Monday, January 08, 2007

Escape to, and from, Fort Aguada

Welcome to Fort Aguada, started by the Portuguese in 1612, and never actually taken despite the various attacks on the place by all and sundry in the period that followed. Today, it holds a rather nice five-star resort, and you can still view large amounts of the original fortifications.

In the bay overlooked by the fort is a rather large oil tanker, the River Princess, which ran aground just 500 metres off shore some years ago, and is still awaiting a claimant. Whilst it isn't the most intrinsically pretty thing, it just add a touch of gritty realism to the warnings of dangerous riptides and the like which greet those foolhardy enough to venture too far from the golden sands that line the shore.

The wedding went very well by the way, and my cousin Clyne and his new bride, Nisha, will be on their way back to Mumbai today, before heading on to Kerala for their honeymoon. I hadn't met Nisha before, and was pleasantly surprised to find her as pleasant as she undoubtedly is. Clyne clearly is adhering to the theory that Valladares males marry to improve the family...

I did get to play an unexpected role in proceedings, arriving at the church forty minutes in advance of the ceremony to be greeted with a request to read the 'Prayer for the Faithful'. I'm beginning to suspect a conspiracy but, with the aid of a microphone, I managed to get through in satisfactory manner.

But now, it is time to turn for home, back to Mumbai before my flight to London via Vienna. It's been a good trip, with time to see my family, catch up on affairs and generally rest in anticipation of a hectic 2007. Next on the agenda, a Regional Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday evening. Hmm...

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