A sunset and a celebration

I didn't get to write anything yesterday. India had appeared in my stomack. And though that definately makes up a couple of stories, well then I'll spare you for the details. Hence, no post yesterday.

As mentioned, my mother turned 70 last week and is here with most of the family right now.

We've spent the past week in Goa. Tomorrow, we're heading back to Delhi and further up in the mountains, so I can show them my hood. Last night was the night of celbrating Mom. At Mickey's. With wonderfully barbecued seafood and even more wonderful sunset.

3 generations on their way to the celebration. We'd managed to convince my mother that we were going to South Goa to visit one of my friends and it was fairly close to the restaurant that she guessed our plan.

Perfectly marinated pomfret! Probably one of the best fish, I've ever tasted...

 Table with a view.

Im trying to write a post tonight, but otherwise it might be a couple of days as Im heading for the mountains and no power connection...

Good bars make good lives...

Those bars or places, where you feel instantly at home as you enter. Actually, feel better than home. Those bars that make you live a little longer and definitely better. Today was a very special day. I visited two of that kind of bars. Both situated in Panjim, the capital of Goa.

In the first, we had coffee, fresh lime soda with olives and cheese. And it's actually also a restaurant, situated in an old Portuguese colonial building with a beautiful wooden floor. There's paintings, drawings and thingys everywhere. So you can just keep on taking photos, letting yourself loose on the walls, the doors, the windows - even the ceiling.

 The main restaurant. In all the balconies there's a table with space for 2 people.

One of the balconies...

 Closet detail.

 Self portrait and ceiling.

 Sea view.

 The entrance and my foot.

 If anyone ever comes by Panjim - Hotel Venite and up to first floor.

The fat lady hadn't sung yet and the day of good bars wasn't over. An hour or two later, we'd bought cloth (for dresses) and the others were buying towels. I don't need new towels and Im not particular interested in watching others buy them. Instead, I went strolling with my camera. And passed a little shop that got my attention. It was rather difficult to find out what kind of shop it was. Was it a wine and liquor shop? A porcelain shop? A bar? Anyhow, it wasn't very big. And then I realised that everybody sitting in there had beer in their glasses. "Oh, you sell beer?" "Yes" "Ek minute - I'll be back" (ek means 1 in Hindi). And then I got the rest to come. And we figured out that the place WAS a wine and liquor shop (cheapest bottle of whisky 30 rupees) AS WELL AS a porcelain shop. Besides of course being a bar that served us a very nice chilled afternoon beer.

 The entire bar.

 Old water filter systems.

I'd recommend anybody to visit that place if ever in Panjim. And do take your time to enjoy more than one beer there.

Impressions from a beach in Goa

On our way to the beach, we suddenly heard a sound from the tree. Oh, and see a shade in the tree, what could that be?

 A man, who'd found a good resting spot in the branches.

 One bading chick on an endless beach.

Castles in the sand.

There he was, sleeping. With a ring around his upper body - why not?

 Fishing boats

 Preparing the nets after today trip on the sea.

Finally, heads on a row in Margao yesterday.

The super hero and the banana man

My 1½ year old nephew, Ferdinand, loves bananas. Therefore, his dad (my younger brother) wanted to get at new supply. We'd gone to Margao, a sort of large town in Goa, and Ferdinand expressed his unsatisfaction would most likely easiest be paciified by a banana. So Niels Peter (my younger brother) went out to get bananas.

He wanted to buy for 50 rupees, for which you get about 20-30 little delicious Goa-bananas for. As Niels Peter didn't have many smaller notes, he gave the banana man a 500 rupees note and regretted straight away to have givven such a large note. The banana man started suggesting my brother to get more bananas and to move his stuff around, packing up, looking to the side etc. Finally, he gave Niels Peter the bananas but not the change, pointed somewhere and told the police were coming. And then he ran.

500 rupees made the bananas less of a deal. Luckily, my brother were fast as something very fast. He ran after the banana man, caught him, got his remaining 450 rupees and got everything back in to order...

Sunset in Goa

My family arrived yesterday, which made it hard to get time to post on the blog - and it's cool to spend my time showing them some of my India.

Today, I spent loads of time on the beach, amongst others on a beautiful and colorful sunset, even though it was the color coordination of the women's clothes and the waves that ended up taking the price.

Women Only

The Delhi Metro. Boy, I love the Delhi Metro. The safest, fastest (by far), and cheapest (by even more far) way to get around Delhi. And I love it!

Not least do I love the Women Only coupé that you'll find in all trains. As the name indicates it is a coupé where only women are allowed in. Only exception from this rule is the male children that accompanies the women on their journeys.

The coupé is marked at the stations with pink and flowery signs. And shame of that man, who tries to get into the female area. If he's not killed by eyes, the ladies will physically throw him out.

The coupé is often less filled than the rest of the train, which makes the journey much more comfortable. And when you (women only) enter the coupé, you're often rewarded with big smiles from strangers.

Today I even got offered a seat. But perhaps that was because I look old...

You are very very welcome!

A guard welcomed me at a café today with: "Welcome! You are very very welcome here!"

My tailor stated that I've decreased by 1-2 inches around bussom, waist and hips and asked for my mothers phone no. so he could send his regards on her birthday. He always asks to my mother as the first thing whenever I enter his shop.

And finally a picture I feel like publishing, because I like it and something better came up the day I took it.

Jeetu, Netra and Mahendra after the puja at Pundirji's