Mumbai ..... Goodbye .....India

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Am waiting out the last hours of my splendid adventure in India.

Mumbai is the last stop. Arrived here very late Friday night...of course the train that was to arrive at old Goa did so one and a half hours late.
So the rest of the trip continued to be delayed.

The plan was to go by day so the Western Ghats could be admired until nightfall. Very little of the countryside was seen because the railbed had been cut through the hills and rough parts to keep it even....and I did not count the tunnels past ten!

Every now and again perfect square paddies could be seen lying in fallow, their rice grass having been cut off within ten cm of the ground. Each paddy was waiting for the generous water that comes during the monsoon....now everything was bone dusty and dry!

Once again the seats were in AS/3tier which means that on each plastic bench/cot sat six people facing each other for the more than 12hr trip. Everyone received a blanket, two sheets and the ever obiquitous foam pillow which it was best not to regard too closely for fear of seeing deteriorating foam rubber.

Once inside the pillow case it made a good backrest because the benches are straight up and down , un-adjustable, sticky and a poor excuse for a seat! I sat on my blanket and was reasonable comfortable during this long haul!

The space in AS/3tier was shared with the Goan state field hockey team on its way to Bihar to play a national tournament with representative teams from all the other Indian states. These are government employees, who have fifteen days off to go to Bihar...a 40hr train ride ... play for 6 days and then do the return trip. I wished them luck and much enjoyment.

One and/or all of them (11 in all) slept during the day. Only later did I discover that once they reached Mumbai they qwould wait all night at the Victoria Terminus and catch a morning train for the rest of their trip.

The train trip was pleasant except for the fact that little was seen of the countryside. Neat farms with double decker tile-roofed brick houses could be seen in clusters every now and again. Only once or twice was a smal village visible. Sometimes the road could be seen. Once a stream of children were coming out of a catholic school all heading down the road to unseen homes. At one point two small boys could bemade out amongst the rice stubble tqking a short-cut across the rice squares. All in all very few people were spotted during this day.

Of course the train stopped at every train station along the way and at each station scores of people waited to get on....which cars they occupied I know not but assume it was the chair or sleeper cars where people are crammed in to the point of overstuffedness!

This was the Mandovi Express out of Goa.
The railway staff was clad in uniforms, was efficient, took orders for snacks and lunch and diner and other men came constantly offering chai, coffee, soft drinks, samosas, sandwiches and of course betel-nut leaves filled with the red chewy stuff.

When I could no longer face the red wall of stone outside the train window I took down my knitting and made an attempt at finishing my second indian, yellow and mauve, sock. I did not get it done and finally at 23:30 the train dragged itself into the terminus.

In Mumbai the terminus was so crowded with people and burlap covered boxes, and luggages, and carts and porters and departing and arriving passengers that I had to make a video of the pushing and shoving the shouting and the calling, the leave-taking and the greeting, the hawking and the buying.

Only by pushing forcibly through the people was any progress made towards the exit. Pity the guy on crutches. First he was in the way and then he moved so slowly he was an impediment.

Finally past the push carts, past the people carrying huge bundles on their heads, passed the guy with crutches and the slow moving masses....and the word really applies to the number present on this arrival platform. Don't ask how many....suffice it to say one wrong step and you were either stepped on or stepping on someone!

And then this bluebottle-taxi driver gets into my face...Taxi Madame...Where you go?....Colabra Madame.?..This my taxi...Come with me ... he would not get lost ...I could not shake him ....I went for information at the station master... and no sooner was I near the taxis ...there he was again... I looked in other directions and each time there he was in front of me.... "Leave me alone to find my own taxi", had absolutely no effect!

When talking to another taxi driver there he was again .... a third driver said it would cost Rs250 ... "Forget It! From the station master I knew it was to be under Rs50 .... and suddenly I had three of these obnoxious pests buzzing me.... I was ready to swat!!!

Then I walked over to where there was a man in uniform and he put me in a government cab whose driver assured me he knew where the Benley's Hotel was...he only had to ask three people.... but he cost under Rs50!!!!

I was not in a good mood....and then I saw the Hotel ....
OH $*&)#@^&%.... The 'concierge could hardly pull his eyes away from the television screen... the second room was not ready... and then it had the bathroom down the hall.....THAT WAS IT ... I lost it... had to apologize to him in the morning... Got another room for myself across the street. Wendy stayed in the first room with bath inside the room Let someone else cope with 'toilet down the hall'

So the room across the street was a total postage stamp...not cleaned and bed not ready .... assured the man to leave the bed alone ...all I needed was to see him put the sheet on ... .... and then again the foam rubber pillow story.... I let the second man clean the bathrommm HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa ... a smalll rough broom, water, some kind of soap?, and swish swish swish and the toilet, sink, pail, pitcher, floor is cleaned from the last guest....YUKYUKYUK!

Never did sit on the toilet....did not use the pail or pitcher and washed the sink and all the knobs with soap before using them...disinfectant towelettes have long been used up! The wet wipes I bought her are not realy up to par...too thin. What a let down after the Afonso.

Spread my sleeping bag over a triple application of greying sheets that I put on the questionable mattress. Took out my cotton sleeping sheet/bag and that is how I slept. Folded back the drapes so the 'breeze' could not float them over me during the night.

The fan was so large and the room so small that the blades of the fan almost touched the four walls. Did not leave that on for too long...was afraid it would screw itself out of the ceiling!! And it was so loud I could not hear the TV or my radio when the TV was too uninteresting...was so tired not even the news grabbed my interest.

Have not had a need for malaria pills....thank providence... and have ignored anything that faintly resembled a mosquito.... slept in Goa with the window openand had no encounters and here in Mumbai slept with the window open too. The room was so small I had to leave the bathroom light on during the night...what if I walked into the furniture ...would have to shower all over again!

Finally at 01:00 I was in bed. Had to get ready for an early start... only two days for the list that originally was to take up 6 days. Eating in this rom was beyond imagination so by 08:00 was ready to scout out the Leopold Cafe ... on the list!

It was just around the corner... the capuccinoo machine was not working so lemon tea and toasted cheese ... no eggs or chicken ...this is Maharashtra State where poultry in the thousands have already been culled.... and lo and behold....Wendy asks for grilled chicken and the waiter comes back to say, "Sorry, no chicken today."

After tea and toast and the Saturday paper its off to the Gate of India... built as a facade of plaster of paris for the visit of King George V and Queen Mary but later built in stone in the 1920's.....welcoming the british as they approach Mumbai from the sea ..... and already the crowds are forming, taking pictures, being hassled by the hawkers and being tempted with ferry rides around the bay.

And one of the hawkers got me good!

Here is this man with an absolutly huge balloon, the kind you can ride in the water on a hot day in summer....and I think"Perfect"...the kids can play with this .... so I buy a package of ten .... Wendy takes a second and we get a bargain for Rs100.... once I walk away I realize the skunk has sold me a tiny balloon....I turn to look for him and the scoundrel has done a disappearing act...I did not give up ...I looked for him in more than one direction...he has done a bunk!!

I cannot trade the pack for even one big balloon...all the other hucksters want more rupees.... by now I am getting more than peeved and I decide to give the pack to the next street kid I see.

On the way to the Prince of Whales 😊 Museum I see a kid playing with a string and a plastic bag making like flying a kite.... I am about to hand him the pack and a second little guy darts in and grabs the pack and I grab the kid and get the pack back and I give it to the first kid.... Drama over and the museum is reached and the balloon scam forgotten.


The Museum for foreigners costs Rs300...nationals Rs20. The 300 include earphones with an excellent talking tour that covers over 35 objects in the Museum. Sadly the Marine section with the dhow was closed but I listened to the tape.

A wonderful selection of miniature paintings is derscribed.
The Tata's (a Parsi family that made it big and is now even bigger in India than can be imagined....their name is on trucks, busses, cars, telecom, housing, food, drinks...you name it and TATA owns it!) collection of snuff boxes is lauded.
A Japanese section is tremendously appreciated by the japanese tourists.
A sitting representation in bronze of the first big Tata is surrounded by his collection of European paintings...sorry no van Goghs, Monet, Serat, Michaelangelo, de Vinci, el Greco, Picasso et al.
A section on of prehistoric and anthropological interest is clearly explained and displayed in well lit cases.
Stone sculptures of the gods and godesses are fully expplained and made easy to understand.
The bronze lost wax method is repressented with work examples and beautiful renditions.
The Nepalese collection is worthy of at least two visits from the Dalai Lama himself.

And not only is the collection worth a lengthy visit, the actual building that houses the collection is a masterdful blend of english and indian architecture. There was no dissapointment in this visit!!

The Prince of Wales came to lay the corner stone in 1909. Work is continuing in the restoration and preservation of this edifice.

Lunch was had in a coffee shop at an art gallery ... the name will be edited in. Finally on this trip I ordered a russian salad... in Spain this is potato salad; here in Mumbai it is every veg from a can on hand plus pinapple pieces drowned in mayonnaise and served with a slice of buttered white bread cut in two, triangularly. It was very good and went well with lime-soda, no salt-no sugar.

Now it must be remembered that it is frightfully, unseasonably hot in Mumbai. There is ever a search for fans and A/C.

Across from the Gallery is the Sassoon Library, another highlight not to be missed. The 150 year old building is a little worse for wear; the books are a bit outdated but the ambience is worth the visit. Many people (35) were in the reading room working, reading current magazines or sleeping in the reclining chairs with especially long arms for the feet to rest upon that stand on the stone balcony with italian tile floors. This balcony faces the busy street below but remains an oasis of cool and quiet.

After the Sassoon Library its off down the street to see the other old english buildings like the High Court, the Bombay University, the Flora Fountain, and the Police Station.

From the fountain looking towards the east, water can be discerned. So its off down this street and a happy bump into Gaylord's, a coffee shop, restauant and bakery. A/C only if buying lunch so its under the fan in the street cafe. The capuccino machine works here. After an hour long sojourn with coffee and chocolate-mouse cake its a walk towards Marine Drive.

While in the bakery getting my piece of cake a mother was buying six pices of cake and a small whole birthday cake with inscription. She paid a total of Rs365. I paid Rs35 for my piece of cake. It tasted lovely and I licked the little spoon clean! First cake on this trip.

The walk along Marine Drive was too admire the sea side and to search for th tourist info office. There are no buildings obscuring the view of the water/bay. Too bad Toronto did not plan as well!! The walk along the water is leisurely, with a lot of traffic and joggers in the morning and walkers in the evening.

Once the tourist office has been found it is neccessary to go to a second place...right beside Gate of India.... where the day had started.
The search was on for a tour of the city for next day. The man in the first office told me the bus was on the left... he did not call it the bus end station.

Walked right past the busses; asked a second man who pointed backwards to a bus stop ...I am looking for #61..... decided on my own this cannot be right.....walk forward...come to a road and see a 61 bus come and head down the street... ask a third man...he points to the other side of a round parkette with a statue standing in it...Nehru... and the walk with him brings me to the bus stand.... and I can see the tourist office where I have come from... now the search for #61.... all the numbers are in Hindi script, on the bus and at the bus stops.... help from a fourth man and the wait begins...I figure one 61 just left ... give it time to return ... and it does and the conductor things its funny that I am paying Rs4 for a ride I could walk .... but it is darn hot!and I am dripping and the backside of my clothes are drenched!!

A short ride later and the tourist outlet is found and arrangements are made for an hour long evening bus ride with a guide and 34 others RS130and a private A/C car with driver and guide for next day Rs 800.

A small snack in a very loud bar and a bit of shopping from street vendors and the time fast approaches for the evening excursion through the heritage buildings of Mumbai.

Surprise...it is most of the buildings passed during the day. But it is pretty and listening to the guide is worth it.

A wander back to the hotel and a second

SURPRISE

.... in the bathroomas I turn the light on the biggest cockroach since Tanzania!!!!
If it was not a roach I want to know what it was.... I spalshed it....too big and fast to kill with my small piece of paper .... and I have been visiting Jain temples....they who wear mask so as not too inhale germs...am I thinking of joining? if it has to do with eliminating germs from my system it is a thought......

So of course all night long I imagined the......RETURN OF THE ROACH....
This night I closed the windows and I slept inside my sleeping sheet/bag. I only heard one mosquito ....left the light on again .... and got up often to check the walls....did I mention there was mold all up one corner of the room...sorry ..... forgot to take a picture.

The day was spent having an absolutely luxurious buffet breakfast at the Taj Hotel....Rs750 and well worth it!!!!!!!!!!! ....the tour in the the A/C car...and on the local bus taking a Rs22 tour of part of the city with the conductor shaking his head at the tourist going for the long ride. Took lots of pictures and will describe the day later.

Eight hours to take off. Have to return to the Bentley's Hotel to get my back pack, have dinner, go by taxi to the airport ( 37km in 90min? for Rs350) and wait wait wait!!

....to be continued to the end of this last day in India!

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