Isla De La Toja - part 2

Being a vegetarian is almost sin in Galicia. The place where the people around the world come to admire the sea food, and you say, i don't want a fish, is almost being rude. Well... with all these, we were hell bent  that we will only eat Asian vegetarian food. So begins the search of survival.

After a wandering for half an hour we  find out a place very close to see named a some "rice". We went into the grand place, to see only vegetarian option available in the menu is sandwich.  Well it doesn't hurt. We are used to that. A deliciously looking croissant arrives on my table only to discover the truth, that they have put in the salmon in that...hm. No option than eating the potato finger chips again.

So does the search continues, to the night. Food is such an important part of like, a good food is a simple source for joy.
 We found this amazing Italian place "Amalfi" in the north most corner of Spain. We reached the restaurant at 10.00pm and still there was a long waiting line.  We waited with much required patience, but the food.. its all worth it. Amazing food, we ate a plate of pasta, two pizzas and a plate of garlic bread. It was awesome. We visited the place couple of times and when it was time to leave, we have packed a pizza for us to dine at home. :)

Isla De La Toja

"Magic places exist. Sometimes they are only in our dreams. Some times in places far away. Some times and only some times, we have immense fortune to find them within our reach - Galicia"  written on a mineral water bottle of Mondariz.

This time, yes, we are just about 200km away from where I found it.  I am writing about a small island in Galicia called "A Toxa" or "La Toja".  An uncut beauty of the nature, well preserved by man.
 Since we moved to La Coruna for a long term stay, and being in the first time house wife role, I have been looking forward to travel around and explore the places. And Isla de La Toja was eagerly anticipated visit.

Well..need to wait for my hubby to get one..long weekend. And that happened on our forth anniversary.
So here we go, around 200 km away from La Coruna, in a luxury car just in 1.5 hours.
La Toja is very well connected  through express ways. There is public transport too.

You can either stay in O Grove or in La Toja depending on the allocated budget for stay. And I would say  both the places are equally good, if you don't  really care for the hotel name.

Fisher men community dominated these two small suburbs long time ago and I think even now. Isla de la Toja used to host a European Union official guest house a long time back. This also recognized place of importance. Many rich people have their houses here. They also fund for annual cleaning and maintenance of the whole place and the sea, which would be around 5 million euros. Not forget to mention that it is the entire island is very clean and neat.

Aquaculture and tourism are the main sources of revenue. However, I haven't seen any restaurants close to see are over priced or try to loot the tourists. It's hard to believe that these genuine places still exist, when you are visiting from a developing country.

Few photos of A Toxa

Food and Comfort

"Oh, yes mamma, everything is set. Just need to figure out some Indian Grocery store or Indian hotel". Told my mom over one of our lengthy conversations.

This place is one of the most beautiful places on earth, so less de-populated, non polluted and at most clean with beautiful, mountain and the beaches. A perfect climate through out the year. But now I am going to write about the food. How we Indians can just never get adopted to any other cuisine than Indian. Hence when we moved to a remote corner of Europe some time before, my prime concern was to set my kitchen right. And of course without Indian spices and grains it looked so incomplete. My persuit to impress the tongue, made me think about the tastes developed particularly for food. No bar for language/city/climate but I badly mis my own comfort food I grow up with.

Eating habits are influenced by climate and geography. People ate those fruits/grains/grams locally. Used the oil prepared by the nuts which are in abundance in that region.

When eating or food open up to more than survival need, people started exploring more and more cross border food and the cuisine art developed in to a passionate eating habit.

With all the exploration the comfort food has not changed a bit. Its stays where it was. The food you eat and grown up stood always at the top.

And the comfort food makes the life so much more comfortable.

------------------------

Well .. I will write about the beautiful place some time soon.

Mumbai - amchi Mumbai

Came back to stay in Mumbai (though for a short while) after one and half years. Mumbai is absolutely the same, not even changed a bit!!

Cost and the taste of the samosa at Brijwasi, paani puri at Lokhandwala, metro construction all are the same. Some for good and and some not for so good.

There are so many good things about Mumbai.. oh common, you have not so good things about all the places across the globe. Well...Mumbai is the combination of ambition, beauty and compromising. This hosts the ultra rich people in India at the same time provides the comfort of stay to the poor.

Mumbai is all true colours. From Cuffe parade to Virar, Local trains to Benz.... baar baar... this city is so much beyond believes.

Visit it to Believe it :)

(Will write more about it on my next trip with picturs :)