magic shops, touristic moments
Jan. 31st, 2005 02:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcAs Gregor Samsa ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jawnbc awoke from uneasy dreams, he rolled out of bed, ignored his twitching loins, drained his bladder, brushed his teeth, showered, dressed, and went down to breakfast.
Have I mentioned how incredibly cheap India is? India is incredibly cheap!
Breakfast (eggs, toast, juice, tea) costs about $AU1.20). A can of coke about $.35, a 1l bottle of water about $.75. None of my meals have been more than $3.00--in restaurants. If I weren't such a princess about the cut of meat (no dark chicken, no gristly lamb, generally no pork 'cept bacon), I could eat for about 1/2 that. And so far, only a wee bit of rumbly bumbly last night--which hasn't recurred.
I had planned on doing an excursion to Elephanta, an island in the middle of the Bom Bay, but the temple caves to see there are closed on Mondays. Boat runs, but nothing to see, there's nothing for me there. Instead I shocked one of the shoparazzi who plunder the Gateway to India by saying "actually yes--I am interested in a tour of the city!" My choices: INR150 for a seat on a bus tour; INR600 for a private car tour. $4 versus $15: I went whole hog.
The car was a relative new (<5 years?), clean, sedan. I had a guide and a driver, and after 10 minutes I understood why our tour would only be 3 hours, while the coach version takes all day: the traffic. Traffic in Mumbai is like a complexly choreographed hip-hop performanc in teeny cars, 125cc bikes, bicycles and pedestrians. No one seems to hit anyone else, but the near misses are breathtaking. But the new normal becomes normal pretty quickly and I got used to--mostly--the twists and turns we took.
We went to the other side of the peninsula, to the proper Arabian Sea--looks pretty, smells not so good. The guide then announced we would be going to magic shop, and I though "Kewl! Wonder if there'll be any neat magic tricks for sale." Sadly, the magic was to be found in the kickbacks he got from any purchases I made. And I did pick up a couple of things. But I was not humming the soundtrack to Xanadu whilst shopping.
We then headed to a Jain temple, which was very beautiful. Then to a park overlooking the city. These were all things I couldn't have easily navigated on my own, so it all pleased me very much. Then I was lead to a tailor. Now, I had been thinking--seriously--about getting a suit made, but it was my deep dark secret (OK,querrelle knew too)--how did Guide figure this out?
"How can I help you today sir," said the tailor.
"I'm not sure" said I, "since I don't know why I was brought here."
"We make the very finest of most incredible and high quality clothing for men such as yourself . . ."
So they started pulling reams of fabric down, and I got caught up in it and was quickly pushing them to bring downt the perfect, heavy wool for a blue blazer...then I snapped back to reality. And asked how much. And then thought "it's really not fair to waste these fella's time." So I apologized and left.
No sooner had I left when the guide started leading me down an adajecent side street.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the XSDJFDLJFAFJ building sir, it's very nice."
"Why are we going there?"
"It's a touristic moment sir."
"No thanks." Oh.
End of shopping diversions. After a quick stop to photograph "Wee Tee" (VT, Victoria Terminus train station), it was time to say good-bye. I'm glad I did it, even with the minor annoyances. I then hit a recommended (by my Lonely Planet guidebook) music store to get some bhangra and Hindi-pop, and a Bollywood DVD.
Tomorrow Elephanta, before I fly to Nagpur tomorrow evening.
jawnbc awoke from uneasy dreams, he rolled out of bed, ignored his twitching loins, drained his bladder, brushed his teeth, showered, dressed, and went down to breakfast.Have I mentioned how incredibly cheap India is? India is incredibly cheap!
Breakfast (eggs, toast, juice, tea) costs about $AU1.20). A can of coke about $.35, a 1l bottle of water about $.75. None of my meals have been more than $3.00--in restaurants. If I weren't such a princess about the cut of meat (no dark chicken, no gristly lamb, generally no pork 'cept bacon), I could eat for about 1/2 that. And so far, only a wee bit of rumbly bumbly last night--which hasn't recurred.
I had planned on doing an excursion to Elephanta, an island in the middle of the Bom Bay, but the temple caves to see there are closed on Mondays. Boat runs, but nothing to see, there's nothing for me there. Instead I shocked one of the shoparazzi who plunder the Gateway to India by saying "actually yes--I am interested in a tour of the city!" My choices: INR150 for a seat on a bus tour; INR600 for a private car tour. $4 versus $15: I went whole hog.
The car was a relative new (<5 years?), clean, sedan. I had a guide and a driver, and after 10 minutes I understood why our tour would only be 3 hours, while the coach version takes all day: the traffic. Traffic in Mumbai is like a complexly choreographed hip-hop performanc in teeny cars, 125cc bikes, bicycles and pedestrians. No one seems to hit anyone else, but the near misses are breathtaking. But the new normal becomes normal pretty quickly and I got used to--mostly--the twists and turns we took.
We went to the other side of the peninsula, to the proper Arabian Sea--looks pretty, smells not so good. The guide then announced we would be going to magic shop, and I though "Kewl! Wonder if there'll be any neat magic tricks for sale." Sadly, the magic was to be found in the kickbacks he got from any purchases I made. And I did pick up a couple of things. But I was not humming the soundtrack to Xanadu whilst shopping.
We then headed to a Jain temple, which was very beautiful. Then to a park overlooking the city. These were all things I couldn't have easily navigated on my own, so it all pleased me very much. Then I was lead to a tailor. Now, I had been thinking--seriously--about getting a suit made, but it was my deep dark secret (OK,
querrelle knew too)--how did Guide figure this out? "How can I help you today sir," said the tailor.
"I'm not sure" said I, "since I don't know why I was brought here."
"We make the very finest of most incredible and high quality clothing for men such as yourself . . ."
So they started pulling reams of fabric down, and I got caught up in it and was quickly pushing them to bring downt the perfect, heavy wool for a blue blazer...then I snapped back to reality. And asked how much. And then thought "it's really not fair to waste these fella's time." So I apologized and left.
No sooner had I left when the guide started leading me down an adajecent side street.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the XSDJFDLJFAFJ building sir, it's very nice."
"Why are we going there?"
"It's a touristic moment sir."
"No thanks." Oh.
End of shopping diversions. After a quick stop to photograph "Wee Tee" (VT, Victoria Terminus train station), it was time to say good-bye. I'm glad I did it, even with the minor annoyances. I then hit a recommended (by my Lonely Planet guidebook) music store to get some bhangra and Hindi-pop, and a Bollywood DVD.
Tomorrow Elephanta, before I fly to Nagpur tomorrow evening.
