CnC Living Travel Log: Incredible India - Beaching it in Goa and attending an Indian wedding

Incredible India is the tagline for the India Tourism's board current marketing campaign.

I've seen it advertised on billboards throughout Asia and after spending a few weeks in various cities in India last year, I experienced a good measure of what this phrase means for this beautiful, diverse, and timeless country.  I will most certainly return to India again (having a 10 year visa helps).  It's not a cheap trip from the US, but is incredibly affordable when you are there.  I bought the silk/cotton fabric from my bridesmaid dresses there and our wedding bands (mine is more a vintage style ring with a center stone that I really liked).

I wanted to document my trip to India not only to to share some experiences with you, but also to prompt myself to recollect them.  I visited a few cities in my time there, but hope you find them informative and entertaining while I retell my tales.  My dearest friend M was my guide and took most of these pictures.

Tip: This is an obvious tip, but it helps immensely if you speak or are with someone who speaks the local language of the country you are visiting.  I was immediately labeled as a tourist (my skin and features were a dead giveaway), complete with tourist prices and M helped negotiate on my behalf countless times.

A must stop destination during my trip was Goa.  I was actually M's "date" for a wedding and the fact that Goa was the must-see and somewhat accessible beach town made the city even more appealing.  The wedding itself was low-key (they were a bit more conservative).  But oh the outfits were something else!  We also got to attend two parties - the Sanjeet (a dinner with performances mainly for the bride's side) and the actual reception the day after.
I borrowed this lovely sari and while I'm not always comfortable exposing my tummy if you have your sari skirt section tucked high enough, all is ok (I'm the farthest left in the picture).  M was great at guiding me in different sari buying shops.  The process may take a while as the fabrics and varieties are numerous!

Tip: You may get caught up in wanting to buy a sari and of course they are gorgeous.  But there are multiple ways to tie one and and they are not all created equal.  So if you're traveling and want to buy a lovely outfit abroad, make sure you know how to wear it when you get home!

Goa is known for two things: its Portugese influence and its beaches.

The Portugese influence can certainly be seen in the number of practicing Catholics in Goa (~26%).
You will see gorgeous whitewashed churches and colorful pastel colored houses in Goa (it actually reminded me of the Caribbean).

Then there are the 65 km of sandy beaches in Goa.  One of my favorite memories there was eating some spicy vindaloo (a pork curry) in a beachside cafe and relaxing on a rented lounge chair on the beach shortly thereafter.

There were a number of bars and clubs open at night.  We ended up at the beach again after dancing the night away.  Beginning and ending our days at the beach was indeed the perfect way to spend our time there.

I'd definitely recommend this sleepy, unique, and interesting city in India.  See you on the beach!