Blinds in Old Goa

Fabric that can be wiped is the first requirement for a blind in Old Goa, where river humidity raises mildew spots on anything absorbent. Coated polyester rollers, in sunscreen or blackout, handle it well, and so do zebra blinds. Wooden venetians and natural bamboo are better kept to upper-floor rooms that air well, away from the low, wet ground. The older houses around the monuments bring a second complication: frames out of square and shutters opening inwards, so a blind is usually mounted over the opening, not inside it, and a roman blind looks more at home there than a plain roller. Salt is not a concern here, so standard metal fittings are acceptable.

• Colony houses and flats: coated roller blinds in the bedrooms, wiped with a damp cloth when the monsoon leaves marks.
• Old houses with inward-opening shutters: roman blinds fixed above the frame, each made to its window's own slightly different size.
• Balconies of new highway apartments: clear PVC monsoon blinds; the balcony stays dry and the room behind keeps its daylight.