Goa

Goa is a main destination of most western tourists......

SInce Goa is mostly christian, it is not uncommon to see
Indian women in western clothes instead of sarees

Traditional Goan food - Baji

Goan coffee - warm milk with 1teaspoon of coffee powder

We first went to Calangute, since we had arranged a couch there - a Turkish-Polish couple, living in Goa and teaching yoga

-Blessed are those, who are flexible, for they will not be bent over ! :-))

We made Calangute our base for few days and visited nearby cities (distances in Goa are really short compared to the rest of India).

• Panaji - Capital of Goa. Quite a nice little Portuguese-style town.

In the bus station

• Old Goa - former capital of Goa. What is left now are just grandiose churches next to each other, but that is really it.

• Mapusa - A market town. Market is quite interesting, but be careful with entering to the bus afternoon, because all buses are full and if you are not used to fight, you will be simply trampled on.

• Calangute itself is a party and tourism town. The beach is so full of Indian tourists, that it was almost as crazy as in Chennai Marina beach. Of course, Calangute beach is not recommended for western women for sunbathing and swimming - too many observers.

men...

women...

....and cows

One day, when going out in the morning and dropping by at the downstairs restaurant, one older guy turned to us and said: "So, we can continue our conversation from where we left yesterday."
"Sorry, but I think we meet for the first time."
"Ah, never mind, where are you going ?"
Anthony, as was the name of this peculiar man, started to talk with us as we were old friends. He told us many jokes, then we were talking about life and love, also he kept saying how lucky we are that we have each other.
He was a pleasant conversation partner. When we decided to continue our way, we asked if we can take a picture together. He immediately refused, wished us nice day and disappears. Then we realized - he was an elf, that jumped into our life, as quickly as he jumped out of it, at the same time reminded us what is important and basic wisdom of the life, that people ought to be reminded from time to time.

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• We went to the main train ticket booking office in Goa with the intention to book tickets from Mumbai to Rajastan. After paying 10 Rupees the service fee, it came out that we can not book the tickets in the place A, from the place B to the place C. Everywhere else in India this ABC scheme had worked, but all Goan booking office workers kept on saying that system won't allow.... It is really funny system in a country where booking the train tickets might be one of the most nerve-racking activity.

• We were not extremely facinated about Goa until we reached to our final destination in Goa - the most northern beach Arambol. There we rented a beach hut under the palm trees, for 200 Rs (ca. 3 Eur), with big bed, mosquito net, toilet and shower with hot water. Beach was just few steps away and not crowded by young Indian observers, but relatively empty, whereas most people were old hippies and other alternative people.

This was something close to what can be called Paradise........

our beach hut

Famous Wednesday Anjuna beach market

• Although.....one early morning when Branko went jogging to the beach, he came to an interesting food chain theory, when seeing Indian people, who were working in nearby beach restaurants and shops, shitting next to the water in line, just like the are usually shitting next to the railway in line. In this matter they did not have to carry small bucket with water with them, since the waves were gently wiping off their asses. By the time when westeners come to beach the shit is long already dissolved in the sea, giving the late breackfast to the fish. In the evening however, the unlucky fish caught from near the beach, will be served in expensive beach restaurants for tourists.....:-)))
  

Paradise or not, India will still be India !