The flying carpet diary: Mumbai

First we thought we will skip Mumbai, as we were not so fond of getting lost in such a huge city as Mumbai is, but somehow things developed so that we finally went there and were hosted by an Indian guy Shivam, who had just few months ago hosted our good friend Xavier.

When arriving to Mumbai early in the morning and walking along the downtown wide and long streets, the city did not look so hectic, busy and crowded, as we expected. It actually looked quite pleasant.

Victoria train station

Mumbai is a paradise for book-lovers

When looking for a restaurant for some morning snack, the smell of fresh bread on the street lead us to a Zoroastrian bakery. Soon we were sitting behind table and fresh warm breads with butter were immediately in front of us. After eating them, new ones were brought, and then again new ones and new ones, so quickly that we had no chance to refuse. The boss sitting next to the door, owner of the bakery, was in command. In a good hope to make us stay longer, he put a piece of paper with sex-jokes into Branko's hand.... After some time, totally full of bread (but they were really delicious !), we find the strength to say that it's enough, payed our bill and continued our morning walk to the seaside.

with the boss of bakery

quick waiters

Gate of India. Most important port during English colonial times, also the place through which English left the India for good.

Taj Mahal Palace hotel next to the Gate of India, which suffered bombing during 2008 November attacks, still under renovation.

After leaving the downtown and getting into the "real Mumbai", we had to admit, that Mumbai is actually a big slum. Quickly raising sky-scrapers however, are continuously taking over the land under the slums, but were else can those people go, than simply to some other place and create another slum.

View from Shivam's flat window

Former railway, present-day slum street.

Life in slum, however, is tough. Not only because of the conditions, but also because of the relationships. We, of course, have very vague understanding of it, but every slum we passed we saw somebody beating somebody else up - a man beating a woman, a mother beating a daughter....we wondered, if the russian saying - "If he beats, then he loves" also applies to Indian slum people....

The most dangerous thing to do in Mumbai is to take the suburban train!
Even after few months in India and already familiar with the most common fighting rules, we decided to back away little, after Kadri got on the train, but Branko almost fell under the already moving train together with the mass of the rest of the people that didn't managed to get on.

There are so many people using suburban trains in Mumbai and at the same time there are so many people getting killed every day in an on-and-off-jumping accident. People are literary hanging out of the doors, because the trains are so stuffed. So, it is better at least to avoid rush hours.

Suburban train stop (not in a rush hour !)

In Mumbai there's quite a nice planetarium. We recommend everybody to go to visit it.

Pineapple house near the planetarium

Suddenly there was a wedding on the street. Young groom, who looked not more than 16 to us, was sitting on the horse, drummer boys taking the last breath out of their drums, men dancing around the groom like on drugs and some beggars trying to get their part. Well, it was quite fun actually. After some time of observing, we were also drawn into the dancing masses, Branko among the men and Kadri among the women. We were told, that attendance of the white people in Indian wedding has a very positive effect according to some beliefs, so we'll hope that the young husband and the wife (that we never saw) are doing great now and forever !

Groom on the horse

Women observing the dancing men

On the way back to Shivam's place, we stopped by at one of the most fascinating sight in Mumbai - the washing ghat (Laundry in our concept).
This in Mumbai is the oldest washing ghat in India. Many restaurants and hotels use this service, however they will be charged more than a local person, who brings his cloths for washing. One worker (due to hard work only men) washes about 400 pieces of clothes every day.
As it was already afternoon, we missed the main action, since afternoon is mostly for drying the clothes. The most fascinating will be the sight surely early in the morning.