Grandpa's house - This is the house that my Grandparents built circa 1912, using laterite stone and oyster shells. Nowadays, the tendency is to build houses using modern materials like concrete and glass and of course running water and electricity are taken for granted. Most of the older houses however still have their own well, but do not rely on the purity of well water for human consumption. Mass tourism and the lack of proper infrastructure has resulted in the water table being polluted and the finger of suspicion is being pointed at the big hotel chains. Many guest houses and hotels have mushroomed in recent years and non-resident Indians have invested in flats which they have then given back to the builders on a "rent-back" scheme. Many of the hotels are run on such a scheme.

The Beira Mar Complex shown above is a two star hotel which is in many tour operator's brochures and is one such hotel run on a rent -back scheme.
The Falcon Retreat shown below never opened for business because of bancruptcy and a huge loss to investors.