Travel Goa under Budget : Day 1 (Venturing in Vasco)

NOTE : This post is a part of “Travel Goa under Budget” which is a travelogue providing trip advise and travel plan to keep your expenses to the minimum so that you can enjoy the beauty of Goa in a cheap and inexpensive manner but at the same time safe and memorable.

9 July 2011

Wandering in Vasco: Marmugao and Japanese garden

As we moved away from Doodhsagar on a happy note, Goa had much more to offer us on our train journey itself,the surroundings were beautiful and had a pleasing effect on our eyes.The merriment in the train was still on. Soon the train arrived one of the biggest stations in Goa , Margao but it is pronounced Madgaon and both the troupe that traveled with me were getting down here as they have already booked their hotels,one of them even asked me to join their gang but I decided to head to Vasco as I had made a few plans of my own but they were nothing concrete.

We bid farewell and I moved on.

On my way to Vasco

The journey from Margao to Vasco was just half an hour and I also encountered a beach to my left. It hardly had any crowd but in no means you can underestimate the serenity which it offered during a hot afternoon.

The train finally arrived Vasco station almost 5 hours later than the scheduled time. It was already 3 pm and I proceeded towards the waiting room so that I can freshen up.

The waiting room was clean and hardly occupied .The washroom was clean and spacious, spacious enough to bathe with my travel bag in and without getting wet.

I freshened up and went to inquiry to check if any dormitory is available,the attendant refused and even gave one vital piece of information that the waiting room would be closed once the last train from the station departed,which on that day (Saturday) was the Bangalore Express departing at 8:30 pm.

Therefore it was clear that my plan of staying in the station had to be abandoned.

After putting my travel bag in the cloak room I was left with my backpack in which I carried my Acer Netbook,a changing dress,few snacks (packed from home),towel and first aid kit( tablets: Avomine,Lopamide,Deriphilyn,Combiflam,Band aid,Eno, Asthalin,cotton), I stepped out of the station to venture out into the city of Vasco.

I pretty much liked it.

The Kadamba bus stand was very nearby.

The city also offered one of the unconventional transport which I have heard about: Pilots they are bike riders who carry a passenger as a pillion rider and charge decently and off season you can bargain.

You can also opt for hiring a bike depending on the model you select, you will be charged accordingly.

I opted out of both this as I had limited budget.

Marmugao port trust view

I took the local transport and went to Japanese garden: the iconic location in which Ek duje ke liye movie was shot.This too was one of the mandatorily marked location and it definitely deserve to be on the list. On the way to Japanese garden I also saw the Marmugao port trust and Sada where lines of ships were harbored in sea and it projected a industrial outlook.This scene was also something which I haven't seen before:scores of ships harbored for commercial purpose( I have previously seen naval ships lined in Vizag and Port Blair).

The ships were kind of rusted and reddish brown.

As the bus moved ahead to finally reach its last stop: the Japanese garden, I looked forward to venture into this iconic location.For the localite it was nothing more than a public park in the neighborhood  

But this park with the picturesque  background  on a beach below which could be reached on foot is a major tourist location in the city.Even though there were not much foreigners hanging around but still the park was with the localites.

Needless to say the park was well maintained and provided lush green view.

There was abundant of greenery and the predominant color of the park was green and it provided a perfect picnic spot for anyone willing to holiday for an entire day.

A view of the Japanese Garden

It was a perfect recreational centre for the local residents who most often come here to spend a peaceful evening and not to forget ladies gathered here for gossiping.

There was also a slide for children and I too lost into my childhood when I too kiddishly slided down the slide,this obviously made me the centre of attention as I myself admit it that it was kiddish but I was in no temperament to stop my emotions from flowing freely but at the same time ensured that this was not gonna effect anyone.

Then also I did go and played in the swing this was also one of our popular pass time when I was a child and jumping when the swing reached its highest point.This was compared to the Jackie Chan kind of stunt during my childhood. I repeated the same here . It was kinda good even I felt great about it.It was like

Walking Down The Memory Lane

Soon I was reminded of all my friends in childhood and yeah also of the person whom I intend to meet that brought me to Goa.

The slide in the garden

There are no shops inside but vendors selling snacks was a common sight.I roamed around the park and soon was confronted to the view of Arabian sea.The view of the beach was calm and a bit rocky too there was abundance of coconut trees.

And to my left there was a strip of hill which was protruding into the sea which had several similar apartment which I was sure was a colony probably housing the employees of Marmugao Port Trust.

I sat down in a bench facing the sea and was relaxing as the sun was nearing the horizon and the cool breeze which was blowing further added a soothing effect .

Then I ventured down into the beach and dipped my feet in the Arabian sea and sat on one of the boulder was there.

Panoramic view of the Japanese Garden

More than a hour and a half passed by and it was very hard for me to even digest the fact that I have to leave this place as of now, but also excited at the fact that Goa would hold lot more for me and I would be missing them if I clinged on to this very place. The same happens in life too .

Panoramic view showing the path to the Beach

Then I decided to walk till the place where I could once again get a view of the ships harbored in the sea.It was a couple of kilometers only and on the way I found a employee from Marmugao Port Trust from whom I came to know that Vasco was comparatively expensive than Margao and there was difficult to find any rooms for anything less than Rs 200.

He also explained me the nature of his job and the kind of work that takes place in the harbor.

Soon we parted ways after I thanked him for the important piece of information which he gave me.

I sat down to enjoy the view of the port.

A view of the Marmugao Port trust

And of course like every novice who venture into the field of photography I was taking images of everything I could get and as many as I could click.

Another 40 minutes have passed even before I realized that it was about to sunset.

Soon I was reminded of the another location which I need to cover in Vasco: Bogmola Beach and I learnt that it was on the other side of the Vasco railway station.

A view of the Marmugao Port trust

So I decided to walk as it was roughly 4 km from here but luckily I got a lift from a guy who too was traveling there.

Well people (atleast the ones whom I have interacted so far ) in Goa are very friendly , but still I had my own apprehensions of being with a stranger as I had got a never ending list of things what all dark things take place in Goa.

He dropped me at the station safely and I thanked him.

So far so good.