Mumbai

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After Goa, we headed to Mumbai. I loved this city. Our hotel was right near the water off the famous strip, Marine Drive. There was so much to do there ... ancient cave sculpture, amazing architecture, temples, museums, great food .... I was really impressed, and could have spent weeks in Mumbai without getting bored. The only drawback was the terrible traffic, and risking your life everytime you had to cross the street!

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Photos

Gateway to India
Our first day in Mumbai, we took a ferry out to Elephanta Island. This is the view of the gateway to India (where the British staged thier final departure from the country.)

Welcome to Elephanta
A cow :) welcoming us to Elephanta Island, which houses interesting hindu cave sculptures

Elephanta
Many of the sculptures inside the caves were destroyed by the Portuguese (using them as target practice ?!!) This one is the very damaged, god Shiva holding a club. The major attraction, the 3 faces of Shiva, is beautiful, but it was too dark to get a good picture!

Haji Ali mausoleum
On the way to an important muslim pilgrimage site.

Lakshmi temple
Going to this temple was one of my highlights of the entire trip. Lakshmi is the goddess of beauty and prosperity, one of Mumbai's favorite dieties. We walked up a narrow alley way towards the temple, lined with flowers, incense, garlands, and other puja offerings.

Offerings to Lakshmi
Here Kirsten is holding our puja offerings to the goddess. After standing in line, we quickly leave our offerings with a priest who blesses us, and gives us back other flowers and treats presumably for our own little temple and goddess statue at home.

Sacred cow
Here I am feeding the sacred calf outside of the temple (another offering.) Maybe she was getting a lot of 'offerings' because she didn't seem very interested in my grass!

Churchgate trainstation
Huge trainstation near our hotel

Is that ketchup?
The street dogs loved us, especially Kirsten :)! This one had funny red gook on his forehead we first thought was blood, then ketchup, then medicine?? Anyway, this one was as picky as the sacred calf because he didn't want to eat the chikki (local sweet) Kirsten offered him.

Cricket
Caught a glimpse of a cricket match in downtown Mumbai

Eating pan!!
Yes, those are some serious handlebar moustaches! Thats what got us over to their booth, where they talked me into trying their pan. Pan is basically a pouch made of a leaf, with tobacco, sugar, and spices inside. You put it into your cheek and slowly chew on it (like chewing tobacco.) Yes it was gross, and I spit it out as soon as I was a respectful distance from these crazy guys!

Amiga eats fondalla
'Amiga' Kirsten's sisters' class mascot traveled with us also enjoyed the trip. Here he is testing the tasty street food at Chowpatty beach. This desert was a bit interesting ... ice cream on top of noodles.

Prince of Whales Museum
A pretty good museum now renamed, the tongue-twister, Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum.