First of all I would like to note that Goa is not a city, but actually a state within India. It is however a pretty small state and Ross and I covered quite a bit of it in our seven day stay. Our first highlight was a tour of Goa's colonial past. Goa was the home of Portuguese spice and fabric trade for many years and it is said that Old Goa, the capital from 1510-1759, once rivaled Lisbon. The capital was moved west to Panjim after several malaria and cholera epidemics ravaged the city. Now, it is little more than a collection of huge, tightly clustered cathedrals that hint at the glory of thriving population of the Portuguese past. However, before the Portuguese arrived, it was also the home of the local empires capital and palace, and all but a gate to the old palace was lost to Portuguese expansion. Even one of the cathedrals, built to look like St Peters in Rome, is believed to have been built on top of the foundations to an old Hindu Temple.
Also of note, the Basilica of Bom Jesus houses the remains of Saint Frances Xavier, who was a missionary to Asia and India and his body was miraculously preserved after his death and is displayed on occasion at the church. The last viewing had over a million viewers pass by his casket.
In Panjim, there is one impressive whitewashed cathedral, Church of Mary Immaculate Conception, where Portuguese sailors use to give thanks after a safe passage to Goa from Portugal. The rest of the old town is filled with red tile roofs and still has a Portuguese feel and traditions.
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