Our last evening in India was spent in Mumbai. I definitely will have to go back to that city, I didn’t get to see all the things I wanted to, never mind the numerous wonders about which I am probably unaware. Aaron claims Mumbai is his definition of hell. He hates absolutely every part of living here, or so it would seem. I suppose then I have strange taste, as I really enjoyed the place. Of course, I can see why it could be draining in certain ways, but no more than many other places. I loved the chaos and constant movement everywhere. Mumbai is a city of taxis. It is the best way to get around, unless you are brave enough to attempt a motorbike or willing to get squashed on the over-ground trains. Traffic is heavy and mumbaikers complain of long commutes. But actually, I thought the traffic was no more than in Moscow, and far less than in Washington DC. I never noticed the time passing in the taxis; I spent my commutes watching everything happening out the window, fascinating stuff.
In addition to the taxis on the list of random things in Mumbai I liked, I would have to add the newspapers and their obsession with Bollywood stars. The city is crazy for its cinema industry, the largest on the planet. I saw a couple of films in India, they were both cheesy, as Bollywood films tend to be. The basic idea being that the Indian family is indestructible, and love conquers all. But at the same time, they were very sweet, sort of like American films from the 1950s, but more colourful and with better music and dance routines. Going to the cinema in Mumbai costs relatively little, about 1 pound a film (at the Regal, one of the best air-conditioned places in the city). There is normally an intermission in the middle, a brilliant idea for the weak bladdered, I wish it could be extended to the rest of the planet. Meanwhile, the newspapers follow the national trend by obsessing over Bollywood’s favourites. The famous page three of the paper is filled with nothing but gossip about who is doing what with whom in the cinema world, and apparently people struggle to get a page three spot, a sign of success in Bollywood. The television is little different. In almost every restaurant we went to, there was a tv with the latest news on the love life of Shilpa Shetty of Arishwaya Rai.
On our last night, we went to a neighbourhood where Aaron had once lived, when he arrived about a year ago. It was a labyrinth of narrow winding streets, with a lake in the middle. After that, we headed to a restaurant specialising in Mogul food. I ordered spicy cheese dish, followed by Indian ice cream. It was great (second in my opinion to the incredible food at the Taj). From there we moved on to a shesha bar on a rooftop in Bandra, where we enjoyed shesha and mocktails, while reclining on pillows. It was a great trip.
In addition to the taxis on the list of random things in Mumbai I liked, I would have to add the newspapers and their obsession with Bollywood stars. The city is crazy for its cinema industry, the largest on the planet. I saw a couple of films in India, they were both cheesy, as Bollywood films tend to be. The basic idea being that the Indian family is indestructible, and love conquers all. But at the same time, they were very sweet, sort of like American films from the 1950s, but more colourful and with better music and dance routines. Going to the cinema in Mumbai costs relatively little, about 1 pound a film (at the Regal, one of the best air-conditioned places in the city). There is normally an intermission in the middle, a brilliant idea for the weak bladdered, I wish it could be extended to the rest of the planet. Meanwhile, the newspapers follow the national trend by obsessing over Bollywood’s favourites. The famous page three of the paper is filled with nothing but gossip about who is doing what with whom in the cinema world, and apparently people struggle to get a page three spot, a sign of success in Bollywood. The television is little different. In almost every restaurant we went to, there was a tv with the latest news on the love life of Shilpa Shetty of Arishwaya Rai.
On our last night, we went to a neighbourhood where Aaron had once lived, when he arrived about a year ago. It was a labyrinth of narrow winding streets, with a lake in the middle. After that, we headed to a restaurant specialising in Mogul food. I ordered spicy cheese dish, followed by Indian ice cream. It was great (second in my opinion to the incredible food at the Taj). From there we moved on to a shesha bar on a rooftop in Bandra, where we enjoyed shesha and mocktails, while reclining on pillows. It was a great trip.
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