Anjuna, still a chilled-out space
Anjuna and Vagator, along with Osran were very popular picnic spots for any local family to chill out if they lived in North Goa. In the 1970-80s, it was the hippie belt and that was the origin of the first flea market in Goa. Foreigners would be selling off their used guitars, clothes, cigarettes and Knick knacks to sustain their lifestyle. Some would be simply getting rid of their extra luggage before returning back to their countries. I remember the first guitar in our home cost Rs. 75 and came from such a purchase at the flea market in the late 1980s. Coming to think of it, it must have been the original ‘pre-loved’ movement maybe in the country altogether. Now of course, the Wednesday flea market is not what it is supposed to be in ‘spirit’ but rather a commercial market space of stalls of all things Indian and just maybe some Tibetan and foreign presence too.
Anjuna came on my radar after a long time and I met a different Anjuna this April 2022. There was no coastline to be seen like earlier as one drove along, just hordes and hordes of tourist related establishments. On the other side because of this, Anjuna has a whole lot of interesting and experimental cuisines including vegan cafes mushrooming in its lanes.
Our stop for breakfast was The Flying Goat. They offered a complimentary cooling drink made from pineapple peels and it was served just before it starts to ferment. And it was delicious as well as cooling given the summer heat. The USP of this place was its walls of books accessible to all who go there. Artjuna is well known for its restaurant and rustic shopping arcade. I found a rather lovely shop just opposite to Artjuna called Unique Tunic having lovely designer tunics in soft cotton, lovely prints and thankfully larger sizes too. It satisfied the retail therapy part of the trip. The next stop was a recommended vegan café called Gratitude. It was a neat rustic open restaurant and had a ‘preloved’ section of clothes called Good Karma housed in a typical Goan house and very reasonably priced. If you are there you have to admire the lightening put together at the ceiling and of course, the Vegan cuisine as well. However, we could not resist the burgers at the Burger Factory. Be warned, the place is tiny and you may have to wait in a queue for service.
Anjuna is what we usually call a rocky beach as along with Vagator and Osran, there are a whole lot of rocks on the beach which are the distinguishing feature that sets these beaches apart from the rest. The multiple entries to the beach is totally enclosed by either stalls, hotels, restaurants or paid parking areas. The beach itself is typical of any Goan beach with shacks, sun beds and water sports thrown in. If you do visit Anjuna, going to Vagator would be advisable and hopefully you can make it upto the Chapora fort which is right on the beach for a splendid view of the sea. All said and done, Anjuna still retains its cool chilled out vibe.