Typical Portuguese dishes

It looks as though these Portuguese dishes have been nailed to a wall.  Each of them has a black dot in the centre so I'm presuming it's a nail.  It makes an extremely attractive display, however it has been done.

Laxey, Isle of Man

I had something entirely different in mind for this week until I found this postcard with matching stamp at our local market.  I can't read the postmark but the stamp was issued in 1978.  It comes from the Isle of Man, an island off the nort west coast of England.

The Laxey Wheel was built in 1854 to pump water from a zinc mine which also produced lead and copper. The mine finally closed in 1932 but the wheel is still working and is the largest water wheel in the world.  It is now maintained by Manx National Heritage.

On the stamp you can see clearly the "three legs of Mann", a triskelion characteristic of Celtic art, though when they were applied to the Wheel they were rotating backwards.  And they remain that way to this day.

And if I hadn't found that card and stamp, this lovely bee stamp is what I would have shown:

It comes from Portugal and I think it's lovely. The stamp was issued as one of a set of four on September 23, 2013.

This is a post for Sunday Stamps, now hosted by Violet Sky at "See it on a Postcard!"

Shoe shine

A glimpse of everyday life in Lisbon, in Portugal, taken in 1987 by Christian Auscher.

A tram in Lisbon

Tram 28 is a tram route well known to travellers and tourists in Lisbon.  It runs from the centre of Lisbon and passes many of the main tourist attractions.  I don't know if this postcard shows route 28 but it certainly is one of the old-style trams still running in the city centre, along the narrow streets and up the seven hills (just like Rome).

King John's Cloister (Claustro Real)

The Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, or the Monastery of Batalha, is one of the finest examples of late Gothic architecture in Portugal.  The cloister shown here was a later addition, in the mid 15th century, and is of a less ornate style than the rest of the building.  The central garden was added later.  It must be absolutely spectacular to see in real life.

Portugal and its masks

About two weeks ago I received this very pretty card showing the striped buildings of Costa Nova in Portugal.  But the back was just as much a delight because there I found these stamps.

They are three of a set of eight all illustrating various masks used in celebrations, mainly in the Bragança area, in the north of Portugal.  The central one shows the wooden mask used in  Entrudo at Lazarim.  Entrudo is held on the last day before Lent and is the same as Mardi Gras or Carnaval.

This is a post for Sunday Stamps, now hosted by Violet Sky at "See it on a Postcard!"

More Portuguese tiles

The exterior of an old house in Lisbon showing the traditional azulejos.  Almost every city in Portugal has buildings with similar tiling.  While the buildings are being restored, every effort is being made to protect and preserve the originals.

Albufeira

These are both cards I myself wrote and sent home from a holiday in the Algarve in Portugal in 1978.  On the first I wrote, "They seem to have touched up a lot of the peeling paint on this picture, but the countryside is covered in oranges, lemons, olives figs and almonds.  Not many pretty flowers". I don't know what I had been expecting - I can hardly remember that holiday.

But it was the message on the second card that caught my attention most: "It's been a great relaxation.  I haven't even looked at a newspaper".  It would have been hard to find an English language newspaper in the Algarve.   Holidays for me used to be a complete and total break from normal, everyday life.  It wasn't too difficult then but nowadays, while I still wouldn't be reading newspapers, I would have my phone with me and I would expect to be able to access the internet.

How on earth did we manage without modern instant communications?

This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.

Snow in Portugal

I have never associated snow and Portugal but here's the card that proves how wrong I was.  Serra da Estrela is the highest mountain range in mainland Portugal.

Azulejos de Lisboa

Tiles like these, called azueljos in Portuguese, decorate many of the buildings in Lisbon.  They were first introduced into the are by the Moors (azulejo comes from an Arabic word) and have been part of the culture ever since, about 500 years. 

Originally they were geometric designs but in the 16th century Portuguese and Flemish artists began to design floral patterns and religious themes and the predominant colour scheme became blue and yellow.  Later, in the 17th century, blue and white became the fashion.  After the earthquake in Lisbon in 1755, multicoloured tiles became popular when many of the houses were rebuilt.  The tiles were very efficient at keeping out the damp and so the tradition of tile-clad houses developed.

There are some incredible examples of blue and white tile panels, such as the ones in the vestibule of the São Bento Station in Porto.  There are 20,000 tiles making up the panels, dating from the early 20th century.

PS  This is my 998th post since I started this blog.  Anyone interested in receiving a card from England should watch out for my 1000th post.

Cartas

My first reaction when I saw this card was one of surprise that in Portugal they should have special postcard boxes. :)  It dawned fairly quickly that "cartas" means letters in Portuguese as it does, I think, in Spanish.

I realise I don't know what the usual letter boxes are in many countries.  In the UK we receive our letters via a slot such as this (though probably less decorative) through the door  and only rarely do you have to go and collect them from a box elsewhere.  Adullamite could probably correct me if I'm wrong.  In France the reverse seems to be true.  I will wait to be told about everywhere else.

I'm afraid I won't be around this weekend, to comment on other posts, but I'll catch up with you all during the coming week.

This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.

Portugal publicity

A reproduction of a poster designed, it seems, to entice Americans to Portugal, successfully I'm sure.  The illustrations surrounding the map are all of attractions the visitor might like to see.  They are all now listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

If I hadn't been so incredibly late, this would be a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.

Islands in the Atlantic

The islands in the Atlantic, at least the eastern side, aren't very well known and rather scattered. Madeira and the Canary Islands are both groups of islands not far off the coast of Africa. While the Canaries are Spanish, Madeira is Portuguese, but there are disputes over boundaries for both.

Marie's post today talks about the Canary Islands and the reason why they got their name. I did post my one and only card from Las Palmas almost a year ago, so today I'm moving northwards to Madiera, to show you two cards from before 1909 (dated because the backs are reserved entirely for an address).

It is, in fact, a group of islands, the largest of which is Madeira, with Funchal the capital. The islands are best known for Madeira wine, flowers and embroidery.

I can't pinpoint more accurately either of the pictures on the cards because they are identified solely by the word Madeira followed by a number. Maybe the first is the harbour at Funchal, but I'm not at all sure. Any clues would be very welcome. The cards come from a collection made by someone in the Royal Navy during the early part of the 20th century.

UPDATE: From the BBC today, the dreadful news that floods and mudslides kill at least 25 in Madeira.

This is a post for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Obidos, Portugal

Postmarked Braga and dated 1 May 2009.
The castle wall and tower.

Óbidos is a small town built within the fortifications of a castle.  It was won from the Moors by a knight, supposedly disguised as a cherry tree.  What a wonderful mental image that conjures up.  A local speciality is a sweet brandy liqueur made from cherries.  I have no idea whether there is any connection!

Torre de Belem

Posted to me from Póvoa de Santo Adrião near Lisbon on 11 June 2009.
Lisboa
Torre de Belém

The Tower of Belém is a fortification dating from the 16th century when it was a lighthouse guarding the port of Belém.  it, and the Jerónimos Monastery are UNESCO protected sites.  Many famous Portugues explorers set off from Belém, the most famous probably being Vasco de Gama.
Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon

Sintra twice

An interesting stamp and postmark this, because it's a joint stamp issue between Portugal and Turkey.  I only noticed because I'm particularly fond of the style of pottery shown.  France often does have joint issues of stamps with other countries but I've never noticed this happen in the UK.  That, however, means nothing.

This card has a partial French postmark because it went astray, for no apparent reason.  It is dated 3 April 2009.  Another set of attractive stamps.  I don't collect stamps but I do like all the different ones that come my way. 


Sintra
The National Palace of Pena
Costa de Lisboa
Portugal.

Sintra as an entire town is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list because of its 19th century architecture blended with parks and gardens.  It is a very popular place for tourists to visit, especially as it's not too far from Lisbon.

The Pena Palace is one of the oldest buildings in the romantic style.  It was a monastery until the 18th century when it was struck by lightning and remained a ruin until rebuilt as a palace by Ferdinand II.

Lagos - Ponte de Piedade

This was a card I myself sent to my parents.  It's postmarked Portimao and dated 11 May 1978.

Portugal - Algarve
Lagos - Ponte de Piedade.

This is a huge rock formation hollowed out by the sea into caves and arches.  I said in the message that I had visited and taken a boat trip around the formations, but I'm sorry to say I have no recollection of it whatsoever, confirming my need to collect the cards.  Backing up memories. :)

I am sure I have a postcard from Etretat in Normandy which has remarkably similar rock formations.  I will try to look it out and post it later.

A week in Portugal: Porto

I've just noticed that Missus Emm from Emm in London is toying with the idea of going to Portugal for a holiday so for the next few days, here is a selection of cards that may help to make up her mind!

First of all, two cards from the same person in Porto, the first one dated 18 December 2008, and the lower one 17 March 2009.

The top one shows the Douro River with the D. Luis I Bridge, an old and typical tram car, and the traditional boats called rabelo.  These boats used to carry the barrels of port wine from the vineyards to the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia where the barrels would be stored and then sold.  Nowadays they are mainly used to transport tourists across the river.

The second card again shows the Douro River, this time from Ribeira Square (ribeira means riverside).  This is a favourite spot for tourists, in the centre of the historical area listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. 

A perfect place for a holiday, I would say!

Congregados Church, Porto

Posted in Portugal but the postmark is so faint that I can't read where or when.  Judging by the address, it must have been sent to my father during the 1980s.

This church in Porto was built in 1703 on the site of an older chapel dating back to 1662, but which had been demolished in 1694.  The tiles on the façade are the work of Jorge Colaço.

I have a more recent card sent to me last year showing the same church, but it must be from a different viewpoint because it looks quite different.

Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon

Postmarke Olival Basto, dated 10 June 2008.
Lisboa
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos ao entardecer.
The Jerónimos Monastery in the evening.

This is yet another of the sites I hadn't heard of before postcards came into my life. :)  The monastery was founded in 1450 or so, by Henry the Navigator, a Potuguese prince who started Euorpean exploration of the world.