MISCELLANEOUS, Goa

Stay hyrdated and drink lots of water.

If you are just walking along the beaches or in the resorts, there is no need to carry water.

It will get warm and it can be quite heavy.

If you feel thirsty just go to a local shop or pop into a local bar and order some water.
A bottle of water can cost between 15 - 30 rupees, and that can include the service.

We go for walks around the resorts or along the beaches, and because the prices are good, we just stop off at a bar or beach shack and use their facilities. If we fancy a beer, we always get a bottle of water as well, just so you dont overdo.

It is nor the local custom to go to Mapusa or any other town in your bikini top and shorts. Please remember that you are in India, however much it may resemble the costa del sol. please respect local sensibilities and dress accordingly.

White cows are considered to be sacred creatures in India- and the animals know it. They are free to go wherever they like, at first it seems strange to see the cows wandering onto the beach, usually at lunch time when they can smell the food!
The cows can be quite affectionate- not like the smelly timid things we get in the UK, and strangely but the Indian cows do not seem to smell.
The younger cows tend to be a bit more adventureous and sniff around the tourists for food scraps, but it becomes part of the daily routine to feed the leftovers to them- they like beer too!

There were always more than enough kids wanting to get to the picture. These children are pictured in Pomburpa village.

Later when we were back to Finland and I got the photos developed I thought it would have been a great surprise to send some copies to this village, so that the children and that lady in the previous picture could have had their own copies. Somehow I just never got myself to act instead of just thinking :/

At least 12 years ago, when we visited Goa, locals seemed to be delighted when asked if we can take a photo.

Look at this one, we were walking by this lady's house and talking to each other about the beautiful statue on the yard and I wanted to take a photo of it. The lady of the house, who seems very proud of this statue rushed next to it to get to the photo as well :)

In Pomburpa village a local man showed us how they climb up to the betel nut trees with the help of a rope tied on their ankles.

Betel nuts are also used as a magical charm and amulet thought to protect against the evil eye and ward off demons. Indian cultures have the knowledge of traditional preperation methods for betel nut as a "high art" and specific variations of recipes are often passed on through generations as reveared knowledge.

The nuts of this tropical palm tree form the basis of the stimulant betel chew which has a reputation as a panacea and tonic throughout Asia.

Betel nut is also used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat headaches, stomach pains, venereal disease, fever, rheumatism and a number of other complaints.

Kathakali, which literally means "story dance" is a pantomimic dance drama, where the dancing and the acting are being blended together into an inseparatable form. It is a combination of facial expressions and body movements which brings out the thought and emotion of the character.

Kathakali originated in Kerala, South India over 500 years ago. Kathakali performs stories from the Hindu epics The Mahabharatha and the Ramayana.

Kathakali is predominantly a male art and the dancing is mostly of masculine type. The position taken by the actor is angular. He never stands erect while acting, his knees being spread out and his legs forming a rhombus, his hands bent at the elbow and his palms on his hips. (See the picture!) The outer feet are never flat on the ground and still the actor maintains a perfect balance.

The striking make-up and the costume are designed to transform the dancers both mentally and physically into the characters they are to portray. It takes between five to six hours (!!!) for a Kathakali dancer to complete the make-up and costume which heighten each character's personality and extend his / her movement.

Impressive to see! :)