WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menolyrical [men-oh-lir-rick-ul]; the condition of conversational disco-ordination. Chatterbox snippets of an insomniac.


The 'YAM AT LIBERTY IN MUMBAI' Day...did she visit all the temples in the metro? Did she seek edification in gallery or museum? Did she heck.  Outside - she wanted the outside - and lots of photo opportunities thank you very much!   Then for a midnight re-play...

Aitch;  SO what did you see and where did you go? Did it go well?

me: in typical Sanskrit style, I'll start at the back. The beginning did not go well - the original car didn't turn up. Decided to stay in Goa it seems. S-amma was on that phone like bees on comb trying to find a car at last minute. So got half an hour late. Driver only spoke Hindi - lucky I speak Hinki…

R's place was a bit tricky to find but we were okay, with the help of half of Mumbai. We tried out all four directions before deciding the middle was the place.  Then up to the 9th floor to view her place - palatial flat with views and soooo quiet.  By 10am we got down and I instructed Ashok (the 'chuffer') in best of Hinki that we were now to head for Gateway of India.

Tour boats.  Many, many tour boats.
me:  anyway, We dropped off there for photo ops then called him back (R has cell). "Ashok bhaiyya, Colaba Causway kripa".... dropped us by chappel dukhana (shoe shops) as Me wanted new trad slippers with the toe loop. Got, them after a few tries - pure leather authenticani for <>$12.... Happeez

Aitch: well done for the new slippers

me: : meanwhile back at Colaba, it was upon the midday hour, so then over to Kala Goda Jehangir gallery for lunch. Yummy alloo paratha with trims for me and vege cutlets full lunch for R. Two gallery rooms were active. The eclectica in one room, most artists were Gujurati and one in particular I loved. Then in the other venue there was Kudalayya - OMY... I LOVE these. sigh. Artist was there and I had to say that at the moment I certainly cannot collect anything. But have taken his display booklet and details - will be following this up... http://kudalhiremath.com/ - it's the water colours of the cows that struck me.  Stunning stuff.

... after gallery, "Ashok bhaiyya, Horniman Gardens kripa"!  Lovely Georgian architecture in the Indian influence all around the circle and the gardens in the middle.
"...are you talking to me?..."


me: The large white bldg is the Mumbai Town Hall and Asiatic Society Central Library
(ought to have mentioned that beside the Gateway, is the large Taj Mahal Hotel - victim of bomb attack some years back.
Nearly finished fixing it.)
Then, after Horniman, out past the naval dockyards and along to Cchatrapati Shivaji Victoria Terminus (central railway to youse and mes). Another lovely bldg - beside which is the Central High Court Bldg - all grey and turrrety...

me: By this time Ashok bhaiyya has got the hang of Yamini-ji and is offering ideas!


a fly shot from the car - check profile page for more photos!

Aitch; oh good in hindi I suppose

me: Zaroor! But I had my plan and was sticking to it. Next... along Marine Drive please and stop at Haji Ali Masjid (mosque in the sea)

Along Chowpatty beach then- (CHOW patty not cow-) and wanted to get piccies of the Sea Link bridge... tricky given length, curve etc

Sea Link is only about 3 years operational and a true feat of engineering. gorgeous.....

me: anyhoo. Now it was coming upon 4pm and Ashok was asked to drive us back to Chembur.. but on the way he decided to detour just for me... only we ended up in the middle of a fishermans colony and a tiny street which was humming with genuine local atmosphere - piccies not soooo great there due to prevailing road ineffeciencies - but the memories will be solid especially the 10 minute puzzle of passing another vehicle in this 3 metre wide lane; many of the community turned out to assist in the manipulations!  All that then.... we got to far end and couldn't see the bridge! Poor fellow, he was soooo wanting to impress me.
Deep breaths everyone.  For more and better views,
go ogle YAMs photo page - click on Rekha up top!

But he did shortly after. Found another spot from which I took the fabby one you see here.

Aitch: How did you find that metal frame for the mosque in the sea, I would never find anything like that and it makes the photo

me: then back to Chembur for an hour or so with R in her home. Left at 6pm and Ashok finished the day off beautifully for me by driving back on all the local streets avoiding most of the highways. Very colourful and wonderful. Back at 7pm pretty bang on. 3500rupees for the day - that's about $70 or 45pounds for a private, personal, personable tour!
  
As to the mosque. He parked by the end of the corrugated fence and there it was staring at me.

ooh forgot to tell about the single copula bldg - that's Mumbai Council Chambers. Then, at the end...... autos!!!

Aitch; The link to the artist there are some lovely paintings there hope you saw many of them.
The birds that look metal on a pile of stones are they surrounded by water or grass. Is it a fountain?

me: I'm in love with the single bull's head on the left and splash of sindoor across the page... it was there and I couldn't take my eyes off it
...Yes that is a fountain - not sure when it runs though. Those are Indian cranes depicted. There were ducks in the water, but went behind as I took it.


Just keep paddling... she'll go away eventually!

Aitch; I was coming to that, is it a carving.

me: which the bull or the fountain?

Aitch: The bull  - Silly ducks...  

me: nnoo -watercolour. Absolutely stunning, brilliantly crafted water colour. I was in awe. gobsmacked. bulled over, to coin one
  
BOL   [that's "bark out loud" for the unfamiliar]

Aitch: Very busy lots of folk about and they look like tourists

me: ..........?

Aitch: In the photos

me: OHHH noooo you were talking about in the garden I just realised... that's a horse made from recycled wood...  I was stuck back at the gallery

Aitch; Ohh we are at cross purposes

me: not the 1st and sadly probably only the start

Aitch: never mind we always get there in the end!!!

me: ;)

Aitch; It could be a bull

me: if it had horns

Aitch;  Ah well you saw it better than me and in the shadows it could have had horns

me: granted

Aitch: The last photo is of the rickshaw you usually get is that right?

me: correct...  I was trying to snap them all day, but in the city it is more the taxis, this was last minute, outside R's place

Aitch; They look good do they go fast?

me: faster than pedaling.  Not as fast as Ashok's 4x4.

Aitch; as fast a a motor bike

me: hhmmmmmm more you're Italian scooter like     No . maybe faster than that

Really did have a fabby day. Bahut accha din Ashok Bhaiyya!!!

Aitch: Ugh

me: Buh -huot, ach-aa, deen -  very, good, day. Realised how much more there is TO see though. Could spend months just getting to know the place.  I Y Mumbai!!

Dear Reader - if you too would like to enjoy a full photo tour by proxy, click onto my Google Profile and opt for photos - (two albums, cuz I had trouble with clouds...yes, you know what I'm talking about!)

5 comments:

  1. Such splendid photos of a city about which I'm woefully ignorant. Tanks for this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Have been waiting for this for days. Finally. Great to see you enjoyed the lunch and the gallery. I love that place, and I do love Mumbai with all it's traffic, heat and dust. Will go to the link now. Happy Tamil New year for tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hari OM
    Perpetua - dhanyavada memsahib! It truly is splendid and so are the people. Hope you were able to link through to the full album.

    Mahal - YAAYY! We'll have to do a bit more of this when you get here &>. Put some pongal out for me in the morning - then you can all share a bit with my love! Happy NY. xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hari Om

    That indeed was a lovely day beautifully documented!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hari OM
    ... in a crazy meno kind of way! Nice to know a local could get something from this also - thank you Sahib!

    ReplyDelete

Inquiry and debate are encouraged.
Be grown-ups, please, and play nice.
🙏