Goa heartbroken after Brazil's exit AVIJIT GHOSH
MARGAO, July 2: In Goa, there's a bar for every broken heart. And it is in these small, unobtrusive watering holes peppered all over its luscious landscape where many are still trying to get over their collective heartbreak following Brazilâs Saturday night defeat to France. Goa perhaps symbolises best the great Indian heartbreak over favourite Brazil's exit. Emotions ran deep in Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and elsewhere, but here thereâs a cultural affinity and a shared past of both Brazil and Goa being Portuguese colonies. This gives an emotional twist to the tale as probably no where else in India. As in any love affair gone wrong, there's hurt, anger and bitterness. Portugal, as yet a close No. 2 to Brazil in the most-favoured nation list here, is now the primary object of Goan affection. The question being asked is: Can Luis Figo and company heal their emotional bruises with a revenge win against France in the semi-final? If the heart is broken, even the wallet needs repair. Inside Baretto's Bar, Platini Menezes is drinking more beer. Pooling in money with two other friends, he bet Rs 10,000 on the Latin American team winning. But the loss is not so great. He had won Rs 8,000 betting on the same team in earlier games. The damage is more for tailor John Marian Fernandes, sitting a few kilometers away in another bar, Royann's Corner. He lost Rs 15,000. On Saturday night, some bars kept open till 3 pm. Many fans, already drunk, preferred to down a few pegs more to drown their woes. "Some were crying and singing at the same time. A few stayed back to discuss the game outside the bar even after I shut down and left," says Simon Fernandes, who runs the bar in Verka. _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
