Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Lisbon got all "dressed up" weeks in advance waiting for Santo António. Even though I found this sometimes a little bit naive, I like it. I love how nobody can move Portuguese from their traditions, they stick to them and follow all these popular feasts with almost "religious rigor".
...on the 12th of June Lisbon had the smell of grilled sardines, the whole city was on holiday and Alfama got overwhelmingly crowded for a day. Of course, Santo Antonio was celebrated in Lisbon. This time I didn't have the patience to watch the parade-this year there were 23 Marchas Populares on Avenida da Liberdade. I just stayed for 15 minutes and I gave up. I wanted to fill my clothes and hair with the smoke of grilled sardines :-)) I think not only the whole population of Lisbon but also the whole population of the surrounding cities was in Alfama. Incredibly crowded. Everybody smiling, singing, drinking beer and selling anything they could sell in front of their houses. The vibe was extremely good.
this is the day when the price of basil pots gets filthy expensive and everybody buys these colorful pots with nice messages written on white paper
I loved Santo António night. I felt the city was alive again-for those who do not know, Portuguese don't fill the streets of their cities endlessly like Spanish do, they are more quiet and peaceful and sometimes I feel I live in a dead city, even though I love Lisbon so much. This time I adored it, with all its smoke and dirty streets. I decided to take a taxi back home, I had a short conversation with the taxi driver-I love it that we can talk now-I don't say much but at least I understand everything he is telling me and this makes me feel so comfortable. This time he asked me if the "marchas populares" ended in the street. I tried to make a rapid calculation in my head and said-oh yes. Then he replied-how come yes when I listen to the radio and they have only reached no.16?? oops. I was puzzled. My mathematics was not good. I went home and he was right. Not even at 2 o'clock the street parade did not end-I saw it on tv :-)
Thank you Santo António. You have a beautiful day.
PS: I absolutely loved the work of these Portuguese artists: Bela Silva, Henrique Cayatte, João Maio Pinto, Luís Henriques, Nuno Saraiva and Pedro Proença, who had this crazy idea to adorn the sardines in different funny ways.
...on the 12th of June Lisbon had the smell of grilled sardines, the whole city was on holiday and Alfama got overwhelmingly crowded for a day. Of course, Santo Antonio was celebrated in Lisbon. This time I didn't have the patience to watch the parade-this year there were 23 Marchas Populares on Avenida da Liberdade. I just stayed for 15 minutes and I gave up. I wanted to fill my clothes and hair with the smoke of grilled sardines :-)) I think not only the whole population of Lisbon but also the whole population of the surrounding cities was in Alfama. Incredibly crowded. Everybody smiling, singing, drinking beer and selling anything they could sell in front of their houses. The vibe was extremely good.
this is the day when the price of basil pots gets filthy expensive and everybody buys these colorful pots with nice messages written on white paper
I loved Santo António night. I felt the city was alive again-for those who do not know, Portuguese don't fill the streets of their cities endlessly like Spanish do, they are more quiet and peaceful and sometimes I feel I live in a dead city, even though I love Lisbon so much. This time I adored it, with all its smoke and dirty streets. I decided to take a taxi back home, I had a short conversation with the taxi driver-I love it that we can talk now-I don't say much but at least I understand everything he is telling me and this makes me feel so comfortable. This time he asked me if the "marchas populares" ended in the street. I tried to make a rapid calculation in my head and said-oh yes. Then he replied-how come yes when I listen to the radio and they have only reached no.16?? oops. I was puzzled. My mathematics was not good. I went home and he was right. Not even at 2 o'clock the street parade did not end-I saw it on tv :-)
Thank you Santo António. You have a beautiful day.
PS: I absolutely loved the work of these Portuguese artists: Bela Silva, Henrique Cayatte, João Maio Pinto, Luís Henriques, Nuno Saraiva and Pedro Proença, who had this crazy idea to adorn the sardines in different funny ways.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
I live in a zoo
My apartment will soon turn into a zoo. I have been invaded by butterflies-not moths, as some might think-and here is the proof....and yesterday a little bird decided to visit my room. I think she had something to tell but I still don't know what exactly :-)
Festival International de Tango-Lisboa-2009
Thank you Agustín :-) for offering me the most amazing table at the International Tango Festival. Last year I was wondering-hmmm those guys sitting at the tables, with champagne and lovely printed fans must be really lucky. Well, this year I was one of them :-)
Pablo Rodriguez and Noelia Hurtado
Juan Capriotti and Graciana Romeo
....when I used to dance tango, I also took classes with them in Lisbon. Lovely.
Adrian Veredice and Alejandra Hobert
Diego Riemer "El Pájaro" and Belén Giachello
they are completely crazy, passionate and lovely. Danced blind folded, danced on the stairs, smiled, laughed, played and enjoyed themselves sooooo much.
Pablo Rodriguez and Noelia Hurtado
Juan Capriotti and Graciana Romeo
....when I used to dance tango, I also took classes with them in Lisbon. Lovely.
Adrian Veredice and Alejandra Hobert
Diego Riemer "El Pájaro" and Belén Giachello
they are completely crazy, passionate and lovely. Danced blind folded, danced on the stairs, smiled, laughed, played and enjoyed themselves sooooo much.
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