If you think we gave up on the Anjuna Flea Market, you are wrong. We hit the town center and we managed to rent 2 scooters and we rode them all the way back to Anjuna. It was easy to reach Anjuna, it took us around 1 hour to get there, and somehow the map worked its way directly inside the Flea Market. It might have been “Beginner’s Luck!”
The Wednesday Flea Market held at St. Michael’s Vaddo on South Anjuna beach originally started as a soup kitchen at Anjuna beach, to assist the growing numbers of foreign travelers who came to the area as a final stopping place on the “hippie trail”, popularizing Goa, India as a tourist destination from the mid-1960s onward. The concept of a flea market was initiated by the hippies around 1975 mainly for the foreigners wanting to barter their unwanted possessions and “hang out”. Today, Anjuna Flea Market is world famous for offering an astounding variety of shopping attractions, a lively place where a nonstop trance soundtrack sets the scene and hundreds of stalls sell everything from futuristic rave gear to hammocks. Anjuna Flea Market is totally different from the Indian markets and even different from any other Goa tourist markets. Vendors, sellers, and participants come as early as 5 in the morning to start setting up their stalls. Business ends by sunset in the evening. Strategically situated on the sandy stretch overlooking the waves of the Arabian Sea, today’s vast and bustling market, which transpires every Wednesday during the peak season (October-April) practically takes up the entire stretch of beach and the surrounding rice fields, offering everything and anything you could think of, from merchants across India, locally produced apparel, spices, local and international foods, and a contemporary fashion nirvana with jewelry and clothing made by international underground fashion designers. (source: Anjuna Flea Market Facebook page)
We were thrilled to have finally reached the Flea Market. After stopping and checking three or four shops, something felt wrong and people had some strange looks on their faces. We even were offered to buy or smoke some cannabis (which we surely did……n’t). While rechecking the map, we figured out that this wasn’t the flea market… the flea market was a short drive ahead. We retreated peacefully from that area, jumped on our scooters and flew away.
It didn’t take us long before we reached the “REAL” Flea Market, and that was where we spent the whole day strolling and skimming through the authentic Indian gems. We ended up buying a bunch of souvenirs, handmade fabric bags, and jewelry, clothing, many spices, and incense, etc.
A sari is a must have! 
…A must have! 
Chantal choosing a scarf 
to shop or not to shop…? 
Like a boss!! 
US 
Making new friends! 
Asymmetric horn cow! 
Chantal having her Henna Tattoo done 
Chantal had her Henna tattoo done!
By mid-day, the heat became intolerable while searching for a snack in the shades we heard a local band playing some Pink Floyd music. We stopped there and ordered some fried hot shrimps and other Indian food to try. The food was good but the place was far from what is known as hygiene.
Late in the afternoon, and after completing our walk in the market and checked the hippie type shacks on the beach, we headed back to our scooters. While walking back each of us grabbed one of the most delicious corncobs ever! Juicy, sweet and topped with salt and pepper.
Shortly after, we jumped on our scooters, turned them on and…snap! The accelerator fuel cord broke loose. The motorcycle became unresponsive. We didn’t have a mobile so we asked a few Tuk-Tuk drivers for assistance. For a while, we were standing stunned not understand what was happening. These guys were loud, and they didn’t seem to have any good intentions to help. We tried to ask for a technician or a nearby garage and one of these guys suggested that he will take us to a garage and yes…you guessed it, he will overcharge us. Fortunately, there was a quiet man that had been sitting silently until he heard the Tuk-Tuk driver suggestion that was when he interfered and dragged us out of this situation. He politely gave us his phone to call the rental agency. Instead of assisting us, the guy from the agency asked us to work it out and he will pay us back when we return the scooters. That wasn’t the ideal solution, but thankfully the gentleman next to us called a friend of his and in 20 minutes he was right next to us. He checked the motorcycle and it appeared that there are some tools that he needed. We exchanged scooters, the technician dragged Ronnie all the way back to the garage hut and we followed along. It was getting dark! and it’s not advisable to make long rides at night in Goa.
The technician eventually fixed the problem with a temporary solution which consisted of pulling the acceleration cord from below the seat, in order to accelerate, the 40 cm cord had to be pulled up with the left hand. The funny part was after coming up with this “not so perfect solution” the technician was a bit shy and hesitant to ask for money thinking we would refuse to pay the amount of 150 Rupees. After we’ve made our calculation and repeated them several times because we weren’t sure if it’s really all that he was asking. 2.5 US dollars was the amount he asked for. We paid the guy, added a tip and rode that thing back to Panaji. The road was long and dark and full of hazards. Driving on the left side of the road was like adding the cherry on top! But we made it back safe and sound.
We can’t thank enough that gentleman who offered his assistance without being even asked, and when we offered him money he politely rejected and wished us luck. It felt like he was an angel sent from the heavens and waiting for us at that spot.
After dropping off the scooters, we took a walk in the town and we came across Domino’s Pizza. To our very surprise, there was a Lebanese roll being promoted at that time! What a weird and funny coincidence, knowing that we didn’t see anyone in Goa who knew where the heck was Lebanon!
At the end of the day and after a needed prolonged bath we walked to “our private beach” and had an explosion of laughter remembering what we went through that day.
Read more about our 8-day adventure in Goa-India while we discover the best places to visits and things to do
Day 1: Anjuna | Day 2: Panaji | Day 3: Anjuna Flea Market | Day 4: Old Goa and churches day tour | Day 5: Dudhsagar falls and the Spice Farm visit | Day 6: Reis Magos Fort, Dolphin sighting, Chapora Fort, Baga beach – celebrating Easter at “Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church” | Day 7: Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary – Baga Beach | Day 8: Palolem
Checkout LawaynNext Facebook Page and Instagram for more photos. Use the Hashtag #LawaynNext for related travel posts.
Leave a Reply