Goa
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Where to stay and eat on a budget in the Campal area of Panjim
In August 2022 we went on a self-curated cultural tour of Panjim, Goa. We wanted to stay in the most peaceful and green neighbourhood so we chose this area. Campal Gardens, a huge green area with big trees and gardens, is just across the main road. River Mandovi is easily accessible from there. Stay We stayed at the quaint Vivenda Rebello Homestay, a refurbished Portuguese-era house with several clean rooms in its ground and first floor. The Portuguese era wooden furniture and the azulejo (hand painted tin glazed tiles) embedded wooden table cast a charm of the bygone days. Most importantly, the host, Derc, is an extremely helpful and informative…
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AAA – All About Alcohol Museum in Goa
In India, if there is to be a museum on alcohol, it has got to be in Goa. AAA is the All About Alcohol Museum located near Candolim beach in Goa. The museum is a tribute to alcohol with special emphasis on feni, the indigenous drink of Goa. The museum, founded by businessman Nandan Kudchadkar, flaunts his versatile collection of a myriad things related to the art of drinking and liquor making. I had read about AAA previously and visiting this museum was on my mind for my August trip to Goa. Sitting in Miramar beach in Panjim, I called AAA and asked if they will be conducting a guided…
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A nature walk at Socorro Plateau: The other Goa
The weather apps have forecasted heavy to very heavy downpour in North Goa on that August day. Sitting in Panjim, I wonder if we would be able to attend the guided nature walk scheduled at Socorro Plateau, a laterite plateau with lush monsoon grass cover, the next day. Socorro Plateau is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the last remaining bastions of undisturbed nature in Goa. It is around 18 kilometres from Panjim city. The Socorro Plateau walk is all about appreciating the beauty and oddities of tiny flora and fauna. It is monsoon and we are here to watch and learn more about the monsoon ecosystem of Socorro. You…
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How to find local Goan food and tavern in Panjim
It is a breezy and cloudy August day. Equipped with two umbrellas and wearing walking shoes, we wait by the Panjim Post Office. We are ready to “find” local Goan food in Panjim. In about 5 minutes Binita arrives riding a scooty. She greets us and gives an orientation by the gates of the Post Office. We have signed up for the “Secret Food and Tavern Trail in Panjim” – a walking tour, from the portal of Soul Travelling. We are also joined by two other members of team Soul Travelling. I have signed up for this tour in my search to see “offbeat Goa”. I was sure Goa is…
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Live music in Panjim: All about Madragoa
Navigating the streets of Panjim, we finally find our destination bang opposite river Mandovi. We ignore the neon lights of the casinos, show our bookings, and walk up the wooden staircase. A chandelier lights up an azulejo, Portuguese-era hand painted glazed colour tiles. We walk into a room full of framed azulejos. Then we enter the heart of the building – the performance hall. We are at Madragoa for a one-of-a-kind concert of fado and mando. Under the umbrella of CIPA in a many -years old Portuguese building, Madragoa is hosted. The organisers tag Madragoa as ‘The first house of Fado and Mando’. Both Fado and Mando are genres of…
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Offbeat Goa: How to drink feni like a pro
It is blisteringly hot outside. Perched inside the car I wonder if this is a good decision at all. In the April heat, I will be walking outdoors and sipping a strong local country liquor — feni. I want to learn how is feni made and how to drink feni. In my quest to find offbeat Goa (I write from the perspective of a non-local obviously) I have signed myself and husfriend for a feni-pairing experience offered by Fazenda Cazulo and showcased in the app Urbanaut. It is called the “Floating Feni” experience. Our car rolls into a forest area and drops us in a place that looks like the…
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What to eat in Goa : Our affair with Goan Cuisine
Goa is the smallest state of India. Standing on the shore of the Arabian Sea in Western India, Goa was a Portuguese colony for as long as 450 years. In 1961 it was annexed by India. The long rule of the Portuguese has left a tremendous mark on the socioeconomic fabric of Goa, one of them being the unique Goan cuisine. When, after living so close to Goa for one and half years, finally the chance to visit this coastal state presented itself, I found myself combing the internet to delve deep into Goan food. Having local food is always one of the experiences that we prioritize. When we finally…
