Mumbai was a predictably overwhelming city that assaulted you from every direction but yet it was unexpectedly endearing. We flew in from Goa and, when we got below the line of smog, had an eye-opening view of the vast patchwork of slums that bordered the airport (think Slumdog Millionaire). We opted to keep our lungs clear for as long as we could and got an AC taxi for the one and a half hour trip to our hotel. Once we found our hotel after several trips around the neighborhood, we dumped our bags and headed downtown with the idea that we would go have a drink at the Taj hotel (the only thing we could afford to do there). Unfortunately our plan for a posh cocktail was thwarted by an official visit by the German chancellor which resulted in the hotel being surrounded by a multitude of armed officers and us going to a local dive bar instead. Oh well. We then headed back to our hotel for a much needed good night’s sleep but alas, it wasn’t to be. Our room happened to be across from the reception desk where the phone rang at all hours of the night which, accompanied by many a loud conversation, made sleep an impossibility and resulted in us checking out promptly the next morning. Luckily we found another hotel in the area that was infinitely more comfortable and were able to venture out into the crazy city knowing we had a refuge to come home to. We spent the day exploring the city on foot. With its somewhat notorious reputation, we were amazed to find the city relatively clean, walkable and full of grand old buildings. Of course the word “relatively” is noteworthy.
The central train station was one such building...
The inside of the train station...thankfully we only went inside for a sticky beak we didn't actually need to catch a train which probably would have proven confusing and difficult!
We weren't able to go inside the University of Mumbai but from the street we could see a beautiful sprawling campus that could have been mistaken for a college in New England.
The streets were filled with street vendor after street vendor. Unfortunately my recent stomach ailments confined me to just being a spectator.
One street we walked down was bizarrely lined with men sitting at typewriters typing up various documents for a constant flow of customers.
For me, one of the highlights of this day was stumbling across the Bombay Paperie. The store was full of handmade, block printed paper that employed previously unemployed villagers and helped revive a practice that had been made nearly obsolete by cheaper silk screen techniques.
As you can see, I was in heaven!
The next day we decided to check out a group of bazaars on the outskirts of the city. It had a decidedly different feel to central Mumbai which wasn't necessarily a good thing. We had planned to do a little shopping but the sheer magnitude of the crowds and the energy that it took to navigate them left us with little wherewithal to actually buy anything.
And for the first time since we arrived in Mumbai, we felt a little uncomfortable and out of place...perhaps this helps illustrate that feeling.
I usually relish the energy that bustling markets radiate but this experience pushed me beyond my threshold and I was only too happy to take refuge in a AC'd restaurant and indulge in Indian sweets.
After a little reprieve, we ventured back out to the fruit and veg market before heading home.
