The Motherstate

Goa

This is the state in India where my family is originally from. My grandparents, great grandparents and all of my ancestors lived here. It is my favourite place on earth... there are beaches everywhere, the scenery is beautiful, the air is clean, the food is amazing, and the beer is cheap.

I came down for a weekend as my aunt and her family had come from Mumbai for a vacation. I took a five-hour state bus for $3 to meet them. Even though the distance is the same as from Toronto to London, it takes double the time. This is because the roads are not the greatest, and the majority of the journey is in the mountains (you average 50km/h). The scenery is similar to the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia... and most people sleep the whole way! Here are some pictures or "snaps" as they say in India:

I eventually got to the bus station, and my cousin picked me up... but not before 15 different taxi drivers offered to rip me off. Don't get me wrong, most people in India are VERY helpful, but the taxi drivers are deadly. They can spot a foreigner a mile away... and then it's like sharks smelling blood in the water.

We got to my aunt's place and I had some Mango Curry, Rice and Pickle (pickle is a dip made from fruits and vegetables such as carrots, limes, mangoes etc., it can be sweet, salty or spicy) before my cousin and I went for a walk on the beach. I hadn't seen him in five years, so it was great to catch up. We then had a beer called "Kings" which is native to Goa.

Aside: Goa is known for cheap alcohol because it is a union territory. As a union territory, it does not have its own state government so the alcohol is not taxed like it is in the rest of the country. People often smuggle alcohol on their way out of Goa... and the enforcers are fairly easy to get past. A few bribes and you're good to go. A large beer (500mL) will cost you 60 rupees (roughly $1 Canadian).

On the way back, we stopped at a stall where they sell Beef Chili Pao. My cousin said it was delicious, so we had a snack before dinner. It was a meal in itself, but I had not had meat in a while, so I figured what the hell.

We got back, freshened up and got ready for dinner. For dinner, my uncle made some Beef Chili Fry, and we had some leftover Mango Curry and Rice. Satisfied, I had to lie down. Later that night, we watched Italy lose to Costa Rica... today was a good day #icecube.

The next morning, we had to get more Pao (bread), but why should you have to leave your house for such a necessity? In Goa, guys bring the Pao on bikes in the morning after freshly baking it. So we wait on the balcony and call out to them, then we lower a bag with money inside, they take the money and put the bread in, and then we pull it back up... what a system! There are a few flaws... but I can't explain them here.

After having some Pao for breakfast, my cousin and I headed to the market with my aunt. We had to pick up some fresh fish for lunch.

In addition to fish, vegetables and fruits, you can also find clothes, watches, and just about anything else. It's a Wal-Mart on the street. I picked up this bad boy for Rs. 100 (less than $2 Canadian).

After dropping off my aunt, we went to Fort Aguada. This fort was built to fend off alien attacks in the late 1500s. After Will Smith failed his mission, this fort was built... Just kidding, Goa was originally conquered by Vasco De Gama and the Portuguese (who used to destroy temples and build churches, forcing people to convert to Christianity... but that’s a story for another day). This fort was built by the Portuguese to defend against the Dutch (...they could have used a better defence in the World Cup too). The breeze was lovely, and watching the waves roll in was quite peaceful. Behind us was a very nice resort called Vivanta by Taj. The company Taj also built the Taj Hotel that was attacked in 2008 in Mumbai. Still, the Taj is ballin' out... the resort was fancy.

For lunch, my aunt made a Pomphret curry, Scallops in some sort of masala and Rice... delicious as usual. After lunch, my cousin and I were going to check out another beach, but the GPS had a mind of its own, so we ended up on a different beach. Pretty much everywhere you turn in Goa, you will find a beach. The beaches in the north tend to be dirty as tourists are there year round, but as you go further south, they get cleaner and cleaner.

We stopped at a bar on the beach, shared another large beer, and had Chicken Drumstick Masala (like chicken wings, but with Indian spices and flavours). I was already stuffed... but what the hell. We also ordered some fries to mop up the masala... man it was good stuff.

We hung out there for a while, and some guys, who were completely drunk, started doing the Lungi dance in the bar... it was a sight to behold. I wanted to join them since they were having so much fun, but I was so full I could barely move. We then headed home and played some Caram. This game follows the same concept as pool/billiards, but is played on a smaller board with disks and you use your finger to strike the pieces.

After getting my butt handed to me, I suggested to my cousin we all go out for dinner, but my aunt quickly shut that idea down saying her food is better... no arguing with her there. So we had Pork Vindalhoo, Bhaji, and Rice for dinner. Another amazing meal. Vindalhoo, which you get in random American restaurants (but is a disgrace to the actual dish), is chopped pork made in a gravy with garlic, vinegar and other spices. It's very spicy but very good.

Sunday, we headed to church... which I had not been to in a while, before my aunt made me some Choriz Pao for the way home. Choriz is my favourite food in the world. Its pork mixed with pungent spices. It made the ride home that much better.

Goa II

The following weekend, I ended up back in Goa... and I will be going one more time before I leave India. My uncle called me up a few days before and offered to take myself and the other AquaSafi intern around. The history of the place was the same as the previous weekend, the food was still good and the beer was still cheap... so I will spare you those details. Here are some pictures from my second trip to Goa.