TRAVEL 10/2019 Spotlight 31Foto: iStockphoto/iStock.com
skirt-and-blouse ensembles) are loved
and coveted by Indian women round the
world. Even if you don’t buy any of the ex-
pensive clothes, it’s worth stepping into
the store to see the extravagant, vintage
Indian interiors. Hand-painted chande-
liers, antique rugs, chintz curtains and
numerous attar (perfume) bottles create
an elegant vibe.
For more pocket-friendly shopping,
walk the lanes at Colaba Causeway.
Some of the well-known stores in the
area include Good Earth for sustainable
clothing and home decor and Curio Cot-
tage for beautiful Indian jewellery. You
can also pick up great souvenirs from the
street vendors here, but bring along your
bargaining skills.1 p.m.
The elegant business district of Ballard
Estate is home to well-known Irani-style
restaurants. Eat lunch at Britannia and
Company, which opened in 1923, the
same year that its current owner was
born. The charming retro decor has Polish
furniture, portraits of Queen Elizabeth,
Mahatma Gandhi and Zarathustra (the
Zoroastrian prophet) on the walls, and
humorous signboards, like, “Please do
not argue with the management”. Ask for
the chicken berry pilao, a layered rice dish
topped with sour barberries, cashews and
caramelized onions, and sali boti, mutton
curry topped with crispy potato straws.
Wash down your delicious meal with a
Pestonjee raspberry soda.4.30 p.m.
Mumbaikars and tourists alike often com-
plain that the city has no green spaces to
offer an escape from the noise and pollu-
tion. But if you look hard enough, you’ll
find an oasis in the middle of the chaos:
Bombay Port Trust, also known as Sagar
Upvan. This 12-acre botanical garden has
huge trees, a greenhouse, butterflies and
a wonderful view of the Arabian Sea from
the benches in the garden.
Next, head to one of India’s oldest
and most recognized luxury hotels, the
Taj Mahal Palace. Call ahead to book a
window table at the Sea Lounge restau-
rant for its signature high tea. The menu
includes popular Indian snacks, like sev
puri, dahi vada and bhel puri, which are
also sold at street stalls throughout the
city, and pastries, scones, tarts, quichesand sandwiches. Watch the crowds of
tourists outside; rising above them is the
Gateway of India, the monument built
in the 1920s to commemorate the arrival
of King-Emperor George V and Queen-
Empress Mary during their 1911 visit.9 p.m.
Reserve tickets for a Bollywood film at
Liberty Cinema in Marine Lines. This
grand art-deco building was commis-
sioned by a cotton trader to celebrate In-
dia’s independence in 1947, and opened
two years later. It is one of the few surviv-
ing single-screen cinema theatres in the
city. In the golden age of Mumbai, Liberty
was at the centre of Bombay’s social and
cultural scene. It saw many firsts, such as
the first reclining theatre seats in India
and, in 1950, the first international film
to be shown in India, Bicycle Thieves.
Join Mumbai’s night owls for a mid-
night walk along Marine Drive, which,
thanks to its streetlights, changes after
dark into the glittering “Queen’s Neck-
lace”. There is more people-watching at
Chowpatty Beach in Girgaum. Cross
the road for an ice cream sundae at
Bachelorr’s, a popular post-midnight cafe.
You’ll have plenty of company: Mumbai-
kars are notoriously late diners.Day 2
9.30 a.m.
Leave the confines of South Mumbai
to spend the day in Mumbai’s suburbs.
While most middle-class Mumbaikars
would get on a “local” train — the city’s
railway network is its lifeline, and trains
are quick compared with taxis — the
crowds can be a bit much for an inexperi-
enced traveller. During peak hours, you’re
likely to get crushed in crowds of com-
muters. But if you’re feeling adventurous,
take a short early-morning or late-night
ride accompanied by local friends. Or take
a taxi: on the ride to Bandra, the queen of
Mumbai’s western suburbs, ask the driv-
er to take the Bandra–Worli Sea Link. This
grand cable bridge opened in 2010 and is
a modern icon. You can’t stop on the Sea
Link, but have your camera ready to take
some fantastic photographs and videos.
Bandra is Mumbai’s hipster paradise:
all the cool kids and Bollywood mov-
ie stars hang out here at organic cafes
and hip bars. It’s also the city’s modern
gastronomic laboratory, where youngacre [(eIkE]
, Morgen (4.047 m^2 )
barberry [(bA:bEri]
, Berberitze
bargaining [(bA:gInIN]
, Verhandlungs-
cable bridge
[(keIb&l brIdZ]
, Schrägseilbrücke
chandelier [)SÄndE(lIE]
, Kronleuchter
commemorate
[kE(memEreIt]
, feiern, gedenken
confines [(kQnfaInz]
, Grenzen
covet [(kVvIt]
, begehren
crispy [(krIspi]
, knusprig
glittering [(glItErIN]
, glitzernd
greenhouse [(gri:nhaUs]
, Treibhaus
high tea [(haI ti:] UK
, Abendessen
lifeline [(laIflaIn]
, Lebensader
mutton [(mVt&n]
, Hammel-
necklace [(neklEs]
, Halskette
night owl [naIt aUl] ifml.
, Nachteulenotoriously
[nEU(tO:riEsli]
, hier: bekanntermaßen
organic [O:(gÄnIk]
, Bio-
pastry [(peIstri]
, Gebäck
potato straws
[pE(teItEU strO:z]
, Strohkartoffeln
raspberry [(rA:zbEri]
, Himbeer-
reclining [ri(klaInIN]
, Kipp-
rug [rVg]
, Vorleger, Läufer
scone [skQn]
, Teegebäck
signature [(sIgnEtSE]
, hier: unverkennbar
signboard [(saInbO:d]
, Schild
street vendor
[(stri:t )vendE]
, Straßenhändler(in)
sundae [(sVndeI]
, Eisbecher
sustainable
[sE(steInEb&l]
, nachhaltig
tart [tA:t]
, Torte
vibe [vaIb] ifml.
, Stimmung,
Atmosphäre