Sunday 10 February 2008

And so off to Hampi

2/2 - Up and off to Margao station. The rickshaw driver told me to go to platform 2. Got there and thought I'd check with the bloke in the Chai stall. "There is no train to Hospet today". WHAT !!!
Checked my ticket, he's right. I have been given a ticket for the 7th, not 2nd. The ticket bloke at Vasco, must have mistaken my 2 for a 7, or thought, there is no train tomorrow, he must mean the 7th, either way it is off to the reservations office to change it and there's no bloody bannister. Back to the Residency and in a new room by 9:00. The lady who booked me in yesterday was on the desk when I came down. "Aren't you booking out?" "I have and I'm back" She laughed and I can understand why. Travelling in India will make you laugh or cry. It is a must to be relaxed about it.
So another day wandering in Margao. The market is good fun, it is packed with stalls selling all sorts. The town really rocks, it is go, go, go all the time. There are still hawkers, but not too many. I have developed a look that I use when NO, No , no, NNNNOOOOOO doesn't work. The look seems to work well. Have time to kill, so had my haircut, Rs 50. Margao is real Goa, not the tourist version, it is a good people watching place. There are still quite few tourists here, possibly stopping over before tomorrow's train, in my case twice. The municipal gardens are nice, they form the hub of the town and when rush hour comes, so does the fumes. Every town seems to be the same in India. Called into a local restaurant, Tato, for some mushroom masala. Loads of the restaurants are veggie. I never know what I am ordering, so I'm an unknowing veggie since I came to India. It seemed to cause great interest to the Margaons as I ripped up my chapati and hooverd up my masala. I got plenty of smiles, or laughs, I'm not sure.
The football was on as I passed a bar that lots of whities seem to use, Louglins I think, so I called in for a beer and a watch. IT is a dump and the beer was warm, but only 30p so I finished it and went to watch the football in the hotel. One advantage of the Residencies, there is a tv in the rooms.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Gil,

Finally found a picture of the Municipal Gardens in Margao. What a lovely haven to sit and relax reading a book. In the picture I found I can see a tree which is covered in a deep shade of blue or purple blossom. The colour is beautiful. I see there are a few stairs to get to it but there is what looks like a handy handrail on either side. Still not very accessible for a "wheelie" though..:0(

I had to laugh when you had time to kill so had your hair cut... I bet that didn't take very long!

It's a bit late now I know but, there's a page on the internet which gives details of which vegetables are included in the Indian vegetarian dishes, which might have come in handy before ordering. But being an ex-army trained killer, you would have just "hoovered it up" and enjoyed it anyway..:0)


Carol x