washed-up in GOa

---

hey folks! Guess a few of you have already seen Goa - guess you know why "washed-up" describes some things/people so accurately! Barely an hour after we'd arrived, on Thursday24th on Calangute beach, a guy with dreadlocks down to his knees and skin peeling around his bulging torso invited me to paly guitar at the "sea pearl" beach hut that evening!!! He turned out to be an absolute guitar genius; christening my Poona-bought classical six-string with an awesome rocked-up version of some classical guitar astandard... while I got to play some bob marley, damien rice and chilli peppers...

Panaji these couple of days has been very interesting too - yesterday seeing churches and museum in old Goa; and today just wandering the streets and peering at things... I chanced on an exhibition of Tulalip culture - which is in fact a First Nation just north of Seattle!!! It seems, someone got wind that the Goans have a fish-based culture quite similar to the Tulalip; so organised a cultural exchange!!!

The small exhibition of paintings and a few artefacts had a very enthusiastic curator - who gifted me a rose made of wood-canoe shavings, as well as the customary explanations and handouts. I was so touched!

Truth be told - I'm already wearing of the tourist-style of exploration - I've never been much of a one for seeing the sights - getting in touch with people is more my forte, and having visited all my relatives in Maharashtra I've already completed that.

Not forgetting the fun I had in New Era Baha'i School - in Panchgani - I can't remember if I've added a log; but suffice to say that NAw Ruz there was just amazing - so easy to have different cultural dances performed by students from all over India. I didn't perform in the end - but I was glad not to interrupt the flow of ethnic dances and songs with some random bob dylan number or homegrown Baha;i song - far better to celebrate Indian cultures in the audience...

Last but not least - check out Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie! It has deeply inspired my visit to India, as I'm learning about politics, history, culture both through and before the book - so both direct experience and reading reinforce each other. It's been a rollercoaster, and I've nearly finished!!!

All the best to my friends - and keep happy y'all!!

Ben

---