Aww what a lovely memory Fiona.

It reminds me of the countless reviews I've approved where the poster has started by saying 'We arrived at 'midnight' and thought "What have we let ourselves in for, only to awake the next morning to the most beautiful view"'

I have so many happy memories over the years, made some wonderful friends both Indian and from the UK.

My first trip to Goa it was December 94, belting along in a tuk tuk on the road from Candolim to Mapusa. The sun was shining and it was red hot, the tape player was blasting out Christmas carols, we then overtake an elephant!!!.
It was absolutely amazing and the start of my love affair with Goa.

On my last trip last January, we befriended a little group of cows who came to graze on the scrubland overlooked by our apartment. We used to chuck them bread, fruit etc. They were really cute even the one with massive horns!!. On a walk one day about 1 mile away from the apartment we came upon our herd lying in the shade, they knew us and crowded around for some tasty morsels (good job I usually carry a doggy bag). We then notice one of them, a particular favourite, is in the process of giving birth . The next day there was our cow outside the apartment with the most beautiful tiny baby calf in tow - absolute magic. I am sure most of you will think I am stark raving mad (true!! ) but animal lovers will know what I mean

The very first time i went and took the coach transfer to my hotel. The sights and sounds and that slight feeling of dread (where the hell had i come to) Then walking around Candolim very early in the morning and just taking it all in. These days i still get a buzz when my plane lands but you never quite capture that first time feeling.

When I write this please don't be cross as it is the Gods honest truth .
.One day on the beach in Goa we were watching a man walking along the beach with one leg begging at sun beds as he went along ..
.when he was getting close to us there was a flip flop washing in and out with the tide ..he waited to it come in close enough to get it out of the water with his crutch ...you will never guess it was the right foot as he only had the one leg he gave it a shake waved it about a bit in the hot air to dry it put it on his foot chucked the one he did have on back into the sea then hobbled over and asked us for a few rupees ..well all we could do was laugh Bless him Colleen

omg I remember my first night, got of the plane just after midnight. and cried I wana go home, hubbie had to pull me away from plane as I wanted to get back on it, but once I got to hotel, had a cuppa,shower /sleep. I was ready for what the next day could bring. loved it. altho it was my first time there and hubbie had been a bit worried bout takin me as he had been a few times. before we met., I cnt wait to get back there in nov.

its so funny how we all tell a similar story of arriving thinking ooops what have i done and then very quickly end up falling in love with the place!!! I was just the same all those years ago and cried when we got here!

I have always said there is something invisibly magic about Goa that just grips you and draws you back time after time... i dont think any of us can define it truly but its definitely there

I would feel lost i think if Goa wasnt a big part of my life despite all the changes here,.... even this season for me, despite it being harder/different and my initial reservations due to losing my partner, it was the best thing i did coming back. nowhere quite like it is there

Great topic Fiona keep the stories coming
Chilly

I am a very positive person and it is usually my husband who says the immortal worlds "where the hell have you brought me to" but I have to admit I was silently thinking the same thing, but not daring to admit it as Goa was my idea. During the journey from the airport to the hotel I kept thinking "it has to get better" as all I was seeing was rubbish, dry earth and the poverty.

Imagine my delight when on the 3rd day he declared it was the best place he had ever been to and asked when we were going back. I booked another 2 weeks for just 3 months later.

Have met some amazing people, and some complete "a-holes", particularly the chap from Leeds who told us not to give to a one-legged blind elderly gentlemen hobbling along the beach with the help of his daughter because he was one of the richest men in Goa!

Have met some amazing people, and some complete "a-holes", particularly the chap from Leeds who told us not to give to a one-legged blind elderly gentlemen hobbling along the beach with the help of his daughter because he was one of the richest men in Goa!

Watch him and his "daughter" early in the morning and later in the day in Arpora, running for the bus whilst strapping on his "leg casing" There is no-one else who fits this description so it must be the same con-artists.And yes, due to their very successful act they do very very well.

This couple of scamsters have been trading in Goa for almost two decades, and are famous (infamous?)
Maybe the guy from Leeds wasn't such an a-hole after all?

And good luck to him. The bottom line is that he was disabled and chose to hobble up and down the beach in over 100 degrees of heat to earn a living. No state handouts in India so I don't begrudge him. What would you want him to do - go away and starve? Not many British people would do what he did, day in, day out just to feed and clothe themselves - much easier to scrounge off the state.

another memory also from the first trip. I watched this cow walk down towards to our sunbed neighbours. It wanted some shade it would seem. Anyway they were both sunbathing with eyes shut. Under the brolly it went and its head was right over the man's. I watched for the time he would open his eyes. I wasn't disappointed

One of my favourite cow memories - we were sitting in a shack quite early before he crowds had descended when suddenly a herd of cows charged through the shack being chased by dogs. Fortunately no-one was hurt but I dread to think what would have happened if it had been later in the day!

And of course we have all had to make sure our paperbacks do not become food for the cows.

And good luck to him. The bottom line is that he was disabled and chose to hobble up and down the beach in over 100 degrees of heat to earn a living. No state handouts in India so I don't begrudge him. What would you want him to do - go away and starve? Not many British people would do what he did, day in, day out just to feed and clothe themselves - much easier to scrounge off the state.

Hallo??

Watch him and his "daughter" early in the morning and later in the day in Arpora, running for the bus whilst strapping on his "leg casing" There is no-one else who fits this description so it must be the same con-artists.And yes, due to their very successful act they do very very well.

This couple of scamsters have been trading in Goa for almost two decades, and are famous (infamous?)
Maybe the guy from Leeds wasn't such an a-hole after all?

another I remember is , walking down to beach, van drewup out side a cafe man got out and threw a big block of ice in middle of road,a dog then came and started to lick at the ice block. I looked at hubbie, him at me and he said now you know why I don't have ice in anything, don't know which was worse dog ;licking the ice/or it being thrown on dirty road were every one was walking. yukkkkkk. to this day I don't take ice in anything unless its out of my freezer lol

Tammie
I think your memory should be in a new thread called horrific memories!

Fiona wrote:

Tammie
I think your memory should be in a new thread called horrific memories!

well it wont be forgotten in a hurry that's for sure

Candybabe wrote:

And good luck to him. The bottom line is that he was disabled .

No he is not, and thats the point, he and his accomplice are professional beggars.

Obviously nothing is going to change your opinion of these people, but just remember, thousands of Indian children are mutilated and disabled every year to enhance their begging potential (provable statistic), and by supporting the "cuddly" tip of the iceberg in Goa, you are perpetuating these barbaric practices.

Every rupee given to these con-artists encourages a poor family in "real" India to blind or cripple a son or daughter, its not a tourist attraction, its a crime against humanity.................

(more than happy to supply as many references as needed to support the above statements)

Yes agree 200% BB (sorry for going Off Topic in this 'favourite memory' thread

We saw another 'one legged' beggar on the beach...mid 30's....absolutely amazing watching the 'second' leg that was 'missing' (tied up underneath his clothes!) magically 'appear' as he legged it up the beach followed by the Tourist Police

Love that bar in Nirvana. Great for an ice cold one when you come off the beach.

We arrived in March 1998 for our first visit. Staying at Dona Therazina. Room wasn't the cleanest thing I've ever seen, view from the balcony was crap, overlooking an old Portugese house and spare ground. First night after a meal we ventured outside, about 10.30 pm. Not a light in sight anywhere, no people nothing. Went back into the hotel and the bar had shut. No doubt people can imagine what our first thoughts were.

The next day we eventually found our way down into Calangute centre, as we turned the corner onto the main street I couldn't believe it. It was like going back into one of those old comedy films that used to be on. The traffic, the sounds and sights, and the smells, We just fell in love with the place there and then.
We used to regularly sit in Sanjays bar near the entrance to the fish market, sadly long gone. Probably the dustiest, smelliest bar we have ever been in, and just read the papers and people watch, sounds wierd but we loved it.
That same day we ended up on the beach at Aggis Cafe to watch the sunset in hammocks drinking cocktails, that clinched it. We have been 17 times now but nothing will ever match those magical first few days. I even grew to love the view from our balcony watching the wild life. That same view now is a chinese restaurant and a tower block, mmmmmmm.
Thinking of cows, one decided it wanted my curry and chapatis in Aggis one day, just marched up and dived straight in. Quite a funny pic someone took as I was half falling off my chair.
Happy days
Barry and Lesley