Chilling out in Goa + some culture...of course

Goa was meant to be a stop-off on the way down south, a little break and a chance to go to that nice hotel for Sylv's birthday...

It was so much more though and we were really captivated by the Portugese-Indian mix, the local specialties, the churches, verandah-ed houses, shell windows and everything.... Arriving in Goa was half arriving in Portugal for a week's holiday - women in bright summer dresses, holiday rents with kitchen and balconies, little churches everywhere and lots of bars and snack joints.

The beaches were beautiful, clean and populated with friendly dogs.


The mix of palm trees and churches surprises at every turn!


And traditional oyster shell windows.

We went for a day's exploring in the abandoned capital city of Old Goa, made up of religious buildings and a couple of arches celebrating Vasco da Gama

The Se Cathedral there is impressive and the swallows flying around inside too..

St Catherine's church was inspired by St Peter's in Rome and is set next to a beautiful old convent.

This is Bom Jesus, which houses the remains of St Francois Xavier who spent a while here on his conversions..

Then there's Panjim, the new capital, with a decidedly European small town feel, nice bakeries and beautiful old buildings..

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Panjim.

Traditional street of Panjim (capital of Goa).