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continue on to Panjim, 13-km south.
The Booming Friday Market
A dusty collection of dilapidated modern buildings scattered around the west facing slope
of a low hill, Mapusa is of little more than passing interest in itself, although on
Fridays it hosts a lively market (hence the town's name, which derives from the Konkani
words for "measure" map. And "fill up", sa).
Calangute and Anjuna may be better stocked with souvenirs, but this bazaar is more
authentic. Visitors who have flown straight to Goa, and have yet to experience the rest of
India, wander in on Friday mornings to enjoy the pungent aromas of fish, incense, spices
and exotics fruit stacked in colourful |
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heaps on the sidewalks.
Local specialties include strings of spicy Goan sausages ('Chourico'), bottles of 'Todi'
(fermented palm juice) and large green plantains. One'll also encounter sundry freak
shows, from run of the mill snake charmers and kids dressed up as Sadhus to wide-eyed
Flagellants, blood oozing out of slashes on their backs.
HOW TO GET THERE
Road: Other than to shop, one may want to visit Mapusa to arrange onward
transport. All buses between Goa and Maharashtra pass through, so one doesn't need to
travel to Panjim to book a ticket to Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore or Mangalore.
Reservations for private buses can be made at the numerous agents stalls at the bottom of
the square, next to where the buses pull in; the Kadamba Terminal - the departure point
for long distance state buses and local services to Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator,
Chapora, and Arambol - is five minutes walk down the main road, on the southwest edge of
town.
One can also get to the coast from Mapusa on one of the motorcycle taxis that wait at the
bottom of the square. Rides to Calangute and Anjuna take twenty minutes. Taxis charges are
considerably more, but one can split the fare with up to five people.
WHERE TO STAY
Nearly all long distance buses pull in to Mapusa in the morning, leaving plenty
of time to find accommodation in the coastal resorts nearby. If one has to spend the night
here, though, there are plenty of places within easy walking distance of the Kadamba Bus
Stand. The best budget deal is GTDC's Tourist Hotel, on the roundabout below the square,
which has spacious, and clean rooms, a Goa Tourist Information Counter, and a small
Damania Shipping Office. Resorts across town near the Municipality Building on Mapsa Road,
also offers good value economy rooms. On the north side of the main square, are located
the town's top hotels.
Note: As soon as one steps off the bus, one will be pestered by touts trying to get one to
rent a motorbike. They'll tell one that rates here are lower than on the coast - they're
not. Another reason to wait a while is that Mapusa is effectively a "no-go zone"
for rented motorbikes, especially on Friday, when the police set up roadblocks on the
outskirts of town to collar tourists without international licenses.
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