Have had a great few days exploring the hidden and not-so-hidden corners of Mumbai, and it’s really starting to grow on me. I’m starting to see more order in the hectic energy that makes this city tick.
Leopold’s Cafe is an institution in the Colaba neighborhood, and we enjoyed a lunch here where locals and tourists mixed. We also enjoyed a hip bar called The Social that seems to be a hangout for a young techie crowd. Heard someone at the table next to us pitching his “end-to-end data mining system” to a potential investor.
Kingfisher is the most popular Indian beer. I like it.
We highly recommend the VizEat service again! We had a delicious home made lunch with Prerana and her daughter and talked about all things Mumbai and travel. We wish them a safe journey to Greece and really enjoyed sharing a meal!
The amazing spread Prerana put out for us. Her daughter bragged about her mom’s cooking and told us all of her friends want to visit to have her food. She is absolutely right, yum!!
A mosque, Haji Ali Dargah, on an island that’s visited by many during low tide, when the bridge is passable.
Mahalaxmi Dobhi Ghat, one of the largest public laundries in the world.
Yes there’s a Starbucks, and unlike the ones in Europe, they have their instant coffee that we love. We bought a few for days when we want to have a reminder of home.
Our hotel breakfast is a wonderful mix of Indian and Continental cuisine, and the coffee is good and strong.
There are interesting figures and statues everywhere you look. Will try to take more photos of these.
Indian kitty cat showing off his Royal Enfield.
After some hesitation, we decided to take a tour of the slum from a great company called Reality Tours & Travel. 80% of their profits go back to the community. No photos are allowed, so here are two of theirs. Our impression was one of a tight-knit hard-working immigrant community (from other states of India) doing jobs no one else wants to do to make enough money to improve their situation.
We felt safer in the slum than anywhere else in Mumbai. The kids were awesome, and we had fun giving them high fives, asking their names, and even watch a group giving a burial and funeral service to their pet parrot.
Their community center is called Reality Gives and supports education programs. It was an eye opening experience, and we recommend it for anyone considering a visit to Mumbai.
Tomorrow, we will take a ferry from the Gateway of India to Mandwa and begin cycling South! We are nervous but excited to see the more rural India! All of the locals we talk to say that we will love this part of India.
We tried to buy tickets for the ferry ride tomorrow, but after handing over the 210₹ for the two tickets, we went to leave, and the guy yelled at us. Apparently you have to use the tickets immediately. He graciously gave our money back in exchange for the tickets. He did confirm that bicycles are allowed, though I’m not sure he understood our question. I think that in India, if we show up with bicycles, things will be figured out. It doesn’t seem like the kind of place with a lot of rules…