Sat 15 Nov Mumbai to Surat
Packed for an early start to Tiferet Israel for Shabbat services- no breakfast ready yet, so we each took a banana. Off by 645. We take the train again to Byculla. Our instructions from last night were: "From Mahalaxmi Rwy to Sat Rasta (7 street circle), go to "Shearing Donkeys," go 50 m. Since we were on a different train line, we were walking to Sat Rasta across a neighborhood. We didn't see Tiferet Israel so we asked around. No one knew. Finally, at the circle, we asked for "Masjid (mosque) of Jews." Bingo! Directions right away. It turns out we were looking for "Shirin Cinema Rd." Carol was disappointed that there were no donkeys.
This search had taken some time, and it was now close to 0800.
Unlike Knesset Eliyahu, this service had only us and our direction-giving woman friend as foreign visitors. The service was rather exotic. No bilingual siddur (bad news for Carol, who gets lost with 100% Hebrew). Mike located a bilingual Chumash with very Victorian English (fun to use for Toldot with its rather <ahem> complex family story). Congregants felt free to yell corrections for the Torah and Haftorah readers. Carol sat next to a grandmotherly lady who provided a steady stream of drinks and eats for a chubby boy who darted over from the men.
Services were over close to 1030. At the end, one man stood up and launched into a loud rant. There was a noisy discussion with the rest of the crowd. Apparently he had felt that he was "dissed" by the sermon giver the previous week, and therefore, he decided not to give the sermon today, as expected by the today's congregants.
There were a few drops of rain as we left but it stopped as we walked to the Mahalaxmi Sta. on the western line, where we took the train to Churchgate Station.
We wanted to eat at Apoorva Restaurant, a Mangalorean eatery, recommended by both guidebooks, but when we got there it was closed. So over to Apeksha again. It was still breakfast menu only. That meant that it was still too early for the Punjabi taste food (we wanted Paneer Lahori, which was not going to be ready until 1230). So we got South Indian morning food: a dosa and some dishes for flavor. (222 R). A small disappointment: Evidently the breakfast hour is longer here, and lunch service starts later.
We were finished by 1200, then walked past Apoorva, which was now open - too bad, so sad.
Time to slurp down one last falooda before leaving Mumbai. At our hotel, we picked up our bags. About 1315 we began our walk to CST Station. We got tickets and JUST missed the 1341 train (luckily, because the train on track 2 (designated by the ticket seller as the one we were to take) was going to the wrong destination).
A gentleman showed us how to read the alphabet abbreviations on the signs, and put us on a 1354 train to Andheri (14 stops). We needed to get off at Bandra (10th stop). The train started off fairly empty and was quite full by Bandra.
We got off, walked off the track to the east, and discovered a big surprise. A group of autorickshaws were there to shuttle passengers from the Bandra Rwy Sta (local) to the Bandra Terminus (intercity). It was now 1440 and our train was to depart at 1505. Enough time to leisurely walk to track 1 and wait.
Because we are traveling second class air-conditioned reserved, we have a pair of seats waiting for us, upper and lower berth. We throw the backpacks on the upper seat and sit on the lower seat. Across from us was a 51 yr old sociology professor coming from a seminar in Mumbai to his bome in Surat. Over the next four hours we talked about American and Indian politics. He is doing research on the 80 million "primitives" in India (living still on the very edges of society). He talked of his research on the Indian family. Arranged marriages still account for 85% of all marriage, but 65% of those so married would divorce or marry someone else if they could.
He has 300 close relatives on his cellphone, including a nephew studying in Atlanta, USA, for whom he was partially responsible. You really marry into your spouse's family and all future marriages of kin. Such has been the nature of Indian society, but it is breaking down as young Indians head off to Mumbai, New Delhi, America, London, etc.
We arrive in Surat at 1920. A short walk to Hotel Embassy where we checked in. The room was 1800 R + taxes = 2006 R. The room was substantially bigger than the one in Mumbai. Like our first hotel, the shower was not separated from the rest of the bathroom. Thus the floor is wet after a shower, as is the toilet paper if you haven't moved it.
We looked at the hotel restaurant but it was empty and had loud music, so we walked around the corner. Kabir Restaurant looked inviting. So we ordered Caju (cashew) Masala, Paneer Pasanda, naan, spiced buttermilk, and salted lime soda (the latter definitely an acquired taste). 254 R bill. Tasty dishes. We still aren't competent at picking up food with bread so we just spoon feed it, to the amusement of waiters.
Found an internet cafe 10 min before it was closing. Adjacent to the hotel and the internet cafe were a whole string of street vendors who were prepared to cook eggs to special order. Also a nice fancy sweets store, but no seating.
To bed.
Packed for an early start to Tiferet Israel for Shabbat services- no breakfast ready yet, so we each took a banana. Off by 645. We take the train again to Byculla. Our instructions from last night were: "From Mahalaxmi Rwy to Sat Rasta (7 street circle), go to "Shearing Donkeys," go 50 m. Since we were on a different train line, we were walking to Sat Rasta across a neighborhood. We didn't see Tiferet Israel so we asked around. No one knew. Finally, at the circle, we asked for "Masjid (mosque) of Jews." Bingo! Directions right away. It turns out we were looking for "Shirin Cinema Rd." Carol was disappointed that there were no donkeys.
This search had taken some time, and it was now close to 0800.
Unlike Knesset Eliyahu, this service had only us and our direction-giving woman friend as foreign visitors. The service was rather exotic. No bilingual siddur (bad news for Carol, who gets lost with 100% Hebrew). Mike located a bilingual Chumash with very Victorian English (fun to use for Toldot with its rather <ahem> complex family story). Congregants felt free to yell corrections for the Torah and Haftorah readers. Carol sat next to a grandmotherly lady who provided a steady stream of drinks and eats for a chubby boy who darted over from the men.
Services were over close to 1030. At the end, one man stood up and launched into a loud rant. There was a noisy discussion with the rest of the crowd. Apparently he had felt that he was "dissed" by the sermon giver the previous week, and therefore, he decided not to give the sermon today, as expected by the today's congregants.
There were a few drops of rain as we left but it stopped as we walked to the Mahalaxmi Sta. on the western line, where we took the train to Churchgate Station.
We wanted to eat at Apoorva Restaurant, a Mangalorean eatery, recommended by both guidebooks, but when we got there it was closed. So over to Apeksha again. It was still breakfast menu only. That meant that it was still too early for the Punjabi taste food (we wanted Paneer Lahori, which was not going to be ready until 1230). So we got South Indian morning food: a dosa and some dishes for flavor. (222 R). A small disappointment: Evidently the breakfast hour is longer here, and lunch service starts later.
We were finished by 1200, then walked past Apoorva, which was now open - too bad, so sad.
Time to slurp down one last falooda before leaving Mumbai. At our hotel, we picked up our bags. About 1315 we began our walk to CST Station. We got tickets and JUST missed the 1341 train (luckily, because the train on track 2 (designated by the ticket seller as the one we were to take) was going to the wrong destination).
A gentleman showed us how to read the alphabet abbreviations on the signs, and put us on a 1354 train to Andheri (14 stops). We needed to get off at Bandra (10th stop). The train started off fairly empty and was quite full by Bandra.
We got off, walked off the track to the east, and discovered a big surprise. A group of autorickshaws were there to shuttle passengers from the Bandra Rwy Sta (local) to the Bandra Terminus (intercity). It was now 1440 and our train was to depart at 1505. Enough time to leisurely walk to track 1 and wait.
Because we are traveling second class air-conditioned reserved, we have a pair of seats waiting for us, upper and lower berth. We throw the backpacks on the upper seat and sit on the lower seat. Across from us was a 51 yr old sociology professor coming from a seminar in Mumbai to his bome in Surat. Over the next four hours we talked about American and Indian politics. He is doing research on the 80 million "primitives" in India (living still on the very edges of society). He talked of his research on the Indian family. Arranged marriages still account for 85% of all marriage, but 65% of those so married would divorce or marry someone else if they could.
He has 300 close relatives on his cellphone, including a nephew studying in Atlanta, USA, for whom he was partially responsible. You really marry into your spouse's family and all future marriages of kin. Such has been the nature of Indian society, but it is breaking down as young Indians head off to Mumbai, New Delhi, America, London, etc.
We arrive in Surat at 1920. A short walk to Hotel Embassy where we checked in. The room was 1800 R + taxes = 2006 R. The room was substantially bigger than the one in Mumbai. Like our first hotel, the shower was not separated from the rest of the bathroom. Thus the floor is wet after a shower, as is the toilet paper if you haven't moved it.
We looked at the hotel restaurant but it was empty and had loud music, so we walked around the corner. Kabir Restaurant looked inviting. So we ordered Caju (cashew) Masala, Paneer Pasanda, naan, spiced buttermilk, and salted lime soda (the latter definitely an acquired taste). 254 R bill. Tasty dishes. We still aren't competent at picking up food with bread so we just spoon feed it, to the amusement of waiters.
Found an internet cafe 10 min before it was closing. Adjacent to the hotel and the internet cafe were a whole string of street vendors who were prepared to cook eggs to special order. Also a nice fancy sweets store, but no seating.
To bed.
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