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Day 12 - We easily found Hotel Manama and after Room 318 cockroaches, Room 315 no Western bathroom, Room 216 being sprayed for cockroaches, we settled down in the somewhat damp Room 115. As it was Independance Day Mumabi was deserted. After checking out the closed Monetary Msueum we had a massive noodle based lunch. Soon we were getting told off for photographing the Reserve Bank before finding the pretty Horniman Circle filled with Sunday street cricket. A very English St Thomas' Cathedral contained memorials to many English lawyers and ministers and the Flora fountain provided a good place for a rest as we admired the double decker buses. After the outside of the High Court and University the intense level of security kept us away from the Rajabi Clock Tower where the Chief Minister was to visit. Walking from the Oval Maidan to the Azad Maidan past rugby and footie pitches we found a clothing market and spotted some cricket whites - leading to watching a few overs. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus - "the Taj Mahal of the British Raj" was quite impressive as we navigated our way back to the hotel where Room 115 was mildly flooded. After a dinner of Veg Thali and Banana Lassi we enjoyed a night of Gordon Ramsay eating street food in Mumbai and cooking at the Taj Hotel (via the TV!)
Day 13 - After confirming the Monetary Museum was still closed we saw a packed High Court complete with Indian barristers (no wigs) before finding the very blue Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue. The Jehangir Art Galler and Museum Gallery contained some nice modern works. In the mist we walked down to the Gateway of India, saw Elephanta Island while Olivia was followed by some "Hindu Tenmple workers" and we saw the Taj Palace and Tower (a step up from Hotel Manama!) We then trekked across Mumbai to Back Bay where the fog / pollution led to some good photos across to Mumbai's skyscrapers and Olivia spotted a crab or two. After walking past Brabourne Stadium, our most expensive Indian lunch followed at the Pizzeria and Pasta Bar with bruschettas, spicy wedges, pineapple pizza, strawberry milkshakes and mocktail Pinacoladas - delicious and we were stuffed! We spotted ducks at Horniman Park and looked up at the Town Hall before making our way back for a night of introducing Olviia to Indiana Jones (she fell asleep!)
Day 14 - superb breakfast of cheese dosa and banana uttapram woke us up nicely, though the strong tea added very little! Despite hundreds (literally) of school children we enjoyed the various displays of the large Prince of Wales Museum. Day 14 was definately monsoon day and every walk involved major waterproofing. Luckily the swish Cafe Royal, visited by Bill Clinton, provided top quality tomato and basil soup and nachos with dips (though at a pricey two pound per dish!). A power cut at the National Gallery of Modern Art had been our most suprising one so far - luckily quick working generators ensured our viewing of impressive pieces. Olivia sadly insisted on returning to Cafe Royal for chocolate fudge and oreo milkshakes with gooey chocolate and chocolate ecstasy cakes. Finally on our walk home we viewed the old Uni library and also a bizarre lizard v crow fight - broken up by the street cleaner. After that excitement luckily the Monetary Museum was finally open and after going through its bizarre entry process we learnt about the history of Indian currency and saw the world's smallest coins. Mumbai has been a lot quieter and far less hassling than we both imagined, it has delicious food, stunning views and an interesting history so we loved our time here. Time for some Goan beach fun!
Day 15 - With an early start we made the 6.55 to Madgaon and enjoyed the samosas for breakfast, veg noodles for lunch topped off with our first Indian Cadburys (it was good!) and more samosas for dinner. The train was much quieter than before and after a peaceful days travels we arrived in only 3 hours late to Goa. Luckily once our autorickshaw got us to Colva Beach it only took 20minutes for the neighbouring cafe owner to wake up our hotel owner to let us into La Ben Resort. Luckily once inside the place was lovely and we caught up on some well needed sleep.
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