Photo Essay: Colorful Goa!

Goa is vibrant and colorful, from the brightly colored houses that dot the landscape to lush vegetation.  It does not hurt that the people are friendly and food divine!

Hope you enjoy these selected 15 pictures from Goa.

I. The Portugese influence

There are many Chapels, Churches, Seminaries that highlight the fact that the Portugese were in Goa for 400 years.  This is as visible as the Mughal influence in Delhi, or the British influence in Mumbai.

II.  Did you know?

I asked our car driver who the most famous person from Goa was that we would all recognize.  It was none other than Bharat Ratna awardee, Lata Mangeshkar!  We went to her village of birth and to the temple there.

III.  A tip of the hat

It was an excellent and colorful juxtaposition seeing a native Indian getting a tour of St. Francis Xavier's interment in Hindi.  St. Francis Xavier was a co-founder of the Jesuit order to which current Pope Francis belongs.

IV.  Easy come, Easy go

We took a tour of the Braganza mansion.  A relative who was giving us a tour of this palatial house lamented that they lost all their lands during the land reforms after Indian Independence.  It seems they were awarded those lands by the King of Portugal a few centuries back.

V.  Colorful homes

The houses that dot the landscape are painted in the most vibrant colors I have seen.  

VI.  Pollinate me!

The flora and fauna competed with the houses for vibrance and color

VII.  Fort Aguada

Fort Aguada is from where the Portugese held off invaders into Goa for several centuries.  The best vista in Goa.

VIII.  Getting up-to-date on India

When I was in school, I learned that Goa was an 'Union Territory.'  Thus I was surprised when I landed in Goa to learn that since 1987, it has been a state of India, albeit its smallest and wealthiest.