Lotus pond at Leela Resort whereI hung my hat for several days, enjoying the serenity .... yoga on the lawns overlooking the Arabian Sea was awesome.
South Beaches of Goa ... virtuallyisolated ... space to breathe ...
Streets of North Goa ... chanced on this scene on morning walk
Charming ladies working the fields as I walked by ... they had help from their sons :)
Panaji's famous church on the North side of Goa ... Lady of Immaculate Conception
Portuguese mansions everywhere in the cities of Goa, primarily Panaji and Margao
Street scene in Margao ... I bought some garden peas from this farmer .... delicious, could not resist ... paid the price with a bit of tummy rumble the next day :)
North Goa Beach ... a little more populated than South beaches
Yogesh on the left .. a wonderful informative guide on the history of Goa ... great time with this pair .... drop dead gorgeous Diego drove us everywhere .... had fun teasing him about the benefits of a love-marriage versus one arranged by his mom! His girlfriend phoned regularly causing much blushing and laughter .... good fun!
Old Goa Town Gate
These fellows asked me to take a picture of their group and then asked again if I would also pose with them .... Yogesh complied and took the shot ... Students from a nearby university, out for some fun!
Friendly fisherman ... what a sweet smile!
Spotted these two out fishing early one morning .... we were literally the only people on the beach at 7 ish. I watched on a rock as they gathered their day's catch ... family would have a feast that day!
Goa, a tiny state along the south west coast of India, under Portuguese rule for over four hundred years ... Thought it the perfect place to catch some quiet peaceful reflective time before leaving India. There is a distinctive hippy vibe here, mingling with the Portuguese influence in cuisine, religion, language, manner of dress, laid back attitude. Villages are dotted with pretty white-washed Catholic churches and hundreds of grand mansions left over from Portuguese times. Goa appears to be a very easy going place .... everyone is more than friendly and helpful, wherever I have found myself exploring. The particularly friendly duo of Yogesh and Diego, took me on a tour of the state or a good portion of it one day .... we walked through small villages, many churches, city streets, old mansions ..... thoroughly enjoying the laid back ambience everywhere. Goa is quite obviously an Indian, as well as a tourist holiday state for other countries ..... my hotel was primarily filled with countrymen .... a scattering of Brits, loads of Russians and a handful of Americans/Canadians thrown into the mix. India is a country that has totally captured my heart, my imagination, my soul ..... It is inconceivable to me that I would not wish to return ..... Global has posts in Chennai area schools if I recall ..... there are not too many countries that leave me yearning for more but without any doubt at all, Mongolia, Vietnam and now India do! A bit difficult for me to muse and reflect into a cold computer these days ....... I have received emails from friends wanting more of my reflections .... In the midst of experiencing such transformational moments daily, it is hard to put these down into words .... there are days when I feel I have been turned inside out and feel very raw, sometimes totally exhausted from cultural stimulation .... still, the images, sounds, smells, experiences warm my heart .... leaving me at times, fulfilled, happy, at peace ..... words somehow seem inadequate .... it is the best I can come up with at this point in time .... should I have a bout of descriptive inspiration, more will eventually follow :) .... stay tuned. My love to everyone, Namaste ...
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