G is for Gobsmacked in Glorious Goa

September 2016, Betalbatim beach, South Goa, India

Gobsmacked in glorious Goa!! Oh yes, we so were. The DH and I were making our first, long trip together; minus the girls. It was amazing to spend time with each other minus the distractions of, “Mamma can I sleep next to you? Mamma can we go shopping for my shampoo and face wash?”  “The feeling”; well as though we were dating all over again!!! South Goa is stunning, I tell you. If you are looking for a quiet time minus the North Goa buzz that’s the place to go and unwind. Our perfect idea of a getaway. I’m guessing when you hit your forties, you have bare minimum bandwidth for constant partying. Right? Or is it just us?! Well, we’ve been there, done it all and on a break we’d rather be in a tranquil place leaving the hustle bustle of the city behind. But I would be lying if I didn’t tell you we went for some lip smacking batter fried squid, pork and tandoori crabs to Martins Corner. And the icing on the cake – the live band. Well you see we had the best of both worlds. 

 

 

The Betalbatim beach, at The Coco Palms resort  where we were put up, had an inexplicable serenity to it. It was off-season too, and we and just one more couple were the only occupants of this charming, little property, right by the beach side. Upon our arrival, we headed straight to the beach as I couldn’t  hold my horses. I just had to go and hi-five the sea. It’s a ritual I follow, each time I go for a sea-side holiday. I’m a complete beach bum and love the vast, expansive sea and oceans for their incredible force, yet at the same time the cosmic aplomb with which they flows back and forth.

 

As we started to walk through the soft grainy sand, leaving our slippers behind a rock, I took to my favourite activity – beach combing. I started to gather the shells in my pocket, regaling in their beauty, but not without scanning them for their diverse shapes, sizes, colours and forms. Each one was distinct from the others. The ones that were alike, I let them be. “The 8 year old would love these little souvenirs”, I thought to myself. As I plodded through the beach, my feet sinking into the fine, warm sand; the periodic waves brushed gently and sometimes furiously against my feet. They carried with them sea creatures and washed them ashore. Some of these little molluscs, shell-fish, star fish, etc were alive. I chanced upon a star fish. Picture in my Theme Reveal-the rescued Star fish. I placed the white, little creäture in my palms, caressed it and threw it back into the ocean. I then stumbled upon a few live crustaceans. I picked one that looked slightly bigger. It bravely peeped out of it’s shell and the moment I put my finger near it’s crevice it retreated back.Thankfully it was alive too. I sent it back into the ocean, else it would have been preyed upon by the crows and other predators.

 

I spotted a pair of Bhramini kites nesting high up a huge, old palm tree. Their calls sound like that of a crying baby. You may like to here them at: Call of the Bhraminy Kites By Peter Bosman and Stuart Fisher

 

Early, next morning I was back again to experience the enthralling beauty of the sea. It was a start to a brand new, gorgeous day as the sun slowly, but surely washed the beach and the palm grooves with its sepia-tinted-golden rays. I chanced upon a team of fishermen who were busy netting out their catch from the night. Among their catch were three-four fairly big sea snakes, again stranded on the beach, unable to make their way back. I got a stick garnering the courage to gently push them towards the retreating waves. The fishermen told me they were harmless. So patiently yet a bit warily, I worked on sending them back to where they belonged. I then sauntered around, checking out the substantial catch of the day – squids, an array of small and medium varieties of fish, pretty blue crabs, sting rays, jelly fish, cuttle fish and some more.

 

 

The sun was now beginning to shine bright, and the DH who had woken up a while back walked up to me, nudging me to join him for breakfast. I was famished and happily relented, but not without narrating to him my rescue story. Heck, I had not just rescued  star fish, crustaceans and a sting ray, but also sea snakes too!!  I gloated over my accomplishment and dug into a mouth-watering spread of Goan Pork Sausages/Chorizos, toast slathered with pesto, eggs some local preserves and a large mug of coffee.

What was my epiphany you may ask? Well, I think I might have earned some good karma points from the creatures of the sea. Maybe they will consider giving me a place amongst them when I re-incarnate again, and who knows in all probability as a mermaid?! 🙂

I’ll now see you on Monday with H for…!! Oh, come figure. Meanwhile, give yourself a pat on your back, treat yourself to a refreshing glass of Sangria or some chilled watermelon juice blended with mint (only if you are a teetotaler that is!), and just sack out. After all some of you have been slogging it out with #AtoZChallenge.

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My theme for this year’s Blogging from A-Z Challenge is Travel Epiphanies that are my very own tales of adventure and revelation. I will be writing 26 posts throughout the month of April. You can read my theme here.