Of weddings and thinking sprees

So it’s wedding season again. I hate wedding seasons. The traffic on Marine Drive is terrible. You go to the wedding of a person who you barely know, just because your family was invited by the groom’s or the bride’s family. You eat oily wedding food. You come back. You repeat the cycle a few more times before the New Year comes.

But I went to a wedding last weekend which I will cherish for many reasons. For one, it was my best bud Chirag’s wedding. Two, it was the first time I went to the wedding of a person I really care about. Three, I got to go to Kolkata for the big day, which meant some time away from my CFA studying.

As I got out the car at Mumbai’s swank new airport, I felt queasy. Mostly due to the generous quantity of beer I had consumed the previous night. But the beautiful airport never fails to light up my spirit. As I looked up at the vast expanse of the check-in area like a big-eyed child looking at the entrance to Disneyland, I couldn’t help but think of how different this place was from India’s ‘other side’. The terminal building was relatively empty, quiet, air-conditioned and sparkling clean. The architecture was modern and it looked world-class. I nodded to myself as I thought of the crowded slums outside the airport. It was another one of those examples where the two Indias co-exist side-by-side. I was prevented from slipping into another lengthy thinking spree by the sight of a Costa Coffee store. The excitement of succumbing to a cup of gourmet coffee to rid me of my early morning blues was overwhelming. I looked at the menu, and noticed that they had a paneer sandwich in ‘mint mayonnaise’. Is that what they’re calling chutney these days, I asked myself. It wasn’t chutney, and the sandwich was surprisingly delicious.

The surprises continued as I began my journey to Kolkata. Check-in took less than a minute, security was smooth and the flight left on time. I flew Indigo and the professionalism of the airline was very obvious. I am a sucker for a sleek product and Indigo was one such product.

I arrived in Kolkata, not knowing what to expect. I had not heard anything positive about the city from people in Bombay, but then Bombayites are prone to do that about any place outside the toll naka. Words I heard repeatedly included smelly, filthy, communist, strikes, and the like. I feared the criticism would come true as the plane pulled into its parking bay. Sure enough, the airport was ugly and reeked of a 1980s communist ideology. It was in the sort of disrepair that could be associated with the old airport of Bombay. I found the car that had been sent for me by the benevolent groom-to-be, and we set off towards my hotel.

Out of nowhere, the bad roads and pedal-rickshaws suddenly gave way to a sleek six-lane road that went straight through the fields on either side. Occasionally, one would have the opportunity to admire a sleek glass-faced office building with a huge logo of some IT company on it. I was glad that what I had heard was being proven wrong. It seems that Kolkata had jumped on to the development bandwagon after all. But sadly, as the trip wore on, that was all I saw of the new face of Kolkata. This city seemed like Bombay in many ways; bustling, crowded, albeit a lot dirtier and a lot poorer. Bombay gives you a showcase of the staggering difference in the lives of the haves and the have-nots, whereas Kolkata seemed to have a lot more of the have-nots and very few haves. It seemed like the city was trapped in time, 1980s I’d say. The effects of liberalization and the IT boom were not very obvious.

After a short stop at my hotel, I went to the groom’s house. It was good to see Chirag after about six months. He was beaming, as any groom would. He seemed to be more interested in the ongoing India-England cricket match than in getting ready for the wedding! Once he did get ready, we left for the wedding hall. About two hundred meters away from the hall, the groom’s guests assembled, and Chirag climbed onto a white mare and the band started playing. I couldn’t help smiling non-stop as I video-taped the procession on my phone. Our ceremony caused a traffic jam, as cars squeezed by. People, both in the cars and on the road, were taking great interest in the procession. The women passing by took time to see what the groom looked like. I’m sure they weren’t disappointed.

The wedding area was beautifully lit up. There was no loud music playing, and the service was prompt to the point of the waiters badgering the guests. Chirag looked smashing, and Richa looked very pretty in her red sari.

The wedding lasted forever. When I left at 1030 pm, the bride and the groom had just gotten started on dinner. I guess it’s just one of those things that have to be done. All through the various ceremonies, Chirag had this particular look on his face. I have seen that look before, in the ending overs of the game when we are fielding first, and it’s almost time for our turn to bat. You know what I mean in this context. I met some interesting people, as well as some old friends. My mind kept wandering to thoughts of how it would be when my other friends would start getting married. Weddings are a lot more fun when the one getting married is close to you. Amid the depressing last few days that I had left behind in Bombay, these few hours gave me an immense sense of happiness. It felt wonderful to see someone so happy, and see everyone around so happy for them. The whole place seemed completely devoid of any negative vibes.

I found myself slipping into many different thought, of marriage, of friendship, of love, of happiness and of life itself. Needless to say, this marriage was a lot of fun to attend.

I wish Chirag and Richa the happiest of married lives, and I thank him for giving me a chance to be present at one of the most important events of his life.

A Week in Bombay

After writing about a week on Tokyo, I figured…why wait for another +1 trip to write another travel article? I’ll write one about my favorite city in the world, Bombay!

First off, you must be a gutsy traveler who is willing to go off the beaten path and do things that are unique to Bombay. I know that the name is now Mumbai, as some politically correct reader might point out; I would advise the reader to deal with it.

Bombay is the largest city in India, with a metropolitan population exceeding 17 million. Although the city appears to stretch endlessly, it is safe to say that most of what I recommend is in or around South Bombay. Hence, upon arrival, one should look for a hotel in South Bombay. It is advisable that one book in advance during the peak months of September-March, when hotel rooms can be very hard to find.

Recommended hotel choices are the Taj Mahal Hotel at Apollo Bunder (~$500/night) for the financially well-endowed to the YMCA hostel at Mumbai Central (~$20/night) for the shoestring globetrotter.

Bombay is the country’s premier air hub and it is well connected to Europe, South-East Asia and the US of A. If you are flying in from the East Coast or Europe, I recommend flying Emirates. There might be an extra stop in Dubai, but it is worth it. For those coming in from the West Coast, Jet Airways flies San Francisco-Shanghai-Bombay. It is accessible by all forms of transport from the rest of India as well.

If you fly in, you will probably arrive in Bombay late in the night. So day one begins when you wake up the next morning. A few tips to keep in mind:

Always insist that the taxi drivers go by the meter. Do not bargain for a fare.
Carry a bottle of water. Bombay can get very humid.
Avoid traveling by the local trains. They are very crowded and the trip can be very stressful for the unaccustomed.

Day One:
Any trip to Bombay must start with the Gateway of India. Arrive at around ten in the morning. The Gateway is a Bombay landmark and taxis are the best way to reach there. It was built in 1924 to welcome King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay. The last British troops to leave India left through the Gateway of India. I recommend taking a short ferry ride that gives you a panoramic view of South Bombay. The rides last under an hour and cost less than $3 per person.
Once done with Gateway, one can walk to nearby Prince of Wales museum, which is now called Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastusangrahalaya (A result of an indiscretionary renaming spree which swept through Bombay in the late 90s. There are some interesting artifacts dating from the last three millenia. Right across the intersection is Regal movie theater, one of Bombay’s most famous theaters. It is noted for its art deco style of architecture and is worth a look. The Kala Ghoda Art District is also nearby, with many art galleries showcasing the best in Indian art. Lunch at Kala Ghoda in Chetana restaurant is a good way to experience a tradional Indian Thali. The food is good, and the prices are cheap. Think of it as an Indian buffet with service.
The evening can be spent shopping around Colaba, which is Bombay’s watering hole for foreigners. Most legal (and some illegal) pleasures can be experienced here. Colaba boasts some of Bombay’s most celebrated pubs. A lot of cheap hotels are also located in this area. One can buy shoes, clothes, antiques and music at throwaway prices (post-bargaining, of course). Beware of touts who will claim to hook you up with the best drugs and girls. If ignored, these touts are mostly harmless except for their nuisance value.

A perfect way to end the day is by having a drink or two at Cafe Leopold. This iconic eatery is the centerpiece of the novel ‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts.The food and ambiance are similar to any busy eatery in Bombay, but foreigners outnumber Indians three to one on most nights. Buy a Leo’s t-shirt or a copy of Shantaram with the official Cafe Leopold seal on it as a souvenir. If you still have any energy left at the end of it all, walk over to Koyla for a hookah. This rooftop restaurant creates a beautiful ambiance with pebble-stones on the ground, individual tents for tables and a view of downtown. Although the food is good here, the hookahs are the main attraction.

Day Two:
Start off the day with a visit to the Haji Ali shrine. The area is known by the shrine and almost everyone knows the way there. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is a 500-year old shrine in a city that is 400 years old. It is in the middle of a small bay and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Note that you must wear appropriate clothing for a Muslim shrine. The view of the mosque from the promenade is great, but the view of the city from the shrine is better.

From Haji Ali, you can take a short taxi ride to Phoenix Mills, central Bombay’s hotbed of shopping activity. This neighborhood has been characteristic of central Bombay for a long time. Abandoned textile mills, which were remnants of Bombay’s past as the premier cotton trading city in the world are now being converted to swank shopping, residential and office complexes. Phoenix Mills is the first and largest of such redevelopments. You can spend half a day strolling through about 500,000 square feet of shopping space. There are lots of choices if you are looking to buy clothes, electronics or eat. I recommend having lunch at Spaghetti Kitchen. This upscale restaurant is located in the main courtyard and has some of the best Italian cuisine in town. If you get bored of the place, there isalso a brand new PVR* multiplex to catch the latest flicks (It should be open by the time this article is published).

A day spent here is sure to get you hungry by dinner time. For dinner, I suggest going back to Haji Ali to eat at Copper Chimney. Although the restaurant has a branch at Phoenix Mills, I recommend going to the original one. You can watch your tandoori dishes being prepared in front of you. This restaurant has been a Bombay favorite for many years and serves some of the most delicious North Indian food south of Delhi.

Post dinner, head over to the Bombay Dyeing mills for a couple of drinks at the Hard Rock Cafe. The first branch of this world-famous chain in India, the Cafe opened in 2006 and covers an area of 8,000 square feet. It has two live music areas and hosts local bands every Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is world-class in terms of memorabilia, food and music. A tough competitor to Hard Rock Cafe is Shiro, which is right next door. Shiro is famous for its Asian theme (the centerpiece of which is an imposing 25 feet tall Buddha statue in front of the entrance) and South East Asian/House music list. If rock is not your genre, an evening in Shiro is just as fun.

Day Three:
You might be in the mood for something more sober after Hard Rock Cafe and Shiro. You can start off in the morning with a visit to Mani Bhavan, which was Mahatma Gandhi’s residence while he was in Bombay. It is now a museum on his life and the Indian freedom struggle. It is in a locality called Gowalia Tank, which is the birthplace of the 1942 Quit India movement. Less importantly, it is also the neighborhood in which I live. Mani Bhavan is pretty compact and shouldn’t take you more than an hour to tour. A short walk away is Girgaum Chowpatty, the most popular beach in the city. Chowpatty means ‘beach’ in Marathi. There are many chowpattys in Bombay, including Juhu and Dadar Chowpattys. Don’t expect a Copa Cabana-esqe atmosphere, given Bombay’s heat it will most likely be empty. What you can expect is a brilliant view of Nariman Point, the downtown of Bombay. Since there’s not much to do in the mornings at the beach, I suggest taking a short taxi ride to Hanging Gardens. The gardens are perched on top of Malabar Hill, which is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the country. An apartment in an old building can cost you as much as $2,500 a square foot! The Hanging Gardens are on top of a 10 million gallon water tank that supplies water to South Bombay. If you go all the way to the end of the park, you will see a viewing point. In my mind, this point gives you the single best view of downtown that one can get. The gardens are usually crowded in the evenings, where kids come to play around the famous two story shoe-house.

After having admired Nariman Point from multiple locations, it is time to actually visit it. Lunch can be enjoyed at New Yorker’s, which is right across Chowpatty. This vegetarian restaurant is very popular with the Gujarati community and serves delicious Italian and Mexican food specially suited for Indian tastes. I recommend the Cheese Nachos and the Bombay Masala Pizza. Alternatively, one can eat lunch at the Pizzeria, a breezy eatery at the other end of Marine Drive (The promenade that connects Chowpatty to Nariman Point). They also have a pizza named the Bombay Masala, which is equally good. The evening can be spent sitting on the promenade at Nariman Point and admiring the view of Malabar Hill to the North and Cuffe Parade to the South.

Head back to Chowpatty in the evening to enjoy some Bombay street food by walking down Marine Drive. This promenade embodies the identity of Bombay and was built as part of a reclamation project in the 60s. It has the second largest collection of seafront art deco buildings in the world after Miami, FL. On reaching Chowpatty, sample the Bhelpuris, Pani Puris, Dahi Wadas and Sevpuris at the Bhel plaza at the North end of Chowpatty. If you are going during monsoon, I would avoid this trip. Even at other times, insist that the stall vendors used packaged water to make the dishes. Note that you might have to insist on it, as using packaged water is an exception and not the rule. You can fill yourself up with four or five plates of the various snacks and cross the road to Cafe Ideal for a couple of beers. This eatery has been in business since the 1980s and serves beer and vegetarian food with friendly service. You will get to hear an extensive collection of old Hindi songs, and with the beach breeze blowing you are sure to get nostalgic. Make sure you try the Chili cheese toast and select a couple of songs on their famous jukebox.

Day Four:
It’s time to go to the suburbs! For this trip, I will only include Bandra, the southernmost suburb on the Western line. It is commonly known as the Queen of the Suburbs and has a strong Catholic flavor to it. There are many pretty churches and prettier girls to be seen in Bandra. It is also the hotspot for numerous restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. You can head out to Bandra in the morning. I suggest a trip down Linking Road for lots of cheap shopping opportunities in the morning, followed by lunch at any of the numerous restaurants in the area. The evening can be spent eating Pani Puris at Elco, or shopping for electronics at Alfa. One can also take a walk down Bandstand or Carter Road. The iconic Bandra Worli Sea Link is visible from Bandstand. To get a closer view of the Sea Link, one can also go to Reclamation. The photo opportunity is completed by the numerous skyscrapers under construction in the Lower Parel-Worli belt, which can be seen from Reclamation as well. If time permits, and if you enjoy looking at cool buildings, take a rickshaw ride to Bandra Kurla Complex, which the the second downtown of Bombay. Being a planned area, many large Indian companies have chosen to locate their head quarters in this neighborhood. Swanky glass-faced buildings of companies like ICICI Bank, the National Stock Exchange, the Bharat Diamond bourses (The largest office building in India with 10,000 offices) can all be seen here.

Having seen the glitz of the Bandra Kurla Complex, head over to India’s biggest slum, Dharavi. With a population of over 2 million people, has an annual GDP of $550 million. Many tour companies give tours of Dharavi. I recommend Mumbai Magic, whose tours last a couple of hours.

The late evening can be spent having dinner at the two-storeyed China House at the Hyatt in Kalina, followed by a couple of drinks at the lower level. Note that this restaurant is uber expensive, with drinks that cost as much as $20 each. A meal for two can easily set you back over $200.

Day Five:
The last day should be the most fun. Walk around Bombay’s historic old downtown called Fort. The name comes from an old Fort built here by the Birtish to protect the Bombay harbour. No traces can be found of this fort, but the name has stuck. One can see many buildings from the colonial era which have been beautifully restored. This neighborhood along with Kala Ghoda is one of the few tourist-friendly parts of town. You can find maps at most intersections. Make sure you don’t miss the HSBC building, the Standard Chartered building, the Asiatic Society, Horniman Circle garden and Flora Fountain. You can’t miss the towering Bombay Stock Exchange building, the faceplate of the Indian financial markets. Also make sure to visit the RBI Monetary museum, which provides for an interesting account of notes and other financial papers, as well as coins dating back several hundred years.

Lunch can be enjoyed at any of the numerous street stalls or tiny office eating joints. They serve delicious foods at extremely cheap prices. A meal for two can be easily managed in under $5. Stroll around Oval Maidan, which resembles Central Park but is much smaller, and watch kids play cricket in the afternoon sun. The Churchgate neighborhood is full of art deco buildings as well. Fashion street is a short walk away, and one can buy “original” branded clothes that are strikingly close to the real thing. Don’t forget to bargain, it is possible to strike down the price by as much at 80%, although one can’t expect the clothes to last beyond a couple of months.
Around 6.30 pm, go visit VT Station. This is the southern hub of the Central and Harbour lines, and serves approximately two million passengers a day. Originally called Victoria Terminus, it has now been renamed Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. At this time in the evening, it will seem as if all two million people are in the station at the same time. The sheer volume of people catching the trains (called ‘locals’ by commuters) that leave every minute and a half on average is a sight to see. It is funny and awe-inspiring at the same time when one watches a train get filled up before it even comes to a complete stop at the station.

To end the Bombay trip, I can’t think of anything better than a dinner at Bhagat Tarachand. Tucked away in the narrow bylanes of Kalbadevi, the only way to get here without getting lost is to take a taxi to Cotton Exchange and then walk the remaining short distance. The crowd will overwhelm you and sometimes one doesn’t need to try to move; the crowd pushes you around anyways. This restaurant is a famous brand name with branches all around the Bombay Metropolitan Region, but this particular outlet is the original one. They serve staple Punjabi and Sindhi fare. Don’t forget to sample the Papad churi and the buttermilk that is served in recycled beer bottles. A meal for two shouldn’t cost you more than $5.

If you haven’t fallen sick after eating my recommended street food and loitering about in the heat, stay on a couple of days and give me a call…I’ll be happy to take you to some more hidden places that bring out the real Bombay!

References:
* http://www.pvrcinemas.com/site/PVRStory.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai_metropolitan_area
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=455&MIBenumID=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharavi
http://www.mumbaimagic.com/dharavi.htm

A week in Tokyo

Tokyo streches as far as the eye can see

I love visiting places that are off the map as far as desi tourists go. Until this summer, I had been to twelve countries on five continents, the last being Canada in 2005. I decided that it was time to add one more to the list.

I was in the process of planning my yearly pilgrimage to Austin when my Dad mentioned that he was going to Tokyo for a week as part of an IT companies’ delegation. He could take one person with him as a +1. My slow mind churned into action and I hatched the idea of going as part of the delegation. Since I was the +1 person with my Dad, I wouldn’t be required to attend the conferences, nor would I have to pay full price on hotel and accommodation. So with my princely sum of 35,000 Yen (~US$ 350), I set off to the largest city in the world, Tokyo!

The thing with Tokyo is that if you’re the average Indian tourist who goes to Bangkok and Malaysia and Singapore, this trip comes as a huge culture shock. Most countries on the Indian tourist path these days have some trace of India…restaurants, movies, Indian people even. But Tokyo had none of those.

For one, very few people speak English. Most of the signs are in Japanese (except, and thankfully so, transportation signs, which are n English as well). Two, the food is nothing like what one is used to back home. Three, you’re going to have a tough time if you are vegetarian. And four, everything is quite expensive, from shopping to travel to food.

But Tokyo more than makes up for these small travel-related hardships. I have been to a lot of great cities worldwide, and I have never seen anything like this place. It is as dense as New York City, as spread out as Los Angeles, as clean and safe as Singapore and as crowded as Mumbai at the same time. Tokyo is more like a collection of many urban centers. There are many downtowns and many suburbs, and they are all linked by an enormous system of over- and under-ground trains, buses and highways. It seems like Tokyo is simply the largest of these many urban centers and so they just decided to call the whole thing Tokyo.

I spent five days there, and here’s an ideal itinerary on what to do:

You will probably reach Tokyo in the late afternoon/evening when flying from South Asia. I recommend living near the Tokyo train station, or near one of its neighboring stations like Shimbashi, which are close yet relatively cheap to stay in. The evening can be spent relaxing and taking a walk to the nearby Tokyo Tower. It’s Tokyo’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. Though it doesn’t come close in the grandeur of the latter, the view from the top is simply breathtaking. Skyscrapers shoot up into the sky as far as the eye can see. It is more fun to go at night, as everything is lit up all the way to the horizon.

Day two can be spent walking around downtown Tokyo. There are two main attractions to see here. One is the Imperial Palace, which has beautiful palace grounds and an imposing view of downtown Tokyo. The other is the Ginza district, which is one of the most expensive office locations in the world. Huge showrooms of every conceivable luxury brand like Cartier, Gucci, Prada and YSL can be seen here. There is also a four storied Apple store with a training auditorium and a floor devoted to iPod accessories. The world headquarters of Sony are next to the Apple store, and a museum on Sony’s past, present and future products is accessible from street level.

If your feet still have some energy left after walking around Ginza all day, a visit to Roppongi is the best way to cool off. Roppongi is where the foreigners, or gaijins, find themselves most at ease. Roppongi can be accessed by metro. The Roppongi hills shopping center is an added incentive to visit this neighborhood. There are numerous local and international chains of watering holes. One of Tokyo’s Hard Rock Cafes is located here. Gas Panic and Propaganda are popular nightspots. Watch out for touts standing al along the street who may try to convince you to enter a ‘hostess club’, a Japanese version of a strip club. You might end up unwillingly spending ridiculous amounts of money (read:$150+) as their rules for entry; drinks prices and acceptable behavior with the women inside are often unclear. I suggest going to Roppongi every evening and visiting a different pub every time. Each of the tiny watering holes in this area has its own identity and each new one I went to had a new surprise in store.

Day three can be spent in western Tokyo. One can take a morning trip to Shinjuku, which is the Tokyo metropolitan area’s largest downtown. All the city government buildings are located here. One can take the JR East line to Shinjuku station and walk down to the Tokyo City Government Building, which is the tallest in Tokyo. It is a vast complex with the twin towers at its center. Each tower has an observatory at the top which is free for visitors. One gets an astonishing view of the city, which stretches in every direction as far as the eye can see. Once done with Shinjuku, Shibuya is a short train ride away. Shibuya is the youth culture center of Tokyo. The incredible variety of hairstyles and clothing styles are worth noting. A lot of anime influence is also visible. Shibuya is home to the largest concentration of LED screens in the world, almost every building seems to have one that is constantly blaring a J-pop video or an advertisement for some cosmetic product. It is also the location of the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, called the Hachiko crossing. Some places to visit in Shibuya include the seven-storey Tower Records store, the Disney store and one of the numerous pigeonhole eating joints.

Bright lights at the Hachiko junction in Shibuya

Day four is shopping time! Visit the electronics superstores in Akhihabra, which is a short train ride away from Tokyo station. The largest store here is the eleven-storey Yodobashi Camera store, right outside Akhihabra station. It sells every product you can imagine and some products you can’t imagine! If you’re the tech-savvy type, it is easy to spend three hours in this store. A short taxi ride away is the shopping district of Ueno, where one can find cheap everything: clothes, shoes, accessories and more. A day of shopping followed by a few drinks at Roppongi can make for a very satisfying day.

The last day can be spent visiting the Japanese temples in Tokyo. I suggest taking a train to Asakusa, which is home to the largest temple, the Sensoji shrine. A street full of stalls leads up to the temple, where one can buy souvenirs, clothes and cupcakes which are made in archaic-looking machines in front of the customer. As you near the temple, you will see an ice-cream store that sells ice-cream of some of the weirdest flavors you may have seen: unpolished rice, sweet potato, green tea and peanut! Asakusa also houses the world headquarters of Asahi beer, which are in a building that looks like a giant beer mug! You can come back via a river taxi which leaves you in the skyscraper district of Shiodome close to the Tokyo downtown. Some of the buildings are very imposing and provide the urban traveler with a great photo opportunity. If time permits, a visit to the artificial island of Odaiba is advised. Odaiba contains some weird buildings, like the Fuji TV headquarters some very large shopping malls. An unanticipated tourist attraction in Odaiba is a scaled-down replica of the Statue of Liberty. The train ride to Odaiba on the Yurikamome private railway is an attraction by itself. The driverless train leaves from its own station adjacent to the Shimbashi station and crosses over to Odaiba via a massive suspension bridge, providing some great views throughout.

If your schedule permits an extra day or two, I recommend a visit to the neighbouring city of Yokohama or to Tokyo Disneyland. Both provide for a full day’s worth of entertainment. I am sure that a trip to Tokyo will be unlike anything you have ever experienced. The best part about this great metropolis is that if you don’t like what you see, hop onto a train. The next station is sure to bring you something different to experience.

Some useful links:

Tokyo tourism information:
www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english

WikiTravel:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo