Tales from Goa Priyanka Haldipur finds herself addicted to the energy of good ol Goa.
There lies a thin line between fun life in Bangalore and "funner" life in a paradise called Goa. It goes by the name of "60-minute flight"! After you have got over that revelation for the thirtieth time, you sit back and plan the million things you could do once you hit ground, all of which may just be abandoned in favour of plan 'B'- comfy hotel bed and room service throughout, cos' just breathing the air of Goa is enough to salve a spent soul and make the world feel like a beautiful place again! And "off season" can't do much to change that. If anything, it makes things a wee bit better than they could've been mid-December. The hotel rates are slashed to half of what they are during "season". You will not suffer bumping into hairy, large men or trampling the teensy toes of ultra-noisy tots with every step you take. The crowd was just fine and the weather went an extra step to make life fabulous for hubby dearest and me.
Staying some 40 feet away from the beach is what else but pure joy. You droop off to the lullaby of the waves and wake up to the same harmony. If you resist that urge to roll around in bed, and manage to hit the sands even at 7 am, you can enjoy a long stroll from one end of the beach to the other in pleasant weather. Not only will you whet up an appetite for a scrumptious breakfast, it also makes you feel a little less guilty about stuffing your face like there's no tomorrow. And if it comforts you some more, the sand works up a great natural pedicure.
The nicest parts, of course, are the sights you encounter on the way. A fisherman dad initiating his 10-year-old son into the nuances of the trade; cute little urchins running all over the place excitedly with a plastic bottle and a giddy, new-found baby crab bouncing inside; beach doggies following their budding adventure sport entrepreneur-masters as they move their water scooters into the sea!
Once you're ready for breakfast, walk along the restaurant-lined street beside your beach and take your pick among the many welcoming places that you see. Since the somewhat rare items in the Continental spread will be missed so much once you're back in your city, don't hesitate to order for that banana pancake with icecream or make a meal out of just blueberry muffins. Discuss the plan of action between bites if you can. Will it be North Goa with its temples, churches and beaches, or the South with a new set of temples, churches and beaches? There are many options available in conducted tours courtesy Goa Tourism too- apart from 'Traditional Goa', there's 'Birds of Goa', 'Ancestral Goa', and 'Goa by night'(cruises that take you past important monuments), among others.
Personally, we felt that a bike was the best way to explore Goa, so there we were on a rented bike to Fort Aguada from our Calangute hotel. Upon reaching there, we noticed a bus full of frisky tourists. When a bunch of them passed us, loud whispers of "Dil Chahta Hai! Dil Chahta Hai!" heard, we realised why the view from the fort looked so familiar. It also explained the 'Filmy Chakkar' in bold letters painted across the sides of the bus. Their's was a film locations tour!
The heat got mildly intolerable which was a cue for us to head to a popular tavern in Baga. Chilled beer and fun conversation later, we were back in high spirits. Baga is one of those places that is transformed into a happening youth joint at night. It has its share of hip pubs, discos and lounges- so pub-hop all you want.
The next day, we decided to check out churches that were close by, which led us to Se Cathedral (since Basilica of Bom Jesus and Church of St. Francis of Assissi had been visited umpteen times during previous trips). We were quite fascinated by St. Augustine Tower, rather what remains of it. We scanned through Museum of Christian Art, a stone's throw away from the tower. "Ancestral Goa"/ Lotoulim (that a Goa travel brochure boasted of) was what we felt like doing next. A hot, never-ending ride on a busy highway ensued, but we never did make it to this place that I have come to believe is mythical. We stopped for directions on the way, but no one seemed to have heard of 'Lotoulim'. We tried pronouncing it in many different ways, but it failed to ring a bell with all the Goans we encountered on that ride.
We returned disappointed and I made up for it by buying myself a pair of fake Crocs. Goa is brimming with them... every street shop displays them in such pretty colours. I picked crimson! And even wore it to dinner.
The next day we executed plan 'B' and didn't budge from our room, except for the parasailing in the evening. The lazing was much needed anyway, so that we could come to terms with returning home to work and responsible actions. It had been a fun holiday. I just have to close my eyes now to go back to that land- of chocolate liquors, skipping stones on the water, observing the shy behaviour of the countless newly marrieds, and simply chilling on the beach!
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr202008/sundayherald2008041963613.asp
