Our journey in India continues. I definitely am getting a sense that our time here is too short, and hope we can come back at some point. Physically I think my body is tired… my cold is back despite the nice weather. I think the overnight travels and shifting between cold nights in A/C and hot days no A/C does not help.
Our stay in Mumbai was fantastic. We stayed with friends of friends whom we had met previously and received royal treatment. Simple things such as conversations over meals, breakfast in a home and no concerns about hot water or drinking water were all a welcome relief. Also having someone who knows which restaurants are good and safe is also great. We had the most amazing meal of seafood one night– huge crab (one fed four of us!) roasted in garlic and some other sauce, prawns, fish… all seasoned in wonderful Indian fashion. Heavenly!!! We also had good Dosas, a pancake like thing, with fillings like potatos, spices and chutneys, also excellent. It is understandable why Indian spices have been in such demand throughout history. Ken and Marina had arranged a concert of famous Tabla player Zakir Hussein with two other well known precussionists. The Tabla is similar to a drum. It was amazing. The diversity of sounds, notes, and rythmns and the many ways in which he used his hands and drums to create these sounds was awe-inspiring.
Our hosts were also excellent tour guides of the city. I was able to do a little bit of shopping. There are many beautiful things and my eyes are bigger than both my wallet and suitcase. So I limit myself (I guess the skeptical expression on Peter’s face helps too). Other than shopping we got a tour of the town. Mumbai has a very different feel than Delhi. The lack of Rickshaws (they are not allowed in the city), the impact of the old British buildings, and the buildings in "Mumbai Gothic" give the downtown area quite a luxurious appearance. The road along the coast reminded me a bit of certain sections of LA, with the beach, palms, and promenade on one side, and bright, big buildings and hotels on the other. The Colaba area was very cosy… a mixture of fancy restaurants and shops, with street vendors, and stores. We went to a Bollywood movie – and even despite any english subtitles was able to follow the drama – tears, songs, and fights.
We also stopped and looked at the Dobi Ghat (washer area). Standing on a bridge you could see identical rows of cement cubicles in which the laundry of the city is being done. Washers, almost all of them men and from what we understand from a special caste, dunk, scrub, and slam clothing against sections of wall all in the name of cleaning. No space is left unused - poles precariously balance on the cement sides of the tubs, holding the rows of clothing above the washing below. Also above the roofs you see rows of shirts hanging to dry - collected in groups of colors – all white here, kaki there, green here, etc. Since we were there at the end of the day, we also witnessed the washers festidiously cleaning themselves, submerging fully in the bins where the clothes had been cleaned earlier in the day and scrubbing all areas of the body.
The slums were another expereince. The smell at times is almost unbearable and we did not even have the windows open. Land being at a premium, people have claimed spaces for themselves with cloth/tarps, cardboard and corrugated tin. Along certain streets there are rows of small one-room "buildings" (although their stablity and permenancy looks questionable). Even these are colourful – blue and turquoise seem to predominate. But you see people in various stages of cleanliness, and engaging in toiletries on the street. Trash lines the streets, and when there is a break in the buildings there are dogs, or other animals routing in piles of trash. People walk, sit or work among this all unphased by the smell and sights. Again India presents everything for you to see.
From Mombai we left feeling there was more to do, as well as people to see. We caught a sleeper bus down to Goa. Very interesting contraption of mattress compartments above reclining seats. We had reserved a bed, but had difficult sleeping – slipping and slidding around with each turn as the bus drove through the night. The night was clear, and at our bathroom stops (no toilet on the bus) the stars were bright in the dark sky.
From the sleeper bus, we caught a local bus to a small town on Palolem Beach - supposedly one of the less touristy of the beaches. It is a long beach, that curves around a bay. The beach is wide and clean. Yesterday, we enjoyed walking along the beach watching others. Tourists playing volleyball, Indians playing cricket – requiring occasional forays into into the water for the ball, little kids playing near families in the sand, boats returning to be pulled up on the sand, and other tourists walking around. It was a nice blend of foreign tourists and Indian (some also tourists) and not overly developed in concrete. Most of the housing consists of bamboo huts. We are staying in a bamboo hut on stilts, reached by a small ladder. It has "breathable walls" half made of woven mats, and the other half curtains hanging in front of bamboo bars, straw mats on the floor inside, and a small porch with chairs on the front. The whole hut shakes a bit when you walk around in it. We were surprised how cold it was at night, and actually had to layer up under the mosquito netting. Waking up to the sound of the waves was and step out into the sun was wonderful!
Well with that said… I need to go and take advantage of the sea and sun, and go for another swim. Hope you are all well. Thanks for the return e-mails. Sorry I have not been able to reply personally.
Love Trish and Peter