As the world closes down and takes a break due to Covid-19 we are faced with a new way of doing things. Masks on, distance kept between everyone, closures and a real emptiness. As you may all imagine, keeping distance, peace and quiet doesn’t really come to mind when thinking about India. Below are some images of what I am seeing in Goa and how we are handling the situation.

Here is the line for the supermarket Newton’s on the first day of opening after 3 days of full closure on all shops in Goa. Crazy!

When shops were finally allowed to open, the rules were clearly stated. No mask, no entry!

The tips on preventing the spread of Covid-19 are put up on main roads. This is Panjim

Everyone in Goa has to wear a mask when out on the streets. A sari is a perfect makeshift mask

Ferries to Divar Island are usually full with cars and scooters but here we have lots of room and motorists with masks

The Lady of Immaculate Conception in Panjim – A million rupee shot, usually impossible to get a picture of the church without people or someone taking a cheeky selfie

Fruit shopping with masks and an impossibly empty road. Other than at 4am, you can usually never find a road without traffic

The lockdown has meant a lot of dogs are starving due to there being no scraps from shacks, food carts or anyone walking the streets

The new attire necessary for any beach walk – Calangute Beach

Delfino’s, one of the main supermarkets in North Goa has implemented a socially distanced queuing system

An impossibly clean and empty Calangute Beach. This is the main staircase of Calangute that is usually filled with at least 1000 tourists!

The new norm for vegetable shopping

Street Sweepers in Goa

Middle seats blocked off in Manipal Hospital to help enforce social distancing

Southern Calangute Beach resembling paradise with no beach shacks, no people, no watersports and no rubbish. Notice the clear horizon line due to the reduction in pollution

Mango roadside shopping with masks and distance kept

The usually buzzing Mapusa Market is completely empty with all stalls banned. This is the street normally full of fruit stalls

‘No Mask No Liquor’ is a common notice seen around Goa now. As well as lots of ‘No Mask No Entry’ for shops

Hope the images helped give you a little insight into lockdown in Goa and maybe you even recognised some of the places you have visited. We can only hope things will slowly open up and go back to normal soon. Goa is missing its people and its tourism.