This is the Gateway of India, the most famous tourist site in Bombay. It was to built commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. It was finished in 1924.
It's through this archway that the last British troops left India in 1948 prior to independence.
Today it's surrounded by tourists (overwhelmingly Indian when I was there) and various touts and hawkers, who at the whistle of lookouts, scoop up their stuff and disappear well before a lone sweaty cop rounds the corner.
I've been struck at how quick to smile everyone is. The friendliness feels genuine and at no point have I felt darker motives lurking beneath the welcome.
At the Gateway I had a steady flow of people asking to have their picture taken with me. The two below started it and as I turned around there was a little knot of people waiting their turn.
I've been struck at how quick to smile everyone is. The friendliness feels genuine and at no point have I felt darker motives lurking beneath the welcome. At the Gateway I had a steady flow of people asking to have their picture taken with me. The two below started it and as I turned around there was a little knot of people waiting their turn.It was all very odd. 
Like Dehli, there is clearly a huge divide between rich and poor. Beggars and hovels sit cheek by jowl with 5 star hotels and clubbing teens. Hard to understand how it all holds together. The caste system may have something to do with it but I think it's probably far to complex to reduce to simple explanations. The squalor is mind boggling and is especially jarring sitting as it does beside little bubbles of luxury.
Like Dehli, there is clearly a huge divide between rich and poor. Beggars and hovels sit cheek by jowl with 5 star hotels and clubbing teens. Hard to understand how it all holds together. The caste system may have something to do with it but I think it's probably far to complex to reduce to simple explanations. The squalor is mind boggling and is especially jarring sitting as it does beside little bubbles of luxury. It all makes me feel uneasy and not a little guilty.
Traffic in Bombay is impossible to describe. Red lights?
Simply a suggestion.
Horns?
A requirement.
The noise, dirt, and exhaust are numbing.
Ranging from Kamikaze weaving to gridlock its not for the faint of heart. No one has special privileges in the democratic leveler that is the traffic jam.
All, no matter how urgent their business have to wait.
As if by magic, it all starts moving again
Sitting idle in 42 degrees leads to overheated cars adding to the chaos. This happened to me as the driver we had for the day, mortified called for a replacement. 
We took a Tuk-tuk the last Km or so to the hotel.
Love to all
As if by magic, it all starts moving againSitting idle in 42 degrees leads to overheated cars adding to the chaos. This happened to me as the driver we had for the day, mortified called for a replacement. We took a Tuk-tuk the last Km or so to the hotel.That was the most terrifying experience of my recent recollection and I will not willingly repeat it.
That's it for today.
That's it for today.
I''ll have a bit of time tomorrow to have a proper look around.
Love to all T
1 comment:
great pics.. as usual.
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