go go GOA

I finally managed too get some time off my schedule to go experience Goa. Well it had always been my agenda to go soak in the culture & tradition of Goa not just a casual visit round the country and a couple of other beaches. And although my visit was well short of what I would have called a decent enough time to fall in love with a place; it was good enough in these times of ready to eat food available off the shelf in a supermarket.

What I realized (like so many others who would have before me), that this little seaside state, with an identity that's a seamless blend of Portuguese influence and Indian tradition, was crackling enough to have been one of the hottest “must-visit” places of the world.

The waters looked safe and temperate (I am sure they were) and the absence of riptide currents making them ideal for learners and novice divers. Whether it were a ride around on a speedboat, a fleeting moment para-gliding over the beach & sea, what struck me was the simple life of the common people apparently untouched by the changes of the modern world. Yes there were happening nightspots like Titos (where 3 am at night seemed like 25^th Dec evening at Park Street, Calcutta), fun beaches in Calungute & Baga in the north or Covlam in the South – what struck me where places like Divar (a small island so serene that the moment I set foot and started exploring, I was so hopelessly in love again).

The three hundred years of Portuguese rule has left an indelible imprint on the collective psyche of Goans. It shows in their music, their architecture and their culture. It's also why Goans make the most wonderful vindaloo this side of the Indian Ocean. While Calungute struck me with its sheer energy levels of people around, it were the golden beaches of Covlam and Candolim that took my breath away.

I really don’t think any travel guide can do justice to Goa – my only advise would be to go and experience Goa in the skin – like the locals say, your heart will beat to the rhythm – go go go go GOA

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