Wednesday 3 February 2010

Lisboa e Fado por Tessa de Loo

We have been travelling around in the south of Portugal according to the words of Tessa de Loo and my photos of the places that she visited: Evora, Monsaraz, Tavira and Sintra.

Today we go to Lisbon, Portugal's capital, the city where I lived, studied and worked before I came to the Nederlands.
....

Lisboa/Lisbon

Tessa de Loo begins her story about Lisbon with the well known earthquake of 1755. If you want to know more about it, please click here.

"In 1755 werd Lissabon voor tachtig procent verwoest door een aardbeving, die gevolgd werd door een Tsunami: eerst trok de zee zich terug en keken de mensen op de kade geboeid naar de talloze scheepswrakken die nu bloot lagen, totdat tien minuten later huizenhoge golven zich over hen en de stad stortten."

(Tessa de Loo, Mijn Portugal)

About this beautiful city, let me point out some special places...

Castelo de Sao Jorge, Saint George Castle


From Portugal


"...is a Portuguese castle that occupies a commanding position overlooking the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, and the broad Tagus River (Rio Tejo) beyond. The strongly-fortified citadel, which, in its present configuration, dates from medieval times, is located atop the highest hill in the historic center of the city. The castle is one of the main historical and touristic sites of Lisbon."

(From Wikipedia)

Rio Tejo/Tagus River e Praca do Comercio


From Portugal


"...is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It measures 1,038 kilometers in length, 716 km of which are in Spain, 47 km as border between Portugal and Spain and the remaining 275 km in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic at Lisbon."

(From Wikipedia)

" The Praça do Comércio (...) English: Commerce Square) is located in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. Situated near the Tagus river, the square is still commonly known as Terreiro do Paço (...) ( English: Palace Square), because it was the location of the Paços da Ribeira (Royal Ribeira Palace) until it was destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake. After the earthquake, the square was completely remodelled as part of the rebuilding of the Pombaline Downtown, ordered by the Marquis of Pombal."

(From Wikipedia)

Ponte 25 de Abril/ 25 de Abril Bridge (the view from the Castle)


From Portugal


" The 25 de Abril Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril "25th of April Bridge" (...) is a suspension bridge connecting the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, to the municipality of Almada on the left bank of the Tejo river. It was inaugurated on August 6, 1966 and a train platform was added in 1999. Because of its similar coloring, it is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. In fact, it was built by the same company (American Bridge Company) that constructed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and not the Golden Gate, also explaining its similarity in design. With a total length of 2,277 m, it is the 20th largest suspension bridge in the world. The upper platform carries six car lanes, the lower platform two train tracks. Until 1974, the bridge was named Salazar Bridge."

(From Wikipedia)

Torre de Belem (janela)/ Torre de Belem window (Manuelino style)


From Portugal


" Belém Tower (in Portuguese Torre de Belém (...) is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal, and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery)[2] because it represents the Portuguese maritime discoveries during the era of the Age of Discoveries.[3] The tower was commissioned by King John II[4] to be both part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.[3]
The tower was built in the early sixteenth century and is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style,[5] but it also incorporates hints of other architectural styles.[6] The structure was built from lioz limestone[7] and is composed of a bastion and the 30 meter (100 foot),[1] four story tower. It has incorrectly been stated that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus and now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In fact, the tower was built on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore.[6][8"

(From Wikipedia)

Have you ever heard about Manuelino Style?

" The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral.
This innovative style synthesizes aspects of Late Gothic architecture with influences of Spanish Plateresque style, downtown Italian, and Flemish elements. It marks the transition from Late Gothic to Renaissance. The construction of churches and monasteries in Manueline was largely financed by proceeds of the lucrative spice trade with Africa and India."

(From Wikipedia)

Tessa de Loo also refers Manuelino Style...

" Dankzij de koloniale rijkdommen uit het verleden is er een elegante, eigen architectuur ontstaan – een Portugese variant van de Barok en later van Art Deco. Tot in de uithoeken het land vind je paleizen, kerken, kathedralen en landhuizen in deze typisch Portugese stijl, maar ook pittoreske steden en dorpen, nogal eens in een staat van verval die weemoed oproept naar vervlogen tijden… geen onprettig gevoel eigenlijk, als je er op een zonnig terras met een glas vinho verde in de hand over kunt mijmeren."

...as well as Fado, the typical portuguese music and song, unique in the world.

" Zo is het ook met de fado. Hoewel door sommige fadistos tot een kunst verheven, is de fado vooral de muziek van het volk gebleven. Overal in het land vind je plaatselijke bekendheden en als je in een restaurant zit kan het zomaar gebeuren dat iemand opstaat (de kruidenier of apotheker van het stadje) om, de handen plechtig gekruist op de buik, een fado ten gehore te brengen."

Have you already heard a Fado from Amalia Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo, Mariza, Cristina Branco or Dulce Pontes?

As we say in Portugal: "Silencio! Vai-se cantar o Fado!" or " Silence! Fado will be sung!"

Carlos do Carmo, Lisboa Menina e Moca



Carlos do Carmo, Os Putos



Carlos do Carmo, Um Homem na Cidade



(to be continued)

11 comments:

World Sweet Home said...

How is Lisbon? I've heard it is great for everything! I would like to go there and to Porto one day!

Presépio no Canal said...

Oh! Tami! I am so glad you comment on this! ;-)

Because I already tried to comment on your blog and I couldn't find the place where to put the code words after writing the comment. Can ou help me on this?

Your blog is beautiful, positive, with amazing fotos and quotes...Now you know what I think about it. :-)

Thank for comment of this!

Porto and Lisbon are excellent choices indeed! So much to see and enjoy! :-)

Here in the blog you can find a video about it. Search for " This is Portugal". Enjoy!

Beijinhos :-)

~ Lopa said...

I haven't been to Portugal yet, but it is on my list for the reasons that i have heard a lot about this beautiful country and also because of the history Portugal share with India.
I even heard that historical connection reflects in some of the spices and cooking too.

I don't know exactly when, but Portugal soon i will see you :)

Presépio no Canal said...

Dear Lopa,

And I woukd like to go to India by the same reasons ;-)

I also have heard that indian people are very polite and spiritual, so it wil be wonderful to go to India :-)

Yes, indeed, portuguese cooking has got many influences from India ;-)

And we always have Vasco da Gama, Afonso de Albuquerque and all the others ;-)

The portuguese influence is greater in the south of India (Goa).

Curiosity: Portugal is the country in all the world that has got the greatest number of monuments classified by UNESCO outside its frontiers. See here:

http://presepiocomvistaparaocanal.blogspot.com/2008/07/very-good-news.html
in India are the churchs and Convents in Goa.

I would like to see some recents fotos of Goa and other beautiful places and traditions in India...

How we said "beijinhos" in India?

;-)

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Sandra dearest, you are making me love the idea of going to Portugal and the Netherlands more and more each time that I come to take a virtual tour!!!! Thank you so much! Anita

Unknown said...

So beautiful & great music to accompany! Thank you for sharing! I wish you a nice week & weekend :-)

Presépio no Canal said...

Anita :-) Come to Portugal! We will go to Sintra, for a writer like you, it will be magical ;-) Beijinhos


Isabella: ;-) Do did you enjoy Fado? If you go to Lisbon one day, you must go to a Fado house, to listen fadistas, eating a caldo verde, chourico assado...ah e don't forget, bring a black shawl... Beijinhos

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Sandra! Oh what fun, you came to dance with the likes of Gene Kelly and Fred!!! I FEEL LIKE DANCING, especially after all that bread (my favorite food in the whole wide world) and now that I accomplished my thesis! Let's celebrate!!! Have a splendid weekend! Bisous, Anita

VagaMundos said...

Excelente promoção da nossa Lisboa :) E que saudades já nos temos dela.
Beijinhos

~ Lopa said...

Isn't it great, without being to that country we got to meet so many different people from all the countries we have only known in books and we get to know each other :)

You dont need to go to India to meet an Indian or say a Portugese :)

We were in Goa March 2008, for our honeymoon :) I love it :)

Presépio no Canal said...

That;s true ;-)

Shall we meet? ;-) we take a coffie one of these days ;-)

I already meet two girls from India ;-) very nice people :-) my next post will be about one of them.

I like so much to know people from others culture and countries...:-)

Beijinhos ;-) Have a nice week :-)