From Bombay with Love

 Namaste from the hotel staff

Mumbai is an assault on the senses.   The constant noise is at levels that make your ears ring.  The smells are intense, whether its the incense in the hotel or the fragrant flowers outside of office buildings, or the garbage and sewage in the streets.  The sights are constant paradoxes, with Bentley dealers next to dwellings constructed of torn cloth and tarps and Cartier stores with rats running by the door.   Its almost too much to wrap your head around.   But while my senses have been overloaded, my soul has been lightened by the spirit, kindness, and smiles of every single person I have met.   I am truly amazed at comfortable I have been made in a city that is so far outside my comfort zone.

With long hours, distance from central Mumbai, and no extra days built into my trip, I was certain that I would leave India without seeing something other then the office, the hotel and the 280 meters of the street between them.  However, an opportunity came up to brave the rush hour, and head into downtown to see a few sites and have a bite to eat with some coworkers.  So tonight, I was off to my newest adventure!

Central Mumbai at a distance

While central Mumbai is only 25km (15.5 miles) from my hotel, it still took 90 (harrowing) mins to get to our destination.  And this was not even "bad" traffic!!  (I will never complain about DC traffic again).  I am not exactly sure how 4 cars, 3 motorbikes, 2 rickshaws and a bus all fit on a 3 lane road, but we did!  I distracted myself by watching the city as it creeped by.   Here, in the middle of dilapidated concrete was amazing Georgian architecture struggle to hold on it its beauty in spite of the harshness surrounding it.  Once again, this city is proving to be an enigma!

Gateway to India

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

 Trying hard not to kiss the road when our driver dropped us off, we headed over to the Gateway of India.  This arch was constructed to welcome King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 to celebrate the first British monarch to visit India.  This impressive structure overlooks the Arabian Sea, and is a popular gathering place for both locals and tourists alike.   For our next stop, we decided to toast our trip at the famed Harbour Bar, in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.   This 1903 hotel fell victim to the 2008 bombings in the city, however it was restored and is back in all its opulence!  We overlooked the water as we took in the sunset from the bar and finished our evening in Bombay.