If there are two Indian seaside destinations that have always whispered to my soul, they are Goa and Pondicherry. Pondicherry is my favourite of the two, and yet Goa has also always had a charm of its own.

If Pondicherry has been the place that I have visited to find myself, I have always been drawn and then lost in the magic of Goa only to discover myself. So if Pondicherry is my destination when I need to hear my soul speak in a still clear voice, Goa beckons when I need my own touch of magic.

For me, more than any other Indian location, Goa reflects the spirit of endless travel and adventure. For it is here that travellers from around the word congregate, each on a unique path to self discovery, and their stories intermingle into the fabric of a land that is both tolerant and all accepting.

I first visited Goa nine years ago on a solo journey, just after I had turned 24. Today, nine years later, it was a riotous journey made rich by the glory of friendship. In the intervening decade, it was interesting to see that nothing much had changed, except perhaps my perspective.

Spread across these many years, there are lingering memories of adventures and places. As it is with all places, there would certainly be more to Goa than just these remnants of my experience. But these are the places ands things that made my visits to Goa special and will have me returning again. I record them here lest I should forget and also so that my memories may serve as a guide to fellow travellers.

Chapora: I missed Chapora on my first visit to Goa. But this time I did stop by, thanks to my friend UU, who has made Goa her home for the last few months. The Chapora Fort was first made famous for great moments of friendship captured in the film Dil Chahta Hai. But there’s more to Chapora than just that. Truly, you’ve not experienced Goa if you not had a whiff of the special madness of Chapora village, experienced the still tranquility of Chapora Beach, gazed down the heights of Chapora Fort or even possibly caught a Chapora sunset. The last one eluded us and is a strong incentive for me to return yet again.

Old Goa: I first discovered Old Goa on a bike 9 years ago. I’ve never forgotten the beauty of the ride that took me past winding paths set against the sea, finally stopping at St Catherine’s Chapel. Old Goa is better known and has even been declared a world heritage site for its monuments like the the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The later is the first Basilica in India and is also said to house the mortal remains of Francis of Assisi. But St Catherine’s Chapel remains my favourite shrine. Away from the touristy hordes, it carried its own special touch of the stillness of the divine.

Mango tree… May the music live on: It is true that over time, Goa has come to be associated with a large number of intoxicants. It is also true that all these intoxicants abound in Goa in no small measure. Yet, it is also true that the most potent and less talked about intoxicant in Goa is perhaps its music. Jazz and blues, often played by multi-cultural bands, abound in Goa more than in any other Indian destination, playing no small part in the influences that give Goa a beat of its own. For the musically inclined, two must stops are Mango Tree on a Thursday evening and Take 5 for some Saturday night fever.

Candolim, Calangute & Baga Beaches: I literally stumbled upon the Candolim, Calangute and Baga beaches on my first visit to Goa. I remember my surprise at discovering that these three beaches lay adjacent to each other. So you only had to walk in one straight line to cover all of them. Even then, I remember noticing that Calangute took the impact of the tourists, while Baga was quieter.

On this visit, we began with lunch at Brittos, overlooking Baga. Amongst the three beaches I found that it still took the least of the tourist impact and blended the madness of crowds, with a stillness of its own. On our final day here, we also experimented with water sports between Calangute and Baga. While we had our adventure under the morning sky, there’s no time like evening to go parasailing. You could be suspended 100 feet above the ground, with the glorious orange ball that is the sun falling across the horizon to sink into the eager waiting arms of the Arabian Sea. It’s a moment to live for.

Anjuna & Vagator: If Baga taken less of the tourist impact, Anjuna and Vagator are even more remote. While Vagator is spectacular in its own way, Anjuna has its own touch of serenity. On this visit, UU and I sat late into the night eating salmon at Sunset Cafeteria overlooking Anjuna. Bright sparkling lighted shacks stretched as far as the eye could see looking down on the darkly tossing eternal Arabian Sea. The stillness in turbulence and the power of the moment lingers on, and will always remain amongst my unforgettable travel experiences.

The Markets Candolim & Calangute: The road to Calangute Beach and Fort Anjuna takes you past the bargain laden shacks of Candolim and Calangute. Few markets epitomise the magic of the bazaar like they do. All of Indian influences seem to find their confluence here. But be warned that nothing must be bought at face value. Here, more than at any other place, prices are named with the expectation of a good bargain. So you haven’t shopped at Goa, if you haven’t haggled hard and long.

The Saturday night market: But if there is one place where the charm of Candolim and Calangute can possibly be outdone, it is at the Saturday Night market. All of India seems to come together again, but this time sparkling under the night skies. The buzz and atmosphere is to be experienced to be understood. It’s true. The Saturday night market has a life of its own.

Architecture: Few states in India celebrate old European architecture in the way that Goa does. Historic houses and churches dot the countryside. You never quite if you are looking at just another building or a bit of history. Every nook and corner reverberates of yesterday.

The Corjuem Fort at Aldona: It’s a fort in the middle of nowhere and not hyped in tourist guides. So the adventure to this fort lies primarily in discovering it as you cut past Mapusa and the village of Aldona. Once you get past the tangled vines that block the entrance, there is the special feeling of privelege when you discover that you are the only person in the monument that you are visiting. On my return home, I did some research on the fort and discovered that legend has it that “One of the defenders of the fort was Ursula e Lancastre, a Portuguese waif. Determined to succeed in a man’s world, she disguised herself as a man and travelled the world, eventually serving as a soldier. It was not until she was captured and stripped that her secret was discovered. This did not put an end to her military career, and she married the captain of the guard.” It was perhaps fitting then that I discovered this fort with my friend MC on a bike, on our girl’s day out. It was a highpoint amongst my many adventures with my buddy of the last 15 years beginning in high school.

Fort Aguada: A ‘must do’ destination on tourist “to do” lists, this seventeenth-century Portuguese fort set against the Arabian Sea is not as spectacular as the journey to get there that also takes you past the magic of Candolim. It’s reputed to be one of the spots in Goa that give you a beautiful sunrise. But on both instances I visited it during the sunset, and I remember it more for the journey to get there than the location. The fort seems to have been built as a defence against the Dutch and Marathas and was the chief defence of the Portuguese in India. The freshwater spring at the fort was also a source of water supply to Portuguese ships, and so the fort got its name of “aguada” or “water”.

Dona Paula: Another ‘must do’ touristy destination, a visit to Dona Paula usually ends at the Dona Paula jetty. It’s beautiful in a typical touristy way. Yet, this trip was special for my my first Goan bus ride that had a charm of its own. There is also an interesting romance to the story behind Dona Paula. It’s named after the daughter of a Portuguese nobleman who threw herself off the cliffs after she was not allowed to marry a fisherman who she loved.

Miramar Beach: Away from the rhythms of hippies on beaches, it is here that citizens of Panjim make their way every evening for their own special touch of sea and sky. Far removed from the Goa of tourists, this is the beat of normal everyday Goa. I stayed in a hotel opposite the beach on my first visit to Goa, and I remember spending an evening here amongst the wonderful people who make the magic of Goa possible.

So these then are the travel moments that make my memories of Goa… Here’s looking forward to many more.

Niamtougou is the town in Togo where I (Paul) taught high school Chemistry and Physics between 1983 and 1985. Now with higher resolution photos available in Google Maps/Google Earth, it is easy to map the locations of my apartment, the Lycee, the Market and the Bar Tahiti.

Try adding your house, favorite bar or swimming hole to the map!
Just click on the “view larger map” link just below the map and sign in to Google. It is open for editing.

View Larger Map

Am primit azi un mass cu cu in filmulet foarte fain….

Sinquerim is located at 13 kms away from Panjim and it is the first beach of North Goa. It is located at the south of the famous beaches like Baga, Calangute and Candolim. Sapphire waters and palm lined silky beaches with golden sands play a pivotal role in making Sinquerim one of the most famous tourist destinations in Goa. The famous fort Aguada is located near the beach. This beach offers a good number of water sports facilities to tourists. The Aguada Bay here is divided into two parts, the Caranzalem Bay and the Sinquerim Bay is formed by two headlands, Cabo and Aguada.

In Sinquerim Beach one can enjoy parasailing, fishing, scuba diving, water skiing and windsurfing.

One can find a number of good hotels and resorts for accommodation in Sinquerim Beach.

The nearest airport is Dabolim Airport. Also one can reach by buses and local transport.

Gelin bağa yeşiller kuşanan doğayı görün. Her köşede bir çiçek dükkanı açan doğayı görün. Güller gülerek sesleniyor bülbüllere: Susun, susarak doğayı görün.

Birthday snaps are all here

I think I was in Goa for 4 days but it’s very hard to tell… Time flew by around us as we did nothing; a trip to the beach here, some food there, drinks at night under the stars… Our group had swelled as well. Now myself and the Swedes were joined by Ryan (a mad Kiwi), Matt (a sometimes quiet lad from Bristol), Damien and Leah (a stereotypical Irish couple!) and occasionaly Antoinette (South African who I’d met in Mumbai) and Faye Holiday (English girl with the best name ever). We all hatched the plan to go to Baga for the night of my Birthday as it’s slightly more built up than Anjuna and that plan turned out to be a good one!

We found a place doing two for one drinks which should have been more than enough to keep us happy. As I awoke the next afternoon face-down on my balcony and saw the bottles of rum and state of our room it all started to come back to me. The attached photos should describe the night sufficiently! It was brilliant though and they even pooled together to get me presents which was very nice.

The following day was a write off but later that evening myself and Ryan were moving on again to a place called Hampi. Now for some advice: Never get a sleeper bus in India. As you can imagine I was looking forward to getting some sleep and since we’d booked an overnight sleeper bus to Hampi I thought I’d get more than enough. I was wrong. First things first; the roads in India are terrible, especially just after monsoon season. We were right over the rear wheels so every bump sent us skyward, every turn flung us across the bed… it was like being on a waltzer… but for 13 hours! The sleeping tablets everyone took worked wonders, but not for me. I didn’t sleep a wink. The night was spent headbutting the people next to you.

Then there’s the people working on the bus who spend the night shouting at each other, at passengers, and at the driver. At one stage, while picking up passengers, the workers got locked out of the bus as it started driving off. They ran after it screaming and beating the windows with their fists. Unfortunately they managed to get back on. To surmise: There is no sleeping on an Indian Sleeper bus.

Just came back from Goa yesterday. When someone tells you they have been to Goa, what they actually mean is they have visited beaches and places in Goa, as Goa is a state, albeit a very small one.

We were a group of 8 friends who drove through Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davangere, Ranebennur, Haveri, Hubli, Yellapura, Ankola, Karwar to reach Goa. The whole stretch can be done in approximately 10 to 12 hours. The road is very good till Tumkur, sucks from Chitradurga till Haveri, gets better once you cross Haveri. But, we Camped in Hubli and started the next day. Beyond Yellapura you will have to drive through thick forests and descend the western ghat, to reach Karwar. This part of the stretch has some sharp curves and is deserted, save for a few trucks here and there. Also keep one thing in mind, once you cross Tumkur there are no good restaurants on the highway. Either you have to pack your own food or drive into one of the towns on the way. The police at Karnataka Goa border harassed my friend Gowda saying show me the original RC book and took 50 rupees as “entry fee” (read it as bribe).

Our first stop was Palolem, a beach in Canacona district of Goa, approximately 20 kms from Karwar. Palolem looks more European than Indian as it is abuzz with white skin. The place has a lot of options to stay, but a couple of ones that we enquired were full. We finally wound up staying in Om Stays which is a line of huts(tiled huts not thatched) with attached bathroom and toilet located 5 minutes away by walk from the beach. The place was neat for 500 rupees per hut. Some of the huts had TV and hot water while others did not. The owner was a very friendly chap who provided us with extra beds and gave us a quick run down of Palolem. We were the only ones in that place and we took 3 huts. I talked to the owner regarding the rates and he informed me that 500 rupees was the off season rate. During season, it varies from 1000 rupees to 1500 rupees, 2000 rupees during new year. The tourist season in Goa is supposed to start from October 15 and peaks during the new year time.

Palolem beach

I found Palolem beach serene and charming, with an ample mix of commercialisation and village charm. On the south side of the beach there are two out crops. I guess during high tide this is surrounded by water. One of the posters I read on the way refered to them as Venus island. The view from the out crops is breath taking and I could have sat there for hours in solitude listening to the chirping birds and the sound of the sea. I have no idea how it is during the peak season as, hut construction was going on through out the beach and the out crops, to be ready by the peak season. There are lots of shops on the way to the beach selling everything from toilet paper to clothing.

Palolem, Southern tip

We had a ball of a time in Palolem playing beach volleyball, football and swimming. We were by the beach till 3 in the morning and no one came and enforced discipline on us. Also there are two bars on the beach side which are open 24 hours and also there is a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop which is open till one in the night.

Approximately 15 kilometres from Palolem there is another beach called Agonda which was deserted save for a single family and a couple at the time of our visit. You can see rocks jutting out from the sea and the beach ends with a majestic hill on either side. There is a fort called Cabo De Rama which is at approximately 10 kilometers from Agonda. We reached Cabo De Rama late, so we could not explore it completely but the view of the sea from the fort was heavenly. We spent some thirty minutes there monkeying around. The resort owner informed us that the sun rise and sun set from the fort is something not to be missed. The fort is surrounded by a deep moat and we were afraid as to whether the fort closes at night. So I went and enquired at the nearby bar regarding this and the person there assured me that it was open 24/7. The drive from Palolem to Cabo-De-Rama was scenic and the twilight added to the magic.

After 2 days in Palolem we headed to Panjim, capital of Goa. The road to Panjim was good, in general we found all the roads in Goa smooth with good direction boards. After a brief stop over in Panjim we headed to Calangute beach some 15 kilometres from Panjim. This beach sucked with crass commercialisation, crowd and garbage. I remembered Juhu beach. We had food in a hotel called Sagar near the beach and started hunting for a place to stay. We split into two groups with one group heading towards Anjuna while the other explored Baga for accommodation. We finally settled down for a place called Lua Nuva in Baga. Since it was off season, the proprietor agreed to rent out the room for 1800. It had AC but TV was not working and there was a small pool where we had a ball of a time the next day. The advantage of staying at Lua Nuva was that it was very close to Titos street, the happening street of Baga.

We wanted to explore the night life of Baga, so we headed towards Titos, a famous night club, which was our planned destination for the night. But to our disappointment we found out that it was open only during the weekends. It’s sister concern Mambos allowed only couples inside. After this let down we roamed Titos street up and down hopping in and out of lots of places. Lots of guys approached us with offers of disco parties. The usual deal was, for 300 rupees they supply you with an escort for the club and she stays with you until you come out. We did not go with this shady deal.

Next day we checked out Aguada fort which was buzzing with tourists. We were under the impression that this was the fort featured in the movie Dil Chahta Hai but later we came to know that we were wrong. From one side of the fort you get to view the grand sea. On the base of the hill where the fort is situated there is road that leads to a small beach by the Taj resort. Ahead of this beach, there is a path by the side of the mountain base which snakes towards the top. It was drizzling slightly and I had very slippery sandals on my feet. The verdant cliff, the raging sea, the overcast sky, the slight drizzle and the slippery ground made the trek a very enjoyable experience. If you have deep enough packets stay at the Aguada Taj resort. The view from the resort is splendid but starts from 16,000 rupees and goes till 60,000. Later we tried the cruise at Panjim. It costed 130 per head and lasted almost an hour. I would not recommend it to any one.

From Aguada fort

Next day we checked out Anjuna beach which actually has a very small stretch. Since it was raining heavily there were not many tourists around, but the place was buzzing with hawkers. We spent maybe ten minutes there and started towards Vagator to check out Chapora fort where the fort scene of Dil Chahta Hai was actually shot. En route for a brief period we stopped at Vagator beach. One has to endure a pretty steep climb to reach the fort, but the climb is worth every calorie you burn. The fort is surrounded by the majestic sea on two sides and you get a spectacular view of Morjim, Arambol beaches. Even though we did not visit these beaches, the view from the fort convinced me to make this visit mandatory the next time I visit Goa. There is a jutting in the hill, like a wharf, where you can walk to the edge of the cliff, like a diver going down a plank, for a jump into the pool. We sat there for sometime chatting and taking in the majestic sea. After this we headed back.

Outcrop at Chapora fort

Since it was off season and rains accompanied us most of the time there were not too many people around. Also the hotel prices were really cheap when compared to the tourist season rates. Out of all the beaches we visited I found Palolem serene and tranquil, where one can spend time at his own pace. Have to experience Goa during the peak season.

Començarem destacant les coses bones de l’ultafons: companyonia, bon ambient, música a capela i patiment a dojo. No trobeu fantàstiques les hores d’esgotament i pàjara? Segurament l’addicció a aquest esport és la manera amb què se superen els mals moments, patint i patint.

Koala’s Team i Bichovoladores. Només faltava en Farreti

Els Koala’s Team no som ploramiques ni de queixar-nos a les curses, però l’alimentació de Cavalls en cursa ens va semblar mal gestionada. Va faltar un avituallament sòlid abans del sopar i s’haurien agraït alguns entrepans a l’arribada. Els que som lentets valorem molt no passar gana a la muntanya! A més, la falta d’aliment resta pota… tot i que reconeixem que sortir a les 11 hores ens va permetre esmorzar amb cervesa

La cursa pintava bé abans de les pàjaras i els pinxasitus…

L’expedició del koala’s Tem l’encapçalava l’Albertus, amb el bessó en dubtoses condicions i mitjonets de nenassa i talla s de bessó . La resta de l’equip anava a fer una volta i a recolzar al Manolito, que debutava en cursa llarga perquè la UAB-Montserrat no compta. Cal destacar també els membres de l’equip clònic dels Bichovoladores que també debutaven i van completar un ultra sense massa fisures.

Els nanos desorientats i amb ganes de prendre cervesa

De la resta destacar les dues vomitades del Manolito quan portàvem 7 hores (la segona amb un raig sensacional digne dels que prenen mitja dotzena de gintònics) que anava de politoxicòman: coup de fouet, barretes i ibuprofè…

Les drogues van fer petar la panxa del Manolito

Felicitem a l’organització perquè ens va portar una bossa mitja cursa. Allà hi duiem la bóta de vi i algunes cerveses per fer pujar la moral de tropa!

El Koala assedegat es converteix en una bèstia salvatge

Una vegada a Bagà tot varen ser somriures. La feina estava feta però abans d’anar a dormir hi va haver cerveses al vestuari i algunes al Bar Avenida. Records al mega crack de l’Uvidiu!!!

Visca els ultres, els koala’s i la mare que els va parir!!!

Galeria de fotos de’n Màrtox
Galeria de fotos del Manolito

Aviat farem la crònica completa i la que us devem de la UAB-Montserrat. Disculpeu als nanos que van una mica atrafegats darrerament. I com diu el mestre Sabina: “Ya vendrán tiempos peores”.
Que n’aprenguin !!*!!

]]> http://accid3ntallyonpurpos3.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/witching-hour-crusade-part-1/ Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:07:12 +0000 weirdo http://accid3ntallyonpurpos3.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/witching-hour-crusade-part-1/

“Where are my shoes?”, asked  Rahul (who never looked that tense!)  & rushed to my neighbour’s room & I could hear him asking the same question to him as well!

Now,the million dollar question was, which beach to go? Looking at the pros & pros we ultimately decided for the Baga beach.

Anyways, we got a room in some hotel near a big shack to keep our luggage.Now, seriously I had no clue that they had planned to spent the whole night sleeping on the beach  & had taken the room just for keeping the luggage safe; now, I was not at all in favour of sleeping on the beach! But, I have a tendency to give in under slightest pressure sooo….it was decided!!

I knew  the vacations were going to last long without these dumbfucks!

La conquesta fou un èxit, però malauradament, durant la batalla, Galceran de Pinós va ser fet presoner pels sarraïns junt amb el seu cavaller Santcerní de Sull, i tots dos foren traslladats a Granada sense que els seus companys se n’adonessin.

Quan Berenguer IV i el seu seguici van tornar a Catalunya, el baró de Pinós, Pare Galceran, va demanar al comte que esbrinés si el seu fill encara era viu. En cas de que ho fos, volia saber quin era el preu que es demanava pel seu alliberament.

Així doncs, s’envià un missatger a negociar amb el rei moro, que quan va retornar, va notificar que Galceran era viu, però presoner. Els sarraïns, coneixent la vàlua del personatge, demanaren per Galceran un rescat molt exagerat, consistent en: cent mil dobles d’or, cent draps de brocat d’or, cent cavalls blancs, cent vaques bragades i cent donzelles verges.

El baró de Pinós, assabentat del preu que es demanava pel seu fill, va reunir tot l’exigit, venent part del seu patrimoni. L’únic que no va poder aconseguir va ser les cent donzelles.

Aleshores es va celebrar una assemblea al palau de Bagà, i els seus súbdits de Pinós van decidir, amb gran recança, oferir les seves filles per tal de salvar l’hereu del seu llinatge, Així doncs, van proposar que les famílies que tinguessin tres noies, n’oferirien dues, les que en tinguessin dues, n’oferirien una, i les que només en tinguessin una, s’ajuntarien amb un altra de la mateixa condició, i farien un sorteig per decidir a quina li tocaria lliurar la filla per fornir el rescat.

Un cop tot reunit, es van escollir uns quants cavallers de la baronia, encapçalats pel batlle de Bagà, per conduir el seguici fins al port de Salou, on s’havia d’embarcar vers a terres d’Almeria. Tot el poble de Bagà va sortir a acomiadar la comitiva amb grans plors.

Escenificació del Rescat, a Bagà

Mentrestant, ja feia més de cinc anys que Galceran de Pinós i Santcerní de Sull eren presoners a Granada, i durant tot aquest temps, l’hereu de Pinós adreçava fervoroses pregàries a sant Esteve, patró de Bagà.

Justament la nit abans que el Rescat embarqués al port de Salou, sant Esteve va alliberar Galceran de les masmorres sarraïnes, i el seu company Santcerní fou també alliberat gràcies a la intercessió del seu patró sant Genís. Tots dos es van trobar de matinada a la mateixa platja des d’on, recorregut el lloc, van emprendre el camí cap a Tarragona. A mig camí, en terme de Vila-seca, van trobar-se amb tot el seguici del Rescat que s’anava a embarcar. Amb gran alegria van tornar tots plegats cap a Tarragona, on Galceran va regalar a les donzelles vestits de color verd i vermell, els colors de la Baronia de Pinós. Posteriorment s’encaminaren a Barcelona, a la cort de Ramon Berenguer IV i, després de restar-hi uns dies, es dirigiren a Bagà.

Quan Galceran de Pinós va veure el campanar de la parròquia de Sant Esteve, es va posar de genolls i caminà així fins arribar a la mateixa església; les ferides ocasionades per aquesta acció li van impedir sortir de palau durant un any i mig.

Com a mostra d’agraïment als seus vassalls, va fer lliures de remença totes les noies que nasquessin a les famílies que havien lliurat les seves filles per al Rescat, va proveir a totes les donzelles d’un bon dot per al seu matrimoni i va cedir a l’església de Sant Esteve la meitat del delme que tenia a la parròquia.

Galceran va viure molts anys i va tenir nombrosa descendència. En veure propera l’hora de la seva mort, va deixar tots els béns als seus fills i es retirà al monestir de Santes Creus, que ell mateix, junt amb altres barons, havia col·laborat a fundar. Va prendre-hi l’hàbit de monjo i va morir poc després. Les seves restes reposen en un sarcòfag al claustre del monestir.

A lot of people said they came to GIM because they could not get over the G in GIM! And so this was a perfect time for them to start exploring the world!

In a short time I have been here I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people from a lot of places. And ofcourse go around with them. So for the first weekend of my stay in Goa we went to check out the place this part of the world is known for…BEACHES! Went to Baga and Calangaut beach. Also ate lunch at one of the “famous” resturants…called Brittos.

And to top of it I played something I have started to enjoy throughly..frisbee. Not to forget football and volley. All in all great fun day

Besides that we went to Fidalgo which is in Panjim. Next time you are in here you must check out this place. Amazing ambience and great food!

PS : I am trying to get a co-author so as to update this space more often and provide great insights about this place. Will keep you guys posted!

Goa : État du sud-ouest de l’Inde

Les portugais ont réussi à prendre Goa le 10 février 1510, mais la prise n’aurait duré que trois mois puisqu’une armée du roi Yusuf Adil Shah, composée de 60 000 hommes, a contraint les Portugais à se replier. Le mois de novembre de la même année les troupes menées par Afonso de Albuquerque entraient de nouveau à Goa avec des renforts plus importants. A partir de cette date, l’Etat de Goa fut une colonie portugaise à part entière. Pour asseoir leur emprise, les Portugais se sont rapidement intégrés à la société locale.

La plus célèbre et la plus fréquentée de ces plages est sans doute celle de Calangute à 16 km de la capitale Panaji. A 10 km de la ville de Mapusa, d’autres sites telle que la plage de Baga font le bonheur des touristes. A une trentaine de minutes de la capitale se trouve aussi la plage d’Anjuna, se distinguant par la finesse et la propreté de son sable. Des rivages très célèbres et magnifiques se trouvent dans certaines villes. Dans la cité de Vasco de Gama, les visiteurs pourront se détendre sur la plage de Bogmolo, à 6 km de Margao. Dans certaines zones populaires, les visiteurs découvriront des plages très fréquentées comme celle de Dona Paula avec une vue imprenable sur le port de Marmugao ou celle de Candolim au nord de Goa. Dans cet Etat, le tourisme balnéaire connaît un énorme succès. Ainsi, de nombreuses activités liées au secteur touristique animent toute la région. Les inconditionnels des plongées sous-marines, des skis nautiques, de parachute ou de la pêche ne seront pas déçus en visitant ce merveilleux Etat de l’Inde. Sachez que presque toutes les croisières font une escale à Goa, pour permettre aux croisiéristes d’admirer la beauté exceptionnelle du littoral. A l’intérieur du pays, de nombreux monuments témoins de la colonisation portugaise sont à découvrir. Les monuments historiques érigés pendant le passage éphémère des hollandais, ainsi que les oeuvres accomplies par les jésuites à Goa sont à photographier. La cuisine est aussi originale avec de savoureux plats accompagnés de sauces très épicées. A vous de confirmer que cet Etat de l’Inde n’est pas inclus dans la péninsule indienne puisqu’il possède un passé historique particulier.

Article écrit par Toli

Leander Adrian Paes, is an Indian professional tennis player who was born in Goa on June 17, 1973 and brought up in Kolkata. His mother, Jennifer Paes was a basketball captain of the Indian team and his father, Vece Paes, was a hockey player.

In 1990, he won the Wimbledon Junior title and rose to No.1 in the junior world-rankings.

In 1993, he reached Davis Cup semi-finals.

He won the bronze medal in an individual medal at Atlanta Olympics in the year 1996.

Apart from his eight Grand Slam victories at doubles and mixed doubles events, he is famous for his several memorable Davis Cup performances playing for India.

In 1999, he paired with Mahesh Bhupathi to form the Indian doubles team and reached doubles finals of all 4 Grand Slam in tennis. Eventually winning the French Open and Wimbledon.

Paes is awarded by Padamshri in the year 2001 for his contribution in Tennis. And also he is honored with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, which is considered as a highest sporting award in the year 1996-97.

Fort Aguada (Aguada = Water) largest fort in Goa, located at Bardez Taluka, North Goa district.

This fort was constructed in 1612 as a guard against potential enemy attacks. The walls of this fort are 5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide.

The fort area is covered with a large well and a number of springs that provided fresh drinking water to the travelers who arrived by ship.

Though the entire fort is no longer intact, some portions of the building are still in good shape which has been converted into a prison. Interestingly, it is the largest prison in Goa.

Nearby to the fort, there is a 4-storey lighthouse, which is considered as oldest lighthouse in Asia.  Initially, the light house used oil lamp light. This lighthouse was home to a gigantic bell that was retrieved from amongst the ruins of the St. Augustus monastery at Old Goa. However, the bell has now been moved to the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception church at Panaji.

Fort Aguada is also a famous hot spot for film shooting.

The Shri Mangueshi temple is located about 23-km from Panaji. This is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in Goa and is dedicated to Lord Mangueshi, an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva.

The temple is known for its magnificent pillars which are considered to be the most beautiful among the temples in Goa. There is a Nandi Bull which is considered to be the Vahana (Vehicle) of Shiva. A beautiful seven-storied deepstambha (lamp tower), stands at the gates in the temple complex.

On festival days the lamp tower is decorated with hundreds of oil lamps & results in a spectacular view of the temple. The temple also has a magnificent water tank, which is believed to be the oldest part of the temple.

I’m back! So Goa was divine as always and I’ve discovered a few more fabulous “must dos” for whenever you do manage to make it over there. First up if you go at the end of April prepare to sweat! It was sizzling hot, but the upside is that the water was incredibly warm making that initial journey into the (usually chilly) ocean absolutely painless.

Even though La Plage was closed for the season the Leela Cottages down the beach more than made up for it. These have to be the fanciest “beach shacks” I’ve ever seen. Air conditioned (well mostly until there’s a voltage fluctuation) with nice big rooms, a fridge, loads of cool antique furniture and a hammock outside. Off-season they cost about 200ors ($40) and the most expensive they get is 6000rs ($120) around New Year’s Eve. The cottages are nestled amongst tall palm trees* and a 15 second stroll gets you to Ashwem beach.

*We had several amusing (and yet ever-so-slightly eerie conversations about how many falling coconuts kill people on average but one of my favorite websites about random facts called The Straight Dope has now put that legend to rest. Phew. But still, I’d keep an ear alert for any rustling sounds coming from above when taking that leisurely stroll!)

So here goes nothing;  (loosely inspired by a website I think is just awesome, check out Post Secrets when you have time to spare and want something to BLOW YOUR MIND!) I humbly present “Things you should do the next time you’re in Goa – A Photo Journey.”

P.S. So I didn’t manage to track done Konkona and Ranvir but If you hang around Goa airport often (or long) enough you’re bound to spot a celebrity.

Suresh and Devika Bhojwani

Last time it I saw Sunil Shetty and Prem Chopra and this time Suresh & Devika Bhojwani on holiday mode. When someone asked him how long he was in Goa for Suresh quipped, “We practically live here!”

At Mumbai airport around 4pm as I waited at the baggage carousel I overheard this exchange (in Hindi) between two ladies:

“Look how thin she is…”
“…and so fair!

when I whipped around to see who they were talking about I spotted Kajol shuffling along happily (the way only real Bollywood divas know how to shuffle – with attitude) obviously returning from some mass family holiday. She looked really cute in a brown Juicy Couture track-suit. I tried to take a picture but my camera was exhausted from my Goa sojourn. She did look super fit though and clearly she knew it!

Meanwhile Neha Dhupia was outside BBQ Nation in Bandra, Mumbai in a summer dress with her hair up in curlers preparing for a night shoot I’m guessing.

by:  yes I am still “Employee of the Year,” Kelly

Yay, spring has sprung and that is a cause for celebration!  What do I want to grab to celebrate but the ever delicious 2005 Quita de Cabriz Bruto of course.  Let’s just get something out in the open, I really heart Portuguese wine.  We carry quite a few at LUSH which means I have had the chance to try quite a few.  Usually they are made with grapes indigenous to Portugal, so you will rarely find a Cab, Merlot, Chard blah blah blah but rather find grapes like Maria Gomes, Baga, Bical rah rah rah.  In fact, I believe that they grow over 500 different varietals, so the possibility of trying something I have never tried before is endless!

With all that being said, I do love to grab a bottle of the Quinta de Cabriz Bruto becuase, well, it’s delicious.  Made from a blend of Malvasia Fina and Bical, this sparkling is super refreshing while having a really nice balance to it.  Lots of citrus notes without being too acidic.  Yay for celebrating spring with this sparkling wine!

Flor de Sabugueiro

     A flor de sabugueiro é particularmente benéfica para aqueles que sofrem de hidropsia. A baga, que usamos para pintar os nossos cabelos brancos, também é eficaz, quando cozida, contra as mordeduras de cobra. Do mesmo modo se pode aspergir pela casa a água onde as folhas foram cozidas para manter as pulgas à distância.

Em Notas de Cozinha de Leonardo da Vinci. Tradução, edição e produção gráfica Arte Mágica, centro de edição gráfica, lda.

Beachboy Peedrooo, of Portuguese descent. You have seen him, for sure, seen him in sunny Goa. Welcome to the Peedrooo Appreciation Forum. If you have photos or videos of Peedrooo, please post the link as comments, and a bit about your interactions with, this evergreen fisherman. He’d said to me:

I am known far and wide, in the land of the King, as Pedro from Goa. I am always here, this, is where you’ll find me, for I have called you. You want to see dolphin? Dolphin?

A couple of my links, of the past:

http://shaaaks.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/my-friend-peedrooo-from-goa/

and

http://shaaaks.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/formula-goa/

Agora sim ja falando um pouco mais do lugar e nao do filme, como dizia Goa é um paraiso para todas as pessoas que estao dispostas a passar dias inesqueciveis em suas praias.

Eu acordava cedo e ja havia pessoas na praia praticando Ioga, as tarde eram de muito sol e bronzeado e de noite puras festas com pessoas do mundo inteiro, da Australia, Israel, Estados Unidos, e os europeus. O lugar tambem foi colonia de Portugal e que nos da um pouco mais de familiaridade inclusive na comida que conta com um toque de Azeite de Dende . Praias ainda virgens que pouco a pouco estao sendo descobertas pelos pescadores e turistas mas cada uma mais linda que a outra e tem para todos os gostos, voce pode ir  Anjuna e mergulhar no Mercado de Pulgas, aproveite para conhecer cidades vizinhas como Calangute, Baga ou Colva. Uma dica de hotel pra voce curtir e relaxar a beira do mar Arabico tomando uma cerveza é o Royal Goan Club At Haathi Mahal incrivel hotel.

Essa é a India de todos sem importar o sexo ou religiao, onde fazem seu proprio Carnaval e até podemos escutar nosso samba por la.

The main reason to visit Goa are its beaches. These beaches are divided into North Goa and South Goa Beaches. The further up north or south you go the more isolated the beaches get. But if your looking for people then the popular beaches are Baga and Anjuna.

Beaches in North Goa:

Arambol, Morjim, Chapora, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Sinquerim, Bambolim, Miramar, Dona Paula.

Beaches in South Goa:

Bogmalo, Majorda, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor, Canaguinim, Agonda, Palolem.

Goa is one of the most popular tourist destination in India. In Goa there are many churches, ancient temples, adventurous forts, wildlife preserves, scenic beaches and even get away lakes. Goa has around 40 beaches and amongst the more popular ones are Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Condolim, Bogmalo, Colva and Vagator.

Neu, molta neu, tanta neu que moltes vegades no s’hi pot pujar perquè la carretera està tancada. Sempre la tanquen a la mínima nevada.  Això és Coll de Pal. És aquesta una estació d’esquí non nata. Un projecte no acabat. Presions superiors, interessos poc clars, o massa clars, han fet que la comunicació entre Bagà i Alp, pel Coll de Pal no s’hagi obert mai. Millor per nosaltres, per les famílies amb nens!. Ara Coll de Pal és un cul de sac, un lloc perfecte per anar-hi a fer tonteries i tirar-se amb trineu, o amb unes bosses. Remunteu l’eix del Llobregat, passeu Manresa, passeu Bergà i arribeu fins la vila de Bagà. Allà sortiu de la carretera que porta al túnel del Cadí, travesseu el poble en direcció a Grèixer i trobareu la carretera, asfaltada, fins el coll. Són 19 km de pujada. Uns 120 en total des de Barcelona. Les vistes des de dalt són senzillament impressionants. Tota Catalunya als vostres peus. I res més. Una petita zona de serveis, un aparcament i molt d’espai. A partir del rètol, just al Coll, la carretera deixa d’estar asfaltada i es converteix en una pista de terra que baixa cap a les instal·lacions de la Masella i la Molina, ja a la Cerdanya. Però no hi arriba en bon estat. És pràcticament intransitable per turismes. Si hi aneu a la primavera, o a l’estiu, gaudireu de l’alta muntanya amb més horitzó que pugueu imaginar-vos. També podeu visitar l’antiga mina de barita de la Bòfia, i recollir minerals. Segur que la canalla dusfruta moltíssim!. Per dinar podeu anar a Bagà. Bons restaurants, com el niu nou. També amb habitacions. Bons hotels, com ara el blat. Hi ha moltes més excursions per a fer a Bagà. Per exemple les fonts de l’Adou, a Gisclareny. Un entorn maravellòs ben poc conegut.

Nieve, mucha nieve, tanta nieve que muchas veces no se puede subir porque la carretera está cerrada. Siempre la cierran a la mínima nevada. Esto es Coll de Pal. Es esta una estación de esquí non nata. Un proyecto no terminado. Presiones superiores, intereses poco claros, o demasiado claros, han hecho que la comunicación entre Bagà y Alp, por el Coll de Pal no se haya abierto nunca. ¡Mejor para nosotros, para las familias con niños!. Ahora Coll de Pal es un callejón sin salida, un lugar perfecto para ir a hacer tonterías y tirarse con trineo, o con unas bolsas. Subid por el eje del Llobregat, pasando por  Manresa y Berga hasta la villa de Bagà. Allí salga de la carretera que lleva al túnel del Cadí, atraviese el pueblo en dirección a Grèixer y encontraréis la carretera, asfaltada, hasta Pal. Son 19 km de subida. Unos 120 en total desde Barcelona. Las vistas desde arriba son sencillamente impresionantes. Toda Cataluña a sus pies. Y nada más. Una pequeña zona de servicios, un aparcamiento y mucho espacio. A partir del rótulo, justo en el Coll, la carretera deja de estar asfaltada y se convierte en una pista de tierra que baja hacia las instalaciones de la Masella y La Molina, ya en la Cerdanya. Pero no llega en buen estado. Es prácticamente intransitable para turismos. Si vais en primavera, o verano, disfrutareis de la alta montaña con un horizonte inimaginable. También pueden visitar la antigua mina de barita de la Bòfia, y recoger minerales. ¡Seguro que los niños dusfrutan muchísimo!. Para comer bajad a Bagà. Buenos restaurantes, como el Niu nou. También tiene habitaciones. O como el hotel El Blat. Hay muchas más excursiones para hacer en Bagà. Por ejemplo hasta las fuentes del Adou, ya en Gisclareny. Un entorno maravilloso muy poco conocido.