Bombay, or thanks to the Hindu fundamentalist government, Mumbai, has the sprawl of Los Angeles, the density of New York, with the look of London. None of the dry red dust of Rajasthan and without Delhi's pollution. The Limeys truly outdid themselves here. Perhaps taking a cue from their former colonial failures, they anglicized the name of the former city to "Bombay" instead of a name more in line with their intentions of recreating London.

The city has been growing voraciously since its inception as a modern center of international trade and media. The shipping and naval yards, the fashion and media empires, the commercial offices of most foreign multinationals all contribute to the well dressed 'buppies' talking into cell-phones while walking their dogs after eating at foreign restaurants. Very out of place in the overall Indian "experience."

Many of the buppie residence speak with an affected accent punctuated by a smattering of "Clueless" style vernacular of "Oh my gawud!"s and "WhatEHVuh!"s. These are definitely the "Haves," acutely aware of their distinction and class in a country of such massive poverty. Slightly resented for their snobbery, the class distinctions are nothing particularly new or alarming to most people.

Churchgate Station

Victoria Terminal or "VT" though actually "CSD" as per the new non-English name

Although the economy has been growing strongly, the truth about Bumbai is that it is held back from achieving full modern metropolis status by the perpetual waves of rural poor emigrating from the surrounding states. To the buppies pretending they live in London, they are the unwanted reminders of everything shamefully Indian. Thus there are more signs offering directives and promoting order in an effort to suppress the characteristically Indian qualities. While south Bombay was quite nice, it wasn't far to find the encircling slums, and Bombay has the largest shanty-slums in all India.

the indians here sporting Tommy Hilfiger and other semi-relevant western fashion seemed disdainful of their impoverished country-people dirtying up the streets.

The Taj Mahal Hotel (5 star hotel built by an Indian after being snubbed at a limey hotel) and the India Gate (built for the arrival of an imperial couple and through which the last British troops left)

the lintel on the Gate

much great junk to buy in the predominately muslim chor bazar (thieves' market)

the breaking yards of Bhavnigar are nearby, where ship after ship is broken down by hand to component level. most goes to scrap, but many things are sold to regional markets and go towards satisfying the global hobbyist demand for nautical components.

hindi kitti

a view north up Marina Drive, arcing left at Chowpatty Beach, from the southwest shore of Mumbai.

also along the Drive, a rare local specimen of the Hindu drag queen stopped to examine us

there were inexpensive local trains servicing the greater urban area

Historically aware of the effects of disrupting labor output, the "Strike" is still a popular form of expression here.

The multinational McDonalds franchise was fined and almost ejected from the country after allegations that there was some cow in their cooking oil. The company swears that they use no animal products in any of their Indian franchises. Although it ended almost fifteen years of non-patronage, I had to sample the New Veg Surprise. It wasn't bad for 18 rupees, but once you added your McFries and Vanilla McShakes, they still got you for a couple hundred.

I'm sure this wasn't the only time during the day this employee could be found Polishing the Ronald.

this man could be found any time day or night plying his trade. Walk out from the hotel at 6am for breakfast and blanket shrouded human forms lying in the street would spring up from the waist, Nosferatu style, offering all manner of substances. From sleep to sale at the sound of a tourist footfall. Like most big cities, large underground criminal organizations made certain laws exempt in parts.

the three sikhs. the one on the right felt very passionately about advancing child education and wanted to open a new type of school. his ideas on epistemology and engaging education were reasonably well evolved, and we offered to put him in contact with relevant thinkers in education we knew back West. He seemed preoccupied however that we should help by actually doing it all for him. He also told us how he placed hindu religious tile mosaics on the wall across from their shop so people would stop pissing on it. He was still a kool Sikh however, he used some of his time to organize and coach some of the neighborhood children in cricket teams.

this old sikh was a child of Partition who left the Punjab to start over in the south. He indicated that he had met (and offered sage advice to) Pakistan's Jinnah and Indira Gandhi herself.

our hotel was on the southeast shore in the old-London "Strand" reminiscent enclave of Colaba. Leeward of the Arabian sea, many of the vessels and ports were here.

just offshore from our hotel sat this old carrier belonging to the Indian Navy (not in service - they possess modern vessels)

taking a boat out to an isle in the bay, we saw numerous indian war vessels in the naval yards

a better view of the carrier

large freighters

many indian family tourists around mumbai

being that the hindu island-cave-temple was closed, the other sites of note were these old emplacements from the second "world war."

after a long hot day running and yelling and frolicking on the island, the boys like to cuddle up and enjoy a quiet boat ride home. Indian men are aware that Ameri-peans regard their behavior as, well, "gay", but consider it an annoying hang-up. When you are a young man surviving the chemical throes of sexual development and the only outlets of expression are other males, it's an inevitability.