Too much to say for a single thread.
Agreed. However, here are some of my impressions from when I was there:
Bombay (before reverting back to Mumbai) - This was a very very busy city, with buildings stacked on top of each other for blocks. Unfortunately, it was also a very dirty city, with the bay in which we were anchored had floating trash and dead animals in it. It was a quick reminder that, no matter how advanced they are, India was still a borderline third-world nation. If that wasn't enough, in the city there is a grand hotel called the Taj Mahal, complete with a British butcher standing in front of it to open the door for you. Along the side of the hotel (which ran the length of the street) were little shanties built up with homeless begging the tourists for American dollars. It was a sad sight. Traffic was also a nightmare. In what most of us would consider a three-laned road, they were able to fit 5 lanes of traffic travelling at rediculous speeds . . . and no cross walks. Ugh . . . I was more than glad to go back to the ship.
Madras - Skipping from Bombay and down to the Southern point of the country, you could have imagined you were in a different country. Madras was very much a European city, filled with high-tech companies, gem dealers, clean streets . . . and traffic lights.
We spent a lot of time travelling to the various gem stores and bars before going back to the ship. The port itself wasn't too bad, though there were a few abandoned ships sitting in the shallows of the harbor. Fortunately India is one of the biggest ship-scrapping nations around, and those old wrecks would probably be razor blades soon.
Visakhapatnam - North from Madras was Vizak (for short). Beautiful beachfront town, complete with crystal blue waters and dolphins swimming along side of the ship as we slowly cruised into the harbor. Unfortunately, the town was under the influence of a Soviet group (at least at the time we were there), and we were not permitted to carry cameras or large denomination of currency off the ship. Guards with their AK-47s were stationed aboard our ship to ensure we did not break curfew or carried barred items ashore. However, I did get a chance to explore the areas around town before the port gates were closed for the evening. Everyone that I met were nice (except the port guards who wanted to confiscate some of my currency). I heard that the great tsunami of 2004 did impact the town, though I don't know to what extent the damage was.
Outside of my visits there in 1993, I have hired some Indian's since then. For the most part they are hard working individuals and very considerate of your family and beliefs. I did notice that (in general) they were a bit more laid back in regards to the urgency of work in the office, but that might be just a US thing.
Over all, a very nice country and people.
