Tuesday 2 March 2010

3rd March

Day 40
Not much on the schedule today, going out for Teds last meal at the Riverside with Steve and Barbra.

We may not be able to access the Internet after today so I may have to finish off when we get home.

2nd March

Day 39
Last lap now, packing, saying good bye to people, and generally winding things up.

Walked along the beach in the morning very hot and humid, into Panjim in the evening to say good bye to some of the Indian friends. I tried some of the first distilling of Feni called Urrac mixed with ice,soda, lime juice and a splash of 7up. The distinctive taste was still present but it was a much more palatable drink. We were told it should only be drunk in the first six months of the season and that has health giving properties.

Monday 1 March 2010

27th February



Infantaria photo
The take away bit is on the right, the bakery.

1st March

Day 38
Today is Holi (look it up in wikipedia)









The final picture is I think lunch for some of the participants.

The large container is marked Chicken Biriani, with the take away containers on top.

28th February

Day 37
Another day on Coco beach, very hot so we came home just after lunch.

27th February

Day 36
Walked into Calangute on the beach road and shopped for some snacks in Infantaria (photo to follow) for example, a Egg chop this is like a scotch egg but coated with mashed potato instead of sausage meat.

In the evening we met up with Steve and Barbra and after arranging to meet up again,we set off to Sublime. This is an upmarket restaurant and the food and the setting were magnificent, what we had would have been at least £40 a head in the UK and probably a lot extra for the setting. Including wine the bill was about £8 a head ( very expensive for here ) but well worth it for a one off.

26th February

Day 35
Another quiet day, Riverside full in the evening so we had to go to See You

Sunday 28 February 2010

25th February

Day 34
Quiet day went into Baga in the evening, by taxi, and ate on the beach at the Shining Star


Thursday 25 February 2010

24th February

Day 33

At 8.00am this morning we were enshrouded in thick fog that just suddenly burnt off giving a perfectly clear sky, making us realise how overcast,although very hot and bright the last few days had been

Back to Coco beach again, probably for the last time.




I met up with my fishermen friends again and had to pose with the catch. I am holding a small pomfret, about a dozen were sold for 300R.
I had to pay for the privilege of my photo being taken, 10R to the "fenny man" on the left and 10 each to the rest for ice creams.

I bought two of the fish at our feet (mullet) for 100R, Dominic at the shack said it was a good price, and he cooked them for us, just plain fried with some chips. it must have been the freshest fish I have ever eaten, less than an hour from sea to plate. Dominic also told us that it was the first time he had ever cooked mullet for Europeans and it was reckoned to be a fish for the Goans, I assume this is because European mullet is often seen in harbours and is considered to be a muddy tasting scavenger, so is scorned. This fish we had was superb.
Look up Fenny or Fenni in Wikipedia

23rd February

Day 32

We have actually started to do some packing, putting away stuff we wont need and generally getting ready to come home.
Below is a picture of the new menu of extra dishes that are now on offer at our local cafe. It will be more interesting if you can take the picture and blow it up so you can read it properly


Wednesday 24 February 2010

22nd February

Day 31

A quiet day, walked into Calangute and did a bit of shopping. Spent the rest of the day on the balcony.

A few photos of the road side petrol stations.






Even the funnels can be a lash up.

Sunday 21 February 2010

21st February

Day 30
Back again to Coco beach with the camera this time.



The approach from the road


The white building is a general stores, and the hub of the enterprise


The view of the knocked down shack, the kitchen is to the left and the white trousers and blue T shirt is Dominic the owner.

This is the kitchen




Views along the beach

The next few are of the fishing

Preparing the nets

The shelter they use when not fishing

Getting ready to run out the net


Looking after one end
The figure is half swimming half walking with the other end of the net

Starting to haul the net in

The moment of truth, what have we got?

The net rolled ready to start again

20th February

Day 29
Went up to Morjim again to Sam's Little Palms, taking Jenny with us.
we had another good lunch and an extra beer on Sam. We returned mid afternoon and rested before the nights exertions.

Friday 19 February 2010

19th February

Day 28
Off to Mapusa market mainly to buy some spices.


Our spice man.
A sewing materials shop.

A jewelers sign by the bar where we have our evening drinks, I think they read like a cast of a play. Zircon Peridot is, I am sure, the villain

18th February

Day 27
Went into Panjim with Ted to pick up some bits and pieces, and at last got our gifts to Pradeep.
Returned home via the Joint.
Our Lady Of Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim

Thursday 18 February 2010

17th February

Day 26

Our aniversary.

A day of power cuts. Half way through an internet banking session, suddenly no power again. Power is needed for the wifi so I was left with an open connection to my account. Eventually about 3.30pm got connected again and all seemed OK. So that rather messed the day up.

In the evening we had a splendid western meal complete with wine, which quite made up for it all.

Below are some Mongoose pictures I took whilst waiting for the power to come back on.




Tuesday 16 February 2010

16th February

Day 25
Went with Ted to Coco Beach (no photos. forgot camera again)

A fishing beach, the tourist police keep smashing down the shack on the beach. Only a few visitors. Today there was a party of Welsh visitors who played bingo amongst themselves on their sunbeds.
The fishermen use boats as normal or run a net out in a loop, one end on the beach the other carried round and then all pulled up on the beach. Not much was caught probably because people had been swimming off that bit of beach.

The only other bit of excitement was due to the ever present dogs. The dogs that hung around the sunbeds seemed to have an aversion to visitors from the local populace. Fishermen were ignored, Europeans were ignored but any one else was set upon. On one occasion they got their teeth into a Sari and were worrying it, Dominic the shack owner had to come out and get them to let go and free a very upset young lady, however one got the impression he thought it was a job well done.

15th February

Day 24
Stayed around the apartment

14th February

Day23

Local Beach at Calangute

Quiet compared with Candolim

Lots of Russians

Sunday 14 February 2010

13th February

Day 22

We were going to spend a day at the beach when Ted suggested a trip inland up the Mandovi River.
We set off and were getting a bit off the usual roads, when we decided discretion was the better part of valour and returned to fill up with petrol. Petrol stations are quite few and far between, but for small quantities you can often buy a litre water bottle of petrol from stalls at the side of the road, the sight of several of these bottles in the direct sun is quite nerve racking.

We traveled on and saw some interesting sights, for instance was this a Bank or a Bus stop


Here is a view looking down over the meandering river, all around are pools for rearing prawns.



Here are some small prawns drying on the side of the road.


When we were out with Pradeep we had some of these prawns, chopped up with onion and just moistened with a dressing, served as a relish and it was very nice.

There are several ferries which alow people to cross the river or go from island to island .
That's us right at the back, sorry room for one more.



Here is the next one that we missed


But another will soon turn up.



For lunch we had fish, the cats and the birds were after the scraps and the cats often got a peck if the Jackdaw fancied what a cat had.

The restaurant had no menu, only served fish and that was what had been just caught, so we had just three choices and chose grilled Pomfret, it was delicious.

The restaurant.

After lunch we hurried back to avoid the Carnival traffic, although in the evening going to and from our dinner restaurant we got tangled up with the returning floats,still blaring out their music

Friday 12 February 2010

12 February

Day 21

Half way

Catch up since 9th

Tuesday 10th walked down to local beach and along into Calangute.

Wednesday 11th up to Candolim and spent the day on the beach, evening into Panjim for a meal with Pradeep and Sandya.

Today a little bit of shopping, anti histamines and Mosquito repellent

Thursday 11 February 2010

Bangalore day 3

There has been a slight upset in our Internet connexion, but we are now back on song.

Sunday was a trip to a Children's Home for the commemoration of Bangalore Soroptimists sixth anniversary of their Charter.


This home catered for children and their mothers with HIV/AIDS, it sounds grim but was a most heartening experience.
The Bangalore ladies brought donated rice, sugar, exercise books and some sweets. They provided a lady magician/ ventriloquist and a lunch for all ,again a donation from a sponsor




Preparation for the grand event


Chocolate for the children


Awaiting the entertainment


After the entertainment the Soroptomists and the entertainers up in front of the Kids

Just the ladies

Some of the children enjoying their lunch.


A view of inside.


One of the Dormitories.