monsoon – Telling tales

Candolim beach — The connect with Goa and the ocean!

I have visited Goa eight times in all. This may not be a big deal for many but I also know people who have never been to Goa. So this post is an attempt to help them make a plan. Goa is beautiful in every season so you need not wait for a December. I have been there in winter, summer, spring and monsoon!

I am a beach person and hence visiting Goa has become almost like a yearly ritual for me. I feel a connection with the ocean. The vastness of an ocean amazes and scares me at the same time. It amazes me to witness that at one moment the waves are wild and the next moment it’s all calm. It gives you many life lessons.

My first ever visit to the city was in 1999. This was during a school excursion when we were visiting Mumbai, Pune, Lonavla and Goa. This was also my first ever trip with my school friends and my memories are still very fresh. This trip was during the new year’s eve of the millennium year. It seemed as if everybody was in Goa to celebrate the New Year. It was over-crowded. It was supposed to be fun but I hated Goa then and only because of the crowd. During that visit, I tried ‘feni’ (a local drink made of cashew); again I hated it because I tried it neat. It was quite bitter in taste. We visited the ‘Basilica of Bom Jesus’, a beautiful church which is a UNESCO listed world heritage site. It is located in old Goa and holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier (one of the greatest Roman Catholic missionaries of modern times who was instrumental in the establishment of Christianity in India).

I left Goa that year to not return ever, but who knew that from the next visit it would become a ritual?

The next visit was an offsite trip arranged by an organization I worked with in 2010. Employees from across India came to Goa for this trip. Day time was dedicated to presentations, case studies, learnings and conversations. Evenings were reserved only for fun! During this visit I started exploring Goa in its real sense. We visited shacks at the Anjuna beach and Baga beach. We tried sea food and drinks. By the end of the trip I had bonded well with my colleagues across India and with GOA!

In 2011, I returned with my school friends. This was a fun trip. I drove the scooty for the very first time. Exploring Goa on a scooty is the best thing to do. Every lane has shops which offers scooties on rent. Just make sure you carry your driving license with you. Other than scooties you also get four wheelers on rent. It’s not a great idea to hire taxis (with drivers) as it’s costlier and you are dependent on them. I tried the local curry dish ‘Vindaloo’. It’s quite popular and you can find both veg and non-veg variants.

Scooty ride at Panjim

Old Goa

2014 onwards I visited Goa every year with friends. And with each year I have realized that my bond with Goa has deepened. That year I visited Goa with 20 friends and it was one hell of a trip! We stayed near Candolim beach in North Goa. We visited Fort Aguada (popularized by the movie ‘Dil Chahta Hai’). This Portuguese fort was built in 1612 to guard the city from the Dutch and the Marathas. The fort also has a light house standing tall. Entry is free of cost and you should try to visit it in the morning to avoid the heat during the day.

what better background would you get?

Fort Aguada

During a few of my visits, I also went to the Saturday night bazaar (flea market) in Arpora. You will find all kinds of things in this night market (it starts at around 6 pm and is open all through the night) from food to clothes to live music. We also went to Curlies which is a popular shack on Anjuna beach. Aviation enthusiasts should definitely visit the Naval aviation museum. Its located quite close to the airport and showcases a collection of vintage and current aircraft. You can also buy some souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Sunset

The beautiful view of the sunset

Sunset at Baga beach

Beautifully lit restaurant near Baga beach

Must visit for aviation enthusiasts

By the end of these trips, I have realized that there is something for everyone in Goa! You can plan a trip to just party in Goa, try club hopping, or you could opt to beach hop, or you could just go there for a relaxing weekend and, take walks in the lanes, eat yummy food and drink to your heart’s content. I am sure nobody has ever come back from Goa without having a good time!

The first glimpse of Goa

The picture says it all

The beautiful view

suddymoody recommendations and facts:

When in Goa try fish and pork dishes
Do try the grilled/masala king fish
Trying Port wine is a must
Visit Curlies at Anjuna beach before the sunset. You will get to witness a beautiful view of the sunset on your approach to Curlies
Stay in North Goa if it’s your first visit. That’s where all the action is (if action is your thing J)
Don’t drink and drive! Rules have become stricter – but not just because of rules, na?
The cashews there are not cheap but of good quality. You can take some home for your friends and family
Vagator and Arambol beaches are beautiful
Shacks on the beaches can charge you more but it’s worth it because of the view
You can try the Goan pork sausages. You will find it in the bigger departmental stores if you want to carry some home
For good food you can visit Fisherman’s cove and Fat fish
You will find many vegetarian restaurants too
Goa airport also serves as military airbase (air station of the Indian Navy)

I keep going back to Kolkata as (No prizes for guessing! No I am not from Kolkata. But like most Bongs I have family in Kolkata :-D) my sister lives there. But that’s not the only reason. Each time I go back, I find something very charming about the city. But, just as my romance with the city begins, something tells me not to tread that path. I guess I share a love and hate relationship with the city!

Kolkata is a very vibrant city. You come across people who are always on the move and in contrast there are people who you see are just lazing, playing cards or carom. The streets are always bustling with vehicles, trams, and street hawkers. There are sweet shops and food joints in almost every lane you pass by.

Food is another major pull-factor for me to go back to the city each time. Right from the puchkas (golgappe/paani puri) to aloo chop to Chinese food – everything is just out of this world! I would recommend ‘China Town’ for authentic and cost-effective Chinese cuisines.

As much as I like the city, there are certain drawbacks too. I feel the city is too crowded, life in general moves at a slow pace, traffic is pretty bad all the time and most of the times the weather is humid.

My love for Kolkata has developed over the years. From not wanting to go to the city at all, to visiting the city every 6 months (on an average), I have come a long way!

Some things that really stand out are…..

Passionate people – People in Kolkata are passionate about a lot of things. They can talk endlessly about literature, culture, food, and football! During the world cup season (and otherwise too), every person (from kids to adults) talks and discusses about football with much passion. During my most recent visit, I got into a conversation with a cab driver who was dropping me off at my sister’s place. All throughout the way he kept talking about the world cup. I was happy listening to him till the time he said ‘bolun to didi Argentina harlo keno?’ (please tell me sister why did Argentina lose?). And I had no answer (as I don’t really follow football). I thought he is going to judge me but I played along ;-).
The Ganga boat ride – Two years back I had visited Kolkata with a group of friends. I was entrusted with the task of taking them around the city (because they assumed, being a Bong, I will be an expert city guide ;-)) and that’s when I got to actually explore and know the city. We visited the Victoria memorial and walked around the streets. We took the tram ride (for the first time ever) and I was quite excited about it. I made them have all kinds of Bengali dishes which they quite liked. The main attraction however was the boat ride on the river Ganga. We took the ride from Princep ghat. During the ride, we could see both the Howrah Bridge and the Vidyasagar Setu with the sunset as the backdrop and it was a breath-taking view! You may bargain for the ride if you want. But, by the time you finish your ride I am sure you will end up tipping the ‘majhi’.

Boat ride on Ganga river

An evening in Kolkata

Experiencing the sunset during the boat ride
Street food to go with the ‘bhar er cha’ – Every time I visit the city, I make sure I don’t miss out on the street food and the tea served in clay cups. This is a must have for all tea lovers. The tea tastes even better when served in these cups. And with the monsoons setting in, this is the ideal time to grab some cutlets, pyaji (onion pakoras) and tea.

Bhar er cha

Street food
Visiting ‘Kumortuli’ before Durga puja – I had read many articles about this place called the ‘Kumortuli’ in Kolkata but it’s altogether a different experience when you actually visit this place. During your visit, in those narrow lanes, inside dilapidated houses, you will come across several artisans/traditional potters working hard to give shape to Durga Protimas (idols) of all sizes. In case you have any queries for the artisans, please wait for their tea breaks. This is where all the idols you see at the Puja Pandals come from. Depending on the time you visit this place (closer to puja or much before puja) you will witness the different stages of the idol making. This is a paradise for people who are into photography. Even amateur photographers like me would get beautiful shots from one such visit!

An idol in making

Artisan at work at kumortuli

I am sure you must be wondering being a Bong and while talking about the Bong city, I did not mention about sweets at all. This is because I am one of those rare bongs who has a missing sweet tooth hence I don’t enjoy talking about it too.

More pictures…