Let tourism commence...

It's beginning to click now---that is, my brain is gradually starting to catch up with my legs--jet lag is subsiding. Determined, despite threatening skies to do some serious Mumbai site-seeing this morning. Feeling particularly optimistic about the world after having seen the results of the strong 'No' vote victory in Scotland. Availed myself of one of the literally thousands of cruising taxi cabs in this part of the city & for just 100R/$2 I am transported, clutching my trusty 2 inch thick Lonely Planet guide, to the iconic city landmark---known appropriately as "Gateway to India.. Built  to mark the King George V/Queen Mary tour of India in 1922 and  to celebrate everything imperial, it also marked the monument through which the departing British army marched to awaiting ships, just 26 years later, as India gained her independance. Like so much in this city, the  Gateway arch seems to be in semi poor repair,

Selfie of geeky tourist and pigeons at the 'Gateway to India'.

crumbling under layers of mould and moss. I have been surprised to observe so very little new construction activity across the whole city. The reality does not seem to match up to all the pre-visit internet pictures and boosterish material that I consumed. Mumbai seems tired, worn-out and in need of massive repair and renovation. The preponderance of pretentious and dated colonial edifices seems to me, to only add to the feeling that Asia's recent explosive changes have by-passed this metropolis.
                     Not feeling very creative in the 35 degree heat & torpid humidity, I was glad to follow the suggested Lonely Planet walking tour suggestions. At least it kept me from becoming immediately disorientated in the maze of crowded side streets off the major avenues. Upon return to the Gateway starting point and time for lunch time sustenance, I hit the crowded adjacent narrow streets to meet the holy cows, tiffin delivery wallahs and all the sites and sounds of street life. With some trepidation,

Holy cows roped to a fence.....

I dived into street food action. Very tasty actually and amused my fellow diners by beseeching the "chef" to go lightly with the hot spicy sauce. The food served up piping hot on squares of newspaper,  is consumed with the fingers. A bucket of murky water is offered to rinse-off when completed. Just hoping that the high cooking temperatures and volume of the fast cooking service has effectively killed off any potential bacteria.
       Later: about 6.00pm.head out to find some dinner. Have decided to follow the guide book's advice and make my way to the Crawford Market area. A web of streets, a slow 15 min. cab ride from my digs at the Bentley Hotel on west side Marine Drive. Out of the cab and into sheer bedlam. A full head splitting 5000 decibels noisier than the usual cacophony that seems to be India. Some kind of religious street festival, complete with loud drums and dancing, whirling youths---no girls! All involved seemed to be building themselves up into somekind of

Crawford night market.

estatic, trance-like spiritual semi oblivion. Crowds of shoppers, holy cows, stray dogs & cats seemed to ignore them. An hour of this intensity and I was almost exhausted, but not before finding a sandwich stall offering a tasty hot meal for less than $1 washed down with a couple of cans of sweetened milk plus rice seeds added.
      By 8.30, back to my hotel room and tranquility, cold shower and some laundry work.