Goa - Sun and Sand !

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Goa .
Sandy beaches , Barbecuess ..... Party all night .... get wasted like there is no tomorrow ! Well yeah , while all of this is true, there is another side to it which I discovered during my trip to Goa.

Colva Beach - As the sun set ......

Contrary to the commercial aspect of the place, Goa actually is rich in culture, tradition and not to forget food for all the foodies out there ....
With a multicultural past, the customs of the Goans is a beautiful mix of their people , festivals, music and dance. My first impression of the people in Goa - i mean the locals - they are very warm and happy .

My stay was in an apartment owned by a local family in Goa . Set in suburban South Goa, it was a simple apartment with a small market place and eating joints round.
This made us to actually go to the local market and do some grocery shopping while on vacation ! And i loved the experience.

As my trip was during Christmas time I was warned by a lot of friends that it will be crowded and travelling with a kid will be very difficult.

Mentally prepared to handle crowded beaches in the evening and with a plan B to manage my daughter, we stepped out into the streets.....

Au contraire ; It was nice and pleasant as we walked down the street; the small shops on both sides of the street were opening their shutters and greeted us with a warm smile.
As the sun set, the pretty lights came up on all houses. Stars ,Christmas trees and snow man shining in the dark. The place just turned into glittering fairyland !
As the cool December evening breeze slowly touched my face , Church bells rang and the choir singing 'Silent Night ' floated in the air ......

At that moment I was glad to have chosen South Goa as my first trip to Goa.
I couldn't have planned for a better vacation.....

Beaches , Beaches everywhere ......

Goa and beaches are synonyms. The beaches that you find in South Goa are clean and less crowded.
While travelling with a kid that is one thing you would keep in mind, to spend quality time on the beach building sand castle ! Colva and Benaulim beach were exactly that. Not very crowded and the greyish white sand was the perfect location for my daughter to settle down with her shovel and for me with my camera and a drink.

And of course do not miss dolphin watching at the Palolem beach enroute to butterfly island.
It is recommended to go early in the morning to be able to sight at least a couple of dolphins. We were fortunate enough to get a good view of the beautiful creatures jumping right next to our boat.

And butterfly island is a tiny secluded island about 20 mins by boat. The white sand and the clear blue water was the ideal spot for some lovely shots of the ocean hitting the rocks.

As the day came to an end , nothing like sitting and watching the sun slide down the horizon . The view is so beautiful, this was more like a ritual on all the 5 days I was in Goa ! The experience of watching the Sun slowly glide down the horizon is always a different one every time.

Culture Unlimited



This was something totally unexpected for me . When I read about the Portuguese architecture that is still being preserved, that was enough to make me go on a culture tour in Goa !
If you are someone who loves to spend time marveling at beautiful paintings and amazing architecture then Old Goa is where you need to be.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus - which is a 400 year old church is one of the UNESCO world heritage centers. It is magnificent with mind blowing work of art and paintings within.

To top it off, the drive through the small alleys of old Goa with the bright multicolored little houses transports you to a different era.

Also got to know from one of the locals that within the town, for every certain specified area it is a mandate to have a school, a medical center and a grocery shop in the vicinity for convenience of the people living there.
Felt good to realize that in times like these where money dictates the very conscience of the people , we have small acts like this which reinforces your belief in humanity.

After an exquisite experience in South Goa, I was now determined that the Northern part needs to be explored .
Hence was planned the part 2 of my Goa trip the following year to North Goa.

And i planned it during the same time - Christmas week !

True to whatever I had heard , North Goa was one happening place to be in during Christmas and very very crowded too ....
There was Christmas eve Gala dinner party with everyone grooving to Ed Sheran and Chainsmokers ..... complete contrast to my South Goa Christmas night.

Probably this is what makes Goa what it is - two parallel worlds co-existing beautifully. And i wish it always remains this way and one does not corrupt the beauty of the other.

While the party side was super fun.... my favorite memory of Goa will always be the warm smiles of locals , loud church bells and of course watching the sun set as the choir sang in beautiful harmony ! 'Silent Night .. Holy Night .. all is calm .... all is bright ' ...