Fish Market strangers

Sept 26
Difficult to sleep, still adjusting to the time change of 15 hours ahead of home or Hawaii time. So after about 4-5 hours of actual sleep we all gave up and at Kris’s suggestion we got up and jumped in a Taxi by 6:30 am. Headed towards Sassoon Docks to check out the fish market! We had read how it’s in a sensitive area, shipyards etc. and military installations nearby so we knew that picture taking was a risky business. So the few pictures do it little justice for the impact it made. Thousands of people doing this every day is mind boggling. We were caught up in the frenzy of activity; men, women and children all seeming to have great purpose, goal and drive to get there faster than the next person. Women balancing great tubs of a variety of fish on their heads, men straining with wooden carts, ropes over their heads with ice and great loads of shrimp. Ancient wooden boats with no modern equipment or tackle tying “Kingfish” (about 6 ft. long) by the tail and roping it up to the docks. We were the only westerners there and what struck us is how everyone is so much in their own world carrying out their daily task. I wonder what the few people that noticed us and took the time to focus on us thought? There is no way that they could understand the world that we live in and little chance that we can truly understand what their day entails.

This afternoon we took the boat ride out to Elephanta Caves. Glad to be back in the AC room and ready for dinner now that our laundry is back from the dhobiwalla’s.