Off to the morgue

Yes, such a glamorous life....Hugo got back from Delhi around 5:00. Had to fight his way down from the airport back to the Taj. I found a restaurant around the corner that had Turkey on the menu for Thanksgiving. I had just come from collecting my laundry and decided to peek in. They told me they only had 2 portions left so I reserved them and when Hugo finally got back, we headed over there for a Mumbai Thanksgiving. Very nice all things considered.

another beautiful wall tile

I am heading off now for my last day of shooting here. We are filming a scene in a morgue. Yes, an Indian morgue. I'm sure it'll be grand. Supposed to shoot until 5 a.m.

Later....

Banganga Tank

Got back from the morgue at around 5:15 a.m. - just in time to see all of Bombay waking up. There was a line of taxi-drivers outside the Taj, maybe about 50 of them or so and they were all sleeping in their cabs. Feet sticking out of windows, doors ajar, sometimes someone sleeping in the front, someone in the back. I must not be a very good journalist because decency always fobids me from taking pictures of scenes like this.

The morgue scene went allright I guess. Actually, to be accurate, it wasn't a morgue..it was a teaching hospital where they do autopsies. And the dead body we were dealing with was a Swiss kid named Alex who happened to be sitting in Leopold Cafe when he was approached by our intrepid extras guy -Shane. Shane can talk anyone into anything and has done so several times during this shoot already. Part of the exercise in the dead body's case was that he had to have braces so they went off to the dentist's and glued some on. they had to go back 3 times to get them to adhere. I'm not sure I would have done that, but then again I'm not 21 anymore.

Beautiful little Hindu temple tucked away

There were mosquitoes eveywhere which is a little disturbing in a place with a bunch of dead bodies. What did they die of? What are the mosquitoes biting? Someone assured me that mosquitoes don't bite the dead. Ok. There were also bats which flew in through the broken windows while we were setting up the lighting. One brushed my head and another dive-bombed Gary, who is also in the cast.

The scene went well- I guess. You never really know. We were given the obligatory "wrap" applause. Always a little embarrassing. Everyone applauds and you stand there and then everyone leaves and goes on to the next shot. End of movie. I have to say, I'm a little sad to have it finished. It's been a month and it's been a pretty terrific experience all in all.

friends part II

Hindu temple and hi-rise

Hugo after eating Wada Pau

Kites and roofs part 2

Makeshift Ganesha altar

Nandi

old and new transportation

Street Tile of Hindu God

Streets of Mumbai - dog and man

View of Slum roofs right next to ocean

winged guardian on Parsi temple