quit india

it's great fun trying different cuisines in a cosmopolitan city such as mumbai. whatever you want it's here. it would probably take one lifetime to eat your way through and another lifetime for street food, which is not to be missed. (contrary to popular belief)*hi ellen-bindi is trying belpuri on the streets today after a trip to the prince of whales museum*.

i tried mangalore food and parsi so far, and the bombay duck, which is not duck, but fish.(sorry veggie heads). and still the best bet for proper indian brekkie is the hole-in-the-wall. why can't we get a proper dosa outside of india? my theory is that it's all about the potatos, and they are very different here than at home. plus there are no restrictions on ghee.

yesterday was india history day. my intention was to go to the nehru center, but was first dropped off at the quaint science museum, very similar to the one in san francisco, if you've ever been. lots of participation exhibits, you can be a child again. except the military guards are constantly over your shoulders (what can you possibly steal?) and cute little girls fondly gathering around with the same curious questions-"from what country you are from?" and when you tell them, they turn red, smile wryly, and scamper off. i think they place bets with each other as to where they think you might be from. finland is a big one, probably cause i'm blonde.

after mistaking the science museum for the other nehru center, we ventured to the masterpiece of archetecture. the building looks like a towering skinny waffle. amazing. what's most mind blowing is the "discovery of india" exhibition inside. it's a multi-media maze of the 50,000 year old history of india. if you've ever wondered about this great country's history, there is no better way to learn. it's based on india's first prime minister, jawaharlal nehru's famous book of the same name and the exhibit begins way before the indus valley as we know it, before any religion conqured, before buddhism (first here), hinduism, the jains, christianity, and finally islam and goes all the way through the revolution, gandhi and the "quit india" campaign that started here in bombay. unfortunately i was bugged out from the many hours of museum strolling and could only make it to the part when the british came and ruined everything, but i know that story already. i did not know they taxed the dead, though. anyhow, i bought the vcd and will be thrilled to share it with anyone who wants a wonderful slice of history.

the day was capped off with a tear inducing trip to mani bhavan-mahatma gandi's home in bombay from 1917-1934. his spinning wheel and bed, sandles, cup and glasses remain intact protected as he left it inside a glass room. the walls of this 4 story building were chock full of amazing photos of gandiji throughout his entire life, letters he wrote to hitler and roosevelt, and even the history of how the flag ended up looking in 1947. the last room had a gandhi history of little rooms with dolls representing all the important moments in gandhi's life. mani bhavan is the location of the very first "quit india" campaign-the campaign that pursued the british to leave india in 1942. WOW!

today is prince of whales and museum of modern art day, and more mangalorian food. makes me want to take a trip to mangalore just to eat!

bindifry
***who is bracing herself for the intense festivities that await tomorrow night on marine drive (marine drive looks like lake shore drive, and they give chicago a run for their money in the skyline department
*****HAPPY DIWALI******