Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Saying in Konkani:

Dekonk aslelea bemrean, dekhlem kalum,

addlem ghara, khuimche toulen galu'um.

Lit. translation:

A person sees clams for the first time,brings them home, but is confused and cannot decide for himself in which container he should put the clams in.

Meaning:

This proverb alludes to the fact that when someone is exposed to new found riches or wealth, he acts greedy and does not know a sensible way to enjoy his newly found bounty.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Dhorian assa tia masso, mol korta pisso.

Literal translation:

The whale is in the sea, but its worth is estimated by a fool.

Meaning in English:

Building castles in the air.

This expression refers to the fact when someone is foolishly trying to estimate the worth of, or dreaming of something that is very difficult to attain.

TIME - WHERE DID YOU GO (2)

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Time

Pozo Seco Singers

Some people run, some people crawl,
Some people don't even move at all
Some roads lead forward some roads lead back
Some roads are bathed in light, some wrapped in fearful black

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good, good time where did you go

Some people never get, some never give
Some people never die and some never live
Some folks treat me mean, some treat me kind
Most folks just go their way, don't pay me any mind

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good, good time where did you go

Sometimes I'm satisfied, sometimes I'm not
Sometimes my face is cold, sometimes it's hot
Sunset I laugh, sunrise I cry
At midnight I'm in between and wondering why

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good good time where did you go

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good good time where did you go

TIME - WHERE DID YOU GO (1)

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The Players

The Players

I grew up in the fifties with parents so loving

May they rest in peace

Mom waited up while I studied by the candle light

Late into the sombre night;

Too afraid she was

Lest should I on my book fall asleep.

A name for her we siblings had

Our very own Florence Nightingale

For everyone around her she cared

Tending to a neighbour’s sick child

Or making a cup of hot soup for the old man

Who nearby alone lived.

A Father who was happier

Fixing the ancient cupboard hinges that creaked

Than buying a new cupboard… a name for him we had too

The Handyman around the house

There wasn’t anything that he could not fix.

Their marriage was good,

Their dreams not grandiose but focused.

Mom ever raising her voice I do not recall

Dad over his anger always kept control.

Our best friends lived barely a wave

Or a stone’s throw away.

I can imagine seeing them now,

Dad in his favourite khaki shorts,

Tee shirt and a pith helment;

And Mom in a house dress,

Broom in one hand, dish-towel in the other

Doris Day’s Que Sera Sera played on the radio.

And Patti Page sang the Tennessee Waltz

While the dog lazed on the patio.

For Dad, it was always the time for fixing things

I don’t ever remember seeing him idle –

A curtain rod, the kitchen stool,

The backyard fence, the rake handle, the broken tile

Or the pedal of my bicycle.

He could fix it all.

For Mom, it was the hem in a dress,

A quilt she would stitch

A sweater she would knit;

The missing shoe lace

Or replacement of a lost button

On my school uniform that had quit.

A few years later my Mom died,

And on that clear August night,

About her death I received a telegram,

For the first time I was struck with pain,

A void and loneliness in my little room;

Realised someone was not there any more

Felt lonelier than ever before.

Sometimes, what we care most about

Gets all used up without we knowing it

It goes away...never to return.

So...while we have it … it is best we love it.....

And care for it.....and fix it when it's broken.....

And heal it when it's sick.

This is true...for marriage...and old bicycles...

Children burdened with homework...

And dogs in the daytime that rarely barked

But somehow into the darkness the whole night yelped;

The myna and the parrot mimicked one another,

The cat that slept most of the day,

And untiring parents...and grandparents… with a house neatly kept.

The same goes for friends too -

Good old friends who were always there

And those we have known for so long;

Some things we keep - because they are worth it.

Classmates, neighbours and buddies we grew up with.

For me all things old are not just nostalgia,

A mere musing or reminiscence,

They are just some things that have made my life worth living,

Like people we know who are special

Who we keep close to our hearts and minds,

And remember and treasure.

Mom and Dad were THE Players in my team.

So were my neighbours and class-mates

And friends I met along the way;

You are no different.

You are my friend

A REAL PLAYER in my life too!

You have given your share

In making life worth living.

Tony Fernandes

Goan Proverbs & Sayings - Ghoribank nhuim tim Pomburpechim Festam

Goan Proverbs & Sayings
(Konkani: Opari ani Mhunn'eo)

Goan proverbs and sayings are often and generally quoted in passing conversation, in wit and humour, and in satire and sarcasm. They are often used to make a point and drive it home at the same time - as a Goan would use them figuratively to 'kator' someone (colloquially meaning as bringing someone 'in line'). These proverbs and sayings have been handed down from previous generations. There are also some variations in their text and quotation. No doubt every culture have their own, but the wit and meaning is best delivered in its own original phrase and form.

Saying in Konkani: 'Ghoribank nhuim tim Pompurbechi Festam'
(Literal translation: 'The feast of Pomburpa is not meant for the poor'.)
Applied connotation: It is wise not to bite more than what one can chew.

'Boats at Pomburpa' - Bardez, Goa, India.

Water-Colour by Tony Fernandes

Pomburpa is the name of a beautiful village in North Goa, India, located in the district of Bardez, along the tributary of Goa’s well-known river, Mandovi. One of the events that Pomburpa is well-known for is the feast that is celebrated annually with great pomp and fervour at the imposing church of Nossa Senhora de Candelaria, situated on its scenic river bank.

I recall when as a young boy my grandmother often quoted the above saying. In later years I remember accompanying my parents, travelling by the ‘carreira’ or ‘caminhao’ to Pomburpa to attend the grand feast. I was truly amazed in seeing the huge fair along the river bank. Surely then I did find for myself a lot of truth in the saying: 'Ghoribank nhuim tim Pompurbechi Festam' (Literal translation: 'The feast of Pomburpa is not meant for the poor'.)

Part of the celebration included the sale of furniture of all kinds – beds, folding dining tables, roof tiles from Mangalore, timber and bamboo from as far as the Malabar coast in Southern India, and of course there was a huge variety of sweets, food, drinks, a gamut of children's toys, and household provisions of all kinds. Hence it was obvious that one must have sufficient money to travel from far away if the intention was to purchase household furniture or other items at this acclaimed feast and legendary fair.

So I guess this proverb is implied in a lighter vein in the sense that this grand feast was not meant for the poor, or that it is wise not to bite more than what one can chew.

The Maritimes, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island

Double click on maps for an enlarged view

MERRY TIMES

On a warm Sunday at lunchtime

Our children unfolded a great surprise

Hey Mom, Dad, have a seat, our children said

You are off to the Maritimes, so please relax.

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

You must be joking we insisted

No we aren’t – they retorted

As they handed us an itinerary

That by all means indeed was out of the ordinary.

As details began to unfold about the whirlwind tour

Stream of tears in my wife’s eyes began to pour;

A gift from us - they said - everything found;

In total disbelief I stood speechless anchored to the ground.

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

Get ready to leave on a vacation next Saturday – the eldest said

While with a video-cam the youngest to record our reactions was prepared

Surely at the time it had not sunk into me

And I might not have shown a surprised rapture -

The truth is I felt very old and afraid

To go out in such a great adventure.

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

Surely but slowly – the surprise began to take hold

When we noticed two slips of paper

That appeared like tickets of VIA RAIL

Tucked in a folder – and we at once knew

We were off to Halifax via Montreal.

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

That’s not all – one of them said – as she continued

With what seemed like the beginning of a fairy tale

A car will await you where you end your rail trail

Take a tour of the city and see the famous citadel

Where times stands still and silently stands guard the sentinel.

Don’t forget she said to take your favourite CDs including Chris Rea

As the rental car will have a CD player.

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Far above the grey rocks as the eye can scan

The lone gleaming white light-house

At Peggy’s cove stands mighty and tall

Not far from where stands as a memory to lives lost at sea

A dedication on granite to reminisce silently.

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Two days hence you will drive on

From Nova Scotia

On the “Acadia”

To St. John

From the port town of Digby

Into New Brunswick across the strait by ferry

In St. John at Carleton B&B,

Stan & Nancy

Will await you as evening falls

In their beautiful home not far

From the beautiful harbour

As you roll out of the ferry.

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

Then there’s the fascinating phenomenon of Reversing Falls

As you dine at the restaurant by the bridge and hear

Nature’s baffling tidal tale, a sight of unsurpassed beauty,

And later you will walk leisurely around the historic city.

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

Then onwards to the City of Moncton

Through the coastal town of Alma where time stands still;

Roll backwards in your car on the mind-boggling slope

And mysteriously amazing phenomenon of the Magnetic Hill;

At the Hopewell Rocks you will walk on the ocean floor where amazing tides

Have you spellbound with an unfathomed and astounding thrill.

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

Drive over the longest bridge in the world

A spectacular engineering marvel, a work of art,

A wonder of the modern world -

Driving over it will seem like an eternity

Till you step into Prince Edward Island finally.

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The sea gulls soaring high

Above in the sky

Seem to greet you

In this wonderful land
where time stands still
with people around, happy and merry.
Dabble in the splendour of Charlottetown;

A land of great mariner’s tales

Timeless stories and fables

Of Anne of Green Gables

And of Lucy Maud Montgomery.

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

Bed and breakfast by the sea

Two great and kind people – Anna and Frankie

Greet and welcome you in their home at Souris.

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

Next day over breakfast you will briefly hear

The gentle and modest words

Of the island’s last lighthouse keeper

About happiness without wealth, always full of cheer.

There in a souvenir shop we bought a CD

With songs of the Island so enchantingly touching

I haven’t stopped playing them endlessly.

Drive through glorious landscape of pine and conifers

To the enchanting Woodlands Wharf at dawn.

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Then across to Cape Breton by Ferry

To the idyllic and serene setting

Of St. Ann’s Bay and Taigh Mairi

Where you will meet courteous

And friendly Ron and Mary.

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

The hair-raising hair-pin bends of the endless Cabot Trail

Brought back out the good driver in me

And with my wife’s expert navigation

Through picturesque green hills, valleys, glens and dales

Land of beautiful lighthouses aplenty.

We made it finally through what seemed like an eternity.

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

Through picture postcard towns of Baddeck and Ingonish

With their panoramic scenery to behold and relish;

Along the way when to a few we did about our escapade relate

And by their warmth and hospitality we were touched

Of what we saw and of the great times we had;

It’s true “what marvelous children we must have” one said

To grant - a gift of a holiday of a lifetime

That we for a long time to come will surely ponder -

“You must be good parents too after all” said another.

Bringing to a close we were back in Halifax

Our flight we reluctantly boarded

And back to Toronto we headed

With an experience of the Maritimes

And “Merry Times” that we indeed have had

Grateful to our children with memories

In our hearts and minds deeply etched.

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

To our hosts in the Maritimes this verse I dedicate;

God-willing to revisit will not hesitate.

Moments to treasure - a spirit of adventure

In me revived and rekindled

Bringing back out of the closet again

The good old amateur photographer.

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Tony Fernandes

The Maritime provinces are also known as 'the Maritimes' or the 'Canadian Maritimes'. It is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada.

The Maritimes front the Atlantic Ocean and its various sub-basins such as the Gulf of Maine and Gulf of St. Lawrence. The region is located northeast of New England, southeast of Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, and southwest of the island of Newfoundland.

VIA Rail - Toronto to Halifax via Montreal,

Shediac, Moncton,

Holiday Inn Select, Hallifax

Halifax City Tour

Citadel

Titanic Cemetery

Sightseeing drive to Peggy's Cove

Bay Ferries

Drive to Digby

Digby to St. John by Ferry

Carleton House, St. John

Reversing Falls

Coastal Drive to Moncton

via  Sussex,

Hampton (Fredericton)

Downtown B & B, Moncton

Magnetic Hill,

Hopewell Rocks

Drive over Confederation Bridge to PEI

Anne of Green Gables

Madame Tussaud

B & B by the Sea, PEI

Northumberland Feries,

Taigh Mairi, Cape Breton,

Cabot Trail

Alexander Graham BEll Museum

Fiddlin Whale Tours

Drive to Halifax Airport along coastal road

via Truro 

Board Flight to Toronto

Arrive back in Toronto

Picturesque Baddeck

Through picture postcard towns of Baddeck and Ingonish

With their panoramic scenery to behold and relish;

Along the way when to a few we did about our escapade relate

And by their warmth and hospitality we were touched

Of what we saw and of the great times we had;

It’s true “what marvelous children we must have” one said

To grant - a gift of a holiday of a lifetime

That we for a long time to come will surely ponder -

“You must be good parents too after all” said another.

Bringing to a close we were back in Halifax

Our flight we reluctantly boarded

And back to Toronto we headed

With an experience of the Maritimes

And “Merry Times” that we indeed have had

Grateful to our children with memories

In our hearts and minds deeply etched.

To our hosts in the Maritimes this verse I dedicate;

God-willing to revisit will not hesitate.

Moments to treasure - a spirit of adventure

In me revived and rekindled

Bringing back out of the closet again

The good old amateur photographer.

Tony & Edna Fernandes

The Maritimes - The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

The hair-raising hair-pin bends of the endless Cabot Trail

Brought back out the good driver in me

And with my wife’s expert navigation

Through picturesque green hills, valleys, glens and dales

Land of beautiful lighthouses aplenty

We made it finally through what seemed like an eternity.

CAPE BRETON - The Maritimes, Canada

Memories of our Trip

to the Maritimes

We drove through glorious landscape

of pine and conifers

To the enchantment

Of Woodlands Wharf at dawn;

Then across to Cape Breton by Ferry

To watch the idyllic and serene sunset 

At St. Ann’s Bay and Taigh Mairi

Where we met

So kind, friendly and courteous

Hosts Ron and Mary.

The Maritimes - Prince Edward Island at Souris

Bed and breakfast by the sea

Two great and kind people – Anna and Frankie

Greet and welcome you in their home at Souris.

Next day over breakfast you will briefly hear

The gentle and modest words

Of the island’s last lighthouse keeper

About happiness without wealth, always full of cheer.

There in a souvenir shop we bought a CD

With songs of the Island so enchantingly touching

I haven’t stopped playing them endlessly.

The Maritimes - Prince Edward Island, Canada

Beautiful Beach on the way to Cavendish.

Prince Edward Island. Canada

St. Mary's Church at Souris

Prince Edward Island, Canada

The sea gulls soaring high

Above in the sky

Seem to greet you

In this wonderful land of happy people around

And the splendour of Charlottetown;

A land of great mariner’s tales

Timeless stories and fables

Of L.M. Montgomery

And Anne of Green Gables.

The Maritimes - Prince Edward Island, Canada

Young Violinist greeting - charms you with her music.

THE CONFEDERATION BRIDGE

Longest in the world over ice-covered salt water.

Drive over the longest bridge in the world

A spectacular engineering marvel, a work of art,

A wonder of the modern world -

Driving over it will seem like an eternity

Till you step into Prince Edward Island finally.

The Maritimes - Magnetic Hill, Moncton, New Brunswick

Roll backwards in your car on the mind-boggling slope

And mysteriously amazing phenomenon of the Magnetic Hill,

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Moncton City

Tonferns - Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

They are located on the shores of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape near Moncton, New Brunswick. Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the formations are covered in water twice a day. However, it is possible to view the formations from ground level at low tide.

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Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

At the Hopewell Rocks
walk on the ocean floor
Have yourself spellbound by amazing tides
with an unfathomed and astounding thrill.

The Maritimes - Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Roll backwards in your car on the mind-boggling slope

And mysteriously amazing phenomenon of the Magnetic Hill;

At the Hopewell Rocks you will walk on the ocean floor where amazing tides

Have you spellbound with an unfathomed and astounding thrill.

Magnetic Hill

This amazing natural phenomenon has been baffling visitors for over 75 years. Sit back and be amazed as you drive your car to the bottom of Magnetic Hill, take your foot off the brake and roll back uphill - Amazing! 2008 marked the 75th anniversary of the official discovery of Magnetic Hill.

The Merry Times - Alma - New Brunswick

The Peace and Tranquility of Alma,

Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick,

The Maritimes, Canada.

Fishing Boats at Alma, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick.
Fish Market at Alma, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Then onwards to the City of Moncton
Through the coastal town of Alma where time stands still.