Godspeed Goa

As the saying goes, "Man proposes but God disposes" yet we try our best to plan the perfect life, career, even travel for ourselves but what eventually happens is never a result of our planning, ok a bit surely is but the final stamp of approval comes from somewhere in the sky.

Two of my friends and I have been planning for an all-girls trip since a long time and it seemed that finally it was happening, but two days before flight everything got cancelled, reason being a story for another day. With morose hearts, teary eyes, and steely determination, we planned another for a week later to Goa. What we got is one of the best four days of our lives.

The hiccups kept coming right from the beginning. Our flight got delayed by more than an hour while we waited inside the plane with all sorts of doubts crowding our minds.

Finally we landed in Goa. Hired a prepaid Taxi that is easiest and most convenient form. App based services don't run as smoothly as it does in other cities. Our hotel in Vagator was 50 minutes away but the drive was picturespque so no cribbing!

The cute boutique hotel, Casa Albuequerque, was absolutely stunning with its Portuguese styled design, green ambience and elegant interiors.

In the evening we had a wonderful time on the beach. Though it was dark, yet the breeze, sound of the waves, moonlit sky and the compnay of dear friends, made every moment fascinating.

We had dinner at this small shack on the beach. In fact it is the only one right on the Vagator beach. The waves almost reached our table! Food was okay.

The first day ended with us gossiping late into the night.

We woke up late, on vacations, thats the best part of a break. Not chasing the alarms.

A hearty breakfast that was booked during the accommodation booking, we were ready for the day. We had hired a self-drive car for 3 days to help us navigate like a pro.

Our first destination was

Dating back to the 17th century, Fort Aguada was built by the Portuguese to guard against the Dutch. Situated on the Sinquerim Beach overlooking the Arabian Sea, the fort with its solid walls, no-nonsense air, lighthouse, open courtyard looked strictly serious. The fort had a freshwater spring inside which used to supply water to the ships that stop by.

The moat around the fort

Check the strong walls

Cannons looking out towards the Mandovi River

Lighthouse at the corner lookign towards the Arabian Sea

Not just the Fort, the complex also has a prison that is the largest in Goa. It was the prison where freedom fighters like Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia were kept who fought agains the Portuguese for the liberation of Goa.

The jail has been convereted into a museum where different cells have ben converted into a interactive and engaging experience to learn about the people, hardships, and history of the freedom struggle.

After so much time under the Sun, it was time to answer the hunger pangs so we drove down to The Curry House in Candolim

As it wasmy friend's birthday, we had planned a surpise for her at one of the hippest pub in Goa

We had booked sea-facing table. The vibe was electrifying with music, sea, and friends. While we paid a cover charge of Rs 2k for the seats, and even though I had informed them about my friend's birthday nothing very special was done. That is definitely a minus.

It was the day to visit a Goan Landmark that most of us have read in our school books. The Basilica of Bom Jesus.

The iconic church is a UNESCO World heritage Site located in old Goa. It holds the mortal reminas of St. Francis Xavier. The interiors of the church is minimalistic in nature with intricate wood carvings and the entire structure is a fine example of Portuguese Colonial Architecture In India.

Remember to cover your shoulders if you are wearing sleeveless and off-shoulder tops and dresses. No hats or caps either. Most importantly photography is no tallowed inside the church.

After this we did some shopping at the nearby shopping complex where local stuff is sold. Please bargain.

Its lunch time and our venue was

Post the delicious lunch, we visited the Mario Gallery. Hey, no game please. Its a shop cum museum of items designed with the cartoons of the legendary cartoonist Mario Miranda who hailed from Goa.

There are 3 Mario Gallery and we visited the one in Panjim

After this we drove back to the hotel and spent time at the beach again.

For dinner we visited a local small restaurant but the food and even the drinks were nothing to write home about.

This day was our last for this trip so we had planned to explore the areas close to Vagator and to a place that I have been waiting to visit since I watched Dil Chahta Hai 24 years ago for the first time. Yes, you got it right folks, it was Chapora Fort.

There is nothing but ruins. Broken, eroded walls, vast emptiness but the climb of 120 odd stairs to reach the top and then watch the breathtaking sea lying languidly across the horizon with a deep and dark green cover taking up the rest of the area. It was absolutely sublime even under the scorching sun.

The fort was originally built by the Adil Shah Dynasty but it came under the control of different rulers, like the Portuguese, Marathas and eventually lost its importance.

After spending almost quarter of an hour on the top, we decided to go back to the hotel, change clothes and go for lunch.

Post an overwhelming yummy lunch, we decided to visit the famous restaurant by the Masterchef participant Sarah Todd, for drinks.

The next day we had a morning flight so we decided to get up early and catch the sun rise on the beach.

We had some amazing meoments there in the morning. Though the Sun do not rises from the Arabian Sea, only the sunsets are visible. But early mronings on the beaches are always mind-relaxing.

With a heart full of memories, we bid adieu to Goa with a promise to come back soon.