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Published: February 20th 2014
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On the way to Diu
A small fishing village on the Arabian Sea coastline in Gujarat. “
In order to taste my cup of water you must first empty your cup. My friend, drop all of you preconceived fixed ideas and be neutral. Do you know why this cup is so useful? Because it is empty.” Bruce Lee
I am on the empty beach 3 minutes walk from the guest house. It's 7.30 am, the rising sun is just gaining heat, and I find a flat piece of sand to do my morning hatha yoga. The sea is calm with only the slightest soft sound of lapping waves. I take a swim past the rock outcrop and begin to feel my sea legs once again.
Diu, with Goa, was a Portuguese outpost for over 450 years. It took until 1961, 14 years after India's independence from English rule, to be incorporated into the Indian Republic (by military conquest with Portugal not recognising the annexation until 1974). It is now a separate Union territory (Diu Daman).
On entering Diu, we get the sensation that we have just left India. There are two checkposts with Police from both sides of the 'border' looking officious, but one wonders what for?
The main part of
the territory is a large island connected by a road bridge (which, in case one thought one was actually not in India, has absolutely no pedestrian pathway – it's every man, woman, vehicle and animal for him/her/its self). The roads are smooth, rubbish is hard to see (even the beaches are swept each morning and there are rubbish bins everywhere which are actually used and emptied regularly), there are warning signs for gentle sloped speed humps (a very noticeable thing for a motorbike rider used to the rough and large and un-heralded speed humps all over India which threaten to bust one's front shock absorber seals or at least just be very unpleasant and dangerous if coming from a higher speed). There is a distinct lack of blowing horns as if the locals somehow only use them for emergencies rather than announcement of being in the world (as is the want of Indian drivers generally). There are lay-back bars (which is significant given that in dry Gujarat just down the road, alcohol is not available) and cheap beer. There seem to be next to no beggars. There are Christian churches.
It's Sunday when we arrived and the town is
uncannily empty. But when we explore over the coming days, we find that the town always feels a bit empty – there is not the chaos and hustle and bustle going on that one expects in India.
So, to put it all together: Diu is a wholly different experience in India and a very relaxing place to take a breather from the mayhem on the mainland. The beaches are clean and deserted (well, except from Nagoa Beach which resembles any tourist beach in the west, and is full of richer Indian tourists).
It's all nice – but nice too to return to the mainland chaos after 6 days of R&R.
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