wow.

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hey all... wow. it really is just about all i can say. there is so much to think about here. today is really the first day we have had a chance to explore. to be on our feet instead of our assses. its been nice.

we cruised into colva last night on the train. it was LONG. and when we finally landed it was dark. we took a taxi to the beach and tried to find the hotel that we had a reservation at. we had to walk on the beach to get to it-you couldn't just pull up adn stop. so we started walking and passed it. then we turned back around and passed it again. hmm. well, aparently the place doesn't have electricity and no sign until you cruise right up in to it. finally we figured that out with some help from some of the restaurants sorta near by. we weren't really into the idea of trying to get settled without being able to see what we were settling into... so we found another spot. we stayed at another place almost next door. it is literally on the beach and it is a beautiful place. but honestly... not what i expected. i mean if you take this as a rep of what "goa" is supposed to be like. travelers from all over the world call this place paradise... i think it was just a cool beach. not conviced we had found "goa" we decided to head north. so we went to calgute.. except i think i am spelling in wrong. might be calangute. anyhoo... we foudn a GREAT cute place. and its also very close to the beach, but a car can drive up to it. this place is really fun. there are a lot of people here. i thought it was going to be lame raver land. which i am NOT into, but so far, its just like a more ethnic venice beach... and a whole-lot-prettier. and for the jewelry freak in me, it is a total paradise. there are art markets everywhere. and its all the jewelry i adore. danger danger.

we went to old goa today in panjim (another close area of goa-panjim is the capital) where the portugese (sp) had ruled until 1961 (uh... wow). the architecture is amazing and we happened to go on the day where there is a festival for st. francis. rad. it was mayhem and there was a festival going on with stalls and weird rides for kids. AND a crazy ass motorcyle silo that the dude rode up and down along the walls in... see photos.. michael is giong to write more about this, so i won't go crazy with it. it was totally insane. what was more insane is when mass let out and all the people cruised into the fair area with the stalls. it was wall to wall people and INSANE. i started to get a little freaked out cuz, well, we couldn't move and couldn't get out. but we just kept walking and found our way.

what has touched me the most for the past three days- arriving in mumbai, and looking out the train all the way to goa, has been survival - michika, if you're reading this, the book you gave me (mutant message from down under is the title, and i think everyone on the planet shoudl read this book-its amazing)started me thinking about it. what it means to survive. and something my dad said also before leaving-that what sets us apart is not our thumb but our ability to adapt. the way people survive here, and the ability to adapt that is innate in all of us is astonishing. i really feel, if i can make a positive out of the poverty i am witnessing, is that people who seem to have no reason to try to live, to make it work, do. and they smile while doing it. children find a way to eat, and to play. of course, i am not saying that these things don't break my heart to see because it absolutely does. but i am once again disgusted by humanity and at the exact same time, inspired by it. i think i will be experiencing a lot of this duality in thought as the journey continues. what an adventure.

and if anyone ever decides to cruise by india who is reading this now, don't forget your toilet paper.

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Photos

fishing boat in colva
here is a boat that we looked at when we were in colva eating near where we stayed

mumbai
view from outside of our window where we stayed in mumbai. great hotel-chateau windsor. highly reccommend it..

train station
the train station... the haze in mumbai makes all the light look cool... just like smog. the air is SO gross here, but you know, it makes picutres look good.