from Gokarna to Arambol

After leaving Gokarna, an out of the way beach Hindu pilgrimage town south of Goa, I headed to Arambol, an out of the way counter culture pilgrimage town on the beach in northern Goa. Goa is a small province in India, in the middle of the west coast, on the Arabian Sea. Goa was an important trading port for the Vijayanagar empire that ruled this part of India in the 1300's from its center in Hampi. Goa has some good natural ports, and Arabian horses were imported through here for the Vijayanagar's cavalry. The Portuguese ruled Goa as a colony from 1510-1961, as an important link in the trading routes for the spice trade. In the 1960's, Goa was one of the counter culture meccas around the world. The businesses built up around the hippies in the 60's gave way to hotels, cheap charter flights from Europe, and package tours, and now the beaches of central Goa are packed with sun worshiping party crowds. The counter culture gradually migrated northward and now is centered in the north Goa beach town of Arambol. Arambol, identified as Harmal on road signs, is a small town with no large hotels, and very little car or taxi traffic. What it does have is a large number of people who want a beach resort without the usual aspects of a beach resort. The visitors are aged hippies, backpackers, dread-locked wanders, and people who want something quieter and different. Many are German, French, Isreali and Russians.