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Goa
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Fast Facts |
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Fast Facts
Area: 3701 sq km
Population: 1.3 million
Capital: Panaji
Climate - Warm throughout the year
Clothing - Cottons
Languages spoken
Konkani, Marathi, English & Hindi
Best Time to visit
October to May -
but April & May are very hot. |
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The former Portuguese enclave of Goa, is a heady blend of serenity
and excitement down a 10 km coastline studded with endless sun drenched
crescents of palm-fringed sand. Calangute, Colva, Baga, Vagator, Anjuna,
Candolim, Dona Paula, Bogmalo, Miramar - Goa has some of the world's
most beautiful beaches and is well established on the travel map of
the world's sun-seekers. |
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However, sun, sea and sand are not all that Goa has to offer. Almost
500 years of Portuguese rule have given it a unique culture, quite
distinct from the rest of India. Roman Catholicism remains a major
religion, skirts far outnumber saris, and the people display an easy-going
tropical indulgence, humour and civility. Markets are lively, colourful
affairs, and siesta is widely observed during the hot afternoons.
Carnival explodes onto the streets over four riotous days and nights
prior to Lent.
Farming, fishing, tourism and iron-ore mining form the basis of the
economy. |
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Cuisine |
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Goan cuisine has been influenced by its' long coastline and its' Portugese
heritage, as well its' main communities: Hindus and Christians. Rice,
fish, and coconut are the basic components of the typical Goan food
platter. A typical Goan would prefer seafood to all other meats and
would use a lot of coconut for cooking. Do try the prawn balchao,
chicken xacuti, pork vindaloo, and bibinca, the traditional 40-egg-Goan
cake.
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Cities: |
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Panaji, the capital, is a small and charming city on the bank of the
Mandovi river. It has many beautiful, red-roofed houses built in the
Latin style, as well as many modern houses with well-laid gardens. |
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Headlines for today: |
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