Shiro is the classic Goan dish made with semolina, milk, sugar, and ghee. Variations on the theme are found elsewhere in India but the shiro made in Goa has its own distinct signature. When fresh banana pulp is added on special occasions, ingestion of shiro becomes a sublime religious experience. It can be consumed as a standalone item or as a plugin with the main course. Shiro is also known for its medicinal properties and will cure you of sound arterial health.

Note: A word on Konkani pronunciation – the ‘ro’ in shiro is phonetically similar to the English ‘raw’.

Shiro
5D, 24-105L

Hearty Goan breakfast
5D, 24-105L

Purveyors of shiro - a village café in Siolim
5D, 24-105L

Vanxim – pronounced “Vaanshi(m)” – is a speck of an island in Goa within a stone’s throw of another island, Divar. It is the last unmolested piece of real estate remaining in Goa, but plans are afoot to cure that situation.

In the second and third images below, notice the difference in colour rendition. It can be partly attributed to the manner in which Canon and Zeiss handle colour.

Cross on Mandovi river at Vanxim, Goa
5D Mark II, Zeiss ZE 100 f/2 Makro Planar

The prayer in Konkani inscribed on the façade says: Have Mercy on Us, O Protector of the World’s Indigent.

Church of Santo Cristo (1879)
5D Mark II, Zeiss ZE 100 f/2 Makro Planar

Church of Santo Cristo, Vanxim
5D Mark II, TS-E 24L II