The plan was, a trip into the forest interior to visit a spice farm. K at the JC Bar told me it was a new business set up by a young Goan couple, two years ago.
The driver Nagesh, brought the taxi round at 9 am, as the roads are too rough for a rickshaw. He also brought his little boy along, age five. This reassured me, because I thought he would drive even more carefully. They do not wear seat belts here.
It was obvious that he did not really know where the spice farm was. After many miles climbing higher and higher, up the foothills of the Western Ghatts, through beautiful forest, he pulled up at the Mangal Farm Guest House. I think he believed this was our destination, whereas we were aiming at Tanshikar Spice Farm.
This Mangal Farm Guest House looked very attractive, with a green garden outside, and grassy track leading to the courtyard. I went up to the house and asked, "I think we are lost, and may I use your toilet"?
It turned out that the woman I spoke to was an artist, in her room was a collection of acrylic paints,. She was very kind and welcoming, and her name is Vijaya, and she comes from Munbai.
At the Guest House was in total five woman artists, all on a four week residency there. The sponsor was a gallery in Goa. They are all Indian artists, and as well as looking at Vijaya's work, I spoke to Dimple, from Bangalore. She was recently working at The Edinburgh Printmakers, and showed me photos of etchings and photo etchings. She had also visited the East London Printmakers. We stopped for a cold drink, and few words with everybody, and took a photograph of us all. What a chance, to find these women artists working away in the middle of the jungle, with links to the international art world! I hope to keep in touch with them
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