Mumbai Final Days

Well, we've had some internet problems in the hotel in Mumbai, hence the delay in posting.

Day 3 in Mumbai saw us wake up, head for a Day-after-lunch party with the bride's family, followed by more shopping at the request of the ladies in Nataraj market, which apparently has built a reputation for being the place to go for deal hunters. Our driver for the day was so pleased with the 500 Rupee tip ($10) he got for the day, he actually called us the next day to see if he can repeat the whole chauffeuring business once again.

And so, at 10:00am the next morning, he picked us up, and gave us, yet another whirlwind tour of the city. This time heading North towards Bandra and Juhu beach, home to Bollywood celebrities.

The beach in Bandra

Upscale residences in Bandra

The home of some Bollywood star

It's been rather disappointing not seeing any worthwhile temples, short of the makeshift stalls in the open markets of Mumbai. So we asked the driver to take us to something within driving distance, and he ended up taking us to the Hare Krishna, which was a new low in the Mumbai itinerary.

Hare Krishna Temple

Hare Krishna followers

One of the monks saw us, and decided to invite us to learn more about the movement in one of the many temples in the West. It was yet another slap of the inauthentic- we didn't fly all the way to Mumbai simply to inundate ourselves with a Born-Again movement born in North America.

I see Ghada's been busy-beeing mocking me over the last few posts. Perhaps I will end this post with a retelling of a conversation at the Krishna temple.

Ghada: "Do I have to take my slippers off here?"

Me: "Yes. You're at a temple. What do you think?"

Ghada: "But the floors are disgusting!".

Me: "Ghada. You're in INDIA! We haven't even started visiting temples yet, and you're already complaining!"

  

View of Mumbai from the Westin