Goa - March 2007

Lesson 1: If you travel to Goa between November and April - avoid North Goa beaches like the plague. Spend more time, instead, in interior Goa. We stayed at lovely VErem village, right by the river Mandovi in a private residence. A small hike takes us to Reis Magos - this is lovely and isolated church and fort, dilapidated and ignored both by the conservationists and tourists. Which is just as well - there is a poignance to it the views from the top of teh fort are magnificient. Reis Magos is literally the Three Magi. It is right at the corner of the Mandovi RIver and the Arabian Sea.

Bom Bahia - or "Bombay"

By now everyone knows that current city of Mumbai, erstwhile Bombay, was the dowry of Catherine Brganza , a Portuguese princess. The city name is a crucnhed up version of Bom Bahia (also known as "Good Bay"). If you manage to shut your nostrils with a clothespin, you may see why. Here are some views from the top of Malabar Hill looking out towards the western part of the bay.

Goa-Ah! - The House

I stayed at the charming Panjim Pousada, one of a trio of homes maintained in the traditional part of Panjim called Fountainhas. It lies plum at the end of a road, evocatively called "31st January Road". Not much to do. As it should be - save to watch the rain come crashing down on tiled roofs and hanging out the balcony cafe watching life go by in those historic streets. Panjim Inn and Panjim Pousada attracts a quiet crowd , not the beach-sandal-noise-pubgang. Which suited me just fine. Spend the night on the feni and bebinca dessert. Get mildly groggy and head to bed at 9.

Goa-Ah!

Useless meanderings circa September 2006 through beautiful Fountainhas in Panjim. Two days in an old Portuguese home called Panjim Pousada. Monsoons were on, almost. Drove out to the beaches on Vagator/Chapora. Did nothing much except, sit in the shade and read. Later, moved 50 yards away to a shack facing the sea. Lovely.

Dindigul, Suuthern India

Burning Equator Sun

White rice greeting white grins

Spiciest films on love and gore

Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

Brazil - Parque Das Aves - Iguacu

The eco park for Amazon birds - gorgeous toucans, hyacinth and red macaws, flamingoes, golden pheasants. Coming from a more deciduous clime, where one is used to more sedate colors, the brilliant azures, crimsons and goldenrod yellows on these seem almost painted on. The TocoToucan is by far the more naughty bird, playing with my camera strap and generally courting annoyance

Brazil-Iguacu Falls

I enjoyed a short yet stunningly beautiful visit to Southern Brazil - Iguacu Falls bordering Argentina and Paraguay. The Iguacu falls carry the waters of Iguacu river on its thunderous way towards the Parana river on the borders of what is now a controversial Itaipu dam. The falls are scattered across a wide swath with lovely forests, preserved by eco-tourism sans the mess that is now the Niagara. You can hike up the short way alongside the falls and get a birds eye view...or like me, take a death defying trip in a rubber dinghy straight into the mouth of the falls. This was pure terror and ecstacy!

Bombay - Banganga Tank

Bombay can be astonishingly lovely even in the most desultory May heat. This dawn, we walked the leafy Malabar Hill, down to Banganga, the ancient tank temple complex. Sitting by the steps off the tank is incredibly peaceful. The simple residents of the area use the water to the max, learning how to swim, worshipping, or simply just being. Which is what we did. We did look a tad out of place in work out gear and our cameras. We walked along the steps, shielded by the peepul trees, said hello to the ducks and marveled at the surprising number of water birds (we saw a stunning blue of a kingfisher, catamarans and even swans). Circling the tank are numerous ancient temples, which on this quiet and early Sunday morning were empty and devoid of the mind boggling cacophony of a typical Hindu temple. Being an atheist, it was lovely to let the peace seep in sans the annoyance. The images of the Gods are quite unlike anything veering between an almost hostile and a little comical Hanuman to a bored looking Shantadurga. Later, brunch at Waffles , around the Kemp's Corner and then home to crash out the heat

Single Cell Animals

A colleague calls stupid people "single cell organisms". Differentiated beings like me also stoop low enough to be single cell creatures often in life. I mean, just look at all the decisions I have made in life. Or not made. To Blog is To be - Not. What I wanna know, who inherits my blogs when I die?