Friendship that lasts forever

It is probably a little too late to be sharing this now, but what the heck. I'll go ahead and do it anyway.

Remember how I've written time and again about my college bestie Rose (a.k.a Sushmita) - about all the times we've had and the amazing birthday surprises and holidays we've enjoyed together during our 4 years at engineering college? Ever since the course ended last year, we have seen lesser and lesser of each other, not for lack of trying though, but generally owing to our respective career and higher studies commitments. Yet, every time we do meet, it is like the "us" from college, all over again, only calmer and more mature. But everything else - saying the same things at the same time, reading each other's minds, gossiping about the people in our lives or crow-watching - remains pretty much the same.

So this past month, or maybe the month before that, during this particular spate of a few free days I had, I went over to her blog to read up on all she'd written that I had missed because of my exam. A while later, after a handful of interesting reads, I came across a post that took my breath away for a good two seconds. It was a post that had won her the Runner-up prize in an Indiblogger contest. But that's not the part that took the breath away.

Apparently the post was about me. Entirely. About. ME.

It was a poignant little post recounting the most significant moments from our years together at college by means of the reproduction of a few of her diary entries over the months (that I never even knew for certain she wrote so regularly). The first time we sat together, our first college fest, mad stalking of crushes, birthday surprises, our one and only holiday trip together, the time she broke her leg - it was a nostalgic trip down memory lane, taking me back to all those years we'd spent together having the time of our lives. It was beautiful. Have a look at it here.

I revisited her blog again tonight and reread the entire post. It still makes me nostalgic and at the same time blush. It is indeed the perfect ode to our friendship, or rather, to the first four years of it. Because, despite all hardships and ups and downs, some friendships do last forever. To us, and to the longevity of our friendship. Amen.

Goa Diaries - II

A big sorry to y'all folks for such an inordinate delay in returning with the Goa diaries. I've been really caught up, and am probably going to remain so for some time to come. But hey! Good news is that I've finally got a laptop and a decent Internet connection at my present location, so I now have the liberty to write whenever I like, from wherever I am. That's something to be upbeat about, now, isn't it?

Anyhow, coming back to the reason why I'm here today...ooh. Goa! I just sort of light up every time I think of that place and the visit that was. It's a lovely getaway from the sad, monotonous life we lead in the metro cities - away from ourselves, away from mother nature. It almost reminds me of Marx's theory of Alienation. But let's not get carried away.

The period from December to February is considered the best time to be in Goa, which is corroborated by the endless bucket loads of 'fun in the sun/frolicking on the beach' pictures that have been sprouting left, right and center on my Facebook newsfeed lately. Jeez, people! I was there too last month, and I had real fun. But my profile isn't overflowing with endless pictures of me in flowing skirts and beach hats, is it? Seriously, what's all that brouhaha about?

Nevertheless, continuing from where I left off in the previous post...

We touched down on a couple of beaches, Anjuna and Calangute to be precise, while on our way back from Aguada. It was the same everywhere - huge parties of scantily clad tourists taking sunbaths, locals strolling on the sands, youngsters going gaga over water scooters and paragliders - I was personally not too big on any of those.

The classic name-on-the-sands picture that I heard is mandatory to be taken if you're in Goa. Check.

Okay so that's one of my pics-on-the-beach. Let's for a second forget my previous tirade against them.

Here's another. Sorry, couldn't help. My blog, my say! :D

Coco-palm love!

Interestingly, I learnt from a local coconut seller that the luscious coconuts with the water and sweet kernel that are a favorite all around Goa aren't actually homegrown but brought in from Kerala. Clearly taken aback, I asked what use the native Goan coconuts were put to, only to be told that they were used as dry coconuts for cooking, making oil and other products. In fact coconut milk, coconut fiber, the leaves and even trunk of the palm are all put to good use by the natives in thatching homes, making canoes, hats, decorative material and baskets, and many more such products for domestic and commercial use. Above all, the world-renowned Goan liquor Feni (or Fenny), sold exclusively in Goa, is brewed from coconuts. Another variant is brewed from cashews too. It is inexpensive, exquisitely aromatic and ahem...quite potent.

Can't say for sure if that's Calangute or Anjuna Beach. Certainly one of the two - both were equally happening and crowded.

We didn't stay on any of these beaches for long, so that by the time the sun was beginning its downward journey, we had reached the point where the Santa Monica stood, waiting to take us on its much famed Sunset Cruise down Mandovi river.

The cruise on Mandovi river atop which we spent an evening beholding some Goan culture (and lots of drunken debauchery).

It would be a one hour cultural extravaganza, they said. There would be good food, they said. It'll be superb fun, they said. If only I had a penny for every broken promise, I'd have completed much of this trip for free. Sadly, in the name of culture, there were these 4 dancers who appeared onstage every 15 minutes, in a different costume every time, each more shabbily donned than the previous. They put up for us what were supposedly three of Goa's native dances. To me it looked nothing like dancing. It was more like they had been forced onto stage and told to move any way they liked. It was pretty disappointing. However, during the short breaks in which the dancers changed costume, the seemingly invisible emcee called random groups from amongst the audience onto the floor to shake a leg. It was almost hilarious, watching people put their funniest moves on display.

In the name of food, there was overpriced bhel and alcohol being sold by one of the most uptight and rude men I ever saw on the other side of a food stall. Even to ask for an extra plastic fork or a colder beverage made him furious. Needless to say, we went hungry. The lowest level on the boat was fashioned as a disco, but was overpopulated with drunk guys and couples oblivious to the world. The ordeal thankfully ended in less than an hour.

And thus our second day in Goa ended with us sitting on the porch of the guest house sipping coffee. Exhausted but cheerful. The beauty of Goa and the calmness of the sea seem to almost seep into your pores, making you contemplative and serene. Nothing is bothersome enough to distract you from the sheer beauty of nature anymore. Seriously, if you haven't been to Goa yet, it is never too late my friends. Take the plunge.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the retreating Delhi winters and the vibrant colors of spring. The gardeners around here are doing a wonderful job of keeping the campus beaming with the brightest of blooms. Life's beautiful, if not any less stressful.

Until I write again, ciao folks!