Confessional

Parede parish church.

For those who don't know how this works:
If you are a catholic, instead of talking straight to God, you put yourself on your knees, open these two little doors and, whispering, you tell your sins through the grid to the unknown man on the other side. That man is a priest who will forgive you in the name of God and decide what your penitence will be, that is, how many prayers you have to say.

Hospital de Sant'Anna

Orthopaedic hospital built in 1904 at Parede

Hotel Praia Mar

Florbela Espanca

Florbela Espanca (1894-1930), by Francisco Simões, at Parque dos Poetas (Poets Park), a tribute to the 20th century portuguese poetry, where you can find twenty statues of different writers, so far.

Erosion

August September (the sea is working on it again!)

E.T.

Ok, now that I have probably made you scream, here is the common photo of another bump goose (anser cygnoides), not with a broken beak... Both shots taken at Quinta da Alagoa.

Casino Estoril

First day of autumn

Although Carcavelos beach is more than 1km long, you can't enjoy it during summer monthes because of overcrowding (every single day!)... Now is the time to start taking advantage of living close by.
São Julião fortress sits in the background.

Quinta da Alagoa (II)

I've already posted some photos taken at Quinta da Alagoa public park (pond, ducks, turtles), but here is some history now:

Dating from the 17th century, Quinta da Alagoa was a very big farm ruled by Companhia de Jesus (Society of Jesus), a religious order also known as Jesuits.

On the 18th century Jesuits were expelled from Portugal and owners had been changing until the famous Carcavelos wine start being produced around the year of 1879.

In recent years urbanization has been taking place, the wine production has finished and the only remnants of the farm are the public park (and pond) and this falling apart manor that belongs now to the County.

Old tram

Old trams are becoming bars in public parks like this one at Oeiras downtown.

'Arte Mar' (II)

Inside the white tent seen on the previous post are the works of João Pedro Vale, as part of the modern art exhibition on the sea promenade. The last one is made of salt (and other materials) and the other two are covered with bottle tops.

Tamariz beach

This used to be the most fashionable beach in the area during the 60s and early 70s.

The small castle is a private residence.

Tomorrow I will show you what's inside the white tent.

'Arte Mar'

There is currently a modern art exhibition on the sea promenade that connects Cascais to São João do Estoril. These are some of the works:


1- 'Linha de Mar', by Carlos Nogueira
2- 'Dolphin fighting the Wave', by Rotraut (Klein-Moquay)

3- 'Submerged Vessels', by Dennis Oppenheim
4- 'Mar Futuro', by Júlio Quaresma

Early 70s tiles

Building wall, Parede

Chiado square

Corner building at Lisbon downtown.

Unknown tree

Sea promenade

Turtles

People come to Quinta da Alagoa public park to release the turtles they have kept as pets, when they grow too much. There are hundreds of them in this big pond! I've counted 6 species so far, inclunding the less common softshell turtle (Trionyx spiniferus) on the 1st photo.

Turquoise

Not Stonehenge

... just a group of faces chatting in a circle...
Look at the 1st one and you can clearly see one eye, nose and mouth.

Off-topic: Carrapateira

The villageThe coast-lineThe beachesI've just came back from the southwest coast of Portugal, where I spent the weekend on a small village called Carrapateira.
More photos on my travel blog: http://mendoncajose.blogspot.com

Forte de São Julião da Barra

Dating from 1553, this fortress is considered to be the greatest coastal defense building in Portugal.
During the french invasion, Napoleon troops occupied it on the year of 1807, but british allies have conquered it one year later and in 1809 the fortress was again on portuguese hands.
Nowadays it is the official residence of the Minister of Defense.

Palmtrees

... right outside my door.

The fifties

Jellyfish

... at Lisbon 'Oceanário'

The Poets Cascade

Formerly called The Nobel Grotto, the name has changed after the first visit of Queen Mary I to the House of Oeiras in 1783. The busts of four epic writers Tasso, Homero, Virgilio and the portuguese Camões are on top of the front pillars.