Chandor Heritage Houses

We visited three heritage houses today.

First stop was Fernandes Heritage Home by the river at Chandor which was the pre-Portguese capital and fortified port town in early medieval times. Ranjeev the son of the elderly lady who showed us round last year conducted our private tour this year, he was charming and most informative, we did see his mother Sara part way through the tour, she was looking very well for her 84 years and it is so good to know that her kind hospitality continues with her son.

The original house faced the river and has secret corridors in the old walls which provided an escape-way to the river as well as gun holes to shoot at any assailants, the steep but well lit stair access is from a hatched door in the floor of a large walk in wardrobe, very novel and well disguised. A later Portugese extension turned the house to face the road a part of which is what you see in the blip. After our tour around the house, which included being shown the secret hidey holes in exquisite pieces of furniture necessary in the days before banks, Ranjeev took us through the garden to the river. What a beautiful spot, here we sat for a while listening to the birds and watching the silent river slide by. Gorgeous.

The next two houses were near the church in Chandor and are in one building which is divided into two housing two branches of the same family I think although the exact connections evade me. Bragança House was built in the 17th century on land given by the King of Portugal. We looked around the right hand side (facing from the road) first. We were ushered around by an incredibly bossy, overbearing housekeeper who would not allow photography and peppered her brief tour with pleas for donations. We missed this section last year so it was interesting to see it to fill that particular gap, but we probably wouldn't rush back.

Our visit next door was a total contrast, we were shown around by the gracious owner who not only pointed out the ornately carved furniture, love seats, planters chairs, linen chests and so on but took pride in showing us her own really early Phillips radio and an amazing kerosene run early fridge which together with nick knacks from around the world sit easily in this lovely family home and compliment the fabulous marble floored, Belgium glass chandelier hung, high ceilinged salon perfectly. Pride of place on the centre of the altar of an ancient family chapel in this part of the house went to the fingernail of St Francis Zavier, the Patron Saint of Goa whose remains we saw a couple of days ago in the world heritage site at Old Goa.

We all agreed on which part of the house we enjoyed the most!

Then it was onto pick up Mu's outfit from the Nice tailors opposite Varca church which she was really pleased with - the opticians was closed again but should be open tomorrow between 10 - 7 perhaps we'll have better luck then! Mu and Tom stocked up for their journey on Saturday at the bottle shop and later we had dinner on the beach. Lovely day rounded off under the newish moon.