No no no, the guy in the pic is not assaulting the man he has gripped by the throat. That sharp razor he is holding in his hand? What this? “I was just about to give my good friend a street shave”, he says.
Truth be told that is exactly what is occurring. The streets of Mumbai define the meaning of a “Cottage Industry”.
What an awesome day.
The team met at 8 a.m. this morning and walked to a local Barista that Anita had found. It was our last breakfast together and it was nice to start the day with a pseudo black coffee and a surprisingly good croissant.
We had planned on heading to the Gandhi Museum but later decided to opt for a walk to Victoria Train Station ( a UNESCO monument). It was an awesome walk!
We seemed to be a little lost but it allowed us to walk through the busy merchant streets of Mumbai. This section of town was narrow and there was no shortage of wonderment.
Merchants mingled with businessmen, schoolgirls rushed off to class and street merchants peddled their wears. No beggars approached.
This was the Mumbai that I wanted to see.
We stopped every couple of blocks to ask friendly citizens the way and everyone was willing to help without the mention of a single Rupee in payment for their services.
One woman told us that she had spent time in Winnipeg “But I had to come back to this damn country”, she said.
Victoria Station, now called “Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus” (let call it Victoria Station), is the busiest station in Asia.
To say that this place is packed would be a serious understatement but it’s not the droves of people you notice, it’s the architecture.
Domes, Turrets, Arches, Animal Sculptures, Stained Glass, Wrought Iron – absolute opulence! But not a garbage can to be found. I just had to throw that one in.
Got some great shots that I will bore you all with when I get home.
We continued to walk passed the station to a local merchant market and It was a little uncomfortable. We clearly looked like tourists stopping to look at maps taking photos when we shouldn’t be.
There was a little drama when one of the team members had, by total accident, stepped on the corner of some freshly laid cement.
There was an old man who had laid the cement and was very upset flailing his arms and then grabbing the team member by the pocket and holding on.
With a quick and appropriate knuckle wrap on the hand, we then continued to walk at a quickened pace.
It was shortly after this that we decided that it was time to leave. It was also about the time that my stomach started to gurgle. OH GOD NO!
I knew that coffee tasted a little funny this morning.
Luck would have it that I took a pro-active Imodium after breakfast but there was no way in hell I was going to get in a cab with the team. I was not about to play “Bowel Roulette” in a hot cab through snails paced Mumbai traffic with people whom I had come to truly respect.
So Nicole and I decided to walk back. It would be quicker and although I may have walked a little funny at times, I felt in control and made it back safely.
Back at the hotel we had one last drink together and then it was good byes and good wishes.
I spent the afternoon on the roof top patio looking over Mumbai Harbor, drinking Diet Coke and smoking. Nicole and I took the time to plan the last leg of our Indian journey and I wanted to stay as close to the room as possible. Just in case.
It will be an early night tonight as the flight to Delhi is at 8:10 a.m. and we have to be up at 5.
I’m not going to say that I will miss Mumbai but I am truly glad that I experienced it and I think today made it all worth while.
Talk to you in Delhi.
