Here are a couple pictures from yesterday.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Ok, so I finally have a chance to take a crack at this blog. First of all, it is hot and crowded over here, but not as overwhelming as I was afraid it might be. Bombay seems to feel about the same as Corpus Christi on a hot summer day. Its on the ocean, so we do get a little breeze. Much like we do at home. It’s only April though. They assure me that the temperatures around Dehli and the Taj Majal will be oppressive.
Yesterday was the first time that we were able to get our hands on some Indian currency. Not that we really needed any. Phil’s old friend Koshi has been taking care of our needs, but like Phil told him: “it feels like we’re with dad,” having someone buying us cokes and mango drinks. You see, we didn’t exchange money at the airport, and had a little trouble finding a working ATM. We did pass a few in the car, but with the traffic situation the way it is here, it’s not so easy to just stop anywhere.
Koshi drove us thought the slums of Bombay. According to him, they are largest slums in all of Asia. It was like you might imagine, or maybe worse: straight out of a TV commercial for Save the Children or Christian Children’s fund. Supposedly, this is where they filmed some of the Slumdog Millionaire movie. In case you’re wondering. No I still haven’t seen the movie. Can’t wait to get my feet on the ground today, but I’m glad that it won’t be there. It’s just too sad; way too sad.
Yesterday was the first time that we were able to get our hands on some Indian currency. Not that we really needed any. Phil’s old friend Koshi has been taking care of our needs, but like Phil told him: “it feels like we’re with dad,” having someone buying us cokes and mango drinks. You see, we didn’t exchange money at the airport, and had a little trouble finding a working ATM. We did pass a few in the car, but with the traffic situation the way it is here, it’s not so easy to just stop anywhere.
Koshi drove us thought the slums of Bombay. According to him, they are largest slums in all of Asia. It was like you might imagine, or maybe worse: straight out of a TV commercial for Save the Children or Christian Children’s fund. Supposedly, this is where they filmed some of the Slumdog Millionaire movie. In case you’re wondering. No I still haven’t seen the movie. Can’t wait to get my feet on the ground today, but I’m glad that it won’t be there. It’s just too sad; way too sad.
By the way, the little girl in the above photo was not from the slums.
The Endless Car Ride
Yesterday was our first full day together as a foursome. We had a brunch at 1030 at Koshy’s house, Kumari made a delicious South Indian dish which James says is the best food he has had so far. We packed all our stuff into the SUV and headed on a sight seeing tour on our way to Colaba which is way down on the southern part of Bombay. Traffic was horrible, horrible, horrible, I don’t know how people do it every day. A 2 mile distance takes about an hour. If our vehicle didn’t have A/C, the pollution of diesel and gas fumes would have given me the biggest headache. Fortunately, we did have A/C and kept the windows closed. We went to a couple old places we used to live as kids, one in Chembur and one in Malabar Hill. The place in Chembur was torn down and a high rise apartment building was going up. The other place was just as I remember it from 35 years ago, except a lot more people and activity going on. We went to the “Hanging Gardens” which is a city park built on a huge cement water storage tank that supplies the southern part of Bombay with water. James bought some postcards form a vendor after we bartered him down from 250 ruppees to 100 for the pack. Then it was back in the vehicle and onto the YMCA. We spent about 6 hours on the trip but it felt like 12 hours after fighting all the traffic! (and I wasn’t even driving!) We checked into the YMCA at 1815 hrs after leaving Koshy’s at noon!
We went to the Taj Hotel to look around and had a cup of tea there. That’s the same hotel where the big attack was last year. That part of the hotel is still under repairs. Security was pretty tight and we had to go through 2 metal detectors to get into the hotel. From there it was onto an old friend’s for supper at 2000 hrs and then back to the Y around 2230.
James is currently asleep on his bed, I’m outa here and will fill in more tomorrow.
We went to the Taj Hotel to look around and had a cup of tea there. That’s the same hotel where the big attack was last year. That part of the hotel is still under repairs. Security was pretty tight and we had to go through 2 metal detectors to get into the hotel. From there it was onto an old friend’s for supper at 2000 hrs and then back to the Y around 2230.
James is currently asleep on his bed, I’m outa here and will fill in more tomorrow.
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