Eating my way through Goa

I have been visiting Goa ever since I was a child. When I think of Goa I see old white-washed churches, beaches that go on forever, restaurants that have unique fusions of food, the crazy trance scene, the hippies, tie and dye shirts, Tito’s, Fenny… I could go on free associating with Goa as I have had so many different experiences there. This visit to Goa was all about food. I literally ate my way through it in the 2 days I was there. Below are the restaurants I visited and highly recommend:

Amigo’s – located below the Nerul bridge near Candolim. It is a small place specializing in Goan food. The menu changes everyday as it depends on what fresh fish is available; so you know the food is going to be great. Call ahead if you want something special. I highly recommend the fish curry rice and crab with garlic butter sauce.

Thalassa Greek Taverna located above Vagator Beach – it is a spot from where the sunset looks absolutely gorgeous – reserve a table and get there before the sun sets (duh!) – the views are breathtaking.   

Lila Café is located in Baga; we went there each morning to get our fill of the amazing coffee, breads and pate’s. One can spend an entire morning being lazy - reading, relaxing and eating the fantastic food.

Savoi Plantation: I could write pages about this place. It is located about 25 km from Panjim (center of Goa). On the day you decide to go (for lunch preferably) make sure you do not eat – you will need your appetite to enjoy this gastronomical delight. The first course consisted of mussels, lobster, tiger prawns and crabs. We then took a break and walked around the plantation’s lush greenery to return to a 15 dish main course. Eating on banana leaves in a tree house only added to this truly unique experience. The food was phenomenal as was the kokum juice that we washed it down with. This is an experience you do not want to miss.
  
Some places that have a fusion theme to it are J&A’s, I 95, Poisson Rouge & Fiesta. Go to these spots if you are yearning for some Italian or French with a Goan flare to it. Below are a few pictures that I took along the way. 

VIEW SLIDE SHOW

Hampi and Badami

By day 2 we were getting used to being tourists in India and were wowed by every aspect of what we saw. Our cameras working over time; we did not want to miss a single shot. We spent the entire second day in Hampi - the capital of the Vijayanagra Empire built between 1336 – 1565 and on the third day we visited the Badami caves that date back to 600 AD; they made of almond colored sandstone and get their name from the stone; almond in Hindi is Badam. The city and the caves were spectacular – I could imagine a civilization flourishing in these surroundings by the banks of the Tungabhadra river. 
As we were exploring Hampi I could not help but compare it to Machu Pichu. We had visited Peru earlier in the year. Both were built around the same time – one was a learning and religious center way up in the mountains and the other was a sprawling capital of an empire that had temples and monuments at every turn. Machu Pichu is made from stone and is a glorious salute to Incan architecture and engineering. While Hampi has beautiful carvings adorning every aspect rich with art and culture. Sadly,  I also noticed was how the Indian government had maintained Hampi; plastic bottles everywhere, graffiti on the walls tarnishing history that goes back thousands of years. In comparison, The Peruvian government has taken the maintenance of Machu Pichu very seriously; restricting the number of tourists that can visit and not allowing visitors to carry anything that would tarnish the the premises. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites that I was fortunate to visit in the same year. Below are some pictures.

Hampi & Badami VIEW SLIDE SHOW

The Golden Chariot - Day 1

The Chariot was Purple not Golden - but felt like a princess in it. The Golden Chariot is a luxury train that travels through Karnataka, India stopping at key places; from where you go on excursions. The three days I spent on the train were phenomenal. At first it felt a little awkward being a tourist in ones own country. I was used to being the guide for people visiting India not the other way around. I soon accepted that being away for almost 10 years would qualify me as a visitor. The train experience was great - I would compare it to a cruise ship but on a train. It had a spa, restaurant, bar and gym. The rooms were small but comfortable.
We joined the train mid-way at Hassan; from where we had excursions to Shravanabelagola famous for the colossal statue of Gommateshwara in the morning; and in the afternoon we visited Belur and Halebidu - cities that are the epicenter of Hoysala architecture. All three places were simply breathtaking. It amazes me how much history, culture and beauty there is in India - we had only barely scratched the surface. Click below to see pictures from the first day aboard GC.

Bombay by Night

Bombay has two sides to her, you can love her or hate her; but at night you can't help but be charmed and mesmerized by this beautiful city. I had interesting experiences (trying) to photograph Bombay at night. As I was clicking a man approached me; he thought I was from a media outlet taking pictures and would not leave until I took a picture of him. Another warned me that I would get arrested for taking pictures because the police would think I was planning a terrorist attack. A third thought I was a lost tourist and offered to help me find my way. Not once did they just let me just take my pictures; but that is India for you everyone is ready to help and poke their nose in your business. It is the way of this country that you can either love or hate. Hope you enjoy the pictures below.

PEDDAR ROAD TRAFFIC: No matter what time of night or day always expect a traffic jam

 

 

 

 

 

 

VICTORIA TERMINUS: Now called Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus; will always be VT to me 

FLORA FOUNTAIN: She has been observing Bombay since 1864 

 

 

ASIATIC LIBRARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANTILIA: The worlds most expensive residence

India - How I Miss Thee

I spent the last three weeks in India. I go to India almost every year; but this time I had the most amazing vacation ever. It was the perfect storm of friends, family, weddings, traveling, food and new experiences. The highlights of the trip were attending 4 weddings - one of which lasted 4 days, traveling by train, visiting beautiful temples and cities in Karnataka, chilling with friends, spending time with the family, eating our way through Goa, visiting my high school and the food - I ate like there was no tomorrow. I took a lot of pictures, I plan on blogging about all of the above and more - so be prepared for an India overload over the next few weeks !
I am going to start with a picture that I took in Karnataka at Shravanabelagola. It is one of my favorite pictures of the trip. I captured a moment when I look at is calming and serene; but in reality there were hundreds of people around us. Photography is all about what you see and not about what exists. Hope this whets your appetite for the next few posts. 

S is for ...

..... Simple, Sincere, Silent or maybe just Spring Street ... which is where I took this picture. I leave tomorrow for India - I am going to my original home but I feel a weird sadness leaving my current one. I think all of us who have lived in more than one continent feels a certain tension between where we lived our initial years and where we are now - growing up as adults.
2010 has been a wonderful year and I hope next year I post more on this blog than I did this year. Merry Christmas and Happy new year to all who may chance upon my post.

   

Red Chili’s and Non-Writing

A chili can be so deceptive. Some are small and cute but when you take a bite it sends your taste buds into a tizzy. In the spirit of not being deceptive then; I really like this picture but have no idea what words go along with it. My first thought was talking about the Chili as an object; but that is boring – what else could I write about that is not so obvious. I would like to be thought provoking with my text; how does one do that when writing about a vegetable? Hold on – just looked it up on Wikipedia, the Chili Pepper is a fruit not a vegetable. Good thing for the internet it has helped me look intelligent (not stupid) many times. What if I wrote about the color RED. I like shots that are bold, this one has a bold red that contrasts well against the dull bark of the tree. Again - I am taking the path of least resistance and writing about the colors in the photograph. I blame my lethargy to write on the Thanksgiving meal that was. So I guess you are going to have to enjoy the picture and get a little insight into the thought process of my non-writing writing.   

Smoking

Over 1.1 Billion people smoke in this world. That is one in three people -> WOW ! Every third person who reads this blog is a smoker. People get into this bad habit because of image, peer pressure or just wanting to prove something at an impressionable age. I feel bad for those who can't stop; but if you really want to do something and you put your mind to it - you can. Most people wait till they have a heart attack or cancer to stop. Tobacco is responsible for one in ten adult deaths. The reason why smokers don't take these facts so seriously is because they believe that it could never happen to them. the danger from smoking is not in your face; It happens over time.
I took this picture outside the Waldorf Astoria in New York. I was quite excited after I took the shot because I got him exactly at the moment he was blowing smoke out. Then I wondered - Why did he start to smoke ? Does he want to quit ? Will he die because of Cancer ? Is he dying of Cancer ?
I have been surrounded by many smokers near and dear to me and I have tried my best to get them to stop. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not - but I keep trying anyway. So this picture & post is for all you smokers - Stop already !     

The Autumn Leaves

The autumn leaves
Drift by the window
The autumn leaves
Of red and gold

I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra thanks to my father who is a Frank Sinatra fanatic. As a kid I would  wonder what Autumn leaves were; I remember thinking maybe it is tree that has red and gold leaves ! This song fits so perfectly with the season. Hope you are enjoying what is left of Fall this year.

Chicago and its Magnificence