Party Kolkata

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Party Kolkata.

I was not looking forward to staying four days in the big Indian city. I have already stayed 3 days in Delhi... and it was 3 days too long there. I was told that Kolkata is poorer than Delhi, so I was not expecting to enjoy it at all.

Luckily in Ladakh I met Kamil who was motorbiking around, and he was doing long term internship in Kolkata. He invited me to stay at his place if I would be in Kolkata. He lives in AIESEC student shared flat with people from all over the world who come to Kolkata for the short time internship. Those students spend most of their free time parting together. I spent in Kolkata four nights and three nights were for sure the most party evening in India for me. Kamil, thanks for hosting me.


The only Kolkata-party free evening we watched a Bollywood movie: 3 Idiots. Initially I was not too enthusiastic about the movie, since from the title I expected a stupid comedy, but after few moments I started liking the movie a lot, and the final half an hour I loved a lot since it took place in green Manali and breathtaking Ladakh - the places that I visited during my travel. If you ever want to watch nice movie, where from time to time people are suddenly dancing, go and watch 3 Idiots.

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Marble Palace.

Generally I liked Kolkata much more than Delhi. Well, in both cities the life-threatening experience was to cross the road, but in Kolkata somehow everything was a bit nicer and a bit more organized. All over the city there were beautiful yellow Ambasador taxis driving, and there was an functional public transport. There was also one building that I enjoyed much more than Taj Mahal. Marble Palace is a beautiful mansion built by Bengali merchant in XIX century who was an art lover. Nowadays the mansion still belongs to his family and theoretically one needs a special permission in order to visit Marble Palace. Apparently there is a lot of hustle to get this permission, which can be avoided by a small tip at the entrance and for the guide. Great pity is that one could not take photos outside the building or inside.... The building is filled with art pieces: Greek style sculptures, paintings, Victorians furniture. Some of them were real masterpieces and I was told by the guide that there are two Rubens' paintings. When I was inside I did not have a feeling that I am in the museum. It was more like walking around the house of an old art freak.