Walk. Eat. Nap.

Day two on the subcontinent. Awoke before dawn and caught the sunrise from our balcony. Very shortly thereafter, the air began to fill with the abrasive cawing of many crows, Many murders of crows in fact. Unexpected.





Eventually we hit the streets and visited the Victoria Terminus train station, a gothic monstrosity where, according to our guidebook, 2 million people pass through on a daily basis. Our intention was to buy tickets to Goa for the weekend (the train we wanted is impossibly sold out, it seems).




Swimming like the mighty salmon against currents of commuters, we walked to a shopping district, got lost and then ate, napped and repeated a similar cycle in the early evening, with the exception that this time we hoofed it to the Gate of India- a big stone arch by the harbor, which also neighbors the Taj Palace/Tower hotel, where the terrorist attack happened in 2008. It’s clear to see why it was chosen. While there is tons of security there now (too little, too late), it’s the ritziest and most high profile hotel in the city and separated from the harbor by only a two lane road.


It’s hard to really chronicle what we’ve been seeing because everything here is so vast. The population is astounding (although I would estimate on the streets you see 5 men to every woman), the traffic is heart stopping ( taxis really seem to aim for you, this is not a city for anyone but the spry) and the poverty is heartbreaking and difficult to reckon with. Yet it is also a very peaceful place. I haven’t heard a raised voice, I constantly see people greeting one another warmly, and the families we’ve seen all along the economic spectrum seem kind and loving.


And of course, I must talk about food. Lunch was at a Parsi place, which didn’t seem that much different from traditional “Indian” food- curry sauce and rice. Dinner was a vegetarian thali, a tray with a selection of soups , potato masala, some stewed turnip greens (not my favorite), rice, coconut chutney and some roti bread to scoop it all up with. It cost a little more than a dollar.


I do have photos to share, but current internet is aggravatingly slow and I haven't managed to get a strong enough connection to upload. Hopefully soon.