![]() Saturday morning is reserved for a history lesson in old Goa. Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro is located in the Latin Quarter in Panjim. Consider Mahé, led by Parth Timbadia and experimental chef Sandeep Sreedharan, who serves up a killer cured mahi mahi with coriander oil and tapioca bravas Jamun is known for its ‘elemental thalis’-the seafood water thali has the most succulent preparation of daab chingri I’ve tried Burger Factory dishes out gourmet burgers and shakes and Antares serves an evening of fine wine. The culinary landscape of North Goa is increasingly drawing gourmands to its shores. The menu is heavy on vegan dishes, and I choose a chia seed breakfast bowl along with a smoothie made of pineapple, coconut, banana, chia, cinnamon, ginger, honey, and turmeric. ![]() The Khoj-aao walk follows the path taken by traders from Assagao to Badem and Mapusa market.īreakfast at Mojigao, a hidden garden cafe in Assagao run by the same management (Moshe and Anastasia) as the hipster Artjuna Café in Anjuna, is a delight for the health-conscious. I also get a lesson in the making of Goan urak, and promise to return in the right season (between February and May). “You can find 450 species of birds in this area during the migration season from the Western Ghats,” Bhosle informs me. Sounds of peafowl ring in the air, and we spot the jungle warbler, black drongo, and green bee-eater. Bhosle, a techie turned entrepreneur and guide, is a bird-watcher, and his incredible knowledge amazes me. I trace a path through a shrub forest that would take traders from Assagao to Badem and then the Mapusa market to sell their produce. An Assagao walking trail of close to five kilometres with Bipin Bhosle of Khoj-aao is a reckoner of Goa’s history. I wake up early in the mornings to go on village trails, walk through the serpentine alleys of the Latin Quarters, satiate my taste buds with local, seasonal, and healthy dishes, and do not mind the lack of parties. I experience a slice of Goa that I have hardly encountered in the last 15 years of my sojourns to the sunshine state. Casa Tina in Vagator is emblematic of the state’s contented lifestyle. ![]() Unlimited wi-fi and friendly caretakers make sure that I am comfortable and always on time for my Teams meetings. So, the stay is bound to be private, with physical distancing and Airbnb’s strict sanitisation guidelines ensuring safety, the hosts assure me. But what about the pandemic? You can only book the entire villa, and not individual rooms. “We’ve been booked for the past four months,” Ramachandran smiles. A part of Iksha, wherein Jijesh and his partner manage 12 such villas across Goa, Casa Tina is the perfect place for an extended getaway with family or friends. Jijesh Ramachandran and Amarendra Kumar, my superhosts from Airbnb, catch up with me over breakfast. It is emblematic of the state’s contented lifestyle. ![]() With five rooms, a private swimming pool, and vanity rooms the size of my Bandra pad, the 400-year-old Casa Tina in Vagator, North Goa, is wrapped in a garden of frangipanis and chikoo trees. So, instead of a swanky five-star hotel room, I check into a Goan-Portuguese heritage villa. Not only has the frequency of travel changed, but the way we holiday is also witnessing a dramatic shift-towards a more conscious lifestyle. I am on a trip to Goa-the au courant flavour for workations and extended staycations-with Airbnb. I hop on a Vistara flight after being grounded for eight months in the capital city. ![]() So, the first chance I get to escape the shackles of virtual travel, I have my bags packed-with sanitisers, face masks, and Vitamin C supplements. But the passion for travel remains unchanged. The pandemic has changed the way we think. Discover a new side of Goa post the lockdown, one that involves private villa stays, nature walks with physical distancing, and socially conscious food choices. ![]()
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