Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai
(http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/chowpatty.htm)
Apart from Juhu in the suburbs, Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach. During the day, it is the hangout of the happily unemployed who snooze under the shade of its stunted trees. But in the evening the atmosphere is more like a carnival: kids screaming on Ferris wheels or taking pony rides, wayside astrologers making a quick buck, monkey shows, and even the odd self -styled gymnast who will demonstrate amazing yogic postures for a small fee. At one end is a row of bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina doused in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a flat, fried puri. You might even catch a film shoot or a street play. In short, for most tourists Chowpatty is where the action is.
Jon and I visited the famous beach to get some cool sea breeze after the 38 Deg. day but we got more than we bargained for. After getting two cups of chai, we took a seat on the sand to enjoy the cool night. But it was not to be. Every seller on the beach came our way. From cotton candy to head and hand and foot masssagers to more and more chai sellers. We managed to put them off but when they realised Jon could speak some Hindi and a bit of other Indian languages, they made a circle around us and engaged us for a while.
Finally a family came oround with kids who were learning English and we had a nice chat in at least two languages.
The pics are with the kids and Jon, one chai seller who was really nice and another guy who pressed for a chance to give us a massage (we managed to refuse inspite of all his insistence).
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