We have all heard about the famous Goan fish thalis, prawn curries, sorpotel, chicken cafreal, and vindaloo. Now it’s time to celebrate the sweets of Goa. The people of Goa still make traditional sweets from recipes passed down from generation to generation. Here are some of the famous traditional sweets of Goa: Bebinca This is a type of layered pudding. The ingredients which usually go into it are all-purpose flour, eggs, sugar, coconut milk, nutmeg, and ghee.  It takes time to prepare this lovely dessert as each layer has to be baked first before adding the next one. Bebinca usually has 7 to 16 layers. In many places, it is served with vanilla ice-cream. You can eat all the layers at once or peel one layer at a time and savour each one. Dodol Dodol is made using coarsely ground raw paddy rice flour, black jaggery, coconut milk, and cashew nuts. The coconut is ground and the juice/ milk is extracted. It is traditionally cooked on firewood.  The end result is a pudding-like sweet which almost melts in your mouth. It is mostly made for Christmas. Sugar isn’t used and so dodol gets its taste from the delicious Goa jaggery. Its […]

Lush green trees and the pristine Mandovi River flowing are notably one of the few things one will see cruising through the beautiful City of Panjim. Panjim being the capital city of Goa calls many visitors. Cruising through Panjim will definitely take a travel thirsty wanderer back in time to the Portuguese era. Fontainhas Fontainhas is famously known to be the Latin quarters of Goa has proven to be a very photo-worthy location for many. The feature of this place is Portugal infused architecture. Walking through the lanes of Fontainhas you’ll notice walls painted in hues of blue, yellow and strip white and that’s only the tip of the beautiful architecture. Walking through the lanes it’s definite to find many cafes and art galleries. Dive deeper into the architecture as you walk into the art galleries. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception One of the most famously known Churches in Goa is the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church. The church stands tall in the center of Panjim and receives hundreds of visitors on a daily basis. The church’s white color instantly grabs the eye.  Another feature of this church is its zigzag stairs that lead to the church. The church […]

During monsoons, nightlife events and watersports activities are less. However, the rains make Goa more magical. There is a lot more greenery and the air feels fresher. People can visit local restaurants to enjoy hot samosas and kappas with tea while listening to the sound of the rain hitting the earth. Those who are adventurous can go for whitewater rafting or trekking. The monsoons are a great time to visit majestic waterfalls like Dudhsagar, Netravali, Amboli, Kesarval spring, Tambdi Surla, and Harvalem waterfall. For the people who are disappointed with the lack of watersport activities, there is no need to worry. You can try out flyboarding, catamaran sailing, kayaking, speed boating, banana rides, etc.  One can also explore the quieter places of Goa. One of them is Fontainhas – a Latin quarter which has heritage Portuguese houses, narrow streets, and colourful architecture. Other than this place there are many tranquil islands to visit that are full of natural beauty and cultural treats. Some of them are Divar Island, Chorao Island, San Jacinto Island, Butterfly Island, and Conco Island. In some of these places, you can rent a bicycle and tour these beautiful places. If you want to stay indoors and […]

Old Goa is a small town in the North Goa district. Portugal styled churches are famous for their architecture and impeccable history behind them. Old Goa, best known for its churches, is the perfect place to be for the traveler who wants to drown himself in the beautiful Portugal architecture of Goa NT GoGoaNow gives you a sneak peek into some places you should visit when in Old Goa! Basilica of Bom Jesus As you enter Old Goa, you’re definite to see the monumental Basilica of Bom Jesus. The church was consecrated in May 1605 by Fr. Alexia de Menezes, the Archbishop of Goa. The church is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture in Goa. The church is well known as it embodies the relics of St. Francis Xavier, who lays to rest in a silver casket within the church. The relics are taken down every 10 years for an exposition which calls forth millions of devotees. The architectural monument comes under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Se Cathedral      The Sé Cathedral de Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, in short, is known to be the largest church in Asia. The majestic church stands strong before its lush green […]

An exhibition called ‘Look Outside This House’ is currently going on at Old GMC which is a part of the 2019 Serendipity Arts Festival. It is a large exhibition and most of it features innovative inventions and ideas that can benefit the environment, society, and disadvantaged people. One of these inventions is a groundnut digger which simplifies harvesting crops in different types of soils. Another simple innovation which doesn’t require the use of technology is the ‘Staircase Illusion’ (an optical illusion mat) that helps empower Parkinson’s disease patients to regain their motor skills. Other notable inventions are the wello-water wheels for rural folks who have to carry their own water, Agrocrete (thermal insulating building material fabricated from common crops’ residues), and the eye-catching Coolant Coral which looks like a giant decorative piece but is actually a low-energy air-cooling system made out of terracotta cones. There was even something called ‘Air Ink’ – markers containing ink that was made from carbon in the air which the festival visitors could try out. Other exhibits included art made to embrace the transgender community, folk music videos, poems, eco-friendly fashion industries, and more. (The exhibition will be open till 22nd December 2019 – 10 am to […]

Velha Goa Galeria    Velha Goa Galeria is a place full of various creative pieces. They sell products like ceramic tiles, clay items, glassware, tableware, and cutlery. The majority of their products are Azulejos (hand painted glazed tiles). The price range of the products is approximately between Rs.300 and Rs.15,000. They also conduct workshops and hold exhibitions.  . .  Address- H.No.191, Rua de Ourém,                Fontainhas, Altinho,                Panaji, Goa .  Telephone: 98221 59881        Azulejos de Goa   The Portuguese style craft, Azulejos, is beautiful. These hand-painted tiles take hours to make. Orlando Noronha went to Portugal and started getting into this craft. He says, “ I always wanted to do something different. It’s an art that I learned in Portugal in 1998 as a hobby and later on when I returned I thought of reintroducing this beautiful art in Goa with Goan designs, motifs, etc.” He is of the opinion that it will always be trendy. His place in Panjim, Azulejos de Goa, is crowded with these tiles and the most popular items are Azulejos tiles and plates. Orlando’s products are also available at Taj Khazana, Magsons […]