GO GOA.
Before I came to India, Goa was the first place that I wanted to visit outside of Mumbai. Various circumstances, however, kept me from getting down there. It was worth the wait.
Chad picked me up at Prana on Friday afternoon and together we headed to the airport where we were shocked to discover...our flight was delayed! Luckily, Chad had traveled enough in India during the past week that this didn't phase him (or me).
Our flight landed in Goa just as the sun was setting. One thing that I don't think I have adequately described in the blog thus far is the SKY in India. I cannot even begin to tell you how phenomenally beautiful it is (and, of course, pictures don't do it justice). The cloud formations, depth, and colors are otherworldly. The Goan sky as we were landing was nothing short of spectacular.
So we landed, hopped into the car that our hotel had sent for us (with SEATBELTS!) and began the hour long drive to our hotel. Great music (Chad made 3 different "Goa Tea Dance" mixes for the weekend), fresh pineapple juice, and the ride flew by.
The hotel we chose for the weekend, the POUSADA TAUMA, is a secluded little oasis located at one of Goa's popular beaches, Calangute. There were twelve suites, all with different themes (The Castle Suite, The Sea Shell Suite, The Palm Suite, etc.) all situated around a beautiful pool. So, we checked into the Mountain Suite and went for a quick swim before dinner at the hotel's restaurant, THE COPPER BOWL.
When we checked in, we found out that there was only one other couple staying at the hotel that weekend. So, when we showed up at the restaurant, there were only two tables set up: the one that the other couple was already sitting at...and ours. It was actually pretty fun - they recommended which beer I should order: KING'S...
...and we all gabbed about this and that: travel, Mumbai, Goa, copper bowls, etc. Fun stuff. Now, as we were in Goa during off-season, a lot of the restaurants around town were closed. Thankfully for us, The Copper Bowl is one of the best restaurants that I have ever eaten at in my life...everything was phenomenal. Lots of prawns, coconut sauces, and the highlight: Chicken Chakuti.
After dinner, we decided to hit up the Goan party scene which, during season, is supposed to be one of the wildest and craziest in the world. Well, my friends, during off season, it's more like 'a few people get together at this place called 'Mambo's' and drink a few drinks and dance to hard-core hip-hop.' We stayed for a drink, unofficially deemed Mambo's the "Mickey's of India" and went back to the hotel.
The next morning I woke up around 6:30 am. 'A bit early' you say! Shall I set the scene for you? So I wake up on my stomach (Which, I know, I know - the chiropractor says that you should sleep on your back...but I was on vacation). So, I wake up on my stomach and realize that...I'm wet. My initial thought was, 'Oh, I must have been sweating a lot last night.' And then, I realize that I'm sopping wet. 'All right, I was sweating a lot.' And THEN I realize that I am only wet on my stomach and lower body. Naturally, mortified, I lay in bed for a good ten minutes thinking about the situation. I wasn't that drunk when I went to bed...I hadn't dreamt that I went to the bathroom (and even when I have dreamt that I was going to the bathroom in my sleep, I certainly have never wet the bed)...and I haven't peed in my bed since I was like, five...wearing He-Man footie pajamas. SO, how in Ganesh's name did I wet the bed at the ripe old age of 25 in the middle of Goa, India. And then, it hit me...I'm in India. I look up and realize that the roof had been leaking from the rains the entire night and the whole bed was sopping, soaking, drenchingly wet. Oh, India.
So Chad and I were both up at the crack of dawn, and since the whole hotel staff was still sleeping, we decided to walk along the beach. The snaps say it all...
After the beach, we came back to the hotel for a delicious breakfast, which included toasted Goan bread and butter. It makes my heart sing just to remember it. Then, since the Moutain Suite was more like the Soaking Wet Bed Suite, we needed to move to another room. Rather than just picking any random room, we asked to see all of them. Which, although most of them were undergoing monsoon season renovations, was so cool because we got to see the subtle charm unique to each suite. We eventually decided on the Aqua Marine Suite which ROCKED.
This room was so cool and right next to the pool, so we could practically dive into the water from our door. 
Moving luggage, Ayurveda massages, reading by the pool, and lunch, before we headed into town to visit Old Goa Church. The whole time that we were at Old Goa Church, both Chad and I kept saying, 'Ooh, my mom will be so happy that I went to church.' Haha, love you Mom! There was a cute little shopping bazaar across the street where I bought my first India t-shirt...it says, 'It's Better In Goa.' And it really is. I'm so happy that I did this trip after having lived in Mumbai for a few months. I don't think that I could have truly appreciated Goa and it's vibe until I'd lived in the maddening chaos of Mumbai for a time. The whole city has a subtle vibration that is so calming and relaxing - both mentally and physically. It's awesome.
Next we went into the little town of Panjim for some shopping and coffee. Oh, but this was no ordinary coffee...this was coffee from a machine. Delicious!
After a quick stop at the Niyala Hermitage (another nice hotel in Goa, designed by the same architect that did ours), where we had hoped to find a cocktail (but only found a mean barking dog), we came back to our hotel for pre-dinner cocktails and more Goa Tea Dancing. Some Goa Tea Dance highlights: "Kiss the Rain" (who knew it would be this good after all these years...good for you, Billie Myers), "California Dreaming" (how appropriate), "Let The Sunshine" (which was stuck in my head for the rest of the weekend), "Something To Believe In" (like a "gift"), and "Love Is In The Air" (flying flowers EVERYWHERE).
On Saturday morning, the staff had invited us to cook dinner with them that evening. So, Chad and I showed up in the kitchen at 8:30pm with Vodka Red Bulls and cameras in hand, ready to slice, dice, and provide such helpful cooking tips as, "Don't you think you should cut the head off?" I can't even begin to describe the fun we had with these guys. We were all laughing so hard the entire time that the rest of the hotel staff came to gather at the windows to watch us. So, Chad and I went outside and brought everyone in to cook with us. Literally, the entire hotel staff (maids, gardeners, pool boys, receptionists) gathered in the kitchen with us. We took tons of snaps...
Mid-way through the cooking, I brought in my iPod speakers to the kitchen and asked the guys what they wanted to hear. Here's how the requesting went:
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Fitty Cent."
Me: "Um, how about something else?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Xzibit."
Me: "Hmmm, fresh out of Xzibit. What else?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Common?"
(Meanwhile, the whole time, I'm just PRAYING that someone requests Stevie Nicks)
Me: "Mmm, nope. I think I just deleted my last Common song. Anything besides hip-hop?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "BRYAN ADAMS!"
Me: "Oof, we're putting on "Hips Don't Lie" and calling it a day."
So, we finish cooking and go to sit down while they put the finishing touches on our meal. They bring it out, Chad and I take a bite, and say, "Oh! So delicious! Our compliments to the chef!" To which our waiter, Matthew, responds, "Oh! We had two celebrity chefs in from Los Angeles tonight!"...which we'd instructed him to say before we left the kitchen. Great times.
The next morning, we woke up to a dry bed, ate another delicious breakfast, and then headed out to the beach again. Tapas and cucumber cocktails at SHALOM (Seth, you're so lucky you have one of these in Delhi!), where our server told us our two options for vodka were Absolut and WHITE MISCHIEF.
We chose Absolut. Some more shopping, one last quick swim and it was time to head to the airport.
As we were leaving the hotel, Chad asked the guys (who had all gathered in the lobby area for our departure) if they had fun last night. To which they responded, "Oh yes...too MUCH fun!"
Before I came to India, Goa was the first place that I wanted to visit outside of Mumbai. Various circumstances, however, kept me from getting down there. It was worth the wait.
Chad picked me up at Prana on Friday afternoon and together we headed to the airport where we were shocked to discover...our flight was delayed! Luckily, Chad had traveled enough in India during the past week that this didn't phase him (or me).
Our flight landed in Goa just as the sun was setting. One thing that I don't think I have adequately described in the blog thus far is the SKY in India. I cannot even begin to tell you how phenomenally beautiful it is (and, of course, pictures don't do it justice). The cloud formations, depth, and colors are otherworldly. The Goan sky as we were landing was nothing short of spectacular.
So we landed, hopped into the car that our hotel had sent for us (with SEATBELTS!) and began the hour long drive to our hotel. Great music (Chad made 3 different "Goa Tea Dance" mixes for the weekend), fresh pineapple juice, and the ride flew by.
The hotel we chose for the weekend, the POUSADA TAUMA, is a secluded little oasis located at one of Goa's popular beaches, Calangute. There were twelve suites, all with different themes (The Castle Suite, The Sea Shell Suite, The Palm Suite, etc.) all situated around a beautiful pool. So, we checked into the Mountain Suite and went for a quick swim before dinner at the hotel's restaurant, THE COPPER BOWL.
When we checked in, we found out that there was only one other couple staying at the hotel that weekend. So, when we showed up at the restaurant, there were only two tables set up: the one that the other couple was already sitting at...and ours. It was actually pretty fun - they recommended which beer I should order: KING'S...
...and we all gabbed about this and that: travel, Mumbai, Goa, copper bowls, etc. Fun stuff. Now, as we were in Goa during off-season, a lot of the restaurants around town were closed. Thankfully for us, The Copper Bowl is one of the best restaurants that I have ever eaten at in my life...everything was phenomenal. Lots of prawns, coconut sauces, and the highlight: Chicken Chakuti.
After dinner, we decided to hit up the Goan party scene which, during season, is supposed to be one of the wildest and craziest in the world. Well, my friends, during off season, it's more like 'a few people get together at this place called 'Mambo's' and drink a few drinks and dance to hard-core hip-hop.' We stayed for a drink, unofficially deemed Mambo's the "Mickey's of India" and went back to the hotel.
The next morning I woke up around 6:30 am. 'A bit early' you say! Shall I set the scene for you? So I wake up on my stomach (Which, I know, I know - the chiropractor says that you should sleep on your back...but I was on vacation). So, I wake up on my stomach and realize that...I'm wet. My initial thought was, 'Oh, I must have been sweating a lot last night.' And then, I realize that I'm sopping wet. 'All right, I was sweating a lot.' And THEN I realize that I am only wet on my stomach and lower body. Naturally, mortified, I lay in bed for a good ten minutes thinking about the situation. I wasn't that drunk when I went to bed...I hadn't dreamt that I went to the bathroom (and even when I have dreamt that I was going to the bathroom in my sleep, I certainly have never wet the bed)...and I haven't peed in my bed since I was like, five...wearing He-Man footie pajamas. SO, how in Ganesh's name did I wet the bed at the ripe old age of 25 in the middle of Goa, India. And then, it hit me...I'm in India. I look up and realize that the roof had been leaking from the rains the entire night and the whole bed was sopping, soaking, drenchingly wet. Oh, India.
So Chad and I were both up at the crack of dawn, and since the whole hotel staff was still sleeping, we decided to walk along the beach. The snaps say it all...
After the beach, we came back to the hotel for a delicious breakfast, which included toasted Goan bread and butter. It makes my heart sing just to remember it. Then, since the Moutain Suite was more like the Soaking Wet Bed Suite, we needed to move to another room. Rather than just picking any random room, we asked to see all of them. Which, although most of them were undergoing monsoon season renovations, was so cool because we got to see the subtle charm unique to each suite. We eventually decided on the Aqua Marine Suite which ROCKED.
This room was so cool and right next to the pool, so we could practically dive into the water from our door. 
Moving luggage, Ayurveda massages, reading by the pool, and lunch, before we headed into town to visit Old Goa Church. The whole time that we were at Old Goa Church, both Chad and I kept saying, 'Ooh, my mom will be so happy that I went to church.' Haha, love you Mom! There was a cute little shopping bazaar across the street where I bought my first India t-shirt...it says, 'It's Better In Goa.' And it really is. I'm so happy that I did this trip after having lived in Mumbai for a few months. I don't think that I could have truly appreciated Goa and it's vibe until I'd lived in the maddening chaos of Mumbai for a time. The whole city has a subtle vibration that is so calming and relaxing - both mentally and physically. It's awesome.
Next we went into the little town of Panjim for some shopping and coffee. Oh, but this was no ordinary coffee...this was coffee from a machine. Delicious!
After a quick stop at the Niyala Hermitage (another nice hotel in Goa, designed by the same architect that did ours), where we had hoped to find a cocktail (but only found a mean barking dog), we came back to our hotel for pre-dinner cocktails and more Goa Tea Dancing. Some Goa Tea Dance highlights: "Kiss the Rain" (who knew it would be this good after all these years...good for you, Billie Myers), "California Dreaming" (how appropriate), "Let The Sunshine" (which was stuck in my head for the rest of the weekend), "Something To Believe In" (like a "gift"), and "Love Is In The Air" (flying flowers EVERYWHERE).
On Saturday morning, the staff had invited us to cook dinner with them that evening. So, Chad and I showed up in the kitchen at 8:30pm with Vodka Red Bulls and cameras in hand, ready to slice, dice, and provide such helpful cooking tips as, "Don't you think you should cut the head off?" I can't even begin to describe the fun we had with these guys. We were all laughing so hard the entire time that the rest of the hotel staff came to gather at the windows to watch us. So, Chad and I went outside and brought everyone in to cook with us. Literally, the entire hotel staff (maids, gardeners, pool boys, receptionists) gathered in the kitchen with us. We took tons of snaps...
Mid-way through the cooking, I brought in my iPod speakers to the kitchen and asked the guys what they wanted to hear. Here's how the requesting went:
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Fitty Cent."
Me: "Um, how about something else?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Xzibit."
Me: "Hmmm, fresh out of Xzibit. What else?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "Common?"
(Meanwhile, the whole time, I'm just PRAYING that someone requests Stevie Nicks)
Me: "Mmm, nope. I think I just deleted my last Common song. Anything besides hip-hop?"
Pousada Tauma Staff: "BRYAN ADAMS!"
Me: "Oof, we're putting on "Hips Don't Lie" and calling it a day."
So, we finish cooking and go to sit down while they put the finishing touches on our meal. They bring it out, Chad and I take a bite, and say, "Oh! So delicious! Our compliments to the chef!" To which our waiter, Matthew, responds, "Oh! We had two celebrity chefs in from Los Angeles tonight!"...which we'd instructed him to say before we left the kitchen. Great times.
The next morning, we woke up to a dry bed, ate another delicious breakfast, and then headed out to the beach again. Tapas and cucumber cocktails at SHALOM (Seth, you're so lucky you have one of these in Delhi!), where our server told us our two options for vodka were Absolut and WHITE MISCHIEF.
We chose Absolut. Some more shopping, one last quick swim and it was time to head to the airport.
As we were leaving the hotel, Chad asked the guys (who had all gathered in the lobby area for our departure) if they had fun last night. To which they responded, "Oh yes...too MUCH fun!"
posted by Steven | 8:07 AM
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