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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 1:44:52 GMT
Just to clarify about this sheet thing. At home we use a bottom sheet and a quilt/duvet in a cover. No problem. Here they use a bottom sheet and most often some ratty old blanket. I have in this place a bottom sheet and the plastic feeling thing. I don't particularly enjoy having the plastic thing over me without a barrier between like another sheet. Had it been in a cover itself, then ok.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 2:16:54 GMT
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Post by questa on Nov 24, 2014 3:47:58 GMT
What a lovely set of photos, such colours and detail, like the shells. You can almost hear the people in the waves squealing. I would love to go there. I guess that is the sign of a good photographer if he/she makes you want to experience it for yourself.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 6:13:13 GMT
I'm finally catching up after about 3 days. I always enjoy seeing those restaurant signs, but of course the most interesting sign is the one for the medical establishment and its maddening mystery -- which disease was blanked out on the board? Since they can clearly treat everything, we are left wondering what they backed away from and why? Dissatisfied customer, perhaps buried in that delightful cemetery? Speaking of which, I was surprised to see the graves inside the buildings. Would that be a sort of VIP zone?
Seeing the hotel rooms, meals, beach bungalows and bars gives those of us rooted to the spot all sorts of idle fantasies about which one we would choose, how long we would stay, etc. When I first moved to France in the early 1970's it was the height of the Kathmandu/Goa frenzy of French youth, and I felt that everybody was leaving France just as I was arriving. There were no worries about the future then, so people in their early 20's thought nothing about quitting their jobs and spending six months or more in Goa living on the beach. They would only return when they ran out of money, and it took a very long time to run out of money -- not to mention of course the ones who could get their families to send them more. When they finally returned to Paris, it would generally take them a few years to start wearing normal clothes again. At the Air India office a few years ago, I was talking to one of the older employees who told me that in the 1970's, they were operating two daily 747 services between Paris and Bombay. Air India doesn't even have any direct flights from Paris to Mumbai anymore, just 4 flights a week connecting from Delhi. How things can change! If ever the flights return, this time it will be due to demand from Indians wanting to visit France.
The boats, the crumbling villas and the village scenes are all great to see as well, and those bright paint jobs seem so completely appropriate to the location. I particularly approve of bright and unusual paint on buildings when I am in a place like that, because they are extremely useful as landmarks when you need to get your bearings.
I was wondering that area ever gets hit by cyclones. If so, they would certainly sweep away at least 90% of the constructions along the beach. Jobs for all!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 7:10:29 GMT
A similar shift was occurring in the UK in the 70's. Many would 'do' Nepal and especially Kathmandu for some time basing themselves in Thamel. Then via Varanasi work themselves down to Goa and stay for months in a beach hut for a penny a day or something. I was never one of them though now as I approach my dotage I have spent considerable time in both places over the years. I remember a friend when I was in my twenties saying he was going to Nepal. I thought him very adventurous as the country seemed to far away to enter my thoughts at all. Interesting about Air India.
The monsoon season can be quite violent and generally the beach huts and bars/restaurants are re-built every year. Few last year round.
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Post by bjd on Nov 24, 2014 7:35:45 GMT
I too like the colourful houses and buildings. It all looks nice and peaceful, although, compared with your other photos of the trip, I keep getting the feeling that the area is just not that typical of India.
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Post by questa on Nov 24, 2014 9:36:17 GMT
bjd...I doubt if there is a 'typical of India' place in India. There are many stereo-typical places. We have been exposed to so many of the different images from this huge, multicultural country that when we see sights there that are not generally promoted in the west, we may think that they are non-typical, yet millions may live like this. I was surprised with these photos because I thought it would have been crowded with backpacking tourists.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 9:44:36 GMT
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 9:56:25 GMT
bjd, questa has it right in that there are too many influences all over the country, be it religious, colonial powers, geography etc for me to take photos and know they are of 'typical' India. I understand what you mean and agree that Goa isn't what you would think India to be. It is a different area and one that does appeal to tourists because it isn't the full in your face attitude of most of the rest of the country. questa, no hordes of tourists yet as I'm only just at the beginning of the proper tourist season.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 24, 2014 12:28:03 GMT
Fab once again Mark! I just love those brightly painted houses. One even looks like the exact same colours used on the 'AnyPort' building!! The weather looks really wonderful....just looking at that calm sea shows there must be little or no breeze when you snapped those pics.
I found the graveyard interesting - all Portuguese by the looks of it. Is there a Portugeuse community there then? I wouldn't be surprised as the scenery is almost a complete duplicate of Mozambique.
Your new abode looks the business Mark! Wow, what a difference. Do you ring up a few days/hours ahead, google accommodation or was this booked long ago? It does sound as if you are just rambling along and going with the flow accommo wise. Did you start off with a certain number of weeks you knew you would be traveling with a booked flight back on a certain day?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 12:36:47 GMT
Why are there two different electricity card slots?
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 13:22:24 GMT
K2, weird, huh. But there is method in their madness. The left hand one is purely to activate the air-con. The right one is for all the rest which is low power stuff, which are lights and a fan. For some reason, possibly because of power cuts and back up generators/batteries, they want to be able to control and switch off air-cons. Why it can't work from one, which goes off when you go out and take the key as normal, I have no idea. Possibly because it would then switch the fridge off as well.
tod, the state of Goa was Portuguese for about 450 years until 1961. When the UK ceded control of India in 1947 it was requested that Portugal give up their bit. They refused until Indian military action in 1961. I made enquiries several days ago about my new place but they were full, I had previously had my eye on it even from when I was back in Jordan. But not knowing exactly when I would be here caused me not to book anything. On my arrival in Goa I emailed and asked when they had room. Originally when I was planning this trip I made research into accommodation in many different places whilst I had good internet access and time. All I do now is decide where I want to go and look at my lists to see if I've already thought of a place to stay there. Trip Advisor and Booking.com are my main tools but I use others, not necessarily for prices on any of them, more for reviews.
As regards the flights, months ago, after consultation with my direct superior/supervisor Mrs M, I was able to have my Leave Pass stamped and authorised for only a certain number of days. Especially since in the middle of December I will be flying off again, to Germany and Slovenia so there was a deadline for my return. Once negotiations had resulted in dates being acceptable to both parties, flights were researched and definite days booked. I have to be back in Delhi on the 3rd Dec, to fly early on the 4th.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 24, 2014 15:10:52 GMT
So, to round off today, a photo of what I had for my evening meal. Onion pakora, salad and kingfish steaks. I’ll be having a break from posting my day to day for a few days as nothing will happen apart from plenty of more beach time and eating fish and salads (with a few fried things thrown in from time to time). The beach bar (I’m standing just where the sea is) and the food (food cost equivalent to £3.50 with a couple of soft drinks) – Bye for now.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 24, 2014 17:09:17 GMT
Yum! Mr.Tod likes the two chillis...the ones in an X. Fresh chillies are best but not always given here. Sometimes they bring you ones pickled in vinegar. No Good! I'm told from the expert! The fish looks like a steak not a fillet but I bet there were very few bones except the center one. I am dying to pop one of those 'chili-bite' things into my mouth. They're not onion baji's are they?
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Post by lola on Nov 24, 2014 19:02:11 GMT
Wonderful, oM. This is the closest I've ever come to wishing I could visit that part of the world. Since I'm mostly through Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series, I've been steeped in old time shipbuilding for past couple of months. I especially loved those photos. O'Brian talks about oakum sometimes, used to caulk the ship, and apparently it looked something like what your shipbuilders used. Then tar, as in what the sailors were -- and still are for all I know -- called. Is fish and vegetarian diet the way to go in India, generally? Everything looks so tasty.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2014 21:18:37 GMT
I built up so much immunity over the years, that I feared no food in any of these countries, including raw salads, which of course all of the guidebooks say will send you to the hospital or the cemetery immediately. The main thing for me was just to find a "reputable" place with healthy looking customers. Frankly, not even the cheap places are trying to poison their customers, so all it takes it a little common sense to get by.
And in my travels, I noticed how differently people react to the same food. While I'm sure that quite a few people have deficient immune systems (either genetically or just because they have never travelled), I have also noticed that there is a major psychological element as well. People who think that they are going to get sick are the most likely to get sick. This was the most apparent in all of my business trips to Cairo. We were housed exclusively in Hiltons and Sheratons and other similar 5-star hotels, but people who were afraid of the food got sick automatically, even inside the hotel. Those of us who went out and ate street food or went to modest Egyptian restaurants never had the slightest problem. Travelling on my own, anywhere in the world, I only got sick twice (just a half day of diarrhea, so not really a big deal as long as a toilet was available) -- once in Pakistan, staying with a wealthy family, and once in Indonesia after a meal in a gleaming clean airport restaurant.
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Post by questa on Nov 24, 2014 22:30:33 GMT
I tend to think that a lot of traveller's tummy problems are not infections but our body's way of reacting to a different environment. Although my body is immune to most bugs after I've been in country for a week or so, the first few days always bring on diarrhoea. This can start within hours of getting off the plane...usually gone in 2 days. Sometimes...Pakistan & Tibet, it developed into a major problem. I usually eat fresh-cooked, local-patronised street café food.
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Post by htmb on Nov 24, 2014 23:25:10 GMT
Mark, it's been really great to see these pictures of your trip in "real time." I'm looking forward to your future posts, too. Great photos and very enlightening comments from both you and other forum members, too. It's an interesting way to get a history, geography, and sociology lesson all in one.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 24, 2014 23:37:02 GMT
I agree with htmb, while enjoying the narrative and photos I also appreciate the education of it all.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 25, 2014 0:16:21 GMT
tod, the fish is a steak, with the large centre bone. Yummy. I could have had it with a butter/garlic sauce but preferred it plain. The chillis are fresh and cost probably one dollar per truck load, they are easily obtainable and very cheap. You notice there must be half an onion as well. Onion bhaji? I'm no expert but to me they are virtually the same. Whereas a pakora/pakoda is in my mind a different thing and can be any vegetable, a bhaji is associated with onion, especially after being brought up in Indian restaurants in the UK. But, I know the term bhaji can be used for a food that is not deep fried with or in batter and is (and I had to quickly look this up to find which language) Marathi for vegetable. There is a famous (or famous in India anyway) dish called pav bhaji, traditionally a workers food, associated with Bombay/Mumbai - allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/4911/pav-bhaji.aspxA bit of a long winded way to say that to us, it'd be an onion bhaji but in India it is an onion pakoda/pakora because bhaji means vegetable whereas pakora is a way of preparation as far as I know. Lola, I had a quick look as to why sailors were called Jack Tar. One thought is that they covered their clothes in tar to waterproof them. Maybe, maybe not. In India I never eat the meat. Only vegetables and on the coast, fish. But nowadays a lot of the fish is just of the frozen variety anyway no matter where you go. I agree with K2 and Questa. In effect if you think you will get ill, you probably will and a lot of it isn’t necessarily the food, it is the stresses and strains of travel, especially in the first few days tied in with the change of diet. I’m probably going to jinx myself now but apart from a bout of giardia in Nepal I’ve been quite free of any effects when travelling. The only effect I have is having to poop twice a day because I’m often eating more. India is a great vegetarian country so there is no problem avoiding meat. The emphasis is opposite to in the west, instead of advertising in a restaurant that you have vegetarian food they advertise that they have ‘non-veg’ dishes. You assume here that when you walk into one you will definitely and certainly get veg food, there is no guarantee you will find meat on the menu (unless they have said ‘non-veg’ in the hoarding outside). As soon as I move away from the coast I won’t eat fish anymore but stick to veg stuff. Street food in India – too numerous to mention and in keeping with the health theme, is often prepared as you stand there and is a lot less risky to eat than in a restaurant. To add an extra layer of ‘be carefulness’, don’t eat the rice unless you know it is fresh and only eat peeled vegetables like carrot, cucumber, onion. In the north you’ll generally not have rice in a thali (thali is akin to a small mezze) but only bread. The further south you go, where they grow the rice, then you’ll get it. I had one yesterday lunch, £0.80 for a big bowl of rice, three types of veg curry, plain raita (yoghurt) two types of bread, raw veg and a 3cm cube of a sweet semolina based dessert.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 25, 2014 0:18:15 GMT
htmb, mich, you're welcome. I hope you continue to enjoy a drive round my second favourite country.
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Post by fumobici on Nov 25, 2014 4:14:45 GMT
This continues to be a fascinating travel diary. Seeing this I can well understand why my brother likes to use Goa as a base and travel via rented Royal Enfield.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 25, 2014 5:16:59 GMT
Englishmen of a certain age have a soft spot as well for Royal Enfields.
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Post by questa on Nov 25, 2014 5:19:29 GMT
Jack Tar...The sailors of old had longish hair and would plait it and cover the plait with tar to keep it in place...gale force winds...you don't want hair in your face as you struggle with the ropes. As a bonus it killed off the bugs in their hair.
Later when the Brit Navy was designing the uniforms of its men, they chose a dark blue collar to sit over the back and shoulders to prevent the tar from staining the white clothes. They still wear these but now there are 3 stripes on the collar to honour the 3 great sea battles that Nelson won. These Navy men were the first to be called Jack Tars.
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Post by bjd on Nov 25, 2014 7:49:27 GMT
I have often thought that if I went to places where there might be worries about the food, I would also stick to vegetarian eating. In Kenya we ate street food with no harmful effects, but in a restaurant in Nairobi I ordered a "googlyburger" and then spent much of the night in the toilet. My French husband was brought up eating unspicy food and claimed that he couldn't tolerate very spicy things. Then he went to Calcutta for work for a short while and had to eat spicy stuff, and now has no problems. So indeed, it's in the head.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 25, 2014 8:33:49 GMT
questa, well you learn something new every day. bjd, I was based in Nairobi at one time and my father was born there. Eating meat is the norm, but as with India, not for me. Just veg thanks. P.S. Been having some beach time this morning. Returned for lunch. There seem to be a number of these hovering over me when I'm on the beach. I wonder if they know something I don't - Just after I took this I was hit by the seventh wave. If anyone comes to Goa and finds a lens cover, can you let me know?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2014 12:02:57 GMT
Those seventh waves can be bitches.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 25, 2014 17:46:27 GMT
I love all the anecdotes and information Mark - there's nobody else out there but you bringing it all so freshly picked! I wonder if your dad is much older that me? Probably. I was born in Kisumu. That bird circling high above looks like a Kite. Whether its a Black or Brown one They look a lot the same from far. He's on the lookout for a titbit or small animal like a mouse or rat. If you take a piece of meat/fish and throw it as high as you can, he will dive to retrieve it. Questa - you are fantastic with you information about Jack Tar!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 25, 2014 18:44:52 GMT
tod, I remember now we had a conversation about Kenya a long time ago. And yes, he would be, if he was still alive, far older than you.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 25, 2014 19:16:28 GMT
Boy, Mark :: this report is not only really enjoyable, I feel like I'm learning a great deal. Well, for one thing, why Goa is so attractive to visitors. The fact that we're getting this almost in real time truly adds to the enjoyment.
Whereas I always am interested in the information imparted by pictures, I also look at them as photographs & yours are photographically wonderful. I particularly enjoyed the series of buildings, both beautiful & beautifully derelict, just to unfairly pick out a few out of the stellar many.
I totally agree with you on the food comments. The tedious, iodine-dropping tourists here are the ones most likely to suffer from "turista", it seems. I suspect it's not evil foreign bugs so much as it is greasy fried food, too much sun, & even a little too much alcohol in the foreign environment that affects them.
On a more positive food note, the photos & comments on the food are illuminating & much appreciated.
Well, keep on having fun & thanks so much for including us in it.
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