Fish. Fish. & More

I can't believe I took this long to write about this wonderful Daman trip that we (my husband and I) had taken over Diwali. One of the highlights of this trip was the fact that it was my first road trip on a motorbike. The other was that after our honeymoon, and one quick trip to Pune in the middle, we hadn't really gone out of Mumbai together. So this trip was special because of that as well.

The drive was fun, if a bit uncomfortable in parts (I'm not used to long motorbike trips). We came across a 'Hotel Decent'  (it was actually called 'Decent Hotel Manor') on the way and we just had to stop there for a quick bite and some coffee. 

Coffee at 'Decent Hotel Manor'

     

It was my first time in Daman and I absolutely loved it. To me, it seemed like a mini-Goa (although you keep getting reminders every so often that you are technically inside Gujarat). And even though it was Diwali, the start of peak tourist season, the hotels there were almost empty. Daman itself is divided (by a bridge) into Moti and Nani (Gujarati for Big and Small). Moti Daman was historically the Portuguese section, complete with a fort, a moat and a lighthouse. The old architechture is beautiful and you run into buildings that are quintessentially Portuguese. The Daman Fort has government buildings that still house government offices. It is very well maintained - clean and beautiful. Nani Daman, where I'm guessing the non-Portuguese population lived, is built like a typical Gujarati port town. Tiny houses on tiny lanes, and winding roads, and you can catch glimpses of the sea every so often.  Although I just got to spend a day in Daman, traveling over bumpy roads (yes, there are stretches on the way that are quite bumpy) to get to this lazy paradise was totally worth it.

We had gone to the Jampore Beach in Moti Daman in the afternoon and it was quite hot that day. I can still remember, sitting in a shack (these shacks are different from the ones you find on Goa beaches), filling myself upto my gills (pun intended) with fried pomfrets and masala prawns. The pomfrets here were some of the freshest, tastiest fish I had had in a long time. The prawns were very tasty, but extremely spicy and were loaded with masala; but I guess, if you have something cold and sweet to drink alongside, they taste wonderful. Of course, Daman is known for its cheaply available alcohol, so it would be a paradise for someone who's looking for a no-frills, chilled-out, Goa-kind of atmosphere, at a cheaper price.

Masala Prawns

Fried Pomfret