[majumon]

Fantastic travelogue, I really liked the loads of information provided in detail, would surely help anyone for future reference. We too were on a holiday during the same period, drove to Tarkarli( have written a small travelogue too). We were also lucky to spot so many dolphins all around us.
The picture (no362 )of Vagator beach from the fort shows a small patch of sand like an island. Your snaps are a delight to see and many are brillianty captured especially the sunset pictures. Cheers maju

[misquitas]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Pope Francis is supposed to visit the church next year as per locals. There was some renovation going in front of the Church, not sure if this was related to Pope's visit.

No, it is highly unlikely that Pope Francis will visit the Bom Jesus Basilica or even Goa, or even India, next year, unless he is invited by the Govt of India, since the Pope is, after all, the head of a state.

The reason why the demand for his visit to Goa was made was because of this: The Pope is a Jesuit priest and St Francis Xavier is an highly acclaimed and popular Jesuit saint in the Catholic world.

In 2014, the solemn Exposition of the Relic of St Francis Xavier will be held. In other words, the "body" of St Francis Xavier, which is presently in a casket, will be brought down from atop the present site at the Bom Jesus Basilica and will be on public display (Exposition) for about one month at the Se Cathedral. This Exposition takes place once every 10 years. Given the solemnity and significance of this one-in-a-decade event, there were calls to have Pope Francis invited to Goa for the Exposition of his illustrious fellow jesuit in December 2014.

The renovation, that you mentioned about has nothing to do with the pope's visit. Work was in progress due to the fact that the first national convention of 8,000-odd people on Small Christian Communities was being held at the Bom Jesus Basilica from November 19-21, which is followed by the Novena and Feast of St Francis Xavier from 24 November to 3 December.

That said, your travelogue on my Goa was excellent and your photos of Goa were superb. I especially liked the different angles of the Aguada fort which were captured while boating in the sea. This is one angle that I have never seen of the fort before. Awesome.

[NPV]

Suhas - Nice travelogue and excellent pictures, thanks for sharing
Seems like a lot of travel & fun for you - after the hills and tea estates it's the beaches now, what next ?

About the route taken - If I'm not mistaken, you took the turn off before Dharwad (bypass) and this is the route to Pune as well ? I've never been on this route hence the question!

[Ddrive]

Originally Posted by misquitas

In 2014.... will be on public display (Exposition) for about one month

Dear Misquitas
Please let us know the dates from when to when this one month is in 2014. Could be of use guiding others who are interested. Thanks.

[misquitas]

Originally Posted by Ddrive

Dear Misquitas
Please let us know the dates from when to when this one month is in 2014. Could be of use guiding others who are interested. Thanks.

The Exposition of the Relic (body) of St Francis Xavier will take place at Old Goa from November 22, 2014, till January 4, 2015. It is a huge event in Goa, as it takes place once every 10 years and people from all over the world will attend this event. Traffic around Old Goa are diverted, hotels are full during that period, so those planning to visit Goa, and Old Goa in particular, during that period (for that matter, ALL hotels are fully booked in December in any case and hotel rates during this time are ridiculously high) are advised to book early.

Devotees and other visitors get a clear view of the body of St Francis Xavier in a glass casket from close quarters.

For additional details, check here:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...a-se-cathedral

[the_joker]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Epilogue

• ...
• Once you get on to Hubli - Dharwad byepass there are no food options until you reach Goa
• ...

You can use this the next time you travel on that route, or somebody else can. While the options are not many on the Hubli-Karwar road, the following are the best among the ones I've been to:

• There is a Hotel Shanbhag in Yellapur. It is tiny, but the food is good.
• In Ankola, there is Kamat Upachar and a few others. You need to turn left from NH-63 onto NH-17 instead of right and travel for a couple of kms.
• And before Hubli, there is a Kamat Upachar on NH-4 itself.

[mints21]

This is a wonderful travelogue and I had witnessed the same thrill while I was in Goa during Dusshera. I stayed at Whispering Palm Beach, resort at Candolim Goa. I was wondering if you guys went to Sahkari spice garden in Ponda. This thought came to my mind when I noticed that you crossed Ponda on your way to Candolim. The spice garden is a wonderful place and If at all you visited, please share pictures with all of us. I had visited the place and our experience was mind blowing.

[voyageur]

Excellent TL mate !!!

It takes me back to my visit to Goa couple of years back. This is one must visit place in India for everyone.

Nice snaps too.

Cheers

[catchjyoti]

Thank you mpksuhas. The pics are real nice. Also the other threads that you shared in your epilogue post were of great help. I planned my trip and now I am going to Goa with my wife next week.

Have got five days in hand. Booked ourselves in Anjuna Beach Resort in North Goa and Cuba Resort Palolem in South Goa. Hope to have a great time!

[MorePower]

Lovely TL. Have been to Goa many times but keep seeing something new in every TL.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

We stop at VRL campus just before Chitradurga for breakfast. Food was good for a highway hotel, has good parking space and clean restroom, it is 08.15 AM.

Didn't know VRL campus is open to outsiders. Thought it's only meant for VRL's vehicles. Will check it out next time.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Day 3 - Nov 3 - Diwali day - Ctd ..

Around 06.30 PM we head off to Panjim for Mandovi river cruise in evening. The cruise is a complete waste of time, a one hour circus which will put most of the reality shows on TV to shame.

During cruise we get a view of floating casinos of Goa

Thank you for this review. The one thing I always regretted not doing in Goa was the cruise. Relieved I haven't missed much.

[richiesubbaiah]

@mpksuhas.... Great Photologue! Brings back found memories of Goa. Goa is one place you will never get tired of.

[mpksuhas]

Sorry for the late reply.

Originally Posted by majumon

The picture (no362 )of Vagator beach from the fort shows a small patch of sand like an island.

Thanks.
What you see is the delta of the river (don't know the name). The other bank of the river is Morgim beach. Google link

Originally Posted by NPV

Suhas - Nice travelogue and excellent pictures, thanks for sharing
Seems like a lot of travel & fun for you - after the hills and tea estates it's the beaches now, what next ?

About the route taken - If I'm not mistaken, you took the turn off before Dharwad (bypass) and this is the route to Pune as well ? I've never been on this route hence the question!

Thanks Narayan.
Quiet few trips which were in planning stage since last year luckily materialized in last couple of months. However all upcoming trips are weekend trips around Bangalore, no long trips till next summer atleast.

We took left turn before the second toll booth on Hubli- Dharwad bye-pass. This is the turn we took. The best way to notice this road while driving from Bangalore is to look out for railway over bridge, soon as you cross the bridge you need to take the left. It is around 430 KM's from Bangalore, Pune is 400 KM's further on this road.

Originally Posted by misquitas

The Exposition of the Relic (body) of St Francis Xavier will take place at Old Goa from November 22, 2014, till January 4, 2015.

Thanks for the information misquitas.

Originally Posted by the_joker

[*]There is a Hotel Shanbhag in Yellapur. It is tiny, but the food is good.[*]In Ankola, there is Kamat Upachar and a few others. You need to turn left from NH-63 onto NH-17 instead of right and travel for a couple of kms.[*]And before Hubli, there is a Kamat Upachar on NH-4 itself.[/list]

Thanks for the information. Since we took the Ramnagar - Molem route we crossed only Kamat Upachar before Rannebennur, had stopped there on way for tea. May be next time we will take the Karwar route. As per reports that road condition is better and also as you mentioned hotels are also present.

Originally Posted by mints21

I stayed at Whispering Palm Beach, resort at Candolim Goa. I was wondering if you guys went to Sahkari spice garden in Ponda. This thought came to my mind when I noticed that you crossed Ponda on your way to Candolim. The spice garden is a wonderful place and If at all you visited, please share pictures with all of us. I had visited the place and our experience was mind blowing.

I guess Candolim is a great place to stay. Near to hustle and bustle of north Goa, but not that crowded.
Though we crossed Ponda we had not stopped anywhere. Infact was not knowing about spice garden till you mentioned. If you have any pics or details please share.

Originally Posted by voyageur

Excellent TL mate !!!
It takes me back to my visit to Goa couple of years back. This is one must visit place in India for everyone.
Nice snaps too.

Thanks. Yes, agree that Goa is a perfect unwinding place.

Originally Posted by catchjyoti

Thank you mpksuhas. The pics are real nice. Also the other threads that you shared in your epilogue post were of great help. I planned my trip and now I am going to Goa with my wife next week.
Have got five days in hand. Booked ourselves in Anjuna Beach Resort in North Goa and Cuba Resort Palolem in South Goa. Hope to have a great time!

Thanks. Hope you had a great time at Goa and rains did not play spoilsport.

Originally Posted by MorePower

Didn't know VRL campus is open to outsiders. Thought it's only meant for VRL's vehicles. Will check it out next time.
Thank you for this review. The one thing I always regretted not doing in Goa was the cruise. Relieved I haven't missed much.

I guess that VRL resturant is a decent food option on that route. The next one being Kamat near Rannebennur which I comes only second. Only issue with VRL being, if you are not familiar with the route you may easily miss the campus.
Yes, river cruise is a forgettable experience.

Originally Posted by richiesubbaiah

Goa is one place you will never get tired of.

Thanks. Yes, can't agree more

[kannan666]

Don't know how I missed this earlier. Very well written travelogue Suhas with wonderful pictures to boot ! Goa never ceases to amaze and I am planning to drive down again this summer but this time in an Omni. Thanks for sharing !

[mpksuhas]

We had felt our 2013 Nov Goa trip was bit hectic. We covered quiet few tourist spots, however did not get time to just sit on beach and relax.

So, we had made up our mind that we would plan a longer trip to Goa this time. Then this year June this happened.

Hence unlike last year, this was self drive - one week trip. The detailed travelogue by TBHPian Dhanushmenon made things easier for us. Most of the places listed by him was not visited by us, hence decided to visit as much of that as possible.

Since this was a relaxed trip, half of each day spend relaxing at a shack or roaming around a beach. The first half was spend for sightseeing.

I will just list out the locations and details of each place, since a day by day itenary with half day spend nothing will not be helpful to any future travelers.

1- Nov

With a 04.30 AM start from Bangalore, we reach Rannebannur A1 plaza - Kamat around 08.30 AM. Had a quick breakfast and chance encounter with TBHPian Paragsachania who was enroute to Pune.

NH 4 between Tumkur and Chitradurga is a beauty.


Saw this at many toll booths enroute -


Unlike last time when we took Ramnagar - Ponda route, this time decided to take Chorla ghat route. Hence crossed Hubli- Dharwad bye-pass and stopped at IOC COCO bunk for tanking up. Stopped at Kamat along with bunk for a bio-break and started towards Belgaum.



Saw this interesting warning there.



Roads are good between Dharward and Belgaum, however as you near Belgaum two wheeler traffic increases.



We stopped for lunch at hotel Sankam. After a long break of around 1.20 mins we start only to be stuck in traffic block due to a procession. After a long detour we finally manage to find Jambotti road.

Chorla ghat road is in wonderful shape, however do keep an eye for suicidal bikers who pop up on the wrong side in blind curves.



We have a leisurely drive stopping for enjoying the sights.



We have booked stay at same place we stayed last time, Greenpeace holiday homes. Room pics are present in initial posts, hence not re-posting, however had missed out parking pics last time -



It was around 3.30 PM when we reach Candolim. Evening we walk towards Aguda fort and spend time -




Church of Saint Augustine ruins -

Located next to Basilica of Bom Jesus, we were not able to visit the ruins last time.

All that remains of this 17th century church is a partly fallen tower and broken walls. Though just couple of hundred meters from Basilica which was teeming with tourists, this place was almost empty when we reached.






Ctd..

[mpksuhas]

Naval Museum -

Located near to Dabolim airport, the road to museum gives a good view of civilian aircraft's approaching landing.

There is a canteen and souvenir shop along next to ticket counter in museum.

The entrance of museum.



Display




Three Kings church

Listed a one of the haunted places in India, this is a small church on top of a hill.

It is bit tricky to find the route to the hill, we took help of GPS and got lost. Then took help of locals and found the route.

We felt this was the best route to take.

Though we were expecting the place to be empty, surprisingly found it crowded.






Grandmother's hole beach

It was late in evening when we reached. For reaching the beach you need to get in to residential area of Mormugao Port trust, from the place marked as Japanese garden on Google maps.

You need to take steps down from the garden to reach the beach.

View of garden from the beach



Beach as such is nothing great, however found lots of shell on the beach.



End of another day




Reis Magos fort

This is one of Goa's best kept secrets. Would like to thank TBHPian ashkamat who mentioned about this place last year.

Located off Panaji - Candolim route next to INS Mandovi, this fort was once build to keep guard of entry Old Goa.

Ticket counter and Parking, there is a big souvenir shop along with the ticket counter.



The walkway from ticket counter to the fort gate



Inside the fort complex there are only couple of buildings, but they are beautifully maintained.





Next to the exit gates there is a gallery which has old pics and maps of Goa




German bakery

Germany bakery located near Anjuna beach is a legendary food joint.

They close for monsoon season and open around Oct end of Nov, last year we were not able to visit the place since it was yet to open. Thankfully this year they opened couple of weeks earlier, hence decided to have breakfast one day from there.

Food is slightly on the expensive side, however liked the menu. It would be a welcome change during your stay in Goa.

The road to the bakery can be confusing, however the place is quiet famous and people will guide you easily.

However a word of caution. If you are strictly vegetarian (like my friend who traveled with me) you may find menu options limited. Most of dishes will be having egg. You can check the menu from their website before you decide on visiting the place.