Day 14: Mumbai
Mumbai used to be called Bombay and it is the financial center for India and its wealthiest city. It has a population of 22 million people and there were times when we really felt that press of humanity.
Our tour here was titled, Mumbai on the Move and our first stop was too cool. The Gandhi Museum is the home where the non-violent visionary lived and used for his base from 1917 to 1934. It was amazing to see this place where such a giant of a man lived. I couldn’t help but be humbled when I saw his spinning wheel and simple mattress on the floor.
We then headed over to the Gateway of India which was built to honor a visit from King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. Next to the Gateway is the famous Taj Hotel which was the site of a terrorist mass shooting in 2008.
Next, we stopped for a photo shoot at the expansive Victoria Railway Station, then went to Churchgate Railway Station to witness the lunch box suppliers. Wives and mothers make lunches which are then picked up and delivered to the right person at their place of business by lunch time. The containers are then returned home each afternoon.
We took the train from there to the Mahalaxmi Station where we saw the Dhobi Ghat laundry. Here, laundry is brought in from all over Mumbai, washed, and returned the next day to its owners.
We still had 5 hours after our tour before the ship was due to sail so Lynda and I had booked a private food tour through Viator during our pre-trip planning. Of course, the ship moved our all-aboard time up ½ an hour, so we were going to be cutting it close. Again. Friends, Lauren and Bob, decided to join us on this tour and that worked out great as it was just the four of us. Anthony was our guide and we told him we would need to be back at 6:30. No problem.
We first went to the beach and got some items at a food stall. We sat on grass mats, ate pani puri along with some other stuff I can't remember the name of, drank delicious chai, and then walked it off with a stroll on the beach.
Next, Anthony walked us through the Muslim area to another food vendor. That walk was the craziest, most fun walk ever. The streets were so crowded, horns were honking, and pedestrians, cows, carts, and vehicles alike shared the same space in the middle of the street. There were even people selling their wares in the street! We finally got to the next food place at 6:25! We ate some more stuff that I again have no idea what it was, and started walking back to catch a ride. Only 10 minutes before we were scheduled to be back on the ship, we were still walking through the busy streets with no ride in site. We were due back on board at 7:00pm and somehow we boarded at 7:00pm exactly. I still don't know how we did it, but I'm pretty sure Anthony told our taxi driver we were in a rush and my guess he offered him a good tip if he got us back in time, because he almost ran over a bunch of people on the way.
Mumbai was a great city and such a fun stop. It’s crowded with crazy traffic, but so interesting with its mix of English and Indian cultures. We have another stretch of sea days as we leave Asia and move into the Middle East. I can’t wait!
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