Journey to Paradise: India, Goa
What I was looking for in countries where the average annual air temperature is +20 ° C, I found in India. Yeah, maybe my experience as a lazy traveler isn't so rich, but the search is over.
I have never been attracted to the beaches of the Krasnodar South, sorry for the lack of patriotism in this matter. But the clogged beaches, not distinguished by special purity, and the lack of rest as such due to the constant struggle for a place under the sun did not fit in my head under the term "OUTPUSK". And palm trees now will not surprise anyone.
After watching Danny Boyle's The Beach, my idea of the nature of the dream was very clear: turquoise water, white fine sand, a wide beach, palm trees, coconut bananas, no tourists in Bermuda shorts and cameras.
All this I found, except, however, turquoise water (the sea is constantly a little stormy). Of course, it is worth mentioning that the GOA in the view of the Indians is not India itself. It is more democratic here than in other states.
As in Indian cinema, I certainly did not feel like myself, but women do go to sari or punjabi (except for girls and teenagers, although there are children’s versions of sari). And for tourists, you can quickly take Indians walking along the beach with a camera in search of a beautiful European female figure.
This is probably the only downside I took with me to Russia. This attention in the first few days only comforts your pride. But in the future, it only angers and even frightens if you are in the company without men. Of course, there can be no talk of harassment in this country. But incessant photography on the beach (sometimes they come within a distance of less than a meter) is very annoying.
And otherwise, Indians are as friendly as any other southern people (hopefully not because they realize that tourists are the only way to escape millions in slums).
Food should be discussed separately. I think it's a knockout test. The first week I went half-starved, despite the fact that the portions in the local caches (cafes) are large. The amount of spices they put in EACH kind of dishes, even in a cup of tea, is inedible for an unprepared northern stomach. But by the second week, the adaptation got to the digestive organs, and eating became much more pleasant. Well, tea with spices (tea - massala) - just up the culinary art.
Wildlife also did not cease to amaze with exotic. On the shore, for example, transparent centipedes constantly move, on closer examination you begin to identify crabs in them. Although there were larger specimens.
It was only here that I became convinced that crows are really kleptomaniacs. And in general, a lot of interesting things ran, lay down, walked along the beach, which we do not even find in all shops.
And a lot of people like me, in search of happiness, have stayed here, maybe not forever, but are unlikely to be able to return. They are easily recognized by their bright clothes - Hippy, what can you say?
It was only here that I realized that I could stay for six months, maybe a year, but not more. After all, when nature is static, and the weather changes only from dry heat to humid, you realize how lucky you are. After all, I can see snowy winter, nature coming alive in spring, green summer and yellow autumn.
After all, there is some purpose, someone decides where and who to be born. The main thing is to see in the surroundings that beautiful and unique that others seem boring and ordinary.
Elizabeth Shvedova
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