A lot of people know that Porto’s São João Night is a true city party – throughout the whole night, thousands of people invade the streets and either stay in one particular spot drinking and dancing or walk around until the sun rises. One way or the other there’s banging on strangers’ heads with colourful plastic hammers and hoping for the best when balloons are spotted flying through the air. What a lot of people don’t know is that this is originally a Midsummer celebration and that the festivities can start way before the sun sets...
My São João started in the morning with a visit to "Palácio do Freixo", a building, which reminds us of the city’s industrial past. Afterwards, we made a move to "Quinta de Villar d’Allen", a magnificent manor house from the XIX century.
We made our way through the lush gardens while being introduced to numerous plant species, which were unknown in Portugal two centuries ago. And as the predominant green unfolded into fountains, streams and colourful flowers, I couldn’t help but thinking that this was my chance to be a part of the Romantic era – even if only for a short while.
After being served white port wine and appetisers, we stepped inside the house for the main course and dessert, the later accompanied by an exquisite red port wine produced by the Allens. It should be noted that the house still shows the original decor, including furniture purchased in the first international exhibitions.
Shortly after a coffee by the gardens and a quick visit to the wine cellar, it was time to go back home and have the day’s only acceptable dinner – roasted sardines. After this, the night’s wandering began – we crossed one of the city’s most emblematic bridges, "Ponte D. Luis", on foot and made our way to the best possible place to watch the fireworks.
Since we got there early, we had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful view of Porto by night, as well as to contemplate a huge amount of balloons painting the sky orange. Soon enough the fireworks began – and we couldn’t help but understand the reasons why they are considered one of the best in the world. After walking some more and joining in the street celebrations in "Miragaia", we decided to call it a night; and a day. And what a night it was; and what a day...
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Monday, 25 June 2012
An unusual tour
For a very long time, the scariest thing I had ever done on a Friday night was staying at home cleaning. It all changed last Friday...
I met my very good friend José at 8 p.m. and we agreed to go and have dinner in "Campo Alegre", a restaurant not far from our old university. Our meal was as tasty as you could wish for – that Angolan main course was so good that it took us a while to stop raving about it! – and the wine, a disconcerting red with "CA 416" on its label, a pleasant surprise. Not long after swallowing dessert, we were on our way to the... cemetery.
When we got to "Cemitério de Agramonte", the second biggest cemetery in Porto, we realised that circa 80 people had decided to take part in its guided tour, which started with a brief presentation of its history. At first, I thought that all this was going to be pretty morbid but the truth is that it was far from it. And by the end of the day – literally! – I had learned a lot about
-the history of the city and how the exhibitionism of its inhabitants, who wanted to be as noticed in death as they had been in life, is at the basis of the monumentality, which inspired the architecture of other cemeteries in the North of Portugal;
-art and symbols in Portuguese romanticist cemeteries, including features which set them apart from European ones (apparently, a flower named «saudade» can only be found in Portuguese cemeteries).
It was a truly enriching experience and it will surely make me start thinking about cemeteries in a different way. Be that as it may, my all-time favourite ones will always be those where trees and grass are so abundant that they are better called graveyards. And this because I’m convinced that nature is the world’s biggest provider of beauty; there’s really no need to build it from scratch...
I met my very good friend José at 8 p.m. and we agreed to go and have dinner in "Campo Alegre", a restaurant not far from our old university. Our meal was as tasty as you could wish for – that Angolan main course was so good that it took us a while to stop raving about it! – and the wine, a disconcerting red with "CA 416" on its label, a pleasant surprise. Not long after swallowing dessert, we were on our way to the... cemetery.
When we got to "Cemitério de Agramonte", the second biggest cemetery in Porto, we realised that circa 80 people had decided to take part in its guided tour, which started with a brief presentation of its history. At first, I thought that all this was going to be pretty morbid but the truth is that it was far from it. And by the end of the day – literally! – I had learned a lot about
-the history of the city and how the exhibitionism of its inhabitants, who wanted to be as noticed in death as they had been in life, is at the basis of the monumentality, which inspired the architecture of other cemeteries in the North of Portugal;
-art and symbols in Portuguese romanticist cemeteries, including features which set them apart from European ones (apparently, a flower named «saudade» can only be found in Portuguese cemeteries).
It was a truly enriching experience and it will surely make me start thinking about cemeteries in a different way. Be that as it may, my all-time favourite ones will always be those where trees and grass are so abundant that they are better called graveyards. And this because I’m convinced that nature is the world’s biggest provider of beauty; there’s really no need to build it from scratch...
Monday, 18 June 2012
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Cute piggy
The most amazing barbecue I have ever tasted is Corean barbecue and I´m convinced that this impression is mostly due to the greatness of the people I shared it with.
Dean and I met for a coffee on campus and then went to pick up Anne-Marie - our plan was to go bowling at one of the city´s few (if not the only) 10 pin bowling centre. The place was pretty ghetto but there was such a "Big Lebowski" kind of ambiance that we couldn´t help but enjoy ourselves. I must say that at first my game was pretty lousy but nothing a Kokanee couldn´t solve.
At the end of the second game we decided to have Corean barbecue at a restaurant we had spotted the other day. As soon as we got in, we realised just how life-threatening the air conditioning was but this didn´t put us off the place - after all, the owner was a far out dude and the walls were covered in cool handwriting.
Shortly after we sat down, we treated ourselves to a delicious barbecue, which included exquisite kimchi, and a bottle of soju, a.k.a. wet fire tasting alcohol. At the end of the meal, we started chatting with the owner, who told us that the place (which used to be Iranian) was called "Cute piggy flower restaurant" - which he funnily pronounced "Cutie piggy".
The next day was time to move on. A couple of hours after having a last meal with Dean, I was flying over Toronto and watching the CN Tower display its captivating red lights. The truth of the matter was that I would have preferred looking at chili pepper lights...
Dean and I met for a coffee on campus and then went to pick up Anne-Marie - our plan was to go bowling at one of the city´s few (if not the only) 10 pin bowling centre. The place was pretty ghetto but there was such a "Big Lebowski" kind of ambiance that we couldn´t help but enjoy ourselves. I must say that at first my game was pretty lousy but nothing a Kokanee couldn´t solve.
At the end of the second game we decided to have Corean barbecue at a restaurant we had spotted the other day. As soon as we got in, we realised just how life-threatening the air conditioning was but this didn´t put us off the place - after all, the owner was a far out dude and the walls were covered in cool handwriting.
Shortly after we sat down, we treated ourselves to a delicious barbecue, which included exquisite kimchi, and a bottle of soju, a.k.a. wet fire tasting alcohol. At the end of the meal, we started chatting with the owner, who told us that the place (which used to be Iranian) was called "Cute piggy flower restaurant" - which he funnily pronounced "Cutie piggy".
The next day was time to move on. A couple of hours after having a last meal with Dean, I was flying over Toronto and watching the CN Tower display its captivating red lights. The truth of the matter was that I would have preferred looking at chili pepper lights...
Monday, 11 June 2012
Victoria, hey!
Vancouver Island is definitely one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen; I'm happy to have spent a day there.
I woke up bright and early - as anyone who goes on a day trip to Victoria (just so that you know, total travel time from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria is approximately three hours and this doesn't include wait times for the ferry).
The ferry ride was very pleasant and the scenery, drop dead gorgeous. It was a pity not to have spotted orcas - usually they can be found on these waters around this time of the year - but still.
Our first stop on the island was the Butchart Gardens - in bloom for 100 years. I found the Sunken Garden particularly stunning - and this is a far as I go in commending a 100% handmade nature spot (personally, I prefer it when the human touch is reduced to a bare minimum).
After a scenic marine drive through the peninsula, which allowed us to see seals and otters at Oak Bay, we made it to downtown Victoria.
I wondered if three hours would be enough to see the city; as it turned out, it was more than enough. If your intention is to visit museums and get into the city's cultural scene, then you should stay a couple of days but if not, a couple of hours is perfectly fine. Let's face it, what you need to see is located between Chinatown and the Victoria Parliament Buildings and one walks from one place to the other in way less than an hour.
Just before we hopped on the ferry back to Vancouver, Jeff, native name Chuck-Us-Hoot (Standing Up Proud), provided us with an overview of Canada's first nations, focus on British Columbia. I was surprised to find out that also in Canada the natives' contact with the Europeans was very destructive for them - and that the oppression lasted for a very long time.
As I stood on the ferry with an incredible view over Mount Baker just in front of me (even more incredible than the one I had from the Vancouver Lookout), I asked myself this - if leading a balanced and peaceful life doesn't protect you from harm, what will?
I woke up bright and early - as anyone who goes on a day trip to Victoria (just so that you know, total travel time from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria is approximately three hours and this doesn't include wait times for the ferry).
The ferry ride was very pleasant and the scenery, drop dead gorgeous. It was a pity not to have spotted orcas - usually they can be found on these waters around this time of the year - but still.
Our first stop on the island was the Butchart Gardens - in bloom for 100 years. I found the Sunken Garden particularly stunning - and this is a far as I go in commending a 100% handmade nature spot (personally, I prefer it when the human touch is reduced to a bare minimum).
After a scenic marine drive through the peninsula, which allowed us to see seals and otters at Oak Bay, we made it to downtown Victoria.
I wondered if three hours would be enough to see the city; as it turned out, it was more than enough. If your intention is to visit museums and get into the city's cultural scene, then you should stay a couple of days but if not, a couple of hours is perfectly fine. Let's face it, what you need to see is located between Chinatown and the Victoria Parliament Buildings and one walks from one place to the other in way less than an hour.
Just before we hopped on the ferry back to Vancouver, Jeff, native name Chuck-Us-Hoot (Standing Up Proud), provided us with an overview of Canada's first nations, focus on British Columbia. I was surprised to find out that also in Canada the natives' contact with the Europeans was very destructive for them - and that the oppression lasted for a very long time.
As I stood on the ferry with an incredible view over Mount Baker just in front of me (even more incredible than the one I had from the Vancouver Lookout), I asked myself this - if leading a balanced and peaceful life doesn't protect you from harm, what will?
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Always the light
Don't you just love it when the sun comes out after a long period of rain? Yesterday was sunny at last and I couldn't be happier. It definitely made the attractions in the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park more enjoyable!
Everyone seemed to be getting a kick out of crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is 137m long, 70m high and... extremely wobbly. I actually preferred the guided tour of the forest, which provided me with some useful insights on the temperate West Coast rainforest ecosystem. By the way, if ever you get slug slime on your hands, do not use water to get rid of it; wait for it to dry then rub it off. Really!
It was also cool to cross seven footbridges suspended between old-growth Douglas Fir trees; but what I enjoyed the most came after this small adventure in North Vancouver...
Shortly before going back home, I went for a walk in Stanley Park. As I took in the surrounding trees and flowers, I couldn't help but think that nature also seemed delighted to see the sun again - everywhere I looked, the colours were bright and inviting, everyone was cheerful and energetic... it was truly an inspiring moment.
The day ended with karaoke and honey lagers at the Filipino house. Interestingly enough, I scored the highest when I sang "Edelweiss"...
Everyone seemed to be getting a kick out of crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is 137m long, 70m high and... extremely wobbly. I actually preferred the guided tour of the forest, which provided me with some useful insights on the temperate West Coast rainforest ecosystem. By the way, if ever you get slug slime on your hands, do not use water to get rid of it; wait for it to dry then rub it off. Really!
It was also cool to cross seven footbridges suspended between old-growth Douglas Fir trees; but what I enjoyed the most came after this small adventure in North Vancouver...
Shortly before going back home, I went for a walk in Stanley Park. As I took in the surrounding trees and flowers, I couldn't help but think that nature also seemed delighted to see the sun again - everywhere I looked, the colours were bright and inviting, everyone was cheerful and energetic... it was truly an inspiring moment.
The day ended with karaoke and honey lagers at the Filipino house. Interestingly enough, I scored the highest when I sang "Edelweiss"...
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Chili pepper lights
The weather hasn't been great lately - and that's putting it mildly! In practice, this means that I've been waiting for a while now to do some outdoor activities. I'm trying to make the best out of this situation - the other day I went to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown and learned a lot during the guided tour - but it can be so frustrating sometimes. Luckily enough, there are moments that make it all worthwhile.
In the last couple of days, I've met Dean downtown and we went to local language schools to drop off his resume and cover letter. Along the way, there was time for coffee and, as soon as Anne-Marie was done with work, she would come and join us for dinner.
Yesterday, we had a very special lunch - Japadog or the Japanese/improved version of the hot dog - and in the evening, we shared a respectable amount of wings at the Famous Warehouse, home to these awesome chili pepper lights. Since it was only $0.25 per wing, this could have been a cheap night out but it wasn't because I also drank a respectable amount of tequila shots and honey lager.
Be that as it may, it was really great fun. And that's hanging out with Dean and Anne-Marie for you - always enjoyable, always enriching and always a pity to have to say goodbye at the end of the evening. So much so that I'm sometimes thankful that the weather sucks and I can't go and climb mountains or hop on a ferry to Victoria...
In the last couple of days, I've met Dean downtown and we went to local language schools to drop off his resume and cover letter. Along the way, there was time for coffee and, as soon as Anne-Marie was done with work, she would come and join us for dinner.
Yesterday, we had a very special lunch - Japadog or the Japanese/improved version of the hot dog - and in the evening, we shared a respectable amount of wings at the Famous Warehouse, home to these awesome chili pepper lights. Since it was only $0.25 per wing, this could have been a cheap night out but it wasn't because I also drank a respectable amount of tequila shots and honey lager.
Be that as it may, it was really great fun. And that's hanging out with Dean and Anne-Marie for you - always enjoyable, always enriching and always a pity to have to say goodbye at the end of the evening. So much so that I'm sometimes thankful that the weather sucks and I can't go and climb mountains or hop on a ferry to Victoria...
Monday, 4 June 2012
Not nonsense
You shout it loud, but I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up
Granville. Library. Starbucks. Language schools. All food $4.95. Nelson. Tree. Trees. Blenz. Corean restaurant. Trees. Elegant skyscrapers. And zombies.
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
Art. Matisse. Beat. K.A.S.P "On A Roll". Repetitions. Emily Carr. Blenz. Boo! And second hand bookstores.
Cut me down, but it's you who have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud, not saying much
Skytrain. Mobilicity. 16 Arbutus. West Broadway. Tim Hortons. Tobias corner. 9 Boundary. Living in a living room. Filipino independence day. Clinton Park. Commercial Drive. Buttercups. 1 cake! Grandma from hell. And the sound of perseverance.
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up
Granville. Library. Starbucks. Language schools. All food $4.95. Nelson. Tree. Trees. Blenz. Corean restaurant. Trees. Elegant skyscrapers. And zombies.
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
Art. Matisse. Beat. K.A.S.P "On A Roll". Repetitions. Emily Carr. Blenz. Boo! And second hand bookstores.
Cut me down, but it's you who have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud, not saying much
Skytrain. Mobilicity. 16 Arbutus. West Broadway. Tim Hortons. Tobias corner. 9 Boundary. Living in a living room. Filipino independence day. Clinton Park. Commercial Drive. Buttercups. 1 cake! Grandma from hell. And the sound of perseverance.
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
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