A Great day...

Yesterday was a great start  to the New Year J Which is unusual considering  most new year days I usually do nothing. Perhaps it had to do with a friend in town. We sped of to ‘Britannia’,an Iranian café with an old world charm. Nestled in a  fairly European colonial looking  neighborhood which is so  far removed from the andheri east suburbs I live in it  feels like you are on holiday the minute you step inside. With a  doddering yet friendly octogenarian owner who goes around chatting up with people around and taking their orders  this little café  is all about what is written on their tissue towels ‘ There is no greater love than the love of eating’

Fussfree and minutes later,our table was full of Berry Pulao, Chicken Sali, Mutton Cutlet, and the most delicious caramel custard. Filled to the brim we set off the Chor Bazaar. Narrow streets with goats running everywhere the friendly uncles around guided us to Mutton Street . It was difficult to keep track of the 3 of us as each one would disappear into a shop and would be wonderstruck by the goodies, film posters, old gramophones, antique phones, telescopes that were on offer.  None of these things are really mandatory buys or are things ‘we need’ but we did end up picking up an antique clock  (who knows when we’ll come back).We found our way back to Taj and after leaving our car there we sort of wandered about in Colaba Causeway and finished it off with a drink at Leopald. We were exhausted by the end of the day. One thing that really stood out that no matter where we were people were so friendly and helpful. Whether they were chatting on the phone or playing a cards game with their cronies, they stopped, gave us directions..Sometimes even coming with you for a little while to make sure you are not lost. As my friend said, Mumbai is so fast paced and everyone is in a tearing hurry all the time; traffic and roads could make it a really difficult city to live in if not for the warmth of the people and THAT makes all the  difference…