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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2014 18:44:07 GMT
The 'Indians' in Paris are relatively clean, but a great many of them come from the region of Pondicherry, which is a pretty clean city. (The actual majority in the area is from Sri Lanka and arrived as refugees, but they have adapted rather well to the hygiene rules. Of course, this may be just relative, because very close by the African area begins, and it is still quite evident that not all of the new arrivals have understood what all of the trash bins are for. I have to admit that when I leave my building before 8am, it is often a sorry sight. That is what makes me understand what a fabulous job the municipal cleaning crews do.)
Anyway, in this last set of photos, I was very happy to see trees and other vegetation along the roads, compared to a lot of the other pictures. It is very nice to see tropical vegetation when you are in the tropics instead of it all being cut down for firewood.
The plastic bottles of petrol along the road are interesting to see, because in Southeast Asia that has been banned in most countries due to lots of horrible accidents that you can easily imagine. I know that in Vietnam what you see along the roads are bricks standing on the same sort of stool, as they now symbolise "petrol for sale." Sometimes it is not a brick but a thick rectangle of wood.
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Post by questa on Nov 19, 2014 21:52:03 GMT
Sri Lanka has some pretty tough sanitation laws itself. No smoking in any public place or dropping of butts, or other rubbish. Seems that everyone knows it from a full on educational program run on TV, schools etc. I was ticked off by schoolkids when I had a cigarette and closely watched by gardeners in a park in Trinco, in case I dropped my ice block paper.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 20, 2014 12:39:04 GMT
Jeez, I’m full. I don’t think I could eat anything ever again. But I’ll come to that. After a lazy breakfast I set off to come a couple of hours further down the Goan coast. I was in Candolim at Maggies Boutique Hotel in the north and I’m now in what is classed as south Goa. Can someone please tell me what makes a hotel a ‘boutique hotel’? I haven’t a clue. It was no different in my eyes than a normal one with rooms and a pool. In fact the rooms weren’t that great anyway and what was annoying was the aircon, which at this time of year with the heat and humidity, I need at some times during the day, was one of those in the window box types that just so happened to be above the bed headboard and sounded like someone rattling a bag of spanners in a tin drum which was inside and old copper boiler inside a gasometer. And….. for anyone of a mechanical bent the spanners were metric and not Whitworth. They make a different sound. The owner wasn’t Maggie, it was a guy from Delhi who many years ago bought it from her and kept the name with the goodwill. He was fine and friendly, In fact it was all ok but a bit overpriced for what is was especially with the three small cockroaches I had to kill, even in a popular resort area. It had all the mod cons and if ‘mod’ means ‘modern’ then they weren’t but they did function. So, what is a ‘boutique’ hotel? Beats me. But then again I’ve stayed in several ‘eco’ hotels and all that generally means is an inflated price for having no electricity, hot water and built badly from off cuts and scrap left laying around. I digress. I set off and later saw a woman doing a bit of stone masonary work – I realise why when I come across a nearby church – And attached graveyard – A little while later, after I pass under the spiderwebs – I stop for lunch. Goan thali, cost 80 rupees (£0.80, Euro 1) at a roadside eatery. There had been several I’d passed but they all had tourist vehicles outside. I opted for a locals one – Got to where I am now and was pleasantly surprised by my room. It costs less than the one before, is twice as big, has proper facilities, overlooks a nice green field and has a bathroom big enough so that when I have a shower I don’t need to fold my arms in – I went for a walk down to the beach area and on the way down the lanes – Saw them building more beach huts – Walked on to the beach through a few beach bars – And went for a bit of a walk along it – I was feeling I needed a bit of a rest so slipped back through the trees to the road. As I walked past a small stall the woman asked me if I wanted some chai. I realised I did. So I stopped and had a couple of cups. This is the back of her stall – And the sitting area amongst the trees in the shade – After a welcome sit down I started making my way back a different way (ok, I admit, I missed the track and had to divert some way off where I thought I was. All the bloody trees look the same). But I’m glad I did. As I said at the beginning, I’m full. Why? Because after a portion of cheesecake and a portion of apple strudel I’m ready for a lie down –
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Post by questa on Nov 20, 2014 13:49:34 GMT
Just north of Colombo in Sri Lanka is a place called Negombo...the locals call it 'little Rome' as it was settled by the Portuguese. It is just like the area you have shown us, Mark. Church and cemetery the same but the coastal development got hammered in the Tsunami and is still being cleaned up. There is the same influence in Malacca (Malaysia) and Macao (China). Those old Portuguese certainly got around, planting their distinctive churches in the tropics.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 20, 2014 15:20:04 GMT
I think they fathered more than just churches. They certainly got around a bit.
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Post by htmb on Nov 20, 2014 22:19:21 GMT
The beach with the beautiful palms and the hills in the distance looks really nice.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 21, 2014 0:02:40 GMT
Well I had to look up the definition of a "boutique hotel" and there is actually a Wikipedia page describing it. From what I read it is a term that small hotels, hotels not belonging to a chain, created to distinguish themselves as an alternative to the big names like Hilton or Holiday Inn. They tend to be smaller hotels, 10 - 100 rooms, offer services like an honour bar and try personal touches like offering umbrellas, slippers and robes. Some of the hotels we have stayed at the past few years described themselves as boutique hotels an indeed fit this description. I chose them because they were smaller but not as small as a B&B and they were in beautiful restored buildings.
Yum! cheesecake and strudel! My husband was craving schnitzel when we were in Glasgow last year and I found a great German brewery (West) with a restaurant, we had a wonderful evening ending it with strudel!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 21, 2014 8:43:52 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Nov 21, 2014 14:19:50 GMT
Best photos yet Mark!! The area you are in now is what I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of India looking like....old, worn, rickety, bright colours - but very clean! Is it a pleasant surprise to walk around with little or no garbage? The beach and roads look wonderful! Your hotel would be very acceptable to me...this last one with the photo. Nice big bed! Don't you feel lonely and yearn for a bit of company sometimes? Are your family reading this report? It's lovely to see a trip report/photo essay LIVE! Keep going Mark, we are lapping it up. The good, the bad, and the ugly
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 21, 2014 15:22:10 GMT
There still is rubbish behind the beaches but a lot less. Partly because most tourists walk through the lanes from accommodation to get to the beach. So it pays them to keep it tidier. Goa is different to the rest of India, and feels it. Whether it is the Portuguese influence, the religion, the tourists, maybe a combination of it all.
My family aren't reading this report, no. I'm putting together one of those free websites when I can be bothered and the internet connection is reasonable so they can read it. No doubt I'll just return with a load of photos to show them instead.
Lonely? I'll let you into a secret as no-one else will read this. When I lead groups a sure indicator that a female was interested in me was when they asked if I ever got lonely. The answer to her was usually yes, but in reality, no, not as such. There are times when it'd be good to say to someone, "Wow, look at that!" but not often. I much prefer solo travel as I can please myself as to where to go, when to go, what to do, when to eat etc etc. Plus I won't get interrupted when, like earlier today, I was listening to two middle aged gay German builders discussing the Goan wood joining techniques for roof trusses.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 21, 2014 15:23:51 GMT
I'm off to another resort area tomorrow. Supposed to have a better beach.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 18:17:25 GMT
Plus I won't get interrupted when, like earlier today, I was listening to two middle aged gay German builders discussing the Goan wood joining techniques for roof trusses. Moments like this are why I love solo travel, although my (non-gay) husband would have been on that discussion like a duck on a Junebug!
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Post by htmb on Nov 21, 2014 21:44:03 GMT
Mark, what months of the year are considered the season in the beach areas you're visiting?
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Post by questa on Nov 21, 2014 23:34:20 GMT
Even if I am travelling with a group I don't want a travel companion. I can head off and do my own thing without being concerned about another's wishes. It's much easier to interact with locals who wouldn't approach a couple. I have shared rooms with some interesting people. Twice I have gone with a woman friend and felt like I had a ball and chain on my leg all the time.
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Post by questa on Nov 22, 2014 0:02:23 GMT
Having said that....If Askar or onlyMark were free sometime.....!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 22, 2014 2:24:13 GMT
htmb, the busiest season is between November and March with prices being reasonable the further you get away from the Christmas/New Year period when prices are through the roof. Mid-December to mid-January that is. Anytime up to May is considered fine though it can get hotter and hotter as the months progress. Monsoon season is June until September when it will rain more or less every day, but some people prefer this time of year because of the greenery.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 22, 2014 5:20:06 GMT
Glad to hear you are travelling solo and loving it Mark! I have done this on a few occasions (and might even give it a try in the future) and found I wasn't missing a companion that much. I make friends easily and don't feel awkward talking to strangers. Looking forward to more super pics!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 22, 2014 11:44:58 GMT
I only have to drive an hour or so I’ve not taken a lot of photos. I’m in another beach resort and I’ll mention it’s Benaulim. I’ve rented a small apartment and it is fine enough though not near the beach – so I’ve parked the car up and rented a bike. Not a motorbike, just a cycle. It’s funny how the photos of accommodation on a website don’t quite give the impression of how ‘unloved’ a place is. Damaged plaster, dirty painted walls, kitchen units falling apart, old and cracked crockery and just one sheet on the bed with a polywhateveritis quilt that probably hasn’t been washed in god knows how long. It does have a communal pool, but the pump doesn’t work and needs fixing. The internet didn’t work and being cynical I suspected that it wasn’t connected anyway (I was wrong, it does work), also the advert said about aircons, well now I know there is just one, fortunately in the bedroom, not though the whole apartment. However – it is cheap and costs just £120 for a week so I can’t expect too much anyway. It’s just some of these places are crying out for a bit of TLC (tender loving care). The advert also gave the impression it was owned by a Britisher. Well, the person who communicated with me is from the UK but she is acting on behalf of a local couple. As much as it pains me to say, the standards are different. I have stayed in worse places by far, I’m no nit-picker as a rule, but in my old age I’m getting more irritated by not getting exactly what is advertised and that includes the impressions the advert gives. The bathroom is fine – The view to the pool is fine – The bed could do with an extra sheet as standard – Does nobody clean light switches anymore? – The hole in the ceiling I can live with and the normal fluorescent light in each room – A coat of paint or at least washing down the walls wouldn’t go amiss and a splodge of Polyfilla – Anyway, enough of my moaning. My Mrs M says I’m turning into a ‘Stinkstiefel’ (grumbler/whinger) and she has a point sometimes. On my way here I stopped to take a few photos of buildings that caught my eye. Abandoned and looked after (and a nice tree) – Just remember ladies, that men will be men – A few well maintained ones – By the way, my bicycle rental costs £1 a day and the toasted cheese sandwich I had just now was 50 pence.
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Post by questa on Nov 22, 2014 12:20:03 GMT
In Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Cambodia/Laos I have found that unless it is 3-4 star or over, most accommodation comes with only a bottom sheet and a blanket. I always carry a large sarung with me as it has dozens of uses...top sheet being one of them. I used to buy a sheet set as a wedding present when living in Indonesia. Even the glamorous sets contained 2 pillow cases, 2 long sausage-pillow cases and one ornate double sheet. The locals only toss a blanket over themselves when they sleep as their sleep mat gets rolled up during the day with the blanket on top. The new middle class wants mattresses, but a top sheet is yet to catch on.
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Post by questa on Nov 22, 2014 12:26:36 GMT
Mark, I love your cottages, they look like they grew from the earth and are returning to it.
BTW...would YOU use a spray cleaner and wiping cloth on those switches...not me, unless the power was turned of and I had all the fuse carriers in my back pocket!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 22, 2014 12:59:48 GMT
Yep, it's a two minute job when the electrics are switched off. Maybe everyone here is just too busy.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 22, 2014 15:37:56 GMT
You have been so kind Mark in granting me my wish to see the inside of a 'just passable' hotel room/apartment. The food is so cheap I take it you won't be cooking much... I don't think my itchy fingers could use any of those switches before giving them a clean - and probably shocking my hair dead straight....and me too I was amazed to see that old tumble down house still had faded pictures and a sort of shrine hanging on the wall.....like they didn't need to be removed. Strange.. Talk about ornate gates! Yikes! Beautifully maintained by loads of servants no doubt. I notice the shrines are also in good nick.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 22, 2014 16:36:08 GMT
You're welcome.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 22, 2014 17:19:40 GMT
We have often done without TV and wifi and have stayed in many 2 star hotels. My main requirement is they are clean.
Our beds in Germany and Austria had no top sheet on our recent holiday.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 23, 2014 5:48:53 GMT
TV I can do without. Wifi I like but it is not essential. Feeling as though I need a shower when touching things is not on. Plus, I've found out as well the geyser for hot water isn't working. No matter how hot I am, I hate cold showers. I've had to have enough of them in my time at the orphanage and when I was in jail.
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Post by bjd on Nov 23, 2014 7:01:11 GMT
We have often done without TV and wifi and have stayed in many 2 star hotels. My main requirement is they are clean. Our beds in Germany and Austria had no top sheet on our recent holiday. Mich, did your German and Austrian beds have light eiderdowns/duvets on them? Since they are in covers, they don't need top sheets.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 23, 2014 13:10:24 GMT
I was wondering the same. For me I always have a top sheet and then the duvet in it's cover - simply because I sometimes feel too hot but not enough to have no covering. The sheet is perfect.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 23, 2014 16:50:39 GMT
Yes they did bjd! They were lovely and nice since we had warm temperatures. At home we have a covered duvet as well but also use a top sheet, but that is for the winter. In summer we take off the duvet and use a light weight comforter blanket with a top sheet. Like you Tod, I push the comforter away when the really warm temperatures occur, or when having a hot flash.
When I was young my mom used flannelette top sheets.
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Post by mossie on Nov 23, 2014 19:08:41 GMT
A hot flash could be worth seeing.
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Post by questa on Nov 23, 2014 22:51:14 GMT
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