February 3, 2016
Week 45: Panjim restday: street scenes
An ancient Hindu legend tells how the land of Goa was formed by the sixth incarnation of Vishnu-Parashuram. Facing the Arabian Sea and standing atop of the Western Ghats, the sage ordered the sea to retreat where an arrow he shot landed. The land is on the banks of two main Goan Rivers, Aghanashini (Zuari) and Gomati (Mandovi).
The state of Goa was ruled by Portuguese for 450 years with the East India Spice Trade. The legacy of the colonial era is still evident especially in Panjim with architecture, food and the spread of Christianity. Mostly, Goa is known for miles of uninterrupted beaches.
The Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine introduced the potato, tomato, pineapples, cashews, and the spice of chili peppers. Walking the streets of Panjim, there are plenty of cashew shops. The Catholic added to the lacto-vegetarian and fish base diet also, beef and pork that is forbidden to Hindus. Our challenge is adjusting to dining times that are so different for when we are cycling. When cycling we are usually up at 6am eating breakfast, then throughout the day eating smaller meals, and dinner 5-6pm. Coffee shops don't open until 10:00am, dining times for lunch 12:00-3:30pm and dinner 7:00pm-11:00pm.
The location of Orva's guesthouse is great. Yesterday for dinner, we ate at George's, a corner restaurant at the base of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church. For lunch today, we ate at Viva Panjim Family Restaurant, very near to our location, listening to Portuguese music. An excellent meal, we had pork for the first time since last April-May when in Germany, along with fries and salad. We shared a table with a Russian lady that is a Cultural Anthropologist. She told us about a bakery, also near down an alley by the Presidente Supermarket on the corner of our street.
Tomorrow we move on, taking the ferry out of the city.
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