Leaving Calangute yesterday for a night in Colva was a compromise of heading to South Goa to catch our train (from Margao) this morning and still staying in a beach town. Initially it appeared to be much like Calangute; a main (touristy) road running perpendicular right into the long beach. But we found Colva to be much smaller and quieter than Calangute. The beach had less people, fishermen could be seen pulling in their nets, and the beach was flat and relatively narrow. Palm plantations lined the beach, which enhanced an already beautiful beach. Joylani found a ton of sea shells, which colored the beach a distinct combination pink/orange/brown, in certain spots. On the downside, accommodation was scarce and restaurants not as good as Calangute, two things I appreciated about touristy Calangute.

            It was nice to see Colva though. We watched the final game of the Twenty20 (the international cricket championships), between India and Pakistan. It was an exhilarating match that came down to the very last play. The restaurant/bar we were at was packed, with a crowd even watching the TV from the street. During the final minutes, everyone was watching, from the cooks to the bus that had momentarily stopped outside to catch the end. When India won, the place went berserk and people were setting off deafening fireworks for the rest of the night. It was fun to watch the final game with a bunch of fans (even better since they won). And while Colva was nice, I’m ready to explore other places. Next up: the state of Karnataka.