Our driver was quite insistent that he’d drive us along the coast to see the picturesque views from the lighthouse. We’re certainly glad that he did! We ran alongside Goan’s tidal river and at one point, having watched the local fisherman at work, I asked to stop to take a photo of an interesting temple on a small island in the river. It shouted out at the surrounding landscape and the bright colours were screaming for my attention. Whilst there my wife became fascinated by what seemed to be a strange fungus growing near the water’s edge. It turned out to be the dried part of the tree that had supported coconuts. Not so fascinating but it made for a talking point and the obligatory photo!
We travelled through busy villages and past some exclusive and expensive looking beach resorts before climbing the hill to a prominent church. Our guide took us to the edge of the hill to view a superb view across the river and out to sea. He pointed out a large coastal settlement; it looked idyllically situated until he explained that this was Goa’s prison - a prison with a reputation for not having any successful escapees. It is housed in the lower fort, which was built to ensure a safe haven for the Portuguese navy. Just below the church was an amazing, modern dwelling – it appeared to be a bungalow but in reality there were several stories built into the rock. An exclusive and doubtless extremely expensive home, known locally as "Jimmy’s Palace" for someone who likes great views and their privacy. As we left this small viewpoint our guide told us that this was a "lover’s meeting place," but due to a recent outbreak of crime people were not permitted to cavort there after dark. Guess that severely limits its usage!
A short journey along the coast and we reach the old Lighthouse, built in 1864 and only decommissioned in 1976 when the "new" lighthouse was built. Fort Aguada is alongside the lighthouse and admission is free. It was built in1612 by the Portuguese as part of the major defences. We learnt that "Aguada" means water in Portuguese, and in the fort there’s an underground water storage tank capable of holding 2,376,000 gallons. There’s a fairly impressive moat around the fort and the bastions and gun powder room are all still intact. It was certainly a great design as this was the only fort that proved to be impregnable during the 450 years of skirmishes that took place in this region.
But best of all is the 360º view that you get from the summit of the fort – views right across to Calangute beach in the North, the Arabian Sea to the west and the Nerul River to the South. And despite the fact that this is a tourist attraction there are numerous places where you can take in the view and enjoy your own company.