Traversation

Sunday in Mumbai. What a contrast to the rest of the week. I had forgotten how empty the streets became when no one had to rush off to work. It was like I was in a dream. The fuzzy edged kind where the brights are extra shiny, as if people were angels walking together on a cool breezy sunny afternoon. Weird, huh?

Anyone who has ever been to a summertime Farmer's Market will get what I am talking about. It's as if a slice of Americana was dropped right here in the middle of the Indian subcontinent. And I was eating it up like it was chocolate ice cream.

The sun was up. The weather was mild. The breeze was helpful in policing the humidity. I was back in my jeans after ten days of travel. And a Hawaiian shirt. Sandals (with socks). Tourist written all over my forehead. I didn't care. I was hypnotized by the family atmosphere that seemed to have replaced the usual urban confusion with a peaceful strolling calm. Families. They were out in force. Dads and moms, kids in tow. Groups of friends, men and women. Walking up and down the sidewalk chatting, laughing, eating, shopping.

I think I have mentioned how the trees here so perfectly cover some of the roads. Ageless behemoths spreading their cool foliage over the crowds below. Thick trunks entwined with themselves, roots surfacing and diving down the sidewalks and streets; mossy vines reaching down to touch the earth, cut short just above head-level (for me). It made me think of lemonade. Actually I had a drink in Ahmedabad made from lime juice and cilantro. Wow. I wanted that again.

I got lost of course. Eventually made my way back around to Barista. You will remember this epiphany of mine from an earlier blog. Filter coffee. Muffins, etc. Today I had arrived about noon so I chose to eat one of their Chicken Tikka sandwiches. When else would I have the opportunity so why not now. It came toasted and was yummmm. The coffee was yummm too. All adding top one of the most perfect days of my trip so far.

Then, because I was on my way to meet up with another friend here, I got two baked items from the shoppe as a gift and hailed a cab to whisk me away. Even the streets from the perspective of inside a fire-breathing-bat-out-of-hell taxi was one of extreme calm. No one was on the streets. The cabby and I had even had a conversation about it. As best we could. The little stretch of freeway was like a long skinny runway without any planes. The view of the city through the buildings passing by was that of streets crowded with people. For nearly as long as it took me to get from one side of this huge city to the other, it was all the same. People out. Together. Doing things. It was Sunday after all.

The shops were all open, the street vendors were out in all of their merchandising glory. Jewelry, shoes, clothing, the freshest of vegetables, chaat carts, travel bags, nearly anything you ever wanted could be found today. In more than one place.

I was up quite late last night. Had the best time talking and drinking tea. I drink tea now? With buffalo milk and sugar. Chai. Hee hee. You really have to here. It just works. Had a chocolate muffin and then some coffee. Another friend dropped by. We all talked and laughed. We made dinner. Butter chicken. With naan and roti (just in case). Chole something - don't ask because I won't know - which is made with chickpeas. All in what was simply one of the most satisfying Sunday meals I can remember. Finally got back into a cab after 1 AM for the long drive back to my hotel.

The streets were still empty. Now there weren't of all the people on the sidewalks either. Little darkened boxy cabs were parked nearly everywhere all along the route we took. Some had their inside light on. A sign they were for hire. But really I doubted anyone would be by. Not anytime soon. It was a wonderful Sunday in Mumbai. People had to rest up for tomorrow.