Hi Antonio, This is exactly what I have been doing all my life as a Sashtikar! I still go down these roads everyday to work, play, get some pao or nallacho sur, or meet a friend and what I notice is:
*- There are a lot of 'Bullet' motorbikes on Salcette's village roads *- There is always a gang of boys at every village corner that will eye you suspiciously as you pass by. *- Every fifth person that overtakes you on a 2-wheeler is wearing a football t-shirt or pants! *- If you see a crowd of young and middle aged villages on bikes, its not the local biking club, but people returning home from an illegal bullfight. *- I feel really comfortable when I'm approaching my villages, Cuncolim and Benaulim from elesewhere. *- At Christmastime, our family never misses a drive around all of salcette to see the stars and lights in all the homes, and the beautiful and creative cribs created by different vaddos of each village. *- You can slow down, smile at someone and ask 'jelo mure'? (had your lunch?) or 'patrao, maka puipak mashe udok di' (sir, can you give me some drinking water)and always get a positive answer with a smile. *- The fields and streams are plenty, and always have something interesting in them. In my opinion, the most beautiful places in Salcette are: The Cansaulim Monte, Margao Monte, A wooded section beween Colva and Pulvaddo, Benulim, A cross on a stone formation on the varca-margao road, the River Sal ar Orlim bridge, the tip of Mobor where you can see the trawlers come in to Cutbona, a halfbroken stone bridge at Comba-paricotto in Cuncolim, but what takes the cake is the section between Chinchinim and Assolna villages. I really like Salcette sometimes! Clinton.. Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 11:04:14 +0530 From: Antonio Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet] Goa - A tour of Salcete villages To: [email protected] Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Yet, there is an opportunity today to savour the ambience of village life. For this, one has to undertake , in slow motion, a tour of villages along the coastal belt and see something of south Salcete as well. There are good smooth village roads. One preferably ought to travel by a scootie ( a gearless motor-cycle with only accelerator and brake ) at no more than 30 km per hour. If you stay in Panjim or Vasco, you could come down by NH 17 and in Verna turn right to reach Cansaulim, From here travel slowly southwards via Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva towards Maria Hall junction in Benaulim. Again proceed soutwards via Varca, Orlim, Carmona to Cavelossim. ( In Mobor area there are plenty of good hotels for an afternoon meal ). Return by the same route and at Orlim turn right to visit south Salcete. After crossing the Orlim/Deussua bridge on the river Sal, you are now in Chinchinim bazaar. Go southwards to Assolna and Velim up to the fishing trawlers wharf. Come back and turn right at Assolna bazaar to go to Cuncolim. Your tour is now complete. From Cuncolim it is all the way to Margao/Vasco/ Panjim and Mapusa by the National Highway No; 17 via Chinchinim and Navelim villages. As a proud son/daughter of the sandy soil of Goa, you have just witnessed Catholic Goa at its best. Antonio
