Bilbao o Bilbo es lo mismo : fiesta siempre jajaja

SATURDAY

Bilbao or Bilbo is one of my favorite city in Spain so far: I was there just once in 2008 but I said to myself someday I will come back and thats what I did last march 2012. A friend was coming to a big CouchSurfing event so I decide to join her and discover the city with her and other amazing people I met.

Guggenheim

Journey to Bilbao was pretty long and with a stopover in Munich too. From airport just get an urban bus for €1,30 or if you buy a transport card for only 0,70€ but the card cost 5€ and then u can charge as much as you want and pay less. You have different stops till the bus terminal in new part of the city and I decided to get off nearby Guggenheim Museum where I met my friends and other people.

We just took some pics nearby Guggenheim and I went straight to meet my host Adrian in Casco Viejo, my beloved district in Bilbao where you have most popular tourist spots. Some people decided to go to Kobetamendi, nice mountain nearby where you have a great view of Bilbao. I  just had the time to say hello to Adrian and we went straight to have lunch in Spanish time jajaja from 3pm but I met great people and food was so yummy at Zaka Bar like my dessert fresòn :)) not a big strawberry sadly :(

After we had a jam session at Hika Ateneo and a place where you can play board games too like our never ending monopoly game. If you want to have fun, just go back Casco Viejo where you can eat pintxos and you have some bars with disco music but if you wanna meet local and enjoy a cool place, go to kafe antzokia where we ended up our night.. I was looking for some churros but when its 5am just bocadillos jajaja...

SUNDAY

One of main attractions of Bilbao is Guggenheim Museum so at least once you have to visit the museum and its surrounding like the famous spider or the dog Bilbo. We had a guided tour to discover the museum inside with its exhibitions and its collection like Richard Serra with the famous matter of the Time. I really like the museum and you can have multiple entrance so later we came back to have a second and accurate look at all exhibitions like Brancusi-Serra one.

After the visit it was time to improvise a flash mob in Plaza Nueva before eating a good dish of langostinos a la plancha and still curious to know what to visit here? Please wait cause we went back to Hika Ateneo where we had an international dinner with food from all over the world like Italy, Spain, India, USA, Germany and so on  and I met a lovely French girl Emilie co-hosted by Adrian with my friends Serena and Paola. Food was awesome and we had lovely talks before going to dance salsa till late.. Night is over? Nope as we went back home and Emilie cooked amazing crepes and onion soup that we didn't manage to eat as too late

MONDAY

Last day as Emilie was in Bilbao for the first time we had a city tour but I also have time to go to the shop of one of my favorite Spanish brand :)..As we stayed in Casco Viejo we had everything close to us like Teatro Arriega and all the streets in this area full of shops, bars and more.

The Old Town features many of the oldest buildings in the city, as the St James' Cathedral or the Church of San Antòn. Most of the Old Town is a pedestrian are during the day. Nearby is one of the most important religious temples of Biscay, the Basilica of Begoña , dedicated to the patron saint of the province, Our Lady of Begoña.

Seventeen bridges span the banks of the estuary inside the city limits. Among the most interesting ones are the Zubizuri (Basque for "white bridge"), a pedestrian footbridge designed by Santiago Calatrava opened in 1997, and the Princes of Bridge, also known as "La Salve", a suspension bridge opened in 1972 and redesigned in 2007. You can have nice walk in the new part of the city where the stadium Vicente Calderon is located too and some parks and nice squares and churches are situated. A nice square to visit is also Plaza Nueva where you have many bars and restaurants too.

 After this fast but complete city tour, we had a chance to taste a real Valenciana paella made by our friend Maria.. Best way to finish this short but awesome trip: Bilbao is still one of my favorite Spanish city so I recommend you to have a stop in Bask countries  if you wanna visit the North of Spain..Hasta Luegoooo

Bratislava: hrad, pivo a viac

 FRIDAY

Bratislava is one of my favorite city in Central Europe where some of my close friends live too. I started to know this city 6 years ago and then I keep coming at least once a year.. I missed last year so I said lets go back and meet my friends there.. spring just started but Bratislava kept in my mind uhm winter is still here so I just felt the difference when we landed from Rome..

Bratislava castle

I moved quickly to meet my friend at her job then after a nice chat in front of an cup of hot chocolate we went to her house in a district new for me but very nice: Koliba.

Koliba is situated on the foothills of the Little Carpathians and is part of the Bratislava Forest Park.

I always like to discover new corner and Koliba is very nice area where you can start nice trekking and its just 5-10 minutes to the old town by trolley-bus. My friend lives in a cute house with other 5 people coming from US, Germany, Belgium and Slovakia too wow nice combination and good start for an international dinner with other friends coming to meet me.

Koliba

Dinner was very yummy and I cooked bucatini all'amatriciana and I brought olive and cremini, specialities from my home town. Funny was the making of 2 desserts during the evening before people came. My sweet friend Vero just finished the two cakes and left them in the nearby room while we were keeping to cook in the kitchen but we heard some weird noise from other room: well lovely dog called by me Dario just ate half of both two cakes lol so we just managed to put the other two halves together to keep at least one.. Meanwhile Ivana was making a salad and a german couple competed with me making a vegan pizza ;).

Meal was enough for everyone and I convinced the vegan couple to have some pasta with bacon :))..Other roomate welcome me with some shot of hruškovica and we ended up the night  in a cosy pub U Dezmara in old town.

Brati and Danube by night

SATURDAY

After a yummy breakfast, we decided a meet up after 11 at Trhovisko nearby old town and reachable by bus or tram. This open-air market typically sells a mixture of products direct from local farms and orchards, herbs, cut flowers, bread, mushrooms, pickled goods like gherkins and peppers, and local cheese and dairy products. There are also small shops selling inexpensive clothing, stationery and wine, as well as cafes and pubs, clustered around them. Main idea was to taste some cheap food and very cheap wine in many pubs you can find all around. I really loved the atmosphere and people I met as it seemed to me life was back to 20-30 years ago. I had a  typical lokše while my friends had langoš and well some glasses of local wine too

Trhovisko

After a fast lunch in a peruvian restaurant called Casa Inka, I had to meet an italian friend coming to Bratislava for the first time so I was her private guide to discover old town. You can move easily in old town and everything is close by. Our first stop was in the main square Hlavne namestie where colorful buildings reminiscent of the baroque and renaissance era fill the perimeters. The Old Town Hall and the Roland Fountain also are nice spots to have a look.

Hlavne namestie

We had a little detour to see Opera House with a coffee break before moving along Danube and have a look at new Apollo Bridge and from far at the Bratislava castle. If you have time go up the castle on foot or by bus and from the castle windows, 3 countries come to view - Slovakia, Austria, and if weather is clear, Hungary. So we just passed by and have a stop at St. Martin's  cathedral. From there we moved around old streets till the famous Micheal's gate: this area is full of restaurants, clubs and café bar mostly attended by tourists. Going through the gate we ended up our fast tour at Presidential Palace and in the same square you can visit summer archbishop's palace.

Micheal's gate

After some relax, it was right time to visit a local restaurant with cheap prices and good food but away from touristic routes. Just take tram 9 or 14 and get off Herlianska stop then walk till U Deda restaurant . Here first I had a glass of my favorite slovak drink Kofola then I ate a typical slovak dish bryndzové halušky, potato dumplings with Bryndza ( a soft crumbly sheep cheese). It was curious to have a dessert maková štrúdľa, a strudel with poppy seeds and have a look at it ;)

maková štrúdľa

The night was the main event of my weekend in Bratislava, common friends had an idea of an ugly sweater party at 4 you wine bar. Lots of people gathering there to have fun and taste some local pivo (beer): people from all over the world coming  from near Vienna too just for this. Night is along so we kept having fun at another bar called Goblins where it was time to catch last night bus to go home ;)

Ugly Sweater party

SUNDAY

Sunday is the day of rest and it was like this, pity I didn't know it was the weekend of bratislava marathon so next year maybe I can run at least half marathon as included in the program or marathon relay with other three friends. Nice idea to end this awesome weekend was a brunch at Hugo's place. I cooked my last olives and I brought small spicy salami and yummy smoked scamorza (italian cheese). We also had lovely pasta cooked by Hugo and an omelette by Ivana and we tasted cocido mate too and colomba, italian traditional easter cake. 

smoked scamorza and little spicy salami

Time to say bye and hug my friends and luckily find a lift to airport.. Ahoj Brati and just a little tip if you have time go to visit Devin Castle nice place nearby Bratislava good for picnic too in spring and summer time so go and try :)))

Ascoli Piceno: My Beloved Town

Every traveler has a place to live, to come back and where he's born. I spent lots of time traveling but at the end every road goes back my lovely hometown. If you travel around Italy for sure you know cities as Rome, Milan and Naples but if you wanna experience the real italian life that's the place for you.

As every part of Italy, you will discover ancient stuff, amazing landscape and least but not the last yummy food and wine as the famous Olive Ascolane (english version) were invented here. It's also famous to be the city of 100 towers, well right now around 30. It was built before Roma so we have this motto here: When Ascoli was Ascoli, Rome was just a field for sheep.

The heart of the city is Piazza del Popolo (People's square) on of the most beautiful square in Italy surrounded by many arch, the famous Palazzo dei Capitani and the church of San Francesco, a romanic-gothic one. People use to walk around here, meeting friends and enjoying a drink in some of the bars in this square. You can't miss a stop at the historical bar Caffè Meletti or if you're a budget traveler sit and take a cheap aperitivo at Bar Centrale.  Palazzo dei Capitani was built on ruins of roman roads and some medieval buildings that you can still visit downstairs.. just a curiosity: looking up from Caffè Meletti to the church san francesco, please stare not the first tower bell but the second one and you will see something let's say weird :). In San Francesco you  can play music with little columns on the entrance in via del Trivio, go and try :). In the same road you can visit Ventidiobasso theater and the cloister of San Francesco as known piazza delle verdure.

Piazza del popolo

From Piazza del Popolo, you can move to Piazza Arringo but on the way if you wanna try a slice of pizza, please have a stop here .  It is another beautiful square where you can visit the Cathedral, Baptistery, Bishop Palace, Town hall with Archeological Museum and art gallery. Come to this place and don't try best  gelato in Ascoli, its a lack in your trip here so relax a bit and admire this square tasting a yummy ice-cream from Yoghi . Main attraction is the Cathedral: it was built on a roman temple and actual one is from century XIV-XV, go inside and have a look at a famous paint Polittico by Crivelli then go downstairs to visit the crypt of Sant' Emidio, our saint. The crypt was the original roman temple and you can see roman ruins and very interesting cemetery full of tombs running below the city, they say for some km.

Piazza Arringo

You still have lots to do and see in Ascoli: just behind a corner of Piazza Arringo you can visit San Gregorio Church built on the walls of an old roman temple. From there you can go up till medieval suburb of Piazzarola where you can visit Sant'Angelo Magno church, are you tired? So keep going up till ex monastery of annunziata now university building and from there you visit Fortezza Pia where you have a wonderful view of all the area. Another way from Piazza Arringo is passing the cathedral and going till a square where you can visit Forte Malatesta and famous Cecco Bridge that legend said it was built just in a night as a wish of Cecco d'Ascoli to the devil...

Forte Malatesta and  Cecco's bridge

Just behind  Forte Malatesta you will see the field of Squarcia where every first sunday of august you can watch the famous medieval knightly tournament called Quintana . In the last years it was added a night edition in the middle of july but Ascoli's inhabitants still consider  august edition the main one. On August 5th we also have our saint's day: Sant' Emidio believed to be earthquake protector and during this day you can watch amazing fireworks just after the end of local bingo. It's very nice to visit the town during this day and take a chance to take part in a dinner in one of the 6 Sestieres where it was supposed to be divided Ascoli in medieval time.

Are you hungry now? As i wrote you you should try fritto misto all'ascolana including olive, cremini and lamb chops, you have many places to go but I suggested as local cuisine to try Trattoria del Pergolato or Trattoria da Middio. If you wanna something local but bit more fancy just very close to Piazza del Popolo have a stop at  Ristorante Piccolo Teatro . After eating here you can see Santa Maria Intervineas Church and followin the road near the church you will reach a square where you have 2 beautiful churches: San Vincenzo and Anastasio and San Pietro Martire.. from there keep walking in another medieval part of the city where you can visit some ceramic shops typical from here and a roman bridge. Just after the bridges you can see old medieval public washhouse where women used to clean their clothes. Coming back take the road named rua delle Stelle but for us it's Rrete li Mierghie :) and very close to it Palazzo dei Longobardi.

Rrete li Mierghie

Well I still have lots to tell you but let's discover by yourself and if I'm in the town I will be glad to show you my city around and discover other beautiful places like Casteltrosino or have a walk in our beautiful mountains too so come and enjoy this little jewel in the central Italy :)))

TUSCANY: WINE, FOOD AND RELAX

First Day

I travel a lot but I keep thinking Italy is a must to visit and this time I had a chance to visit a part of Tuscany not so known by me. I traveled with my lovely dad as I had to share with a person a  coupon  for weekend in a 5 stars hotel in Chianciano Terme. I supposed to be there one week earlier just to relax after India but destiny, coincidence moved this trip one week later. We spent our time in this awesome hotel where we got all we need to relax in the wellness center including gym, spa, Turkish bath and more.

After relaxed in that center where my dad had a nice massage too, we went out for dinner.. well low season so be ready to walk around a lot before finding this yummy restaurant where  you can try Tuscany cuisine but pizza too.

Second Day

 

The day after started with a buffet breakfast where you can eat till die lol so we decided to walk around to discover old town of Chianciano: its very tiny so you need few time to visit main points then we took the car for a tour in Valdorcia.

First stop was Rocca d'Orcia nice medieval village very close by Castiglione d'Orcia where we visited Rocca a Tentennano and the village: small but very beautiful. On the way to San Quirico d'Orcia we had a stop to the famous thermal baths of Bagni Vignoni known since roman time with also interesting ruins of country life in past centuries.

Bagni Vignoni

San Quirico d'Orcia is a very nice village, main spots are Collegiata and San Francesco Church, it's so nice walking around these small medieval roads and palaces. We spent time in a winery too buying some presents for next birthday of my brother in law.. Wines are so famous and you have to taste Brunello di Montalcino or Nobile di Montepulciano, red wines tasty with fruit flavors.

 As we had a very big breakfast we decided to move little bit more till Pienza. Wow Pienza is Unesco heritage as it has a well-preserved old town and it's also famous for pecorino cheese.

Of course first stop was in an Osteria to try this cheese: we had an assorted pecorino cheese meal and one portion of grilled pecorino too and of course you can't go to Tuscany and do no try vinsanto with cantucci :)). After this light lunch ;), we discovered the beautiful main square with the Cathedral, Piccolomini Palace and Borgia palace: its very relaxing walking along corso Rossellino and you can also walk along the medieval walls where we were surprised to find Via del Bacio (kiss).

Last stop it was Montepulciano, if you can ask for the pubblic parking area close to Piazza Grande otherwise be ready to walk a very sharp uphill road before reaching Piazza Grande main attraction of this town. You can visit the Dome and Palazzo Comunale in this square. The fountain in this square is famous too as we shot here New Moon from Twilight series. We ended up the day after another wellness session going to same restaurant and tasting the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina and Pici al ragù

India stories and more..

Every trip offers me a chance to meet people, different customs, different food and nice adventures. So why not sharing with you t funny or interesting stories that will give you my view of this country..

First thing I noticed it is the chaos of Mumbai, lively metropolis in every hour and my first adventure is to reach Colaba from the suburb Kandvali East where I stayed. My friend Puru explained me what to do in a rush hour when I supposed to go out and meet my friend in Colaba. If you're lucky in 1.15hr you will be there if not around 2 hrs but amazing experience.. first i went out and walked to main road with a roundabout easy: jump into a rickshaw and get off at train station.. I said easy? Well you have to fight for your seat with locals and first time when you just observe eheh it took sometimes and remind me a famous italian movie about commuters lol ..

Fantozzi sorry in italian

When you arrive at train station you have a line uhm many lines in same one to get your ticket.. Indian man suggested me get a second class one, cheaper and more fun uhm just rps9 so why not but be ready to follow a flood of people get into the train and curiosity I discover you have wagons for ladies and others for gents.. what I noticed the kindness and curiosity about foreign people.. second class train is just for locals and in 2 days in Mumbai I never met a foreigner as they usally stay in Colaba the touristic area.. every time they helped me to find station, right train, right ticket and I started to be ready answering where are you from? do you like India? :)) and...

Can I have a snap? 

If you visit India, be ready to be like a guest-star. Indian people loves taking pics with foreigners and asking many questions.. we discovered this in Murud nice beach village near Mumbai. I and my friend Dana were walking along the beach when some boys came close to us and friendly asked to have a picture with us.. one? They took a lot and you start to have a pic with 2 indians ending up with a pice with 20-30 indians what so fun!!! Moreover sometimes they asked me my signature  in a kind of autograph book hehehe

 am i famous?

Food

If you like spicy food, India is your place :) visiting South India I could try every kind of food from veggies, fish to meat mainly chicken. Every area has traditional food and a typical way to eat is to order a thali:

It is a selection of different dishes, usually served in small bowls on a round tray. The round tray is generally made with steel with multiple compartments, be ready it's spicy food. In Goa you can eat fish everyday and traditional dish is fish curry with kingfish and you can eat it with rice or their yummy bread like naan. Grilled fish easy to find and you can have a great meal for rps7-800. I liked very much food on the streets, very cheap ones but my favourite food was biryani: a set of rice-based foods made with spice, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted"

My favourite indian food: Prawns biryani

Wedding experience

When we were in Ganpatipule, indian peole took so many pics of us but we also had a chance to take part in a real indian wedding :)... After a nice walk around the village, we thought it was right to have a dinner so I and Dana started to go to the only restaurant but on the way we heard lots of music and we saw an house full of bright lights and lots of people. We were curious and without thinking we just got closer to the entrance.. with our surprise people kindly invite to get in and wow indian wedding. You took off our shoes and first the wedding couple wanted to meet us then all relatives, many pics together and we also prayed their god as good blessing for their wedding. They offered first a yummy appetizer then we moved into the house and we had a tasty weddind dinner, sitting on the floor and eating by hands as indian tradition. It was so fun and every minute they cam to us asking if we want more food.. so surprised about their kindness and then we spent some time listening to some live indian traditional songs. We had great time and fun, an unforgettable evening before Goa..

Mapusa Market

I like being a voyager not a tourist so I am always curious to spend time with locals, learn some words and understand different point of views and culture. When I was in Goa, my first thought was this is not India: amazing beaches but where locals are? So a morning I got my scooter and ask my friends where I can find a local market nearby and they say go to Mapusa you will like it. It was around noon but I wanted to visit this market and well just few km away from the beach I discovered again the real atmosphere of India and what I liked more: People:)... first I asked where the market is and as usual i got different ways to reach and one was wrong when I started to hear people saying to me ONE  WAY, ONE WAY ops wrong turn hehehe but next one i reached the market, so big. I was there to find spices, sari, flip flop for my friends, first I looked around to feel the place and my first bargain was spices.. I took some time and when they see a foreigner wow I had with me some people offering or helping in any way :D.. find right price is almost impossible so I said I will buy lots of spice but please remember I have friends in Mumbai and I am italian big crisis there lol.. I took different spices and she said rps400, well after 10 minutes and a promise to visit other shops with a friend of her I got my price: rps250 but when in Mumbai I discovered it was bit high but who cares, it was fun.

I kept discovering the market with this lady and a little boy, losing myself in this labyrinth of shops and another fight was to buy a sari: it seemed easy after i saw thousands I saw one that my friend can like and I asked the price. She said rps75 wow I got it and I gave her rps100 awaiting for the change: uhm she started to laugh she said sorry I meant rps750, WHAT? So another bargain started and I said ok 150? No she said 500 and we kept for a while till my last offer was 300.. she said no but I know she wanted to seel it so I gave sari back and said bye, after few seconds the little boy came and said ok  you say 300 she says 500 lets meet halfway 450.. 450? halfway? I said bye again and when she said ok your last offer: I said agin 300 maybe too much but 300 and she agreed, yes I got it... now I had to set me free for these new friends talking everywhere, very easy market is so big and many corner so at first one they went straight I turn right and run a bit before I got lost.. but lost I found cheap flip flops and finally the way out just after eating yummy food in a small kiosk.. wow great day in Mapusa now time to relax a bit...

Cheap flights

I imagine first thing everyone is looking for is a cheap way to reach the place you want to visit. So day by day I will add something new and I will let you know. Little tip is to subscribe mailing lists of flight companies: sometimes I got good deal like this too. Here some links:
skyscanner
Kayak
Fly4free  in polish but useful
Zingarate in italian
Whichbudget
Momondo
Govolo
drungli so far just inside europe
wegolo
tipsoftravelling many offers and all flight scanners
matrix.itasoftware  good for intercontinental flights

Comin soon more and if you know others, just leave a comment and I will add them.

My India

Gate of India

It's my first time in this big and amazing country, you must have in your mind that you need at least 2 days to get your visa at Indian Embassy in Rome. I started my trip in Mumbai from airport its better to get a prepaid taxi or just take some steps out from airport and if you don't go to South Mumbai you can get a rickshaw. You can get a rickshaw too till first train station Andheri but train will not operate from 11pm to 5 am.
Here some useful info
Wow very crowdy city, I just landed around 11pm and my friend lives close to airport so two options: prepaid taxi not more than 300rps, rickshaw halfprice. City is very lively and after a while and many questions around to discover where my friend lives finally I reached the place. Puru is great guy and soon I understand it's true Indian motto: Guest is like a God. If you're in Mumbai and stay outside Colaba, touristic area please have a chance to take a second class train for only 9rps and live the real great experience to stay with locals and rush into the train to find first space available in a packed train in rush hours. Main attractions of Mumbai is in Colaba area. Gate of India is a must and Taj Mahal hotel is a nice place to see just to compare the difference between the poor India and the rich side of it. In walking distance you can visit Victoria Terminal Station, Mumbai market and a Cathedral. In the main park all day you can see people playing cricket, national sport. If you can live the city with locals to eat yummy food for just 100rps and i f you're brave eat on the street for 30rps food and drink like water. Its a dirty city but not how you can think from abroad. If you have time visit Bollywood and have a boat trip to Elephant Island, discover other suburb as Kandvali. I started my trip with my friend Stefania but on the way Dana, argentinian girl joined us.

Gate of India and Taj Mahal

Next stop after Mumbai should have been Goa State but express trains were full booked so we decided to move down in a different way discovering the real taste of India. Go to gate of India and get a ticket for a ferry going to Mandava including a free bus to Alibag just 70rps or 90rps with fast ferry up to 110 in AC deck. We chose cheapest option living a nice trip with local people. When we reached Alibag you have to option: one is rickshaw and other bus cheaper. Of course we chose the cheapest one: so from the bus stop go forward till the bus station and every half hour you have a bus to Murud nice village where you can stop and live some local life. Trip is like 1 and half hour for 57rps. Murud has a nice beach and main attraction is Janjira Fort. Living in a indian destination you will spend all your time with locals, curious to meet foreign people and have a photo with you maybe many... We found this tiny place just in front of the beach and you will have your hut for 1000rps/double room.
You can have a walk around to see a mosque and Murud Place too on a top of a hill. To visit Janjira get a rickshaw to Rajapuri for 50-60rps from there take a local sailing boat for 20rps return ticket, very short journey then on the fort some sailor will ask you to be your guide, we managed to get this guide for 100rps.. a trick about price: share price per 3 then ask something around that price. In this case he asked 300rps then after some minutes of bargain we managed for 100rps.. remember to visit the inside lake with drinkable water coming from a spring and nice frogs living around it.

If you wanna taste a good thali go to Patil Khanaval you won't spend more than 120rps: this place was suggested from locals that they also invited us to visit a Jansenism Temple so friendly.. just near you have another restaurant with yummy beryami and ask for kingfish around 700rps maybe bit expensive.
info about Murud
To proceed south till Goa you need to get an early morning bus to Roha for 60rps. Amazing journey and thanks for driver's kindess I could take great sunrise pics.
In Roha you have to walk one km to reach train station or get rickshaw but be ready to bargain. In Roha you can get at 9.15 Diva pass train for just 65rps but ready to live a very local experience. No tourist just locals, really packed and local yummy food do not miss to try aloo paratha ( fried potato with small bread) and some chili powder), railway mix, fruits or some dried fruits. People are so friendly and they gave us a place to seat even if the train was really packed.

Janjira Fort, Murud

Local Train

As this train is often late have a rest in Ratnagiri, take off train and cheap option is local bus for 8rps or always rickshaw. Bus station is like 5kms away and from there get a bus to Ganpantipule another local destination. You have many lodges growing to host indians coming from Mumbai during the weekend to visit Ganpani Temple or spend some time in its long palmed beach. You can find local guesthouse  for just 500rps sharing in 3 in our case. Its a place wiht many weddings in the weekend so we had a chance to join one of this and live a local wedding experience with live music, religious ceremony and yummi food eaten by hands as them.

Indian wedding in Ganpantipule

From Ganpantipule just do the same route to Ratnagiri or find a collective taxi for 40rps. From Ratnagiri take the same diva pass or an express price difference is just 30rps. Train is almost empty as final destination Goa is more for tourists and not for locals. If you have to stay in northern beaches better get off in Pernem otherwise Thivim for beaches like Calangute, Karmali for the capital Panaj or Old Goa and Margao for southern beaches. We went to Ashvem beach so we got off in Pernem but Dana went to Calangute. Station is some km away from the village. Two options: get a taxi for 350rps or walk some meters to main road where you can get local bus for 5rps to Pernem. Here you get another bus to Arambol then a rickshaw from there its like 50rps but check better when you arrive as like on sunday you can be stucked there and take a taxi to Ashvem for 300 rps.
Best way to visit Goa beaches it's to rent a scooter or a bike, in high season scooter is 250-300 rps per day. Northern beaches are full of foreign people so you don't feel real India but you have everything you need as my yummy Nutella.
We stayed in a russian community, having a chance to taste russian food and drink, meeting many people from Poland, Kazakistan and Mexico too.Internet easy to find and hour is 40rps and every day in Magic Park, Arambol beach you have sunset drum session with some locals too and last hippies.The northest beach is Querim beach with a temple but very dirty one, just good stop to cross river by ferry and visit fort Tiracol. Arambol is the most trendy then you have Mandrem also popular and very quite and relaxed like Ashvem and Morgim.

Arambol sunset, Goa

If you cross the Siolim bridge you can visit other beaches of northern sites. These beaches you can meet more locals but also many sellers and cheaters like ear cleaner please do no trust them.  After bridge first you have Chapora lively village with its famous fort. First beach is Vagator divided in 3 beaches and next one is Ozram but more popular and full of sellers is Anjuna beach where every wednesday there's a flea market and we met Dana again :). But if you wanna make great bargains and see a local market make a detour to Mapusa its worth. After Anjuna you will have Baga beach and the well-known Calangute Beach. This beach is main beach for indians and very dirty one but atmosphere is more indian then if you need more relax just go to next one Candolim where you can have a picnic and see beautiful sunset from ruins of Fort Aguada. Keep going you will reach Panaj the capital, crowdy but with a portuguese atmosphere that you can feel more in Old Goa just a detour of 10ks from Panaj. Airport in near the capital reachable from any beaches from 600rps to 1500rps. You can go by bus to the capital then take another bus to Dabolim then you need to walk or get a rickshaw cheaper but bit complicated. Going down the main town is Margao, nice local market but so much traffic. From Margao you can discover local beaches from Arossim very quite one then Betalbatim mix of locals and foreigners. After this you can go to Colva, very touristical beach and bit crowdy keep goin down till Betul Beach. In Betul you can get free ferry for scooter and pedestrians to other side of river where first beach you will reach is Canaguinim beach from there nice stop is Cabo de Rama Fort with nice views.

Our scooter

After Cabo de Rama good stop is Agonda beach, few tourists and nice village. Agonda is last beach before very famous Palolem. Wow 7 hours by scooter with some stops and finally we reached this little paradise but a bit touristic too. This beach is halfmoon-shaped and full of huts where you can sleep just in front of sea for 500rps. Our hut was behind  this  famous place, food is fine and I tasted pizza bu as Italian I can say you can find a better one ;). Even if its bit touristical you can find relaxed points and in walking distance you can reach southwards Patnem and Galijibag beach. Patnem is not so nice as Palolem but good place to relax. We made some stops on the way down and up before ending last days in Ashvem, last stop on the way to Mumbai by plane. In Mumbai I met some local indians before going back home hey feeling again the real spirit of this amazing country. Thats my experience in few words :) Namaste

Palolem sunset, Goa