A lunch with our friends M. and P. and their son M., who are living in Amsterdam.
A get together before M. had given birth to her son B. and my trip to Portugal.
A cozy birthday party this time.Just a trip to Amsterdam. A lunch in a place I like very much. My dear friend R. who lives nearby. My husband, of course. Many laughs. Beautiful presents from Portugal and The Netherlands.Lovely emails.Chocolate liqueur.Amusing talks by internet. Music.Funny e-cards. Laughs. Cozy, very cozy. I'm happy! :-)
The Birthday Cake:
A Vlaai - a typical cake from the Dutch province of Limburg. My husband bought it at a Multivlaai store in Almere.
October, 15 th
Amsterdam
In front of the Nieuwe Kerk
This is the original entrance of the Nieuwe Kerk, in Amsterdam. The former stained-glass window was bricked up when the organ was installed.
This church is no longer used for services, however, it was here that the coronation of Queen Beatrix took place in 1980, as well as the wedding of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, to princess Máxima in 2002.
This year, they came earlier - about 6 pm. All of them have sung the typical Sint Maarten liedjes very well, so, everybody has received a chocolate.
I didn't photograph the children singing at my doorway, but I leave you with a video from Youtube, so you can see how lovely is this evening in the Netherlands.
Last year, more children came. I remember I had no time to sit down on the sofa.However, this year, I had a big surprise. A group of children came to see Fofinho. "Waar is Fofinho? Hij is zo lief! " (Where is Fofinho? He is so sweet!) they said. I invited the group to come in and they were delighted to see him.So sweet of them to ask about my cat. Lately, he doesn't come out very often, since it is raining most of the time and he is a bit weak. I noticed that especially the daughter of my neighbor F. was missing him very much. She is very attached to Fofinho. Always was. :-)
Lately, every time I go to Portugal, I end up having my last vacation's day in Galápos, a beautiful beach nearby Setúbal, a city located on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary, approximately 40 km south of Lisbon.
A stretch of road in Arrábida Natural Park was the scenery where Tracy Bond - played by Diana Rigg - is shot dead by Irma Bunt - played by Ilse Steppat - in a drive-by shooting at the end of the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).
Arrábida 's and Galápo's beauty made me forget for a time my worries with my cat.
I arrived in the NL very sad since the veterinary had told my husband - during my stay in Portugal - that probably our beloved cat would only live for a couple of weeks more. Knowing that, my husband presented me with this pretty bouquet of flowers.How sweet is that? :-)
Meanwhile, Fofinho is still with us. :-) He has been a brave cat!
Last week, I went again with him to the veterinary. Some blood tests were done and more exams will follow next week. Let's see how it goes....
A day with my dear friend C. in Lisbon and Cascais
I and my friend C. met in the beautiful Neo-Manueline Rossio Railway Station (Estação do Rossio) in Lisbon. Our meeting place was not chosen by chance.You see, I wanted to go to the restaurant in front, the Beira Gare, to eat a simple Bifana. While waiting for my dear friend, I was happy to see that the Beira Gare was still open and full of customers. I was afraid that due to the economical crisis this picturesque restaurant would have closed its doors. But no, Beira Gare was still alive and kicking.
Beira Gare's Bifana, is really, really delicious and considered by many the best in Lisbon! A Bifana is a sandwich of pork fried in garlic and white wine and served in a heated bread. I simply love it!! And it is so cheap: 2.40€!!! Can you believe it?! Give it a try if you go to Lisbon!
After our lunch we walked until the Cais do Sodré railway station where we took the train to Cascais. For a half hour we enjoyed the Tagus River and then the Atlantic Ocean amazing views. Arriving in Cascais railway station, we went to the beach nearby, Praia da Conceição. After enjoying a splendid sunny afternoon there, we went finally to Santini for a delicious ice-cream.
In this photo, my friend C. is holding my mango and strawberry ice-cream. Looks yummy, don't you think?
Santini ice-salon opened its doors in 1949 in Cascais. Soon became well-known for the quality of its ice-creams. The European Royal families living in exile in Cascais - from Spain and Italy among others - soon became Attílio Santini's customers and developed a friendly relationship with him and his family. Along the years going to Santini to eat an ice-cream became a delicious tradition when in Cascais.
This lively leisure, commercial, and residential area of Lisbon is beautifully located next to the River Tagus Estuary. The Expo '98 World Exhibition was held here after a huge recovering process of the area during the 1990s . "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future" was the theme of Expo '98. The aim: to commemorate the 500 years of Portuguese discoveries.
In the photo below, Gil, the mascot of Expo '98. The name was chosen in honor of the Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes, who, in 1434, sailed beyond Cape Bojador in Africa, until then impassable.
Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa), the largest indoor Aquarium in Europe, designed by Peter Chermayeff, the same architect of Osaka Oceanarium, the largest aquarium in the world. In the photo below, Vasco, the Lisbon's Oceanarium mascot.
In Lisbon's Oceanarium central tank, you will find about 100 species from around the world, including sharks, rays, tuna, barracudas, groupers and moray eels. One of the main attractions is a large Sunfish. Around the main tank, there are four more tanks, representing different world environments: the North Atlantic rocky coast, the Antarctic coastal line, the Temperate Pacific kelp forests and the Tropical Indian coral reefs.
If you want to enjoy the amazing view of the Tagus River and of the largest bridge in Europe - Vasco da Gama Bridge - I strongly recommend you a trip in the Parque das Nações cable car (teleférico).
Finally, if you want to discover more sights of Lisbon, take your train in Parque das Nações, at Oriente Station (Gare do Oriente). Designed by Santiago Calatrava, it's one of the largest stations in the world.
In Oriente Station, you'll find a Metro station, a high-speed, commuter and regional train hub and a local, national and international bus station, as well as a shopping center, named after Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India through the sea (1498).
The view of Gare do Oriente from Vasco da Gama Shopping Center
I have enjoyed a splendid day in Parque das Nações with my goddaughter, her mother and her sister. I'm sure you will enjoy it too, if you want to visit it one day!
