Monsooning Mumbai

It took almost two years of living in this country, but I finally made it over to the west coast and to the largest city here--around a whopping 20.5 billion million people live in the metropolitan area (according to Wikepedia, but only 16.4 billion million according to Lonely Planet), making it the 4th largest city in the world.

It is a city rich in history, making it full of beautiful older buildings from the Raj (British ruling) era.

It is also home to the Gateway of India.  It was built in 1911 (and finished in 1924) to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary.  Probably more significant is that the last remaining British troops exited through this gate and from this port when India became a country independent of British rule.

This would have been the first sight people coming to India across the ocean would have seen.  It is sometimes known as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai.

 

The top of the Gateway says, "Erected to commemorate the landing in India of their Imperial Majesties King George V and Queen Mary on the Second of December MCMXI"

My traveling buddies!

 

Right across the street from the Gateway of India is the famous Taj Mahal Palace.  It is a hotel that looks like a palace on the inside and out.  It is also the first place of attack during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

The lobby

Inside a bathroom.  That was the best-and I mean best-smelling bathroom I have every been in.  See South Asia, it is possible!

Some famous people like The Beatles, Brad Pitt, Oprah, and President and Mrs. Obama have stayed here.  Needless to say, this is not where I'm staying.  No, I'm staying some place even better-with some friends that I met during training.

The southern part of Mumbai is situated right along the ocean.  The waves were really rocking these poor little boats.  Made me a little seasick just looking at them!

The taxis in my city are all yellow Ambassador cars.  The taxis and autos in this city are all black with yellow roofs.  This is probably my favorite model of them--just for looks though.  They are a little scrunched to ride in.

And, of course, Mumbai has a Starbucks!  It was the first city in India to get one and now they are several places here and in the Delhi.  Too bad it hasn't made it to my city yet.

"Starbucks" written in Hindi

 

The "coffee belt,"where coffee is grown throughout the world, not to be confused with the 10/40 Window (the section of the world where most people do not follow JC).  The coffee belt is slightly below the 10/40 Window, but I do not think it is coincidental that many Workers are coffee addicts and located in the places where coffee is grown in the world.

As you probably noticed, I was sporting my umbrella in front of the Gateway of India and the skies are dreary and cloudy.  The monsoon is happening in full force in Mumbai.  It started raining around 10 am and didn't really stop all day long.  For a few hours it dumped buckets, making the streets full of ankle deep water.  It did, however, make the temperatures nice and cool as well as make my hot coffee a real treat.

With a population as large as Mumbai's, it is crowded.  Obviously.  Now, imagine everyone has an umbrella.  It was an adventure maneuvering down the streets--to say the least!