Partner Content | Into #TheUneXplored Wonderland of Goa with the vivo X50 Pro August 06, 2020 at 11:18PM

Goa is cherished for the sun-sand-surf trifecta and its breezy holiday vibe. But venture beyond touristy territories and it throws up a few surprises—think the mysterious depths of rainforests or wildlife roaming ancient hills. Even in her home turf, National Geographic Explorer Malaika Vaz encountered unknown environs, the feral sights and sounds captured with the vivo X50 Pro.

 

 

Stunned by the pandemic, the bustling city of Panaji channels a desolate beauty. The reflection of the street lights in the water adds depth to the lonely frame. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

For a taste of delicious tutti-frutti skies, turn to Goa’s many beaches during sunrise and sunset. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

Along Goa’s southern coast, howling wind bends majestic palm trees to its will, minutes before a thunderstorm. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

Meet the bronzeback tree snake, a rather pretty predator from the Western Ghats. Its name is a nod to the bronze pattern running down its back, which makes for quite the visual amid dense forest foliage. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

At its peak, the Goa monsoon allows a tiny window of time when the clouds part to reveal the sun. To seize the day, point your lens towards the heavens. Lanky palms against whistling blue sky will gift you the classic Goa portrait. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

At its peak, the Goa monsoon allows a tiny window of time when the clouds part to reveal the sun. To seize the day, point your lens towards the heavens. Lanky palms against whistling blue sky will gift you the classic Goa portrait. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

The force of water or the prance of a happy pet, the gimbal stabilisation and focus tracking features of the vivo X50 Pro are trained to capture life’s fleeting delights. Tested succesfully on Malaika’s canine adventure-buddy, Mufasa, who loved his time on Goa’s foamy beaches. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

The vivo X50 Pros’s extreme night mode captures the brooding abstract of darkness. Witchy clouds or a star-spangled sky, take your pick. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

 

 

A river running along Panjim separates the night lights of the urban jungle from the lush greens of Goa. The image, captured using the extreme night mode on the vivo X50Pro, is special for not using any artificial light. Shot on vivo X50 Pro

Partner Content | Unseen Goa with the vivo X50 Pro August 06, 2020 at 11:17PM

Beyond the sun and sand of Goa’s famed beaches lies a world of treasure in the form of rare species of wildlife, a dense rainforest and stolid mangroves that offer protection from the wrath of the sea. National Geographic Explorer Malaika Vaz steps into this world with the vivo X50 Pro, and uncovers Goa as it has never been seen before. Take a look!

 

Go-Yunnan Launches 17 Themed Cultural Tourism Products August 06, 2020 at 10:46PM

Out of Town Blog
Go-Yunnan Launches 17 Themed Cultural Tourism Products

KUNMING, China, Aug. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — On July 18, sponsored by Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and organized by Yunnan Tengyun Information Co., Ltd., the “Friends of Yunnan” — Yunnan’s new cultural tourism products release press conference and the 2nd Campaign of the “Go-Yunnan” Global Experience Officer Program opening ceremony were held […]

Go-Yunnan Launches 17 Themed Cultural Tourism Products
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog

Hometown Discoveries: A Lifelong Resident’s Guide to North Goa August 06, 2020 at 11:35PM

India has a coastline of over 7,500 kilometres, but ask anyone about their preferred beach destination and it’s Goa that usually comes to mind. “How can I be an exception then?” laughs Subodh Kerkar over a telephonic conversation. The 60-year-old artist, who gave up a career in medicine in pursuit of a creative one, has remained a lifelong resident of North Goa and wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’ve travelled the world, but have my roots here,” Kerkar says nonchalantly. Born in Margao, his family followed their father who frequently changed jobs as a school teacher and made homes in villages such as Keri, Mandrem and eventually settled in Saligao in the north. Although the regions have undergone a transformation in the last six decades, Kerkar holds on to some of his childhood rituals. Between the ages of six and 16, he would set out on two-hour long walks with his father. Together, the two explored rice and vegetable fields, the riversides, hills, and beaches every day. In Keri, they would cross a bandh, which he describes as a tiny bridge that moves along the river. And in Mandrem they would collect shells, pieces of wood and chipped plywood of boats in soft textures of blue, which the sea would wash ashore. There were no shacks or tourists in sight. The experience was an education for him. Now Kerkar keeps that affinity for the coast alive by making art installations from items that are washed ashore. Many of them are on display at the Museum of Goa, an art gallery he founded in 2015.

Kerkar has also kept up with his morning walks, and sometimes revisits the same old places. On many such long walks, he discovered the stellar rock formations that line Goa’s coastline. Just around the corner from Arambol, Siridao, Keri, Baga and Vagator stand the up to 30-foot-high structures. Kerkar claims they rival the ones in Hawaii, and cannot be found on tourism brochures. “You cannot be loitering in a corner at the beach and expect to discover something new,” he quips. “You have to walk a few kilometres.” He speaks of another hidden gem en route to Baga beach. Climb on to the other side of the hill, and you’ll spot a tiny lagoon, which seems like a private beach with wonderful rocks. Although it’s well-known among locals, it is often overlooked by visitors.

Artist Subodh Kerkar has remained a lifelong resident of North Goa and wouldn’t have it any other way. Photo courtesy: Subodh Kerkar

Although Goa’s architecture shows Portuguese influences, it is mainly inspired by Gothic, Mannerism, and Renaissance architectures—all Italian styles popular in Europe around the 16th century when the Portuguese came to Goa with blueprints, explains Kerkar. Local masons interpreted those drawings and built the houses, churches and later even the temples while adapting them to suit the local climate using locally sourced materials. Kerkar loves walking along some of them—to marvel at the dome of Mangueshi temple in Priol village and St. Cajetan Church in Old Goa. He adores the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount and the Church of the Three Saints, both situated at hilltops and overlooking expansive views of palm-fringed shores. Kerkar believes that most of Goa’s churches have been architecturally compromised, but the ones that have stood the test of time are portals to the way of life in the 16th century.

Brightly painted houses in yellow ochre, blue and Indian red line the roads that Kerkar takes every day. Despite being a tourist hotspot, Kerkar loves to show off his hometown to guests who sign up for his guided walks. “Everyone carries a bit of Goa with them. Goa is not just a state, but a state of mind,” he signs off.

 

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