Adra Station

This post is dedicated to my twin brothers Ron and Don. As children, they loved everything about Indian Railways. There were a few things in this connection that seemed especially dear to their hearts, and the Adra Railway Station was one such source of joy.

Last week, while we were in Kolkata, we took an overnight train from Calcutta's Howrah Station to Adra on Thursday night--leaving Howrah at about 11 pm, and arriving in Adra right on time at about 5:30 in the morning. We made an extra effort to travell on one of the few remaining trains on Indian Railways that still offers "First Class" accommodation. We were delighted to score a coupe, or two-berth compartment. 

The slide show below is mostly a loving early morning look at the Adra Railway Station. There are a few late night shots taken in Howrah Station at the beginning.

Broadway Hotel - An Old Calcutta Gem in the Heart of Kolkata

We've just spent a week at the Broadway Hotel. It is situated in the very heart of downtown Kolkata, less than a 15 minute walk from just about everywhere. If one does need to venture a little further, the Chandni Chowk station of the efficient Kolkata Metro line is literally across the street. 

The Broadway was built in 1937, and offers numerous touches of old world charm and attentive service. This has added greatly to the enjoyment of a week in Kolkata that has gone by much too quickly. The hotel isn't air conditioned, and the hot water has to be carried into the bathrooms by bucket; but neither of these realities have been problematic. Ceilings are high with great old ceiling fans, and the bathrooms are clean and more than spacious enough for wonderful bucket baths! At just Rs. 875 (US$14) per night, the price hasn't been hard to take either.

Here's a slideshow that shares a little of our delightful Broadway experience, and what we consider a real "find" in the heart of Kolkata.

Calcutta the Beautiful!

 

Calcutta has become Kolkata, but it is still the same amazing city I called home as a boy. We're back for our first visit in many years, and I'm prouder than ever to be from Calcutta/Kolkata! Lynn and I arrived by train at Howrah Station on Monday morning, and we're staying in very the heart of the city at the Broadway Hotel.

I sometimes think Calcutta has suffered from an excess of bad publicity. It's true that too much of the city has always been crumbling. It's also true that it is never difficult to find vivid examples of gut wrenching poverty in this metropolis of nearly 5 million souls. But there are aspects of Kolkata that are highlighted less frequently. In this post, I want to share just a little of the architectural beauty and grandeur of Calcutta's downtown core.

After breakfast on Monday morning, and again yesterday morning, Lynn and I set out on walks from the Broadway. The slide show below includes only pictures taken on these two walks. The images illustrate the great architectural beauty of Kolkata, and these just scratch the surface of what might be shared. There's no Victoria Memorial, neither of the great bridges that span the Hooghly River, no Marble Palace, none of the temples, and only one of the churches. There is so very much more! All you see in the pictures here are buildings and streets that lie within a 15 minute walk of our hotel.