From beautifully tasteful, to extreme garishness and/or downright bizarre, the vast array of colorful, interesting houses never fails to fascinate me. I have been continually enthralled by the variation on the Portuguese theme... seems that the home owners of these palacial habitations are infinitely creative! And... there is clearly no limit to what the architects and painters constructing these homes can conjure up!
I presume that the people in these houses have to be quite wealthy: contrary to what you might think about lower prices in a developing country, this is NOT true when it comes to real estate here in India.
Once upon a time-- years ago-- I got curious about what it would cost to own a home in India; most particularly, in Goa. In my limited experience (and from what others say as well), this has to be one of the nicer, lovelier places to live. I had to try to wrap my mind around the meaning of a "lakh" (one hundred thousand rupees) and a "crore" (ten MILLION rupees, or equivalent to approx. $250,000 U.S.). I thought I was misreading the information I saw about dwellings in Goa...but it turns out I was not. Housing ownership here is just about as costly as it is in the U.S. or U.K.! When I questioned friends about this, the explanation was that there are too many people and too little land to be had, making it that much more valuable! Makes sense, I suppose...so the very wealthy are home owners, and pretty much everyone else rents. (Of course, the U.S. is getting to be more and more like this as well...I read recently that only 25 percent of millenials are in a position to buy a home...most young professionals must also rent.)
This is also why you will find modern, expensive cars parked in the driveways of many of these Goan homes: Toyota SUV's, Mercedes, BMW's. In fact, it is my impression that a huge number of wealthy Indians have homes here. Because the hot season is VERY hot in Goa, I imagine they are second homes for many of these familes.
And so it is that I ride by, on my humble bicycle, and take photos of these amazing houses. I hope my friend Alison gets a chance to see this blog. She once decided to paint her house a bright color in So. Cal, and the neighbors were so upset by this that they petitioned her to remove/change the color of the exterior. They should ALL have to come to Goa and see just how wonderfully enriching it can be to have neighborhoods of unabashedly colorful houses! I myself love them....can you tell?!?!
Please make sure you see them ALL--there are a lot, true, but it is well worth your time!
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On the subdued side, compared to many of the others...I found this house to be tasteful, beautiful and charming. Also, far more natural when it comes to blending in with the environment!
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Definitely NOT designed to blend in, but WHAT a beauty, no?!? I loved the shade of blue, and along with the white trim...gorgeous!
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| This one, I must confess, reminded me of the old Pete Seeger children's song: "Green and yeller, greeeen and yeller....mother be quick, I'm gonna be sick, and lay me down to die!!!!" |
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A tasteful blue and white for an oceanside abode, no?! I thought so...
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While I LOVE purples and lavenders, I wasn't so sure about this one...however, I did think it complimented the pale pink church next door quite nicely!
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Does this one remind you of a creamsicle ice cream?! It does it for me... I loved the unusual design, and most especially the "mushroom" covered patio seating in front!
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Tasteful and unusual: this home was an interesting blend of the old style with some newer, modern touches.
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While the house itself was not so unusual, I absolutely LOVED the most decorative fence in front and ornate entrance to the yard. A touch of Disneyland, or something...Goan style!
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Not a house, but apartments. I had to include it in the series, though, owing to the fabulous irony of the name! (What, YOU think it DOES look like an actual "mansion"!?!??!)
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I laughed when I came across this one, and immediately thought of a brightly colored, very poisonous, Brazilian caterpillar I saw once! (Probably in a National Geographic special or something!)
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| Verrrry pink.... too much pink... and that wall in front?!?!? Yeah, not so stylish, me thinks. A nightmarish excess of pink, overall.... right?! |
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Very classic Portuguese style, this one. Love the blue and white combo.
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Tasteful, simple, subdued. Nice! (Blue car provides a nice contrast!)
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This shade of green works, somehow... I have heard the restaurant below is quite nice. Not sure, but think this might be a guest house.
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Just LOVE this aqua blue!
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Simply pretty. Nothing more to say...
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Not overly bright... but the color contrasts nicely with the surrounding greenery, I thought.
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Something about the brown ones is elegant, me thinks...certainly more natural-looking.
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Definitely NOT natural-looking! Yikes!
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Just simply pretty... a "happy-looking" house!
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This one gets the prize for the most HIDEOUS in the series!!! I mean, truly, what WERE they thinking!??! HORRORS!!!! HAD to include it, of course!!!
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A very bright yellow, true...and also nice contrast against the surrounding jungle lushness.
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Tooo bright, like squinting at the sky... don't you agree?!
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| The finale: A runner-up for hideous... but better green with white stripesthan red, at least... I mean, it's like Christmas all year round, or...something!!! |
Next and last in the Goa series: Misc. stuff that doesn't really fit anywhere else!
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