Home --- TRIP: Southern India 2010

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This is the first part of a two part trip of Southern India and Sri Lanka 2010. We start this journey with 5 days in Mumbai on the west coast of India before heading off to the east coast city of Chennai where we will start our exploration of Southern India. During this journey we travel by boat, train, taxi, tuk-tuk, and overnight train to criss-cross this southern tip of the continent from one sea to the other. We hope you enjoy this trip as much as we did.
2 Our bags are packed and we are ready to head off to our adventure.
3 At the gate we prepare to board our flight and meet with a friend.
4 Dubai Airport, a fantastically designed building. We look forward to a visit to Dubai on our return in a little over a month.
5 There are signs of Christmas at the Dubai airport! How suprising!
6 In Dubai, the signs on the doors indicate there are uses other than mens or womens toilets. A female assisted Gents bathroom.
7 Here is the prayer room for women.
8 Our flight takes off from Dubai at night. Onwards to Mumbai!
9 Our view of Mumbai from the hotel window - Lovely!
10 Our small but satisfactory room at the hotel. A little money goes a long way here.
11 We make friends with the very friendly hotel staff.
12 A typical side street in Mumbai where you can find anything you might need and a whole lot of stuff you do not need or want.
13 The Gateway of India, located in the Colaba district, Southern end of Mumbai, and one block from our hotel was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay in December 1911. It is a lovely place to stroll and watch families spend an afternoon. Hundreds of venders gather here to sell their wares.
14 Photo op near the Gateway of India.
15 Women peruse the hair care items for sale at the Gateway.
16 Vendors near the Gateway offer their goods, such as the roasted peanuts this man has. You can also find trinkets, balloons, or tickets for a boat cruise. This is a major gathering point in town.
17 Hundreds of boats are moored around the gateway and in the harbor.
18 We explore the streets of Mumbai and find the infamous Leopold Cafe. The cafe was an early site of gunfire and grenade explosions during the 2008 Mumbai attacks by terrorists. The restaurant was extensively damaged during the attacks. Gunmen sprayed the restaurant with bullets and there were blood stains on the floor and shoes left by fleeing customers. The cafe reopened four days after the attack but was reclosed by the police as a safety measure after 2 hours because of the unexpected size of crowds gathering there. Regular business resumed the next day.
19 The Leopold Cafe is a very popular place to eat but you have to pass inspection by armed guards and a metal detector to enter.
20 Inside the Cafe there are still signs of the attack such as the bullets holes that shattered this mirror near a dining booth.