Once I had a house in Africa

Out of Africa is the name of a 1985 film starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. 

It has images of wonderful African landscapes.

The film was based on a book written by Karen Blixen, a Danish writer who recounts her experience in Africa in the 1930s.

It takes us to an Africa that doesn´t exist anymore.

Eventhough I think romance is still possible in Africa…

Maria Teresa Relva

In Africa

About Easter

I wish all the readers HAPPY EASTER!

Maria Teresa Relva

O Caju

Este fruto proveniente do Brasil foi levado para áfrica e ásia pelos portugueses.

É constituido pelo fruto propriamente dito, de cor amarela ou vermelha, o qual se for transformado em sumo deve ser bebido em pouco tempo, pois fermenta rapidamente, tornando-se uma bebida alcoólica.

Dele também são fabricadas bebidas não alcoólicas, como a cajuína.

A castanha do caju deve ser consumida depois de assada no forno. É um produto recomendado por nutricionistas devido ao seu valor nutritivo.

Sumo de cabaceira

O sumo de cabaceira é feito a partir do recheio das cabaças que são frutos de uma árvore de grande porte que se chama precisamente cabaceira.

Amolece-se a polpa esponjosa da
cabaça com água, esmaga-se, acrescenta-se mais àgua, coa-se e junta-se açucar e sumo de lima.

Uma delicia ao pequeno-almoço!

Obrigada à Carolina pela receita.

Guiné-Bissau. A propósito da língua portuguesa

A língua portuguesa é das mais faladas no mundo. Em qualquer estatística geral aparece como a quinta ou sexta língua em termos de utilizadores.

Tal como o inglês, o português é das línguas mais dispersas, sendo língua oficial em cinco continentes: europa, áfrica, américa, oceania e ásia. Por isso não me surpreendeu ver nos confins da Guiné-Bissau este cartaz.

No entanto causou-me consternação saber do abuso de poder e da subsequente prova de ignorância das autoridades guineenses ao encerrarem, há duas semanas, a escola portuguesa de Bissau, frequentada por cerca de trezentos alunos.

Aliás, o fecho desse estabelecimento escolar faz ainda menos sentido, considerando o esforço da cooperação portuguesa. Praticamente tudo o que funciona e serve as populações neste país tem colaboração de portugueses, como é exemplo a abertura oficial, esta semana, da única escola para invisuais em toda a Guiné- Bissau, que custou centenas de milhares de euros aos contribuintes portugueses.

Face à atitude de falta de descernimento das autoridades da Guiné- Bissau, pergunto a mim mesma:

Será que vale a pena?

Maundy Thursday

 The Royal Maundy Service in 1952

Maundy Thursday commemorates the day of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. The word 'Maundy' comes from the command or 'mandatum' by Christ at the Last Supper, to love one another.

The tradition of the British Sovereign giving money to the poor dates from the thirteenth century. The Sovereign also used to give food and clothing, and even washed the recipients' feet but the last monarch to do so was James II. 

The Royal Maundy Service at Westminster Abbey in 1952 was the Queen’s first public engagement as Sovereign. Every year at Easter Queen Elizabeth II presents special 'Maundy money' to local pensioners in a UK cathedral or abbey in recognition of their service to their community and their church. 

Since the fifteenth century, the number of Maundy coins handed out, and the number of people receiving the coins, has been related to the Sovereign’s age. This year the Queen distributed "Maundy money" to 87 men and women at a special service in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

The Queen, holding a nosegay (flowers traditionally used in medieval times to ward off bad odours) outside Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford following the traditional Royal Maundy Service, 28 March 2013.

European Best Destination

European Best Destination is an initiative of the European Consumers Choice Awards (ECA), a non-profit organization, based in Brussels, now in its 4th year, which promotes tourism and culture in Europe. In 2013 there were 20 participating cities. European citizens just had to vote online from March 1-22. 

After winning the first prize in 2010, Lisbon was elected the Second Best European Destination in 2013. 

Awards:

2010 Lisbon 

2011 Copenhagen 
2012 Oporto.
2013 Istanbul

Images of Western Africa

These photos were taken in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal

March 2013

Happy Father´s Day

Georges de La Tour (1593-1652) Joseph (1642) in Louvre Museum

There are many saints called Joseph, but the greatest of all, of course, is the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. 

Joseph , the son of Jacob, was chosen to be the spouse of Mary when he was 30 years old. According to tradition he died when he was 60 years old, in the year 29 A. D.

In Portugal, Father´s Day is on March 19, Saint Joseph´s Day.

Happy Father´s Day!

"Any Fool Can be a Father, but it takes a real man to be a Daddy"

Philip Whitmore Snr

Read about June 17 Father´s Day

17th March

St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. His day is on 17th March. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have attended a parade at a military barracks to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Catherine handed out shamrocks to soldiers from the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Read about Ireland and St Patrick´s Day.

Trinity College, Dublin 

 2006

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21823313

Carlos Cerqueira Painting Exhibition

March 14-21 2013

Noah´s Ark. Acrylic on canvas. 2012, 90x70cm

The former headmaster of my school- Paula Vicente Middle School in Lisbon (Restelo)- has revealed himself to be an artist of great sensitivity in his painting exhibition at the local community centre.

Junta de Freguesia de S. Francisco Xavier

R. João Paiva 11, 1400-255 Lisboa

(Monday-Friday from 10 am-6pm)

Carlos A. Cerqueira

Pope Francis

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have chosen as their new pope a man from almost "the end of the world" - the first non-European pontiff of the modern era and the first-ever member of the Jesuit order.

The new pope, Jorge Bergogolio, who served as archbishop of Buenos Aires, adopted the name Francis shortly after being elected by cardinals. It is the first time this name is used by a pope.

The new pope, revealed himself to the world from a balcony at the Vatican today more than an hour after white smoke poured from the chimney above the Sistine chapel.

Popes in the 20th and 21st centuries

Leo XIII (1878-1903)


Pius X (1903-1914)


Benedict XV (1914-1922)


Pius XI (1922-1939)


Pius XII (1939-1958)


John XXIII (1958-1963)


Paul VI (1963-1978)


John PauI I (1978)


John Paul II (1978-2005)


Benedict XVI (2005-2013)


Francis (2013- )



References:

Duffy. Eamon. Saints and Sinners. A History of the Popes. Yale University Press, 1997

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/13/world/europe/vatican-pope-selection/index.html

March 1957

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24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

Nat king Cole " When I Fall in Love"

Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill"

The 29th Academy Oscar Awards were presented including:

Best Picture:"Around the World in 80 days" 

Best Director: George Stevens for "Giant"

Best Actress: Ingrid Bergman for "Anastasia"

Best Actor: Yul Brynner for "The King and I"

TV Program on CBS:

Lassie

President Eisenhower and  Prime Minister Harold MacMillan of Great Britain continued their meetings in Bermuda as the two world leaders discussed opportunities to mend the English-US relations damaged  by policy differences in the Middle East.

A British Parliamentary Act signed by Queen Elizabeth II established life imprisonment as the most severe penalty for murder. The debate on whether or not to abolish capital punishment would become a most important issue in countries around the world.

 My sister and I on my Baptism Day

March 11 2013

Baptism Day

My sister and I on my Baptism Day. The cake represents Socorro Church in Funchal, Madeira 

Let it be

Let it be is the name of a song written by Paul McCartney. It was released 43 years ago, on March 6, 1970.

The lyrics were inspired by a dream the singer had of his mother who had died some years before. "She came to him, in his time of trouble, speaking words of wisdom"…

Let it be was The Beatles last album.

The Falkland Islands

Showcase in my school

The Falkland Islands, which are governed by the United Kingdom, lie in the Atlantic Ocean about 500km off the coast of Argentina. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and oil reserves. The islands are also claimed by the Argentinians, who call them the Islas Malvinas. On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. As a result, The United Kingdom sent an expeditionary force to retake the islands. The Falkland Islands announced it would hold a referendum over its political status in early 2013, with the objective of sending "a firm message to Argentina that islanders want to remain British".

                                                        Stanley, The Falkland Islands

The Caribbean

Choroni, Venezuela

On the Caribbean Islands, tourist luxury and local poverty live side by side. The islands were colonized by the Europeans, who took black slaves from Africa to work on the farms. Today the population is a mixture of many peoples. The main languages are English, Spanish and dialects called patois, which are mixtures of African and French or English.

Aruba- Aloe Vera plantation in Aruba













Aruba- Eagle Beach. The Divi-Divi tree

Curaçao- view from the hotel balcony

Isla Margarita

Isla Coche

 Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas

                         

St. Lucia

Barbados

1910 house. The windows are like those in Demerara, Georgetown (English Guyana)   

Few places can offer such an extraordinary beauty as that of Archipelago Los Roques National Park.