New Years Eve, a tourist in South Mumbai

The start of our 4th year in India


 As we embarked on our 4th year in India, it became obvious to Kate that I hadn't been sightseeing in South Mumbai in a coordinated fashion.  Yes, I had traveled down from the suburbs to see particular sites but I was yet to just lounge around with no particular agenda or timelines.  In an effort to change this, Kate had booked a room at a new boutique hotel in Apollo Bunder called Abode for a NYE night away.



Ahhhhh a bath.


Lizzie, an expat of 4 years, along with her architect boyfriend, had renovated a grungy hotel located behind the Taj Hotel and near Gordon House.  They gutted the building, removing they layers of false walls and ceilings and rebuilding the facade and opening up a central lounge and reception area.  The result is an attractive loft style space.  The now large rooms were fitted tastefully decorated with just enough Indian flavour but not too much to put off the long term expat who is wary of Indian kitsch.  But, best of all, the rooms had a big claw foot bath tub. Bliss, given that most apartments in Mumbai do not have baths.








Sage advice from the Abode Hotel

In an effort to avoid the usual traffic when heading to South Mumbai, I have taken to catching the train. Much faster and, depending where you board, not too crushed in First Class.  Compared to sitting in the car it saves me around one hour.







I met Kate and Ada at Flora fountain and walked to Nico for our NYE dinner.  The meal was pleasant but not outstanding.  I was tired after a long year, pathetic I know, and by 10.30 pm I was laying on a down pillow top mattress on good cotton sheets listening to the building NYE crowd.




Some of the great deco facades

The next thing I knew it was 8am and Ada was off to her school holiday program.  Kate and I grabbed the camera and started to wander.  I have been to South Mumbai on innumerable occasions but I would travel down by car or run down on the weekend and only go to a single location. 









Hindu nationalism in art


I had never walked from Apollo Bunder to Khala Ghoda to Fort and had never really connected the areas up in my mind.  














It was great being out early on New Years Day as the traffic and crowds had not built up giving us the opportunity to admire some of the great buildings without the usual crush.











 A visit to Prince of Wales Museum, my first  and Kate's 40th followed by lunch at the Pantry in Kala Ghoda.  We enjoyed wandering past some of the great little stylish stores that are popping up all over Mumbai.






A New Years smile only costing 20 INR!





By 2pm we were in a taxi back to Bandra after our weekend away in South Mumbai.

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