Monday, November 29, 2010
Mumbai - Sensory Overload
Greetings from Mumbai! It's a balmy 90 degrees out here. I arrived a few days ago and have been busy visiting friends and relatives and EATING. Whatever weight I lost in Turkey from lack of vegetarian options I have regained and then some in a short span with my grandma insisting I eat every 2 hours. My mom and I have adopted somewhat of a schedule, she walks with the neighbors from 7-8am and then hangs out with them in the park for their 'social' hour. Freshly cut coconut is delivered to my grandma's at 8ish so I have coconut water and some of the fruits found in this region. Other than the pomegrante I'm not sure what the 'English' names are, but they are all very sweet. Then I hit the gym with a neighbor from 9-10 am. It's amazing how health conscious all the women in my grandma's building have become, they have all lost weight since my last visit. When my mom and I arrive, we have chai and hot snacks (eg. samosas) with my grandma for breakfast. We get ready and by then have visitors dropping by. My grandma's cook is always asking my mom and I what our favorite foods are and once she gets a sense of who likes what and the level of spiciness prepares different foods for everyone. Our meals are consumed while sitting on the floor. We gather around in a circle and eat on 'steel' plates with our hands. After we eat lunch the servant arrives (he comes in the morning as well to make our beds, wash our breakfast dishes, do the laundry and clean the bathrooms - all these activities occur on a daily basis). After lunch he arrives to wash the dishes and sweep/mop all the floors. After lunch everyone even our visiting guests go down for a nap. Then it's time for tea and snacks. After which we'll head out to the temple, drop by friends/relatives, go shopping, etc. On our way home we stop by for ice cream or freshly squeezed juice. The ice cream is much lighter than in the states and typically consists of nuts/fruits. When we return our cook asks what we want for dinner and runs out to buy the necessary ingrediants to prepare for our next feast. We change our clothes everytime we leave the home, so we have what are referred to as inside clothes (eg. older saris/salwar kameez, I stick with capris as it is way too hot for the former and easier when sitting on the floor as is the custom in many cases) then when going out I will change into an indian outfit or a long skirt/dress. After dinner we go for a stroll in the garden. We constantly have neighbors dropping by and they typically bring something they have cooked for me to try. Then the servent arrives after dinner to do the dishes and set our bedding for the night. I've been in food coma and have not lifted a finger since I arrived....I feel extremely spoiled.
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Sounds amazing Sejal! Thanks for sharing. So glad you're enjoying your vacay!
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