Mumbai. Now this is a true travelers challenge. There is no city that I have been to so far that could’ve prepared me for Mumbai. It is all or nothing. Go big or go home.
The moment you get into Mumbai your eyes are spiraling out of control. Your head is swiveling 360 degrees on your neck. You ears are ringing with all the frequencies audible to the human ear. All of your senses then signal back to your brain and it is quite possible you will overload and shut down.
Love it or hate it. I found myself, for the most part, right in the middle. Here are some highlights and must do’s:
Colaba
Colaba is where most tourists will stay in Mumbai as you’ll find all the typical tourist attractions like the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel to famous cafes like Mondegar and Leopolds. Women and men alike can get their shopping fix as a quick stroll down the causeway will bring you to all the best buys for bracelets, perfume, clothes and antiques. Be ready to take on massive crowds of beautiful sari’d women bargaining for the best deals.
Leopolds Cafe
Leopold’s Cafe is a multi-cuisine restaurant and was one of the first sites attacked in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Though I have yet to read it, this café is mentioned extensively in the novel Shantaram.
Café Mondegar
Café Mondegar is another café favorite amongst travelers.
The walls are covered in funny cartoons and the jukebox in the corner offers a nice selection. There is interesting décor inside but ultimately pricey and discrimination towards local’s is a drawback.
Gateway of India
Standing at 85 feet tall, this Gateway was what welcomed the distinguished upon their arrival to India.
The Taj Hotel – See post on A Quarter Century at The Taj Hotel
Elephanta Island
About an hour away by ferry, Elephanta Island is an interesting attraction. The island was given it’s name by Portugeuse explorers after they saw a large elephant sculpture near the entrance. Unfortunately, these smart explorers dropped it into the sea while attempting to take it home. It has since been recovered.
Admire the monkeys
Get lost in the crowd
You can’t escape the crowds in Mumbai. There are over a billion people in India with over 20 million in Mumbai. You’re going to be surrounded by people everywhere you go and they are going to stare at you, all day, everyday. The less you fight for your own space, the better off you’ll be. Just take it all in and attempt to enjoy.
Take a stroll on the Queen’s Necklace
Marina Drive is a 3 kilometre c-shaped boulevard in South Mumbai. It is also known as the “Queens Necklace” as when nighttime hits the string of lights that line the promenade give an impression of a string of pearls. 6 lanes of highway traffic run right alongside the long stretch. Work up your courage and join them as they step onto the highway and cross with extreme leisure.
Do as they do during their after-work wind down and head to this local spot to sit, chat, or walk off your Delhi belly. You’ll see little kids lighting firecrackers, groups of men squatting and discussing life, and couples subtley whispering secrets in each others ears.
Visit a local butchers market
Their butchers market consists of chickens in small wire mesh cages. When they are nice and plump, they are upgraded to large trash cans. The Indian’s hands reach without fear into the dark barrel and re-emerge with their fingers grasped tightly around the chickens throat. Before you have the chance to look away, a shining silver blade slashes down with admirable precision. Within seconds the hand has reached back into the barrel of death, and pulled out the next victim. It was a good thing we headed to Rajasthan, a vegetarian region, after this experience.
Overload on Curry
You are in India. There is nothing to eat but curry. Sure, you can be lured to restaurants that say “continental cuisine” and be tempted by the Chinese items on the menu. Sometimes even Thai and Korean dishes pop up, but don’t be tricked. They are Indian cooks and have been cooking curry their entire lives. Would you ever ask an engineer to design a building and an architect to construct the interior piping and electrical systems? We’ve realized that we shouldn’t expect an expert Indian chef to dish out proper continental or other cuisines.
Overload on curry again
Ride a train
Unfortunately, we were too crammed in the train to catch photo’s and take a video of the unforgettable 2 hour stretch of what John would consider hell. Read Our Experience Riding a Local Train in Mumbai to hear the story.
Mehndi
Mehndi, or more commonly known as henna in the states, is a ceremonial art widely used in India for weddings and various Hindu festivals. Women sport elaborate decorations on their hands and feet.
Skillful artists run around town during wedding season and paint on flowers, lotuses, and other intricate designs for the bride and bridal party.
I was lucky enough to catch one of these artisans in between weddings. Her expertise was shown in the quickness of each stroke, controlling the pressure exerted on the tube to alter the amount of mehndi released, achieving different effects throughout the pattern.
After an hour or so, the mehndi dries and starts to flake off, leaving an intense orange stain on the skin. With oxidation, the orange darkens into a beautiful reddish brown and lasts for a week or two.
Drink Indian Whiskey
Old Monk Rum is thought to be the drink of the Gods and Lords of India. Naturally, it is one of the preferred drinks for Indian men. The velvety smooth dark rum with just a tinge of vanilla has a 42.8% alcohol content. Blended and aged for 7 years (sometimes more), it is made from distilled cane sugar grown from fields around India.
I dedicate a bottle of Old Monk Rum to our friend Abhishek Raghunath who shared some of his favorite areas of Mumbai with us while we were in town. Our time at Gokul and Toto’s will not be forgotten. We hope to share another Old Monk Rum with you again soon.
Buy a large balloon that serves no purpose
These guys are everywhere in Mumbai. Just when you think you’ve shook one off, another appears out of thin air, big balloon in hand. They offer you the balloon as if it is one of life’s absolute necessities and when you say no, they stand perplexed. At one point I said to one of them, “I don’t like it” in Hindi. He stopped short and as we were two steps away he shouted at us, “But WHY don’t you like it???” trying to catch up and show us the great quality. It gave us a good laugh.
Eat Paan – Check the Quarter Century at the Taj Hotel for more on paan
Dig through the markets for unique jewelry
A woman’s delight. India is filled with shimmering bangles in every color possible, jeweled necklaces of all sizes, long and short earrings, and unique silver at every stand. At first overwhelming, take the time to browse around and find something that no one else will have.
Whiz around town in a Tuk Tuk
An unavoidable activity as tuk tuks are the main mode of transport within cities. You might be scared for your life but you’ll emerge a better person.
John clearly expressed his fear as I climbed into the drivers seat.
So go ahead and decide for yourself. Smell the chicken curries in combination with the public urinals, admire the bright sari’s along with the man defecating next to them, listen to traditional Indian music while hearing the tuk tuk’s and car horns infinite noise. This is India.
mementoviver 