We Wish You a Merry Christmas...

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The Christmas Story (Part deux)

After spending a day looking around Hampi we managed to buy a ticket back to Goa at the last minute which was a bit of a relief as no one was looking forward to a return bus journey and of course after all that culture we are ready to hit the beaches again. Catching a rickshaw to the station in the dark so that we could catch the 6.30 train turned out to be a bit of a waste of time when we didn't role out of the station until 9.00 but we managed to find a seat and settled down for a little sleep. Or at least we tried to but not having a reserved seating we were constantly being moved around the carriage. Various passengers claimed to have reserved our seats or insisted on sitting with their families but then they in turn would be usurped by another large family group, it was all a bit strange but interesting.

At one point several passengers began having a heated 'conversation' about how another group of English passengers should be allowed to take seats together because 'they are our guests in India' which we all thought was rather nice. Actually everywhere in India we have been made to feel very welcome and people are very keen that you enjoy their country so I would say that this attitude is rather typical. Except of course for those people who kept making Caz and Mark move around the train carriage but that’s just train politics.In the end we managed to appropriate a few of the upper bunks and stretched out to read and sleep. Traveling over the Ghat mountains was pretty cool and as the train went though the various tunnels and the carriages became dark everyone in the train started to whistle and cheer or screech like cats in pain, which was fun.

Instead of making up the time we had lost by leaving late I think the train must have lost its place in the queue (many of the train lines are single track) as we had to wait for AGES outside on of the stations in Goa. Of course we were keen to get back before dark and check into our beach huts in Palolem so when we eventually arrived we jumped into a taxi and headed down to Palolem a beach in the south of Goa. Being a wonderful couple of people Caz and Mark had booked two beach huts for us and after a little stumbling around in the dark across to the beach we managed to locate Fernandez’s beach huts that we had booked and called to confirm a couple of times. Nay luck though as first of all we were told that the room had been given to a different person called Mark (what, both of them) and secondly that our rooms had gone because we had arrived late, booo. But the people next door had rooms so we scooted over there and ended up scoring a couple of nifty huts on a lovely bit of beach next to a gorgeous white church. Actually the rooms ended up being about half the price of the ones we had originally booked so we kind of fell on our feet there. All they needed was a little bit of Christmas cheer so we tastefully decorated Caz and Mark's hut with various Christmas decorations from home and a few extra Goan paper stars. One of the best things about the huts that we stayed in was that the people working there and around we so friendly. The man who owned the place was a star and was always popping over to see us and to make sure that we were ok. On one side of the huts there was a family selling jewelry and clothes who would pop over and say hello, especially a great girl called Anita who helped us play with all our Christmas pressies. Just in front of the huts was a small stall selling cigarettes, toilet roll and water and run by one of the friendliest men in Goa. Ok our conversations were mainly limited to the "HELLO!" which he would yell to us at regular intervals (usually followed by raucous chuckling) but he also had a boat which he hired out for trips and some lovely family so we liked him a lot.

Less friendly were our actual neighbors, a couple of Belgium lads who took a little bit of a dislike to us when they returned from a night out and found a beer bottle on their porch. Fair point, I suppose one of us (Tom?) may have mislaid an empty that we had been planning to return to the beach bar next door, but really, the reaction of the short one was a little bit over the top. Turns out this action - as he told us at length - was not a simple case of forgetfulness, but rather it was a symbolic reenactment of the British colonial domination of India. Well I never, who knew we were so political? We neglected to mention the Belgium’s history of empire building because, well that’s not really the point is it? Turns out they decided to move out of their hut on Christmas day which we can only assume that was a tactical retreat in the face of certain domination.

That little event took place on Christmas eve, a brilliant day which started with a dolphin trip organized by our friend (ahh whose name I have forgotten) from the stall on the beach. We arranged to leave at about 7.00 in the morning which was perhaps a little ambitious. But we headed off armed with our golden Santa hats to get in the festive spirit. The hats we in fact brought in fact in Cambodia, from a Japanese shop and worn by some Brits on the beaches of Goa, aren’t we jet set?. The sea was beautiful from the boat and we motored along for quite a while before getting to dolphin territory. Actually it looked for a while like we were out of luck until suddenly out of nowhere up they popped, lots of them. Amazing but of course no photos as they move fast.

Spending Christmas day in Palolem was fantastic. Palolem is different from the other beaches we visited in Goa because it is a crescent shaped bay with an island at one end. It is gorgeous. We started the day with a little swim in the sea before heading back to a breakfast of pakoras and Pink Pink Fizz under the shade of the palm trees next to our beach huts. For backpackers we sure had a lot of stuff between us so we had plenty of Christmas gifts to exchange and of course open. Thanks to everyone who sent presents over via Mr. and Mrs. Claus (aka Mark and Caz), much appreciated. Other Christmassy wonders included a light up Christmas tree, tinsel, and Christmas scene which grows snow - the wonders of modern science - Christmas chocolates, Christmas pudding AND Christmas cake. With a little help from our new Goan friends on the beach we enjoyed the day and then jumped into the sea to watch the sun set over the water, gorgeous.

On boxing day we headed back out on the boat for a little fishing trip. Between us we managed to catch nothing, although the skipper caught a tiny little fish and a sea snake. Tom almost caught a couple of tiny little octopus which squirted something at us as they came out of the water, ughh. No catch but it was pretty and the sun set was amazing too. Afterwards we headed down the beach for dinner and for pudding the guys in the kitchen steamed our Christmas pudding, too perfection, so we introduced the waiter to the joys of festive deserts.

After five fantastic nights in Palolem we headed up the beach of a bit of resort luxury at the Coconut Grove in Bagmalo. The beach here is defiantly not as nice as the others that we had stayed at but the hotel has really nice rooms arranged around a lovely pool which more than makes up for it. We also spent one morning in Old Goa, which was founded in the 15th century by it is most famous for being the capital of Goa when it was ruled by the Portuguese, unbelievably (or rather believably if you have visited the place) Goa was a Portuguese colony until 1961 when it was finally incorporated into the Republic of India. One of the main reasons why tourists flock to old Goa is to visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the body of Francis Xavier which is entombed inside, apart from when it is displayed to the public every ten years (most recently in 2004). It is said that when the body was shipped back to Goa in 1553 - one year after his death on the island of Shanchuan, China and after a short period of burial in Malacca - it was found to be in a suprisingly undecayed and as a result pilrims from all over Goa come to visit his body - excpet for his right forearm which is on display in Rome. All we saw when we went inside the church was the back of peoples heads and several million camera flashes but the basilica itsef is beautiful.

So that was it, two wonderful weeks in Goa with a couple of pretty amazing people. Hanging out with Caz and Mark in Goa definatly made us look forward to heading home - which is lucky because we will be beack pretty damn soon - for more good times. And we of course can’t wait to see all of our family and friends back in Britain, and France (and New Zealand.. but that might have to wait). Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas holidays, much love, tom and liz.

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Photos

Boom
Yep we brought Mark a dangerous toy for christmas but we managed to light it on the beach without loosing any limbs, it didn't go very high though and i think we may have forgotton to take the top off..ho hum..

Coconut Creek
Finishing the christmas cake at coconut creek, accompanied by some rather dubious Indian wine.