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Published: December 13th 2006
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Another full moon just happened, which means we've been travelling for a little over a month! Without a calendar and regular contact with the outside world, we've been losing track of the days. Right now we're taking it easy for a week or two, relaxing on a beach in South Goa. It took us 12 hours on the day train from Mumbai (the foreigner's line at the station had a 2 hour wait, and the night train was booked solid for the next couple of days) and we arrived in Margao in the evening. We are now train converts - it's 100 times more comfortable than those jarring sleeper buses! We decided to head straight to Colva and got the last room at Colmar beach resort (500 Rs - we paid too much). We dropped our bags off in the room and made our way to the restaurant, which had live entertainment - a singer, his keyboard, and an 80s songbook. One of the curious things about Colva is that Bryan Adams is the most popular music choice in restaurants. The theme song from the titanic is also everywhere - which kind of makes me want to stay on dry land.
Anjuna Market
Here's the ocean at one edge of the market. Bargaining madness! If you walk quickly, look straight ahead and don't make eye contact, you can make it down an aisle - but then you haven't bought anything, have you? Colmar was a fun place to stay for a couple of nights - lots of Indian tourists and always busy- but we moved on in search of a better deal at a quieter spot, which we found a little ways south down the beach at Camilsons (800 Rs - much bigger space. 3 rooms - main, kitchen/laundry, bathroom). The beach is surprisingly quiet - never empty, but definitely not crowded - and picture perfect with golden sand and palm trees by the ocean. Along the beach there are also makeshift shacks that act as restaurants and bars during the high season (which is starting right now) and huge wooden fishing boats that are beached during the day.
It's definitely a different vibe than the one at Anjuna, where we went yesterday for it's huge flea market. Anjuna was busier (although it was market day) and we finally found the hippies that people seem to associate with Goa. The market was large, but all of the stalls sold the same thing. Wall and bed coverings from the north, jewelery (lots from Tibet), Goan trance music and beachwear - floaty hippy garb, or brand name t-shirts (Diesel seems to be popular right
now).
I still have not got the hang of bargaining. I hate it and I'm terrible at it. I went to the market with the intention of buying a bunch of souveniers and mailing them home, so I had work to do! But the vendors are so forceful and persistent, and I really don't know enough about Indian prices to be effective, so I always come away from the stores frustrated and empty-handed! Eventually, I cut my shopping list down to one sarong for the beach - finding that took the rest of the day, and it was only when it came down to the wire and we were running for the bus, that I made one last ditch effort to buy the simple square of fabric. I guess I finally looked impatient and urgent enough to get it for a price that I thought was fair. John took a more scientific approach to bargaining. He was trying out different techniques and prices, and walking away at key moments. Thanks to his experimentation, we now own a Rs 350 wooden chess and backgammon set that keeps us occupied between sunset and dinner.
The rest of the days in Goa
Traditional fishing boat
Marion, your boat is ready... have melted into one another. It's so hot in the afternoon that some days we can barely will ourselves to leave the resort restaurant. Other days, we've explored the surrounding area to admire the whitewashed churches (first we've seen in India) or stock up on supplies. Walking southward in the morning I've passed fishermen reparing their nets, couples meditating on the beach, and people practising yoga. Once the afternoon arrives, the rest of the tourists appear on their way to and from the ocean (in the week that we've been here, it has gotten much more crowded than when we've arrived. The season is on!). John has found all sorts of interesting things to poke at on the beach - clams, starfish, and different types of crabs - and there's an endless variety of colours and patterns on the seashells. On the route inland, there are rice paddies, ponds with lotuses (both white and an incredibly bright fuschia!) and palm-lined streets with brightly coloured houses (we've seen a few of them getting a fresh coat of orange or yellow paint).
It's so easy to see why so many people who come here end up staying for a while (ourselves
included!).
Farah would like me to explain the spice farm. About an hour drive away, we had a tour of a small spice farm, one of the popular things to do for tourists here. We saw: betel nut, tumeric, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg/mace, cloves, cashews, vanilla, cardamom, coffee, bananas, and curry-leaf. Though you're expecting it, it's odd to have someone grab some leaves off a bush and then have it smell exactly like something from the spice rack. e.g. Clove tree - "Hey it does smell like cloves!".
Interesting Spice Farm Facts: tumeric is antiseptic and moisturizing (with milk), clove oil is an anesthetic, and a banana tree only gives one bunch of bananas in its lifetime - technically it is a grass.
I think the place made most of their money from the visiting tourists, though it wasn't a bad deal - you get a big buffet lunch as well. A bunch of dancers greet you and you get a garland of flowers, plus they had a few elephants around for elephant rides.
When you return from the tour, the last thing is the "tradition" of the workers coming in from the plantation - scoop of
ice-cold water down the back!
Tomorrow morning - train to Hospet/Hampi and then on to Bangalore. Not sure from there, either Kerala or the east coast - depending on what effect the Christmas season has on hotel vacancy.
Back to the 'real' India! I'm feeling an odd sort of guilt for flaking out here. Goa is quite easy - noticibly more affluent, more convieniences, less poverty and almost no beggars, etc. - so less of an emotional strain. Feels more like a caribbean resort, so people also keep to themselves more rather than being spontaneously friendly as when you meet them elsewhere.
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