Saturday 29 September 2012

My Pictorial Travelogue - Goa-Belgaum

I'm sure when you think of relaxation and taking time out from the usual rut....you would love the prospect of spending alone time with your loved one...where else would you love to go..but stretch yourself at a nice sandy beach...with a beautiful sunrise/sunset in the backdrop...chilling away with a drink in a shack...listening to your fav...number...slowly grooving with it...and just when you feel you have heard the number a several hundred times before, but its still got you going...and makes you feel nostalgic....that's the power of a good ambiance, mesmerizing music and of course, your beloved..hand in hand with ya...

Hmm....wondering what I'm getting at...well this is how one would describe an evening well spent at a beach...and where else in India would one love to let their hair loose, but at the wonderful beaches of none other than....Goa....where everyday is a Sunday...and time itself is Susegad....

Palolem Beach
For the ones who must have visited Goa for a million times, there is still some more to relish, still an unsung song yet to be sung, still a beautiful poetry waiting to be written, and so many unsaid words yet to be coined...all...not enough to even eulogize the mighty waters, the angelic sunrise, the ever so more entrancing sunset, the soft sand....the list goes on...and this is for the ones who yearn for seclusion...from the mad mad rush of the world...beach could be termed heavenly for them...


Well no matter one must have seen Goa many times and mostly when people think of Goa, it is usually the North of Goa...but for the connoisseurs of good times, sand, sun, beach, seclusion...wining and dining with your loved one...the place to be is...in South Goa...none other than the serene beaches of Canacona, one Palolem and other Agonda...

Palolem Beach is one of the best beaches across GOA, at the onset, one can easily notice the gigantic, magnificent coconut palms on one side, the lush green hills on the other end. Situated on one end of the beach is Neptune point, where one if lucky, can get to see the Dolphins, up close and personal...And on the other end, there is the Dolphin Island for which one has to reach via a 5 min boat ride..If you are lucky, the Dolphins will swim next to you...(only if you are lucky....say luck raised to 100)....haha..well we at least spotted some afar...so not that completely out of luck....


Apart from enjoying ones' time at the beach, for local sight seeing, one can also enjoy bathing in a nearby waterfall, of course during the monsoons, when it looks magnificent..just approximately 10 kms away from Chawdi village in Cancona district...called the Tutsi Waterfall...

Tutsi Waterfall

Since we did not have much time at our disposal and had to get back to Belgaum for Ganesh Chaturti celebrations, we decided to go via Agonda...and that's when we also came across Cabo De Rama, the popular Goan beach fort named after Lord Rama. This is one of the oldest forts in Goa, build here before the arrival of the Portuguese. With the historic significance related with its name, Cabo De Rama has a mythological legend. Lord Rama accompanied by his wife Sita took refuge here during his exile from Ayodhya for 14 years.

Cabo De Rama

Cabo De Rama
Below are some views from top and also the beautiful shots of some flora...

Local Fisherman....Near Cabo De Rama


View from Top...Cabo De Rama...
Beautiful Flora - Near Cabo De Rama enroute Agonda
I'm sure one could write enumerable, never ending saga about this wonderland, of a place called Goa...with its exquisitely clean beaches,nightlife = daylife with old and new, upcoming shacks, antic markets, saturday night bazar, dolphin rides, beautiful sea life, scuba diving, water sports like parasailing, speed boats...on one hand..various monuments, landmark sites, exquisite churches, beautiful temples and vast sceneries to entice you ever so more..yet still have some more to blow your mind...but not enough time at your disposal to explore this magical land...in case you are in a hurry to leave...

So next time around, do take time out to explore Goa at your hearts content...as this magical land has the capacity to woo you every single time...and next time do not forget to visit the other end of Goa...where the scenery gets even better with the setting sun...and the nights are to remember...of course in the company of your loved one.....

Cheers!
Seeta

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Newspaper Articles about 'The Cup of Life'

Guys, here are some articles in the newspapers, namely Deccan Herald and Tarun Bharat about the book, 'The Cup of Life'. Read On...and share the same...

I thought, I'll share the same here until it pops on my website..(which might take some time though)...

Anyhooo I thought, meanwhile, you can check it out here...

Here's a sneak peak on the same.....















Deccan Herald Article_September 19, 2012

And a detailed write up in a Marathi Daily which gives more insights about the book....

































Article on The Cup of Life_Tarun Bharat Newspaper_Sep 23, 2012
I know, some might need a translator for this..but hey what the heck...it should be worth the effort....for the news is interesting and quite useful.

So go ahead read on....and brush up your Marathi literature skills...

And stay tuned....Catch you next time with the further part of my Pictorial Travelogue...

Cheers!
Seeta

Monday 24 September 2012

My Pictorial Travelogue - Mumbai-Belgaum

9 Days, two road trips, two exquisite destinations...

First One - Mumbai to Belgaum

How do I put it, ever got tired eating delicious, sumptuous chocolates, pastries or any sweet for that matter, ofcourse this question is for the ones with a sweet tooth...Well, no matter how much you eat, your hand will still rush to get that one more piece. ..Isn't it...

Well for me, traveling does the same to my soul, no matter how many times, we might have traveled to various locations, the very thought of traveling and exploring new and old places, revives my soul and readies it for a new adventure...


As usual me and my better half had promised ourselves of not going on any random adventures especially after our spooky adventure from Bhandardara....which almost got us lost on top of a hill, with the road leading towards the jungle 7 in the night, and a dangerous slope running around the curvy road...with not  enough place to turn around...it was hell of an adventure, finally when we turned around, and got signal just for a second in our cell phones...to make us realize, that there is a higher power somewhere, who guides us and protects us...and puts up with our crazy shit....

anyhooooo....now that we are alive and kicking...we thought of embarking on a semi scary adventure...Of exploring a forest and a local waterfall in a quite village of Shundi known as Shundi Waterfalls, somewhere in the outskirts of Belgaum, where there were no clear steps and we had to walk through the stream, only to realize that it is quite slippery and attempting to walk through the flowing stream might lead us not to just see the waterfall at the foot, but actually take us down in full swing with the fast water flowing from atop the hill....

So.......so much so for our crazy adventure, we thought of skipping the unnecessary dare devilry instead settled for a quite snack amidst the luscious fields, caught a shot of a cute bird merrily chirping along and pecking at a grass stalk..









 










While on our way back, we made a point to visit an Ancient Hindu Shiva Temple know as Vaijnath Temple supposedly built by the Pandavas some say 2000 years ago. It was a total surreal experience, as they say this is a "Svayambhu" Temple, meaning Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.


And just when we were driving back from a fun filled evening, the rain came pouring down and filled up the air with much needed mysticism...And as we peered our way through the rain slashing on our windshield the car swiftly swirled across the hills and gave us the much needed adrenalin rush...

So I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as we did...tune in for more pictures and stories from our next road trip from Belgaum to Goa...and Goa to Mumbai...

As of now, relish the exquisite scenery and breathtaking views of some parts of the good old town from Karnataka, Belgaum....

Pictures of the luscious fields, scenery passing along, a friendly villager posing for the camera doing his chores, had fun racing a kid on the backseat of a bike, nice country roads winding towards the village nearby, sight of two blissful trees, and man taking his cattle for gracing...hope you enjoy the virtual ride, as much we enjoyed the real one....















Cheers!
Seeta