Betim & Panjim with Peter

Headed off this morning with Peter Campbell to order up some marble window cills and granite for top of balcony balustrade.

Had a quick chat with Suhail who was hard at work as usual.

Suhail outside his shop

We got on the bus in Candolim and it wasn't that busy. Within a few stops there were so many people on it that we couldn't get out of our seat never mind get off at the stop we wanted.

Peter waiting on the Ferry

We eventually got off at Betim and walked back to the Marble showroom. We both ordered some cills and I ordered 7 meters of polished granite for the top of the balcony balustrade. Four marble window cills and  7m of granite for 58 quid.

Got the Ferry from Betim across to Panjim as Peter wanted some sandals repaired. Whilst that was being done we had a snack at a local cafe.

Panjim Ferry

Ordered a couple of vegetable somosas each, puris and a tomato salad. What came was not a tomato salad as we know it. It was a small steel dish with a couple of bits of fried tomato and fried onions in a gravy. Not what I thought I was getting but it was fantastic with the Puris.

After we collected Peters sandals we jumped on the Ferry back to Betim and got a Tuk Tuk back to Candiolim for 200 rps.

Friday 7th December 2012

Watched a bit of the Third Test Match between England and India which is in Kolkata

After lunch on the balcony we went to the Pool for a bit. It was a bit overcast and we both caught a bit more sun than we had thought.

Just before we left the pool, we met a nice lady and her daughter from Leicester. She told us that they had been up in the north of India for a family funeral and had then spent some time in Mumbai, before heading down to Goa. They are having a week here before heading back to Mumbai to meet her brother, collect the Urn with the ashes before spreading them up in the north of India. i can't recall where she said that was, but it is where her family originates from.

Headed out to the lane to get a taxi and spoke to Suhail and Adil for a bit.

Peter and Suhail

Adil

Had another evening with Peter at Kalinga Restaurant along at Siquerim, Merlyn and I sharing Vegetable Spring Rolls and then a Butter Chicken, Jeera Rice and a couple of Tomato and Onion Parathas. Peter had a Chicken Tikka. 

Merlyn and Peter

We went over to the Stone House which is just across the road, but the band was on a break, so we decided just to head back to Jambalaya for a nightcap.

This photo of The Stone House is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Walk to Calangute

Was up pretty early this morning 0630hrs and checked emails.

Had a shower then went for a walk along to Calangute and back (about 5 miles). Picked up some fruit at local store on way back for breakfast.

Templo Cristao Calangute

Calangute Beach

Had a swim for about half an hour and spoke to our neighbours Margaret and Keith who gave me the phone number for Mohan the painter. Will give him a ring as the inside of our apartment badly need a paint.

Our friend Peter arrived this morning, along with our next door neighbours Ian and Elisha.

Peters' wife Kathy is not coming out until the 28th December as she is spending Christmas at home with her daughter.

Peter had decided to come out and get a bit of sun. he has had a difficult year having fractured his hip in March when he was thrown out of a dumper truck at work.

A Busy Afternoon In Panjim

Had problems in obtaining an internet connection after recharging my Tata Photon USB. It was showing that I had been disconnected and as the agent I bought the USB from was no longer working for Tata Photon, I had to find the Head Office in Panjim.

I headed off and met Suhail Mir outside his shop opposite the complex.

He said he also needed to go to Panjim for a few things, so we headed off together.

We caught the Panjim bus at the bottom of our lane and got off at Betim to catch the Ferry to Panjim.

The Ferry goes into the center of town quite near to the market where Suhail had to go for his Halal Chicken and some vegetables.

We then went to a shop next to Fidalgo Hotel, where I bought a good quality Prestige Circulon Contempo Pan to use on our Induction cooker. Guy gave me a bit of discount 1800 rupees instead of 2220.

Trekked all the way over town in the searing heat towards the Bus Terminal via the bridge over the river.

Suhail dropped off a mobile phone which required unlocking at a shop near to the bridge, then we headed to the Bus Terminal where Suhail bought 2 shirts, one for him and another for his cousin Adil.

We eventually located the Tata Photon Office, just to find that they have moved to the centre of Panjim, next to ICICI Bank, near to the white church.

By this time, Suhails mobile phone was ready, so we collected that and walked back through the city to find the Tata Photon Office, stopping along the way to replenish the fluid loss (water only - no kidding).

When we got to the Tata shop, that checked my account and device and both were fine, meaning it was a problem with my laptop.

As we arrived at the Ferry, it had just left, so we had enough time to get a plain lime soda before catching the next one.

Once I got home, eventually realised that the USB was not working in 2 of the ports on my laptop, but managed to get it working through the third port. Wey Hey, tinternet after 3 days. 

An Evening At Happy Valley Race Course

Headed out from Jacquelines' place to Wan Chai. Had a few beers in one of the Pubs and watched a bit of Rugby on the Telly.

Found a local Restaurant that did pork and Crispy Duck

Ducks and Chickens

Beers

Menu ?????

Crispy Duck & Pork

Duck

After dinner, jumped on a tram to Happy Valley to get to the Racecourse there.

It was the last Octoberfest night of the season, so they were doing pictures of beer at a reasonable price.

It is only 10 HKD to get in for Tourists (less than a pound). We grabbed a picture of Stella Artois and found ourselves a couple of seats down the finishing straight.

We were not sure how to fill in the betting slip so a Hong Kong Guy next to us did it for us. We just told him the numbers we wanted and the amount. We decided to pick horses 5 for Merlyn & 6 for me, both to win.

No joy on the first 2 races, so we changed to each way bets for both. Merlyn either won or was placed in four of the next six races. I managed a couple of places.

The female cashier that I placed all the bets with was called Fanny Fan. Wonder if she ever caddied for Faldo.

The Guy who filled in our betting slips, left after Race 6 of 8. He only went a few steps and must have thought to himself  "How will they do the last 2 betting slips". He turned around and came back over, filled in 2 slips for us and then left. What a nice guy.

Managed to cover our entry fee and beer costs with our winnings so it was a good night. 

Will be going back again in April.

Day in Tai O - Lantau Island

Jacqueline was on a day off today, so she took her Mum and I to Tai O on Lantau Island.

Once again we got the MTR from Hang Hau to North Point, changed lines and then headed for Central.

Took Jacqueline to Starbucks for a bite to eat before catching the Ferry to Mui Wo on Lantau Island.

Jacqueline & Merlyn coming off Ferry at Mui Wo

Ferry

 I went for an ice cream whilst Jacqueline and her Mum had a quick look for a bicycle Jacqueline had left at Mui Wo a while back, when she was staying at Elissa Rosati's house. Hundreds upon hundred of bikes there - no chance of finding it, even if it was still there.

Mui Wo

Mui Wo Beach

Map of Mui Wo

Had a look at the bus timetable and saw we had just missed a bus to Tai O, so we jumped in a cab as it was not much more as there were three of us and a tad quicker.

Bus Terminal and Taxi Stance Mui Wo, Lantau Island

On arriving at Tai O, we got on a Skiff and went out to see if we could see any pink dolphins.

Pink Dolphins

We were unsuccessful but the skiff took us through the harbour and right through the Water Village which was very nice. Great boat trip for a couple of quid each.  

After we got off the boat we took a leisurely stroll through the water village, watching things being made and all types of food being cooked.

Market Stall

Ornamental trees

We stopped at a place where the guy was making Chinese Pizza so after watching him make a couple we ordered some and sat and ate them along with a beer. The guy gave Merlyn some crabs and prawns deep fried in their shells to try and showed her how to eat them. He just put the whole thing in his mouth. She gave them a bash but found the shells a bit to jaggy in her mouth.

The Chinese Pizza Maker

Chinese Pizza Stall

Chinese Pizza

Local Restaurant

Harbour

Local Transport

Shark

More Shark

Fast Food

No, not Jacqueline's bike

Waterside Restaurant

On a bridge within the water village

Live Crabs

Fish for sale