's only 20 years old or so. But the supermarkets that are springing up NOW, fully eqipped with escalators, western style public conveniences and drinking water fountains (a rarity and necessity in Kolkata) are named 'Malls'. I have already cited the South City Mall. There are others including the Mani Square Mall, featuring the IMAX cinema. Those are less than 5 years old. Yes, I have carried my trusty Panasonic TZ10 with the GPS turned on as needed. I have recorded in still and video at high resolution. Hopefully I shall be able to share some of those here. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 5 Jan : Today we visited a family friend's home in Kolkata who had lived in England for over 40 years. He has now returned to Kolkata to settle down in his large and luxurious family home. In England he was a Restaurateur and the meal at his home didn't disappoint. Starter was a fish fry with the delicious local fish called topse (about 5 inches long). First course was our favourite, a fried dish with the bitter vegetable, Karela. The Dal was mouthwatering as was the next fish course with the opulent local fish, Bhetki (rich in Omega-3 oils). We had chicken cokked to perfection. Then we had a chutney made with local Olives. Sweet and sour as I know and love; this was a dish to savour. Finally we had the Bengali sweet, Rasogollah, which sadly is not my favourite sweet. But the yoghurt accompanying it was heavenly. All in all, one of the best meals in this trip, bar none. He gave us alift back to our apartment in his car bought in Kolkata. Cars are now relatively cheap and affordable in India and ownership is rocketing in Kolkata and elsewhere. So is congestion on the streets. The journey back was through the picturesque Dhakuria Lake or Rabindra Sarobar, which is adjacent to our apartment. There were amateur cricket teams playing in the fields surrounding the lake. Cricket is very popular in India. As LL is undoubtedly aware, Sachin Tendulkar retired the other day after scoring 99 test centuries. Sadly the score on his last match was just one short of a century. He has been nominated at last for Bharat Ratna, India's highest honour! IMO and that of many, this was long overdue. But India's honours list did not allow sportspersons to be nominated, until now. On that note this post which is already overlong should close. Regards. Prashna |
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