La Capitol Hotel Panaji

... vistas dominated by well kept coconuts and palms and gardens and beautiful large Latin mansions, we didn't mind.
We stepped off the bus to the sight of large cathedrals and churches and basilicas in every direction, and only a few shops in every direction. It seemed that people didn't really live in this city, but maybe God did. So we walked through the several churches from the Chapel of st Catherine to the Cathedral of St Francis of Assisi to SE Cathedral round ...

... head 50 km to the most Northern point of Goa, Arambol.
It's quite similar to Palolem and not as touristy/busy/psy-tranced out as other Northern Goan beaches such as Vagator & Anjuna, so to us this seems like a good option. We've got 4 more nights from tomorrow before we fly out to Delhi and then on to Kathmandu - after the stormy few days in Palolem we need more sun and sea action before mountains and Himalayan trekking beckons.

... nase a nase mit de inder sehr wiit fahre :-) Vo da us haemer au old goa bsuecht, was nur no us paar chile vode portugiese bestaht...kaes highlight fuer so starch glaeubigi maensche wie mir :-) De alex haet no doerfe es wiiters abentuer erlaebe...hoerlidieb uf indisch! mer haend aextra abklaert, oeb de coiffeur e maschine haet, zum alles glichmaessig abhaue und tatsaechlich isch ...

Arrived in Panaji/Panjim on the Early bus, first time since we arrived in Goa that we felt like we were in India real. The Town has a colonial Portuguese feel and area alongside a very Indian part to the town, the market being our particular highlight. This is the first place on our travels we have found that people love to be asked to pose for a photo, as long as they ...

After all the fun in Mumbai, we finally got the morning train, and 12 hours later we were in Madgaon train station in Goa. Saw some beautiful scenery on the way down, with India in all its post-monsoon glory. Took a prepaid taxi to Panjim (or Panaji), the capital of Goa. Although a capital city, Panjim is a completely relaxed little place ...

... book hotels for Mumbai they were either full or at least $100 (4000 rupees) a night. Chateau Windsor, our first hotel in India had gone up by 1000 rupees to 4000 and it's pretty basic. Anyway I have to say Mumbai is as expensive as any European city it's scarey how the cost of things have gone up. So at this point we had run out of steam and decided that we would just stay in Goa and the head to Mumbai just to get our flight back. So ...

... his friend for a while we got some more food YUM and browsed the stalls a bit long**. We w**e v**y restrained and didn't buy any quilts, light shades, huge glass bottles, odd boots, jewell**y, hats or anything we don't have room in our bags for, it sucks. Staying in Anjuna til Wednesday so we can go to the flea market and not buy more stuff. Probably won't be doing much cept lazing on the beach. Enjoy the snow and enjoy thinking of us sunning ourselves on a stunning beach. Toodles xxx

... pretty liberal for an Indian girl, since she is working in advertising for Maxim. Her mom was also staying with her, so maybe this liberal side was a little hidden... Things like arranged marriages still surprise me, and I guess Pearl is OK with that. For some reason I get the impression that things are moving away from that, but even the "love marriage" for the wedding I went to in September was started online ...

... of Loss. We are now in Fort Kochi (Cochin) for a few days, then will go further south to Allapuzha and do a backwater tour, then up - in elevation - to Periyar Tiger Reserve, a national park to do some hikes/treks. These are all in the region of Kerala. After we buy our tickets, tomorrow, I can say for sure that March 12th we'll fly to Turkey and spend about 2 weeks there before trainning-it towards Eastern, then Western Europe. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Maija and Ernie

... We got some shot's in. It both tastes and smells like feet (not that i know what feet taste like mam, your son's many things, but not a fetishist) and if you can surpress your gag reflex long enough to hold it down it get's you battered. We then went to a pary in some clearing over a bridge and challenged several indians to dance offs. One of the indian guys was the fastest dancer i've ever seen in my life ever. He could do about 50 spins in one swift ...