Thanksgving in Goa

I found myself away from home yet again on Thanksgiving. This makes it three of the last six years I've managed to be in another country, instead of at home with friends and family. Sorry mom, I promise to be home next year.

I did manage to share Thanksgiving with friends, although we had to settle on grilled lobster instead of the standard turkey and stuffing. The funny part of that story is the friends, Jeff & Danielle, live relatively close to me. Probably no more than 3 or 4 miles. Yet we never manage to get together, so we had to do it here - 9,000 miles away from DC! After arriving 4 hours late (never fly Air Deccan if you're in a hurry), we dined on lobster and ice cold Kingfisher beer. Good times. I had a horrible experience on the way back to my hotel, but that'll wait for another post.

If you read my Kolkata post, you may recall how everyone responded when I told them I was going to visit that city. Well Goa also elicits a response from everyone - only this time it's a positive one. Eyes light up and smiles spread. If they've been to Goa, they just say how amazing it is. If they haven't been there, they say how amazing they've heard it is. Now, this being India, my expectations are low. I'd heard how wonderful Pondicherry was, and I thought it generally sucked. But Goa was something entirely different.

Goa was a Portuguese colony from the 1500s until 1961, so it's very different from the rest of India. For one, it's very Catholic. It's also very clean, has good roads and absolutely stunning beaches. It also has beef! Goa also happens to have the highest average income in the country, so it's fairly prosperous. That wealth is due to two major industries: Agriculture and Tourism.

Although India is home to some 700 million people who scrape out a living farming, Goan farms produce expensive commodities like fruits and spices. The tourism industry here is also booming, with some beautiful, world class resorts and tons of smaller, less expensive hotels right off the beach.

I stayed at the Marriott in Panjim. I tried to book a room at one of the Taj resorts, but they were all booked out for the weekend. The hotel is very nice, with vivid colors, comfortable rooms and a really crummy casino. I did not gamble a dime but did walk through to check it out. The sign at the door said "Blackjack" but all I saw were slot machines. I make a point of never gambling outside of Vegas, so I kept my streak alive.

On Saturday I wanted to go see the sites. I asked the hotel about car services and the woman said I could only hire a car for 8 hours minimum for the about 2800 INR ($62). I walked 1 foot outside of the hotel gate and hired a mini van for 900 INR ($20). The driver was very friendly and a good tour guide.

First stop on my tour was Old Goa. It was the capitol of Goa for sometime, before being abandoned in the early 1800s. It's still home to some grand old churches, and also is the home of the remains of St. Francis of Xavier. I dropped by his crypt to say hello, but he's only brought out for viewing once every ten years. I don't think that is enough to get me back here, but who knows.

If you are planning a trip to India, you'd be well advised to end it in Goa. It is the perfect place to recharge after the chaos that is India.