Good Bay

Namaste.

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay meaning good bay by the Portugese, was the first place I set foot in India. After all the stories I've heard, it was great to finally experience it myself.



Though the sky remains blue, the city is covered by a layer of dust and pollution partly because of the dry weather and heat. A day out to the city reminded me somewhat of going about Pasar Seni-Chinatown area in mini busses in older KL - hot, dusty and the occasional whift of amonia from someone's road-side pee.

All that said, it's part of the Mumbai experience and I would definitely do it again.



One of the most intriguing things about India - the vast difference between the levels of society. There seems to be an Upper Class and Lower Class, not one in the middle. Above is a picture of InterContinential The Grand Hotel where I stayed. Everything was five-star. Below is a picture of what surrounded the hotel - squaters living in the slumps.




Public Transportation

Several modes of transportation:

• By foot - not recommended by the Concierge in fear that I may turn out as tan as they are. There are also no proper five-foot way for paedestrians and roadways are very dusty.


• By tuk tuk - looked to me like a modified scooter. It is a fun ride, if you like the thrill of being in downtown traffic in a trishaw.


• By taxi - less bumpy and less dusty than the tuk tuk, but same on the heat-o-metre. Most of them go without air conditioning. Interesting observation: they turn the engine off at traffic light stops and restart them when it's time to go.


• By train - the fastest way to travel long distance. Air flow in the trains are produced by fans mounted on the ceiling. More on trains below.

One can literally hop on and off the trains. They lack doors and air conditioning, so many daring men hang by the pole at the doorway (ala bas mini style) to get "fresh" air.



It's important to note, since now I know, that trains in Mumbai have different carriages for the two genders. There are those just for women, those for men only and those for families (mixed gender). I learned this the embarassing way.

On my journey from Andheri to Churchgate, I was in a carriage all full of men and happily assumed that they were looking at me because I was the only yellow skin around. It was only on my return journey, when I was in a carriage full of women, that I realised there were different carriages for the two genders!

Andheri (near the hotel and the airport) to Churchgate (city centre) costs only INR8 on regular class. First Class costs an additional INR60. The ride on the train that stops at only main stations takes less than half and hour. My return journey from Churchgate took longer because trains departing there stop at all stations.


Food



Lunch was at Khyber, a popular up-market restaurant in the city, just walking distance from Churchgate station and Gateway of India. Unlike Malaysia, the good stuff are in expensive places in Mumbai, not road-side stalls. I had cottage cheese, lamb, mixed vege, garlic naan and mango lassi. Mm mm!




Malai Kulfi (front) for my sweet tooth. It is an Indian ice-cream that is heavy on milk. It's texture is smooth and heavy like gelato (not light and fluffy) and it tastes like masala tea.


The Sights



The Gateway of India. A structure built by the waterfront of South Mumbai to commemorate the arrival of British royalty to India. Here, several touts approached me including a swami who wanted to "bless" me and a persistent taxi man insisting on being my tour guide.




Opposite the Gateway of India is the Taj Mahal InterContinental Hotel (left), one of the grandest in Mumbai.




The Jehangir Art Galley is currently featuring four local artistes in an exhibition entitled "Rush".



There are several buildings that are clearly the British's trademark on the city. The Victorian architecture, once again, is something to admire. More so amidst shacks and slumps. This picture is of the Univeristy of Mumbai.

I paid a visit to the very old, but very functional Secretariat Post Office, which is located near the City Civil and Sessions Courts, to buy stamps. Postcards anywhere outside India are INR8. The General Post Office is in another magnificent colonial building, which I hope to capture on my next visit.





Anywhere, but more so in developing countries (and those with high poverty), foreigners must be extra vigilant in money handling. On three separate occassions, I was almost short changed and hotels are not exempted from this behaviour.