The Church of St Cajetan

The Church of St. Cajetan lies in the shadow of the other churches at Old Goa. Most people would visit Old Goa for the Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral, however St. Cajetan’s has something wonderful and breath-taking to offer you.

The church completed in 1661 is dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Providence. Its name however finds its origins after the founder of the Order of Theatines. St. Cajetan’s almost looks replicates the Basilica of St. Peter's in Rome. The exterior of the church boasts a Corinthian style of architecturewhile the interior features a blend of mosaic-Corinthian architectures. The magnificent façade facing west features towering Corinthian columns supporting a central pediment above which the twin belfry towers arise.

Inside the church, do make a note of the three altars on either side of the main altar. To the left you will find altars dedicated to the Holy Family, Our Lady of Piety and St. Clare, while the altars to the right are dedicated to St. John, St. Cajetan and St. Agnes.

To an art lover this church is where you can get lost in the myriad display of frescos. Off late there’s been a lot of renovation work going on inside the church to its architecture and frescos, so be prepared for a section of the church to be cut off to public viewing.

The Cross at the Quiterio's

No Catholic household in Goa is complete without a cross. You will find crosses engraved on homes or a structure erected in front of houses. Each one is different in design yet built for one purpose – protect the family that resides there.

My home has a cross engraved on the compound wall. But the cross that binds us all as a family is the one that stands in my Grandma’s compound. This is the cross is the protector of the entire Quiterio clan. Prayers to pass in exams, fulfillment of dreams and protection as we venture far and wide in the world have all been offered here and it still does.

The Cross at the Quiterio's

I remember times when as little kids my cousin and I used to help my Grandma scrape the old paint off the cross and volunteer to paint it in preparation for the cross feast. There were also times when all of us cousins used to wait closest to the cross hoping to catch the wax that dripped forth, each one wanting to building a bigger wax ball than the other. As the centre of the household it also came to be the favoured place to click family pictures.

My brother & cousin as kids in front of the cross

Though much as has changed now – we are all adults, grandma’s house is surrounded by a concrete wall – the cross still remains the same, in the spot it was erected on.

Fabulous Stays

Found some wonderful places to unwind in Goa. They not like your typical hotel/resorts which make them even more exciting! So here go my finds.

I so loved this place. It’s called Coco Shambhala. Well I have not been here yet, but Cocoshambhala looks heavenly. Almost out of this world to be in Goa. But I will one day soon go there and certify for a fact that it is how it has been photographed.

Coco Shambhala as noted on the website are exclusive luxury vacation villas. Situated just behind Coco Beach at Nerul in Goa, it boasts of wonderful retreat designed to offer the perfect escape.  Do visit and let me know how your stay unfolded.

The other place that I loved was Lotus Resorts  at Aronda, it's actually on the Goa-Maharashtra border. But, well it just seemed…simple! The perfect pause to a hectic life. I am going here in January, driving up from Goa. I hope it lives up to its promise of backwaters, blue skies and pristine waters.

Candolim in the Rains

When I am down in Goa, there’s one place I make a pilgrimage to. I head to Candolim beach and sit right opposite the ship, River Princess, which got dragged ashore years back. Till today no one can seem to move it. Why I don’t know. It’s not like I don’t care that it’s spoiling the shoreline but after these years I have come to love it.

The River Princes, in its spot!

Every vacation home, my cousin Unaine and I head to our favourite spot. It’s something we do. Hopping onto our bikes we head to shores. We avoid the main stretch of the beach and settle down opposite the ship. We do nothing; we just sit there and stare at the sea or watch the stretch of the beach or watch the ship or the Indian tourist who are so excited to see the sea, such bunch of morons!

Shacks shut down during the monsoon

That's us. Unaine & Me capturing the moment

Most of the time that we have visited this place was during the monsoons. It’s just more beautiful when it rains. A small bylane from the Calangute-Candolim road will get you here.

The pathway that opens out to the beach

Ask the locals how to get there. There are a couple of beachside shacks, but these are closed during the monsoons. It doesn’t matter to me. I love it when there are no tourists interrupting your moment.  After spending a good hour or two, we usually hope back onto our bikes and make our way to the Calangute Grounds to grab some munchies. These include roasted sweet corn and Bhel Puri.

At the Bhel Puri stall

En route expect to find yourself caught up in a little traffic. More than often there will be a local football match going on. And everyone wants to know what’s happening. It’s exciting, do stop and watch too.

A Gothic Beauty in Goa

The Mae De Deus Church situated at Saligoa in North Goa is one of the most distinctive pieces of architecture one can find in the state. Simply because its the only church in Goa that has a strong influence of Gothic architecture. 

From Saligao Church

The Saligoa Church as its commonly called has always been a source of fascination for my brother and myself. It falls on our way home and every time we would see it in a new perspective. Every sunrise, cloud formation, sunset or the illumination at night, puts this church in a new light. It soon came to be our most favourite subject of photography. These pictures were clicked one late night when we armed ourselves with a tripod and camera and took off from home on bike to click this beauty. 

From Saligao Church

From Saligao Church

From Saligao Church

From Saligao Church

It’s without doubt one of the most beautiful churches in Goa. During the day, the church towers the surrounding landscape of fields in pearly white. 

From Saligao Church

Built in 1873, the Mae De Deus Church has the statue of the Virgin Mary in the centre while large jutting cones form the rest of the architecture. Though the church has become a tourist destination, one should not forget that it is a place of worship with daily mass held in the mornings and most evenings. Do make sure you are properly dressed while visiting a church or any place of worship. 

From Saligao Church

The church on the inside is beautifully decorated with chandeliers and wooden pews. The facade has the Virgin Mary venerated at the altar. Every year on the feast of 'Mae de Deus', the Saligoa Sporting Club have their traditional dance called the 'Foxes' Nite.' It’s held at a ground next to the Church.

The local thing to do – Watch a game of Football

Forget about hitting the beach or visiting the churches and temples. You have not experienced the Goan way of life till you have watched and yell your heart out at a local football game.

You can spot them at any corner. Vast open fields become the ideal playground. What you need to look for is a crowd. Spot one that’s causing a slight traffic jam and you have a game in action.

From parra game

Local games obviously star the local talent. Emotions run high, so make sure you don’t say something you could be sorry of later.  These games follow the same league structure in football. And mind you people take their football very seriously in Goa. Should the local team be playing, the entire village is bound to be there supporting the young boys and men.

From parra game

Adrenaline is at an all time high with each player trying to outdo the other. You can be guaranteed of super action and controversial decisions. Playing for your local team makes you nothing short of a hero. Almost all the men in my family have played for PVC Parra, starting with my dad and uncle to my cousin who was the mid-fielder and my brother who was the goal keeper. Yeah so we have some superstars in my family.

So yes go watch a football game in Goa. It’s something you won’t regret doing.

Three Most Popular Places to Dine in Goa

While nothing beats my Mama’s cooking, if you are looking for places to dine, these are my top three favourites. 

#1

Martin’s Corner, Betalbatim

I must confess. As a Goan, this was only the second time I’ve been here. The first time was years back when I was in college and now. I was down from Mumbai and we planned a family outing to the South of Goa. Betalbatim was our destination and the evening was spent at, obviously, Martin’s Corner.

Well even as locals we had some difficulty finding the place but you can just ask anyone for directions. Very important, if you intend getting a table here, do call for reservations. The place is perpetually full.   

The food at Martin’s is simply amazing. A little on the expensive side, but delicious. We dug into Calamari, Stuffed Lobster, Chicken Cafreal and Steak.  While the place offers, others cuisines too, my advice is to stick to Goan food. The Goan cuisine here is at its best, you can also do savour dishes such as the Goan Fish Curry, Prawn Balchao, Xec Xec (a goan crab preparation), Vindaloo, etc.

Martin’s Corner has beautiful ambience. Subdued lighting with a live band give the place a cozy almost at home feel.  This place is extremely popular, so don’t be surprised to see a celebrity here. They say it’s Sachin Tendulkar’s favourite dining place in Goa.

For more details visit the website. www.martinscornergoa.com

Location:

Martin's Corner

Binwaddo, Betalbatim

Salcete - Goa

For reservations call:

(0832) 2880061, 2880413, 6481518

#2

Britto’s, Baga

For a dining experience in North Goa, you should visit Britto’s.  By Baga beach, it’s a place you must eat at, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Britto’s serves almost all types of cuisine – Goan, Indian, Continental. The service is excellent and the pricing of food is reasonable. Make sure you get a table on the beach or overlooking the beach to complete your experience.

The reason I like this place is because of the variety in cuisines and the huge portions of food. Do visit Britto’s at night. They keep a single burning candle on your table, giving the entire a place a dreamy feel.

Location:

Santa Vaddo, Baga

For reservations call:

(0832) 2276291, 2277331

#3

Souza Lobo, Calangute

Souza Lobo  is a nice place by the sea. Situated on the sands of Calangute beach, it offers a magical evening to those looking to unwind at the beach as well as munch on Goan delicacies.

The place is rather airy and has a rustic charm to it. At Souza Lobo’s we dug into fish fingers, Masala Fried Calimaris and Crab Xec Xec. The crab I must say was to die for!

Like all well know Goan restaurants, this place too has a live band, though on this particular night it was just too loud.  The rest of the evening was lost in staring at the black sea and enjoying the breeze with the sumptuous food.

Do check their website www.souzalobo.com

For reservations call:

(0832) 2281234 / 2276463

In and Around Parra

The original blog post can be found on The Lovell Dsouza Crapsite. It has been republished with due permissions. The reason I felt the need to republish this is because it captures the true essence of our homeplace - Goa. 

So here's my brother Lovell documenting "Back Home" 

So I’m back home, in good ‘ol Goa. Sitting at the same table my Sis and I grew up eating at. The same table at which I studied for myriad exams that I flunked :P

The old table. The old hall. The massive windows. The damp roof tiles. The generations of relatives sealed in frames, hanging from the walls looking down upon me and thinking “Shame on him. Didn’t make the family name proud.” Hey wait a min, I did. May be they took that back.

Meet Tommy [the female family feline]. Some say she’s 25+ years old. I’ll keep her at 23, coz from photographic evidence she existed when my sis was a kid, before I was born. I stick my foot out for the usual feline meets master greeting. She rubs her head against my foot. I’m still king of the pride. Tommy acknowledges that. Until my sis drops by and steals me off my throne. How can that kitty leave me and run to my sis!!! Duh!! Whatever pussy cat. Big deal!!

The black t-shirts have turned into makeshift doormats. I’m wondering how could my mom degrade the metal collection!! Aahh.. but I guess thats ok. Even the great Slayer t-shirt was not spared. That one has been torn into bits. The Nirvana collection has survived the onslaught. They lie folded in the cupboard.

The metal cassette collection has survived. The pirated CD’s survived too. The rains kick in. I listen to Alice In Chains for a change. Grunge kicks in. Finding a signal for Airtel in the house is a challenge in itself. The signal boosting ironing board does not help anymore. Last resort is defined by leaving the phone at the window risking it getting robbed.

I walk out. I see fields. I smell fresh air. I see birds. Coconut trees transform the simple village road into an aisle. Feels like a red carpet has been laid out for me. Well all over the place tell me I never have to worry bout taps running dry. Home it is. It’s not necessarily the beaches that everyone thinks about when you mention Goa.

I head out to the Baga creek. I spot the Cross where Ryan [Babushin] and I used to hang out discussing crap. I recognize the spot where Donn, Russell [Yoyo] and I used to come fishing and manage only to catch crabs. The total number of crabs caught till date tallies to 1. I pass by the ground where our U-19 team used to train. The same ground where I learned to dive and catch a football in mid air. The same ground where I once left a lousy goal and our team lost.

I meet my good old friend Srijay aka Byclops aka Peekachooooo. We head of to Lan Lords. We thought the place was shut down. We find it open. Once owned by the fearsome Homo Sapien Maleous clan, now left to rot with some school boys. The gaming place is dying a slow death. Never-the-less we frag against some bots. Get ripped initially. We rip them back after a while. Srij still got the superfast killer reflexes. I still kick bot with moi mag. The clan needs a reunion.

Srij and I drop by Vrundavan. The evening restaurant where a lot of things were always discussed. Most visited by Lesley and me. Often accompanied by Evelyn, Srijay, Suneet and Prashanti. We attack the regular. Chillies, bhel, shev puri, tea and coffee are consumed. We call Les just to let him know we are re-living the moment and he is missing out on a lot of stuff, only to get a barrage of abuses in return. Good ‘ol days. Les, the abuser. Abuses everyone and everything.

We head back home. I’m home…

Parra, and the Goan way of Life!

Parra is a village in Goa and not a tourist destination. But it portrays the village way of life in any typical village in Goa. Uh, may be not, though our side of the village is pretty modern in itself.

Parra is located next to Saligao, and in between Arpora and Mapusa. Mapusa being the closest town.

An early morning scene in Parra. The sun's just rising.

Roads leading home. 

My best favourite part of Parra is the fields and the walk up to the hill. A short walk from my house will take you to the most beautiful, relaxing and utterly astounding place on the whole planet. I call it the Watering Hole. I used to sit for hours on end at this place watching the water go by or the farmers in the fields.

Tilled roof homes in Parra

Most of the village is now navigable by road. The road that leads to the hill. 

Walking up to the watering hole

The fields in Parra

More fields around my place

Fields adjacent to the watering hole

Me at the watering hole :)

A local fishing at watering hole

There’s nothing much to do in any village in Goa, other than sit back in relax. An afternoon siesta (term for a  short afternoon nap) after a perfect meal of fish, curry and rice, pretty much makes up an ideal day.

Well Parra is known for quite somethings. We have two famous open-air dance halls here. Emerald Lawns, I got married here, and Alva-Mar. Both are less than a kilometer apart and host some of the most happening events in Goa.

Come the summer (March - May) and Parra hosts a famous ball called the ‘Melon Nite.’ It’s called Melon Nite as Parra is famous for the watermelons grown in the local fields.

What you also must not miss is the fun and festivities around the festival of ‘San Joao’ which falls on the 24th of June every year. Celebrating the feast of St. John the Baptist, almost  everyone takes part in festivities which involve jumping in all the wells in the village, accompanied with food and drinks.

San Joao in Parra

Villagers having fun in the well

Local kids with the traditional headgear

A lady too decides to jump in the well

some be over-adventurous

No one is left. Everyone is blessed with water. 

Most of the photographs have been clicked by my brother, Lovell. Do drop him a note if you like his photography or would like to buy some prints.

Going Goa!

I have a hectic life in Mumbai. As a copywriter in a digital agency life can get particularly complicated and I look forward every two months or so to unwinding at my most favourite destination on the entire planet - Goa!

From goa this august

The name itself conjours different images in the minds of the people - sun-kissed beaches, beer, fish curry rice and goan delicacies, laid-back life, beautiful temples and churches... But for me, it's not about what the tourism brochures show you. For me this place is Home. It’s about spending time with my folks and sitting for hours at end at the watering hole.

From goa this august

I originate from a small little village in Bardez called Parra. I was born here, then spend my younger years in Oman before we were back to Goa. I could tell you where you must go while in Goa like the beaches and churches which are a must see. But that you can find in any tourist brochure. In the posts that follow I will introduce you to another side of Goa, one that I love best.

So Goa. A little bit about my state. It’s a tiny piece of land nestled between two large states and a water body - the Arabian Sea. What I love about Goa is the uniqueness of the place. People don’t think here like the rest of India, dressing sense, cuisine and culture is so different. Hindi the national language is rarely spoken except in schools. On the streets English is the primary language with Konkani the next preferred language.

This tiny state in India is rich in Portuguese heritage having been a Portuguese colony till as late as 1961. Divided into North and South Goa, it has four major town in Goa - Panjim, Mapusa, Vasco and Margao. Panaji or Panjim as it’s locally called is the capital city and houses can be considered as the legislative and commercial centre.

The weather in Goa is pleasant all round the year. My favourite is the rainy season which is usually during June to mid September. There’s no better time to visit Goa than in the rains. It’s off season time, meaning you can get great deals on hotels plus enjoy a Goa without the hordes of tourist. Tourist season begins in October and carries through the end of February. During this time you can find the likes of the Flea market, Saturday Nite Bazaar and a number of activities on the beaches.

Accommodation is easy to find. If the hotel offers are not enticing enough for you, try local homes which have rooms to let. This way you can experience the true Goan way of life. Transportation can be quite a nightmare tough. The local transport is tricky and most often over-crowded, even I wouldn't use it. The easiest way to get across is by Taxi or motorbikes. Be careful of the former as there is no formal rate card and taxi drivers are known to fleece tourist. The best way is to hire a bike. Make sure you have your licences in place and watch out for strays while you ride around. While in Goa do make sure you ride the ferry, even if it’s just for fun. It’s free, only vehicle owners need to pay.

What you need to get to Goa. Plenty of sunscreen!