In May this year I had to accompany my sister on a trip to Goa and, after spending 2 nights at the Nanutel hotel upon arrival, stayed at her flat in Margao. We travelled with the national airline, Air India, and had a reasonably comfortable flight. It was good to be back in the land of our forefathers and I felt somewhat nostalgic with the thought that here, in the village of Betalbatim, South Goa, is where my parents were buried in the mid-70s . I was present then on both occasions in 1974 and 1978 respectively.

Truly speaking, Goa has been a second home to me (my first one being in London of course) and I have a kind of deep affinity for the place, having not only visited Goa with the family in my younger days, but also having spent numerous holidays there during the period of my college education at St Xavier’s in Bombay in the mid-60s. In fact when my parents were still living in Goa I used to make frequent trips to visit them at the family home in Betalbatim, where, with so many relatives, wonderful fun-filled moments were shared by all.  I have since visited Goa many times and once owned a spacious and comfortable duplex flat in Colva, the neighbouring village of Betalbatim, not too far off from the seaside and Church.

I have to admit that a lot has changed in Goa over the years, much of which, sadly, for the worse.  Where once the land was covered by verdant greenery, interspersed by historic Portuguese bungalows and thriving lofty coconut palms, as well as cultivated paddy fields, there now prevails many concrete buildings so clearly visible even from the heights of the  passenger planes landing at Dabolim airport. The airport itself has undergone many and much-needed improvements in recent years. However, the multiple numbers of taxis outside touting for business is not a pleasant sight to behold. Surely, with all the revenue from tourism in this state, the Goa government could and should have improved this aspect by now, thereby making a more welcoming experience for the hundreds of tourists arriving. Incidentally, a similar pattern of chaos and crowding applies at time of departure too.

There are numerous reasons why, over the years,  Goa has become renowned as the best state for a holiday, especially the weather, the food and the beautiful white sandy beaches. . Consequently, there is a never-ending influx of tourists, not just from abroad, but also from other states in India, where traditionally wines, beers and spirits are not easily obtainable. This has led to massive over-crowding of all venues and in particular the roads  with many daring to make the journey to Goa in their fancy cars,  in the holiday season of May and, undoubtedly, for the Christmas and New Year festivities. Talking of festivities , Goa is well-known for the innumerable feasts all through the year and these events are accompanied by a variety of foods sold at specially-erected stalls, many of which would sell the famed sweets called ‘kadio-bodios’. It would be remiss of me not to make mention of the unique and lavish weddings that Goans celebrate at any time of the year in Goa, with much fun, food and frivolity, notwithstanding the huge cost of such events. It is true to say that many resorts in Goa cater to the needs of those wishing to organise holiday-destination weddings, a few of which I have been fortunate to attend. Great memories to recall!

Following one of my previous visits to Goa, I had put pen to paper and wrote about the many negative aspects of life in Goa. I regret to say that on this trip too I have encountered many further negative issues. Having arrived in the middle of the hot season, I was expecting the temperatures to be higher than usual. However, what I did not reckon on was the intense humidity that stayed all through the 4 weeks of my stay in Goa. Even the initial monsoon showers, with ear-splitting thunder and flashing lightning, were insufficient to cool the atmosphere down, resulting in adverse effects on personal comfort. 

Aside from the inclement weather, other issues that plagued my stay was the lack of internet connectivity, thereby preventing me from making contact with the many relatives and friends that I have in Goa, and also the piles of garbage and plastic waste that was strewn by the roadsides. Some of such waste was clearly evident behind the sand-dunes of Colva beach even though I noted that some women were hired to clear plastic waste, etc from the beach itself. Many parts of the state have problems with sewage waste disposal, lack of power supply and also constant water shortages. It would appear that that relevant authorities are unable to deal with these matters either due to red-tape or more likely due to the lack of concern by the Government itself - a repetition of past indecisiveness and incompetence. 

During my short stay I often read in the daily newspapers about such matters as gangs of stray dogs roaming the streets and beaches, as well as soil erosion in some parts of the state. More significantly, there are ongoing attempts by neighbouring states to divert the flow of the main river in Goa, referred to as Mhadei  (known by most as Mandovi), in order to benefit other companies and individuals with vested interests in those states . There have been many demonstrations and meetings by Goans concerned about this plan. I believe that the state Government must tackle the issue before it gets out of hand altogether. 

More recently, the Chief Minister of Goa was reported to have stated that ‘the time had come to cleanse Goa of any Portuguese influences ‘ a statement that has caused concern and anxiety among all peace-loving Goans, be they of Portuguese affiliation or even broad-minded Hindus who support the elected BJP party currently in power in the state. Such statements only serve to sow seeds of discord and disharmony amongst the people of Goa, who by and large believe in peaceful-coexistence and are tolerant of other ethnic communities that live in this land. 

I wish to end this  account on a positive note by stating that I thoroughly enjoyed the glut of fresh fruit such as mangoes, papayas, bananas, various fresh vegetables, and of course my favourite fish curry and rice, not to mention my favourite beer, Kingfisher. It is also pertinent to mention that during my month-long stay in Goa, I did not encounter a single mosquito – one of the negatives that normally affect visitors to this land. I sometimes wonder if I will I ever go back to Goa again, being that I have no personal material assets there, and of course my sister, and other close relatives. Truth be told, there are other parts of the world that I have hitherto not visited and would rather spend my time and money in fulfilling my aspirations in holidaying in those regions in future.

Following the sudden and shocking death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on 8 th September 2022, there has been a monumental outpouring of grief and sorrow, both in the Britain and around the world.  It is so hard to believe that just a few days prior, she was fulfilling her duties as a monarch, in presiding over the change of Prime Ministers of this country.

When a death occurs in any family, even at the ripe-old age of 96, like the Queen, there follows the inevitable period of sadness, sorrow and mourning.  Some of the headlines in the local newspapers in the ensuing days were ‘The World Weeps’- We loved you Ma’am’- ‘A light has gone out of our lives’- ’Our hearts are broken’- ‘ A life of majesty’, and so on and so forth.  My favourite quote in the papers was the one by Andrew Neil which stated ‘ She was the glue that bound the United Kingdom together when others conspired to tear it apart’.   As expected, the media has been awash with glowing tributes from dignitaries and famed individuals from all over the world where Her Majesty was truly loved and revered as a beacon of light all throughout her 70 year reign.  What follows is my personal tribute to a lady that I so admired and loved, one who set a unique standard of righteousness so that others may endeavour to do likewise in their own lives.

It is my view that Queen Elizabeth 11 was not only Queen of Great Britain, and the Commonwealth, but also the Queen of Hearts of many royalists – and perhaps non-royalists too - the world over.  My own family, in particular my late mother, Lucia, were fervent lovers of Royalty. Living in Kenya, then a colony of the British Empire, I recall that in February 1952 ( I was a mere boy of 9 ) the young and beautiful Princess Elizabeth, was informed of the death of her father, King George V1 back in England.  A new chapter was to open on the life of the princess when it was confirmed that she was to assume the role of the next monarch at the tender age of 25. In the days that followed the  announcement, as the motorcade carrying Princess Elizabeth passed along the winding streets of Nairobi, the capital, the joy of both young and old was so very evident on the faces of the hundreds that lined the route, with frantic flag-waving of the Union Jack. Back in England, the coronation of our new Queen took place at Westminster Abbey in London on 2nd June 1953, which event we watched on our black-and-white TV sets at our home in Nairobi. The role of any queen is no doubt a daunting one to fulfill.  However, Queen Elizabeth II seemed to take to the task in hand, like a duck to water. The national anthem includes a phrase ‘long to rule over us – God Save the Queen’ .  Those words certainly came to pass as our Queen lived to 96 and ruled for 70 years with dedication to duty and love for all peoples of all ages, races, cultures and creeds.

During her term as monarch, Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed many happy times, particularly when she married the Duke of Edinburgh and had four adorable children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.  There is no doubting that whichever royal household the family lived in, be it Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Balmoral Castle in Scotland, they would all live wonderful and fun-filled lives like any normal family would.  The Queen would also have had many happy times with both her mother, Queen Elizabeth I, as well as her sister Princess Margaret.  Family pictures that have appeared in various newspapers in recent days give testimony to such familial love and togetherness.  Further happy times followed with the marriages of Princess Anne to Captain Mark Philips in 1973 and Prince Charles to Lady Diana in 1981.  Later both Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were also betrothed. Royal weddings are a joy to behold with all the pomp and ceremony and the partying thereafter. Soon the family of the Queen was to grow and grow, and by the time she was in her 90’s she was to have 8 grand-children and 12 great-grandchildren.  One can only imagine what fun times the Queen had with her large family of Princes, Princesses both old and young with all of them living out their royal lives.  Oh how much they will miss the Queen as their loving matriarch, who would have spent wonderful quality time with them all, with much fun and frivolity.

Inevitably in life, good times are accompanied with the sad times too. In the case of Queen Elizabeth II, these would have included the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris in August 1997 and the deaths of both the Queen Mother in March 2002 and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in April 2021.  After the Duke’s death, the Queen openly admitted that he was the rock of strength that kept her going through the many years of her reign.  It is my humble opinion, that sad event left the Queen completely shattered and was to be the start of her gradual loss of ‘ a will to live’. In February 2002, her sister, Princess Margaret passed away.  What a loss that must have been as they shared a very close bond of love and affection as sisters. Her worst year of her long reign was surely the year of 1992, which was referred to as ‘Annus Horibilis’ when the Queen was to endure the break-up of the marriages of Princess Anne and of Prince Charles.  That was also the year when Windsor Castle was engulfed in flames but happily all the rare art collections were salvaged. Through all these trials and tribulations the Queen, given her strong Christian faith and trust in God, stood strong and resilient continuing to fulfill her royal engagements of which there were many.  She also proved to be a constant source of strength and support to her family during these troubled times. Undeniably, the Queen was one who believed firmly in building bridges rather than walls, as some world leaders do.  In her many eloquent speeches, she would have advised her audiences accordingly. In doing so she would have brought together many warring factions and families too.  We must be indebted to her for this rare quality.

In my collection of photo albums, I have many of Queen Elizabeth II and they all tell a story of what a majestic and charming lady she was, with an aura of grace and dignity rarely seen in other rulers of this wide world. In particular I admired her captivating smile, her innate sense of humour and of course her immaculate dress outfits.  Her sense of devotion to duty and her love of humankind are unsurpassed, and the catalogue of her many achievements as monarch of this country will go down in history, as legendary as the Queen herself.  The innumerable pictures of the Queen that have appeared in all the newspapers since her death I shall retain in a special album for posterity.

The imminent funeral on Monday 19th September will surely be one of the greatest events in royal history and will be attended by other Kings and Queens, Prime Ministers and Presidents and other notable dignitaries from all corners of the world.  The crowds attending in person would be too gargantuan for even the police force and stewards to control. But at times such as these the United Kingdom will undoubtedly come up with the right answers and solutions, as it has always done in the past, more so with events concerning Royalty.  If the immense success of the recent Queen’s Jubilee celebrations is anything to go by, I am certain that all those concerned with organizing the funeral will give Queen Elizabeth II a ‘RIGHT ROYAL send-off!!!

And so to the future with the new King – King Charles III – whom we wish a happy and successful reign following in the foots-steps of his beloved mother. In his loving message of farewell to his beloved mother – whom he called ‘Mama’, King Charles, on behalf of all members of the Queen’s family, thanked the millions of mourners from all parts of the world for their care and concern and their messages of condolence. He also vowed to try his utmost to faithfully follow in the foot-steps of his mother in fulfillment of his duties as the new monarch.  We wish him well in this regard.

GOD SAVE THE KING!!

It is the last day of  2020 and I thought that I would put down on paper my memories of this rather unique year in the history of humanity. In past years we have undoubtedly experienced numerous ups and down, many happy times and many trials and tribulations. This year has been no exception. 

At this time last year I was enjoying the warmth and hospitality of my sister’s home in Goa, the land of my forefathers, where I had gone to in order to sort out a few family property matters, including that of my own flat in Colva. By and large I was able to achieve much of what I had set out to do, and returned in the second week of February to the cold and wintry weather in London. Goa has always had a special place in my heart given that the family had an ancestral property in Betalbatim, South Goa. Sadly, there is much that has happened in Goa in the last few years which for me is mostly of a negative nature leading me to feel unhappy at future prospects of this once glorious holiday home for all and sundry.  It would not surprise me in the least if the state becomes densely over-crowded and shrouded with a pall of pollution and with corrupt self-centred politicians. That said, one has to enjoy the many positive factors prevalent  Goa i.e. the warm sunny weather, the sumptuous Goan foods and above all the friendliness of family and friends still happy to eke out a living in the state all things considered.

Back in the UK, regrettably, in months to follow we were faced with the stark reality of a virus that allegedly emanated from China, and was now threatening the lives and livelihoods of many all over the land.  Worse still, many countries the world over were also caught in the grip of so-called COVID -19 virus. Even the mighty country like the USA was struggling to control the epidemic, and currently has the highest rate of infections and deaths in the world to date.  Like the USA, other countries, including the UK, have had to face severe lockdowns, quarantines and resulting hardship, in an effort to control the outbreak.  At this time of writing even London is now in the highest state of restriction with a dramatic surge in new cases of infection and mortality. Thankfully, scientists have come up with a tried and tested vaccine which is being administered to those at the highest risk, including the elderly in care homes as well those doctors and nurses at the frontline of the fight against this unpredictable virus.  In fact in recent weeks there has been a mutation of the virus in the UK, and elsewhere, putting extreme pressure of the NHS at this crucial time of winter.  

Over the past few months of confinement, many have had the opportunity to take stock of their lives and endeavour to do some de-cluttering which in my case has become very much-needed. I have also had the time and inclination to tackle outdoor DIY jobs like rebuilding my garden shed, reinforcing broken fencing and cleaning of windows and guttering.  We even managed to concrete our shared drive with the help and cooperation of the neighbours. Truth be told this project should have been undertaken years ago when the cost of both materials and labour was lower.

Evidently, one of the outcomes of restrictive measures enforced by the Government is numerous cases of depression and loneliness. Some who have not being able to cope with their plight have given up and resorted to suicide.  Local councils are doing their utmost to help their respective citizens, but the hopelessness and grief of some endures.  One just hopes that the vaccines help those most at risk. My concern is for the many Goan families recently arrived from Goa who being employed in the hospitality industry, have either been furloughed or lost their jobs entirely, with resultant hardship and anxiety.  On a personal level, this time of lockdown has enabled me to catch up with my  hobbies of reading, listening to music, playing my guitar and the saxophone, and, when the time allows, watching my favourite sports and westerns on TV.  Sadly, Christmas celebrations and get-togethers have had to be put on hold this year. New Year celebrations too will have to be curtailed as stronger measures are imposed by the authorities. 

I must make mention of other important events that 2020 has seen, like the much-needed change of administration in the USA, the immense support given to people affected by racial injustice, and more recently a trade deal being struck between the UK and the EU after prolonged Brexit negotiations.  One will have to wait and see how things pan out for both sides of this bitter and divisive matter.  Whatever life has in store for us in 2021, one hopes that things could only get better. In the meanwhile we must all do whatever is necessary under the circumstances to continue to live our lives with as much normality as possible, trusting in The Almighty to deliver us from the prevailing depressing and restricting conditions.

May the Good Lord bless you and your families!!