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| india |
| goa |
| The former Portugese enclave of Goa makes up the smallest province in India. A tiny speck in the giant sub-continent known for it's relaxed atmosphere, old Christian churches and beautiful beaches. A world away from the rest of India and populated mostly by backpacker-ravers who hold all-night, all-day or even all-week long parties in the various secluded beaches or huge nightclubs by the Arabian sea. I had only planned on spending three days in Goa, but after the exhausting pace of the rest of the India I need a long break and stayed for two weeks. |
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| Palolem beach at the very southern tip of Goa. In my opinion, the nicest beach, still "undiscovered" by the masses and lined by bamboo hut shacks. Falling asleep every night to the sound of the crashing surf and swimming in the warm waters...it was paradise. I stayed for three days. |
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| (Right) An Indian boy with a skewer through his cheek collects donations and puja (offerings) for a Hindu god and (above) a Goan morning. |
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| Panaji (Panjim) is the capital city of Goa. It's a mix of old Portugese architecture and Indian charm, narrow alleyways and old Christian churches. Pictured here are two views of the Church of Immaculate Conception in the centre of town. Panaji was the first port for sailors from Lisbon and they would stop here to give thanks for a safe crossing before continuing on to Old Goa. |
| Panaji |
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| A procession during Easter where effigies of Jesus are carried through the town. |
| The statue of Abbe Faria, a famous Goan hypnotist and his assistant, near the centre of town,. |
| An Indian man and his holy cow collect donations and puja (offerings) for the gods. |
| Old Goa |
| (Above) Se Cathedral, built in 1652, the largest church in Asia and (right) from the inside. |
| Many of the churches had floors paved of old gravestones. |
| The Chapel of St. Catherine. |
| Water buffalo cool off in the shade in front of the Church of St. Cajetan. |
| An intricately carved altar in the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. |
| Hand-carved wood panels adorn a door in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. |
| The ruins of the Church of St. Augustine, completed in 1602, and which collapsed in 1842 after years of neglect. |
| Anjuna and Vagator |
| (Left) The Basilica of Bom Jesus, completed in 1602 and a Chrisian pilgrimage site that contains the (right) incorrupt body of St. Francis Xavier. He died on a small island off China in 1552. His body refused to decompose even after being submerged in several sacks of quicklime. It was declared a miracle by the Church after a careful autopsy in which the doctor proclaimed that even after a year the blood was still fresh. The now dessicated corpse, in a glass coffin, is paraded around the town once every ten years. |
| Anjuna is the centre of Goa's backpacker rave party scene where all-night (and sometimes all-day) parties take place in secluded coves along the shore or in one of the large nightclubs there. Spontaneous raves, beach jam sessions and fire dancing are everywhere. Ecstasy, ketamine, cocaine and hash-hish are readily available as well as some of the cheapest alcohol in India. It's not uncommon to find confused people tripping out and wandering the beaches at all hours of the day. |
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| Anjuna is also known for its famous Wednesday Market where hundreds of vendors from all over Goa congregate and hawk their wares. It's a bit exhausting dealing with everyone but good deals are to be had for the serious shoppers. Everything from tattoos and textiles to jewellery and CD's. |
| (Above) Henna or mendhi stamps and (left) Jessica and Maria from Sweden at the Wednesday Market. |
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| Some people I met at the Paradiso Club on Anjuna: an Estonian and a couple from Portugal. |
| Club Paradiso, Anjuna Beach. |
| Arambol |
| Arambol Beach in the north of Goa is still somewhat undiscovered by the masses. They are coming though and much of Anjuna's now dying party-scene has moved up here. It doesn't even compare to Palolem Beach in the south but nonetheless beautiful and relaxing with warm water, lots of topless girls lying on a long white-sand beach and good surf. |
| Sunset over Vagator beach. |
| The sun through a palm-leaf outside by hut. |
| A view of Vagator from the crumbling Portugese fort on the hill. |
| Vagator Beach by day. |
| Two women in traditional Goan dress dance and sing for money at one of the many restaurant/bars that line the beach. |
| My last day on Arambol was also the Indian festival of Holi (March 26th) when people throw brightly coloured chalk powder on each other all day long. It's a day when the caste system is ignored and the poor and rich can interact. |
| Palolem |