Sivu 22 |
oa is quickly becoming a serious rival to Thailand for Europeans seeking an exotic holiday. And no wonder. Goa offers everything that Thailand does the people are friendly, the food is excellent and warm weather is guaranteed and it's a shorter flight from Finland. India's wealthiest area, Goa still bears the influence of its former colonial ruler, Portugal. The Portuguese ruled most of modern-day Goa from the days of explorer Vasco da Gama in the late 1400s until less than 50 years ago. Goa did not become part of the young Indian republic until 1961. Brightly painted colonial houses bring to mind southern European architecture, and Christian traditions live on at many Catholic churches in the area. Grand old palaces have been restored to their former glory, and the gardens are meticulously tended. Indeed, Goa is considered to be India's most European state. Located on India's west coast, embraced by the Arabian Sea, Goa is bordered to the north by Maharashtra and in the east and Karnataka State in the south. Amid the swirl of lefthand-drive traffic, rickshaws whiz past Vespas, as packed buses hurtle along the bumpy roads. Elephants, stray dogs, goats and holy cows wander across the streets. Goa has much to offer those who enjoy a lively pace. LUXURY IN A BAMBOO HUT Ku Morjim blends subtly into the seaside coconut palm grove. The structure, cobbled 22 BLUE WINGS SEPTEMBER 2008 G together out of bamboo and coconut palm leaves is hard to make out through the tops of the palm trees. The building is made up of low, screen-like walls; the rest is open space under the heavens. A French-Spanish couple that owns this luxurious bed and breakfast, Christian and Maria, lived in many places around the world before coming to Goa. After spending a cold winter together in Spain, they decided to move to Goa. They had both visited before and loved the climate. Even in winter, daytime temperatures can rise to over 30º degrees Celsius. Christian and Maria decided to design and build themselves a home. They wanted to have a few adjoining rooms which they could rent out. Those rental rooms seem to be in constant use, giving Ku Morjim an international atmosphere. The pair have adopted the Buddhist philosophy, which is strongly present in their creation. The place has a calm, serene air. Indian classical music plays quietly, mingling with the whoosh of the waves. According to Buddhist philosophy, everything is ephemeral and in a constant state of flux. Maria and Christian have internalised these notions. Christian notes that the type of architecture they chose is easily malleable. All elements of the building are numbered and can be moved around at any time. Food is one of the couple's passions, and one in which they won't settle for mediocrity. Maria, the head chef, has a relaxed yet pedantic approach to preparing food. TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: Ku Morjim has many Indian assistants in the kitchen. Fresh produce is brought in directly from Christian and Maria's own garden. OPPOSITE PAGE: Ku Morjim's only hinged door opens from the garden onto a unique pool.
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
Page 53
Page 54
Page 55
Page 56
Page 57
Page 58
Page 59
Page 60
Page 61
Page 62
Page 63
Page 64
Page 65
Page 66
Page 67
Page 68
Page 69
Page 70
Page 71
Page 72
Page 73
Page 74
Page 75
Page 76
Page 77
Page 78
Page 79
Page 80
|
|
|
Why do I see this page ?
Your Flash Player is older than version 7 or Javascript is not enabled. What you see is the raw text of the publication.
To read this Digipaper-publication install/update your Flash Player from this link or enable Javascript.
|
 |
For proper operation Digipaper-publication needs Flash Player version 7 or newer.
Install the latest version of Flash Player from this link. |
|