A walk around a Goan neighborhood began a very full a day trip north and inland from our hotel. It was while walking about that we learned that there is a government incentive to refurbish and maintain historic buildings. When houses/properties are left either abandoned through death or emigration, after three years they will be auctioned and sold at prices much lower than their assessed value. Today Goans who have worked and lived abroad are gradually returning to their homeland to retire and are buying these historic colonial homes.

The home we went through is a historic home that has been continuously occupied by one family since the earliest Portugese settlement period. It is filled with original colonial furnishings interspersed with the latest technology (TV, cellphone, kitchen appliances).

The Goa Chitra, a museum set against the back drop of an organic farm, is a fascinating tribute to the Goan ancestral way of life. The museum houses more than 4000 objects with a wide range of exhibits depicting the material culture of Goa before electricity. The exhibits focus on the rural trades and indigenous skills highlighting traditional, agricultural and household implements.