From beauty to the waves. From culture to the caves. History has it all in the bindings. Forts tell the stories of the strongest and churches to sing the songs that are deepest. Color color everywhere, couldn't decide which one was prettiest there. The greens made a road for me, and the skies were always there to cheer for me.
Growing up watching films like Dil Chahta Hai, Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, and Guzaarish (2010) multiple times, Goa was on the list for the longest period. Nope. This wasn't the first time I had been there, but pretty much the first time I explored it. This time I took the roads that did not take me to the beaches. Rather the ones that showed me what this place was in the earlier times.
I took 3 days off from lying on the bed doing nothing to experience the richness of this tiny emerald land on the west coast of India. As soon as I stepped off the train, there was this uniqueness in the air. It was so welcoming that I could have stayed there forever (But then Vadodara would have missed me so had to come back). From the high temperatures of Gujarat to the cool and soothing weather of Goa, I knew it had a lot in store for me.
The first day in was pretty basic. Checked into the hotel, freshened up, rented a two-wheeler, and went for a ride to the beach (for a person who hardly gets to visit a beach, yeah it was big deal). The morning of the 2nd day was all about the pool and trying hard not to sink into the water. The real adventure started on the afternoon of 7th June 2022. Drove 34 km across the city to visit the Reis Magos Fort. At the first glance, it gave me vibes of a typical fort from where the rumored haunted stories erupt. However, it was a fort used as a jail and then a hospital for the brave hearts of our country since 1493.
The fort played a major role during the very famous "Operation Vijay" of 1961 and for Goa to be an integral part of India.
Next up were the Harvalem falls. The sound of water hitting the rocks and gushing down into the stream. Just standing there observing the water as it meets the river was refreshing that my legs were stuck as if refusing me to go back. I was so indulged at the moment that I couldn't even take my phone out to click a picture of it. Pure Bliss.
On the third day up, it was time to visit the churches. Making my way through the colored houses, narrow roads, and pretty views, "Church Of Lady of Immaculate Conceptions" was the initial stop. I wanted to stop by here only because I had seen Ranbir Kapoor roaming around this church in some movie. I was a little disappointed reaching there as there was no entry to the church at that particular time. That's where I pretty much assumed that all churches might be closed, and went back to the bay.
Out of all the places that I got to be at and know about, the most exciting of them all were the roads. Riding from one place to another by taking the slim roads, sliding through the slopes, around the corners of the sea, and singing "Chala jata hoon kisiki dhun mein, dhadakte dil ke tarane liye".
Goa is beyond sand and waves. Goa is beyond beers and bars. There's so much more that I can just go on about. But for now, I end it here.
