Mumbai
We flew from Kochi (Cochin) to Mumbai and arrived around 4:30PM. Again, I do not know what people are talking about when they say the airport is so crazy. I was not bothered by anyone. It all seemed quite organized. Where is this chaotic India that I have heard about? Perhaps I’ve been to too many airports overseas to be shocked. Where are the beggars? I have not been swarmed, possibly one or two, but nowhere near what I had been warned. There are a lot of street hawkers selling books, postcards, and other trinkets. They can be aggressive, but not overwhelming. The gypsies in Romania could teach these people a thing or two.
We are staying at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai. It took 1.5 hours to drive from the airport in the hotel in rush hour traffic. The roads are jammed with cars and motorcycles, but the streets are as wide as any metropolitan city in the US. It reminds me of New York, just more crowded. There are lots of homeless in the streets, but no more than in any major US city. We did see the street slums during the drive to the hotel. The city has a great energy and is vibrant with activity; I wish I could figure out how to get a job here because it really looks like an exciting place to live.
We went to the Colaba area of the city to eat at Lings Pavilion, a Chinese restaurant suggested by Veta’s friend Mahzarine who is from Mumbai. The food was great. The portly Chinese man who took the orders named Johnny was extremely entertaining. He gave the customers attitude and stopped Veta from ordering another appetizer. He told her that the spring rolls, chili chicken, chili beef, and vegetable fried rice were enough food and there was no need to try anything else. He also told her not to order the Manchurian chicken (which had also been recommended) could be gotten anywhere and it was not on their menu. I overheard him telling another customer that what she wanted was not a dish, he told her to go elsewhere for salad. He was a hoot.
After dinner, we got tickets to see a 10 PM Bollywood film at the Regal Theatre (an old heritage theatre). The film was Yamla Pagla Deewana directed by Samir Karnik. The seats are assigned and we chose to sit in the center balcony. We had an hour to kill so we had a beer at Leopold Café. I had read that filmmakers often go there to look for foreigners to cast in films. I was hoping to be discovered like Lana Turner was in the Schwab’s Drugstore drinking a coke. Alas…I was not. So I just went to see a movie and not be in one.
The film was cute about a son trying to unite with his lost brother and father mixed with action, high comedy fighting, boy/girl love affair, and of course music and dancing. It was really fun to watch the film in Mumbai. The theatre was packed. Before the film starts, the theatre plays the National Anthem and everyone stood up and some sang along. Then the previews for other films are played and then the main feature. The film followed the expected Bollywood formula that the audience knows and it’s a kind of call and response that happens from the audience. At certain points there is mass whistling, or cheering. It’s a lot of fun. The film was in Hindi without subtitles, but it was easy to follow the plot. I wish I had more time to see more films.

We got up before sunrise to join the Laughter Club of Colaba at India Gate (15 minutes from the hotel). It was great to take pictures of India Gate and then join in on the laughing. The Laughter Yoga Guru led us through a series of gentle stretching and breathing exercises mixed with eye rolls, and then laughing and clapping. It was great fun and a terrific way to start the morning. Besides the addition of Veta & I, there were three people from Korea who joined the fun. The regulars (about two men and four women plus the guru) welcomed us to the group. We were a very happy bunch at the end. This has always been a dream of mine and I am glad I was able to partake in the fun. If you go to Mumbai, the group meets just outside the Gate to the left by a large tree. The contact info is: Laughter Club of India, Tel: +91 22 22840238; 25/26 Mohini Mansion, Strand Road, Colaba, Mumbai.
We finally have a woman guide, Varsha, whom we are about to meet. More later…
Varsha was fantastic. She took us on a tour of the city. We saw the stock exchange, Victoria Station, Hanging Gardens and the Tower of silence where the Parsis leave their dead to be consumed by nature (that’s how I want my body disposed – left in the wilderness on 95N for the animals to feed). We saw the university, drove along Marine Drive (also known as Queen’s Necklace because at night all the lights twinkle) and many other sites. We saw Dhobhi Ghat, where men collect the laundry from Mumbai locals and wash and hang it to dry. It is an unbelievable sight. Sheets and clothing are beaten against stone steps and rinsed and scrubbed. Everywhere there is clothing lines filled with sheets, jeans, shirts, etc. Everything is divided by color. It is really brilliant to watch. Varsha also took us by Mukesh Ambani’s house (Anil’s richer brother). It looks like a 26 story rectangular box with a helipad on top and 6 floors for parking underneath. After that we exercised our credit cards with a little more shopping, which was fun. I keep saying I won’t buy another thing…but….
I finally ate some lamb vindaloo, which was not as spicy as I thought it would be, at New Martin Hotel – a local hangout and very cheap. I had to ask for more chili pickle to spice it up.
Later this evening on the way to the airport, our driver will give us a tour of the Bollywood Star’s homes in the Juhuwarli area, which is in the suburbs. I hope I can see Helen’s home.
This pretty much concludes my India adventure. It was a great and fascinating journey; one, which I have waited a long time to take, and it surely did not disappoint. Next time I come back, I will spend more time in Mumbai and find a film set to wonder into a scene.
Signing off…Thanks for reading my ramblings.