Well, the Lords are not looking too kindly on us, and the rains are not stopping. Lina continues to pray, but then maybe Samir had a point. A "Monsoon Wedding" seems to have enough charm, they made a movie not too long ago on the subject.
Of course the rains are making matters difficult for everyone. The hairdresser who is coming over to the hotel to coiff the ladies' hairs is running late. Family members driving in from out of town are running late.
And I wanted to walk the Slums around the hotel. "Slums? What Slums?", asks Samir, "There's no slums here".
So what do you suppose the dirt roads out there are? A middle class neighborhood?
We had come back last night scratching our heads on the meaning of the Ganpati festival that had Mumbai erupting in street festivals. And here, tucked away between the vegetable stands was a small Hindu Temple, with a cow blessing passers-by. I felt like petting the cow, but then how would that come across?
Ganesh Shetty seemed entertained with two random strangers clicking away at Sacre Vaches, and what not, and took the opportunity to fill us in on tales from the Mahabharata.
Two lost white people interrupt the story-telling, and ask me to join them to the side. It seems they have had it with the locals. "How do we get to Colaba". The name sounds familiar from yesterday's travels. It's a district in Mumbai. "Well I don't know, I'm a tourist just like you". They seem frustrated. Bag-packers. What the hell brought them to this little strip of dirt in the outskirts of Mumbai, I wonder.
"The bus won't let us in since we are carrying bagpacks, what sort of $%$ is that. We don't believe him".
Why don't you take the Rickshaw then? To the train station. I called Ganesh over, and explained the plight of the fellow travellers. He assures them they can get to Mumbai from this location for 50 rupees (that's $1), and the bus should have taken them with their bagpacks. Don't bother with the Taxis he tells them. They will rip you off and charge you 300 Rupees.
That's when they flipped. 300 Rupees!!
300 Rupees!!
This cabbie wanted 3000 Rupees from us!
Ganesh had a point to prove. He will show them that he can get them a cab for 300 Rupees.
"Ghada let's stick around and see what happens".
"We can't Gaby, I have to be back at the hotel to start getting ready".
And so we left, without knowing whatever became of the travelers.
Pictures from yesterday's Mumbai Day trip
Of course the rains are making matters difficult for everyone. The hairdresser who is coming over to the hotel to coiff the ladies' hairs is running late. Family members driving in from out of town are running late.
And I wanted to walk the Slums around the hotel. "Slums? What Slums?", asks Samir, "There's no slums here".
So what do you suppose the dirt roads out there are? A middle class neighborhood?
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| The "Hood" we're staying in. |
We had come back last night scratching our heads on the meaning of the Ganpati festival that had Mumbai erupting in street festivals. And here, tucked away between the vegetable stands was a small Hindu Temple, with a cow blessing passers-by. I felt like petting the cow, but then how would that come across?
 |
| Ganesh Shetty explains the Mahabharata |
 |
| Garbz saves the day |
"The bus won't let us in since we are carrying bagpacks, what sort of $%$ is that. We don't believe him".
Why don't you take the Rickshaw then? To the train station. I called Ganesh over, and explained the plight of the fellow travellers. He assures them they can get to Mumbai from this location for 50 rupees (that's $1), and the bus should have taken them with their bagpacks. Don't bother with the Taxis he tells them. They will rip you off and charge you 300 Rupees.
That's when they flipped. 300 Rupees!!
300 Rupees!!
This cabbie wanted 3000 Rupees from us!
Ganesh had a point to prove. He will show them that he can get them a cab for 300 Rupees.
"Ghada let's stick around and see what happens".
"We can't Gaby, I have to be back at the hotel to start getting ready".
And so we left, without knowing whatever became of the travelers.
Pictures from yesterday's Mumbai Day trip
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| Courthouse |
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| View from the Hanging Gardens |
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| Taj Mahal Hotel |
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| Gateway of India |
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