Brunch in Mumbai

On the8th Xerxes Dhunjeebhoy and Sunil had invited me for brunch to JW Marriott. It is a tradition in Mumbai to go out for brunch on Sunday's and so we were in a taxi heading up to Juhu in northwest Mumbai along the coast route. The brunch was starting at 12.30hrs until 16.00hrs.

Another example on Indian mass transport

 

The Sealink

At JW Marriott, Xerxes, Sunil & me.

When we arrived we were shown our booked table and so it started, ordered drinks and off to the buffet table.  The spread that was on offer was incredible, every imaginable cuisine was available, my favorite, cheese, were there in many different flavors. And we ate so much, all the way until four o'clock.

Sunil, me & Xerxes

The Ambani "pad" Antilia that we passed on the way back

After we left the JW Marriott there was only one destination in our mind, our beds.

Those interested in the JW Marriott brunch can click here for more info.

BRYC closing regatta

On the 7th I was invited to participate in the Bombay Royal Yacht Club's season closing regatta. It is customarily done on the estimated last weekend before the rains start. The day was sunny and wind was there as well so all the elements were there for an enjoyable afternoon.

Cmde Mongia at the wheel

I boarded Cmde Mongia's s/y Ninikins as a spectator to compete with 2 other boats in the same size class and I was showed where I could sit without being in the way. The principle of sailing is not unfamiliar for me at all but the machinations of a bigger sailing yacht was new to me. As a kid I used to do a lot of optimist and windsurfing so I knew the basics.

Chetan Fernandes

The sailing crew was Nitin Mongia and Chetan Fernandes, both old timers in the sailing circuit in Mumbai and India if not even Internationally. Then there was a a local group following Nitin and Chetan to come and help as well as to enjoy the camaraderie of the friendly regatta.

Closing to the turning point

The boats circled about the start buoy and came into somekind of agreed pattern with the big boats leaving first and then the smaller ones. Then we waited for the yacht club officials to hoist the start flag and once it was up it was away with all boats. We took the lead at first and held it until we came with the wind from astern it was time to hoist the spinnaker. Unfortunately our old hands messed up the spinnaker and before it was untangled another boat had taken the lead.

M/y Kalizma

M/y Ashena

We tried to gain on the lead but the going was slow, at best we did 7 knots. Some distance was gained but in the end we came in on the 2nd position but the afternoon was not so much for competition, it was more of a social gathering and having fun one afternoon.

Back to Mumbai

Like all vacations we have they always end and this day was my return to reality. I could not get any long mornings, not that I have the need for them anymore as in my youth when I could sleep until noon, now I had to get up and catch my flight to Mumbai.

Back to Mumbai

I was up and had a light breakfast and thanked my hosts for their hospitality and letting me stay in their house for these few days. It had been an interesting experience to visit Bengal even for this short period. Then I was out the door and took a taxi to the airport.

At the airport I managed to check in my luggage without any bigger problems and boarded the Kingfisher flight. We landed on time in Mumbai and I was met by our driver Santosh at the airport and he took me to the Gateway of India where I was met by the Kalizma tender and I was soon onboard and being greeted by Saini and other crew.

Map of M-wall

The day went on discussing handover notes and future plan of spending the monsoon in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Basically everything had been planned to the last detail, we only waited for the go ahead from our Management.

M-wall and a row of barges at it

3rd May Signed off Saini for vacation and i signed on at the Yellow Gate Police station, all went ok for once. Discussed various maintenance requirements scheduled for the monsoon with the office and met with Mishra Yogi from Yeoman Marine.

4th May Did seatrials with several smaller yachts related to Kalizma's management that was not very successful. My snag list became suddenly very long.

Later I inspected the M-wall at the Prince's Dock, the area was ok but not really a place I would bring a yacht alongside, at least not for a very long duration. Furthermore, I saw works were going along to reclaim land from Victoria Dock to Cross Island in way of the envisaged Container Terminal that was being developed against all odds. I'm surprised no environmentalist has cried foul yet.

Cross Island

5th May was spent chasing various work quotes.

6th May Met up with Mishraji at his office, our naval architect, and discussed stability issue for some minor engineering modification that involved some weight shifting. Later I was invited for lunch to a Punjabi Restaurant and had a delicious vegetarian lunch with Mishraji. Later in the afternoon I receive news that the Trincomalee relocation is cancelled. Kalizma will stay at the M-wall for the monsoon. In light of our last years experience it was not a very appealing decision in terms of maintenance.

Calcutta

Well, again the early bird catches the worm, I was up at 6am and out the door as soon as I had my morning chores and cup of tea done. This morning I walked to the river side and headed south to the district where they manufacture straw dolls, mostly Hindu God idols, for temples and various processions. There was also pottery being made. I could see a multitude of shops and they had dolls in various stages of completion. First the torso of the doll is made of straw, then it is covered with mud. After the mud is dry more is applied to make the features. Finally the doll gets a wig, it is painted and decorated.

Krishna doll

Durga doll

Locals at morning wash

Local train line to the burbs

Unfinished dolls

Unfinished dolls

Clay being brought to a shop

I could also see men sitting in front of a small box at regular intervals. After awhile I realized they were shavers, other men sat down on the box and they got shaved. As I also got a decent stubble I decided to have a go at it.  It cost me 20 rupees, the view was of the river and the air was fresh. Once I continued down south I came to a ferry stop and I ventured on the pontoon to embark the ferry. The current was pretty strong, maybe 3 knots or more. After some time the ferry came and made to and I stepped on with the other passengers.

River view

Howrah train station

Local river ferry

Locals at morning wash

The ferry ride was nice, air was cool despite the ferry was fully loaded the Indian way. I managed to get an open air space so I could shoot some photos. Enroute I could see the whole Calcutta riverside until we arrived the other side at Howrah train station. I got off there and walked to look at the station, it is massive. Ogled it for awhile and then I made my way to the Howrah bridge and started walking over it back to the old town.

The flower market

Police bikes

Shops properly closed, each door with 5 or more padlocks

After the bridge I passed by the local flower market, it was huge as well. After that there were some industrial shop buildings and I came to the township of colonial Calcutta. I walked around and saw Shipping Building, Tobacco House, Insurance building, GPO and Writer's House (where the Chief Minister of Bengal resides), etc. etc. Some buildings like the Shipping building (only the facade remains) were in a quite dilapidated condition but I could see signs that there was going to be some reconstruction or refurbishment.

Tram

General post office

Writers House

Allahabad Bank

After awhile I think I ended up in Chinatown as I was passing through Sun Yat-Sen street and saw quite a few yellow faces and trading shops peddling Chinese wares. Next to Chinatown I there was a Muslim market that I walked through. At this point I decided I had enough of walking for awhile and needed somewhere to put down my feet.

The Shipping Building

State Bank of India

Entrance to Standard Life Assurance compound

Standard Life Assurance building

So, after an exhausting morning I went to the Esplanade to have some lunch at the Ashoka restaurant. Sat there for a couple hours enjoying my lunch and a few cold Kingfishers while contemplating my next move. I decided to go to the Marble Palace as my last feat of the day, so I paid my tab and got into taxi. The Marble Palace is a privately owned house by the descendants of a wealthy Indian merchant, Raja Rajendra Mullick, who was nuts about art and marble.

Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur

The fountain in the garden

Marble Palace

I went into the yard and was told by the guard that the residence is private and I need a permit from the tourism bureau to get in (which I did not have), but for a small fee he could let me go and look inside. Oh well, said and done I handed over his tea money and went into the building. I was told no photography allowed so my camera stayed in my pocket. The house was really stunning, a real palace on two floors. Marble patterned floors and art everywhere, paintings and statues mostly. The floors, though splendid with the marble patterns, were in dire need of restoration. There was so much to see in the house that I could not concentrate and the day was coming to an end so I exited the compound and headed for Shyambazar by Metro.

The Thalassaemia Society of India neighboring Marble Palace

Sign and gatepost 

Once at Priyak Mitra Street I refreshed myself and took a small rest after which I headed out again and walked around Shyambazaar and Sovabazar looking at the local life for a couple of hours. It was already dark so it was not that interesting so I got back soon and retired for the night as I was leaving early next morning.

Calcutta

Got up at cock's crow and made myself ready for a day sightseeing. After a quick cup of tea I headed for the Metro and bought a ticket for Kalighat station. Once there I started asking directions to the Kali temple the station is named after. Eventually I got to some kind of temple but it looked more like a park and next to it was some complex that was closed. Later I learned later that I had been in the wrong place. After walking around in circles there for awhile I took a taxi to College Road.

Sachin Mitra Lane

Sachin Mitra Lane

At College Road, as the name says, are a lot of learning institutions as well as book stores. Was hoping to buy something interesting to read but unfortunately I was out too early. Walked around and watched students having a dip in the pool that I suppose was dedicated for student sports. I came across a tram line so I grabbed a tram and rode over to the Esplanade.

Close to Shyambazaar

Calcutta traffic

Near Kalighat

College Road

From there I started walking towards Park Street and I was suddenly hijacked by a shopkeeper to come and look at his wares. I was totally non+committed but to humor him I decided to go and have a look. He had me sit down and offered Indian chai and started pulling out stuff that I was not in the least interested in. I was interested in Nepalese Gurkha knives, they had obviously been hand made, probably made in Nepal too but buying one in Calcutta was not my deal. I want to buy one in Nepal when I hopefully travel there someday.

Inside the tram

Calcutta tram bogie

My Tamil breakfast

Museum of India

Finally he presented some batiks and I took a fancy of a tapestry that was abt 1.5 x 2.0m long, it depicted Krishna with his women. The asking price was horrendous, something like 3800 rupees so I just took my bag and started to leave and the Owner became frantic and told me how much do I want to pay? I told him that I have no idea what these kind of things cost but I can't afford his asking price. He pleaded me to say something so I told him 1000 rupees. He went into another fit and I told him goodbye and started down the stairs, after 3 steps he said "OK, take it". As I was his first customer of the day he could not afford to have me walk out on the street without buying anything, it would spell disaster for the rest of the days business. I paid him and got my tapestry. I felt quite ruthless but nonetheless I think he made a profit.

Ceremonial Kali Mask

Mammoth found up in Punjab

LP's manufactured by lacquer produced in India (bug excreta)

Opium samples

Kali painting

Miniature of a Parsi "Tower of solitude" 

Next I stopped in a antique store that was displaying brass figures. Being a sucker for such stuff  I had to go in and see what was on offer. There were a lot of brass figurines from the smallest 1 inch to the biggest abt 1 foot tall. The shop Owner was an elderly fellow who loved to talk about his pieces and gladly showed them as well. Finally I settled on 3 figures from the Hindu mythology and the price came to abt 6000 rupees. It was a fair price as I had been earlier in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa & Cochin buying several similar size statues for same price more or less.

Calcutta Architecture

Old gramophone player in an auction shop

As I walked on I came across the Museum of India, the building was imposing and looked interesting so I ventured inside. The entry fee was a pittance and I started walking the halls of the big building. Even to try and explain what was on display would be worth of several novels, but in short I could say it is sort of a Smithsonian of India. There is a lot to see and learn although the building is in dire need of repairs and some of the exhibits are not least to say "tired". I spent there a few hours and started to suffer from culture shock so I decided to leave. I was walking around the streets aimlessly and eventually ended down south of Calcutta and my feet started aching so I took the Metro back to Shyambazar.

Rickshaws & bicycles were still popular ways of transport

Metro art @ Shyambazaar station 

The evening was spent chatting with Priyak while we emptied his fridge of beer. The sleep was excellent after such a day.