More of Mumbai

There is a Marine Drive along the sea where you can see sky scrapers in the distance and the coastline. There were crabs walking on the shoreline. We walked all over the downtown area to see the Victoria Terminal Station which is now referred to as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal, the Haji Ali Mosque out in the Indian Sea, the Tehangir Art Museum, the Prince of Wales Museum, and the Flora Fountain. We also took in some shopping and had a leisurely lunch.

Mumbai

On Saturday, Jayanti and I rode to Mumbai for the day. When we arrived, we went straight to the Gateway of India. Right next door to the Gateway is a beautiful hotel called the Taj Hotel. It has an old wing and a new wing - both are stunning.

Amusement Park Activity

At Chokhi Dani, they had many stations where you could watch a magician, a man eating fire, and a man walking on a tight rope. We stopped and watched some women dancing with fire on top of their heads, and a woman also dancing with bowls on her head. One of the favorite rides for Devendra's daughters was the ferris wheel. This was truly manpowered. A man stood inside of the ride and walked inside it to make it work. Bev, Vaidehee and I were all amazed at how fast we could spin around. As we continued to walk thru the park, there was a large stage where a young girl and boy were dancing - and they came off the stage to grab all the women to dance. The finale was to sit and eat an authentic Gujrati Thalli meal - I took a picture of our table settings after we finished. Before we left, we got a chance to pet the elephant's trunk.

Animal Rides

One of my many things on my wish list for my stay in India is to get the opportunity to ride on an elephant and a camel. On Wednesday night this week, I joined two families - Devendra, Rupali, Vaidehee, Maithilee and Trevor & Bev to an Indian amusement park called Chokhi Dani. When you walk into the park, there are musicians there to greet you - in this case, some bagpipes and a drum. You go past a temple, receive a red mark on the forehead (which signifies you've been to a temple) and then enter into the complex. As you head down the stairs, there are numerous circular stations where you can stop and either see performances or take in some of the rides. The first station I noticed was an oxen cart, then a camel, then an elephant. You buy tickets to be able to ride the events (entrance 175 rupees - around $4.00). We first rode the elephant - climbing up some stairs to a platform where you could climb onto the seat mounted on top - we rode up and down a path. Notice the man climbing up the elephant's trunk in order to 'drive'. One of Devendra's daughters, Vaidehee rode with me on the camel. The elephant ride was smoother!! We all piled onto the oxen cart and also took a ride.

My room

The room I am in is on the side of the building - when I walk in, it is a long hallway. There is a closet, then a counter where there is a hot water pot and a mini bar fridge straight ahead on the right - and a bathroom on the left - and straight ahead is a window, a desk and chair, a small table and chair, and beds. When I look out the window, I see a village below - I look to the right and see a train station - and I look to the left to see construction and more villages. By the time I arrive back at the room, a 'turn down' service has taken place - where they take a terry cloth robe (which is normally located on the back of the bathroom door) and place it on the bed with a yellow rose and box with a chocolate in it. There is also a tea light lit in the bathroom and a plate with a few little custard filled tarts. I asked that the 'sweets' be replaced with fruit, so I receive a plate with 4 pieces of fruit on it - I've received a mix of apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries and pears. I've stored the turn-down roses in glasses and have a few bouquets around the room, and have taken the fruit and chocolates into the office to share. I found out from one of the other guys from Deere that there is no upcharge for having room service in India, so I ordered a bowl of soup and some buttered naan bread one evening - very elegant presentation.

The Hotel

I'm staying at a hotel in Pune called LeMeridien. When you approach the hotel from the street, you need to go up a steep driveway and go right to get dropped off at the entrance. There is always a door man wearing a tan outfit and hat to greet you and open the door. The hotel is beautiful - and the main floor when you walk in is all marble. When you first walk in, there is often a beautiful colored sand art on the ground that is protected by a little fenced in area before you walk down stairs to the main lobby. You look straight ahead and there is a 'tea/coffee' sitting area. Off to the right is the front desk and a set of stairs that would take you up to a bar/lounge or a set of stairs on the side to take you to the gift shop, and to the left is a set of stairs that would take you to 2 of the restaurants with a bank of elevators at the base. There are 3 restaurants - one Thai/Chinese, one Indian, and another Continental. There is a table at the main restaurant that is a nice place to sit - it overlooks the lobby and lets you look outside.

Factory and Training Center

My company has a factory about an hour out of the city. When you arrive at the factory gate, you'll see guards who actually salute as you drive in. The front entrance way of the building is lined with flowers - and the grounds are kept very nice. The factory produces what is known as a 5000 series model - 5103, 5203, 5310 - all without cabs - containing different horsepower. When I was in Pune in October 2005, I had a chance to take a factory tour. I even had my picture taken on one of the tractors. People who work at the Factory arrive at work by 8:00AM and can either take the 5:15, 6:30 or 7:30PM bus and have a longer commute to get back into the city. People at the Factory work a 6 day work week (Sunday is the only day off). On the drive to the factory, there are signs in the road advertising John Deere. There is also a John Deere Training Center, which is used for product training. I had my picture taken with the John Deere Training Center sign from the highway - and had the chance to visit the Training Center in November last year.