Friday . Bhubaneswar was not really part of our plan for this trip but the need to change trains and the fact that the onward train only runs on 4 days per week put it on the list. We picked the Hotel Excellency off Booking.com and it turned out to be just fine. As already mentioned easy walking distance from the station, it is a modern place with all of the usual facilities.
More in hope than expectation we checked in at 9.30 a.m. and were in our room within 10 minutes. Apart from the view (another building 5 yards away) it had all we could want. We showered off the train grime and discovered that we vould still make breakfast , a full buffet with tea and toast freshly made. R had not slept too well on the train so opted for a few zzzs while D got on line to bring things up to date.
Three hours later R awoke refreshed. The city is famous for its temples but we opted for the Tribal Museum on the outskirts. As we exit the front gates of the hotel we are approached by an auto walla. He asks where to and on being told offers to take us for Rs 70. For a trip of about 6km this sounds like a fair price. Two minutes later we pull up outside the State Museum, of which Lonely Planet says "Odisha's best collection of rare palm leaf manuscripts" Hmmmm. We get the message through that this is the wrong museum and our man consults a passer by. A renegotiation occurs and the price is now Rs 150 which is more likely. On the way the driver deftly skirts some 'Road Closed' barriers and makes use of an otherwise deserted flyover.
The Museum of Tribal Arts & Artefacts is set in extensive gardens and guarded by a man with a book who requires writing to be placed in many columns. An application for an Indian visa requires less information.
The museum itself consists of a small reception building and five exhibition halls around a courtyard. There is a strict ban on photography inside and the policing of this was thorough. We can only offer one view of what it was like. In each hall a young lady greeted and guided us around the exhibits which ranged from items of dress and jewellery, through musical instruments to hunting, fishing and farming implements. It is the best laid out museum that we have seen in India.
Oh! And did we say it was FREE! Without anybody angling for tips. R's only disappointment was the lack of a gift shop selling postcards. In fairness we probably enjoyed the place more because it explained some of the things that we had seen over the previous few days. The Museum suggest that you go there first then visit the Tribal Areas. We disagree. After a walk around the museum grounds we stroll up to the nearest crossroads where there is a cluster of autos we are offered a fare of 100 for the return trip. It's Friday afternoon, who's arguing? We have a quick look for a possible dining spot for later then retire to the hotel bar for a quick libation to celebrate the end of the week.
We found a couple of recommended restaurants listed in LP so we took a short walk across the Station Square. The first one that we tried was quite busy but they had room for us and we enjoyed tandoori chicken, lemon rice, dal, butter naan and raita for less than £6. Very good it was too. As we ate the place continued to fill up. If you find yourself in BBS we can recommend Tangerine 9. No beers though.
Afterwards we took a promenade along one of the main shopping streets. We stopped to browse in a Wildcraft store, India's equivalent of Graham Tiso's. R decided that she could not live without a new camera case so we left Rs 395 poorer. Back at the hotel there was 25th anniversary party going full belt on the porch roof but the noise ended at about 11 p.m.
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