GCP-India Day 4

Mumbai/Mc Donald’s, Inorbit Mall, Haji Ali, Siddhivinaayak and Millenium Mall

We got up in no hurry and today Bipin had a surprise for us. We went north to Borivali to a McDonald’s for breakfast. Another great experience!! My plan for today was shopping and visiting some religious places. I wanted the group to know that we have such religious diversity in India. The program got a bit turned around since McDonalds was way north than Haji Ali but closer to Inorbit Mall – the shopping place that I wanted to take the group. So we did a program turn around….

The breakfast was great at McDonalds.  Much tastier and different options than an American McDonalds.

Inorbit mall was fantastic!! I let everyone lose including myself! Since it was an enclosed area, we could set a meeting time and go off on our own. The boys decided to sit in a restaurant and have some Indian beer (again, the young American male).  The rest of us were definitely shopping. There were many many great stores with so much good stuff. This was my first mall experience in India, and what an experience. The quality of goods was excellent. Service was good too, except sometimes I felt like I was always being followed by the sales person like I was a thief. On the other hand, it was easier to get help because of the constant presence of this person!

The best part for me was the department store. I did all my shopping that one store. Granted it was a little more expensive, but I got everything on my list of things to get. Great store! Spencer!

We met at the designated time and then took a trip to Haji Ali and Siddhi Vinaayak temple. Both were an experience, for me good, but the group, maybe not so. If there was one thing I had to change, this would be it. Especially Haji Ali. It is not a mosque but still the Americans felt a little out of place there. I would have rather had visited a church, but I did not know any.

Then while looking for one temple, we walked more than three miles. Oh!! not a good idea! That was very exhausting. We never found the temple, but we were all supremely tired!

We stopped at Millenium Mall on the way back to relax and have dinner. I had the best aloo paratha!

Tomorrow we have to leave Mumbai by 5 am so we went home after dinner and went straight to bed.

We decided to do reflections during our drive to Surat.