India is my dream country. Journey one. Part 2.

Most of the tourists are Europeans, the so-called middle class of our compatriots and wealthy Indians from other states. On the beaches of Morjima, Ashvem and Arambol there is a completely different picture. There are many more stray animals, the sand in some places is similar to asphalt and a lot of fishing boats. Here mostly prefer to come lovers of budget holidays. But all the beaches of northern Goa are united by the fact that trade flourishes on them. Of course, there are fewer tents than on the streets and no shops at all, but this is not required here. Indian women constantly approach you and offer to buy various pareos, palantines, arm and leg bracelets, dresses and alladine pants from them. They are ready to put on your body a pattern of henna (mehndi) or massage. And, for example, on Arambol in the evenings, something like a handmade goods fair takes place. It is mainly traded here by visitors.

 

If we talk about trading, I would like to talk about the day market in Anjun and the night market in Arpore. Each of them works only once a week strictly on a certain day.

 

 

The day market in Anjun opens on Wednesday morning and closes late at night. This is an incredibly colorful, noisy and very colorful Indian bazaar. Thousands of tourists begin to flock here in the morning. Still on the way there are counters with ice cream, fried corn and bamboo, from which a rather interesting drink is made right in front of you.

 

 

The bazaar itself is something incredible. It seems that you can see all the colors that exist in the world. At first, it does not seem very large, but this is due to the fact that the market is not divided into separate rows, as is customary with us, but zigzags and follows the curves of the road along which it stretches. How much is there for sale? A huge number of tents with spices and tea, clothes, scarves, palantins, incense and sovereigns. It is impossible to list everything.

 

 

And how wonderful look whole "fields" of shelves with jewelry. They are under canopies, and all the goods are laid out right on the ground. It looks incredibly beautiful. In the day market, everyone can find something to their taste and wallet. Mostly Indians trade here, there are practically no Europeans. But for me, perhaps the most memorable thing in Anjun was not even the market, but the incredible beauty of the beach with volcanic cliffs.

 

 

The indescribable contrast between the noise and bubbling life of the flea market, and the calm and sedateness of the beach struck to the core. Anjuna Beach is considered to be one of the most party-filled places in northern Goa, but for myself I noted it as the most peaceful and peaceful, at least during the day market.

 

 

The night market in Arpore is called Night Bazaar. It operates every Saturday from 18.00 to 02.00, is located between the villages of Anjuna and Arpora, near the Aguada-Siolim highway. In my personal experience, it is best to go there by eight or nine o'clock in the evening. True, there is a high probability of falling into a very large traffic jam at this time, but it is worth it. To avoid wasting time in traffic, we walked some distance. The market in Arpore is very different from the flea market in Anjun, although the goods are similar in many ways and most Indian sellers present their goods there and there. But the fashion market is not just an Indian market. There are many Europeans selling various handmade goods. There is a large area where there is a kind of food court in the open air.

 

 

There you can try various dishes of Indian, European and even Chinese cuisine. Music lovers must attend concerts during the night market. Here on the stage perform musical groups representing different styles and trends in music. Prices for the same goods in the night market are slightly higher than in the day market. But here you can find absolutely unique products that are not found anywhere else. A special flavor of this bazaar gives that it passes under the cover of night. It is necessary to go out of the gate and to you from all sides comes impenetrable Indian darkness.

 

A prerequisite for buying anything in Goa is bargaining. You can and even need to bargain if you are going to buy something in tents or on trays standing on the street. In stores, the maximum retail price is indicated, as a rule, on the packaging and bargaining with the seller no longer makes sense, although you can try. I don’t know how other tourists bargain, but I immediately say the price is half what the seller initially asks for. After that, you can gradually increase the price to an acceptable limit. Quite often there were cases that the seller and I could not agree on the price, and I left without buying a thing I liked. But after a couple of minutes, the salesman caught up with me and agreed to the price I offered. That's how I managed to get the incredible beauty of cashmere palantines at an unrealistically low price.

 

 

For avid shopaholics like me, I highly recommend visiting shopping malls in the capital of Goa, Panaji. With a population of about 60,000, this small town is a very interesting place where India and Europe meet. Since the colonial rule of Portugal continued throughout Goa until 1961 in Panaji a lot of European buildings, but they look absolutely Indian. As elsewhere, it is quite dirty and dusty on the streets, a lot of cows and stray dogs, and in Panaji you can find places where people live right on the streets. The most popular shopping spot here is 18 Juneroad, a relatively small but busy driveway in the city center. There are shops of many world brands of clothing and footwear.

 

 

And what is quite expensive in Russia, you can buy there at a very attractive price. I’m most attracted to four storeys – a five-storey store that’s around the corner. As far as I understand, this is a branded store, some local garment production. What I like most about children and teenagers. Remarkable quality, originality and relatively low prices have made this store one of my favorites.

But even for those who do not like shops, you should definitely visit this town. Walk through the narrow streets, admire the architecture and visit the church of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. Just walk along the waterfront and feel this indescribable feeling that appears when you meet two completely different worlds.

 

Continuation to be...