Mumbai, the "Maximum City"!
Trip Start
Feb 07, 2008
1
16
17
Trip End
Mar 31, 2008
Where I stayed
Our house in Santa Cruz
Mumbai (Bombay), India
Monday, March 10, 2008
The capital of the state of Maharashtra
Population = over 20 million (world's 5th most populous metropolitan area)
Area = 437 sq. km.
Languages spoken: Hindi, Marathi, and English
The name Mumbai is an eponym, etymologically derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba, the name of the Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, and Aai meaning mother in Marathi. The former name Bombay had its origins in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in the area and called the place with various names, which would finally take on the written form Bombaim, still common in current Portuguese use. After the British gained possession in the 17th century, it was anglicised to Bombay.
Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found
An entire book is dedicated to this city and is worth a read. The author is Suketu Mehta ( http://www.suketumehta.com/ ). Pina read it and she thinks it's a combination between a journalist's journal/novel and a recount of nowadays events that have made history (like the 2002 riots).
3 Weeks
Sights that we saw:
Haji Ali Mosque
Victoria Terminus
Elephanta Caves
Colaba and Cuff Parade neighborhoods
Band Stand (Bandra)
Marine Lines and Chowpatty Beach
Juhu Beach
Bhindi Bazaar
Fort Area
Azad and Oval Maidans
Mi gratitud y momentos mas memorables en esta etapa del viaje estan ligados a nuestros amigos Angelica y James, que viven en Bandra, Mumbai desde hace algunso meses. Ellos vivian y trabajaban en Inglaterra hasta hace poco que a James le ofrecieron el puesto de director en India.
Ademas de tener la amabilisima atencion de hospedar a mi mama y a mi tia (como reinitas), Angelica y yo hemos pasado dias enteros poniendonos al corriente despues de tantos aņos de comunicacion exclusiva por email. Ha sido fabuloso reencontrarnos y ver que a pesar del tiempo, hay tantos paralelismos en nuestras vidas.
