I broke the discipline of my blog right after arriving in India… It is hard to get away from doing nothing on the beach and use the computer or even think of anything else but the sun, water and sand; believe meJ But I am back with a few reflections from these past two weeks taking a midday break from sunbathing on Mandrem beach in Goa.
Sitting here under Goa palm trees and drinking coconut water, makes our three crazy days in Mumbai seem unreal and like we were in the completely different country than in Mandrem… the only common thing between Goa and Mumbai seem to be the beautiful saris worn by the women. So here are a couple of my first impressions from India…
Trains and buses and personal space
The most surreal thing and the strongest memory from Mumbai was taking the local commuter train. Completely unaware of how much of the life threatening adventure it would be we booked a hotel located in what was described as posh and up and coming suburbs of Mumbai and had to take the train every day to get to the historical (and junk shopping) centre of the city. The first ride was all right. We decided that I would not need to use the ladies only carriage in front of the train so I boarded the first class carriage with Gavin to find out that I was the only woman there…. We stood next to two nice guys, chatted a bit and were slightly protected from the crowd coming in and out on every stop. We could not however stop wondering why on earth the locals all crowd at the door (or lack of the door as the trains do not have any form of closing door) regardless of how much free space there is inside the train. Part of it is being close to the air I guess. The other part we found out on our way back the same afternoon. Not really thinking it through we took the fast train back that stops at fewer stations at about 6pm, in the midst of the rush hour. We got in and the guys at “the lack of door” asked us where we were going and immediately pointed out that we should stand at the opposite “lack of door”… which obviously did not seem to safe to us, western people used to the trains with closing doors. And then it started…on every station there were more and more people getting in. I should have said more and more men... cause this time again I was the only woman in the carriage. Miraculously two guys managed to keep the ever incoming crowd away from me giving me some half a meter radius of free space. This was the biggest personal space I experience in India’s public transport! They also gave us the following advice before we approached our station: “You have start pushing forward before the train stops because the incoming crowd will just push you back in…” I got scared but followed the instructions and somehow I found myself on the platform probably hitting some of the people trying to get in. Few moments later I managed to find Gavin some 10 meters away. Basically the train does not stop. People are getting out and in when the train is in slow motion…. That’s why lack of door comes quite handy and you have to fight your way out and in. From that day I always took ladies only carriage and was worrying if Gavin is going to survive…. For the trip to the train station to catch the train to Goa we took the cab.
The Mumbai commuter train was a good lesson for the bus journeys we had to make to get to the beaches in Goa. They also continue to fill up when you think there is absolutely no way anybody can get in. The lesson was to grab a seat so that you cannot disturb the local commuter efficiency. Even if you feel very polite and would like to offer as sit to elderly or kids, do not! Believe, you would just not have the ability to fit in such a crowd and move seamlessly to let more people in or out. Alternative is to pay a bit more and use the shuttle bus that goes from one stop to another and does not collect more people on the way, if available of course…
Everybody knows that cows wonder on the streets in India. I did as well… Yet, when we stepped out of our hotel in Mumbai for the first time, I could not believe the cows were there, right there not more than few steps away from the hotel’s door. Anyway, by know I sort of got used to it but for the first few days it seemed surreal….
And yet when we arrived at our first Goa beach stop Palolem the cows greeted us again quietly enjoying the sun between fishermens’ boats and absolutely do not disturbing human sunbathers! You just have to be careful not step in or put your towel on the cows manureJ. But there is more… there are also dogs, some stray some just the local village dogs. Even I got used to their constant presence…. And goats! Not so much in Goa but in Mumbai goats seem to be the most popular children’s pet, not the dogs; strange… I also have to mention the pigs that were running between the beach hats in Palolem.
Two very different beaches
We first went to the ‘acclaimed’ Palolem beach in southern Goa. Exhausted after very crowded bus ride we took the first accommodation offered. It was just one of many beach huts built all along the beach. Literally, the whole coast line of that beach is lined with the hut and restaurant establishments. No free space at all… Luckily they did not cut all palm trees so some exotic charm remained. The village was lined with the shops and it was hard to navigate without being asked to step in for a ‘good price’ of something you did not need… But still after the hassles of Mumbai it seemed like a paradise.
We moved to the northern Goa to Mandrem… Such a difference!!! Very big beach with very few resorts, all tucked away in the palm trees and invisible from the beach. Every evening we watched fisherman coming back with the daily catch. It was so tranquil it seduced me to taking morning yoga classes and an ayuverdic massage and generally doing nothing. We ju\st sat on the beach for 4 lovely days. Somehow every day we ended up picking the free sits next to a French actress who has been coming to Mandrem for past 20 years and still is enjoying it as the last resort of former Goan tranquillity. She has travelled a lot in India and convinced us that we were in the best place… For me it did not take too much to be convinced. I love Mandrem!
Between the transport hassles and doing nothing on the beach we did some sightseeing. We saw the colonial architecture of Mumbai of course and went to the Hindu temple on Elephanta Island. The temple in the cave is very impressive and the more that its elaborate sculptures originate from V-VII centuries. However, I think (and please do not think I am some closed-minded person) it is somewhat harder to relate to all these different gods and goddesses and the legends and fully appreciate its meanings.
It was very different when we went to Old Goa, the former capital of the Portuguese colony with its splendour and magnificent churches…Or maybe I just have to get a little bit more familiar with Indian religions, traditions and history…
Sitting here under Goa palm trees and drinking coconut water, makes our three crazy days in Mumbai seem unreal and like we were in the completely different country than in Mandrem… the only common thing between Goa and Mumbai seem to be the beautiful saris worn by the women. So here are a couple of my first impressions from India… Trains and buses and personal space
The most surreal thing and the strongest memory from Mumbai was taking the local commuter train. Completely unaware of how much of the life threatening adventure it would be we booked a hotel located in what was described as posh and up and coming suburbs of Mumbai and had to take the train every day to get to the historical (and junk shopping) centre of the city. The first ride was all right. We decided that I would not need to use the ladies only carriage in front of the train so I boarded the first class carriage with Gavin to find out that I was the only woman there…. We stood next to two nice guys, chatted a bit and were slightly protected from the crowd coming in and out on every stop. We could not however stop wondering why on earth the locals all crowd at the door (or lack of the door as the trains do not have any form of closing door) regardless of how much free space there is inside the train. Part of it is being close to the air I guess. The other part we found out on our way back the same afternoon. Not really thinking it through we took the fast train back that stops at fewer stations at about 6pm, in the midst of the rush hour. We got in and the guys at “the lack of door” asked us where we were going and immediately pointed out that we should stand at the opposite “lack of door”… which obviously did not seem to safe to us, western people used to the trains with closing doors. And then it started…on every station there were more and more people getting in. I should have said more and more men... cause this time again I was the only woman in the carriage. Miraculously two guys managed to keep the ever incoming crowd away from me giving me some half a meter radius of free space. This was the biggest personal space I experience in India’s public transport! They also gave us the following advice before we approached our station: “You have start pushing forward before the train stops because the incoming crowd will just push you back in…” I got scared but followed the instructions and somehow I found myself on the platform probably hitting some of the people trying to get in. Few moments later I managed to find Gavin some 10 meters away. Basically the train does not stop. People are getting out and in when the train is in slow motion…. That’s why lack of door comes quite handy and you have to fight your way out and in. From that day I always took ladies only carriage and was worrying if Gavin is going to survive…. For the trip to the train station to catch the train to Goa we took the cab.
The Mumbai commuter train was a good lesson for the bus journeys we had to make to get to the beaches in Goa. They also continue to fill up when you think there is absolutely no way anybody can get in. The lesson was to grab a seat so that you cannot disturb the local commuter efficiency. Even if you feel very polite and would like to offer as sit to elderly or kids, do not! Believe, you would just not have the ability to fit in such a crowd and move seamlessly to let more people in or out. Alternative is to pay a bit more and use the shuttle bus that goes from one stop to another and does not collect more people on the way, if available of course… Animals
Everybody knows that cows wonder on the streets in India. I did as well… Yet, when we stepped out of our hotel in Mumbai for the first time, I could not believe the cows were there, right there not more than few steps away from the hotel’s door. Anyway, by know I sort of got used to it but for the first few days it seemed surreal….
And yet when we arrived at our first Goa beach stop Palolem the cows greeted us again quietly enjoying the sun between fishermens’ boats and absolutely do not disturbing human sunbathers! You just have to be careful not step in or put your towel on the cows manureJ. But there is more… there are also dogs, some stray some just the local village dogs. Even I got used to their constant presence…. And goats! Not so much in Goa but in Mumbai goats seem to be the most popular children’s pet, not the dogs; strange… I also have to mention the pigs that were running between the beach hats in Palolem.Two very different beaches
We first went to the ‘acclaimed’ Palolem beach in southern Goa. Exhausted after very crowded bus ride we took the first accommodation offered. It was just one of many beach huts built all along the beach. Literally, the whole coast line of that beach is lined with the hut and restaurant establishments. No free space at all… Luckily they did not cut all palm trees so some exotic charm remained. The village was lined with the shops and it was hard to navigate without being asked to step in for a ‘good price’ of something you did not need… But still after the hassles of Mumbai it seemed like a paradise. 
We moved to the northern Goa to Mandrem… Such a difference!!! Very big beach with very few resorts, all tucked away in the palm trees and invisible from the beach. Every evening we watched fisherman coming back with the daily catch. It was so tranquil it seduced me to taking morning yoga classes and an ayuverdic massage and generally doing nothing. We ju\st sat on the beach for 4 lovely days. Somehow every day we ended up picking the free sits next to a French actress who has been coming to Mandrem for past 20 years and still is enjoying it as the last resort of former Goan tranquillity. She has travelled a lot in India and convinced us that we were in the best place… For me it did not take too much to be convinced. I love Mandrem! Two very different sights
Between the transport hassles and doing nothing on the beach we did some sightseeing. We saw the colonial architecture of Mumbai of course and went to the Hindu temple on Elephanta Island. The temple in the cave is very impressive and the more that its elaborate sculptures originate from V-VII centuries. However, I think (and please do not think I am some closed-minded person) it is somewhat harder to relate to all these different gods and goddesses and the legends and fully appreciate its meanings. 
It was very different when we went to Old Goa, the former capital of the Portuguese colony with its splendour and magnificent churches…Or maybe I just have to get a little bit more familiar with Indian religions, traditions and history…I guess I will have more opportunities to do so over the next two weeks when we travel through royal Rajasthan!
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