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The Immaculate Conception Church built in 1541 and enlarged in 1619, is a major landmark in New Goa also known as Panaji and as Panjim.
The night train from Kochi stopped in Margao where I had to get a bus for the last 25 kms to Panjim.
Then, I walked up rua Jose de Castro past the small igresia San Thome (below left), and on to the Hotel Republica (below right), where I got a really good room with bath for only 4.70 $US.
Panjim market,
I happened to be there for the Goa Carnival on March 4th. Everybody was trying hard to have fun but they just did not have the temperament to do justice to the Portuguese tradition of Carnival.
I think this group of Arab traders had the best costumes.
My general impression was, just too commercial.
I generally do not like organised tours but it was the best way to visit sights dispersed from Panjim to Margao so I made an exception. Here is the Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa
Across the street is the Cathedral.
Below, the altar of the Basilica on the left and that of the Cathedral on the right.
Here is the 16th century Mangueshi Temple dedicated to Shiva near Priol about 10 kms south of Old Goa on the inland road to Margao. It is the most important Hindu temple in Goa.
The Shantadurga Temple was built in 1738 near Ponda 10 kms south of the Mangueshi temple. It holds images of Shiva, his wife Shantadurga and Vishnu.
Colva beach near Margao is but one of several great beaches that, combined with cheap marijuana, attracted crowds of hippies in the '60's and '70's.
Nude bathing is no longer allowed anywhere now in Goa. Local people go into the water all dressed!
Here is another shot of how Indians go to the sea at Colva beach.
Rice fields on the way back to Panjim from Margao.
My Indian visit coming to an end, I took an overnight sleeper bus from Old Goa to Bombay.
This was my fourth visit to Bombay. This time, I stayed at the Salvation Army's Red Sheild House in Colaba near the Gate of India shown here.
The Red Sheild house is just behind the Taj Mahal Hotel that you can see here but it's much cheaper at only 10 $US for a room with bath including three meals.
This time, I had the time to visit the Prince of Wales Museum.
Victoria Terminus Railway Station.
Bombay High Court Building.
This is Marine Drive, looking North.
I spent 5 days in Bombay, shoping for airline tickets to retun home via the South Indian Ocean islands and London and for about a dozen books on Indian history, religions and castes.
And this is also Marine Drive, looking South towards Nariman point. My previous visit had been on business. I had stayed at the Oberoi Towers Hotel, the first on this picture. The Oberoi had been very comfortable but I had not learned much about the real India there.
This year's backpacking trip had been a little more difficult but a million times more interesting!
From here I flew to Dhubai and on to the Seychelles with my head full of India's insoluble caste and religious problems.
