Morjim Beach, Goa.

 Morjim Beach, Goa.

Located in North Goa. Due to its relatively far distance from Panjim and other famous beaches, Morjim Beach is relatively less crowded and peaceful.

The Chapora area is visible from here; after dark, the lights along the Chapora coast look beautiful.

Walking along the gently sloping beach with the seawater going over your feet is very soothing and great fun.

It is quite close to Oxel, where Ajeet stays, so we visited Morjim Beach many times. Had a great time on every visit. 

Morjim Beach, Goa. Chapora Lan Mass in the background.

 Closest beach to Ajeet's home, so a favourite. Visited this place quite a few times.

Nice place.

Morjim Beach, Goa. 

Morjim Beach, Goa. 

Morjim Beach, Goa. 

Morjim Beach, Goa. 

Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro.

Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro. 

Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro is part of and is located in Fontainhas.

Fontainhas is the oldest Latin Quarter in Panjim, the capital of Goa. It has the unique distinction of being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Zone for preserving 350 years of Portuguese architectural style and traditions. The houses in the narrow street are painted bright shades of blue, yellow, green and red, with red-tiled roofs. As per law, the house structure has to be maintained in its original form, and they have to be repainted after every monsoon to preserve their distinct brightness.

The Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro was established and started as a bakery turning out its bakery products on wood-burning ovens in 1930. Almost matching Fontainhas in its ancestry. Being part of the UNESCO World Heritage Zone, 31 De Janeiro benefits from its fame and increased footfall from a very large number of tourists, taking pride that even today the products and the bakery savouries are still being made on a wood-fired oven for their distinct flavours. At the same time, it suffers from the fact that as a modern-day restaurant it has to operate in a building constructed, most probably as a residence and totally unsuitable to serve as proper accommodation for a restaurant. This becomes most obvious when most of the visitors in a group as small as four are unable to find seats where they can sit as a group. A sort of solution has been found by creating additional seats by placing iron chairs and ‘mario-tile’ weatherproof tables in the lane outside the cafeteria. However, a notice warns the patrons, “ This is a public lane. Please do not move the chairs and tables, resulting in obstruction of the public lane…….”

We visited this place twice, at different times, and both times we could not find a table/place where five of us could sit at one place. If one wants to enjoy the visit to Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, one must find a time when it is less crowded. Positively avoid weekends, holidays and tourist ‘season’.

The exterior is painted white. This came as a bit of a surprise as I thought that in Fontainhas, white colour was meant only for religious structures, such as churches, chapels, and convents. 

Plenty of artificial roses against the brilliant white of walls present a colourful and pleasant visual.

We tried almost all the popular dishes. For a bakery that has been operating since 1930, for the last seventy-five years plus, the products are average, and not a single item leaves a lasting taste or impression on your palate. In fact, their cold coffee was not room temperature, but definitely was not 'cold'. Pastes de nata must have been "blistered under high heat because it was quite hot, causing discomfort when I got to eat it! 

I feel Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro should be visited as a tourist attraction, which it seems to have become, and not as a visit to a cafe where you go to enjoy Goan sweets & savouries.

At the Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro. Goa.

Weatherproof "Mario Tiles" table, Artful light and plentyful artificial roses.

The offerings at Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro.

The proud legacies since the foundation in 1930.

The proud memories since the foundation in 1930.

Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro best sellers.

 We tried Pasteis de nata, Serradura, Bebinca and Bolo de Laranja.

he proud memories since the foundation in 1930.

Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro. 

Details of another weatherproof "Mario Tiles" table,

Details of another weatherproof "Mario Tiles" table,

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Part of our order.

At the Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro. Goa.

At the Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, Goa.

The counter and the display hall.

The menu card, the Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro.

Immaculate Conception Church.

 

Immaculate Conception Church.

 Immaculate Conception Church.

When we went to visit, it was closed due to renovations.

Had to be satisfied with a look from across the road.

Grand old beautiful building. The staircase is an amazing symmetrical staggered construction. For the given height, this design also saves space.

Would have loved to spend some time in its beautiful surroundings.

Maybe we will visit again when the renovation is complete.

Immaculate Conception Church.

Immaculate Conception Church. Original Photo.

Immaculate Conception Church. AI-edited.

With Leela & Ajeet.

Coffee Museum, Araku.

 Coffee Museum, Araku.

If you are a coffee lover and know about coffee plantations and the manufacture of coffee, the Thematic Coffee Museum, Araku is a not-to-be-missed place.

Even if you are not a coffee lover and drink coffee only occasionally, a visit to the Thematic Coffee Museum, Araku, not only offers you a chance to drink good, authentic coffee but also surprises you by informing you about hundreds of varieties of coffee, its comprehensive history and the journey of coffee from Ethiopia to Araku Valley, from seed to cup through the medium of frescos, bas-reliefs, paintings, statues, photographs, and video screenings.

Even if you are not a coffee lover, only an occasional coffee drinker, but are interested in learning about new things, a visit to the Thematic Coffee Museum, Araku, will not disappoint you. You will leave the place a better-informed person as far as the business of how coffee reaches from seed to cup is concerned.

The visit to the Coffee Museum at Araku was very interesting, and we had a good, refreshing cup of the brew.

Thematic Coffee Museum, Araku.

At the Coffee Museum.10 Steps from seed to cup.

Information about coffee. Plucking the cherry from the plant, selection, processing, grinding and finally packaging, selling and to your cup.

Information about coffee at the Coffee Museum in Araku.

Information about coffee at the Coffee Museum in Araku.

At Coffee Museum.

At the Coffee Museum.

The museum tracks the history of world coffee, legends, cultural practices, research, and ecology.

It is the first authentic coffee museum of its kind in India.

The art gallery details the transformation of the coffee fruit into a beverage.

Video screenings on coffee are also available at the gallery.

At Coffee Museum.

About the Coffee Museum

Coffee Museum will be an opportunity to experience the coffee journey, Ethiopia to Araku Valley seed to cup. It is the first of its kind thematic coffee museum in India tracking the history of world coffee, the legends, cultural practices from the traditional to high technology, core research and development, coffee and health, Ecology and sustainability and other interesting facts of the coffee world.

This Coffee art gallery tells you how the small red coffee, fruit has travelled trough time, nurtured. harvested, processed, roasted and transformed into an aromatic and refreshing beverage that delights millions, the world over. This gallery is  also for screening video films on coffee

Coffee Museum and its art gallery are Araku which details the comprehensive history and journey of coffee from seed to cup. 

The museum tracks the history of world coffee, legends, cultural practices, research, and ecology.

It is the first authentic coffee museum of its kind in India.

The art gallery details the transformation of the coffee fruit into a beverage.

Video screenings on coffee are also available at the gallery.

Look at the variety of coffee available here,

Name you Coffee. All are available here.

 We had 'Ethnic' at Sr. No. 1. 

It is 70 Arabica and Robusta Coffee blended with 30%Chicory.

May be I have beem having it all these years and did not know it 😂

Having coffee at Coffee Museum.

No idea what type 😊

At Coffee Museum.

At Coffee Museum.

At Coffee Museum.

Borra Cave.

 Borra Cave. 

We visited the Borra Caves when we were on our way for over night stay in Araku Valley.

You have to leave NH 516E and take the state highway to the Borra Caves, which are located

approximately 80 to 90 KMs north of Visakhapatnam, in the Ananthagiri Hill range of the Eastern Ghats, which vary in height from  2500 ft to 3600 ft. A.M.S.L.

The last kilometre or so of the approach road to the caves is lined with restaurants and small shops selling various knick-knacks and handicraft items. After a long drive, people need refreshments and drinks, and so the restaurants in the vicinity of Bora Caves do brisk business. Vehicles have to be parked in the parking lot, which is quite crowded, and finding a parking place can be a problem. A walk of about 250 meters or so is involved to reach the entrance to the caves.

The caves are open to the public from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with a one-hour lunch break from 1 PM to 2 PM . The entry fee for adults is Rs 80 and for children Rs 60. There are two main information boards installed at Bora Caves. One by the Visakhapatnam District Tourism Promotion Council.
On the other information board, there is no information about who installed that board. From the type of data and pictures given on this board, it is my guess that it was installed by the Geological Survey of India.
There is some variation in the information given on these two boards. The variation in information is insignificant, as most of the hard data is more or less the same.  

William King, the British Geologist discoverd the cave in 1807. Borra Caves are locally known as "Borra Guhalu", where 'Borra' means hole, and 'Guhalu' translates to 'cave' in the Telugu language.  

Proper stairs with guardrails are built throughout the cave for the convenience of the tourists.

Well-constructed steps, proper paved paths and colourful lighting. Natural light and the Sun's Rays coming down through the hole in the cave roof all give Borra Caves a dreamlike and ethereal beauty.

Most people in our group were senior citizens, and few had problems walking. The mouth of the cave is about 700 m above AMSL, and the lowest point in the cave is about 600 m AMSL, so one had to go down and climb back again by about 100m (about 300 ft)r . When they saw how deep in the cave they had to descend and climb back again, they just refused to explore the caves. I was very keen to fully explore the cave, but as most of them did not, they agreed to wait for some time and allow me to see the cave. I was given 15 to 20 mts to do the same 😞

The entrance to Borra Cave is a huge gaping hole in the mountainside. From the top, one has a very good view of the cave interior and can see proper stone stairs zigzagging and descending in the dark depth of the cave. Well-constructed steps with guardrails are built throughout the cave for the convenience of the tourists. Due to the huge cave opening, there is sufficient natural light as well as air circulation in the cave. As you descend further and proceed further in the cave, as the natural light through the cave opening diminishes, one sees a big hole in the roof of the cave, which again ensures that natural light is available till that distance. Due to limited time available to me, I did not go further even though I wanted to.

The paths are well maintained and quite clean, neat and Tidy. The recesses and nook and corners are also lit quite brightly.

With proper paved paths and colourful lighting. Natural light and the Sun's Rays coming down through the hole in the cave roof all give Borra Caves a dreamlike and ethereal beauty. One of the best cave complexes in the country.