Inside, Jaime and Elisa, Spanish journalists here to cover the terror, placed their orders for pasta a while ago, but are still perplexed that it looks so appetising when it does arrive. They're getting used to that. They've been here since Friday, and what they can't understand is how so many people are already out and about. They were back home during the Madrid blasts. "People were scared for a while after that," they say.

But the anger, the helplessness, is simmering. It's visible in numerous, slogan-shouting peace marches around the city and in bouquets of flowers and lit candles outside Café Leopold. All around, in fact, if you look hard enough.

It's just past lunch hour at Gokul Bar and Restaurant -- bang in the middle of Leopold and the Taj Mahal hotel. Here, Mumbai comes to gulp down spirits, served by the quarter with large lumps of 'kaccha baraf'. The panwallah outside snaps when asked if he was there on Wednesday night. "Yes, I was here, I saw them run past. I'm just trying to forget." A customer asks for change for a 1000-rupee note. "Kahan se milega? Aaj hi toh khola hai (Where will I change from? I only opened shop today)."

Less than 20 paces away, Mohammad Naseer -- who left his home in Malapurram, Kerala, four years ago chasing gulf dreams -- is selling bling again. He points at the Colaba Police Station across the road. "They come every day to collect money from us, but that night there was no one."

... contd.