Vix's Adventures In Goa (& Beyond) Part 2

Ready for the next instalment?
After a week of chilling in South Goa we jumped on the train and headed to the neighbouring state of Karnataka to Gokarna, a Hindu pilgrimage centre, for a week of culture.

Gokarna is a pretty laterite and wooden roofed Mediaeval town with a relaxed and peaceful vibe.

"Go karn" literally means "cow's ear" as Hindus believe Shiva emerged from the ear of a cow here.

Sacred naga (snake) stones

Life here remains almost untouched by the twenty-first century.

The temple tank is wonderfully atmospheric at sunrise, people washing and beating their laundry against the steps, the smell of incense, the clank of the temple bells and the lilt of filmi music playing on a crackling radio somewhere in the labyrinthine back lanes.

Another fabulous hand-painted sign.

Sadly, due to the disrespectful behaviour of previous travellers, non-Hindus are no longer allowed in any of the temples, but we were quite happy just chilling over massala chai and watching the world go by.

The temple car & Curtise's frock (previously seen HERE)

Pilgrim in a side street

Cliff top walk from Gokarna town to the beach

Gokarna has three beautiful beaches, we loved Om beach, so called because the shape resembles the symbol.

We spent a week at Namaste, a typical Karnatakan house with a terracotta tiled roof and laterite walls, paying a very reasonable £5.50 per night.

We had to share the beach with a few locals.

They were pretty easy going although they were quite partial to nibbling our paperbacks.

Here's today's outfit:

1970s St Michael tee shirt (25p, car boot sale), Brushed denim bell bottoms (£1, Cancer Research ), Trevira 2000 blazer (£5, vintage village @ The Clothes Show), Patchwork bag (£1, car boot sale), Cherry red platforms (TopShop sale, 2005)

I'm off charity shopping for the first time since March. Wish me luck.

See you soon with the next instalment (if you can stand the excitement).