Goa

It’s a relief to get back to ocean breezes; the overnight bus from Hampi (= little sleep) arrived at the coastal city of Panaji early morning.

Overnight bus fun and arriving at daybreak

We take the local bus half an hour up the Mandovi river to Old Goa. It is a small village now but as the Portuguese colony capital in the 1500s it had a population of 200,000.

Spending the night at the Old Goa Residency (govn run, clear love for long hand everything) we spent the day exploring the major sites and just roaming.

Sé Cathédral (1562) and it’s incense thurible.

Bottom right: the Basilica of Bom Jesus (containing relics of St Francis Xavier). Great view, seafood and chat at River Isle Restaurant.

We are back to city of Panaji the next day and a cultural bike tour (bLive Electric Bike Tours) in the old section.

Indian-Portuguese vibe here – archetecture and food.

Fresh lime drinks to sacred spring to Audiophile Goa, a young outfit promoting vinyl sound.

We negotiate three taxi rides through bLive bikes.

First up… the Saturday night market town, Arpora:

En route, and across new bridge…

Arpora night market, our villa-turned-hostel and dining spot.

Next we head a couple of hours south to a currently quiet spot: Galibaga Beach (south of better known Palolem beach).

Galibaga Beach will likely change significantly once the highway currently under construction is completed.

For now it is magnificent .

Young men working in ours and neighbouring guesthouses/restaurants play cricket in their free time

Our tent house on right and our view/grounds.

A stroll around the village shows a lot is as yet unchanged.

Our taxi returns us north for an overnight stay in Vasco da Gama, still on the Arabian Sea, near the airport.

Our new young driver tries his luck crossing narrow bridge, cutting our travel time in half; famous Goan sausage.

Last beach of our trip. Cheers!