The second weekend Charlotte was with us back in August {the 1st & 2nd} we headed back into Mumbai on the Saturday. We stopped at the Dhobi Ghats to show Charlotte {Nick, Andrew's work colleague joined us for the day}and then we headed off to Chor Bazaar also known as Thieves Market. This market is a must for the intrepid treasure hunter! It's a cramped, chaotic, grimy market of sprawling maze lanes. Here you can find genuine bargins {if you remember to barter!} or mass-produced junk : brass-wear, ceramics, handicrafts, glass lamps, clocks, gramophones, old maps, paintings, coffee tables, old coins, rocking chairs, door knockers {we bought a few}, old posters/signs….literally, everything under the sun!
Dhobi Ghats
Chor Bazaar/Thieves Market
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| all sorts |
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| old cameras & phones |
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| brass-wear |
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| more cameras |
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| one of the many posters |
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| old sound systems and radios |
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| loved this shop! |
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| my ouma and oupa {my dad's mom & dad} had something very similar! bought back good memories from when I as a little girl :) |
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| we were tempted to buy a clock for the Tuscan house…may still do so! |
Seen 'about' the lanes….
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| there seemed to be goats everywhere! |
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| guess this was the most comfortable spot to chill! |
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| VERY YUMMY custard apples…one of our favourite! |
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| Typical dress {called a rida} of the Bohra community (of the Muslim faith) |
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| more colourful washing hanging out to dry |
We left the Chor Bazaar and headed over to the fabric market to show Charlotte and Nick the madness that it is….getting to it is crazy…..people everywhere!
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| walking through a sea of people to the fabric market |
We drove all the way to the end of Marine drive; had a short wonder on the break water before heading off to the higher ground of Mumbai.
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| a young lad cooling off in the murky sea! |
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| a crab on a boulder |
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| plenty of rats! |
Our next stop was the Hanging Gardens {not so much of that really, the hanging part!} up on Malabar Hill. Malabar Hill is home to the rich and famous {they live in high-rise apartment blocks}. Also, up on the hill, the Parsi 'Towers of Silence' are located in this area. The Parsi believe that the elements of the earth, water, air and fire are sacred and should not be defiled so they place their dead in tall, cylindrical stone towers to be picked clean by vultures! This, they believe, is one of the most environmentally friendly way of disposing of the dead. A fall in Mumbai's vulture population remains a cause of worry! A high wall and a thick belt of trees surround the towers which are closed off to the public!
From the Hanging Gardens…..
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| gorgeous bougainvillaea |
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| a view across the bay |
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| leafy green trees |
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| about the only thing hanging in the hanging gardens! |
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| pretty spiky flower |
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| Chowpatty Beach {this is where you start the street food tour} |
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| chipmunk |
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| unusual flower in a tree |
The following day {Sunday the 2nd Aug} we headed out to Sanjay Gandhi National Park north of Powai Lake {about an hour from where we live} Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) is a large protected area in the northern part of Mumbai city in Maharashtra State in India. It encompasses an area of 104 km2 (40 sq mi) and is surrounded on three sides by India's most populous city. The park house two lakes, Vihar Lake and Tulsi Lake. These two lakes meet part of the cities water requirements. It is reputed to be the largest park in the world located within city limits. This does come with major issues! The lack of space in Mumbai has pushed residential colonies right up to the park boundaries. The boundary is poorly fenced and has often allowed wild animals into human habitations. Slums have also mushroomed around the park. The park is home to a number of leopards and leopards like dogs…..they have also attacked and killed humans! In 2004, 20 people were killed by leopards in one week. The government has been trying to educate those living near the park boundaries about living with leopards on your door step such as don't leave children alone at dusk and later, better still, keep them in doors!
The park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The forest area of the park houses over 1000 plant species, 251 species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of insects and 40 species of mammals. In addition, the park also provides shelter to 38 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians, 150 species of butterflies and a large variety of fish. We saw spotted deer, macaque {monkeys}, Hanuman or grey langur {another type of primate} a number of butterflies and a few different birds.
Reptiles in the park include: crocodiles in the Tulsi Lake, pythons, cobras, monitor lizards, Russell's vipers, bamboo pit viper and Ceylonese cat snakes - we didn't see any other these!
There are carved out caves in the park. The Kanheri Caves in the centre of the park were an important Buddhist learning centre and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between 9th and the 1st centuries BC. They were chiselled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping. We didn't walk up to the caves as it was very very hot and nowhere for George to park the car and wait….it's was a busy/crowed Sunday! I have since been with a friend who was visiting; {I didn't take any photos of the caves!} I am sure Andrew and I will return and there'll be photos to post at some point. The caves are pretty spectacular! {I have to add that we have seen better at Ellora and Ajanta caves…a post about that in the future}
In the park…...
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| Macaque monkeys |
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| I always think that these baby Macaques look like little old men :) |
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| a young Hanuman {or grey} langur |
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| the mommy Hanuman langur |
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| children playing {these children live in one of the slums bordering on the edge of the park} |
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| male spotted deer & cattle egret |
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female spotted deer {they re so pretty}
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Seen on and from the streets…..
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| I was taking a photo of the family on the motor bike {note, only the dad has a helmet!!} and when looking at my photos later on did I notice the writing on the wall…. |
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| coconuts sold for coconut water |
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| these are imported fruit! {pomegranates weren't in season yet} |
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| this odd shaped building is Mumbai's most expensive residential building. It was build by Antilia and it is a private home in South Mumbai. It is owned by Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries and includes a staff of 600 to maintain the residence {or ONE family!} As of November 2014, it is deemed to be the world's second most expensive residential property, after Buckingham Palace, which is designated as a governmental property. It is thus the world's most expensive private residential property. |
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| the expensive building from another angle |
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Bandra Worli Sealink{the cable-stay bridge} links Bandra in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai with Worli in South Mumbai over Mahim Bay.
Mumabi is a city of striking contrasts! Skyscrapers stand next to stately Victorian and Art Deco buildings, traditional bazaars adjoin glittering shopping malls and opulent neighbourhoods are surrounded by sprawling slums! Mumbai's swelling population in made up of migrants from all over the country who continue to flock to 'this land of opportunities' in search of fame, fortune or just a bit part in a Bollywood movie!!
Our time in India won't be ending at the end of December as planned. The project has been extended until the end of March {possibly a few months beyond that} and for that we are grateful! We are loving our time out here…but it does come with it's challenges!
Till the next time…...
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