A view similar to the one we had from our room at the Leela.
The lounge area at the Leela where we spent some time.
The pool area where we spent a great deal of time.
A woman in a typical Indian bathing suit (yes it is 2012 not 1912)
Our last outing in India was to a couple of areas in Goa for what was like a Caribbean vacation for us. We stayed at the Leela for part of it, which was a very nice resort. It was the first time in the last couple of weeks that I did not feel homesick. We were actually able to sleep with the door open because there was a screen and we could hear the birds and sounds of nature, something I have been missing very much. It was a great place to enjoy nature and we did a lot of bird watching. The resort was so nice that we never left it and just enjoyed the outdoors there during our stay. Goa is not as conservative as the rest of India so I felt more comfortable dressing in shorts and regular summer attire there. The conservative influence was still present and obvious, especially in bathing wear. We were lucky and had pretty good weather for most of it. It was also nice to be there during the off season so it was not too crowded. The season will really start up in October once the monsoon season ends.
Fishing boats on the beach in Goa
The morning catch
I don't know why but we found a lot of shoes on the beach as well as other trash
Hawkers on the beach in Goa
The beach was a short walk and we took several walks on the beach. During our morning walks we were able to see the fishermen bringing in their catch. It also rained more in the morning which was nice since we have not experienced very much of the monsoon season in Hyderabad. Unfortunately, like other areas in India there was a great deal of garbage on the beach. Most of it looked like it had washed up from the Arabian Sea. Our experiences here have made us think a lot about the use of plastics worldwide. There were also hawkers on the beach, as in most places where there are tourists, but I must have been more in the mood for it because I enjoyed the banter with them here more than usual. I had to buy a little something from each one of course, they know how to play tourists.
Crazy Americans partying again
The remains of Saint Francis Xavier
Old Basilica built by the Portugeuse in Old Goa
Jon entering the spice plantation
Spice plantation and still for making cashew fenny (hard liquor)
View from Chapora Fort in Goa
View from Chapora Fort
To keep down the expense we moved to the Lemontree for the last couple of days of our visit to Goa. It was average compared to the luxury we enjoyed at the Leela. We probably liked the pool bar the most. We did do some sighting here too. We saw a couple of old Catholic Churches. Catholicism is a major religion in this area; a legacy from the Portuguese who traded here. In one of the churches we saw the remains of Saint Francis Xavier. I think I was able to see his corpse through the glass but it was hard to tell. We went to an organic spice plantation which was very interesting. A very lovely young lady gave us a tour and educated us on a lot we did not know about the growing of spices we enjoy everyday. Finally, we visited the remains of an old fort occupied by the Portuguese but built before their arrival, which had a great view of the sea. Overall, I enjoyed Goa and would return there again if possible. I got the impression that people who live here are pretty happy and have a decent life, which is not something that I think is true for all areas in India.
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