We came back from Goa and Goa is still in our hearts..
My little 9(!) Year old unfolds a wish to live in Goa forever!
Well, apart from the party spirit, Life in Goa is calm and serene…
It keeps mesmerizing with pristine beaches, lovely people and awesome nature!
We reached Goa at 2 am and our taxi driver and my father were in a good mood to discuss Goa's political scene. And why not? Charming didi was smiling on huge hoardings!
Goa’s politics is a different story. But I better keep it aside taking apolitical stance.
Day1
Woke up a little late, but we were in a good spirit to meet the lovely sea on the Candolim beach.
I surely feel now, my daughter has got my blood… she just wanted to play in the water till we bid the sea adieu.
But, we did our best to take her to some of the places in Goa. The first spot was the nearby Shanta Durga Temple. There are many temples of Shanta Durga in Goa. This one was located near Candolim beach. There was no one in the temple. Just exquisite calmness!
My daughter is crazy about dogs and there was one in the temple premises. Offering him a biscuit, she was more than happy!
Next stop was the Archeological Museum of Goa. Quite an interesting place to spend an hour or two. It has a good collection of artifacts excavated in Goa. Marvelous little, big statues provide hindu-christian-portugal historical glimpses of Goa. (http://asigoacircle.gov.in/archaeological-museum/)
They should hire a consultant to make the visit to this place memorable for the tourist. We have visited quite a few museums in Europe. The artifacts more or less resemble in spirit, but what differs is how you make the visitor feel connected with the history, the art!
There is no other thing in life as peaceful as watching the sun going down under the sea!
Goa is famous for Nightlife, Casinos, Party Cruises, but we are just old enough to understand that it is the superficial pleasure and nothing else! We chillaxed in the hotel with a good meal and family time! Enjoyed Bebinca (dessert) and Jamaican Coffee - the taste of Goa.
Day 2
Second day started with a South Goa tour. It was a good boat ride on the Cocoa beach with the dolphins swimming around. We also caught a glimpse of Aguada fort from the boat.
Cocoa beach is clean, serene and a sure spot to see dolphins!
Balaji temple is also simple, yet beautiful. Deities like Balaji, Ganapati with big idols adorn the temple.
Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the oldest church in Goa, was our next destination. It is one of the oldest church in India located in Old Goa. It has the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier. Every ten years, the body gets displayed for public viewing. It is said that when his body was brought from Portugal it was as fresh as the day he died. People say that he was having miraculous power of healing. He converted many people to Christianity. It is also said that he was brutal when anyone opposed to conversion.
In the afternoon, we quickly reached Dona Paula where the shooting of the movie `Singham` took place. The place was closed for reconstruction.
Quickly paying a visit to the dearest sea again on Miramar beach, we wanted to check out the market of Goa. But instead we opted to visit India International Science Festival 2021. Premiere technical and science institutes from all over the country have set up stalls and showcased their research, inventions and innovations. Well, science is a boon too!
Evening was set for a cruise with traditional folk dance performances. Watching the sun set again from the cruise was a pleasure. The dance performances were ok, with the repeated steps from the dancers. A little smile on the face while dancing would have been better!
We also enjoyed dancing after many years(!) on the open dance floor. Dance like nobody's watching ;-)
Day 3
We simply roamed around North Goa visiting various Beaches like Morjim, Ashvem, Mandrem. It’s the same sea everywhere. But every beach has some speciality of its own.
Morjim beach is the nesting habitat of endangered Olive Ridley Turtles.The turtles usually come on full moon days during Winter at night and lay eggs here.
Mandrem beach has Russian hoardings at many places and they say most of the Russian tourists stay nearby this beach. We spotted many starfish on this beach.
Tasted Feni (Cashew wine) from Goa while eating a nice lunch by the beach . (Of course, in very little dose ;-) )
Our driver was a talkative fellow, constantly providing additional information on this and that. And yes..political discussions were on! He also took us on a road where precious bunglows of industrialists are located.
On the way, we did a quick hike on the Chapora fort to capture breathtaking views of the sea.
History says the fort was won by Sambhaji Maharaj, but the place is not historically preserved. Three friends from ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ have visited this place. The place became popular only after the release of the movie.
My daughter took some pics of the shops on the way down.
Next day, Goa sightseeing was not over. On the way back, we could quickly get a sight of beautiful Dudhsagar waterfall from our train.
Goa is indeed beautiful, serene and calm. Without the rush to go anywhere, one can surely stay there forever !
