Taj Palace Hotel

There is a gorgeous 5 star hotel in Mumbai near the Gateway.  My friend Gretchen offered to take me there for lunch to celebrate my graduation and earning my masters degree.

There was scaffolding obstructing the view today so I took this picture from bbc.

The lobby was beautiful.

Over Thanksgiving in 2008 massive terrorist attacks were carried out in Mumbai and Taj was invaded, people were held hostage for days.  Here is more information.   Several other places were attacked including a restaurant where we eat sometimes and you can see bullet marks in the walls.  The hotel was rebuilt and here is a memorial wall for the people that died in the hotel (including a couple who had kids at our school)

We were looking around and enjoying the lobby when I see Carol!  I didn't know that Gretchen had also invited Carol, Madeline, and Jane - all the sweet Christian ladies at my school :)  Madeline and Jane have babies and couldn't come, but Carol came to celebrate.  Carol's parents were missionaries in India so Carol grew up in northern India.  She ended up making her life in India.  She has taught at our school for 20 some year.  She married the son of American missionaries who grew up in Mussoorie, India.  He became a very famous author and Bollywood actor.  The kids all know what movies he is starring in etc. :)  She knows everything there is to know about India and Mumbai.  She gave us a great history lesson of the hotel.  She told us where the terrorists entered and where the most damage was and details of how it was rebuilt and what was changed about it.  She is such a wealth of information!

Me and sweet Carol

Carol wanted me to take a picture with Mr. Tata

We had a lovely lunch at the Sea lounge. My delicious mocktail :) 

I  got to wear my fanciest scarf. 

It's hard to tell in the picture, but It's actually really gorgeous - sheer and intricate.
Carol and Gretchen kept touching it :)

 In my opinion - this is the best view of the Gateway of India because you don't have to deal with beggars and crowds. 

Since Madeline couldn't come with us, I met up with her and Ethan later.  

What a great great day!!  So thankful for sweet friends!