With the extended two week break from training and no other work-related obligations I was forced to find something to do after my return from Hampi. After narrowing my search to the cheapest airfare’s of the destinations I want to visit, the list was narrowed to Mumbai and Goa. Mumbai would have been nice, but not nearly as relaxing as Goa so with some stressful training days ahead, the decision was easily made.
After an overnight train back to Hyderabad, I turned around and flew to Goa for my first solo India experience. Considering the fact that I didn’t really plan the trip in advance, it couldn’t have turned out better. After arriving at the airport which is quite a long way from anything, I took a taxi to Panjim to stay in a larger city. I picked the central cathedral as my drop-off spot and hence began the cathedral tour of this former Portuguese colony.
A big, tasty Indian dinner was eaten at a surprisingly modern, but reasonably priced restaurant. That night, I stayed in a nice family-run hotel and really enjoyed the mother who managed it along with her two daughters. They were extremely helpful and very knowledgeable. If you end up in Panjim, check out the Mayfair Hotel.
The following morning was pretty rainy, so I didn’t get a very early start. Eventually, I made it over to Old Goa which for the most part is abandoned apart from a couple massive cathedrals and a few other religious sites interspersed throughout the area.
Particularly interesting were the ruins of the Monastery of St. Augustine. Restoration efforts have done much to preserve the area, but much of the vegetation was allowed to grow so it’s a very quiet, peaceful place that might remind a visitor of the ruins of Cair Paravel for anyone familiar with The Chronicles of Narnia.
It didn’t take long to see Old Goa, so I then made my way over to the coast to see Fort Aguada and then find a place to spend the night on the beach but not before enjoying a rum carmelized banana. Why isn't this a staple option on every dessert menu in the U.S.?
Fort Aguada offers some nice views of the bay and the coastline, but I wouldn’t recommend going to see the jail as it is still in use although seeing it might be a sufficient deterrent necessary to motivate someone to avoid engaging in nefarious activities. That evening I checked into a nice place near the beach and enjoyed a delicious dinner with authentic Rajasthani music and dancing.
In the morning, I walked down the beach to see the huge tanker that ran aground only a few hundred yards from shore.
It’s quite impressive, don’tcha think? My next goal was to rent a scooter that I could take overnight to the north coast. This ended up working out fairly well, but it required a good-sized deposit. The couple I rented the scooter from were really helpful and very friendly. If I ever make it back there I’ll stay with them! With the scooter secured I was off to see the northern beaches. I stopped at all the beaches along the way, but wanted to make sure I made it to Anjuna to see the Wednesday flea market. I made it to Anjuna by mid-afternoon and was able to take in most of the large, open-air market that is adjacent to the beach. It was amazing to see how many people had things to sell and the diversity of everything.
It was a colorful and fun experience, though I was glad the beach was nearby to allow a slight respite from the chaos! I hadn’t planned on purchasing anything, but ended up walking away with a nice wooden chess set, a pair of shorts and a pair of swim trunks. All told, I spent a total of about $20. From Anjuna, I went to up to Arambol where I was planning to spend the night. It was a lovely ride along the coast and through some small villages. With the sun setting it was particularly beautiful. Arriving in Arambol, I set out to try to find the seaside cocohuts recommended by Lonely Planet. Unfortunately, this proved to be much more difficult than anticipated and nearly resulted in me seriously damaging the scooter and/or myself when I rode up a path intended only for walking and rode across a wooden plank to get over a small irrigation canal. Needless to say, it didn’t work out well for the home team. Eventually, I made it up to the cocohuts after finding out that it was a 10 minute hike to get to them! It was already dark when I arrived, so I took the only offer I got which was for something a little more secure, but a lot less cool than a cocohut. The restaurant there served a killer tuna melt sandwich that went amazingly well with the avocado salad (basically guacamole). The downside to staying here was that between my concern about the scooter and the warnings I’d received about the drug problem in the area, I didn’t sleep too well. Once morning broke, I did some exploring and found a nice secluded beach nearby. Breakfast at the German Bakery was good, but the prices had gone up considerably from those quoted in L.P. After breakfast, I hit the road and went back south to Candolim where I had rented the scooter. Before dropping it off I stopped at the local 5-star Taj resort for the lunch buffet, only to be disappointed in the quality of the food. The folks who rented me the scooter also gave me a good offer on a taxi ride to south Goa, so I took them up on the offer. Of course it took about 2 hours to make it all the way to Palolem, but once we got there I felt right at home. The pace there is a little slower and the people were more laid back. It also had a lot of western tourists which made me feel more at home. There were a number of restaurants all along the beach, so after a romantic stroll down the beach in the moonlight by myself I decided to try some real Goan food. It was spicy, but pretty tasty and just what I needed before heading off to bed.
The following morning was my only true day of lounging on the beach. Again I walked down the beach and over to the smaller Putnem beach where I had a great “Mexican” breakfast and a banana crepe. After breakfast I made my way back to Palolem to enjoy a little swim and do some chillin’! It really turned out to be a nice, relaxing way to end my vacation so I’m glad it worked out for me to at least sneak in a one-day scouting trip to south Goa. If I ever go back, I’m definitely spending more time in south Goa! Thus ends the “Operation Relaxation” chapter of my time in India and now the real work begins, so please don’t hold your breath for my next blog post. It may not come for another 3 months…
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