even before the sad events of the past week (which happened while i was in delhi), i felt a certain melancholy about bombay. everywhere around colaba, the southern central district of the city, you see beautiful colonial buildings in various stages of decay and disrepair. which made the taj mahal hotel seem even more of a rare, sparkling gem.
the other thing i noticed about bombay was that for a big congested city, people seem to enjoy each other's company. it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between groups of friends and total strangers.
i also visited one of the slums in colaba, near the fish market. i only lingered for several minutes before becoming a bit overwhelmed. as i was on my way out feeling a bit distressed, a middle-aged woman in a bright orange sari came out of one of the makeshift huts. our eyes met and she gave me a wobbly-headed grin, then walked on. it's a moment i think about often, not only because it made me more appreciative of indian-style friendliness but also since i wish i could have responded in kind, with a grateful shake of the head.
