Beer, Barrels & Policeman

Phil has done very well keeping up with the blog whilst we’ve been away which is just as well because I just haven’t been in the mood for posting. It’s so hot here with temperatures in the 40’s some days and with the high humidity, it’s all you can do is breath, let alone sit in a sweaty, smelly airless, internet cafe. Of course we have the laptop which does make life a little easier because you can draft up from the room, slap onto a data stick and download when you get somewhere with an internet connection, but even so, well done Phil!

I had a very enjoyable morning on Monday at the beauty salon where I was booked in for a fully body massage, facial, manicure and eye brow threading. Francesca was busy so one of her assistants started by giving me a manicure. When she’d finished I hopped on the table for my facial and massage. It was lovely as usual and Francesca finished me off by threading my eyebrows. I always find threading a bit uncomfortable but I put up with the pain because the end results are far better than waxing. Phil hadn’t turned up and we had 5 minutes to spare so Fran asked if I wanted my moustache threading? Cheek of the girl!!! But she was right, I had a few whiskers that needed seeing too, so I gave her the go ahead. All this treatment cost me 500 rupees; bargain price and of course I gave her a good tip, the equivalent in the UK would have cost me around 70 quid.

With the high temperatures and high humidity all you want to do is drink beer and sleep! The latter has not been easy because alcohol is not so easy to get here in Goa at the moment. I am surprised that we have been here 10 days or more and Phil hasn’t mentioned this before now. Or maybe he has and I have missed it? Apparently according to the locals, stocks are low due to the elections and many bars and restaurants are totally dry and have no stocks whatsoever. Also the government have put a total ban on alcohol sales and have made Goa totally dry for 3 days from 5pm on the 21st April until 5pm on the 23rd April. This could have been a problem for us but we’ve been around the block a few times and have been able to get beer and wine. It’s not what you know but whom! We went to Fusion on Tuesday night for a meal, steak for me and the Brazilian salad for Phil and couldn’t get served anything alcoholic. The owner of Fusion said that you would be fined if you were raided and found to have 6 beers or more in your fridge. How daft and I wasn’t sure I believed her but she was adamant. After the meal we walked round to the restaurant at Palm View and got served with chilled wine which we took back to the room. Bizarre!

We had planned to take it easy yesterday and spend the day lounging by the pool but a coach full of Indian families turned up with 10 million kids so we had to get on the bike and change our plans for the day. First up we headed for The Majorda hotel so Phil could post his blog. We had planned to have lunch in the Lagoon restaurant but they had a big notice in the reception to say that the hotel wasn’t serving alcohol so we decided to head to the Mish Mar beach shack. It surprised me that The Majorda was dry because we had been led to believe that the big hotels were exempt from the ban. Anyway when we got to the beach shack everyone was drinking Kingfishers so we were okay. We asked Camillo, the beach shack owner, and he said he wouldn’t stop serving beer and me and Phil figured that he was taking his chances and would just simply give the policeman a bribe should the shack be raided. Just shows you how ridiculous the Indian government is and how corrupt.

Talking of corrupt, I am also surprised that Phil didn’t mention being stopped by the police and given an on-the-spot fine when we were on the way back from our horrendous bike ride into Margao. We had just passed an accident involving a motorbike and a bus and wouldn’t you know it we drove straight into a police blockade. They were doing everyone who wasn’t wearing a crash helmet. We know from previous fines that you have to wear a helmet on main roads but we didn’t realise we were on a main road. Anyway, it was the usual set up, 200 rupees and no paperwork. Phil knows the score by now, he simply paid his bribe and we were on our way after 10 minutes.

The other thing that I am really surprised that Phil hasn’t mentioned about is that we got shot at the other day. We were riding from Majorda to Colva on our way to collect our laundry, just minding our own business when this gun shot when off. It came from some waste land on our left and was so close it was enough to make us duck. It certainly made my heart beat faster. Luckily we weren’t hit (obviously) but I tell you, we were wary on that part of the road on our return journey. My guess is that it was one of the locals maybe shooting a chicken or maybe a goat. I dunno, certainly a bit close for comfort for my liking. Still we live to tell the tale, thank goodness!!!!

We had a nice lunch at the beach shack of tiger prawns in garlic and lemon sauce followed by curry, rice, garlic naan’s and several cold beers. I managed to persuade Phil to let me have an hour on the beach (not easy) and then it was back to the pool so Phil could catch up with OU. Last night was quiet, no dinner just a few drinks on the patio and then bed and TV. I had been up with deli belli the night before so I was fast asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow. I kept Phil awake as well with my many trips up and down to the loo so he was knackered, although I guess he stayed awake to watch the film because as I type this up early morning on the patio with a cup of tea, he is still fast asleep snoring his little head off. Bless............!

Today is exciting because we are on the move and a taxi is picking us up at 11.00am and taking us to Soul Vacation in Colva for a 3 night package deal which Phil has negotiated. This will be our last 3 nights but I am excited to be staying here, I liked it so much when we came to Goa last December and stayed in Soul Vacation for one night. Last time, we had showers in the luxurious bathroom, put on the white dressing gowns, ordered rooms service and watched the movie channel. How naughty is that??? Hopefully things haven’t gone downhill at the Soul and everything is as nice as I’d remembered.

That’s all from me today. Right now I must close down the laptop, pack the cases and raise Phil from the land of the dead. I guess we shall pop down one last time to the beach shack for some tea and pancakes and then go back to say farewell to the boys at Palm View and wait for our taxi. Next blog from Colva, our last port of call.