A sunset evening in Goa consisted of sitting with a lot of English on a stilted bamboo tower overlooking a lake. Across the cool still water is a beautiful picture of a train bridge. My dear friend, Natalie, and I watch Kingfisher birds flying intently over the water looking for dinner below. Their red heads dart to and fro as their hummingbird like wings gracefully fly them around with a million beats per minute. My eyes then become awe struck at the sight of an evening train crossing the water bridge. Picture perfect.
This is a plain picture of one of the three L's the British brought to India- locomotives. And as the colonial power is no longer present, they have also left behind a strong influence in the legal system and language. All of these three L's have surely had a strong impact on the success of one of the world's largest democracy and developing country. But Britain's influence does not end there, it continues with the strong relationship of tourism.
Last year as the worldwide recession caused less international travel, an airline called Thomas Crown completely stopped direct flights to several of India's hotspot tourist destinations. All canceled flights were a direct cause of a substantial decrease of British tourism on coastal India towns, including Goa. I saw the major affect this had on the coastal town of Varkala.
Many of the people whom surround me on the bamboo tower are those who have taken the NRI (National Residency of India) or who are high-season Goa dwellers, coming back annually from October until April. Jamie and Justin started a non-profit organization to assist the stray cats and dogs of the area, and one cow named Bella. Season 4 of "Silent Noise" consists of international superstar DJ's like Vivek Pheonix, Dan Booth, and Ozgur Kurt. LJ and her husband own a local restaurant called Cheeky Chapati and have raised their two daughters in India. Some others are people that I don't know but hear their stories. They are retired hippies, fashion designers, wedding planners, yoga instructors and photographers. These people here have created a community and culture of their own.
My favorite site of this community are the vast number of foreign children growing up in India. The children run around in mismatched outfits and playing in the sand and stones. These children don't fight about the coolest shoes, newest electronic gadgets or are consumed by materialism. This is good ole simple living- outside in nature. I wish more children in the US had a similar upbringing; I hope someday my kids will.
Seeing this strong vibrant community of foreigners living in Goa, it is undeniable that there are great comforts here. Comforts in which I will surely take the opportunity to enjoy, though I wouldn't be caught dead doing them in small town Hubli. The three S's of Goa- sun, skin and sea. I will soak up the sun to change this very pale skin into a freckle-bronzed glow. I will show some skin wearing tight shirts and shorts while riding on a scooter. I will wear a eeny teeny bikini on the beach and into the sea. These comforts of tourist India, I am happy for.
On my last morning, I wake up with the rising sun, head straight to a beach restaurant to hear the crashing wave musical which will keep my energy calm and alive. I treat myself to my favorite breakfast of fresh fruit, muesli, curd (yogurt) and honey accompanied by a true cafe latte. Thank you cafe latte. And so my last day in Goa was spent pampering my western ways- gift shopping, fresh food eating, old friends visiting, scooter riding, massage getting, skin showing, and all the other comforts I could smoosh into 24 hours before returning to inland India. As my affection for Hubli and its innate conservative nature with rebelling youth forces grows, its apparent to me that sometimes you can't hate globalization.
