INDIA: Bombay

West facing view at sunset from the top of the Devandra building in Bombay.



Bombay (a.k.a. Mumbai) blew my mind.

First off let me say it was every bit as good as I've heard everyone say it is and not nearly as bad as I've heard either, except for the traffic and yes, the humidity.

I ate some of the best and most interesting food I have ever had in my life. Take pan for instance; a beetle nut leaf coated in ghee, pasted with a exotic paste of mint and myriad other spices, and then any number of other add-ons you want: beetle nut, tobacco, sugar, other spices. Its just f@#king crazy.

I saw murder upon murder of crows, a company of parrots, bats the size of large Pomeranians with Condor-like wings. I saw long-tailed Indian chipmunks which people call squirrels, geckos, cows and aggressive thieving monkeys. Thankfully no Cobras.

I have read its an urban myth that the Inuit have hundreds of different words for snow but I have it on good authority now that Indians have four different classes of aunts and uncles, and that's just aunts and uncles. I met a LOT of family and they all were heartbreakingly generous and kind and welcoming. I had at least five different aunts attempting to feed me three meals a day plus snacks throughout my stay. I ate like a professional but never seemed able to satisfy anyone that I was full. It was amazing.

I will conclude with a few pictures and a bat video but check out my Photobucket account if you want to see more. (coming soon) The pictures below are in reverse chronological order so you may want to scroll down then work your way back up. I hope someone enjoys these because this post took forever. Stay tuned for Bangkok and Ko Chang.

Bombay Style: View from the front seat of a classic Bombay Fiat taxi cab.



I didn't have a chance to edit this before posting, but zoom in and look at the face on this bat. looks like a dog doesn't he?





Fisherman bringing in the catch at Chowpatty beach



Blurry picture of AK and I with the "Queen's Necklace" in the background.



Beautiful Chowpotty beach just after sundown.



These two look cute and harmless enough, but if you wanna feed a baby you had better be ready to deal with a much larger, very aggressive adult male who is going to charge straight at you as soon as you reach for anything that is, or looks like it may be food. Seriously. Don't try to feed a baby unless you're ready to mix it up with Pappa. I almost had to fight a monkey, twice.



One of two sacred inner sanctums containing Shiva's manhood



Bombay Shenoy Crew



One of two Indiana Jones type entrances to the Elephanta cave-temples



One of the many stone relief carvings inside the cave-temples on Elephanta island


The landing at Elephanta island


The Taj, site of tragic events last November. Every bit as opulent as its reputation. I was lucky enough to have English "High Tea" inside. Excellent in every sense!