A-going to GOA

A-going to Goa

Friday

The first night was quite an adventure, we arrived at the bus stop at around 11:00 for our 11:30 bus and waited until about 12:15 before the bus finally rolled up.  The bus that we took was an over night  AC sleeper bus. It had reclining seats and provided blankets. Although it was a rough ride, I managed to get a good amount of sleep with the help of an anti neasea pill from the pharmacy. An adventure made even more exciting due to the anticipation of what was in store for the weekend.

Saturday

We arrived in Pondichery at the main bus station around 7:30 am and had to get a local bus to Palolema, the picturesque beach side town where we were planning to spend the first part of the trip. After an hour and a half long bus ride we arrived in Palolema under dark clouds. We found a comfortable restaurant to have some lunch while we waited out the down pour. It was the first time I had humus since leaving the US and it was absolutely fabulous! 

The rest of the day we spent wandering around Palolema. We walked up and down the beach and stopped in at a few local restaurants for drinks. 

The streets were lined with small stores all of which were very similar; selling small souvenirs, trinkets, and clothing. I bought my first incense and a pair of pants. 

At 4:30 I went to a yoga class offered by a crazy little beachy man. The yoga class was just what I needed that day, a bit of an adventure and some alone time however, the yoga itself was not my forte. I am really into the static yoga that we are learning at maniple as it is more focused on meditation, breathing, and personal improvement. This other class was more of a "show and try" of all of the challenging positions in yoga. Although it was fun and I met a few interesting people, I was not able to do most of the poses and didn't feel quite as centered coming out of it. Luckily the man that ran it was a hoot and made up for what he lacked in teaching skills in personality!

For dinner we went to "the First Authentic Italian Restaurant". We ordered bruschetta, hand made spinach raviolis w/ pesto sauce, and a spinach pizza. We also got a lovely bottle of wine. The food was superb as was the company. Sitting cross-legged on stone benches about 3 inches off the ground added to the ambiance and we all had a blast!

After dinner we all walked to the beach with the intention of playing cards and hanging out. Unfortunately the beach at night is not the most charming place in India. Between the stray dogs, drunken men, animal feces, and garbage, it can be a bit of a challenge to truly enjoy. We sat for about a half an hour before the drunken men got to be a bit too much to handle (they all wanted to play cards with us) and we went to a restaurant near the water to sit and relax. The Arabian sea is a beautiful and powerful looking body of water. After a bit if rain the swells looked ominous and as the clouds parted the moon lit up the ocean.

Sunday

After sleeping in until 9:00 we all woke and packed up hoping to get an early-ish start. We sat down at the restaurant around 9:45 and planned on leaving by 10:30, however this breakfast was a typical Indian experience. When we arrived we ordered within the first 10 minutes. I got the Israli breakfast which included hummus, a salad/salsa made of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and some other seasoning (maybe cilantro?), scrambled eggs, and a roti (It was absolutely delicious and hit the spot!). Our food then preceded to arrive within the next hour and a half with no particular order. Our juices arrived within a timely manner but my meal in particular took quite some time. We were informed that they had to make the hummus from scratch. They also never brought out our pancakes and we had to remind them about a half an hour after our meals had come out that we had ordered them. They then brought us 2 plates of pankaceks out of the 4 that we ordered and we had to calmly correct the mistake. This same situation happened again with the coffee and teas. After 2.5 hours we finally left the restaurant, an hour and a half behind schedule but at least we were on our way!

We took a taxi to our next destination where Chris (one of my friends) and I split off from the rest of the group. We decided to go to Old Goa, the old Portuguese center and one of the Old Heritage Sites in Goa . 

The Chapel of St. Catherine

The Basilica of Bom Jesus

Courtyard in the Basilicia

After seeing the cathedrals, museum, and ruins we went down to the ferry landing. As we were standing on the ferry landing trying to figure out our plans for the rest of the day (as we had not eaten, had no means of transportation, and didn't really know where we were) a group of three european men drove by on mopeds. Before we knew it, we had chatted and discovered they were also going to Anjuna and were touring about the countryside of Goa enjoying the sights for the rest of the afternoon. They invited us to join along so we hitched a ride on the back of their bikes.

I had a really nice time getting to know Christopher and Josh while riding along and we had numerous interesting conversations. We took two ferries across parallel rivers surrounding a small island, and went in search of a "neva falls". After a long time of riding aimlessly along unmarked roads we asked a few gentlemen if they could point us in the direction of the falls. 

With signs like this I don't know how we ever got lost!
#typicalIndia

As I assume we were in the wrong village we were pointed to the local water source and hiked in about 300 yards to a small stream and pipe. It was an adventure and we couldn't help but laugh at the end point to our search. 

The legendary "Falls" or a local watering hole?

Unfortunately, India is not all beautiful sights and adventure. Where there are people, there will be garbage.

The path through the rainforest that we walked trying to find the falls.

Lovely little Ganesh alter in the middle of the forest. A diamond in the rough. 

We also saw the biggest spider I have ever seen. Luckily this one was high up in the trees. AHHHH!

Once on the main road we started to head back to Anjuna and went through a crowded market place with bustling streets and side roads. The town was decorated and a buzz due to the Ganesh Festival later that weekend. 

By the time we finally arrived at Anjuna it was around 7:30. We went to the guys hostel where we bumped into some of our Polish friends from MIT (Manipal Institute of Technology); small world. We had a couple of drinks before meeting up with the rest of our group and going out to dinner at a fabulous Indian restaurant where I got Chicken Afghani Kebabs (soo good). After dinner we drove back to the guys hostel and played games and hung out. There was about 20 individuals at the gathering from different parts of the world. It was fabulous to talk with other young adults and learn their stories. There is something special about meeting people while traveling. You all  automatically have at least one thing in common, a passion for traveling and new experiences, which easily bridges cultural boundaries and facilitates companionship. I have learned that travelers are always friendly as they are looking to make connections and enjoy quality time with people! Meeting chill people and learning about their stories is what I believe traveling and tourism is all about! Later that evening my friend and I went out for a ride on the moped. We didn't have any set route and just bopped around looking at the rivers and ponds. We poked our head into a local temple and stopped on a bridge over a beautiful river and lake. It was fun to chat and learn about a new person with a very different history. 

The beautiful countryside in Goa, India.

Monday

The next day the group wanted to go to Chipora, a little hippie town. Unfortunately due to the holiday and it being off season, the town was shut down except for a few restaurants. After walking around for a couple of hours we decided to hitch a ride back to Anjuna. When we finally made it back I went to an Ayurveda center and got a massage. We met up at a local restaurant and had some beers while listening to music and enjoying the beautiful ocean and warmth of the sun! The view was incredible and I felt a sense of calm that I had not experienced in a long time. 

Our bus that night was at 8:45. Although we tried to make the best of it, the non-AC bus was miserable. It smelt like garbage, was hot, and did not have very nice accommodations. Luckily I was asleep for the first 4 hours then was in and out of consciousness for the second leg of the trip. We arrived back at campus around 4:30 and stumbled into the dorms dragging ourselves into bed. 

This experience was one for the books and was a wonderful adventure and learning experience~

~ ciyarsa (cheers)