John & Mick's BIG AdventureOld Goa
A 15 rupees (20p) bus fare per person will transport you 16kms from our residence in Candolim via Panajim to the town of Old Goa. This used to be the Portuguese Capital of Goa, a 17th century metropolis of colonial trade, which grew even larger than Lisbon.
Its decline has left little trace of its former glory, and only its eight churches, two convents a monastery and selection of museums remain as its legacy. The Se Cathedral is the largest church in Asia.
Grand in their architecture and complex in their history, the elaborate detail of the church’s interiors are lavishly reminiscent of the town’s extravagant past, when the power of the church initiated the horrors of the Inquisition. 16000 people were arrested on charges ranging from ‘eating Rice without salt’ to ‘selling arms to infidels’. (Goans are renowned for their trade in 17th century prosthetics)
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