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It's not one-way traffic!

Leaving behind the chill of Delhi winters, I come to the land of parties. The world knows about Goa's sun kissed beaches, sand and the like. But I am here to discover a little bit about Goa's Portuguese heritage. After a drive of around 45 minutes – keeping in mind some blaring horns along the way – from Dabolim airport, I find myself at the Taj's Holiday Village. The route to the destination is full of the knickknacks Goa is famous for: from all kinds of wine and beer to colourful stoles and provocatively titled T-shirts, everything is up for grabs. The approach roads to The Holiday Village are not broad enough to allow smooth two-way traffic at high speed. But it is not so narrow as to make driving a challenge. Once inside, it is a different world. There are golf carts to take you around; the rooms come with a view! There are swinging palms all over the retreat that has a combination of cottages and villas. Our room has a nice planter's chair outside and a delectable mini bar section inside. After a leisurely night, spent listening to Goan music and shaking a leg to many lilting tunes, I find myself at the waterfront restaurant, done up in the way they used to make them on the highways in the years gone by. The food is simple: Continental, North Indian, South India fare with the regular fruit salad, juices and the like. The best experience, however, is outside the restaurant. The open air swimming pool is a delight, giving you the illusion of swimming right into the sea! After some time soaking in the privileges of the property – there are conference section, recreation room and the option to go to spa here – I step out to discover the age-old Portuguese churches. First on the list is Se Cathedral, the largest church in Asia, and rivalling the best in Portugal. Built in the Portuguese Gothic style, the exteriors are made in the Tuscan way of architecture. Dedicated to St Catherine, the initial structure was of mud, stone and straw. In early 16th Century it became a permanent structure. It is open seven days a week.

Next up are St Francis of Assisi and the Church of Lady of Rosary. The former started off as a chapel but later turned into a church. It came up in early 15th Century too and was rebuilt in 1661. Today it houses a museum that has artefacts, medieval paintings, etc. Then on schedule is the Church of Lady of Rosary in Old Goa. An impressive white structure overlooking the Mandovi river, the church has windows closer to the roof, giving it the appearance of a fortress.

There are more churches down the road. But I want to soak in some fun with Goan folk music back at the Holiday Village. Incidentally, the Holiday Village is located far from the madding tourist crowd, and offers some moments of solitude. Once inside the property, I am too tired to shake a leg to music. I retire to the books section, pick up my copy of local newspapers, and discover Goa again. This time it is the contemporary face! A couple of days later when I check out of Candolim-based retreat, I know there is more to Goa than just the beaches. One could spend time in solitude at the retreat, watching the waves of the sea from the balcony, or step out to nestle in the lap of history.

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