Goa in a Resort

My last visit to Goa was when I was in my final year of under-graduation in college and that trip holds some very fond memories for me.
My second visit to Goa this time around, was therefore, something that I was eagerly looked forward to.
Though it was on official work, it became very clear as soon as we landed on a sultry Wednesday afternoon in Goa that very little work would actually get done during our stay there.
Goa is like a party thrown open 24 / 7/ 365 days a year. And this hits you as soon as you land. There is Goan, Konkani, English and not surprisingly, Kannada music to be heard virtually everywhere in the city.
The sight of tourists walking around purposefully with a glint of excitement in their eyes is in complete contrast to the lazy gait and unhurried attitude of the localites, who like to live their days on their own terms. In fact, the state virtually shuts down between 1 and 4 in the afternoon when all shops and many offices are shut down to allow the locals, their afternoon siesta.

The driver who picked us up from the airport – Daniel – turned out to be a very nice fellow and played us some excellent Goan music during our drive to the hotel.

And then there we were – Cidade de Goa

‘Goa in a resort’ is the tag line of Cidade de Goa, one of Goa’s oldest resorts and it cannot be more apt. The resort, built to resemble a Portugese township, is all that the brochure promises and more. The lobby has the best possible view of the Arabian Sea with a bar and portico overlooking the sea.
With a live piano and music performance everyday, the open bar is a hot favourite amongst the guests in the resort, many of whom seemed to like spending quiet evenings at the bar, watching the Goan sunset, with a drink by their side.
The lobby also has an interesting set of three statues of Vasco da Gama, one each representing his standing as a traveler, a philosopher and a thinker.
Lush greens and an inviting swimming pool vied for our attention and it was difficult not to be tempted by both of them.
The first evening was restricted to sitting in the bar and watching colleagues get themselves drunk.
I walked the private beach well past midnight, after everybody had gone to sleep, and it was something I wished I could hold on to for as long as possible.
With sand in the feet and misty sea breeze hitting me in the face, it was just magical. It was one of those ‘contemplative’ moments when you begin thinking about everything around you very philosophically.
The next two days were spent in the conference or ‘work’ as the company wishes to call it, with occasional dips in the swimming pool as and when time was available.

The third night is when we ventured out to visit the famous Casino Goa, on board ‘The Cavalera’ anchored off the coast of Goa. We had heard quite a lot about it and it was suggested that even if one did not gamble, it was a place worth visiting.
So with high expectations, off we went into the night seeking to see a casino. It was a big letdown!
More like a small ferry than a vessel, ‘The Cavalera’ is nothing to write home about. The main deck is divided into two parts, one half containing the casino and the other half containing the dining room. The upper deck has a dance floor where guests are entertained during the day with ethnic Goan dances by troupes, but by the time we reached the place, even that small bit of entertainment had wound up.
So we ended up watching some idiots blow up obnoxiously huge amounts of money with no sign of remorse of sadness in their face, had dinner and left the place.

The best part about this small trip was the drive from the hotel to Panjim, from where we had to ride a small boat to reach ‘The Cavalera’. Goa surely has some of the best roads in the country.
We decided to walk back to the hotel on return to dry land, well past midnight and this was probably the best decision we took on this entire trip. Walking past beautiful Portugese villas and apartments on beautiful cobbled walkways late at night with nobody to disturb you, is a pleasure hard to replicate
The next day, it was time to pack up but not before having an early morning dip in the calm and clean ocean. That little walk along the beach did a lot to perk up our spirits for the day.

It was time to say goodbye to ‘Goa in a resort’ and head back home to Bangalore.