Old Goa and Panjim (State capital)
Trip Start
Oct 01, 2005
1
17
137
Trip End
Sep 20, 2006
Goa,
India
Friday, November 4, 2005
Anne has managed to come down with a hiddeous cold & is sneezing and snuffling all over the place!
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Old Goa is a UN World Heratige site and is expertly managed by the Archaelogical Survey of India. It was built by the Portugese in the early 1500's and apparently once rivalled Lisbon in magnificence but now all that remains is 6 huge Roman Catholic churches, one of which houses the remains of St Francis Xavier (he's in a casket with windows so you can see how his body has been miraculously preserved - they get him out every 10 years to show him off!)
There is very little that's Indian about Old Goa, you could be in Portugal it's very odd!
Panjim is a lovely little state capital and we took a couple of hours to wander around the old Portugese quarters of Fontainhaus and Sao Tome - it reminded us of Notting Hill! Again, strange in its European-ness but very pretty with its little allyways and boutique-y shops. The Portugese left Goa in 1961 but the influences are still very much there.
We are staying in Palolem until 8th Nov when we head off to Mumbai.
We fly to Hong Kong on 11th.
