If you are visiting Palacio de deao,at Quepem ... Goa. Chances are that you are going to be mesmerised ... being personal guests of Ruben and Celia Vasco da Gama.We were expected for a lovely lunch ... an Indo Portugese ... yummmmmcious ... and prepared by Ruben and his wife Celia themselves.
Sam, Sarah and Trisha (daughter of our host at Arco Iris) ... went up the steps and rang the bell to announce themselves ... but I was kind of absentmindedly lost ... taking in all the gorgeouness of the beautiful gardens ... I later discover that these gardens on the bank of river Kushavati,have been historically known for there beauty and Indo Portugese style ... I believe some of the features I saw are all historically dated ...
The gardens aren't really called secret gardens ... but as you walk around this beautiful property ... you move from a little secretly enclosed landscape ... onto another. Beautiful old gates and walls ... holding behind them something more for the heart to do a flip -flop over ... another coutyard ... another secret garden.
These overgrown green and varigated ginger plants ... against the balcony ... its that feeling you get ... that throws you back on the grass and you want to just stop and let time stand still ... (until ofcourse your kids call out ... mommmmmmyyy .. aaah ... shes lost again ... come on daddy)
The entrance to Palacio de deao ... the Goan bench ... the ferns ... the fragrance of Madhumalti flowers(Rangoon creeper) fills the air ... the moment of irony in life ... should I go in and explore the beautiful antique filled home, I have heard so much about ... and the rumbling tummy says .. lunch ...lunch ... on the gorgeous back veranda .... and the heart says ... turn around ... you missed the little path that leads to the other side of the garden that holds many secrets ... the mind says .... lady you are a gonner ... ;)
... so here is exactly what I did ... agreed with my mind ( a sucker for all things that grow on the ground ) ...I turn around and follow my heart ... running down the little path,through the white pillared gate ... told my tummy ... hold it sweetheart ... theres food for the wild imagination here ... ;)
Through the gates ... past the mermaid pond... Ah .... that (in the left picture) is the back veranda ... all overgrown with bouganvillia ... the coconut palms like natures own fans ... and nearby flows ... river Kushavati ...
I was just having a bit of a fairy tail moment here ... :) ... Everytime I see such beauty ,such lovely plants... the devil in me feels like stealing it and running away somewhere (giggle-giggle)... I don't know, does it happen to you too ... well to hide away a garden like this I'd need a big place ... really big ... ;)
As I walk around ... I see these steps ... I can't help but wonder if they too have been around the 213 years that this mansion has seen ... its very humbling to see the laterite stone wall that holds this raised part of the garden ... they look beautiful with all that aging ... a beauty that no designer can arificially recreate ...
The haliconias in full bloom ... bordered by low trimmed hedges ... the yellow mansion ... the green of the lawn ... oh! those antique seating ... pardon me, I completely forget what I was going to write ... :)
The gardens and the garden ornaments ... accessories ... a lot of styling here and there ... all subtly speak of the cross cultural influence ... nothing loud ... nothing that needs to prove its existence...but I guess after more than two centuries ...nothing needs to ... this garden stands in a league of its own.
If you'd like to see and know more about Palacio de Deao ... definetly book a luncheon with them ... or tea. And in the mean while you can check out their web site as well ... http://www.palaciododeao.com/Hope you enjoyed ... drop me a line ... would love to have you share your thoughts with me ... :)