September in Goa combines the magic of the monsoon with the full lush green bloom of the rice paddies. A feeling that the earth is alive! I find myself penning this post rather unexpectedly. I’m staying at a 500-year-old Portuguese house, restored by a charming Goan family, in a sleepy little village in the hinterlands of Goa. This will be my home till the end of September. I’ve spent the last few days strolling along pristine backwaters, little hamlets stuck in time, lush green rice paddies and streets adorned with abandoned Portuguese houses and old churches. Wake me up when September ends. Also read: My Alternative Travel Guide to Goa Last week, when I flew into Goa on an invite from Goa Tourism, I was slightly apprehensive. I’ve always associated Goa with the beaches and crowds, and I do everything I can to avoid the latter. But Goa Tourism promised to help me find Goa’s best kept secrets, and I couldn’t resist. I landed in Goa in the monsoon, on a cloudy afternoon and drove past the misty …