Mumbai weekend

It would be hard to imagine a vacation more different from a week in the Maldives than a weekend in Mumbai.  But if the Maldives was absolutely and amazingly perfect, our Saturday wandering through Mumbai may have been our best day in India so far.  With nearly two-and-a-half times as many people as in Bangalore, crammed into an area almost 150 sq km smaller than Bangalore, it will be hard to believe but (southern) Mumbai felt more open than Bangalore - we were able, in a way that would never be possible here, to simply stroll through the city for a whole day, shopping for "junk", as Andi's co-workers told us we were supped to do in Mumbai, people watching in parks and busy street corners, stepping into a great little restaurant for lunch, and generally and simply enjoying a great day being together in a new city ... with 20 million of our closest friends.

Our day started at the stunning Gateway of India, built to commemorate the 1911 visit of King George V (although it was only completed in 1924) and used as the departure point for the last British regiment to leave India in 1948.

 

 Getting a Diwali blessing

  Tour boats docked next to the Gateway

After the Gateway, we made our way up the streets of Mumbai.  When Andi's co-workers told her we needed to shop for "junk" in Mumbai, they meant it as a term of affection; the streets of southern Mumbai resemble a giant swap meet, filled with hundreds of stands selling knock-off RayBans, costume jewelery, cheap clothes and lots of CK underwear, tons of books, some really quite good art, and anything and everything else you can imagine.

Illegal vendors packing up as rumors of police travel down the street

  

After resisting the temptation to buy buy buy, we ducked out of the busyness into the cool quiet of St. Thomas Cathedral, the oldest English building in Mumbai (completed in 1718).

One of the highlights of the day followed as we found - in spite of our directional difficulties - the stunning ramschakled beauty of the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue.

 

 

 The "Famous Madonna" visiting the Synagogue

After a quick and tasty lunch, it was back out onto the city streets, being awed by the classic Bombay architecture and enjoying the fine taste of India's first Starbucks!

 

Well, it is still India

Bombay University clocktower

"Mosquito Proof Well"

Properly caffeinated, our wandering ended with a quick pass by the Flora Fountain, back down through the Gateway plaza, and over to the Taj Palace Hotel for cocktails by the pool.

We have no idea what this was, but there were about a million people selling these giant balloons; and what is really strange is that they were trying to sell them to adults, not the kids.  Very weird.

Crazy amazing horse drawn carriages waiting outside the Gateway plaza

Taj Palace, home sweet home

Taj Palace pool courtyard

"Put the camera away; I'm trying to read and enjoy my drink!"

 
It was, all in all, a perfect day.