Hangin' out with the bovines on a Goa beach.
Perhaps the most humorous aspect of any visit to India is seeing the millions of cows roaming the cities and countryside in their sacred ways. This is where the term "holy cow" comes from. Bovines are believed by Hindus to be hallowed incarnates of other Hindus. It is strange seeing cows wandering around freely at first, but, after a while, you do get used to it. There are many travel stories about Indian bus drivers who accidentally hit and kill a cow on the road. The Hindu passengers become so upset they stone the driver to death.
Hangin' out with the bovines on a Goa beach.
Out on the beaches the cows sunbathe next to scantily clad foreigners, and stroll along the coast at sunset. Hungry cows rove among sunbathers looking to snatch up books, scraps of food, and juggling balls filled with beans. Beach cows are very cunning. Every so often you will see a Westerner chasing down a cow fleeing with its contraband.
Two Israelis and I try to encourage Blackie to be in our rodeo.
One day on a Goa beach, two Israeli friends and myself decided to host a beach rodeo. We woke up our favorite cow named "Blackie" to be in the show. We took turns riding Blackie until he started thrashing his horns at us. I picked up someone's red towel and played matador. Blackie shuffled his front hoof, snorted, and charged at the red towel. After a few turns and applause from the audience, we ended the rodeo. I gave Blackie a big piece of pineapple to show him no hard feelings. None taken.
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