This morning Ann and I left the ship and hired a taxi to do some scenic touring of Mumbai. We visited the Victoria (Chatrapati Shivaji) Terminus, the central railway station and other ornate gothic historical British buildings. We drove through what appeared to be some of the poorer sections of the city and along Marine Drive known as the Queens Necklace. We made quick stop at the Oberoi Hotel for some shopping and then spent some time at the Gateway of India, a monument erected to commemorate the arrival of King George V in 1911. We walked to the Taj Hotel, an iconic structure in Mumbai and went to the shopping market street behind the Taj to see what the vendors had to offer. This sums up our visit to India from the opulence of the Taj Mahal to the people living in the streets...such a contrast....cows, goats, pigs and dogs wander freely among the people and vehicles...we found no difference in the people and how they view life...whether in a palace or a tarp covered lean-to along the side of the road, the people work hard, they greet you with a smile and are happy regardless of their circumstances....Assuredly I will return to India! The day ended with a spectacular sunset!
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