What to see and do in Mumbai? In this post we tell you ...
We started our journey through southern India from the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai. And there is no better way to do it! It is a city with a lot of charm, okay, it is a metropolis with a lot of millions of inhabitants and a very large area, but the oldest part, where all the British colonial heritage is concentrated, is fascinating. And, although it might seem otherwise, it is not as chaotic as other large Indian cities.
Tip: nothing better to get to know Mumbai than to take a local hand tour 🙂 This is free (although it is always good to leave a tip).
It is a city completely different from the rest of those we have visited in India. Its colonial buildings and palaces, with arcades in many of its streets, wide avenues, gardens and parks with cricket enthusiasts, emblematic buildings, the financial center, world heritage train stations, street art galleries ...
... and of course ... the most luxurious hotel in all of India! The Taj Mahal Palace, where British fat fishes were staying when they arrived in their colony. We were able to enter to take a look, (miracle that with our pints they wouldn't throw us out!) And yes, it is luxurious ... but we are not the eighth wonder of the world either (we have a tad of tiger because they did not want to accommodate us for free).
The port of Mumbai was the entrance for all ships from Europe and this hotel should be the second thing the British saw when they arrived in the country, the first would be the india gate, a style arch to the triumph of Paris Today, hordes of tourists, mostly locals, come here to take a picture and hang out. From here also tour boats leave for a walk along the coast and the elephant island.
But if we have to remember Mumbai for something it is for Harry! Our first experience in couchsourfing and it was great! We spent three days with him, we knew a little more about Indian culture, and we drank a piece of a beer tower, plus those that followed him later on the floor with his little colleagues. It was hilarious!
We will also remember Mumbai because here we have done something that we had not done for a month: eat pork and veal! Shhhh, we don't say it too loudly, lest it pass to the Hindu authorities and take away our passport. We ate the pork in the Italian restaurant "Pronto". We swear that we are not looking for it, it just came to us: it was under the consultation where Lety took out the X-rays for the New Zealand visa (which by the way they have already approved!). Here we also had the chance to see a colonial building inside, and it didn't seem to be in India at all. What we did not do is try one of the 8 types of sangria that advertised in a local, 8!
We ate the veal in the immediate vicinity of the mosque, where there are some places with grilled skewers that served as a feast for fat people. To get to this mosque you have to go through a corridor that joins it to the ground (because in theory when the tide rises it is isolated), where a multitude of cripples and beggars are placed to ask for money and food, to which we must add a large amount of garbage and animals hovering around there. The image is devastating.
Before we leave this city, we approach a community laundry, with more than 1000 batteries, where many locals come to leave their gleaming clothes. The truth is that white here is white white! Harry, Mumbai, it was nice meeting you!
USEFUL INFO
How to get to Mumbai by bus from Udaipur?
We did it in sleeper bus from Udaipur. It cost us 750 INR. The bus makes the main road from the north, where we told the driver to leave us in the neighborhood where Harry lived. Follow more, but we don't know where it comes from.
