Vacation from my vacation

  Anjuna Beach, Goa, India
Friday, February 23, 2007

I was pushing hard since leaving Varanasi--seeing sights in the day, sleeping on trains at night. It was all for a good cause. My friend Kimmy from England who I met in Brazil a couple of years ago was hanging out in Goa and I wanted to get there in time to do some serious chilling out with her. I managed to finally pull my bathing suit out of my backpack for the first time and spent a few leisurely days with Kimmy and her friend Jo. We made it up to the ruins of Fort Chapora, which overlooks the beaches, for sunset.

Took in a few churches in Old Goa. Basilica of Bom Jesus which houses the body of some saint whose body refuses to decay. Apparently they bring the body out for viewing every 10 years.

Also Convent and Church of St Francis of Assisi, another beautiful old church. I didn't realize before I got here how much Portuguese influence there was here.

Went to a couple of markets, the most impressive one being Ingo's Night Bazaar. It had lots of food stalls, plenty of beer and live music.

I stayed in one place long enough to get some much needed repairs made to my backpack. Most of all I just enjoyed the peaceful, much slower pace of this area and the company of good friends. I didn't feel like I was in India. Just the mid-trip break that I needed!