Friday Market in Mapusa, Goa

We have to say goodbye to Uncle Matt today, so we decide to follow him as far as the Friday market in Mapusa (which is pronounced Mopsa) because we hear it is more local and less touristy (and thus cheaper) than the Wednesday Anjuna market. It turns out that this was good advice.

Mapusa is a medium-size commercial center of about 50,000 people. Sound familiar? The center "square" is a parking lot surrounded by dozens of little shops. The Friday market fills three alleys with stands selling mostly cheap western clothing, household items, and foodstuffs, but it also has a few sellers of crafts and textiles that appeal to visitors.

These first few vendors are very aggressive....they clipped silvery anklets on Karma when she stopped for a moment, and we couldn't get them off her....they'll drape something around you and pull their hands away when you try to give it back. We bought several things from them...including the anklets....after Karma and Mark drove a hard bargain and the lady showed us how to take the anklets off.


In the next alley it was fish....


In spite of appearances, these birds are alive...for now.

Shopping done, we were all sad to say goodbye to Matt....and we think he showed incredible stamina and grace to survive a whole week traveling with the six of us! We wish he could stay!


Bye Matt! Thanks for coming to India!

On the ride back to Fort Tiracol...


A common sight on the roads of Goa. Hippies from some part of the Western world.


Kobi falls asleep on Mark's arm, in the rearview mirror.



Heating tar to patch holes caused by monsoon rains.


Harvesting sand from the bottom of the river, to sell to construction projects. The women carry the sand from the boats to the trucks in huge baskets on their heads.

Before we get on the ferry, we take another dip in the Arabian Sea...though Jen stays on shore to defend our stuff from the packs of wild dogs. Really.


Walking out to a sandbar in the Arabian Sea.


Karma finds some baby clams.