Source: The Guardian (London), May 31, 2003, Headline: There's more to Goa than raves and beaches. Stephanie Debere discovers its Portuguese legacy. By Stephanie Debere.
1584 words. Excerpts: Unless you're partial to ceaseless raves and could-be-anywhere resorts, Goa is probably somewhere you've given a wide berth. Its image as New Age hangout or package holiday haven had certainly given me doubts about visiting. Fortunately, a niggling curiosity about the Indian state's Portuguese heritage proved stronger. In his 1851 travelogue Goa and the Blue Mountains, the Victorian explorer Sir Richard Burton declared that the state's whitewashed walls caused "offensive glare", the churches were "ill-built piles, [but] beautifully situated," while the Portuguese balc�os lacked "the joy-inspiring features of the Italian balcone". I soon decided that his judgment had been clouded by the cholera he'd recently suffered, because Goa's architecture is captivating. Around Margao, Goa's congested second town, the countryside is dotted with ornate, evocative villas, the finest of which is the 16th-century Menezes-Braganza house in the tiny village of Chandor. Pigs trotted freely and garlands of small, round, red pork sausages hung like hippie necklaces outside peasant houses Goa's people are sossegard - Portuguese for 'carefree'. At midday, it's feni, lunch and siesta. Ponda is known for its concentration of Hindu temples. The Portuguese were not so sossegard about their religion: during the brutal 16th- and 17th-century Goan Inquisition, many Hindu temples were relocated to then Portuguese-free areas inland. one of the world's truly extraordinary sights: a cluster of vast cathedrals towered above an expanse of palms like tankers on a green sea, some plastered white, others in red-brown local laterite. This concentration of over-blown churches seemed excessive, but when Old Goa was the "Rome of the East", various branches of Catholicism - Jesuit, Franciscan, Dominican, Augustine - competed in cathedral building. In Panjim local women in risqu� knee-length dresses browse shops with Portuguese signs, and small cafes and bars serve feni and dishes from all over India, catering for Panjim's many domestic visitors. English curry houses should note Goa's addictive puddings, most of which are a variation of coconut milk, eggs and jaggery (a rich, unrefined sugar). Panjim Inn, Goa's only official heritage hotel. Set in a 19th-century house, it's a haven of sepia family photos and original furniture. Further information see also the Goa state site (goacom.com). Full text, 1584 words. at http://travel.guardian.co.uk/saturdaysection/story/0,8922,966993,00.html ============================ Source: The Daily Telegraph (London) May 31, 2003. Agonda Beach, Goa. By Belinda Crighton, Hornchurch, Essex Even the glorious beaches of Goa can sometimes become crowded and over-commercialised. So if you're looking for complete peace and quiet, take a taxi from your resort and head south to Agonda. The gently curved bay stretches for more than a mile, its golden sand beach fringed with palm trees, behind which lies the small village and half a dozen simple, family-run guesthouses. If you want the desert island experience, this is it - no beach sellers, loud music or bright lights, and only the occasional tourist. Wildlife abounds - three species of kingfisher, red kites, and a troupe of monkeys that comes down from the surrounding hills each evening to raid the villagers' gardens. Get to the beach in the early morning and you might see dolphins close to the shore. How long will Agonda stay unspoilt? Well, behind the beach, shrouded by vegetation, stands a half-built hotel complex. The local people campaigned so vigorously against the developers that all building work was stopped. People power does work occasionally. ======================================== ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
