The best boat cruise of its kind in the world

Wednesday 18th June

The day started off beautifully cool. Then it rained, very convincingly.

Then it became amazingly hot - like being inside a sauna, but when you don't want to.

Wandered down to the stormy sea, promising the guard not to go swimming.

Went and sat under the fans in the lobby for a while, to read my book. Realised that it's not a picture of Henry VIII in the lobby, but in fact Vasco da Gama. Which makes more sense, I suppose.

Not Henry, Vasco

Turned up for my American-Plan-Included half-day tour of Goa, with 11 other people - Indian families, we all piled into the bus and off we went. Within seconds, 8 people were asleep.

We had a resort dude and a driver. First stop was optional - a visit to an original Portuguese villa. The group was remarkably unresponsive to the suggestion, but they went anyway, and seemed to enjoy themselves. It was quite interesting, particularly the villa family's method of solving problems. They went to the communal bathroom together, to clear their... er... minds.

Don't bother us, we're... thinking...

Following this, all instructions were given by the driver, in Hindi, rather than my preferred English, so I just followed everyone else.

Next stop, Shantadurga Temple:

One of the largest and most famous of Goa's temples dedicated to Shantadurga (1738), the wife of shiva as the Goddess of peace. She earns the refix - "Shanta" because on the request of Brahmaa, she medicated a quarrel between her husband and Vishnu restoring peace to the universe. In the sanctuary she stands symbolically between the two Gods.
[All sic]

We were kind of set free to come back in 20 mins, so that's all I know about the place. There seemed to be a hostel of some description, around the temple, and also an ATM... somewhere...

ATM this way

Next stop, Old Goa. Well, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, where lie the remains of St Francis Xavier. It's an interesting story about his remains - Google it. Once again, set free with 20 mins.

We made a (very) brief stop at a Cottage Arts Emporium - we all refused to get off the bus!

Then Panaji:

Panajim is one of India's smallest most beautiful state capital. Located on the South bank of the wide Mandovi River, it was made the state capital by the Muslim ruler YUSUF ALI SHAH. The best way to experience Panaji is to take a walk down the street. The atmosphere is relaxed and the people are very hospitable. There are balconies and red roof tiles. White washed churches and numerous small bars and cafes.

Or, a carpark full of tourist buses, and at one end of the carpark, three small shops crowded with tourists anxious to buy their Goa cashews, and cashew or coconut fenli (liqueur). Nothing else. I checked on the map. We were a good km or two away from the balconies and red roof tiles. But we had half an hour to make our nut and alcohol purchases, then we got to walk across the road to wait for an hour and a half for the world's best boat cruise.

WE OFFER YOU
THE BEST BOAT CRUISE OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD
THE BEST BOAT
THE BEST PROGRAMME
ONLY TRIPLE DECK CRUISER
LIVE GOAN BAND & THUMPING SOUND
WELL STOCKED BAR AND SNACK COUNTER
COMFY-SITTING AND LOTS OF SPACE TO WALK AROUND
LIVELY FOLK DANCES
STAGE FOR YOU TO DANCE ON
ONE HOUR OF PURE PLEASURE IN PARADISE

I have to admit the cruise was not totally to my taste, I (and half the other couple of hundred passengers) spent most of the cruise on the top deck, where we could still enjoy the thumping sound through the deck, but also relative peace and fresh air. Except for when the rain provided its own thumping sound on the deck, then we thought we might go below to check out how the stage dancers were going.

So then back in time for dinner. I keep hearing how you lose weight in India. I definitely did in the first week, when I was spending all the time in the car - I was managing maybe two meals a day, and had no appetite. Probably a combination of living on traffic-induced adrenaline, and the altitude (which seems to affect my appetite, even if I'm not very high) (though I manage to eat in planes, so go figure).

However, I have more than made up for it over the past few days. I wasn't sure I could deal with buffet three meals a day, and was quite prepared to check out the other restaurants here. But the variety and quality's been very good, and I've been trying some of almost everything. Even if not particularly hungry - when am I going to get the chance again to try all this fab food? Particularly the vegetarian food. I actually seek out the cauliflower here...

Though for no apparent reason someone approached me last night to check that I was eating ok, and was the food too spicy and they could make something special for me if I wanted. I had thought that I was doing almost embarrassingly well, but maybe they thought I was just being polite.