"Off to Cancun (of India) - Goa"

So we were very excited to have a few days to relax in Goa, as we had been very busy with business meeting/dinner, developing presentations, and preparing for seminars. We had time to sleep-in, take time for breakfast and bring down our luggage for storage. We met Neeta and Romi, as they would be accompanying us to Goa, for ease of travel. They were very helpful in navigating us through the airport and communicating for the bus/hotel. Our flight ended up being delayed about 1/2 hour with additional waiting on the plane. We arrived at the airport at 5 PM and we had another 45 minutes to drive to the Nanutel Hotel in "Old Goa."

By the time we got to the hotel, we only had a few minutes to "freshen up" before going to Martin's Corner. It was a larger restaurant found away from the small city, in which many Indian celebrities eat and partake in the activities of this restaurant. For all we know, we could have been rubbing elbows with a few Bollywood stars! We had a great dinner and fortunately we were there for kareoke night. Every few song choices, our group would sing in unison songs like "It's My Life", "Take Me Home" and La Bamba. We had a few looks from the restaurant be we were thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Our meals were delicious. It was the first time we did not do "family-style" eating, so people were able to share and pick-and-choose their meals. Ordering seafood in Goa was a recommendation by many people we crossed paths with during our travels. The majority of the group ordered a prawns dinner, in which veggies, mashed potatoes and 3-6" long, but thick prawns were served and shared between pairs. Only a few were brave enough to continue to eat the Indian food and try the "Goan" staple foods, such as chicken xacuti. It can be described as a red paste-based with coconut milk and spices. After dinner, although most of us were full, Neeta suggested that we stop at Amici gelato shop. Great choice! It was on our way back from Martin's Corner, but definitely in the rural parts of Goa. It was delicious and well-worth the stop at 11 PM, as many of the flavors were phenomenal. No one left disappointed.

On Thursday, many of us woke up for a complimentary breakfast. They served both continental and Indian choices, such as masala tea, NesCafe coffee, Corn Flakes, hard boiled eggs and fresh pineapple. The new Indian food item was called sheera, a traditional Maharashtrian dish served at breakfast or as a snack. It can be described as an American "yellow sweet grits."
The rest of the day consisted of a City Tour of Goa from an estimated start of 10 AM to 6 PM.
1) Historical Portuguese Village
2) Hindu Temples (2)
3) Basilica of BomJesus in Old Goa (BomJesus means "Infant Jesus" or "Good Jesus"). This church houses the remains of Saint Francis Xavier. For more information, please refer to website: http://www.goainns.com/BomBasilicaChurch.aspx
4) Goa Beaches (2)
Many of the places, we were "tourists". However, we felt more like the attraction at some of the tour stops, as many groups and families would approach the group for pictures. Although it was a bit awkward to pose for pictures, it was enjoyable to see them all smiling and happy.

After a long day of riding in a bus, we wanted to have a low-key night. We ended up enjoying 30 minutes in the pool and then ate at the restaurant in the Nanutel Hotel. Some finished dinner to have a drink at the hotel bar, the Zodiac Bar and a bowl of ice cream from Baskin Robbins. What a long day!

On Friday, it was a very relaxing day. The only thing on our itinerary was our departure flight from Goa to Mumbai. We had the entire day to relax, sit at the pool, walk around "Old Goa" to buy "Tiffany cracker biscuits (which taste like animal crackers) and having a very late lunch at the resturaunt at our hotel. We left the hotel around 5 PM, but our flight got delayed, so again we had to wait around the airport. Finally we returned to Mumbai around 11 PM with little in our stomachs. Many people were feeling nauseated, tired and exhausted.