Three feet!

I saw a tri-pod in my grandfather's artist studio/apartment and asked to borrow it in order to get a few night shots of the beach. Those didn't come out that well...sadness, indeed. The night was still young and I had already decided to try photographing the Casino that is near our home. After a bit of scoping out the grounds I kneeled on the dewey grass and waited for the lights to change color. Then I missed the opportunity and had to wait for the whole cycle again. It was quite worth it though. The tiredness and overwhelming factor of being back home, discovering, is still extremely powerful. Here I am, missing Williams in ways that I have never before, wishing for the busyness that is both mind numbing and extremely satisfying, while finding ways to use all the skills I have learned to try to connect with who I am.

I am extremely grateful to have been prepared well for the trip I am now enjoying. I would like to thank all the wonderful people that have come in contact with me over this past year. It has been a wonderful time of change and personal discovery. I look forward to sharing my experience with others and hope that I will be able to give back, somehow, one day, for all the blessings that have been gifted to me.

When the sky clears

After lunch I had planned a special treat for myself. As I worked in the Museum of Fado yesterday morning I was worried that skies would remain "unfriendly" to picture taking and that I would have to find something else to fill my day.

Luckily, the wind was on my side and the clouds kindly began to step out of the way.

On Terreiro do Paço they are doing a kind of Farmer's Market, as a way to show the country's great produce. There have been endless commercials on TV, sometimes even repeated three times in a row (UGH!), about this.

In the Terreiro do Paço or Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square), I had the great pleasure of visiting the new exposition of "Fado in Cinema" that is found in Pátio da Galé for the summer.

The other wonderful experience was being able to embark on a

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TAGUS RIVER CRUISE!!!!

and to see Lisbon from a beautiful new perspective.

This is the National Pantheon

 where important people are buried such as Presidents of the Republic, writers, poets, and our beloved Amália Rodrigues, who is the only woman to have been granted that honor.

Some commercial ships had huge cranes, it was REALLY cool!

We sail first to the Parque das Nações, where the World Expo '98 that commemorated the Seas and Oceans of the World occurred. Each country had a pavilion to show their culture and history in.

This is the famous Pavilhão Atlántico.

The longest bridge in Europe (thank you very much), Ponte Vasco Da Gama.

and the World's second largest Aquarium, only beaten by another in...Tokyo!

a bit of scale for the cranes...

then we turned around.

We passed where we had left from and kept cruising down the Tagus River.

Castelo de São Jorge, visible on the right hand side.

This is a typical/traditional cacilheiro that serves as a river crossing, public transportation, option for those who live all the way on the other side. It holds a lot of history.

The Electricity Museum

Belém Docks, where long ago my ancestors set sail to discover the world.

And now we have the frontal views of the Belém district that I was unable to get while walking. These pictures were the missing piece of my previous post on this area.

This side of the Discoveries Monument...

and that side of the Discoveries Monument. BOOM!

Belém Tower

A fisherman once asked himself:

"Hmm where to fish today?... oh I know!"

If you are in the States, can you see yourself on this picture???

The other side of the river.

And the 25 de Abril Bridge. Constructed as a replica of the original Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran, Cali!

                                25 de Abril Bridge, Portugal                        Golden Gate Bridge, USA
                                         June 14, 2012                       Spring Break Crosscountry Roadtrip, 2010

There is one more place to visit. Do you see it? It is the...

To Be Continued....

A Colorful Evening

Every year, a great traditions unfolds in front of Marquês do Pombal in the Avenida da Liberdade.

With Parque Eduardo VII in the background,

one walks down the mesmerizing streets of Lisbon

and finds him/herself in a crowd of eager onlookers.

"A Festa dos Santos Populares" is booming,

 

and the quicker you find a tree, a lamp, or a post, the better your chances will be of actually seeing.

We have people marching from all the different neighborhoods of Lisbon.

It is a "Show of Pride" kind of event.

 I particularly love this picture because the only part of the image I was able to get in focus was what was actually important.

Oh, there are also themes!

and QUEENS!

The props are brilliant.

The tradition of the Manjerico is also seen. Typically it is offered to a beautiful lady, along with the message that comes with the plant. Now they are simply everywhere.

The kids in the marches sometimes get tired and need affection.

The cheering doesn't only hail from the crowd. The team is extremely involved and focused. It is a competition after all.

What was once a typical busy street of (small) cars, becomes an open invitation for people to nap on crosswalks, among other fun activities that the night will bring. Everyone travels to a certain neighborhood and music and drinks are on until morning or the next night.

This is the astounding Lisbon I heard about.