Portugal 2007 and more

White

2009-09-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

Blue

2009-09-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa

2009-06-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

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.

I live in a zoo

2009-06-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Museu de São Roque

2009-05-23T02:11:00.001-07:00

Just a very rapid glimpse at the newly opened São Roque museum. I am not a fan of guided tours and had one of the shyest and clumsiest guides, but I found out so many interesting things about the history of the place, the life of São Roque and the beautiful artworks of the museum, that I promised myself to return. The history of the place goes back to the 16th century, when Lisbon was literally swept of a wave of plague (coming from Venice). The King (King Manuel I) asked the Republic of Venice (ironically!) for a relic of Saint Roch, who was popular for his miracles and who helped victims of the plague in South Europe. This is how all began...

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

2009-05-23T01:57:00.000-07:00

Festas de Lisboa

2009-05-21T10:09:00.001-07:00

O Aqueduto à noite-a noite mais longa

2009-05-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Spring again

2009-03-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

O Carnaval

2009-02-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

My secret wish for this carnival was to be dressed as a fairy. My neighbor's daughter was a fairy herself and I even thought about stealing her little magic wand and take loads of pictures with it - crazy, isn't it? :-) - walk around and turn all people' wishes into reality with my shrewd magic :-)...and I just found out that at least in Lisbon, the carnival is a lovely event mostly for the children, not for the grown-ups who maybe are too worried about their lives or just lack the sense of humor to get dressed up and enjoy the colors and music of the carnival. Next year I will be a bee :-)

Palácio Foz

2009-01-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

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5 de Outubro - o Dia da Implantação da República

2008-10-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

In my ignorance I completely forgot about the 5th of October. It was just another Sunday, sunny day (thanx God), almost beach day and very quiet like all the Lisbon days. I wanted to eat pasteis de Belém and as my wish had to be granted, we passed by Jerónimos, the Presidency building and so on-it was soooo crowded and didn't have a place to park. In the end we managed to find a remote place and we headed for the cakes. Seeing so many people at Palácio de Belém, innocently asked if we can visit it-the answer was yes. So we entered, stayed in line, visited the beautiful gardens, entered the palace and ....here comes the question - me, asking with a very shy voice "faz favor, hoje é um dia especial?" -excuse me, today is a special day? the answer was-sim, o 5 de Outubro!!! and I went ooooohhhh yes, o 5 de Outubro - my history knowledge ran in front of my eyes in a few seconds and realized that yes, the 5th of October was indeed a special day and it was the day of the Republic-the day in which Portugal ended the monarchy in 1910.

This time it was celebrated with a lovely sunset, a lot of people, the presence of the President with his wife. Thanx to all these, I got to discover this lovely band called Deolinda http://www.myspace.com/deolindalisboa u can look for them on youtube as well - they are lovely - vivid, happy songs with terrific lyrics and a singer who loves performing (Ana Bacalhau) - ain't that sweet? :-))

São Bento

2008-09-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

"They" say that you should be careful with what you wish for, as it may become true. I was in search for the green fairy-and desperately wanted to see her.

Never thought though that it can be transformed and appear on Rua São Bento - there was more than one, and not quite green but I think my wish came true :-) how easy :-)) it was. I missed the "festa" last year, not knowing exactly what that was but this time I got the taste of it-art galleries opened until midnight, opera singers performing in the street, yellow roses and yes, delicious, fancy, lovely food and champagne, wine and sangria. What a style! Enjoy my fairies. There is also an Internet site about the event so in case you have a high curiosity of finding out what else happened there, you can take a look here http://ruadesaobento.blogspot.com/

By night

2008-07-27T00:46:00.000-07:00

On my way home from taking pictures for a friend who recently opened a nice Portuguese shop, I got my camera and took pictures close to Avenida da Liberdade and in Jardim da Estrela.

Linen

2008-07-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

These pictures were not taken only in Lisbon, but seeing sheets, linen, garments at the balconies is pretty typical for Lisbon.

Sunset at the Castle

2008-06-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

A festa de Santo António-12-13 de Junho

2008-06-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

Santo António de Padova or de Lisboa is celebrated on the 13th of June-the day of his death-he was born in Lisbon and died in Padova. In Lisbon, the feast is extremely beautiful - it starts with a very long parade on Avenida da Liberdade, on the 12th of June- and ends (well, at least for me it ended then :-) in Alfama. People eat sardines, drink bear, sing, dance and enjoy themselves in the streets of Lisbon. In 2006 I was in Padova and accidently got to visit the church where his relics are and now enjoyed every single second of this beautiful feast in Lisbon. I read about a lot of interesting "rituals" that people use to practice on this day but I will let you discover them yourselves on the Internet. And then......he is also the patron saint of marriages :-) (but not of Lisbon)

Alfama antes da festa de Santo António

2008-06-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Alfama espera a festa de Santo António :-)

Happy Birthday, Portugal!

2008-06-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

A Casa de Macao e o Elevador Santa Justa

2008-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Largo do Carmo - all in bloom

2008-06-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

please tell me this is not a Magritte :-)....

Did you know that trees now how to paint ?

2008-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

....they are the best with painting on calçada with their beautiful brenches, dark shades - when the Sun lets them to :-)

Jacarandá fiesta - Maio de 2008

2008-05-23T05:24:00.000-07:00

I read on Wikipedia that Jacarandá trees are very popular in South Africa (Pretoria being called the Jacarandá City), also in Brisbane - Australia. I heard about the Jacarandá trees when I was little, when my father brought home some seeds from Zambia hoping that we will be able to plant and grow a beautiful purple tree - of course that was not possible and I think that the seeds are still somewhere in a drawer. I got to see the trees first on my first TAP flight to Portugal (in TAP's magazine) -when I was coming to an unknown land, now dear to me, and I fell in love with these trees when looking at a picture taken in June in Largo do Convento do Carmo. Then I got to see them for real last year and this year again, this year, even though a very rainy spring, Jacarandá trees couldn't wait until June and they decided to bloom earlier-which only made my photo expeditions harder to handle-between rain drops and wind, chasing for an unexistent Sun, carrying a backpack full of photo gear and walking for hours on end to capture the last glimpse of a Jacarandá tree in bloom. Beautiful as always. Enjoy the purple fiesta!

Expo 98, Trafaria, Convento do Carmo - 17 de Maio de 2008

2008-05-18T07:23:00.001-07:00

EXPO 98

A caminho da Trafaria

A noite no Convento do Carmo

Cruise on Tejo - 29th of April 2008

2008-05-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Thanx to Indie Lisboa I got to spend two hours in a windy and cloudy day on Principe Perfeito - a nice sail ship. Looked for my house from the other side of the river, passed one more time behind the 25 de Abril bridge and prayed not to get a cold from the not so friendly weather. But who cared about the weather when seeing such a beautiful view-not me, for sure.

25 de Abril de 2008

2008-04-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

Warm day in Lisbon, 1 euro carnations, a lot of people in the street, I guess each one of them looking and wishing for something else. I though everybody was in the street to celebrate 25th of April 1974, but no, there were a lot of other collateral manifestations-for workers, for the liberation of some parts of Spain, for handicapped people.....enthusiasm and some photo harassment (as I did, as well....but well, those were the rules of the game). It is my second 25th of April in Lisbon.

I especially like this guy and of course I admired his Che Guevara flag....he liked to pose and he did that for me.

this one is my favorite

Lapa - 21 de Abril de 2008

2008-04-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

I had to thank my dear Sun for shinning back again. As I have waited for him for more then two endless weeks when all the torments of the weather, all the struggles and frustrations of a permanent serene lovely sky came to Lisbon. It was overwhelming for me. I never thought the Ocean can be so powerful over a piece of land, I never thought that wind can blow so dramatically and rain can pour like you pour water from a huge bucket. And then my lovely Sun shone again and that was today. And I went for a 30 minutes peaceful walk in Lapa and wondered if people know how blessed they are or they could be if they were just able to forget all their useless worries that will not lead them to anywhere and just admire nature waking up. And I photographed the light, the shadows, the morning and a lovely square in front of the Art Museum, an almost deserted square – it is always a wonder for me why is it that empty. And I loved it, as always and forever. This is part of my endless love declaration for the Sun ☺

Museu de Marinha - 13 de Abril de 2008

2008-04-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Belém, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos,Ermida de São Jerónimo

2008-04-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Ermida de São Jerónimo

I knew from my visit to Padrão dos Descobrimentos that this chapel was special - Vasco da Gama used to pray here before leaving on his long journeys. I also knew that I would find a closed chapel, as it can be visited only on Wednesdays, by prior appointment. It is nice, small, white and humble.

This chapel, built in 1514, the chapel São Jerónimo - Ermida de São Jerónimo (also known as Capela de São Jerónimo or Ermida do Restelo) is located on the outer limits of the land that used to belong to the Hieronymos Friars. It looks almost like a monolith (it is a rectangular cube) and has simple, harmonious proportions and Manueline upper ornamentation.   After the religious orders were abolished in 1834, the lands were sold off in lots and the chapel was left cut off from the rest of the Belém religious complex.

Belém, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

Belém is in itself one of the main touristic attractions. Of course I got to visit Torre de Belém, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the famous Pasteis de Belém one year ago. I just never got to post anything here. For those interested in history, here are some facts about the monastery.

In 1496 King Manuel I petitioned the Holy See for permission to build a large monastery at the entrance to Lisbon on the banks of the Tagus River (Tejo). Construction began in 1501 and the work was finished about a century later. The reason for building the Jerónimos Monastery lie mainly in the wish of the monarch to reunite the Avis-Beja dynasty, of which he was the first, in a National Pantheon and also in dedication of the Monastery to the Virgin of Belém. The Jerónimos Monastery, as is generally known, was to replace the original church on the same site, dedicated to Santa Maria of Belém (St. Mary of Belém) and where the monks of the Order of Christ gave comfort to passing seamen. King Manuel I poured large sums of money into the building of the Monastery at Belém. A good part of what was called the "the pepper tax" (approximately 5% of the receipts from the spice trade with Africa and the East, the equivalent of 70kg of gold per year) served to pay for the work, which, from the beginning, was strictly dependent on the King.

The Order lived in the Monastery for four centuries until 1834, when religious communities were dissolved and the Monastery cleared. The Monastery passed into the hands of the State and became a college for the pupils of the Casa Pia of Lisbon (a children charity) until around 1940.

Making a movie - Lisbon

2008-04-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

Padrão dos Descobrimentos - 5 de Abril de 2008

2008-04-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Padrão dos Descobrimentos - after listening to the vivid explanations of our guide and seeing the view from the top of the monument, I changed my mind about the Padrão and would include it as a place to visit in Lisbon. As expected, I got fascinated by the stories of all the long lasting travels of Diaz, Vasco da Gama, Cabral, about the history of the monument (which was erected first in 1940 for the Portuguese World Exhibition, destroyed, then built again in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator) and by the statues of some great people of the era - 33 in total, 32 men and only one woman (Filipa de Lancaster, mother of what is known as the "Ínclita Geração"-the Illustrious Generation of princes). Spectacular view.

Variations on white

2008-03-31T05:51:00.001-07:00

Purple Lisbon

2008-03-30T01:29:00.000-07:00

Lisbon Zoo - 15th of March 2008

2008-03-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

They live in "our world" and yet they still have the majestic attitude of a wild animal - they know their prey, when to fight, when to rest. I wondered how happy they are living like this - I think in the end it is a matter of fate - long life but less freedom. I felt humbled, amazed, happy from seeing their beauty, delicacy, power and behaviors.

I have found out that seals are monogamous for their whole life, but sea-lions are not, I was lucky to see them from above, from a cable car that crossed the whole park, I listened to some commercial not so nice music but admired how nicely dolphins play and their very special relationship to men. I felt like Alice in Wonderland.

And then I imagined their personalities - how bold, nervous, angry, shy they could be but couldn't imagine vanity and useless fights with no purpose and I think this could be one of the reasons for which I love them. And then I have this personal obsession that every time I go to the zoo, lions get to gaze directly into my eyes - this is what they do, yes :-)

x

Lovely Lisbon Saturday.

Ponte 25 de Abril - 1st of March 2008

2008-03-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

It was a hard choice to choose among the tens of photos I took on a lovely Saturday morning in Lisbon. I get to see surprisingly beautiful seascapes from my window, I have literally craved to get to take pictures on a foggy morning and I had this luck by chance (thank you:-)) last week - can you imagine a sunny foggy morning? can you see the boats passing by on the river, can you see me jumping up and down with happiness that I get to see such beautiful moments? I hope you like my selection and I promise to share these moments with you every time I get the chance.

Mãe d´Água das Amoreiras - 1st of March

2008-03-05T05:36:00.000-08:00

There are several Water Museums in Lisbon-as far as I know three. This one, Mãe d´Água das Amoreiras, finished in 1834, reopened on the 1st of March 2008 - free entrance on that day (lucky me), extremely beautiful view, magnifiscent sunset light, many tunnels, a stage on water and nice sound.

Render Solene da Guarda ao Palácio de Belém - 17 February 2008

2008-02-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

Render Solene da Guarda ao Palácio de Belém - the parade at the Presidential Palace takes place once a month (the 3rd Sunday of each month, at 11am). I got to see it by chance as I was going to the see the exhibition organized at Palacio da Ajuda - the Hermitage Collections - it was a rainy day and everybody had to stay in line for more than expected. The parade in itself is very nice and the music is very dynamic and beautiful - so if you get there by chance, don't miss it. Don't forget to look a the horses - they have their manes extremely beautifuly braided.

Chapitô and around...

2008-02-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Lisbon

2008-02-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

Cristo Rei & Costa da Caparica

2008-01-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Cristo Rei

Costa da Caparica

Views from my balcony

2008-01-24T23:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

2007-12-30T02:08:00.000-08:00

Lisbon by night-part II

2007-12-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

Avenida da Liberdade, Rossio, Praça de Alegria - 4th of November 2007

2007-11-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

Excuse me for this excess of pink - it is not spring (I know) and I am not into the "Barbie doll attitude thing" but I just couldn't help it - I had to show you once again this tree in bloom in November - I promise it's the last time this year. Sunday morning, extremely sunny, silent and beautiful. I just love Lisbon!

Celebrating ....borboletas

2007-11-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

borboletas, mariposas, butterflies - These tiny, delicate creatures got to be photographed on their 1st birthday at the Botanical Garden-Lisbon-not their "real" first birthday as unfortunately they don't live that long...but the one of this beautiful project. They are called Monarch butterflies and are one of the few insects capable of making transatlantic crossings - as they say. I saw them "taking breakfast", I saw them "making love" (even though the most amazing thing I have ever seen was not photographed-that was two butterflies flying together, he "hooked" her and they ran away), I saw them flying against the morning light....and this is how they turned out to be.

Jardim da Estrela

2007-11-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Um amigo disse-me para começar a comentar as minhas fotografias e acho que tem razão. Por isso, agora vou escrever “a história” destas fotografias de uma sessão de 15 minutos. Foram tiradas a 1 de Novembro, dia de festa em toda a Europa católica, menos no meu local de trabalho… evidentemente, território romeno:-) Para ultrapassar as angústias matinais depois de acordar, quando habitualmente estou na varanda a olhar para um Sol enlouquecedor, um Tejo azul e plantas floridas na varanda, e penso com entusiasmo que percorrerei 15 m (metros, não minutos) até ao meu emprego, aplico o método “ir passear” antes de começar um novo dia de trabalho. Desta vez escolhi um dia bastante frio (enfim, desculpem, frio para o mês de Novembro aqui quer dizer 15 graus) mas com muito sol e fui para a Estrela (Jardim da Estrela, a 5 minutos a pé do local onde vivo) para fotografar esta loucura de árvore, que decide florir só no mês de Outubro – não sei como se chama, de que tipo é, de onde vem e quanto tempo fica florido mas calculo que pouco, já que quase todas as suas flores estão no chão. A luz da manhã na Estrela é absolutamente divina, lembrava-me das minhas manhãs em Vila Borghese, quando tentava tirar fotografias antes que o jardim ficasse cheio de pessoas, quando espreitava os transeuntes que passeavam os seus cães, para não ter que os apanhar num quadro idílico… Mas na Estrela e acho que em toda a Lisboa não havia vivalma, porque era feriado. Havia, no entanto, um vendedor de jornais a quem comprei a Time Out (para os que não sabem, a Time Out só agora chegou a Lisboa e custa 2 euros…)… tinha que fazer a minha sessão rápida de fotografias, em 15 minutos, para ir já para o emprego, às 8.30 – estava a pensar no que diriam os meus colegas ao verem-me a rebolar no asfalto para fotografar umas flores magníficas, quando eles mal estavam a sair do torpor matinal e liam conscienciosamente as notícias. Depois de algum tempo passou um carro da polícia que diminuiu um pouco a marcha, talvez admirados ao verem-me assim, perdida, por entre as flores cor-de-rosa. Depois fui directamente para o emprego, quase que já não tinha paciência para ver as fotografias que tinha tirado… esta é a sua história. Belo Outono cor-de-rosa!

* * *

Mi-a spus un prieten sa incep sa comentez propriile fotografii si cred ca are dreptate. Asa ca voi scrie acum "istoria" acestor fotografii dintr-o sesiune de 15 minute. Au fost facute in data de 1 noiembrie, zi de sarbatoare in toata Europa catolica, mai putin zi de sarbatoare la locul meu de munca...evident, teritoriu romanesc :-) Ca sa trec peste angoasele matinale de dupa momentul trezirii, cand ma uit de obicei pe balcon si vad un Soare innebunitor, un Tejo albastru si flori inflorite pe balcon, si ma gandesc cu entuziasm ca voi parcurge 15m (nu minute, ci metri) pana la locul de munca, aplic metoda plecat la plimbare inainte de inceperea unei noi zile de munca. De data asta mi-am ales o zi destul de friguroasa (ma rog, ma scuzati, friguroasa pt luna noiembrie aici inseamna 15 grade) dar cu mult Soare si am plecat in Estrela (Jardim da Estrela, la 5 min de mers pe jos de locul unde locuiesc) pentru a poza aceasta nebunie de copac, care se hotaraste sa infloreasca doar in luna octombrie-nu stiu cum il cheama, ce hram poarta, de unde vine si cat ramane inflorit, dar presupun ca putin daca deja aproape toate florile ii sunt cazute pe jos. Lumina de dimineata in Estrela e absolut divina, imi amintea de diminetile mele in Vila Borghese, cand vanam sa fac poze inainte sa se umple parcul de lume, cand pandeam trecatorii sa isi plimbe mai repede cainii si sa nu fiu nevoita sa ii prind intr-un cadru idilic...Asadar in Estrela si in toata Lisabona de altfel, cred, nu era tipenie de om pentru ca era sarbatoare. Era insa un vanzator de ziare de la care mi-am cumparat Time Out (pentru cei care nu stiu Time Out a ajuns abia acum in Lisabona si costa 2 euro)....trebuia sa imi fac sesiunea de pozat rapid, in 15 min, ca sa plec deja spre servici la 8:30-ma gandeam ce or spune colegii mei sa ma vada tavalindu-ma pe asfalt ca sa pozez niste flori superbe cand ei de abia se dezmeticeau si isi citeau cu constiinciozitate stirile. Dupa un timp, a trecut o masina de politie, care a incetinit putin, probabil nedumeriti vazandu-ma asa pierduta printre florile roz. Apoi am plecat glont la servici, aproape ca nu mai aveam rabdare sa vad pozele pe care le facusem....aceasta este povestea lor. Toamna frumoasa si roz!

Estrela - 30th of October 2007

2007-10-31T00:32:00.001-07:00

Lapa & Sao Bento - 30th of October 2007

2007-10-30T15:22:00.001-07:00

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum-Lisbon

2007-10-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

Palacio Nacional da Ajuda-Lisboa

2007-10-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

A mix of green and gray

2007-10-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is a mix of green and grey that I somehow never got the chance to post until now - Chiado and the Botanical garden, the same day I took the pictures with the butterflies.

Gulbenkian gardens in September

2007-09-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Centro Cultural Belem, 25th of August 2007

2007-09-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Lisboa à noite

2007-08-07T02:58:00.000-07:00

29th of July 207 - Museu Nacional do Traje & Museu Nacional do Teatro

2007-07-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

Impressions from the....Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa - Parque das Naçőes

2007-06-16T09:42:00.001-07:00

The story of two drapes

2007-04-22T09:01:00.000-07:00