Halloween Day!!

Today I was up very early as I had slept so much yesterday. I went for an early morning walk at 6 pm along Marine Drive by the sea. It is the only time of day to jog!! Tomorrow I jog! I saw the set up for a big road race for 8 AM, returned to have breakfast for $4....two omelettes , tea, banana and toast! Then went out and took pics of the race. It was organized by the local university. I had such fun as they all walked...no serious running here. Lots of placards, and high spirits, yelling etc as you can see in the pics. I chatted to a lady in white who turned out to be a university professor. She indicated that the walk organizers were coming by so I took a pic of them, as you can see. They were very nice. I felt so "Indian"....such warm and loving people!! The positives are everywhere, and mostly outweigh any negatives. Such a rich culture. The run was for unity. It seems to me that English unifies this country, as they are all so different in language and cultural backgrounds. My two engineering friends from yesterday were only friends as they attend university together. One is from the north, and the other in the south at Kerala, yet Indians. Yet speak different languages. Then I had a frustrating day trying to draw money. I changed banking accounts and now can't draw any money. Emailed my manager so hope I will next week!! Apple store helped me sort out a few technical problems too along the way. I had a small lunch at my favourite Indian Summer restaurant. I ordered dosas and an excellent salad of sprouted beans, pineapple, peppers....to die for at a to die for price!! See this pic!

I hope to leave here for cheaper accommodation next week, but must be air conditioned. My engineering friends know the best websites for decent cheap accommodation here. I met up with my Indian friends tonight. We sat on the promenade. Kids came by and brought their Halloween candy to give to us!! The family, including the wife were lovely, as you can see in the pics below. Try watermelon juice with vanilla ice cream!! The lift is centuries old and operated by the lift guy. He switches on AC in the lift....only takes about three people!!

The traffic....is utterly amazing, hooting 24/7 and pedestrians all mixed up with the cars....I can't believe no-one has been hurt. No dawdling here crossing the road!! I went out to supper at an Indian vegetarian restaurant. Great food again, and took the pic of Hindu god.

Friday October 30

Thanks for stopping by! So much for the sight and intense smells here. Most smells are amazing. You should smell the amazing flowers, and gorgeous flower arrangements here, made on the street. Intense perfume! The heat is very intense, and I had to return to the hotel to cool down. I saw a little guy on the street who saw me looking at the sugar cane pulping machine, and asked for a drink, so I bought him one. I couldn't bring myself to indulge in all that sugar!! Headed by taxi to the Gateway of India. Huge monument as you can see in the pic. Very impressive Taj Mahal hotel.....amazing architecture. I bought a ticket to go to Elephanta Island ( half hour boat trip). I paid R10 to go on the roof, and took pics of the locals who were decked out!! Met some guys there and they invited me to join them when we got off ( a bunch of engineers!). The sea is very brown here, I think due to silt, and looks like river water. Lots of ships going by and garbage floating in the sea. The small island is very tropical. We docked at a promontory and walked to the island. Toy train took folk along but we walked. It was great to be one of the locals!! There was a huge path up the mountain, shaded with tarps, and the vendors set up on each side. You had to pass them. Monkeys danced over the tarps above, and were evident everywhere grooming etc. People fed them but my friends said not to approach them. Some looked so cute grooming but others were aggressive, growling. I saw some Indians attacked by them, and they threw stones at them. The caves were cut into the mountain side. Not sure of the rock, but they were quite fascinating. My friends were taking selfies all the time!! I joined in the pics! There were 5 caves, and the heat outside was less in the caves. Quite impressive. All manifestations of Lord Shiva. Lots of stone cutters chiselling away at rocks outside the caves. We climbed up a long path, and enjoyed a nice view of the island and the long jetty to the boats below. We arrived at an old world war 2 gun structure. Lots of monkeys there. Met two Canadians there!!! An Indian lady wanted me to photograph her, but wanted Rs !! You can get so easily caught. And HOLY COWS...I saw my first ones, but they were being shooed off, for some reason. I took pics of the locals eating lunch on the ground. Most people slept on the boat going back due to the heat. This time I went below with the general populous. On docking, my friends asked me to come and share an ethnic meal. We all jumped in the taxi, and either our taxi or the one next door almost cut off the other. The two taxis were neck and neck. Both drivers yelling at each other and gesticulating. The other guy had no passengers but there were 5 of us in ours. They started to try and cut each other off. It was scary and also like a Hollywood movie chase. After that I went to a Kerala restaurant, as my friends were from there. Very local place! We all washed our hands, and I sat with them. I wasn't hungry. They ate the chicken brijani with their hands, and offered me some!! One guy was vegetarian, so we went to another restaurant, strictly locals, which was excellent. This one served dosas, and I sampled some. Excellent. I had lemonade, made with the gorgeous small Indian lemons. More selfies!! I want to return to that place, as I loved the vegetarian food, and so so cheap!!!! My friends left to tour a museum, but I was wiped from a day in the sun, and returned to my hotel. Showered in cold water of course, and fell asleep all night!!!!!!! I am told that winter comes in November. I wait in anticipation. I am excited that I will be in Mumbai for the 3 days of Diwali- Festival of Lights. It will be amazing.....Christmas in India for the Hindus....what could be better!!! S0 much happened today so thanks for reading thus far!! The Indian people are awesome!!

Thursday October 29

Early breakfast in the hotel. Very reasonable price. Taxi to the yoga studio, and Natasha took me through a lesson while the other class was going on. I am trying to learn sequences that will benefit the misalignments in my body. Sciatic releases are now a daily practice.The next class did not seem helpful, so I left. Taxi home, and waited while room was cleaned. Security is good. Water is safe and clean. I am looked after here. Shower water is luke warm to cold, which is marvellous!! The body really enjoys the cool water!! Visibility was amazing today as I looked out at the bay and the huge buildings at the other side, which were not visible due to smog most days. Very very hot day so I stayed in and read. You can very easily overheat here. Went out for dinner. Food here is amazing as you will see in today's pics, and so reasonably priced. Way better quality and value here in air conditioned restaurants. Also so much diversity with sidewalk vendors everywhere in the pics. I am fascinated with the swamp trees everywhere, with the enormous roots that grow down to the ground. I hope to see the Gateway of India which is very close by and Mumbai's top attraction. I will stay here one more week, and then maybe move to Bandra to be closer to the school, and the Yoga Cara studio. Will see how this works out. Thanks for stopping by today!!

October 28

Greetings from the Sea Green Hotel on Marine Drive! Cars honking fill the air 24/7. I walked to yoga today but arrived so incredibly sweaty and overheated that I had to wait till we could do yoga. Jehangir assigned Natasha, a great teacher to give me one on one yoga before and during his class. Most practitioners do their own warm ups before his class. I found Natasha excellent. I go every morning for yoga but will take the taxi tomorrow. After class I did go by taxi into town, and drew money, and bought flip flops. Very entertaining walking around. Enjoyed the sugar cane machine, where you get a glass of sugar cane juice. Notice the stack of cane on the roof in the pic. Then I did my cell phone check as I have a new Indian phone number!! I came across the Holy Cow in the pic, donated some rupees for it. The cow lifted it's tail, and splashed a few gallons on the sidewalk. Notice the guy selling jeans that caught the spray of holy water. You would be very luck to buy those jeans. The vendor didn't mind in the least. Folk came up and touched the cow. I ventured up side streets, which were very narrow, and carried mainly pedestrian traffic, but the scooters used it too!! I found it very interesting!Was so overheated again and found a restaurant called Indian Summer. It was all Indian food, and I loved it. I plan to go back there. Way way way nicer than the restaurant food that we get in Edmonton, and way cheaper. Amazing flavours. I can cope with the spicy food...so much variety, and excellently prepared. Wish I had more appetite!! Enjoy the pics Tamarind sauces are great. So tempted to buy some food off the street, but they use their hands, and not a scoop to dole out the treats. More tomorrow.........

October 27

Early start at 7 am, as it is cooler. October and November are the hottest months of the year...yes I goofed up on that! In addition, the city is experiencing a heat wave and temperatures are higher than recorded memory. Thankfully my hotel room is air conditioned, as are lots of the businesses. Heat and humidity are very very high. I walked for 45 minutes to the yoga studio. It took so long as I took pics of Mumbai life happening along the Marine Drive promenade. Intense smells here, some good some bad. Lots of eye openers: traffic is hiking 24/7, and crossing the road needs maximum caution!! Folk doing yoga on the promenade , many sleeping wherever, families visiting, beggars, pedlars, you name it, it's here.

The studio is very nice. Jehangir, the yoga guy gave a lesson, and I was helped a lot. First was a sciatic release!! Felt good. It was an advanced class, so I missed a lot of it. Anyway, Natasha has been assigned to help me out this week. I will get classes from her. She is one of Jehangir's teachers. Also I may attend his classes afterwards. I met Jehangir's mother too, but was too tired to take it. Long walk back in the heat to the Sea Green Hotel where I stay. Mumbai never sleeps!! Such diversity of lifestyles all side by side. Dogs sleeping on the sidewalk is common. I bought a garland of jasmine flowers, and draped them around the 4 mice that Ashley, my granddaughter had given me!! My eyes are wide open here. I called One International, and plan to teach next week, around the yoga schedule. I will see how it all goes. Navigating the city is very difficult, so I hope to get good instructions on how to get to the school . It is 40 minutes away.

Monday October 26 Arrival!!

Well the big adventure has begun! Great flight to London HEATHROW, and even better on Air India to Mumbai. Very long trip, and tons of food and drink on Air India. Excellent service on Air India. I was met at the airport by Tania Spilchen, and taken to the Sea Green Hotel. I brought suitcases of goodies for One International in my baggage allowance. She smoothed over a very very early 4:30 AM hotel registration, and I feel quite good today. Taking it all slowly. Haven't done much but organizing use of technology etc. No pics yet until I get an India SIM card today. The famous four mice, from Ashley, my granddaughter loved the trip!!!!! There has been a heat wave here in Mumbai....very humid, and hazy visibility. More later....

I now have a case of severe jet lag. Just woke up at 8:42 PM, and will try to stay awake till bedtime!! Have slept for hours and hours!! Going to venture out again. I now have an Indian phone number and SIM card. Still trying to figure out how to draw money as I need rupees instead of a Visa to survive!!

More later.....