A little bit of paradise every now and then - Goa !

Going to Goa for me for almost every second holiday, can be best described through the lyrics of song by Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward Bound :

"Homeward bound

Home where my thought's escapin'

Home where my music's playin'

Home where my love lies waitin' silently for me"

Candolim with a view of Fort Aguada

My love, is the sea ! The miles and miles of water, with no apparent end, brings me peace and calm like no mountain ever could. I have visited Goa on multiple occasions and across the various seasons. The unrelenting heat, the cool monsoon, the warm and balmy winters.

Monsoon in Goa

The most recent trip was with the kids - we just got back, tanned and happy. Some folks asked me what I did there for 5 days. My answer was pretty simple - the beach, and the pool ! Being water crazy people, me and kids were pretty much in the sea. When we were done with the sea, we were relaxing in the pool ! 

Goa, is everything I love. The sea, the warm weather, the shorts and t-shirts, the relaxed vibe.

This holiday, with the kids, I managed to drag myself out of Candolim. Since everyone knows how expensive cabs are in Goa, me and kids, took a bus and reached Baga. Baga beach and the famous Tito's lane, were quite disappointing. I had a much different thought of the place  in my mind and when I walked down Tito's lane till the beach, I just wanted to run back ! It's not my kind of place. The lane was probably ok to walk down with the kids as most of the places were closed, but I am sure after 6pm, I cannot walk there with my kids. The beach was dirty. We didn't even step into the water. 

From Baga, we took a bus again to Mapusa to change to Anjuna. A very long ride, with nice views of the Goan countryside, we finally reached Anjuna after about an hour. Anjuna, was a stark contrast to Baga. There suddenly had a relaxed and hippy feel to the whole place. We actually had to visit a particular place that came in on a very high recommendation from my brother, for Brunch. From  the bus stop, we walked via the beach and inside lanes of Anjuna into the scorching, winding road called Market Road ( named after the Anjuna Wednesday Flee Market Road ). The roads were long and winding, partly shaded with trees. The shops were suddenly selling OM t-shirts and the air might have been smelt of pot ! I could imagine the music festival happening on the beach ( though that happens at Vagator ). Anjuna seemed a little south Goa in north Goa. 

Anjuna 

Finally after a 20 min walk, we finally reached Orange Boom, sweaty and tired. But like the Orange, the place refreshed us. The owners were warm and welcoming, and we settled down to brunch. Hot and fresh sandwiches, mouth-watering waffles and pancakes, chilled coffee and mango shakes and ice cream ! We simply gorged on the good food and forgot about the heat. 

The place is made in such a way, that you feel you are sitting in the veranda of your very own Goan home, with an open kitchen ! This place is going to be on my regular must-visit places every time I go to Goa now on. 

The way back we were less adventurous and took a cab back to Candolim and we were back to doing what we are best at : sea bathing ! 

Shacking it out ..and totally lovin' it ! 

Time goes by slowly and at a leisurely place in Goa. One place where the watch is redundant. Goa is my favorite place in India. The relaxed vibe, the warm weather and endless sea, keep pulling me back ..homeward bound !