We left Karwar on morning of 20th August after night stay there at Sterling Emrald Bay Resort. Sumit Goel, Shubha’s father was nice enough to lend us a car from their Karwar office to show us around Karwar and then drop us at our Hotel in Goa. We wanted to visit war museum in Karwar, which was made in a decommissioned war ship of Indian Navy, INS Chapal . This was my first experience aboard an actual war ship. It was interesting to see missiles and torpedos which were part of this ship. We reached our hotel in Goa, a beach resort between Calangute and Candolim beaches by noon time. Drive was scenic, all thru costal road with Arabian Sea on one side and lush green hills on other side.
Next day we went to beach at 8am for early morning walk. It was 10 minutes walk from our hotel. Morning sun was rising and weather was pleasant with cool sea breeze . We walked bare foot on the shore with tides wetting us upto knees . Beach was very clean with golden sand shining in sun light. There were many other early risers who had come to Beach. Few of them were getting ready to take bath. We walked up to Calangute beach about 2 km up north , sat their for some time and then came back to hotel thru main road.
In the evening we went to Taj Fort Aguada hotel, which is right at corner of 16th century Fort . We wanted to watch sunset from here but due to cloudy weather we could not witness sunset. Had couple of drinks and dinner at sea side restaurant of Taj and came back.
Next day we took tour bus for south Goa tourist attractions, Donna Paula, Miramar Beach, Churches in Old Goa, few temples on the way and finally a cruise on Mandovi river in the evening . The best point was visit to 16th century old Basilica of BOM Jejus. It is a world heritage site and has emerged as a landmark of Christianity in India. The relics of Saint Francis Zavier are still lying here for last more than 400 years in the casket and are taken out once every 10 years for public viewing, next being due in 2024. Amazing thing is that it is not a mummy conserved using chemicals.
The grand finale of the tour was a cruise down the Mandovi river upto Arabian Sea. It was a large boat with three decks and DJ playing music and people dancing to popular Bollywood numbers. We came back to hotel very tired and slept early.
Next day, we went on tour of North Goa beaches, prominent being Vagator and Anjuna beach. Last one used to be a nude beach , when I visited the place 40 years back and spent a night there with some cute nude white chicks. Now with india becoming conscious of its cultural values, they have put a stop on nudity at public beaches.
We left Goa for our next destination, Hubli in the afternoon of 24th August by Train, Chennai Express made famous by Bollywood movie of the same name.
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