A new years to remember

I am rewinding a few years ago. Ok when I count them it is more than I thought. Rewind to 2016, and I was in Mumbai India for the holidays. I was with my mother, my sister, and her husband and family. We had a good time exploring Mumbai on this trip, Goa for Christmas and Nasik. For the 31st though we were back in Mumbai.

We were invited to a party, now follow closely, my sisters-husband's-sister's-husbands-mother. Basically my brother in laws mother in-law through his sister. She had a top floor apartment on a hill over looking the water and downtown. This neighborhood was primarily very upper-class actors and actresses and things.

Another unique part of this area is that it is also inhabited by a large number of Christians and Catholics. India is predominately Hindu but there are still some pockets of Christianity. My sister's boyfriends family are Catholic and same with the his in-laws.

Just a 2 minute walk from the apartment the party was at is a very well decorated street with lights and Christmas decor everywhere. This is where the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount Mary is on one side of the street and the Grotto of Mount Mary on the other side of the street.

Along the street in front of the churches were stands with more decorations for sale.

The lights were hung from the trees going up and down the streets.

Inside the church was very crowded for people attending mass that night. There was a bit of an edge though because at times Christians have been attacked particularly on the holidays by extremist Hindu groups.

Looking down the street with the Church on the left and grotto on the right.

After our walk down the street to check out the lights we continued the party at the apartment. We climbed to the roof top at around 12 to watch the firework display over the water and bridge.

We then lit our own sparklers and enjoyed brining in the new years. Sorry for the blurry pictures these all came from a mobile phone camera I had during those times.