Em Memória da minha Avó Maria: sobre a I Guerra Mundial.

                               Avó Maria (1892-1975)

Quando se aproxima a evocação do centenário da Grande Guerra, em 2014 e o 95º aniversário da assinatura do armistício, que pôs fim à Primeira Guerra Mundial no dia 11 de novembro, dedico este post à minha avó Maria (1892-1975). Costumava, emocionada, contar-me histórias da Grande Guerra, como a dos bombardeamentos do Funchal por submarinos alemães, ocorridos em 1916, no dia 3 de dezembro e, pouco mais de um ano depois, em 12 de dezembro de 1917. 

A Alemanha havia declarado guerra a Portugal no dia 9 de março de 1916, em resultado do apresamento, por parte do governo português, dos barcos alemães e austro-húngaros fundeados em portos nacionais, em resposta a um pedido oficial da Grã-Bretanha, ao abrigo da Aliança Luso-Britânica.

A baía do Funchal durante a Grande Guerra

O primeiro bombardeamento do Funchal durou cerca de duas horas. Foi precedido pelo torpedeamento da canhoeira La Surprise da marinha de guerra francesa, ancorada no porto daquela capital madeirense, que submergiu em cerca de dois minutos e provocou a morte imediata de 33 tripulantes e 8 madeirenses da empresa Blandy, que no momento forneciam carvão ao navio. O navio francês Kanguroo foi também torpedeado. No entanto, como a submersão não foi tão rápida, ainda disparou vinte e cinco tiros contra o submarino, embora nenhum deles tivesse atingido o alvo.

Decorrido pouco tempo foi a vez do vapor mercante inglês Dacia ser atingido, mas a tripulação, alertada, abandonou o navio e não houve perdas pessoais.

Bóias de salvação no museu da Liga dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra.

O segundo bombardeamento provocou a morte de cinco pessoas, fez cerca de trinta feridos e registaram-se graves prejuízos em diversos pontos da cidade, nomeadamente na igreja de Santa Clara, onde o Padre Abel da Silva Branco celebrava missa.

A iluminação pública noturna foi proibida, como medida de defesa e só voltou a ser autorizada e, portanto, restabelecida, em 11 de novembro de 1918, quando chegaram à Madeira as notícias da assinatura do armistício.

Entretanto na Flandres, o Corpo Expedicionário Português, em véspera de ser rendido por tropas inglesas, sofreu o principal impacto da última e desesperada grande ofensiva do exército alemão na Batalha de La Lys, em 9 de abril de 1918.

Derrotado pelos enormes bombardeamentos e superioridade numérica das tropas alemãs ficou inoperacional, até ao final daquele terrível conflito. Todavia, alguma da resistência portuguesa deu tempo a forças britânicas para tapar a brecha, que o estado-maior germânico procurava cavar, dividindo os exércitos aliados para chegar ao mar.

 Dos muitos heróis portugueses desse trágico e sangrento confronto, destacou-se o soldado “Milhões”, como ficou conhecido Aníbal Augusto Milhais, o qual, com grande bravura, conseguiu proteger, de metralhadora e indiferente ao fogo dos alemães, a retirada de numerosos soldados. Foi condecorado com a Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada, a mais alta insígnia portuguesa, entre outras condecorações nacionais e estrangeiras.

No esforço de Guerra, as mulheres desempenharam um papel fundamental ao substituírem os homens, que tinham partido para a guerra, em todo o tipo de trabalhos.

No fim da I Guerra Mundial, em Inglaterra as mulheres vão ganhar o direito a votar, em 1918, se tiverem 30 anos e forem proprietárias. Mais tarde, em 1928, essa legislação foi revogada e substituída por outra, que deu a capacidade de voto a todas as mulheres inglesas com mais de 21 anos.

Em Portugal, a minha avó Maria, que me contava comovida o sofrimento madeirense durante a I Guerra Mundial, teve de esperar pelo 25 de Abril de 1974 para sentir a emoção de poder votar…

Referências:


Henriques, Mendo e A. Leitão. La Lys 1918. Os Soldados Desconhecidos. Prefácio. 2001

SILVA, Fernando Augusto da; MENESES, Carlos Azevedo de – Elucidário madeirense. Funchal: Direcção Regional dos Assuntos Culturais, 1998. Edição fac-similada da edição de 1940-1946.

Catálogo da exposição Viva a República 1910-2010

http://www.visualnews.com/2013/09/03/working-women-first-world-war/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal_during_World_War_I

http://www.momentosdehistoria.com/MH_02_08_Marinha.htm

8 de novembro de 1960

No dia 8 de novembro de 1960, John F. Kennedy tornou-se o mais jovem presidente a ser eleito nos EUA. Tinha 43 anos. Foi também o primeiro católico a ser eleito.

Informa-te aqui sobre alguns presidentes americanos.

Panda Cub’s Naming Contest

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is asking for help to name its female giant panda cub born on August 23, 2013.

Panda fans can vote until November 22. The winning name will be revealed at a ceremony on December 1, when the cub is 100 days old, as it is traditional in China.

These are the names under consideration:

• Bao Bao: Precious; treasure.

• Ling Hua: Darling; delicate flower.

• Long Yun: “Long,” meaning dragon; “yun,” meaning charming.

• Mulan: A female Chinese warrior from the fifth century; magnolia flower.

• Zhen Bao: Treasure; valuable.


Vote !

On July 15 two panda twins were born at Zoo Atlanta.

Portugal- the place to grow

Today I came across this interesting and fun video...

Laranja, orange, portakal

The orange could be found in China around 2200 BC. In the map, in green, we can see the countries that named it after Portugal, as the Portuguese merchants were the first to introduce the orange in Europe. However, the dominant word in much of eastern and northern Europe comes from a word meaning "apple from China”

The orange left Lisbon to discover America with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage. He planted the first orange tree in the New World in 1493, in Haiti, then called Hispaniola.

The first American orange plantation was Spanish. It flourished in Florida, in St Augustine in the 16th century.

King William of Orange (1650-1702), who took his name from The House of Orange- the principality and town of Orange in south-east France, made many anti- Catholic laws, very unpopular in Ireland. As a result the people of that island declared no orange tree should ever grow on Irish soil.

Paul Cézanne. Still Life with a Curtain .1895

In the 19th century poor children dreamed of getting a precious orange for Christmas.

References:

http://www.businessinsider.com/european-maps-showing-origins-of-common-words-2013-11#ixzz2jn8YuohM

Toussaint-Samat, M. History of Food. Blackwell. 1994.

Remember, remember the fifth of November

On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic conspirators led by Robert Catesby were captured when trying to blow up the Parliament with barrels of gunpowder at the moment Protestant King James I was present. This event became known as The Gunpowder Plot. The fact is that since Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, Catholics had been persecuted for their beliefs. They hoped their situation would improve with King James I, but were soon very disappointed as this king introduced even more stringent laws against the Catholics, which effectively made their lives worse.

Guy Fawkes`Day is a unique British festival that commemorates that historic event. The foiling of the plot (Fawkes was taken to the Tower of London where he was tortured and executed after confessing) has been a traditional celebration in England. On the night before (known as Bonfire Night), bonfires are lit where sometimes an effigy of Guy is burned. Firework displays are also organized in many cities.

The Gunpowder Plot is so much entrenched in British culture that it is immortalized in this rhyme:

Remember, remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, guy, t’was his intent
To blow up king and parliament.
Three score barrels were laid below
To prove old England’s overthrow.

By God’s mercy he was catch’d
With a darkened lantern and burning match.
So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring.
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.

And what shall we do with him?
Burn him!”

Hip hip hoorah!



Read in Portuguese: DIA de GUY FAWKES

http://languageandthecity.tumblr.com/post/34826535793/remember-remember-the-fifth-of-november-guy

Ana Mestre, designer portuguesa

As mil e uma vidas da cortiça

por Carla Amaro in
Diário de Noticias Magazine. O que é design nacional é bom

É dela o famoso Puf-Fup e a não menos conhecida Lagarta. O primeiro é um puf que não é mais do que um longo cordão de 2500 esferas de cortiça natural, com dois centímetros e meio de diâmetro cada uma. O outro é um assento, também em cortiça negra, desenhado de modo a poder ser adquirido individualmente ou em módulos e que, encaixados uns nos outros, tomam a forma de uma lagarta ou outra que se queira. Se Ana Mestre tivesse que escolher as duas peças mais icónicas da sua autoria, escolheria estas, por serem as que «melhor permitem uma interação com o utilizador, permitindo que este contribua para o design final da peça.» No caso da Lagarta, «a configuração final depende da forma como se juntam os módulos». O Puf-Fup «pode ter múltiplas formas de assento, conforme a quantidade de voltas que se der ao cordão».

Desde a sua primeira apresentação internacional com o Puf-Fup (em Londres, em 2005, na galeria Viaduct), que as peças de Ana Mestre têm percorrido o mundo, em participações como o Destination Portugal, noMoMA em Nova Iorque, ou o Ano de Portugal no Brasil, na Clark Art Center no Rio de Janeiro. São apenas alguns exemplos, entre dezenas, de exposições com a marca Corque Design, que criou em 2009.

Licenciada em design industrial e com um mestrado em energias renováveis, não é de estranhar que esta designer de 35 anos não conceba um trabalho sem ter em conta «o conceito de "design para a sustentabilidade", que pressupõe um equilíbrio entre os três pilares da sustentabilidade: ambiental, social e económica». Esse equilíbrio encontra-o na cortiça, que utiliza exclusivamente nas peças da Corque Design.

Sendo a matéria-prima que Portugal mais produz e exporta - temos a maior área de sobreiros no mundo, com 736 700 hectares-, para a designer fazia todo o sentido desenvolver produtos portugueses recorrendo a um material que existe em fartura no nosso país e que apresenta um enorme potencial para o design: «A cortiça tem características táteis muito diferentes dos outros materiais, no que toca por exemplo ao aspeto sensorial, à suavidade, leveza e textura. Além disso, é muito fácil de manusear.»

Foram as peças em cortiça que lhe deram fama e reconhecimento, mas é o trabalho de pesquisa e investigação que desenvolve antes de pegar no lápis e no papel que a distingue dos seus pares. «O design é uma resposta às necessidades das pessoas, das indústrias, das empresas, e eu, enquanto designer, faço isso. Mas vou mais atrás no processo de pesquisa, vou à procura de aspectos culturais, sociais e ambientais e tento identificar oportunidades que ainda não estão no mercado para as concretizar, envolvendo também a indústria. Em geral, os designers respondem a briefings, a solicitações do mercado. Eu também, mas não me fico por aí.»

E também não se fica pela cortiça. Além de desenvolver experiências com outros materiais, por exemplo o bioplástico para fazer acessórios, está envolvida no projeto europeu Regio-Crafts, que pretende recuperar as técnicas ancestrais e os materiais tradicionais de cariz regional na Europa, entre os quais, a madeira, as fibras naturais, os têxteis e, claro, a cortiça. «No âmbito deste projeto, que pressupõe a troca de experiências entre países europeus, desenvolvi um banco de madeira, utilizando o desperdício da produção de socas típicas holandesas.» Mais um exemplo da combinação entre as componentes ambiental, social e económica, incontornáveis no seu trabalho, a que se junta, neste caso, uma outra, mais ligada à cultura, porque «um dos objetivos do Regio-Crafts é a recuperação do património do artesanato que se está a perder na Europa, muito por causa da produção industrial.»

In Diário de Noticias O que é design nacional é bom
por Carla Amaro 

Fotografias: Corque Design  no Facebook
http://www.dn.pt/revistas/nm/interior.aspx?content_id=3511707

Muitos Parabéns, Ana Mestre!

Roman Eagle discovered in London

Archaeologists have discovered an extraordinary 65 cm tall and 55cm wide limestone Roman sculpture representing an eagle grasping a serpent in its beak. 

The team of the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) were at first hesitant to announce their discovery and its Roman origins, owing to the fact that it is in an impeccable state of preservation. In the mean while specialists have now confirmed that it is from the 1st or 2nd century AD and also that the statue is one of the very best examples surviving from Roman Britain. Its symbolism is regarded as the struggle of good (the eagle) against evil (the serpent). It is believed the statue might have adorned a rich mausoleum as the theme was common in the funerary context.

The statue was dug up at a site in the City of London which is known once to have been home to a Roman cemetery. 

It will be on display at the Museum of London for six months from 30 October 2013.

Londinium (Roman London) was founded in about AD 50 and soon became the centre of administration for the province of Britannia. The Romans built bridges over the river Thames and constructed the roads that connected Londinium with the rest of the country. The population of the city where London now stands was a mix of civilians, families, soldiers, sailors, workers and slaves. Many of them were from all parts of the Roman Empire, but the majority were native Britons. Roman London was abandoned in AD 410. 

References:

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/explore-online/pocket-histories/what-was-life-roman-london/further-information/

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/30/world/europe/uk-london-roman-eagle

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/whats-on/galleries/roman-london/

Esclarecimento

Na disciplina de Inglês, os alunos podem utilizar e ser portadores de dicionários unilingue e/ou bilingue, conforme as orientações programáticas da respetiva disciplina. Apesar de ter aconselhado os alunos a utilizar em casa o dicionário online da macmillan http://www.macmillandictionary.com/, para melhorarem o vocabulário e aprenderem como se pronunciam algumas palavras, não costumo estimular o seu uso nos testes de inglês.
Os dicionários bilingues, que não apresentam uma contextualização, podem levar os alunos, no momento dos testes, a interpretar o significado das palavras de maneira isolada, resultando assim as suas pesquisas num trabalho desorientado com maus resultados, até em consequência da pressão do tempo. Os dicionários unilingues, por outro lado, conduzem, com muita frequência, os alunos a dispersarem-se e a ficarem preocupados, porque não entendem a explicação da palavra e, variadas vezes, pretendem até recorrer à ajuda do professor, o que não é permitido durante as provas.

Are diamonds a girl´s best friend?

“Diamonds are a girl´s best friend” is a song performed by Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Elizabeth Taylor wearing the Krupp diamond 

The Krupp Diamond, named after the Krupp family of German industrialists was a gift of her husband, Richard Burton, who bought it at an auction for $305,000 in 1968. The ring was renamed "Elizabeth Taylor Diamond" and was sold at Christie's in 2011, for $8,818,500.

Blood Diamond is a 2006 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is set during the Sierra Leone Civil War in 1996–2001, and shows the atrocities of that war. The title refers to blood diamonds or conflict diamonds, which are diamonds mined in African war zones and sold to finance conflicts, and therefore profit warlords and diamond companies. As a matter of fact blood diamonds have been used to increase violent conflict and human rights abuses and have funded brutal wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Côte d’Ivoire that have resulted in the death of millions of people.

India was thought to be the only source of diamonds until the 18th century but they were discovered in South Africa in 1866.These findings sparked a rush of diamond prospectors to the region and led to the opening of the first large-scale mining operation which came to be known as the Kimberly Mine.

As long as there has been a diamond industry, diamond mining has been plagued by smuggling, worker exploitation and violence. Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada, two non-profit groups, took the lead in exposing the problem to the public that rebel groups were seizing control of diamond mining regions and exchanging diamonds for money and weapons. The diamond industry was buying these diamonds and selling them in jewelry stores.

As a response the diamond industry came with a diamond certification scheme called the Kimberley Process(2003) which would evaluate conditions in diamond-producing countries and certify that the diamonds being exported are “conflict free.” Nevertheless, in Africa, close to a million people are artisanal diamond diggers. Almost all of them live in extreme poverty. Child labour is common and working conditions are very often dangerous and de-humanizing.

The majority of today's diamonds come from Africa (65%)

Botswana: $3.3 billion

Angola: $1.5 billion

South Africa: $1.5 billion

Democratic Republic of Congo: $0.7 billion

Namibia: $0.9 billion

Other African nations: $0.6 billion

Other countries such as Canada, Russia, and Australia also have diamonds.

Ethical diamonds are those that are mined under strict regulations imposed by the governments and cut and polished according to guidelines established by the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices. They are fully traceable, and the larger stones are laser-inscribed.

The film Blood Diamond ends in a conference concerning blood diamonds, precisely the meeting that took place in Kimberley, South Africa in 2000 and led to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which sought to certify the origin of rough diamonds in order to limit the trade of conflict diamonds.

Soon after the release of the film the– World Diamond Council – launched a new web site. diamondfacts.org which claims that the diamond supply is now more than 99% conflict free.

So, as beautiful as it may be, it is best never to spoil your ring with the toil of those who may have been exploited. Be aware of where your ring comes from so that we can stop financing horrible conflicts and appreciate the beauty of diamonds!

http://www.brilliantearth.com/blood-diamond/

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkins are a traditional symbol of Halloween

Portugal – your destination 2014

The Lonely Planet has chosen Portugal as one of the best destinations for 2014, because “when times are tight we suggest you travel more, not less – but pick carefully. This is where your wallet will smile at the memories for years to come.”

"Each year the British Post Office surveys the prices in European holiday resorts. The most recent edition names Albufeira in the Algarve as the cheapest option for a summer family holiday. The Algarve in high summer may not be to everyone’s taste, but it shows that Portugal is great for the budget-conscious. There are excellent deals elsewhere too. Lisbon has wonderful coffee and sweet treats for a few euros, and you can ride cheap trams around to your heart’s content. Portugal is also, for Europeans, a superb place to surf without having to fork out the airfare to the sport’s traditional heartlands"

Lonely Planet’s best value travel destinations for 2014

Humphrey Bogart’s ‘Casablanca’ car to be sold

The 1940 Buick phaeton driven by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca will be part of Bonham’s "What Dreams Are Made Of: A Century Movie Magic" auction in New York City on November 25.

This Buick model 81C trunk back convertible Phaeton is one of just 230 made in 1940. It currently shows 42,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle had a mechanical restoration in the 1990s and is in drivable condition. The original interior shows evidence of water damage and there are burns in the custom-ordered broadcloth, too, but these are reportedly “period correct,” from Humphrey Bogart’s perpetual cigarette.

The car was owned by Warner Brothers until 1970 (it appeared in another Bogart classic, High Sierra) when it was sold to the first of a series of private owners. It was last sold in June 1995 for $211,500, but the Aztec Brown 1940 Buick convertible is estimated to be sold now for $450,000 to $500,000.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/10/22/heres-looking-at-you-kid-1940-buick-phaeton-from-casablanca-to-cross-the-block/#sthash.woXyA8Cv.dpuf


https://www.facebook.com/HumphreyBogartEstate?hc_location=stream

Royal Paintbox

Queen Victoria.The Children at Osborne. 1850.

Members of the British Royal family have been inspired to paint, draw and sculpt for generations. Royal Paintbox: Royal Artists Past and Present, an exhibition at Windsor Castle, from 22 June 2013 to 26 January 2014, shows examples of their handiwork from the last 350 years.

Duke of Edinburgh.The Queen  Reading in the Private Dining Room, Windsor Castle. 1965. Oil on panel

Also on display are a series of watercolours by the Prince of Wales who often paints in the open air, particularly on The Queen’s Balmoral estate in Scotland, which served as a great source of inspiration.

The Prince of Wales sometimes calls himself “Carrick”. One of his titles is Earl of Carrick. He signs some personal notes with this name.

Photo: Nadav Kander for TIME

The prints of his watercolour paintings are marketed by A.G. Carrick, a trading arm of the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation.

Balmoral Castle. 1989.Watercolour

Beinn a Bhuird from Ballochbuie, Deeside. 1991.Watercolour

Sandringham House. 1991.Watercolour

Lochnagar from the Gelder Cottage. 2012.Watercolour

.https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/royal-paintbox-royal-artists-past-and-present/the-exhibition


http://world.time.com/2013/10/24/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-prince-of-wales/

68th anniversary of the United Nations

UN Headquarters from the East River

The United Nations Headquarters is located between 42nd and 48th Street on the East Side of New York. This glass-fronted building dominates the skyline of New York and is one of the most popular destinations of tourists in the city.

The signing of the charter by President Truman

On this day in 1945, the United Nations was born when the UN charter took effect after being ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council (United States, Great Britain, France, Soviet Union and the Republic of China) and a majority of the other 46 members. 

Member States of the United Nations

http://visit.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/visitors/shared/documents/pdfs/VC%20Brochure%20C.pdf

Practice makes perfect

Idiom (n): an expression, word, or phrasethat has a figurative meaning that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.



Can you match the expression with its meaning?

1. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

2. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

3. "Better late than never."

4. "A picture is worth a thousand words."

5. “The early bird catches the worm."

6. "Actions speak louder than words."

7. "Practice makes perfect."

8. “You can't judge a book by its cover."

9. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”



a. You should wake up and start work early if you want to succeed.

b. You have to practice a skill a lot to become good at it.

c. Pictures convey emotions and messages better than written or spoken explanations.

d. Things sometimes look different than they really are. A restaurant that looks old and small might have amazing food, for example.

e. Sometimes it's good to be away from the people you love, because it makes you want to see each other again.

f. Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder.

g. Trying to convince people with ideas and words is more effective than trying to force people to do what you want.

h. Just saying that you'll do something doesn't mean much. Actually doing it is harder and more meaningful.

i. It’s better to do something late than to give up and not do it at all.

© Clever Pants 2012

www.clever-pants.com

Key: 1-g ; 2-f; 3-i; 4-c ; 5-a ; 6-h ; 7-b; 8-d ; 9.e

The christening of Prince George

The christening of Prince George took place today at The Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, as announced before.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have asked the following people to be Godparents to Prince George:

Mr Oliver Baker (Oliver Baker attended the University of St Andrews with The Duke and Duchess)

Mrs David Jardine-Paterson (Emilia Jardine-Paterson attended Marlborough College with The Duchess)

Earl Grosvenor (Hugh) (Earl Grosvenor is the son of The Duke of Westminster)

Mr Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton (Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton served as Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry from 2005-2012 and continues to serve part-time as Principal Private Secretary and Equerry)

The Hon Mrs Michael Samuel (Julia Samuel was a close friend of The Princess of Wales)

Mrs Michael Tindall (Zara Tindall is The Duke of Cambridge’s cousin)

Mr William van Cutsem (William van Cutsem is a childhood friend of The Duke of Cambridge)

Prince Charles wore the precious silk and lace gown when he was baptised at Buckingham Palace in December 1948.

Prince William himself wore the original Victoria gown when he was christened on August 4, 1982.

Prince George wore the hand made replica of the Royal Christening Robe. The original dress, created for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal in 1841, was worn by more than 60 royal babies, including Prince William himself. However it is now said to be incredibly fragile. A replica by the Queen's dressmaker Angela Kelly was first worn by James, Viscount Severn, in 2008.

The Lily Font and water from the River Jordan was used during the baptism.

Following the service, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall gave a private tea in Clarence House. Guests were served slices of christening cake, which is a tier taken from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding cake.





http://www.dukeandduchessofcambridge.org/focus2/prince-george

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2468714/Scottish-dressmaker-original-Victoria-Royal-christening-gown.html

Alligator at Florida supermarket

Employees at a supermarket in the southern U.S. state of Florida were forced to close their doors to a nearly two-meter-long alligator that had stopped in the store's entrance on Sunday morning, causing the automatic doors to open and close until they were locked.

Local police officers tried to attract the reptile away as customers gathered to watch and snap pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6TA3NjP6iI

The alligator eventually made its way to nearby woods. Officers searched the area but could not find the animal.

The Everglades National Park is home to 36 threatened or protected species including the alligator, the american crocodile.

http://www.voanews.com/

The most spectacular libraries in the world

University of Coimbra Library 

The newspaper, The Telegraph, showcased a list of the most speactacular libraries in the world.

 Mafra Palace Library

Portugal features twice in the list, with Coimbra coming first and Mafra fourth!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10382588/The-most-spectacular-libraries-in-the-world.html?frame=2705756