A BIT OF GOA– Colva & Old Goa

I know this is very late for publishing the third part, many of you were waiting for this. But due to a tragic accident, we got very disturbed and sad, especially my hubby. So now I picked up the pen and decided to share this good memoir with you.

               So after spending a very happening New year’s welcoming Night, we left Palolem in the morning and hire a car for getting to  Colva. One thing I have noticed about Goan roads is that most of them are very quiet and are covered with green nature. The natural sounds of the Goan road calm the mind. Now let me tell you a little funny story. We asked our car owner about safety on the roads as they were empty(We were thinking about carjacking and snatching). He said yes it’s not totally safe, sometimes wild animals cross the roads. Now think, How honest and safe a place is Goa, it’s like heaven.

Stay at Colva:

At Colva, first, we stayed at Colva Residency which we booked through the Goa Tourism website. The location and room’s interior were perfect, but what bothered us was their behavior. Firstly they didn’t provide us with our promised room, then at the time of checking out, they were demanding enhanced rates without any proper proof. All the charges were paid already at the time of booking, but they were shouting about it. This type of treatment was really unethical, unprofessional, and unexpected. Then we shifted to another hotel in Colva. We moved to La Ben Resort, which is also very near to the beach situated on Colva Beach Road. This is a nice hotel with humble management. They have a very good restaurant also.

Fun in Colva:

After having a sumptuous lunch with Pork Cafreal and mixed fried rice, we took a little rest. Oh, I forgot to mention! You must have to try Cafreal in Goa. Cafreal is a Portuguese dish that later became popular in Goa. It is a very delicious green dish, cooked with the paste of coriander leaves and other spices, you can have chicken or pork Cafreal, and best to have with Goan poi bread and fried rice.

In the afternoon we headed towards the sea beach, Colva beach is not a usual South Goa beach, which is quiet and less crowded. Colva beach is very popular among Indian tourists. So the main beach area is crowded with people, shacks, and hawkers. If you want some silence, you have to walk a mile alongside the beach. But other than that I very much liked the afternoon in the main Colva beach area. You just have to place to sit down and watch. You will see people of various ages from different corners of India enjoying themselves. The kids are playing with the waves, the parents are guarding them, the couples are whispering dreams, the elder people are becoming nostalgic, the boats are coming back from the far, and of course, the setting sun is spreading its enchantment. All this happiness shall make you pleased and calm gradually.

The next morning we decided to visit some of Goa’s most visited places. We hired a cab and our guide cum driver Abdul is a very friendly and happy-to-help person. Apart from beautiful sea beaches, Goa has many places to visit which take at least two days to see properly. Due to lack of time, we decided to visit some of the most famous places of Goa around Panjim.

Abyss:

This marine aquarium was our first stop. It was good and the outside of the aquarium building was decorated with local people and fisherman’s clay idols.  Inside the aquarium, you will find various sea fishes and creatures. Nothing special, but a good place to visit with children and rejuvenate the mind.

Dona Paula:

This place needs no introduction. One of the most beautiful beaches in Goa with a romantic history. Unfortunately that time the park was closed for some construction. We hopped a little bit outside the gate, took a couple of photos, and headed for lunch.

Sumptuous lunch at Darya Deger:

Our tour guide suggested this restaurant. God! This was a hidden gem in old Goa. Yeah, some say, this food here is overpriced but to me, the taste of the food deserves that. This restaurant has open walls and neat seating arrangements. And there are so many trees and plants around, that it almost seems like seating in the lap of nature. We ordered Chicken fried rice, Chicken Kolhapuri. Fresh Lime Soda, Kingfish Rawas fry. All the food items were finger-licking good, especially the Kingfish Rawa fry. This fish fry was totally up to another level. If you get the chance don’t forget to visit this joint.

Basilica of Bom Jesus and Sé Cathedral de Santa Catarina:

After having lunch, with a very satisfied tummy, we resumed our journey to visit the two most popular churches in Goa. One of them is the Basilica of Bom Jesus. This is one of the oldest churches in Goa and is famous for its spiritual as well as historical importance. Basilica of Bom Jesus was founded in the year 1605 and it contains the body of St. Francis Xavier. We found this one uniquely beautiful. The walls were constructed with laterite stone, which made them different from others. You will get the scope to light candles on the altar, we did and our minds became calm. We spend more than one hour there and it was peaceful.

After that, we visited Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina which is just opposite the Basilica, on the other side of the main road. It is also one of the oldest churches in Goa, but they have maintained it so well we became mesmerized by its magnificent appearance. You can see the pictures for yourself. In Se Cathedral, there are several old paintings and a cross of miracles. This cathedral is a religious museum also.

The End              

The next morning, we had to leave Goa for that time but with a good belief that we shall visit Goa again. The Goa tour has given us hope, and energy and taught us many lessons about life.  So this is the final episode of our Goa travelogue. Friends, if you liked our blog, please like and share. Visit our blog for more travel descriptions.

P.S:

We are revisiting Goa this year to celebrate the upcoming New year and attend Sunburn Festival, 2022. Those blogs will be uploaded soon.

Click to read about our experience at Sunburn Festival 2019 here.

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254900cookie-checkA BIT OF GOA– Colva & Old Goayes