Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Holiday in Goa

How it is that this was already over 3 months ago? I'm busily preparing for my next trip to India, without Dave. I'll get more work done, but it won't be nearly as fun. I wasn't sure how we would survive that much time together, but we truly had a great time. [Update... I'm in India again. And haven't updated from last time. Yikes!!]

This picture is out of order but... in Delhi at The Beer Cafe. Dave is eating wings, drinking beer and watching sports. Just like home! The only difference? The sport is Cricket.

Before Dave got to India, a work event. I presented a couple of times at our India HR Conference, and then in the evening there was an ethnic night. Kadambini in the maroon on the left is on my team and Weronika is in a different group. They don't usually dress like this at work, but it was fun to see them all put together.

After his 2 canceled flights and a delay, and then 3 flights later, I found this ragamuffin in the Pune airport. 2 more flights and we'd be at our destination. He traveled pretty well!

And then... Goa. Goa is so funny to me because we talk about it when I'm in India all the time. "You should go to Goa... Goa is amazing..." But we also make fun of it because we say people go to Goa for training (for like a week, for a one day training). So when I told everyone I was actually going to Goa, they laughed at me.

Goa is referred to as the Caribbean of India. It was under Portugal rule, so feels very different from other parts of India, which were under British rule. We were there at the end of the rainy season, so the good part was it wasn't busy. The bad part was we got some rain. Even so, the good WAY outweighed the bad.

Here's Fort Goa... it was right outside our hotel.
 We made it! Our favorite place was this bar. It opened up on every side so you just sat on couches facing the sea. It was different, but relaxing, but beautiful and just really, really nice. (That's a really lame description, but truly it was.)


 Fort Goa at sunset.
 Our hotel...




 It's not a book... it's a menu. Next drink, please!
 First night, we tried to stay up until dinner started. But Dave was exhausted from all of the travel, so we had snacks and off to bed. At 7:30. :)
 And then, breakfast! I don't really do India food for breakfast. And I actually try to eat as little of it as possible while I'm there. I don't enjoy the flavor, I'm pretty sure it's the curry and tumeric that I don't like, and can't really stand the spice much. But Dave loves it. He took the Dosa (the rolled up pancake) and dipped it in the red sauce (sanbhar) and took a big bite. I looked at him like he was crazy. He loved it... and said it was super spicy! I think he lost taste buds.

 Sambar... it's what was in Dave's little cup. Super spicy!

 It was nice to wake up, go to breakfast, and then walk on the beach for miles...


 So many stray dogs... I deleted about 90% of my stray dog pictures!





 The quarters... I forgot to give them back to Ava after hanging on to them the morning before I left. So, I took pictures of them wherever we went and then gave them to her when I got home and showed her all the places they went.



 So perfect...


 Some fisherman caught this and had it on the beach. I had Dave look, but he was up a ways. Later on, he said something about a turtle. Turtle? That was a stingray. He totally didn't believe me. Good thing I had the picture to prove it!


There was a golf course! Kind of. But at 100 degrees and humid we weren't going to golf. And it was kind of mini golf.
The birds of the resort...
A golf cart!! This picture is for Wendy. Whenever we get in a golf cart in the Dominican we just LAUGH! It's not even funny, but I think just being on vacation we think everything is funny.
I loved the trees.
And the pools...
The shower...



And this is of course the foot wash.


We walked around the fort. It kind of looked like Ireland, which is strange. There were some scary places where the cliff was a bit too close for comfort, and I was in flip flops. But loved it!






The grounds were beautiful.



I felt like a little troll under this mushroom tree.

Cows. Of course!
Micro-breweries! But we didn't dare go off the resort. It's a bit intimidating!


This is the Thai restaurant we ate at. We were the only one there, had about 5 waiters, and just a really, really nice night.

One day we walked around the beach, and the next we went to the mountains more beautiful sites.

Quite the bridge!

This was for Abby!

At the top of the mountain there was a church. There was a lot more Christianity in Goa than there is in the rest of India.









Playing pool! On the rainy day. It was kind of an awful pool table, but Dave still killed me anyway.
Truly doesn't get any better!

Thai food. We wrapped all the stuff in those bowls in that leaf. I've never eaten leaf before!



Dave's cows. :)

Ahhh. So glad I got to take a trip to Goa. I just loved it, and loved that I went on vacation there. It's beautiful and so different from the US. I truly get amazing opportunities.




OH! This!! So I play Trivia Crack with random people, including my sister-in-law Lisa, my niece Megan, my friend Wendy, etc. When in India, I get questions about India. Seriously?!?
All of that... and Subway too! This was on our trip to the Taj Mahal. We left early in the morning and it's about a 3.5 hour drive from Delhi. Last time I did this trip, we got a flat tire. Twice. We were much more lucky this time around!


Coming through this gate is absolutely amazing. You just think... Holy Cow (Ha! they are holy here!)! It's the Taj!!


Dave hated doing this. I made him. :)

One of the minarets under construction... I think it was just being cleaned.
I am amazed at the faces and dresses of India...
And this is how the lawn gets cut. My legs would NOT survive!


Such a mix of traditional dress and... whatever that guy in the right side is wearing!


The size and scope of this is just incredible really. 
This is one of the optical illusions of the Taj... those lines are straight but the design of the column makes them look like the go up and down.
Pants are optional.


I'm such a celebrity in India!! These boys... we were walking back from the Taj (there's about a kilometer perimeter you can't drive in) and these boys accompanied us the entire way. They asked if I was with Dave (yes), and called him lucky. They asked where I was from (US) and told me they were from India (no kidding). The best I can tell they are about 14 or 15... They insisted I take their picture.
And then we got back to this! That car right there... that's ours. Apparently the cows found a good place to sit! The driver poked them gently with a stick and fortunately they moo-ved. (I crack myself up!!)
Then we headed to Agra fort, which is were they actually lived (the Taj is just a moratorium). The fort is actually much more interesting to look at the grounds, and where they ate, slept, worshiped, etc.


You get a lot of tour offers... this guy offered to be my tour guide. I almost took him up on it because he just looks so very interesting. Almost...




The Emperor could view the Taj from his quarters in the Fort. He was actually imprisoned in the Fort for being too eccentric by his kids. 


The baths...

And on the way home... Pizza Hut! :) It was actually very good. And after Dave got over being crabby because we stopped, he tried it and liked it too.

And maybe even a beer... This was actually when we made it back that night and headed to the mall for dinner. We ate at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, and the food was really amazing.

The Leela at night. How can you not love it?


And then we went to Dilli Haat. I'd wanted to go there for awhile. It's basically a marketplace with food and vendors.
Hmmm, how does he look? Good I hope... because he bought it!

Lots of negotiations to be had!


Parliament Building...



India Gate...


Just a cute pic. :)
And then... it was done. On the way home I upgraded Dave to First Class. Two reasons... I knew he wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise and I knew HE WOULD NOT LET ME SLEEP!! We were formally escorted through the airport here and at O'Hare, which cracked me up. And in exchange for First Class? Dave agreed to not complain AT ALL during the entire Dominican week! :) totally worth it!

And... the best souvenir.
Our trip to India together was really amazing. Dave's appreciation of the culture and the food (including the street food!) made me appreciate it even more. We stayed in beautiful places, had amazing food, and Dave even got to spend a night at a most amazing scotch bar. (Apparently it's like one of 10 or something in the world... he would be able to tell you more. but it's my blog so... sorry!!) The time we spent together was really great, and we are so appreciative of all of the people we have at home who could help us with the kids and activities so we could do this. I am grateful to Kohler for allowing me to bring him on the adventure with me!

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