I have put these pictures on FB already, so some of you have seen these, but not everybody who reads my blog is my FB friend... so here again.
I was looking through my pictures of India, the trip I made last year with Jasmine and Juliet and saw so many nice images. That trip was just amazing! They don't call it Incredible India for nothing!!
I really want to go back and explore more of India, I mean I have only seen Mumbai and Delhi... there is SO MUCH MORE!!
Then when I was looking through the pictures I noticed that Jasmine and Juliet often grab each others hand or touch each other in one way or the other. So good to see that close bond between the 2, hopefully that stays like that forever!
I know that siblings not always have a strong bond, like me and my brothers, there is not much bond going on. As a kid yes we played a lot together, but now as adults we hardly talk or hang out. Well... that part is also harder because I don't live in the Netherlands, but even if I would I probably would not hang out with them. We are just so different!
So I am hoping that JJ & Jezz will be always best friends and keep that strong bond. Probably it will... because I haven't read many stories of twins that are not good together, but you never know.
For now... let's enjoy these smiles, giggles, holding hands and having fun together...
And hopefully they don't want to kill each other in a few years, or not hang out with each other as much anymore. Because now these girls are joined at the hip. Which this momma likes :-).... a lot!!
BTW If you like to know how I got the effect on these pictures... I first turned them into Black & White and then went to PICNIC a free photo editing program from PICASA and added the 1960 tool to it, and it turns the pictures in this lovely pink hue and makes the corners round, just with one click of a button!
But I want to come back and see other regions and wonders like one of the Seven Wonders of the World; the Taj Mahal in Agra, which I didn't have time on this trip. But also Goa and her beautiful beaches. And then not to forget Gods Own Country; Kerala and the Himalaya's, these are just a few places out of the top of my head and Rajasthan I am also curious about. With its desert and temples... so much to see so little time!
We will be back, but for now this was my peek into Mumba with 13 posts and 122 pictures, spread out just over 4 days! And Delhi with 9 posts and 115 pictures, spread out over just 2,5 days! That means that in total I did 22 blog posts and 237 pictures!!
I hope you got a good impression about these intruiging cities, their people, food and culture. I mean I could write on and on about these locations, they are complex, full of life day and night, rich and poor... every spectrum on the universe is here. It is fascinating and I am so happy I made this trip!!
Put India on your bucket list, it is worth it!!
Thank You Charu, Ravi, Dhruv, Vidur, Kavita, Anil and Akshay for hosting me and showing me around! It was a true blessing to see you again!! And I hope you ALL come to South Africa!! SOON! I'll promise you I will treat you like Kings & Queens just like you did!!
Back to my normal life here in South Africa! Ciao, Mireille xx
When you are in Mumbai you have to go to the Elephanta Caves and start with a boat ride from the Gateway of India and at that point you also see the majestic Taj Hotel, So you catch all 3 in 1 go!
Much before the Gateway of India was completed in 1928 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary, Mumbai already had an equally majestic landmark. Home to the Royalty, heads of states, tycoons, captains of industry, corporate nomads and jet-setters, The Taj Mahal Palace, is a living tribute to Mumbai's cosmopolitan ethos and dynamic spirit.
In 2008 Mumbai city had fallen prey to the biggest ever terrorist operation in India. In a well-planned and synchronized manner, heavily-armed terrorists attacked 10 major landmarks in the heart of India’s financial capital on Wednesday evening. The main target of the terrorists were foreigners and policemen. The two five star hotels of the city, Taj and Oberoi, were attacked by terrorists. A sad day for India!
(this is not my picture, but the rest are)
The Gateway of India is synonymous with Mumbai. It is the most famous monument of Mumbai and is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. Gateway of India is a great historical monument built during the British rule in the country. It was built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai (then, Bombay). Gateway of India was built at Apollo Bunder, a popular meeting place.
In the past Gateway of India used to be the arrival point for visitors from the west. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens. This landmark of Mumbai is a must visit of the city.
After about an hour boat ride you arrive at the Elephanta Caves, but first you have to walk about a few hundred steps UP and past hundreds of tourist vendors who sell those cheapy touristy stuff... but the caves are gorgeous, so just endure!
The Elephanta caves owes its name to the enormous stone elephant found there by Portuguese navigators. This elephant was cut into pieces, removed to Mumbai and somehow put together again. It is today the melancholy guardian of Victoria Gardens Zoo in Mumbai. So no elephant to see in the caves... JJ and Jezz were searching for it (and we too, since we didn't know this info by then).
The 'City of Caves', on an island in the Sea of Oman 10K of the coast of Mumbai, contains a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva. Here, Indian art has found one of its most perfect expressions, particularly the huge high reliefs in the main cave. The date of the famous Elephanta Caves is still very much debated and varies from the 6th century to the 8th century according to different specialists. They constitute one of the most striking collections of rock-art in India. It was indeed impressive!
Auntie Charu had bought the girls some books about the mythology of India, so it was nice to see some carved rocks about the goddesses the girls had read about! The Hindu caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the god Shiva.
The name of this sculpture is Trimurti Sadashiva and Maheshmurti. The sculpture is 20 feet (6.1 m) in height, depicts a three-headed Shiva, representing Panchamukha Shiva. The three heads are said to represent three essential aspects of Shiva — creation, protection, and destruction.
There were these cheeky monkeys all over the place, and they were really aggressive! Everywhere there were signs to NOT feed the monkeys, but still people would give them chips, cookies and all sorts of food they were eating. Because the monkeys kept following the people with food in their hands, they got so scared that they threw it to them! So a vicious circle... because that was exactly what the monkeys were after. All 4 of us were a bit scared of these dare devils, but we had no food with us, so luckily they were not after us!
And here some other 'cheeky monkeys' LOL
On the boat on the way back we were seated next to a big Indian family who just went to a wedding either that day or the day before and they were still dressed to party and the hands completely painted with fresh henna. The father of this little girl was the whole time taking pictures of ME! Yes me... I was probably the first white people in such close proximity because they kind of came from the country side... Since he was so bold to come so close with his small camera in my face, I thought I can do the same and took some beautiful shots of his little girl with the big sad eyes. So cute!!
A beautiful trip to one of the landmarks of Mumbai, go and see it if you are there! Another great day in Mumbai... Mireille
When you visit Mumbai there are a few food 'institutions' you HAVE to go to!! Really these places are maybe holes in the walls and are not the most scenic to look at.... BUT the FOOD is FABULOUS!!
The pictures are not that great of these places, that's why I collaged them... but the FOOD is just the BEST!! Trust me, go and try it when you are in Mumbai, these are the places that the insiders now, but not the tourist guides will tell you about! Only maybe the last one... Cafe Leopold and Juhu beach of course, but that is also because of the activities there.
Tucked away In a little side street on the second floor on Dadiseth Agiyari Street in the Kalbadevi area you will find Thaker Bhojanalay. Chosen as the BEST Thali restaurant in Mumbai for the consecutive years of 2007-2011.
Gujarati cuisine is in many ways unique from other culinary traditions of India. It is one of the few cultures where a majority of people are vegetarians, and a cuisine with a blend of exquisite flavours and textures. Typical Gujarati Thali (plate) consists of Rotli (wheat bread), Daal (pulses), Bhaat (rice) and Shaak (vegetables).
We LOVED it! Even the girls thought it was quite fun to dip their roti in all these little bowls and taste different flavors, most of them not spicy and vegetarian so wonderful to bring the kids!
Another great place to eat Parsi food... remember I wanted to eat from all regions of India, so before was Gujarati, now it is Parsi food that we are tasting at Britannia Cafe in the business district of Ballard Estate.
Britannia was founded by Rashid Kohinoor in 1923, the same year his son Boman, the current proprietor, was born and still walks around and helps at the restaurant at a spiffy age of 88!. He took our orders and made a small talk with the girls, they were a bit taken aback by this old man still working!! LOL The restaurant’s most popular rice dish is made with Iranian berries and a secret ingredient passed on by Boman's wife to his younger son Romin.
From the looks of its peeling walls, chipped ceiling and old Polish furniture, the café hasn't changed much since then. But that doesn't seem to matter much to diners who dig in to Britannia's dhansak-rice (a stew of mutton and pulses), sali boti (mutton) or sali chicken cooked in a subtly sweet gravy sprinkled with crisp potato chips, and the signature dish, berry pulao.
It was very special food and I truly enjoyed having lunch there!! Definitely a place to go back to!!
A new experience for me... eating out of your car in front of this road side restaurant called Bademiya on Tulloch Road, behind Taj Mahal Hotel. Well if you can call it a restaurant, a street stall with a few tables on the side of the road, but most people are just parking there and eating in the car. The waiters serve you right there through your window... so funny, but the food is SUBLIME!! Again an old time favorite of Mumbaikars.
A visit to Mumbai simply isn't complete without trying the succulent kebabs and grilled chicken from this legendary road-side restaurant. It's some of the best street food you'll ever have! Try their mutton rolls and kebabs, simply delish!! And see how the fastest roti maker in Mumbai creates those huge rotis so fast!!
There are 2 beaches in Mumbai; Chowpatty and Juhu. You don't go to these beaches to swim but to see the action, the entertainment and families goes there in the evening to hang out with friends and have a bit to eat... street food galore! Everything you ever wanted to try you can find there. We went to Juhu beach on 1 evening and we took a look there, although WE didn't eat there, because Charu was not sure MY stomach could handle it, so the kind of food you see here, we ate at Swati, I posted about that yesterday. But if you are adventurous and you eat all the time at street stalls in India, then go to JUHU beach and enjoy all the scrumptious looking snacks and dishes!! And supposedly you can see the best sunsets on this beach, but I went already after dark...
Last but not least is Leopold Cafe on Colaba Causeway, in the Fort area of Mumbai. It was one of the first sites attacked during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. They still have the window with the bullet holes in it. The cafe was mentioned extensively in the novel Shantaram. It's a multi-cuisine restaurant with a bar on the first level, and serves cuisines like, Indian, Western, Chinese, South American, beer and alcohol. And has 333 food items on the menu :-)
A great hang-out for the locals, so a good place to seen and be seen! Try the Chicken Tikka here.
I hope you enjoyed this food guide, and next time when you visit Mumbai, think about going to these places. You won't be disappointed!! We LOVED all of these!!
Mumbai has not so many historical sites as Delhi, but one of the most beautiful buildings in the city is no doubt the train station!
Formerly known as Victoria Terminus, and better known by its abbreviation CST or Bombay VT, is a historic railway station which serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways. It is one of the busiest railway stations in India, and serves Central Railway trains terminating in Mumbai as well as the Mumbai Suburban Railway.
Look at those intricate details, it is just gorgeous!!
The station was designed by Frederick William Stevens in 1887-1888. He received US$35,830.80 as payment for his services! Stevens earned the commission to construct the station after a masterpiece watercolour sketch by draughtsman Axel Haig. The final design bears some resemblance to the St Pancras railway station in London.
It took ten years to complete and was named "Victoria Terminus" in honour of the Queen and Empress Victoria; it was opened on the date of her Golden Jubilee in 1887. This famous architectural landmark in Gothic style was built as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. Since then, the station came to be known as Bombay VT.
In 1996 the Minister of Railways, Suresh Kalmadi, changed the name of the station to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
And here you only see a few people because this was taken on Holi, the national holiday. On a normal day there are so many people in this building I would not have had the opportunity to take a picture like this, it would be packed and people would push and shove to get to their train!
The Mumbai Suburban Railway system carries more than 6.9 million commuters on a daily basis. It has one of the highest passenger densities of any urban railway system in the world.
What I love are these cute little taxis that are driving to and from the train station and everywhere in Mumbai. How cute are these!
In 2008, the station was featured prominently in the Academy Award winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. And on 26 November 2008, two terrorists entered the passenger hall of the CST, opened fire and threw grenades at people. The terrorists were armed with AK-47 rifles. More than 50 people were killed in the attack! A sad day for Mumbai!!
I am not sure if I would like to take a train ride... (this picture is not mine... the rest is!)
It's a crazy and busy world out there!! Enjoy the day! Mireille
You walk around in this busy, hot and steamy city like Mumbai with over 17 million people... it is a hustling and bustling big 'town'... I can tell you that!!
And then suddenly you almost bump into... A COW! Yes, they are EVERYWHERE in the middle of the city!! Just standing there, like this is normal. Well... I guess it IS normal here in India! I mean I have seen it before on TV but when you see it in real life, in the middle of the CITY that was worth taking a picture, and I took many pictures of many cows IN THE CITY! Instead of Sex in the City they could call it Cow in the City!! LOL... patent pending... so don't steal my idea!! haha
I mean I have seen some weird animal situations, like HERE where we had zebras at the pool, but a cow in the city is as BIZARRE I think. This poor animal.. that is HOLY for the Indian population and then they have it standing there on the hard street in between the sides of a car and the zooming traffic racing by honking like mad, because that is what they DO! It's HONKING CITY! Instead of grazing on a green meadow this poor HOLY animal has a not such a holy life! But I guess if your owner has to make a living with his business making garlands or selling food on the side of the street you have to accompany him. The poor thing..
Talking about garlands... Since it was the Holi festival the first day I was in Mumbai, they were everywhere, beautiful and bright garlands, made by this handy men or women.... in a snap they are done, fresh flowers just good for 1 day. I wonder what kind of business they have when there is no need for a garland?? Or is there every day a need for a garland, like in Thailand? They hang them in cars to protect you from having an accident... I guess the law of attractions works in mysterious ways! :-) (That's the book I just read for the book club: The Secret, about the law of attraction, so this popped up in my head).
From the look on his face I even think this man is blind, he is not looking at what he is doing... WOW!
Maybe there is a need for everyday, like if a business opens or has something to celebrate....
Or if there is a street festival? Or for temple prayers... THAT is why they need them everyday! So quite a good business... a flower garland maker :-)
I love garlands but NOT cows in the street!! What about you?
Have a Fabulous Friday, it's April's Fools day, are you planning to trick somebody?? I told the girls to go into each other's class and pretend they were their sister... but they don't dare! haha.. these girls of mine are not such a dare devils as their mother. I always tricked my teachers!! I was such a rowdy, wild and uncontrollable kid and my daughters are just the opposite. A bit meek, shy, quite... oh well, at least they don't get as much in trouble as I did! LOL
As we were driving around the city the first day to get a glimpse of Mumbai we stopped now and then to take some pictures, on the boardwalk close to Chowpatty beach Jasmine found this beautiful flower.
Apart from Juhu beach in the suburbs (more about that later), Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach. During the day, it is the hangout of the happily unemployed who snooze under the shade of its stunted trees. But in the evening the atmosphere is more like a carnival: kids screaming on Ferris wheels or taking pony rides, wayside astrologers making a quick buck, monkey shows, and even the odd self -styled gymnast who will demonstrate amazing yogic postures for a small fee. At one end is a row of bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina doused in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a flat, fried puri. You might even catch a film shoot or a street play. In short, for most tourists Chowpatty is where the action is.
Funny, when I told Charu that I wanted to see Juhu and Chowpatty beach she was looking like me if she saw water burning! Why would I want to go to that dirty beach she asked me? But it wasn't for the water that I wanted to go... I mean I know there are more beautiful beaches in India, but I wanted to see the action and the things I had read about these 2 famous beaches, not go and swim there! So one night we went to Juhu, Chowpatty I had seen already a few times by driving by during the day, and if you have seen one you have seen both!
Mumbaikars tend to get busy in their demanding schedules of life, but when it comes to religion, people appear to be highly devout. Religion plays an important role in the lives of people in Mumbai. Like any other part of India, Hinduism is the major religion observed by most of the residents of Bombay. Apart from Hinduism, the other religions followed here are Islam, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity.
So time to see some temples and after the Holi festival the 3 of us plus my friends Sucharu and Kavita visited a Jain temple. Jain temples are generally the prettiest in India, and this one, officially called the Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji Jain Temple, is arguably the prettiest temple in Mumbai.
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes pacifism and a path of non-violence towards all living beings in thought and practice.
Jains are strict vegetarians. They avoid eating root vegetables in general, as cutting root from a plant kills it unlike other parts of the plant (leaf, fruit, seed etc). Followers of Jain dharma eat before the night falls. They filter water regularly so as to remove any small insects that may be present and boil the water prior to consumption.
A very interesting religion, another thing that struck me was... that they eat less than one's normal diet, maybe this is what I have to do!! Convert to Jainism to finally loose the pounds I want... LOL
Mumbai has one the largest populations of Jains among all the cities in India so there are numerous Jain temples in the city where the best known is the Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji Jain Temple built in 1904. And this is the one we went to!
The temple is dedicated to Lord Adishwar, the first of 24 Jain Tirthankaras of the current era. The temple is presently used by thousands of devotees of the Jain religion for their daily worship.
The entrance is artistically sculptured giving the whole place an aesthetic richness. Two elephants brilliantly made out of stone are placed on both the sides of the main gate in the Jain Temple. The temple is adorned with colorful paintings, which have been painted very diligently. It is an absolute pleasure to observe and enjoy these paintings. And when you look at this beautiful ceiling, it was just magnificent! It portrayed a painted zodiac.
It was such a peaceful moment to be there, so serene, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of this big city with 17 million people... you would have no clue by being there!
And just next door the hectic is all around it, a vendor selling balloons... that fascinates me about such a big city, there are always these little corners of heaven, peace and quietness, and next to it the day-to-day life goes on. How wonderful!!
Tomorrow my tour of the markets... love, love, loved it! Although not the girls... they thought it was boooring!! LOL Mireille
