Mumbai

Leaving the terminal building in Mumbai, we negotiated a cab for three of us for a tour of the city. Just being in the city was experience enough. The movie “Slumdog Millionaire” is set in Mumbai, and it is an excellent glimpse into the sights and sounds of a city of 20 million people, most of whom live in extreme poverty.

Our driver, Ali, took us in an old not air-conditioned taxi to see the most important sights, including Dobhi Ghat, the famous hand-laundry area. Our driver stopped across a divided four-lane road, which we had to cross without any of the heavy traffic ever stopping. We have lived to tell the tale! The laundry area is hard to describe so we rely on the photo to show you how individual workers wash the clothes as a commercial operation. The beating of the clothes against the cement slabs and the bright sun yield astonishingly clean results.

From there, we went to Gandhi’s longtime residence, now a museum. The photo and diorama displays showed the contributions of a great man, not just to India, but to the world.

Then to the Gateway of India, the archway symbol of the country and around the corner to the Taj Hotel, which was bombed last year by terrorists. Much of the hotel has been repaired and the security is extreme. The lobby, the waterfall memorial to those who died in the attack, and the restaurants are luxurious and beautiful. At the restaurant, we enjoyed an excellent four course vegetarian meal, including fabulous Naan garlic bread. The meal was delicious and made us miss our favorite restaurant at home.

We saw the main sights, including the Victoria Terminal, trains with passengers hanging out the door, not because the car is too crowded, but because there is cool, fresh air at the doors. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at a couple of shops so the cab driver could collect a fee for just bringing prospective customers to look.

The poverty looks crushing and overwhelming, begging is common and heartbreaking. People live on the street or in stacked one room hovels barely the size of a reclining person. A little girl who looked just like Latika in the movie clung to me for a few minutes and a little boy who looked just like the one who didn’t escape sang sweetly. It is hard not to give them money, but it isn’t a good idea in the long run.

The streets are crowded with people, bikes, taxis and buses, all making a lot of noise. There are often unpleasant odors. But there is an energy level and spiritedness about the city that is engaging. It is real and exciting.