Carpets, Crawford Market, and Crashes

 

We had an American Holiday from work so we made the best of it and went exploring the city. First thing in the morning I went to look for meat. We had ordered some meat from an online store and it came, but it was expensive and really small proportions. (Missing large stores in the U.S. where we would buy in bulk, cut it up and freeze it) There is a butcher nearby and I went first thing in the morning. I was glad that someone had explained the process to me. It is a small shop with one counter in front where you order, then behind there is a large kitchen with 10 people working--some cutting pork, some cutting chicken, and some cutting "bouff" (water buffalo meat because beef is illegal). I was told it was very much like the Soup Nazi (Seinfeld) in process. So I knew to order, then back up while they prepared my meat. 

It was really fun to watch them prepare it. Thanks to the explanation I had received, it was a seamless process and I was able to get meat to divide and share. I will let you all know what we think of the buffalo meat when we try it!

I then picked up Lady Hiva and Koala Bear (Lucky Dragon was at school) and we went down to the old part of Mumbai to Crawford Market. It is similar to large markets that we have visited in China, Philippines and Thailand. You can find ANYTHING there. Of course you need to bargain because they see a foreigner and want to make a lot of money...but we had fun! There were these guys that said they wanted to help...it was so pushy. I told them I did not want the help, I am not afraid to bargain, but they insisted and Lady Hiva is much nicer than me (of course). So the guy carried our bags and played nice until the end when he demanded to be paid even though he said he would not be paid (LAME). So lesson learned there for sure. 

We wandered through the fruit section---opted to NOT go to the "animal section" afraid of what we would see--the cleaning section and guess what...I was able to find BLEACH!!! I have not been able to find it ANYWHERE here and I was starting to stress that I was going to go 2 years without bleach! My bleach cleaning addiction was NOT OK with that idea!~ I had looked at every store, asked locals where they buy their bleach and nothing...until we went to Crawford market and not only was there bleach, but there was CLOROX bleach! Cue the singing choir of angels... hahaha

WE then ventured over to the clothing section of the market. You could buy material to have your clothes made, or you could make your own clothes. It was fun to explore even though we were there before noon and apparently they do not open until after that! SO much for the early bird metaphor...definitely not true here! 

We then went to get some rugs to place on our new floors. We were finally able to move into our home and the kids were so excited to have their own rooms. Koala Bear was especially happy to have drawers and she organized them all herself. 

The carpets were amazing. We were able to get a few of them to compliment our Turkish rugs. It made us happy to get them all and see how beautiful they were/are. The silk rugs...like the one below, was GORGEOUS. But I did not even dare ask how much it was. He said that it took 10 years to make. I would never dare use it because it is so beautiful. 

I dropped off Lady Hiva and Koala Bear then I went shopping for some groceries. I was able to get everything that I needed and had two big shopping bags with me. One of them was full of bottled water and the strap busted and water bottles went flying all over the mall floor. All kinds of people were scrambling to help me gather them...then I was that guy who repacked his bag in the middle of the mall walkway (think those people that repack their entire suitcases at the airport) haha. 

I finally made it out to the taxi stand hot, sweaty, and tired. I got a taxi back home and of course the traffic is horrendous as it usually is. We were in a tiny car--more like a small golf cart with doors and we got hit by a HUGE diesel...the diesel hit the door next to me (I was glad that I was alone because normally we would all be packed in there and up against the door) then the large tire of the diesel hooked the wheel well of the taxi and as it drug us further down the road the car was jumping up and down as the diesel tire went around. Holy scary. 

When we finally stopped the two drivers got out and yelled at each other. The police showed up they all yelled some more. We drove forward...then they stopped again, got out and yelled more. Lady Hiva told me to just get out and walk home...but I had so much stuff (remember the bag breaking in the mall?) that I could not walk all the way there! So I waited for the yelling to stop and finally was able to make it home! 

SO...welcome to India! We had a good day of immersing into the culture and the chaos of our new home!