India

A Trip To Goa: Guide To Top Spots In Goa

May 14, 2020 by John Gentry Leave a Comment

The cold winds of November had just begun and we could tell that the winter is arriving, by the peculiar fragrance that it brings along in North India. On one such cold, November morning in 2019, we began our journey to Goa via flight from Delhi. Already dazzled by the thought of going to Goa, the dream destination for almost everyone, I had been packing the bags for months and impatiently waiting for the day when I arrive in Goa. I had planned this trip for almost half a year then wanted to roam all around. My trip experience might layout a fantastic insight into the possibilities and a Greater impression of what exactly you will experience if you’re planning a holiday to Goa. Hoping to capture some Goa sunshine, culture, and character.

I had heard so much about the place that as soon as we arrived there after a 4-hour journey, overwhelmed with the beauty, we forgot all the tiredness and fatigue. We already had booked out an apartment via Airbnb in Arpora, located in north Goa. You will have plenty of options to stay in Goa, you can stay in a luxurious 5-star resort, as well as easily find vibrant Hostel stays starting from just INR 500 per person. We choose Arpora to stay, as it is located centrally, from which we could easily explore the surrounding beaches of Baga and Calangute. Additionally, The Inland village of Arpora, also gives you the luxury to be able to head back to your rural retreat at the end of a busy day.

Transportation in Goa

Getting around Goa is not much of an issue. There are various transportation options available while you roam about in the city. There are privately operated buses connecting major towns of Goa and rural areas. If you’re landing onto the airport, you can easily hire a private taxi at a reasonable price. While roaming about in the city, the most preferred mode of transport here is self-driven bikes. These bikes are easily available on rent everywhere at as cheap as INR 300 for a day. These scooter bikes allow you to explore local places swiftly through narrow roads of Goa.

The Beaches in Goa

Goa’s popularity lies in its beaches; it is what Goa is famous for. They are the famous top spots in Goa. Tourists from all over the world travel all the way to Goa just to rejuvenate, reconnect, and enjoy. So like everybody else, we first hit the beach and spent almost a day there at the Calangute beach. Goa is popular for many other beaches such as the Baga beach, whose creek merges with the Arabian Sea. Baga beach has beach shacks and other side eateries which serve exquisite seafood, something that shouldn’t be miss in Goa. The Colva beach is just another gorgeous beach in Goa, which is covered with white sand. Then comes the Vagator beach, Anjuna beach, and several other beaches, for which Goa is known for across the globe. And Special mentions for my favorite, Arambol Beach. It’s probably the cleanest and Silent beach, located furthermost north to all beaches in Goa. The best time to be on Arambol beach is the Evening time, where you can experience the euphonious music beats by drum circle, which will make your soul dance and celebrate Goa’s majestic twilight.

evening time in arambol beach — Arambol Beach, Drum Circle In Evening

Water Sports in Goa

In Goa you will find ample opportunities for adventure enthusiasts to explore the waters in as many ways possible as you want. As Adventure lovers, we too thought of getting the best of this exciting land! We opted for a water sport package which included boat ride to Grande Island, Parasailing, Scuba diving, Banana Tube Boat Ride, and Jet Skiing. The experience I had while doing each activity was worth each penny spent. The Boat ride to Grande Island is in itself a worthwhile experience. Making a way through tides you will see merchant’s bungalow, Aguada fort, central jail, and mesmerizing beach views from the mid-sea. Not to forget if you’re lucky, you can also experience dolphins twirling in the way.

As we reached the Grande Island, It was time to have some adrenaline rush and enter the marine territory by much-awaited scuba diving. Here water depth ranges from 7-20 meters and you’ll find fishes, sea turtles, shellfish, and other exotic and colorful corals. Prior to the dive, you’ll be given a 20 minutes training session explaining all the dos and don’ts while we go underwater. A scuba instructor takes you inside the water to have an experience worth a lifetime. The shallow clear water conditions make this place ideal for diving for beginners as well as for expert divers.

Other water sport activities too are fun to experience, which can be done at most of the beaches in Goa. You can enjoy the thrill of flying in the sky and mesmerize the blue water of the Arabian Sea from high up by parasailing as well experience riding Water scooter through the splashing water tides, a complete combination of speed and thrill. If you’re with friends, don’t forget to experience a banana boat ride. The banana-shaped yellow boat is connected to a speedboat, which runs at a lightning speed and is made to flung off the passengers in the sea, and passengers have to start again by making to the boat again, which is an insane fun!

Nightlife in Goa

Goa can be said to be India’s Party Capital. As the sun goes down, you can experience groovy foot-tapping music at the beach. This happens at most of the beaches in Goa which makes Goa a hot spot for party animals. Whether you want to go crazy in glamorous nightclubs or want to sway with the music on wild beach shacks, Goa is the place to be! If you’re looking for good nightclubs, Tito’s Pub, LPK, SinQ and Club Cabana are the pick of them all and if you wish to have a party while adoring soothing sea view, Curlies Beach Shack is oldest yet the best option, located besides Anjuna Beach. Besides all days are party nights at Curlies, it has special night party events on Mondays as a Techno party and on Thursday as a Trance music party. Other than these, you have numerous party options spread over Tito’s lane offering all types of music from retro to hip hop, Trance to Techno, or from live bands to exploding Live Dj’s.

Arpora Saturday Flea Market — Scene at Saturday Night Flea Market, Arpora

It’s just not about the party that makes Goa’s nightlife magnetic, if you’re a shopping freak, you can explore the shops around Tito’s Lane, which are open all night. Saturday night flea market is yet another buzzing marketplace located in Arpora. This place is not just a great option for shopping but it also offers great Goa culture ambiance. In this hippie market you can enjoy live music, get a taste of delicious local food, shop for clothes, bags, antique jewelry, and much more. There are many party zones within the market for revelers to go crazy. So all in all, this market offers an exciting mix of shopping in a party atmosphere.

Chopara Fort, Goa

Chopara Fort, is the yet another famous destination amongst tourists visiting Goa. It is also known as “Dil Chahta Hai Fort” named after a famous Bollywood movie which was shot there. It has a historical importance as well. Present structure of the fort was built back in 1717, which was acquired by various rulers for varied periods of time. It is located from 10kms from Mapusa & rise up over the river Chopara. This location offers a scenic view from the Top and is an instagrammable place to capture beautiful photographs. One thing to remember if you’re going there, carry along water bottle with you, as it’s located at an height and you have to climb numerous large stairs to reach to the top of the fort.

Parra Road, Goa

This is yet another most famous Instagrammable place in Goa. A narrow road, lined up by palm trees on both sides makes this a perfect picturesque road in Goa. This road can also be spotted in various famous Bollywood movie shots. A road trip through these lush coconut trees is a must and you will not be able to resist yourself for stopping by and witnessing nature at its peak beauty. The exquisite lanes of Parra village also lead to the famous Church of St. Anne, you can visit that too.

The Lipsmacking Goan Cuisine

Three things people come to Goa for are its beaches, party, and seafood and I so badly wanted to try Goan cuisines. We went to a restaurant near our apartment, where the live orchestra was going on. Goa is home to some of the most exquisite dishes, of which I vividly remember having the chicken xacuti, which consists of poppy seeds and Kashmiri red chilies. The dish is influenced by Portuguese and has chicken, potatoes, onions, coconut, and chilies. We found out that this is one of the most famous dishes of Goa and one should definitely try it out while holidaying here.

The sorak that we had with the chicken xacuti is yet another most demanded dish in Goa. It is a simple vegetarian curry made out of spices, onions, and tomatoes. This curry is eaten with rice or dry fish.
The smarachi kodi is a dry prawn curry which we had for all seven days that we stayed in Goa and it was just heavenly.
The bebinca is a popular and most loved desert of Goa. It is made out of coconut oil, flour, sugar, and eggs. Made into a layered cake and served with ice cream. I can never forget the taste of this desert ever.

The Churches in Goa

Churches in Goa are visited by people all over the world. The Portuguese rulers have left behind some of the most beautiful, majestic, and enigmatic churches in history which are simply architectural marvels and whose designs are as grand as the culture of Goa.

The is a UNESCO site and by far the most famous church in Goa. It was built in the 16^th century and contains the mortal remains of St. Francis Xaviers. It is also believed that one can find lost things by praying at this church and as difficult as it might be for some to believe, we surprisingly had positive results.
Se Cathedral is another magnificent church in Goa and is the largest of all with immense religious importance.

St. Cajetan church is another beautiful monument in Velha Goa and is a captivating reminder of the Portuguese rule in India.
The blend of Tuscan, Baroque, and Corinthian architecture is what makes the church of St. Francis Asisi a significant monument.

The Culture of Goa

People living in Goa are called Goans, with Goa being a perfect blend of Indian and western cultures. People of several religions can be found here. Goa has been under the western influence for so many years which is why people here are more open-minded and secular and though the size of the state is smaller as compared to other states of India, its culture is as rich as that of any other state. We found fishing as the most popular occupation here along with the cashew, coconut, and jackfruit farming.

Apart from this, of course, tourism is the most sought occupation in Goa for obvious reasons. Besides, we found some categorically stunning jewellery and showpieces for home decor. Goans are fond of performing arts which is why Goff talgadi and Shigmo, Dekhni dance are some of the popular dances of Goa. The infamous Pano Bhaju that we came across in Goa which is a 9-yard saree is what Goa is popular for. The attire for tribals in Goa, which is known as kashti is something we found when we met the tribals in Goa

Conclusion

A place that offers peace and serenity, beaches that soothe your eyes, food that satisfies your soul, churches which display the talent of architects and the culture everything in Goa makes you experience a whole new world. Adventure sports, unique culture, rich history, magnificent architecture, moderate weather, scenic beauty of beaches richly adorned with sunrise and sunsets attract tourists from all over the world. For More Places to Travel in Asia, Read more articles here.

17 Famous Indian Dishes During Lockdown : Make Cooking As Your Favorite Pass Time!

April 7, 2020 by John Gentry 2 Comments

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world”- J.R.R Tolkien.

Has not sitting at home been arid, lifeless, and unimaginably monotonous? Have you not, in the past few days thought of just running away, leaving your current life behind? Well, as soothing as that does sound unless you want to be another victim of the virus that has caused serious turmoil across the globe, sitting at home is perhaps the maximum that you can do. While that is good news for some, for the rest, there is actually a lot that can be done while sitting at home. Connecting with yourself, with your hobbies and passion, exercising or cooking are a few things you can easily do while you are at home. Cooking, for instance, although it seems difficult, with the current lockdown, there are actually a few dishes you can learn or cook at home without leaving your house, perhaps with all the stuff available in your house. Now, as parlous as some men entering the kitchen might be, it is definitely worth a try instead of snivelling about the monotony.

1. Try Mint Cucumber Raita

If you have never tried a hand at cooking and are also worried about another tragedy happening at home, the mint cucumber raita might just be the dish for you.
All you have to do is make a Raita using mint, cucumber, and yogurt. This dish is found with every Indian meal and is quite refreshing for those hot summer days.

2. How about preparing Dal Palak’s Shorba/ lentil and Spinach soup?

Cooking this soup should not take you more than forty-five minutes. It has to be prepared with spinach and lentils and can be eaten with bread.
Easy to cook, this dish could be really something you want to cook at home.

3. Overcome your chicken cravings with delicious Chicken Tikka Masala

If there is a chicken shop near you, or somewhere you get packed chicken, chicken tikka masala is perhaps another delicious dish one should definitely try at least once in their lifetime.
Getting yogurt, salt, and the spices in one bowl and whisking them together would be step one until they have blended together properly.
Then put the chicken pieces with the mixture and mix it until it is well-coated. Refrigerating it for one hour should be enough. Later pre-heat the broiler set on oven rack in top position and broil the chicken on the prepared rack until the top turns brown, flip and repeat.
When the sauce along with this is prepared, dip the chicken pieces into this sauce and enjoy!

4. Plain basmati rice, Fried rice, Pulav or Biryani as your lockdown to-do list

The basmati rice is the most popular Indian dish which is also easy to cook. At this time of a lockdown, essential products such as rice are widely available.
Basmati is fragrant and nutty-tasting rice which is grown in the Himalayas. When cooked, it becomes light and fluffy and the fragrance while eating is just splendid. This incredible dish can be eaten with curry too.
Taking it one step further, you can also try your culinary skills on Fried rice, Pulav, and Biryani, which are other delicious versions of the plain basmati rice. All you need is your favorite chopped veggies or chicken pieces to prepare these lip-smacking rice dishes.

5. Nothing can be better than a Homemade Naan during this lockdown

Sitting on your couch, wondering when the lockdown would be lifted, the foodies in there might be missing food from their regular restaurant which has been shut now. Perhaps a few dishes such as the Naan can be made at home.
The Indian Naan is popular for its soft nature and is traditionally made in tandoor.
All you need is flour, yeast sugar, olive oil, anise seeds, yogurt, and salt. Mix them well to turn into dough.
Knead it a few times and sprinkle some flour on it. Divide the dough into pieces, flatten up each piece and place it on a hot and dry skillet until the surface is full of air bubbles and black spots. Flip and repeat.

6. Easy to prepare Aloo Tikki without having to go out

Aaloo tikki can be thought of as delicious Indian potato fritters. It is made out of potatoes and several Indian spices formed into patties and then fried in oil.
Aaloo tikki can be easily found on streets and food markets, only they’ve been shut down now. So a dish such as Aaloo tikki is one of the best and easiest dishes to be learned at home during a lockdown.

7. When you have plenty of potatoes around you, why not try Samosas!

Samosas live in the heart of almost every Indian. The dish is so popular that one can find stalls of samosa vendors on every nook and corner of Indian streets.
These are appetizers made with flaky pastry enveloping potato pieces and vegetables; peas specifically and are folded into triangles, fried and served with chutneys.

8. For all the boring evenings of these days, Pakora bhaji can be a magic

This is another symbolic dish popular among other Indian dishes.

Vegetables are battered and deep-fried.
Onion is the simple but magic ingredient in this specific dish and is enjoyed with chutney.

There is nothing as delightful and satisfyingly soul-enriching as having pakora bhajis with chutney, sitting at home, on a rainy day. It would work best for these lockdown days as well!

9. Chana Dal; a superfood worth giving a try

You can prepare a chana dal for lunch or even dinner. It basically consists of split chickpeas stewed with spices like turmeric.
Dal also refers to similar other legumes such as peas, kidney beans, and lentils.

10. Aloo Gobi; make it how you like it

Perhaps potatoes are extensively available as essential items during a lockdown and can be therefore put to use in numerous ways. Cooking Aaloo gobi being one such way.

Made with potatoes and cauliflower that are cooked in garlic, turmeric, and ginger and other spices.
Since it isn’t served as a stew or in a sauce, aloo gobi is a bit spicier and drier and tastes best with raita and chapatti.

11. Apple Chutney; eat it the way you like- simple, easy, and quick

The main ingredients used in this scrumptious dish are apple, spices, vinegar, and sweetener.
Chutney is a traditional Indian recipe made usually with veggies, coconuts, spices, nuts, and herbs.

Chutneys have a miscellaneous nature as every part of India serves its own special and specific type of chutney.

12. Chole; the only dish that can be paired with a number of others

Chole is one of the most popular dishes of India, served at almost all Indian restaurants. But why not bring a restaurant to your home. Cooking chole is easy as well as less tiring and kids tend to love the dish.
Chickpeas are cooked in delicious and spicy gravy and served with either bhatura, kulcha, rice, naan, and the list is endless.
When this Chole is served with a bhatura, it tastes incredible. Chola bhatura is served at many dhabas and almost every restaurant. So why not turn your home into a dhaba this time for your family!

13. Naankhatai; the perfect all-time snack to munch on

The crispiness, light look, and cookie-like features make Naankhatai extremely popular in India.
Nankhatais are made with flour, ghee, cardamom powder, and sugar. These are traditional Indian shortbread cookies, made with all-purpose flour, sugar, ghee, and semolina as well

These cookies are famous because they are prepared at home only. So nankhatai can be placed somewhere on your “to-do list”.

14. Jalebi; the everyone’s favorite

Jalebis can be prepared within the half-hour. Jalebi is the most popular dessert in India.
Jalebis are crispy, juicy and delicious and are served almost at every Indian wedding. Although attending a wedding to eat jalebis today seems like building a castle in the air, preparing Jalebis at home is not.
All you need is flour, turmeric, soda, sugar lemon juice and cardamom powder, ghee and so on and though numerous ingredients are required, preparing this dish will not take more than 230 minutes.

15. Pav bhaji; certainly, the best thing to make with all that you have

Pav bhaji is a typical Indian dish with the perfect and delicious blend of mixed veggies cooked along with butter and spices which is served along with soft butter-tasted buns.
Pav is a traditional Indian bread and bhaji is mashed vegetables cooked with spice powder. Cooking pav bhaji is quite easy during a time such as a lockdown.

16. Shrikhand; let not the lockdown lock up your sweet tooth

Shrikhand is yet another exotic dish of Indian origin. This is a sweet dish made using hung curd and powdered sugar and is specially eaten with puri.
Three basic and most important ingredients are necessary for preparing shrikhand.

Powdered sugar 2. Fresh plain yogurt 3. Any flavoring of your choice.

Shrikhand, therefore, can be prepared along with puris. This actually becomes a treat, especially during summer.

17. Idli sambar; when just dal is all that you have, make something exotic

This dish is a popular south Indian breakfast and is very healthy too.
Basic veggies used in this dish are carrots, beans and shallots, and toor dal.
All you need to do is cooking the dal along with veggies and sambar powder in it. This should not take more than thirty-five minutes.
For idlis, you need fermented rice and lentil batter, which is steam-cooked on an idli stand

This dish is already popularly eaten during lunch and can be cooked at home with easy steps and minimum time.

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Conclusion

With what has been going around us and the precarious lockdown that has been established, there seems to be one good result of it, perhaps an opportunity for us to consider our lives and our health. So it is good to start with healthy cooking!

If you looking for any another food check out our food travel guide. And, one thing is for sure, you don’t always have to go out to enjoy your favorite dish! Home it is; these days!

P.S: Do wash your hands before preparing any of these dishes.