While most Goan seafarers still adopt the traditional way of saving their hard-earned money by investing in expensive insurance plans and fixed deposits, 46-year-old Gerson Gomes decided to do it in a non-conventional manner. He has placed most of his savings in Nature's Hideaway “ an eco-tourism cottage or eco-lodge housed on a plot admeasuring just about 650 sqmt in Durga, Chinchinim, a stone's throw away from his ancestral house.
What's so unique about Nature's Hideaway? Going by its name, its creator has taken pains to involve only natural elements like stone and wood while building the only cottage that stands on the plot. Gomes, who has traversed the world for 25 years as a seaman, had to travel the length and breadth of Goa in search of natural materials to ensure that in the end the project fitted in with the surrounding landscape rather intrude upon it.
Taking inspiration from a similar project set up by his wife's cousin in Curtorim, Gomes built the entire cottage with natural materials sourced painstakingly from chapels, churches, scrapyards and from whatever people gave away.
He says most of the wood used for the project, which can aptly be called a vacation home, has been bought from scrapyards based in Ponda. “It all cost me roughly Rs 19 lakh, but in the end I am satisfied as 95 per cent of the things used are natural and simplistic,” he adds.
Along with his 83-year-old mother, Isabella Gomes, who cooks some of the finest Goan meals for the guests, Gomes has even gone a step further and nurtured a kitchen garden behind the cottage. “All the trees are fruit-bearing,” he says, adding, “I am in the process of adding more trees to the list.”
Nature's Hideaway, which started operations just three months ago, is gradually catching the attention of locals and tourists. With the scenic Durga lake and an open landscape dotted with hills, this little hideaway makes for the perfect destination for bird watchers and those seeking a little adventure and solitude.
Based just off the National Highway-17 on the way to Cuncolim, Nature's Hideaway is easily accessible by road. It is equidistant from both Cuncolim and Assolna and Margao is around 7-8 kilometres away.
Driving to Durga from Chinchinim is also a refreshing experience as one can see some of the old-world Portuguese houses, chapels and wayside crosses, small and big. Once you reach the eco-lodge, it awaits you like Mother Earth to embrace you in its protective fold. One can simply relax at the sit out next to the seasonal Durga lake, and enjoy the spectacular scenery on offer.
Next, Gomes plans to start activities like cycling, trekking, kayaking and camping to attract adventure seekers to the place. “All these activities will be conducted by experienced folks. Also, the surrounding area has some of the most beautiful backwaters (part of river Sal) where there is a huge potential to start canoe rides. I definitely intend to tap into this feature,” he says.
Bird watching is another big draw of the place and Gomes has birdwatchers frequenting his property. At Rs 3,500, Nature's Hideway offers a serene bed in the lap of nature and a continental breakfast. “We also serve authentic Goan food which is cooked by my mother. There is a well-stocked kitchen, so guests can even cook their own food and feel at home. Groceries can be picked up from the Chinchinim market nearby,” he informs.
So, if you have too much on your plate these days or want to escape the hurly-burly of life, step into nothingness and immerse yourself in this Nature's Hideway in Durga, Chinchinim.
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Wealth out of waste
An antique table inside the cottage was brought from St Anthony's Chapel at Durga, Chinchinim. It was broken into three pieces, but thanks to a Bengali carpenter who worked his magic, today the table is a piece of art with azulejos covered with glass.
Beams for the cottage sourced from Laxmi Temple, Sanvorcotto, Cuncolim
Four of the windows of the cottage were sourced from St Joseph's Chapel, Banda
