WiWa GOA!

1/23/2012

so it's the last day of the 'officials' tour of India, but worry not, I will have much to post back in Delhi! I'm sure everyone has notice the many reflective and deep posts I've been writing. This trip has been wonderful and I hope that many of you have had or will have the pleasure of having some type of journey that brings you to the same places and understandings about yourself and your life!

I couldn't have asked for a better way to leave this part of my trip than in Goa. Arriving here felt a lot like Hawaii, childhood hawaii though- less commercialized and filled with a natural tropical beauty. As they stay in Goa was shortened because of the Mumbai extension, there wasn't much time to explore the whole state, but just enough to add wonders to this experience.

The first evening was quite a memory, after dinner we headed to the weekly Saturday night market which opens from 7pm to 4am. I wish I brought my camera to share the atmosphere there, but words and some cell phone shots will have to do. Goa was a Portugese colony for many years, even after India independence, so the entire region has a different feeling from the architecture and geography to the types of people and tourists. I was a bit thrown off by the overwhelming amount of hippy/gypsy population, especially at the market, but was amazed at the arts and handmade products they were selling st the market. With techno blasting from all corners of the area, the hill was filled with stalls of the most intricate woven and gem jewelry, glow in the dark clothing, beauty products, food, and everything else you can imagine. This has probably been the most free spirited and open region we have visited so far, it could be in part to the visible signs of intoxication, but who's really keeping tabs...

Yesterday, we had a full day tour of the capital city of the region as well as old Goa and saw popular pluses like the Cathedral de Bom Jesus- which, may I add, houses the 'holy relic' of a missionary who died like 500+ years ago but his body has not decomposed (without any chemicals or covering), as well as Asia's largest basilica, the Se Basilica. The real highlight though was the Spice Plantation we visited- a privately owned farm in a tropical jungle setting filled with rivers. Got some interesting lessons on the medical uses of many of the spices in the area and had some of the most delicious bananas ever! Also got to play with an elephant who just finished with his bath in the river. After dinner, we headed out to a beach shack, given on recommendation of a friend. Well, in the pitch black of the night, we had to walk through a long quite path, seemingly set up like the beginning of a Hostel movie. Luckily we made it there and back safely will another lifetime worth of memories.

Today,  our flight doesn't leave until later this evening sooo it felt like the perfect timing for a massage at the spa and a day on the beach. Definitely more time of reflection, which I will save for a coming post... Until then, relax and enjoy the pics!

Namaste. 

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