On Legendary GOA - My Overview
Why have I always been drawn to Goa? How could I possibly even pinpoint one source of origin? I’d always heard if it…for whatever reason I seem to have been drawn to former Portuguese colonies - roaming around Mozambique for work then Brazil for work and pleasure over eight years. As a history buff, I have always had curiosity about those Portuguese navigators that rode the seas so far from where they started out…from that history all the way to hearing stories throughout life of the original hippies, the old hippie trail the hippies created in the ‘70s from Europe across Turkey, through Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan to get to India. Other mentions most likely came to me in the form of films or books. In more recent years, it has been through reading about all the artists who moved there and the Goans who went back to their ancestral homes after crafting their lives elsewhere, as was the pattern for economic opportunity.
I’d seen the food on menus scattered throughout the world - a remnant of the old Goan cuisine - prawns and fish in the spicy Goan style…Plus you hear names like Panjim with its historical Latin Quarter of Fontainhas. In North Goa you hear of Anjuna with Artjuna cafe representing hard core hippiedom and the old flea market gives you an intense taste of old hippiedom combined with so much more… I stayed nearby at Casa Anjuna which felt like a tropical forest in an old Portuguese-style villa. There is so much to explore - North and South. The latter is the better, in my opinion, and you'll hear that from a lot of like minds who prefer less crowds and more nature.
La Plage
Up north you hear of Ashwem with le Plage being the mecca for European tourists during high season of partying but later it becomes a tranquil beach during low season. Exploring all over you cross into places on the coast like Vagator where the historical Chapora fort is located - all the Indian tourists go there because of a famous movie. The real treat is the road to get there along the sea, especially if you are cruising on a Bullet, the beloved name for Enfield’s motorcycles, the classic bike to tour India like the locals do. I read somewhere that riding a motorcycle is velocity as poetry…it felt true to me. Oh but I’m getting into so many details and this is supposed to be an overview, so I will save the rest for the next post. I have so much material that I absorbed and gathered over the month spent roaming around Goa. It is as rich with art and stories as the thickness of the humidity in the air. They say that I am a magician with words, but to me it just feels like I find the magic all around me and share it with you, as it flows through me and my filter. I hope you enjoy…stay tuned for more to come.
