The delay is lame, but I'm back as promised (more to myself!)
It has been a great day. We ended up reaching 2 hours late although it was not that bad. We made up for our time by gorging on breathtaking views and some home cooked breakfast along the way. We got to see marshy lands, cattle grazing on the meadows, fresh water streams and creeks. I've always loved train journeys. It let's us wander past the vibrant geographies in such a less time. The most beautiful view was that of the rising Sun against a backdrop of silver lit river. I almost scrambled for our camera so we dont miss to capture it.
The first thing we did on reaching Madgaon was to get a tourist brochure with a map. We studied the different places we wanted to visit. Beaches were up there on our list so we chose to stay in northern part of the city. There are lots of beaches dotted along the northern coast. We had already done our research and booked a stay near Calangute. Reaching Calangute from Madgaon was another proposition. The maps told us it was some 60 kilometers away. We wanted to reach our hotel faster and without paying a fortune. So we decided to take a train back to Thivim which is nearer to Calangute from where we would hire a cab. An hour later, we reached Thivim railway station. Otherwise a nondescript railways station, it is always abuzz because of its proximity to the beaches in north Goa. A sea of people got down from the train along with us. Most of them newly married couples on their honeymoon. One of them eventually shared a cab with us on their way to Calangute. Since I had been to Goa earlier, I shared my bits of wisdom with them on how to spend a quality time here.
The hotel itself was nothing fancy but good enough for us to bunk for three days. More importantly it was a walk away from Calangute beach and bang on the Baga beach road with lots of happening places around. We got hotel staff to help us hire a bike for the duration of our stay. With checkin formalities complete, we rushed to freshen up and left for the nearest beach - Calangute. The view as you approach Arabian sea is an experience of joy. Especially if you happen to tear yourself away from the hum drum of a Mumbai or a Delhi. The sight of white sand and cool blue endless water is very gratifying. Calangute being a popular beach is usually crowded but we found few people around as it was early. We rushed to the shore barefoot and took a stroll along. There were many shacks dotted along the beach but we were in no mood to sit back yet. We had other beaches to see before we got held up by touristy trappings. With a promise to come back for a splash and lots of frolic, we left for Anjuna beach.
We quickly grabbed a bite at a beach side eatery, hopped on to our bikes and off we were to Anjuna.
It was the journey we relished more than the beach itself. You get to negotiate elephants in the traffic which is fun. As you ride past the country side, you are greeted by vast expanse of paddy fields, small chapels and a world of shops along the way. This for me is a high point every time I visit Goa. Spending time zipping around the city and witnessing its changing landscape and people is a liberating experience. Now, Anjuna is not your normal beach in that there is no white sand leading up to the beach. It is a rocky beach with lots of coconut trees along the shore. A very popular with the hippies who have created a world of their own over past many years. They keep coming from all across the globe to meet other hippies and do some drug sniffing. There is a weekly flea market where they sell their stuffs at throw away prices so they can extend their visits by some more days. This is as addictive as it can get. Again, there are shops everywhere selling everything from trance music to a sarong. We got ourselves some souvenirs before we left Anjuna.
We were back at Calangute to take a dip. Now, this is another favorite part of visiting Goa. Splash around in the Arabian sea and get dried up in a beach shack nursing your drink while you nibble away on some scrumptious food. I for one, love my sea food and this was paradise for me. With our tummy full and satiated, we left for our hotel. Hectic that our day was, we pretty much retired to our room for rest of the day. Except for running some errands towards late evening. With our plans set for the next day, it was time to hit the sack.
It has been a great day. We ended up reaching 2 hours late although it was not that bad. We made up for our time by gorging on breathtaking views and some home cooked breakfast along the way. We got to see marshy lands, cattle grazing on the meadows, fresh water streams and creeks. I've always loved train journeys. It let's us wander past the vibrant geographies in such a less time. The most beautiful view was that of the rising Sun against a backdrop of silver lit river. I almost scrambled for our camera so we dont miss to capture it.
The first thing we did on reaching Madgaon was to get a tourist brochure with a map. We studied the different places we wanted to visit. Beaches were up there on our list so we chose to stay in northern part of the city. There are lots of beaches dotted along the northern coast. We had already done our research and booked a stay near Calangute. Reaching Calangute from Madgaon was another proposition. The maps told us it was some 60 kilometers away. We wanted to reach our hotel faster and without paying a fortune. So we decided to take a train back to Thivim which is nearer to Calangute from where we would hire a cab. An hour later, we reached Thivim railway station. Otherwise a nondescript railways station, it is always abuzz because of its proximity to the beaches in north Goa. A sea of people got down from the train along with us. Most of them newly married couples on their honeymoon. One of them eventually shared a cab with us on their way to Calangute. Since I had been to Goa earlier, I shared my bits of wisdom with them on how to spend a quality time here.
The hotel itself was nothing fancy but good enough for us to bunk for three days. More importantly it was a walk away from Calangute beach and bang on the Baga beach road with lots of happening places around. We got hotel staff to help us hire a bike for the duration of our stay. With checkin formalities complete, we rushed to freshen up and left for the nearest beach - Calangute. The view as you approach Arabian sea is an experience of joy. Especially if you happen to tear yourself away from the hum drum of a Mumbai or a Delhi. The sight of white sand and cool blue endless water is very gratifying. Calangute being a popular beach is usually crowded but we found few people around as it was early. We rushed to the shore barefoot and took a stroll along. There were many shacks dotted along the beach but we were in no mood to sit back yet. We had other beaches to see before we got held up by touristy trappings. With a promise to come back for a splash and lots of frolic, we left for Anjuna beach.
We quickly grabbed a bite at a beach side eatery, hopped on to our bikes and off we were to Anjuna.
It was the journey we relished more than the beach itself. You get to negotiate elephants in the traffic which is fun. As you ride past the country side, you are greeted by vast expanse of paddy fields, small chapels and a world of shops along the way. This for me is a high point every time I visit Goa. Spending time zipping around the city and witnessing its changing landscape and people is a liberating experience. Now, Anjuna is not your normal beach in that there is no white sand leading up to the beach. It is a rocky beach with lots of coconut trees along the shore. A very popular with the hippies who have created a world of their own over past many years. They keep coming from all across the globe to meet other hippies and do some drug sniffing. There is a weekly flea market where they sell their stuffs at throw away prices so they can extend their visits by some more days. This is as addictive as it can get. Again, there are shops everywhere selling everything from trance music to a sarong. We got ourselves some souvenirs before we left Anjuna.
