If you were to travel abroad, would you prefer to stay in a hotel or a private home? Growing numbers of people are choosing the latter – a phenomenon fuelled by websites bringing together hosts and guests from around the world. As our cover story this week reveals, see this trend is catching on in Goa in a big way, with the growing popularity of sites like airbnb.com and couchsurfing.org in the state. Sometimes it’s a great way to make some extra cash by renting out a spare room to a visitor from a faraway land. Other times, especially in the case of couchsurfing.org, it’s not about money but about getting to know other cultures and embracing interesting people and experiences. We really hope you enjoy our coverage of the Bed & Breakfast Revolution in Goa!
Last weekend Goa Streets, together with Club Ianos in Baga, arranged for two of the best belly dancers in the world to come to Goa and perform for a highly appreciative crowd at Ianos. Read our coverage of this event in this issue of Goa Streets.
We’d also like to draw our readers’ attention to the Nightlife Convention happening at Resort Rio in Arpora from Oct. 4th to 6th.The convention is being organized by www.MyPurpleMartini.com, India’s first social networking nightlife portal, and will feature an awards ceremony, fashion shows, wine & cheese tastings, pool parties and much more. Goa Streets is local media partner for this national and international event. If you’re interested in attending, ticket information is listed on Page 3. (Hint: You can buy them through us!)
Please don’t miss our story on El Shaddai, a very special organisation catering to all the needs of Goa’s underprivileged children. And when you’re done reading the story, check out their website to learn about how you can donate your time, your energies and your money to this worthy cause.
Also check out our piece asking the question: How safe are women in Goa? Rather than pontificate and offer dry statistics, we decided to try to answer the question by asking the women themselves. Their answers turned out to be quite instructive.
On these pages, we’re featuring an interview with one woman who’s made some very important contributions to the cause of preserving the architecture of Goa. Our talk with Poonam Verma Mascarenhas uncovered some highly compelling information not just about architectural preservation, but exactly what goes into making it happen, such as the pressure restorers feel after opening a roof and knowing all work must be finished before the monsoons set in.
If you’re a beer lover, you won’t want to miss our story on HouseBrew, a machine hitting the Goa market that will enable local establishments to become microbreweries, offering very special beer to the people of Goa. And then of course there’s our story on the 7-minute workout. Just read it. We promise. You’ll like it!
Happy reading!
