A visit to Goa with the South Carolinas
Three years since the South Carolinas visited and I was worried my Andrew would get his allergies flaring up again with the air pollution in Bangalore which he suffers from. Lucky with the rains the pollution seemed to have settled and he had a wonderful trip, minus any medication which he normally has to resort to.
Lets go to Goa he said, I want to show the kids Goa. Normally we are stuck in Bangalore doing jobs. Instead lets get out and have fun in Goa he insisted and you have to come. I wondered if it was possible with the monsoon in full fury in Goa, but luckily the kids dont have any airs and graces and everyone had a good time despite the deluge.
Ofcourse there was no proper beach visit which Annika and the kids love, but they have Destin in Florida, which is just as nice, though I could never compare the two! Goa wins hands down!
The kids are older and so much fun now!
Thankfully they are like us -- no fancy restaurants, just the little Darshini which we frequent while in Goa called the Sawant Cafe. Had all Aidens poories and Faloodas and Alainas butter chicken and naans. Annika is a true blue foodie so asking my friend Chef Jason he told us to avoid O Coqueiro and Souza Lobo that they grew up with but named Xavier Cafe in Mapusa and Sai Krupa in Porvorim.
Aiden loves Falooda and swears his Dads is the best. Andy wanted both kids to enjoy a falooda where his beloved Grandpa Tony took him and David, in Mapusa, during their numerous holidays in Goa with him, but I was unsure of the little hole in the wall place with our American brats.
Alaina could drink endless tender coconuts like me so we kept one another company and I swam off the effects on diabetic me.
All three -- Annika, Andy and Bonny dived into thalis wherever we went but me and careful portions I stuck with just picking from their plates. The kids managed with Yogurt and rice.
Beach bums Annika and the kids had to make a stop on Candolim beach which scared them with its turbulence and rough waves.
It was our lovely Alaina girls 11th Birthday while on the trip so she chose her fav icecream sundae and ofcourse we all sang lustily for her.
Annika bought half the shop of masalas as Andy wanted Rechard and Cafreal and all the goan masalas for his Shrimp and fish frys back home.
We were lucky to get delicious Mussel fry in Sai Krupa which more than made up for me having to pick at most restaurants.
And best of all the kids loved the little kaka shops where they could find everything they ever wanted and even buy it with their Indian money.
I was so glad they were able to see all sides of Indian life, not just Hayes Road which they used to as babies. Its fun to loaf around with them now as they are older and not whiney as they used to be about the noise and crowds in India. Ofcourse a visit to Marios shop had a couple of his paintings in their bag which we had framed in Bangalore before they left.
Two weeks sped by in a flash but it was such a good two weeks where we made a ton of memories.
