Adventurous Maite: September 2016

PHOTOS

Skylight (Claraboia in Portuguese). A great novel by Saramago, one of my favourite authors. My friend Nina Claudina gave me this present my last day in their house!!!

I love to read him in the original language... This is, indeed, a very fitting present for me!

Benfica football scarf Eu sou campeão

Scarf Portugal Champion's Euro 2016. 11 Milhões De Campeões... :)

Panoramic view from the balcony of the room (Rua de Oliveira Martins)

Some pictures taken on the balcony

Setubal I'll miss you so much!

Nina and I... Our last pictures together... Our last moments in Setubal

Pics from the car. Alegro Shopping Centre (Setubal)

I love this modern building for its innovation and creativity

Setubal is the fourth Portuguese city to hoist the flag after Guimarães, in 2013, Maia in 2014 and Loulé in 2015. The award acknowledges a city’s potential for sport and work towards healthy lifestyles

Setubal received ‘City of Sport’ flag last November

European City of Sport 2016

This shopping center, which is the third Alegro in Portugal, resulted from the Jumbo hypermarket expansion (Group Auchan)

Going to Lisbon!!!

While crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge)

Here we can see the Christ the King statue (Cristo-Rei) in Almada

This bridge is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, US. It was built by the American Bridge Company which constructed the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, but not the Golden Gate

With a total length of 2,277 m, it's the 27th largest suspension bridge in the world. The upper deck carries six car lanes, while the lower deck carries two train tracks electrified at 25 kV AC. Until 1974 was named Salazar Bridge. The name "25 de Abril" commemorates the Carnation Revolution (Revolução dos Cravos)

The statue of the Marques de Pombal, the mighty prime-minister who rebuilt the old town of Lisbon after the earthquake of 1755. He ruled Portugal from 1750 to 1777

The Marquess of Pombal Square (Portuguese: Praça do Marquês de Pombal), an important roundabout located between the Avenida da Liberdade (Liberty Avenue) and the Eduardo VII Park in the former parish of Coração de Jesus and in the quarter of Santo António

The bronze statue of the Marquess is on the top, with a lion (symbol of power) by his side

Avenida Da Liberdade, the capital's grandest avenue

Looking at the photos of the streets of Lisbon, Festa Do Avante posters were everywhere

#SelfieTime

Bridal shop at Liberty Avenue. Avenida da Liberdade is the main luxury high street destination with the most glamour in Lisbon, and the most sought after by high-end retail brands. Initially, the luxury retail area was concentrated close to the Tivoli Theatre, but it has now gradually expanded to the upper part of the avenue from Marquês de Pombal up to the junction with Praça da Alegria

Visionlab located on Avenida da Liberdade 49A

Searching for a parking space

The Hard Rock Cafe, Avenida da Liberdade 2

Foz Palace (Palácio Foz), called the "Pink Palace" for obvious reasons, is a beautiful building from the 18th century, now used as the centre for social communication and tourist office

Eden Teatro. This was one of Lisbon’s major cinema/theatre buildings and its imposing facade still dominates the main city square Praca dos Restauradores. It opened in 1931 and was designed by architects Cassiano Branco and Carlo Florencio Dias

Sadly this magnificent cinema closed in 1989 and lay unused for many years. It was used as a location in the Wim Wenders movie “Until the End of the World” (1991).

In 2001 it was converted into a 134 room apartment hotel known as the Orion Eden Hotel. The facade has been retained but slightly modified by removing the two huge film advertising film poster spaces and ‘opening up’ the space by providing an atrium. The rooms are apparently ‘pie-shaped’ to fit inside the former auditorium space

Altis Avenida Hotel in the city centre on the Praça dos Restauradores. The architecture and decoration is inspired by the portuguese '40s and revolves around the concept of retro urban chic

My favourite caps! Robin Ruth mark.

The Rossio Railway Station

Looking more like a theater or a lavishly adorned palace with horseshoe arched doorways, this monumental Neo-Manueline building located between Rossio and Restauradores squares, was built at a time when train stations were seen as temples of technology

The Franco-Swiss author Blaise Cendrars called railway stations "the most beautiful churches in the world," and this station could be an example. It is one of the strangest architectural complexes housing a rail terminal in Europe, and today it is the local station for trains to Sintra

Main façade towards Rossio Square

The Monument to the Restorers (Portuguese: Monumento aos Restauradores) is a monument located in Restauradores Squarel. The monument was designed by António Tomás da Fonseca and erected in 1886. The monument memorializes the victory of the Portuguese Restoration War. The war, which saw the end of the House of Habsburg and the rise of the House of Braganza, was lasted from 1640 to 1668.

The monument is an obelisk located in the center of the square. Along the sides of the obelisk are the names and dates of the battles fought in the Portuguese Restoration War. At the base of the statue, there are two allegorical statues symbolising "Independence" and "Victory", by sculptors Simões de Almeida and Alberto Nunes

Padaria Portuguesa

The Hotel Avenida Palace, located in the center of Lisbon close to Bairro Alto and the Chiado. Rua 1º de Dezembro 123. This 19th-century building overlooks Restauradores Square and offers views of St. George's Castle

Traditional plaque with the name of the street

A bust of D. João da Câmara(1852 1903), poet and and playwright. Located at the appropriately named Dom João da Câmara Square (or Praça de Dom João da Câmara) opposite the entrance of the Rossio Train Station

Between Praça de Dom João da Câmara and Rua 1 Dezembro

Plaque which reads: Praça D. JOAO CAMARA «Figura Gloriosa do Teatro Português/1852–1908»

São Jorge Castle (Castelo de São Jorge), a Moorish castle occupying a commanding hilltop overlooking the historic centre of the Portuguese city of Lisbon and Tagus River. The strongly fortified citadel dates from medieval period of Portuguese history, and is one of the main tourist sites of Lisbon

Between Praça Dom João da Câmara and Praça de D. Pedro IV

The National Theatre D. Maria II (Teatro Nacional D. Maria II) is a historical theatre, one of the most prestigious Portuguese venues and is located in the Rossio square, in the centre of the city. Café Garrett, beside the theatre’s foyer, one of the most perfectly located cafés in Lisbon, facing the lively Rossio Square

This famous theatre has a strange history, like a lot of historical buildings in Lisbon. It was built on the ruins of one of the city’s finest buildings, the Palácio dos Estaus, which had burned down and which had housed the court of the Holy Inquisition. The liberal revolution and the end of the civil war created a climate in Portugal that was conducive to the development of arts in general and the theater in particular

The building is the best representative of Neoclassical architecture of Palladian influence in Lisbon. The main feature of the façade is a portico (hexastyle) with six Ionic columns reused from the Saint Francis Convent of Lisbon and a triangular pediment. The tympanum of the pediment is decorated with a sculpted relief showing Apollo and the Muses.

The pediment is topped by a statue of Renaissance playwright Gil Vicente (c. 1464-c. 1536), considered the founder of Portuguese theatre. Ironically, some of Gil Vicente's plays had been censured by the Portuguese Inquisition in the late 16th century.

The interior of the theatre was decorated by many important 19th-century Portuguese artists, but much of this decoration was lost in a fire in 1964. The theatre had to be completely renovated and was reinaugurated only in 1978

Casa Travassos, Tobacco Shop at Praça D. Pedro IV, 42

Calçada do Carmo

CAFE NICOLA, Rossio Square, Downtown

Nicola was another of Lisbon's literary and political meeting points when it opened in 1929. A place where poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage used to meet friends. It maintains part of its past in its art deco façade, but nowadays serves mostly as a tourist stop. A branch round the back called Nicola Gourmet sells 25 varieties of coffee beans by the bag

Some interesting books

The Santa Justa Lift (Elevador de Santa Justa), also called Carmo Lift (Elevador do Carmo), an elevator in the civil parish of Santa Justa, in the historical city of Lisbon... Situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa, it connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square)

Joalharia do Carmo (Jewellery Shop do Carmo), Rua Do Carmo 87B

Since ancient times, the western edge of the Iberia Peninsula had been known for its vast gold mines. Over the centuries the Portuguese have developed a fine handcrafted filigree Jewelry using gold and silver. Most popular are intricate heart-shaped broaches filled with swirling vines of filigree. This is one of the best shops in the city for filigree work. All the silver, gold and platinum pieces are designed and made by local artisans who dedicate their lives to mastering this intricate style of jewelry

Lisbon, the city of Fado. I love these old cars promoting the Portuguese culture

Rua Garrett has many stores, such as Hermès, Benetton, Swarovski, Hugo Boss, H&M, Zara or Tous

Rua Garrett

Boutique Nespresso (Rua Garrett). Nowadays this facade belongs to one of the houses of NESPRESSO, but has been one of the most important perfumeries in Lisbon opened in 1909 under the name of "Au Bonheur des Dames", title of a novel by French writer Émile Zola... Lisbon is one of those amazing cities where you can find stunning façades and beautiful old doorways. "Au bonheur des Dames" is easy to spot in rua do Carmo, which connects Chiado with Baixa and where one of the biggest fires in the latest history (1988) was started.

The street is now again a trendy area where you can find all sorts of new shops, many of which recovered the old façades

Armazéns Do Chiado, Rua Do Carmo 2

Armazéns do Chiado, literally, "Chiado Warehouses", is the collective name for Lisbon's boutique shopping mall in Chiado, one of the city's most elegant neighbourhoods. The commercial centre houses 54 shops, and there are 12 restaurants gathered together on the top floor food hall. Also incorporated into the building is the four-star Hotel do Chiado. The anchor department store is photography, sound and video retailer FNAC. Books of all kinds are also for sale here, and users of Mac computers have their own dedicated sales area. A desk near the entrance sells concert and theatre tickets and is a good place to find out what kind of live entertainment the city is hosting. Ladies' and men's high-street fashion is well represented, as well as perfumes and cosmetics

More pics on Rua Do Carmo

Rua Aurea

Posing next to this antique car

Picture taken from the Santa Justa lift's steps

Rua dos Sapateiros viewed from Santa Justa, between the two major tourist streets of Lisbon's downtown: Rua Augusta and Rua do Ouro

Rua Augusta, one of the most famous street in Lisbon

Traditional shop with a façade made of wood: Camisaria Pitta, Rua Augusta 195-197. Its interior was influenced by the style of the English tailors, but the facade, dated from the early twentieth century, recalls the Portuguese carved work. You can notice that the storefront numbers are wrapped in collars

Doçaria Conventual Tradicional Portuguesa. The traditional Portuguese sweets are very represented by the convent sweets that were made in convents, characterized by being produced in their majority with the help of large amounts of sugar and egg yolks

The origin comes from the 15th century; during this period sugar entered the culinary tradition of the convents. Until then, the main sweetener used was honey because the sugar was considered vulgar with the colonization of Madeira, then sugar received a special mention

Benfica 's official store... Perfectly situated in Rua Augusta

Jersey red FNAC. This is the main jersey season 1987/88. With this t-shirt Benfica conquered a unique and monumental trophy, in one of the most emblematic tournaments in Spain. In an inspired night, Bento performs brilliantly saving three penalty kicks, giving his team one more international trophy. On the following year, wearing this same shirt, Benfica plays its seventh European final. Toni was the team’s manager. Wears with pride the history of SL Benfica

This is the Benfica's official anthem Ser Benfiquista "Being Benfiquista" although the original hymn composed by Félix Bermudes in 1929 was called Avante pelo Benfica ("Onward for Benfica") which was censored by the Estado Novo in 1942. The song was created by Paulino Gomes Júnior and first sung on 16 April 1953 by the tenor Luís Piçarra in the presence of 6.000 Benfiquistas (Benfica supporters) at a sarau in Benfica's old arena Pavilhão dos Desportos to raise money with the goal of building the original Estádio da Luz.

The anthem acknowledges Benfica's humble beginnings and shows that being a Benfiquista is more than being a football supporter. "Ser Benfiquista" is sung by the Benfiquistas before every Benfica home match and is also sung by the fans during any Benfica match

Benfica t-shirts

Red Café, a Café Snack- Bar inside the shop

Rua Augusta again

A Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau entrance

A beautiful old building fully recovered of all the classic elements can transport us to a unique space. This space, in a building from 1762, is dedicated to a tradition dating back to 1904, the Portuguese codfish fritter. It follows the traditional recipe, but adds an ingredient with an equally strong tradition, the Serra da Estrela cheese. You may watch the cooking process behind a glass, next to the counter where you pick up your order after payment at the register

Madeira House, Rua Augusta 133. Lisbon is full of shops selling traditional handicraf

Typical Lisbon facades

Paul, Rua Augusta 142. The first Paul patisserie opened in France in 1889, and it’s now present in over 30 countries. In 2016 it opened in the heart of downtown Lisbon, and serves its classic macarons, croissants and pains au chocolat, in addition to a variety of baguettes. For light meals there are sandwiches and salads as well...

The small interior follows the same decor of the

other stores of the brand, in a classic and sophisticated style

Rua Augusta - view towards the Triumphal Arch

Portugal's flag

Internacional Design Hotel

It overlooks the enchanting square of Rossio Plaza and

has wonderful views of the entire city😍

The hotel has the historical structures of the ancient Internacional Hotel, but the word Design derives from a restoration. The audacious use of the Lilac colour in the traditional classical façade of the hotel, right on the Rossio Plaza, reveals the intentions of reinvention and exclusivity intended by this hotel

Zeva Boutiques

Traditional tablecloths, napkins, etc. woven in 100% pure linen on traditional Portuguese jacquard looms. Also dishes and tiles

Fado in Chiado. Due to its cultural importance and unique style this musical form was declared part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The Fado in Chiado performance takes place in the center of Lisbon

The Navegadoors, a restaurant placed at the very heart of Augusta, located in an ample space, with a modern and flashy decoration

More pictures of Rossio Square (Pedro IV Square)

The Rossio has been a meeting place for people of Lisbon for centuries. Some of the cafés and shops of the square date from the 18th century, like the Café Nicola. Other traditional shops include the Pastelaria Suíça and the Ginjinha, where the typical Lisbon spirit (Ginjinha) can be tasted. The building of the Maria II Theatre and the Public Gardens to the north of the square only made the area more attended by Lisbon high society in the 19th century. Nowadays it's constantly populated by Lisboners and tourists

Pérola do Rossio, Praça Dom Pedro IV 105

Fountain in Praça Dom Pedro IV (commonly known as Rossio Square)

Rossio is one of the main squares of the historical centre of Lisbon where you can find people from different cultures like these African women wearing colourful clothes and selling typical products of their tropical and subtropical countries... A kind of market...

Padaria Portuguesa, Praça dos Restauradores 58. Great bakery... They please all tastes, due to its variety of bread, pastry, juices, coffee and much more!

We went and we tried this pão de Deus (a delicious small bread with coconut)

O pão da Portuguesa merece estar à sua mesa ❤ ❤ ❤

Drinking Coca-Cola

Traditional newspaper kiosk, Rua 1º de Dezembro, Baixa District

Here is where I bought my Robin Ruth bag and cap! Robin Ruth is an International casual lifestyle brand for the free-spirited traveler

The Fontecruz Lisboa Hotel. This trendy property is centrally located in Lisbon's Liberdade Avenue, which is renowned for its prestigious boutiques and restaurants

#SelfieTime with my new cap

Papelaria da Moda (now Papelaria Fernandes), in Rua do Ouro, 167

The Portuguese restaurant Lisboeta - The Portuguese Capital of Food

Lisbon’s electric tram crossing downtown

Ministério da Marinha, Rua do Arsenal, 1149-001

The Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) still commonly known as Terreiro do Paço. View of the statue and the arch. After the earthquake, the square was completely remodelled as part of the rebuilding of the Pombaline Downtown

Terminal Fluvial do Terreiro do Paço. The exterior of the Terreiro do Paço Ferry Terminal

The Santa Apolónia railway station

Volcano fountain at Parque das Nações

The Nations Park, widely known even to English speaking visitors as Parque das Nações, is a leisure, commercial, and residential area in Lisbon and the location for the Expo '98 World Exhibition... This is one of the most exquisite places where tourists can spend time in Lisbon

Torre São Gabriel. The Torre São Gabriel was realized in 2004 and its twin the Torre São Rafael in 2008. The towers are identical wirh one difference: in the Rafael are only duplex apartments and in the Gabriel half of them are duplex

Vasco da Gama shopping centre, the most attractive Lisbon mall

It's especially popular on weekends when families go to the Oceanarium and other attractions nearby, while teens are the majority whenever there's a concert at Meo Arena

Contemporary iron Sun Man (Homem-Sol) sculpture
by Jorge Vieira at Vasco da Gama shopping centre

Interior of the modern Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre

The Atlantic Pavilion concert hall

The candy shop O Mundo Das Gomas, a little paradise for me

More photos inside the shopping centre Vasco da Gama

Vans, FNAC, Pepe Jeans, Hilfiger Denim, Women' Secret or a large Zara for men and women's fashions... are some of the many popular stores

In total there are over 150 shops plus a food court, as well as a pleasant deck on the upper floor overlooking the waterfront. The multiplex cinema is another attraction, as is the huge Continente hypermarket

São Gabriel Tower

Teleferico Cable Cars

Rizoma by British sculptor Antony Gormley. Original modern sculpture on the bank of the

river Tagus (Tejo) in the Park of Nations (Parque das Nacoes)

With Nina and António 💓💓💓

Oceans Pavilion, now The Lisbon Oceanarium located in the Parque das Nações, which was the exhibition grounds for the Expo '98. It's the largest indoor aquarium in Europe

With Nina and a man who I met through FB and he came to meet me in person

Lisbon Oceanarium

Flags from 1998 World Exposition

Mascot GIL. The Expo mascot was conceived by the Portuguese duo of painter António Modesto and sculptor Artur Moreira. It was selected from 309 entries. It's named Gil, after Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes.The name was chosen by high-school student José Luís Coelho, from 765 entries. Gil can be now seen on telethons broadcast on RTP1

Taking photos 📷📷📷

Lisbon International Fair (FIL)

The Exhibition of the International Fair of Lisbon hosts about 40 events annually

The activities of FIL ranging from the organization of fairs, from the rental of space for initiatives of others, to a whole range of complementary services to Feiral activity. With annual, biannual and biennial, the fairs are extended to various sectors of economic activity, which include tourism, Furniture, Food, Hospitality, the decoration, the construction, the Craft, Art. The multiplicity of trade (multi-room, multi-sectoral or product) is divided between professional fairs, public or mixed fairs

Signposts at Park of the Nations. The Camões Theatre, the Oceanarium, passeio das Tágides promenade, Garcia de Orta Garden, F.I.L.

Always with the mobile phones...📱📱📱📱

Lisbon is full of lovely parks

Jardim Garcia de Orta, Garcia de Orta Gardens (Sound Garden), located on the waterfront in Nations Park, north of Olivais Dock. These gardens have an abundant and varied vegetation consisting of tropical and exotic botanical ecosystems, considered representative of the main areas of origin of species of Portuguese Discovery Age´s. They occupy approximately 2,500 m2, divided into six plots with vegetation characteristics of Timor, Coloane, Goa, Sao Tome and Brazil, Africa and Macronesia

A garden of sound... Tucked between the Pavilhao Atlantico and the FIL, overlooking the river Tejo, the Jardim Garcia d’Orta is the Expo’s best kept secret. A treat for everyone who want stay quiet, with plenty of space to stretch out on the grass or people-watch in the shade of the nearby riverside promenade... Giant musical instruments “grow” among the plantings, just begging to be banged, clanged and thumped on. There is even a set of brass plates for dancing, and each one rings out a different note when stepped on!