Palolem

I've moved on to the state of Goa for some R&R at the idyllic Palolem Beach.  Picture a Gilligan's Island scene with about a thousand sun worshippers, mostly Western, hanging with local agrarians and tourism industry workers. 

It's not exactly the real India....but I've met enough interesting travellers with amazing tales of their journeys around India and Asia in general to learn a tonne, and enjoy it so far. 

I've met several who have been in India for a year and still looking forward to crossing off more ancient sites and cultures.  Along with the Aussies and Brits you'll meet a lot of Dutch, Scandinavians, and other Northern Europeans.  It's not the same back-pack crowd you'll see in most Exotic European locations.  The average age is older.  There are more hard-core travellers, more exotic culture freaks.  I've also been able to do some reading for pleasure...which is a joy. 

I spent the first night in a coco-hut.  At $5/night the price was right...but after being kept up all night by the dogs, the foul, the beach revellers, the cold, and the uncomfortable plank I was supposed to sleep on, I've moved to a guest house at $20/night. 

There is excellent cuisine here on the beach.  I've enjoyed some of the local dishes but it's a Thai place, with excellent $2 soups, that I've made home (just to make my wife, the ultimate Thai connoisseur, green with envy --but don't worry I will bring back the recipés).  The busy season is really just about to get going here.....so it's not too busy.  The weather is perfect.....30+ degrees and sunny.  Comfortable. 

You get the feeling that the whole place is just on the verge of being spoiled by Western tourism.  I've been told there is widespread speculation that the region is becoming very strategic militarily for the Indian government.  They may take all or a section of it to establish a base. The prospect of red tape, if not a complete moratorium, on future development here has encouraged more than a few to set up ramshackle tourist operations in a hurry as placeholders which establish their right to operate (and to enjoy government enforced pressure on supply) in Palolem, growing in popularity each year, in the future .

By now the inner structure and dynamics of the country are starting to come closer into view, at least at a superficial level.  It's amazing to see how much of India operates on the margins. I've asked a few locals if they pay taxes.....and they know of no such concept. There is a lot of autonomy within each of the 28 states, and a lot of grey, improvised social structure. At a local level its simply a way of life. Plenty of bartering, plenty of "gifts" to authority, and a fine line between tribal networking and racketeering. At a governmental level it amounts to corruption and the papers are full of bribery scandals.

By now I'm starting to appreciate the connection this country has to the Middle East, the tension that still exists between Muslim and Hindu, but which, perhaps, is now secondary to East vs. West questions. 

My plan is to hang around for a couple of days, then travel up the coast to Old Goa where I'll spend my final days in India before jetting back to Winter Wonderland....which, in spite of the idyllic weather here, I'm looking forward to very much.

Comments

[Jeff]

Wow......
Wish i was there.

[Dave MacPhee]

Brilliant Mark, I'm incredibly jealous. Palolem is probably my favorite beach in the world. And here were are freezing our asses off here on PEI. Have you seen "Born Supremacy"? The opening scenes take place on Palolem.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

[Court]

I am so jealous. It looks so nice

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