Goa, Part 11: Parting Shots (A hodge podge of beauty, cuteness, puzzling oddities and various curiosities!)

No intro needed for these...see captions accompanying the photos!

The best beach goer in the world! We can certainly learn a lot from this pup about what it means to be relaxed!! 

 

I named this precious canine "blackie" after a pet rat I used to have by the same name and virtually same markings! How I would have LOVED to scoop him up and take him with me... but, sadly, it is not feasible. I can only hope and pray that some compassionate soul will adopt him! You couldn't hope to meet a sweeter, more adorable, little pooch! 

We all love the exquisite coconut palms, right?! But... how is it the coconut--literally hard as a rock--doesn't kill more people by falling from these great heights and bonking some poor, unsuspecting soul on the head? You would think one would be killed instantly! This palm leans dangerously over the pool where I swam this afternoon... praying, all the while, that one of those deadly missiles didn't let loose while I innocently did my laps!

I mean, look at this thing...positively laden with hundreds of these potential bombs!!!

Amazing full moon view off of my apartment balcony... 

Incredible, no!?! No idea what this load consists of...or...how this woman was able to see where she was going! I rode by her, then looked back...her face was NOT visible through those long, grassy strands of whatever-that-is hanging down! Pretty wild!

Hard to see what is going on here unless you enlarge this photo...but traffic was stopped in both directions because of electrical wires that had fallen into the road, making it impassable except for bicycles and peds. Incredibly, some guy walked up to--and TOUCHED!--one of the lines!! I was astounded...if it had been "live", wouldn't he have been electrocuted on the spot?!?! Truly crazy...turns out it WASN'T "hot", and he--with some help--was able to move it off of the road, along with 2 other lines that were down. Just another day in the life of this whacky country!! 

 

I just thought this was prettily lit up in the night... a kind woman walking by took the photo for me! 

And this one, too...and yes, I DO love Goa!!!

I stopped by a school to witness these kids practicing for a performance they were going to put on. One of the students told me they were "dancing butterflies"...how very sweet! 

Truly was wonderful watching them practice...SOOO very in synch and well-behaved! So UNlike...well, you know.... those American kids!!!

Different group, different dance practice... they were amused that I was watching them!

I thought this seriousy funny...the "American Cafe", here in Goa, seriving up buffalo beef patties and fries...yes, also veg burgers...but I did NOT eat here. Isn't it fitting, that the folks--American and otherwise-- who dine on burgers and fries ARE likely to be fat?!?  (Just think of Trump...!)

Rather crazy statue outside of a museum about the Portuguese... I did not go inside. 

"God's Gift"?? Really?? Pepsi and Coke, gifts from God?? If these are from God, I would sure hate to see what the devil dishes up!! 

Yep, ubiquitous, these horrid ads for Pepsi and Coke...these companies have taken over the world, most tragically... bringing a blight of diabetes to countries (like India and Mexico) where it never existed before. A true curse...but clever marketing: we will give you a "free" sign for your business...just advertise for us!!! Gads.... 

"Scooties", as they are known throughout India, are used for transporting everything, from a stack of chairs, to huge bags of merchandise, animals, and... 

...a family of FOUR, no less!!!! 

Mother Teresa was a painter?!? Really???  AND ate "Gobi Manchurian"...whatever the heck that is!! 

Hair "saloon"---hilAIRious! Come in, have a whiskey and a haircut, and maybe a shoot out or two while you are at it... 

Lest we be discriminatory, the WOMEN can thirst for a coke or pepsi just as lustily as any macho man can!!! 

This roadside food stand had no less than THREE huge signs advertising Coke...as if ONE weren't enough...

If you think I am obsessed with this abhorrent advertising for this liquid poison--EVERYWHERE you go in Goa-- you would be right! 

The Indians join in on the obsession with the World Cup, taking place right now. I don't have any interest myself, but I was curious to know who these giant cut-outs were: Brazilians. One young Indian student of mine told me that the Indians are all backing the Brazilians because--well, quite simply, because they are the BEST! Smart choice, if you ask me... (They don't, as yet, have an Indian team that has qualified to take part in the World Cup, but hope to in the next one!)

Also on the beach: How to avoid the dangers of those "wild" animals, the beach canines! If you ask me, how about giving them some love, and most importantly, some food!?!?

I guess this sign doesn't apply to the people who want to dump plastic bags full of junk into the ocean (see my "pet peeves" blog) or tourists throwing cigarettes in the water... there is plenty of other trash on the sand as well... I am probably the only one coming down to the beach who even NOTICED this sign! Or cares! 

Realized that, while I included a whole load of photos of Hindu temples, I neglected to include churches. Being that so many Goans are Roman Catholic here, there are actually WAY more churches and chapels than there are temples. This was an especially lovely old relic... still used, of course... 

A church down the road from where I am staying... so pretty, lit up at night for some festivity... I imagine it will be gorgeous around Christmas time here.

And my absolute, final parting shot of parting shots: the ultimate cuteness....another adorable pup encountered on my bicycle wanderings...