GOA

Goa is a coastal city with rich colonial heritage with the Portuguese and before several Arab traders. It is very laid back. More laid back than the rest of India. It is a great hangout for Israeli, Eastern and Western European and American vacationers for the sun and doing it on the cheap. (Remember the opening scene from "The Bourne Ultimatum"?)


I met Rani and her friend Rachel when they came back from Rajasthan January 12. We stayed at the Goa Marriott which is a sybarite's paradise located on Miramar Beach. More food than necessary. Pricey. Good service. And the perfect weather made it seem like we are in heaven. This was 3 days and 2 nights of utter perfection. All we did was chilled. The place had all the creature comforts. We made some slight noise about going to Panjim but that was quickly overruled. Poor Rachel made the journey anyway. The hotel has the best sauna and whirlpool I have seen in Marriotts world wide. Its fitness room leaves much to be desired. And they dont allow photographs in there. I wonder why. Rachel is an Indophile. Having never visited India but having dated an Indian (TamBram doctor) she was very much at ease with the Indian milieu and easily adjusted to the different culture.


The view from my hotel window. Every morning as the day dawned we could see many trawlers hauling ore up the Mandavi river (seen on the left). Swimming is hazardous because the river is pretty polluted: one of the downers. But it was so peaceful to look outside early AM. And of course we could look forward to a breakfast that was simply so filling.





On the last night at Goa we went to a restaurant called "Mum's Kitchen" which was walking distance from the hotel. The food was excellent. The Goanese fish is simply a must-do dish. We met an interesting pair from the US who were working for a US-based company in Pune. They were also completely taken by Goa but being only a few hundred kilometers away working for a US-based outsourcing company. I am sure they will be back.