Carnivale Goa - Day 3

22 January 2018:
The previous evening during the dinner at Calamaris Pimp made a dramatic announcement that a boat was being arranged for 22nd morning - sailing off into the high seas on a Dolphin Watch Mission.Those desirous of joining this adventure should eat an early breakfast and assemble at the breakfast lobby at 9.00 am.
At 7.06 am 0n 22 nd the following message was received from Pimp: "Guys & Ladies.I have been up since 2.00 am with an upset stomach and still need to be near the bathroom. Sorry I will not be there at 8.00 am.In addition to Johns Boats, another outfit in Bardez opening at 8.00 am is well rated. Have a great time."
Sad and disappointing that Pimp was down & out. He was taking Imodium and was on a diet of lime & soda. Another disenchantment was that the much awaited Dolphin Watch boat ride never materialized. The boat was ready but the boatman did not turn up. A small group of Gill, Livleen, Vij, Nishi & few others waited in vain on the beach before trudging back in dismay.
The morning was was generally a lazy, relaxed & laid back affair with people reluctantly clambering out of their beds. Morning walk on the beach was sublime - there was a menacing bull buffalo on the run (of course he was lassoed) and dogs meandering around (stray as well as pets on leash). We saw tourists jogging with batons/canes in hand to ward off dogs & others taking dip in the ocean and attempting clumsy selfies.
Breakfast was leisurely,sumptuous & splendidly satisfying. Manchanda left for Vasco for discussions with Goa Shipyard and was accompanied by Kusum,Nishi & Lata - while Manchanda was in intense discussions with Shipyard officials the ladies were  on an extensive shopping spree.
Anita & Rajat had a luncheon appointment in Panjim and were off for a few hours and back in time for another quiet game of bridge.There was an invitation to Pimp to join the game - I am not sure he did. Madhu,Sunil,Ramu & Shobha were spotted lounging around the shaded decks adjoining the swimming pool - tapping cellphones/reading books/dozing and soaking in the salubrious Goa weather. Indira,Sreelekha,Renu & Vinay toured Candolim down town purportedly on a shopping extravaganza. They must have all ultimately congregated with their bitter halves and enjoyed sumptuous lunch together in a downtown eatery.
Pimp continued to be sequestered in his room on liquid intakes and as a precautionary measure decided to skip lunch good and wise move. Some antibiotics were administered to him courtesy Bhav Dutt with the fond hope that Pimps condition will improve dramatically by evening.
 Evening fellowship was on the raised wooden platform facing the Arabian sea - a different ambiance altogether with cane sofas and cushions and no "sinking into the sand" feeling :) The usual rounds of alcohol and choice single malt courtesy Gill and tremendous camaraderie & cheer. There was a generally discussion on weights and measures - what each guy weighed in college vis a vis his current weight & girth - some amazing discoveries and revelations. Followed by self sponsored moonlight dinner at Baga Beach - a distance of around 12 Kms from Candolim via Calangute. Prodigious quantities of draft beer was consumed as also exotic tropical drinks,delectable food and delicious desserts. The beer was served in unique lantern shaped containers. Overall an incredible evening that left an indelible impression in our minds and hearts.
Pimp was not well enough to join the revelries and remained incarcerated in his room at O Resorts but with a firm resolve to gain enough strength and composure to rejoin the flock the following day.

Gorgeous Beach Combers

Morning Selfie at the beach

Gupta and Naresh extricating Bhav Dutt from a sand pit

The Contract Bridge Quartet

The Shopping Spree Quartet - en-lightening our husbands wallets is our passion

The author of this blog - a selfie to reflect the mood and ambiance at O Resorts

Candolim Beach at Noon

Lunch at a Beach Shack

Sunbathers at Candolim

Is this the Riviera, St.Tropez or Candolim ?

Cocktails Time at Candolim shack - Gupta announces the Baga Dinner plan

The amazing Single Malt that Gill brought - Drink ho to aisa

Why the melancholy look guys ? The "my wallet has been rifled" look :)

Guvrus & Manchanda looking ecstatic - thank god we didn't bring our wallets :)

At Baga Beach - Dining at Brittos - why the grim look guys ?

A sliver of smile appearing like a silver lining

Flanked by meditating Anita and Rajat - Livleen wonders how she can enliven the proceedings :)

Gupta takes charge

Gupta looks delighted after issuing orders

The vegetarians - wonder what is in store for us ?

Come on guys - cheer up

Looks like the wives are far more cheerful than the men at Baga

What a incredible & fascinating night at Baga

Carnivale Goa - Day 2

A selfie to start the day with - Ramu meets Pimputkar after 47 years-seemed like yesterday :)

21 January 2018: Ramu and Shobha from Coimbatore  were arriving  Madhgaon today (4.00 am) 21st morning - bang in the middle of a crippling taxi strike paralysing all tourist traffic at airports/Rail heads. After a few frantic telecalls to Shorty/O Resorts it was agreed that the Hotel would send a car with private plates for pickup. The hotel was ostensibly taking a risk and if their subterfuge was discovered would incur the wrath of the local taxi operators. R & S were advised to exit the Madhgaon station incognito, tip toe silently towards the waiting car and drive away surreptitiously. Of course O Hotel would charge a nominally higher fare of Rs.3150/- for services rendered against the normal fare of Rs.1500/-.
About Candolim:
 Candolim is a small town in the western Indian state of Goa. Standing on the shores of the Arabian Sea, it’s known for its amazing Beach and to the north, lively Calangute Beach. In the south, the sturdy walls of Aguada Fort, built in the early 1600s under Portuguese colonial rule, surround a 19th-century lighthouse. The whitewashed, centuries-old Church of St. Lawrence stands on a nearby hill.
 Flea market Arpora: 
With food stalls offering cuisines from all over the world, the Saturday night market is every food lover’s paradise.For street shoppers who love flea markets Goa is a dream come true. Be it chilled beer, warm chocolate waffles, junk jewelry, handcrafted art pieces, tattoos, good music, scarves, hammocks, or spices, the flea market have it all.

Day 2 at O Resorts was a leisurely affair.The day began with joyful greetings, warm and vigorous hand shakes, beaming smiles, hearty embraces, emotional exchanges, some backslapping, humorous interludes & selfies. Breakfast was served at the special raised wooden floored lobby open at the sides. An elaborate spread was awaiting us - an array of  South & North Indian & continental dishes to cater to every palate . Post breakfast some headed down town Candolim for exploration & sundry purchases while others headed to wards the beach to relax, indulge in sport, sip beer  & wolf down some incredible sea food - Gill and Livleen fell into the latter category. Yet another team (quartet of Rajat,Pimp,Bhav & Guvrus) sneaked away for a quiet game of contract bridge.

Ecstatic at meeting classmates after eons - Seeing Vij first timeafter 47 years & Rajat,Gill & Merani for the second time !

The beaming smiles says it all - with Vinay, Gupta (we did our summer training together @ Mumbai)  & Manchanda my buddy at Nilgiris.

The lovely ladies happily obliged

Supremely happy faces

A walk towards Candolim downtown for sundry purchases 

Selfies in splendid salubrious Goa weather - My hostel mates @ Nilgiris Shorty & Naresh 

The ladies were really having a fabulous time - From left: Shobha,Madhu,Srilekha,Nishi,Lata, Kusum,Indira & Renu !

 Evening started off at 5.30 pm for drinks & snacks at the Romax Shack on the beach watching the sunset. There was an array of alcohol - scotch, vodka & wine and short eats. Gill contributed with an extra special single malt which he has picked up at Delhi duty free. Dinner was at The Calamaris - also on the beach a walking distance from Romax. A mesmerizing candle night dinner right on the beach sands under the starry skies creating a magical ambiance. The alcohol continued to flow on the dinner table. The ladies were happy sipping exotic mock tails and sparkling wines. Animated conversations interspersed with wit & humor and at times bursts of laughter and occasionally heated discussions sums up the dinner interactions. There was a DJ belting out the latest Bollywood & Goan songs and inviting people to go over to the dance floor. Mech'71 ers & wives were deeply engrossed in vigorous bargaining with a salesman peddling psychedelic lights of various sizes,shapes & designs. The salesman had a field day as he successfully off loaded most his wares that evening - Mech'71 being major beneficiaries. The dinner concluded with a round of choice desserts for all. 
Three Cheers to the gracious hosts for the evening at Romax & Calamaris: Bhav Dutt & Indira Dutt !

Evening cocktails at Romax Shack on the Candolim beach

Gupta regaling everyone with a joke - Guvrus chairing the meeting looks pleased :)

Sunset on the Arabian sea - drinks on the table - the mood is upbeat - Pimp seems to be in splits :)

The ladies are bonding well and having  great fun too - Srilekha,Lata,Shobha & Indira !

That's a nice picture guys - okay you can go ahead with your drink. 
All are looking cool, charming and relaxed especially Rajat in his quintessential cowboy hat

Ah ! Ramu in the frame finally :) Rajat sees some humour there - Gill looks pensive !

Indira,Kusum, Livleen & Nishi deeply engrossed while Rajat looks on

Shorty & Gulshan look transfixed

Bhav Dutt looks distracted, Madhu is beaming while the rest are busy placing orders

Hurry up young man how fast can you fetch the food ?

Carnivale Goa 2018 - Day 1

Conceptualized more than a year ago during Golden Jubilee reunion in Delhi/Corbett in November 2016, then moulded & shaped by an enervated but electrified Shorty Mukherjee recuperating in bed after a massive heart attack in January 2017, further consolidated and formalized by him during the past 12 months (with complete and unequivocal motivation & support from Rajat) through a series of crisp concise precise informative and imaginative bulletins and ably supported, mentored & aided by an ever enthusiastic bunch of Mech'71ers (1971 Mechanical Engineering batch) based in India & abroad, this amazing event Carnivale Goa actually took place for a whole week in the Indian State of Goa - formerly a Portuguese Colony for over 500 years & annexed back by India in 1961. Goa is a land of sun,sand, sea & sea food, breeze,beaches,bikinis & bars.The Goanese love to eat exotic sea-food,to soak in the sun and swim in the ocean, and to enjoy drinking their favorite brew - they can choose from a wide range of astonishing drinks - from cashew or coconut Feni to Kings Beer, Urrak to Port wines, Tequila, Armada & a range of local red/white wine apart from an array of Indian/Scotch whisky, Vodka, Gin,Rum,Brandy,Cogniac, Bourbon,Vermouth et al . Goans live life to the hilt - they live they love, they sing & dance they sculpt & paint they are obsessed with football,work hard and love to party. They are among the most exuberant effervescent energetic and joyful people in this region.
It is to this land that an excited bunch of Mech'71ers descended on 20th January 2018 from Delhi-Chennai for a special reunion in Goa - a group comprising Twelve enterprising men, Ten of them accompanied by their lovely soul mates. Glaffy the perky young lady from Blue Ocean welcomed the Group of 22.and accompanied them in a luxury coach to the O Resorts & Spa in Candolim - an hours drive from Dabolim Airport. Address:Aguada- Siolim Road, Candolim, Dando, Near Kingfisher Villa, Bardez, Goa 403515. December/January are the best months to visit Goa with comfortable low temperatures and perpetual cool breeze. Glaffy disappeared thereafter.

The sparkling swimming pool at O Resorts

The pleasing interior architecture & styling at O Resorts Candolim

The resort offers luxurious rooms, suites and a grand presidential suite. Set amidst lush tropical gardens, the resort includes a rejuvenating spa, an infinity pool, special dining experiences which includes a raised wooden floored breakfast lobby, a similar lobby bar & beach decks with umbrellas. The resort has a unique interior architecture with a long indoor walking promenade with rooms located on either side, a fountain, small water pools & landscaped attractively and artistically with plants & shrubs. For those who want to congregate in the walkway and sit down for a relaxed chat under the open to sky,the resort has provided granite seats furnished with luxurious  cushions.

Exuberant Mech 71ers and their gorgeous wives arriving at Dabolim

Coach ride to Candolim - bonding,bonhomie & infectious smiles

Captivating smiles

The major activity for the evening was to check into rooms,wash,transform into casuals, make a beeline for the beach enjoy the ambiance & activity there,watch the sun bathers sauntering on the sands, view the sun setting gloriously into the serene turquoise Arabian sea and amidst all this guzzle cans of chilled beer until dusk in beach shack. All the while the camaraderie and bonhomie was building up and so was appetite. Once the beer stock was exhausted group then dispersed into smaller clusters. Some went in search of dining shacks in the near vicinity before languishing back to the respective rooms. Another group careened off to a popular flea market in Candolim downtown where they are are reported to have had a splendid time .

Gallivanting & frolicking at Candolim Beach

VKG & Vinay - A scintillating selfie

Beach Shacks & sunbathing decks at Candolim

Beach decks & umbrellas provide shade & solace

Gents cheerfully guzzling beer in a beach shack

Drinks and dinner at the "Flea Market" in downtown Candolim - all looking reasonably pleased

 Animated Pimp spinning one of his incredibly funny yarns has Guvrus in splits - whats with Shorty ?

Marwaha ( one of the several pioneers who painstakingly orchestrated the reunion efforts) & Madhu had to drop out at the last moment owing to indisposition.