100 000

The counter has just reached 100 000.

I live near the district of Oeiras, whose population is close to 34.000 people. I am glad that my blog has been able to reach, for now at least, three times that amount of people. It makes me very happy!

The post that was viewed the most by far was OK.

The top 10 countries

I would like to thank all the viewers and especially those who decided to visit the blog more than once!

Saint John The Baptist

Caravaggio. John the Baptist. Cathedral Museum, Toledo

Piero della Francesca. Baptism of Christ. National Gallery, London

The name John means God has graced. It is the most frequent name among all the men saints. However the first John was Saint John The Baptist, whose feast day is June 24.

John is identifiable in Christian art by his reed cross, camel's skin and lamb.

On the eve of Saint John´s day, the streets of Oporto are filled with people, to celebrate his day. It is a famous “arraial” where people eat (sardines are a must), sing , dance and amuse themselves. In Lisbon the same spirit of joy is shown on the eve of Saint Anthony´s Day.

The Portuguese Team

Berlin wax museum

Cristiano Ronaldo,

Just like you said, I know you don´t carry the Portuguese Team on your back but, regardless, Best of Luck from one of your fans.


Do you know why Americans call football "soccer"? Read here

La Canción Del Verano

Andes Venezuelanos

La Canción Del Verano

Y ésta es la canción de un verano

entre muchos hermosos veranos,

cuando el polvo se alza y danza

y el cielo es un follaje azul, distante.

Y entonces fue cuando vino con las brisas

que se levantan de los arroyos y de sus conchas,

la que cantaba la canción del verano,

la canción de yerbas secas y aromáticas

que arrullaban, cuando a mi lado

la sentía como una tierra que respira

y como un sueño de pólenes y estrellas

que resbalan tibias por la piel y las manos.

Entonces vino saltando

en medio de las brisas y la tarde, en grupo,

y lo primero que vi fue su traje ondeando

a lo lejos a la distancia contra el cielo puro.

Pero desde entonces no tuve ya nunca ojos para su traje.

Y no oí nada más, sino la canción del verano.

Aurelio Arturo (1906-1974)

poeta Colombiano

Fim de semana na Beira

Em Castelo Branco- visita ao Paço Episcopal, onde estão expostas as colchas de Castelo Branco bordadas a seda.

Visita aos dois pólos do museu Cargaleiro, pintor e ceramista que nasceu no distrito de Castelo Branco (Vila Velha de Ródão) em 1927.

Na Covilhã, visita ao Museu dos Lanifícios- Núcleo da Real Fábrica de Panos, mandada edificar pelo Marquês de Pombal em 1764 ( Universidade da Beira Interior).

Explicação de como se obtinha a cor azul através do anil

                  A tinturaria








Chegada à Pousada da Serra da Estrela (Penhas da Saúde).

Este edificio, construído entre 1928 e 1936, destinou-se a funcionar como sanatório, tendo ficado abandonado após o 25 de abril, onde ainda serviu de residência a cerca de 700 retornados. Em 2011, foi recuperado pelo Grupo Pestana com arquitectura da responsabilidade do arquitecto Souto Moura. Abriu ao público em abril 2014.

No dia seguinte percorremos a Serra da Estrela visitando Manteigas, Penhas Douradas Sabugueiro, Lagoa Comprida, Torre.

A não perder o hotel design Casa das Penhas Douradas

Hotel design das Penhas Douradas onde a beleza natural e o bom gosto combinam com a arte de bem receber com simpatia .

A aldeia típica do Sabugueiro deu lugar a muitas "maisons avec beaucoup de fenêtres".

Na Lagoa Comprida, numa tenda de artesanato, onde também se vendiam cães, tivemos um almoço inesquecível com chouriço assado, queijo da serra e um pão de se comer e chorar por mais, não falando da vinhaça.

Em Gouveia não perder o museu da miniatura automóvel

De regresso a Lisboa, percorremos ainda a serra do Açor e fiquei encantada com a arquitetura de Piódão, uma aldeia histórica com características medievais cuja primeira referência data de 1527.

A Igreja matriz está situada num local privilegiado. Pintada de branco, destaca-se do xisto de toda a aldeia. É um exemplo tardio do estilo Manuelino-Mudéjar. A igreja primitiva é da segunda metade do século XVIII. Nos finais do século XIX, a sua fachada que estava muito degradada, foi reconstruída notando-se a influência do estilo Múdejar, cujos exemplares abundam sobretudo no sul do país (igreja de Mértola).

As casas distribuem-se em redor dos socalcos, por entre estreitas ruelas, nas quais contrastam o xisto e o azul forte.

Dia de Portugal

Quando estive de licença sem vencimento, pela última vez, (1999-2008) passei sempre o 10 de junho fora de Portugal e tive oportunidade de sentir melhor essa data quando a celebrei com a comunidade portuguesa residente no estrangeiro: nos Estados Unidos, nos primeiros cinco anos; depois em Terras de Bolívar e Luanda.

Feliz Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas!

Caracas 2005

Charallave 2007

Postagem do ano passado:

June 10

Other Ways to Say...

Oceans Day

Although this turtle is expected to live a long life, the damage she suffered is permanent. Besides plastic, there are countless pieces of litter in our oceans.

Whether you live on the coast or hours from the beach, we all depend on the ocean.

The ocean is decisive to maintain life on Earth.

Enjoy the ocean and help keep it clean.

assistir a jogo de futebol

foi uma experiência única, que não tenciono repetir.

Em 2004, O Sporting jogou com o New England Revolution, no Gillette Stadium, em Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Na primeira parte, a equipa portuguesa vencia por 1-0, com um golo de Niculae, mas depois do intervalo praticamente não jogou, pois mal o João Pinto tentava apanhar a bola marcavam-lhe falta e acabámos com apenas oito jogadores em campo e uma derrota de 1-2.

Ao recordar esse jogo, verifiquei que Paulo Bento era um dos jogadores ( infelizmente teve cartão vermelho). Ainda bem que ontem teve mais sorte...

Gilette Stadium, há 10 anos.

D-Day Commemorations

Veterans of WWII commemorate the Normandy landing on June 6, 1944

I think we can not thank them enough for their effort to liberate Europe from nazi occupation.

The Queen of England, who visited France for the 70th anniversary of D-DAY gave a speech in English and French:

"With sorrow and regret, remembering the loss of so many fine young soldiers, sailors and airmen;

With pride, at the sheer courage of the men who stormed those beaches, embodied in the veterans among us;

And with thankfulness, knowing that today our nations are free and sovereign because allied forces liberated this continent from occupation and tyranny."

State Opening of Parliament- 2014

Searching the cellars of the Houses of Parliament 

This tradition dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes was arrested whilst preparing to blow up Parliament. Today, the Yeomen of the Guard continue this historic search, in addition to the security checks by police.

The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace for the State Opening of Parliament

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh in the Royal Gallery in the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, 4 June 2014.

The Speech

King Juan Carlos to abdicate

 Ankara, Turkey- May 1993

Read here

Memories of Aunt A

1911-2007

I got to know my great aunt some months before getting married. She was a tall and very cultivated lady. It was also hard to be indifferent to her, as she was a lady of strong, though usually, well-informed opinions. I for one became very fond of her and very much enjoyed listening to her stories.

She was born in Madeira Island on August 14, on the eve of the Feast of “Senhora do Monte”. Aunt A once told me that as a child she thought that the firework on that day was displayed in her honour!

Otto (2nd from the right) with his family in Quinta Rocha Machado, Monte

She also recalled playing and picking up violets with Otto von Habsburg (1912- 2011), the eldest son of the Emperor of Austria (1887-1922), who went to Madeira in exile and is buried in the Monte Church.

The house where she lived until her mother died still exists. It has become a sort of convent – at least it was so, in 2006, in the only time I visited it. The gates still have the initials of her British father (EF), Ernest Francis.

When Aunt A turned 12, she went to England and attended the boarding school: Our Lady’s Convent School in Loughborough (http://www.olcs.leics.sch.uk/main/about_the_school.asp).

Later, when Aunt A returned to Madeira she met her future husband, of whom she had many happy, beautiful and lasting memories

Rua das Hortas is where she lived with her husband and daughter, my friend G. 

  

Quintas das Tílias, Monte is where she often spent the summer. 

                                      This tree used to be a small shrub.

  

The old Savoy hotel was also frequently referenced in her stories.

as well as Golden Gate Cafe

The cultural center of Santa Clara - Universo das Memorias João Carlos de Abreu on Calçada do Pico - is installed in an elegant mansion of the late nineteenth century. It had once belonged to her great grandfather, Francisco Simão, the bastard son of the Calçada Countess’s father.

Once becoming aware of his situation, Francisco Simão decided to emigrate to British Guyana, looking for wealth to eventually build in Madeira a sumptuous house similar to that of his own family, who had rejected him.

In 2002 Helena Marques wrote a novel based on Aunt A’s life: Os Íbis Vermelhos da Guiana. It is split into two parts: one about Francisco Simão who went to Guyana; and another fictionalized version of Aunt A, who Helena Marques named Anne.
I have never visited Guyana but my own Granny used to tell me stories about Demerara, to where many people from Madeira emigrated. I hope to visit it very soon!

   

                                                 

                               Aunt A. on her 90th birthday