While we always seem to find new places to visit in Delhi and Jaipur, we also try to tack a few days on each trip for exploring areas in India where we haven’t been before. This trip took us to Goa, a Portuguese-influenced hippie town famous for its food and beaches. We did lots of wonderful sightseeing, but our oasis-like hotel may have been my favorite part.
It was a short trip, but we made the most of our time. We started with Unesco World Heritage Sites, exploring a collection of Portuguese chapels and ruins. I was underdressed (my lack of sleeves were deemed inappropriate for the inside of the churches), but bought a dupatta for 100 rupees. It felt odd to see these towering, Euro-centric Renaissance chapels in India, and my homework is to read more about the history there. But I suppose I can see how the traditions, icons and statues of Catholicism might resonate with Hindus.
We moved on to the nearby Tower of the Church of Augustine, which was my favorite site of the day. Half of the ruins were still covered in tufts of chartreuse grasses, the peaceful greens reminding me of the abandoned theme park in Spirited Away. Tired and hungry and sweaty, we retreated to a late lunch at Yazu, an East Asian bar on the beach. It was a welcome respite from the heat with its breeze, tamarind margaritas, sushi and papaya salad. I wandered down to the beach to take a photo of a cow happily sunbathing on the beach.
Our trip had lots of bright spots - an evening at a Greek club that was utter pandemonium, a quiet seaside dinner at an empty eatery, luxurious massages, quaint boutique shopping, exquisite coconut curry. And more colorful doorways than I could count. I hope I get back to Goa again someday.