The Vibrant City Of India, Mumbai [In Pictures]

Mumbai, a city to embrace with all five senses. Our eyes to see the colourful and vibrant display of accessories, our taste buds to try some of the most amazing and delicious dishes, our touch to feel the unique textures of textiles, our ears to hear the honking of cars and our nose to smell the lovely jasmine flowers.

Getting from point A to point B in Mumbai takes a little more courage than I thought.

The roads ain’t exactly smooth and the rides often jerky but it’s the experience I guess – of being stucked in the traffic, cars honking non-stop, cars squeezing through the tiniest spaces and stepping on breaks every other minute.

Visiting India for some fantastic curry has always been on my list of to-dos and this trip has definitely satisfied my cravings. I had curry every single day, for all 3 meals, for all 7 days – I must admit tho, after my return from India, I didn’t have any curry for approximately 2 months. With all the curry feast, I also put on 4kg.

It was irresistible. Really. Fantastic food. Must eat.

Sarees have always fascinated me with their gentle flow of fabric and the intricate wrapping techniques. The store owner was kind enough to let me try some on and showed me the three most common ways of wearing a saree.

I packed like I was going on a holiday for a month as I didn’t know what to expect. One thing I am quite sure about is, there ain’t time for me to shop so I try not to forget something I need.

The INGLOT palettes came in particularly handy.

MUMBAI GUIDE

Below is a summary of places to eat and shop – hope this list will help if you are planning to visit Mumbai some day.

BREAKFAST

Indigo Deli
No.: 5, Pheroze Building, Ground Fllor, Apollo Bunder
Eggs Benedict, French Toasts or Fruity Pancakes
Le Pain Quotidien
Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Buber, Colaba
Home-made Crepes with Ricotta Cheese, Asparagus and Mushroom Omlette
Sea Lounge
The Taj Palace Hotel
Cold coffee along with their “sev puri”
Chez Vouz French Bistro
Eros Cinema Building, Churchgate
Open-faced Baguette with Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Chocolate Truffle Shake
Café Mondegar
Metro House, 5A Shahid Bhagat Singh Road
Real Indian breakfast – Akuri (scrambled eggs with a mix of tomatoes, onions and masalas) with toast

LUNCH AND DINNER

Amadeus Café Salads & Sandwiches
NCPA, Gate 2, Nariman Point
The Burger or Pork Belly Sandwich
Trishna
Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
Butter Pepper Garlic Crab
India Jones
The Trident, Nariman Point
Trilogy of prawns
Royal China
Sterling Cinema Premises, Murzban Road, GPO, Fort
Aromatic Crispy Peking Duck
Thai Pavilion
Taj President GD Somani Road, Cuffe Parade
Soft Shell Crab and Thai Red Curry
Khyber
Kala Ghoda, Fort
Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken
Amadeus
NCPA, Gate 2, Nariman Point
Paella and Sangria

SHOPPING

Oberoi Shopping Mall – Great place for ladies bags and scarves in silk, must bargain.
Colaba Causeway – Along this road, find everything you have never thought of buying, watch your purse.
Cottage Industries – One stop shop for Indian handicrafts in sandalwood, ivory, silver, paper mache, great place for souvenirs.
Bombay Stores – Up-market shop for Indian handicrafts, great place for special soaps, paper products.
Chor Bazzar – The word “chor” literally means a “thief” in Hindi. Legend has it that if you have been robbed, you can find your stuff at Chor Bazzar the next day. Tradition apart, this place is the largest flea market in India, where tourists and Mumbai residents rummage for China and Muranos at throw away prices. The main avenue is flanked by rows of little antique shops that sell about anything for bargain prices.