Heavenest Goa

Heaven is regarded as a place where "good" people go, after they die. I do not subscribe to that school of thought. People, good or bad, need not go to heaven only when they die. It is left to them to visit Goa, whenever they want, how many ever times they want.

Goa, like any other Indian state has history. However, unlike the majority of India, Goa was under the imperial rule of the Portugese for over 400 years.

Goa might be small (3702 sq. kms), but it does justice to the adage, small is beautiful.

This blog is not about Goa, it is about V, P and me in Goa and the three days and two nights we spent in Goa.

We left Bangalore City at 2030 on a Konduskar Volvo for Panaji (or Panjim). The tickets were priced at Rs 700.00 each. It was freezing cold in the bus and to make matters worse, "Bewafaa" was playing. We had to endure Akshay Kumar lip-sync-ing, "Ye dil jisepe fida hai, woh bewafaa hai..." It didn't help that the Bus driver fancied himself to be Senna reincarnate. He braked and swerved like there was not tomorrow. Sleep was elusive. The next morning P lost the battle against motion sickness (induced by bad egg curry/gobi fry and a sleepless night). We reached Panjim at 1000 the next morning, not before my sharp eyes spotted a Huawei Customer Care centre. Small world.

Me getting senti about my first employer

On alighting the ice cold bus we were acosted by the local taxi mafia, each wanting to take us to our destination. We pleaded with them that we were not aware of our destination yet. Something that changed after a call to Willie (a.k.a Willfred), the guy who was arranging for our stay at his guest house. After a round of "Your calls", we decided to hire a car and drive around goa for two days. We were shown a Santro, broken tail light, musty interiors, almost dangling bumper and an almost bald right rear tire for Rs 700 a day. I was not so sure, but we decided to take it anyways. The good news was that there was a fair bit of fuel left! Were we lucky or what? Then Joseph (a.k.a Joe) tells us that it is illegal for him to let his car on hire, so in case the cops caught us we were supposed to be Joe's old friends.

Willie's guest house was in Calangute. After a slow ride through the narrow, yet picturesque roads of North Goa we reached Calangute beach and very much near the statue that was to be our randavouz point (with Willie). We spent the next half hour betting on who could be Willie, in the end P won. We saw the rooms that Willie had to offer and selected a room on the 2nd floor of Cornia Guest house. Rs 300 per night. A fan, two beds, a decent toilet/bathroom, and an extra mattress. What else could we ask for?

Lunch was at "Electric Catz" near the beach. The food was either tasty or we were too hungry. I would like to believe in the former! V and P bought some beachwear, that is where we saw the "Heavenest Goa" phrase.

Then we hit the beach. What a dissapointment it was. It looked like the whole of India (and maybe the world) was there. V, as usual wanted to walk the entire beach, P and me wanted none of it, but walked nevertheless. If one were to conduct a demographic survey of the beach it would perhaps return figures like

Indian Aunties and Uncles = 40%
Indian Children = 25%
Non Indian Aunties and Uncles = 30%
Young people = 4.5%
Local Goans and others = 0.5%

Bottom line... Young people avoid this beach. But then we had V with us, so it was ok.

There were some water sports at the beach front, Water Scooter (Rs. 100) and Parasailing (Rs. 800 if alone, Rs 1000 if in tandem)

Vagatore shot from Capora

Next stop was Fort Chapora, near Vagatore Beach. We parked the Santro at the base of the fort and climed up the gravel road (quite slippery). The view from the fort was breathtaking. This fort is also the one of the reasons why I liked Goa on my previous trips to the state. Hardly anyone cares to climb up the fort let alone visit the Vagatore beach, which is surprising. We spent a few moments in solitude up on the fort. Took a few "Dil Chata Hai" type snaps. I felt like I was at peace with the universe. Then I got a message from my boss in Bangalore to call up asap. So I spent some time explaining some work related issues from Chapora (Work from Goa? I'd love too!!!)

A quick visit to the flea market at Anjuna, where they were selling Goa Gil's trance CDs and we headed back to Conria. Spent some time there freshening up and headed to Panjim for dinner at "Delhi Durbar". The food was the best we got in Goa. Then we went to the Miramar beach at around 2130, walked right up to the sea and it was quite a walk. Then we drove back to Conria, opened a bottle of Mamms, the V had smuggled into Goa from Germany. We were too tired to go any place by 0000 so we called it a day (and it (the day) was over even before we wanted it to)

That was the end of day one. day two and three as and when i write them!!! V and P, want to help??

Heavenest Goa