Pink and blue - "manufaktura porcelany"

With this picture I want to contribute to the promotion of a local porcelain maker I found in Kazimierz district in Krakow. I was just passing by in a rainy afternoon when my eyes caught these strange cups in a big window of a pottery workshop. The maker was a really nice girl who explained me all about her products and distinct design. The name is "manufaktura porcelany" and this is the website: http://manufakturaporcelany.pl/ . It has been the second time this year I meet such pleasant artists!

Green lawn at Begijnhof

If it was not for my cousin, I would probably never find out about this little quiet and picturesque corner of Amsterdam. This is the recognition that having someone more knowledgeable (local!) about the cities or places we stop by is a real privilege. This courtyard dates back to the Middle Ages and takes the name from the Beguines, Catholic women who lived here as nuns. There is even one house in wood (Wooden house) dating back as far back as 1528. It a peaceful space surrounded by the busy streets of Amsterdam which is worthwhile visiting.

 

Grey day to remember bleak Krakow of the past

I was about 14 years old when I saw the movie Schindler's List for the first time. It was on a history class with one of my favourite teachers: Ana Machado. At such a young age the movie made a big impression to me and I think it was by then I fully understood the importance of tolerance. I was far from imagine that one day I would find myself stepping inside Schindler's Enamel factory in Krakow. I was surprised to discover that the reason why Schindler employed Polish Jews was because he wanted cheap labour to run his factory. I was relieved to found out that he eventually started actively saving as many as he could. The factory now holds an exhibition about Krakow under Nazi occupation, including several photographs taken between 1939 and 1945, Schindler's office furniture, a hairdresser's salon, a conspiracy apartment and many other features of the time. I should not finish by mentioning the Portuguese counterpart of Schindler: Aristides Sousa Mendes, Portuguese consul in Bordeaux (Paris) who provided visas to around 10,000 Jews so they could run away from a Nazi surrendered France.    

Autumn colours in Aberdeenshire

 

Autumn colours were back in Scotland last month. By the time I write this post they are almost gone. Every year is different but not less spectacular. A bike ride around Braemar hills, Linn of Dee and Invercauld Estate in a sunny Autumn day is one of the best ways of appreciating one of the best things Scotland has to offer! 

Green Glencoe

Glencoe is a valley in the highlands of Scotland. The walk up the hill (Sgorr na Ciche or Pap of Glencoe) was very steep but I found that listening to the BBC programmes "Desert Islands Discs" and 'The Unbelievable Truth" on my ipod really helped going up. Appreciating the view from the top of the hill, sheltered from the wind in a clear and sunny day is the best medicine to charge batteries for another working week.

Brown chanfana with boiled potatoes

 

Chanfana is a traditional Portuguese dish of old goat cooked in a clay recipient with red wine, garlic, laurel, pepper, paprika and salt. We were recommended a small restaurant in Miranda do Corvo to eat this delicacy. We arrived and were received by a small lady who spoke 'gallego' to us. We thought that we were going to make a mistake: eat chanfana cooked by a 'gallego' cook?!. After an hour which we used to cycle around the town, we sat at the table in the restaurant and just enjoyed this food of the gods. The 'gallego' cook could not have cooked a better chanfana for us.

Gondramaz - The brown schist village

 

Gondramaz is one of the many schist villages of the centre of Portugal. They are lost in time and because of that they seem enchanted. People have left many years ago to the city or abroad, and only few still insist in living there. Walking in the silent streets we appreciate the architecture and the stories it buries inside each house. In a corner we find a couple of people, those who insisted to stay where their heart lives. What they tell me I already read in a novel by Aquilino Ribeiro while waiting in a hospital bed to be operated to my ankle. Five years later, it was my ankle who brought me here, pedalling my bike eight kilometres up the hill to experience one bit of the environment that provided Miguel Torga the inspiration to write Bichos - a masterpiece of Portuguese literature in my opinion.

Grey octopus

The second time in my life I caught an octopus (third time I went fishing) I felt again that hunter instinct I discovered some time ago. It must be remains of primitive human instinct left on me and I was surprised to find out how alive they still are. The fishing tools are very simple and traditional: a pole with a net in one hand and a pole with a crab attached to attract the octopus in the other hand. I need a bit of patience and perseverance to go from rock to rock and from pool to pool. Suddenly, big tentacles surround the crab with a strength I am not used to. The heart beats faster, and mum comes to help. I caught an octopus. 

Orange sunset by the sea

This was by far the best sunset I ever photographed. Photographed, filmed, looked at, everything we can imagine possible during 10 magic minutes. Time the sun takes to hide behind the sea. Or better, 10 magic minutes that the Earth offer us while rotating around its own orbit. Adding this to luxurious and almost deserted beaches (well, not so deserted this year!), exhilarating sea cliffs, romantic countryside and we have the perfect combination for idyllic holidays. And this is my village, Cambelas... 

Blue sea at Reiff and an otter passing by

"The headland closest to the road end, about 5-10 minutes north west from the bridge and visible from the parking spot. the crags extend for about 400 metres north wards, before petering out into the boulders and sand of the fine Camas Eilean Ghlas (Blue-green Island Bay)." - in Scottish Rock

 

While here, an otter, a seal and a guillemot with fish on his mouth passed by!

Green vegetation around Raven's Crag

1) The rock

 2) The climb

3) The view from the top

 

An easy climb not too far away from the car park, which means a nice walk is involved. There are many options here, ranging from 'Very Difficult' to 'Severe'. Relaxed climbing with the midges sometimes around. The view from the top is great, both to inland and to the coast.

The green Peter Pan

 

After an afternoon climbing in Glen Clova, starving for some fish and chips because restaurants in Scotland do stop serving food at 9.00pm, I ended up in Kirriemuir (Angus), the village where J. M. Barrie was born. James Matthew Barrie was a Scottish author and dramatist and he wrote the story that torments me the most: Peter Pan -  "He is afraid of nothing except of mothers, fathers, and growing up."

"Our common future" in the blue planet

July 10 2015, Paris: "Emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases must eventually fall to zero to stabilize the global climate, according to scientists leading the biggest international climate science conference prior to the Paris UN COP meeting in December. But they also indicate cautious optimism that growing political momentum means the two degree Celsius climate upper limit is still within reach.  In practice, limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels will require cutting emissions of heat-trapping gases by 40-70% below current levels by 2050."

Orange sunset at the Cioch

"In the centre of the cliff is a beautiful sheet of low-angled pockmarked gabbro with the unique unmistakable and justify famous landmark of the Cioch block rearing up above its right (west) end. The top of the Cioch is one of the finest picnics spots around." (in Scottish Rock). However, for those who climb, bear in mind the chimney in the way up to the Cioch. No rucksacks and no fat people can pass that. It is as if we are being born again!

 

Curiosity: It was in the Cioch that a famous sword fight was fought in the film "Highlander" and the swords are still there! Of course Sean Connery did not rock climb until reaching the Cioch, but was flown in by helicopter instead.

In the bright sun of Cambelas

In my last stay in Cambelas I found that I have someone now guarding my house when I am not there. I can breath of relief :-). I do not know her real name. In the village everybody calls her Ti Loira - Aunt Blonde.

Green waters at Plitvice Lakes National Park

 

 

The Plitvice Lakes National Park was founded in 1949. It is  situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the  Adriatic. It is UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.  The park is full of green lakes, energetic cascades, luxurious vegetation, fish, aquatic insects and...Chinese! To get away from the crowds and have some quietness in nature the best is to walk the path in the edge of the main lake instead of taking the boat connecting the two extremities of the lake.

Green and blue from the window of the Caledonian sleeper

A little post to promote a sustainable way of travelling to London: The Caledonian sleeper Aberdeen - Euston station - Aberdeen. A comfortable bed, a nice view at waking up, a tasty and warm porridge for breakfast. This is what it means to travel environmentally friendly in the overnight train to the capital of the British Isles.

And now a challenge!

What is the device four brilliant researchers cannot be without, in a 7 hour walk, in the spectacular outdoors of Hoy? The correct answer is worth a stay at my house, by the beach, in Portugal :-)

Blue sea around the Old Man of Hoy

"A man was setting traps for rabbits in Hoy. He saw a huge giant and ran home and refused to return there for the rest of the winter." Adapted from The Mermaid Bride and other Orkney folk tales.

Colourful and very tasty food at Umea

It is true that I can eat everything and that I like every cuisine I try. Some food I like more than other, but in general I eat and enjoy everything. After teaching in a PhD course at the Faculty of Forest Sciences (SLU) in Umea, the Swedish students presented the best delicacies of the region. Raindeer, moose and pickled herring are only absolutely DELICIOUS!!

Musicians in Vienna dress in black

It is true that Vienna is beautiful in spring time. There are flowers everywhere, people seat in the parks, the Naschmark is more vibrant than ever. But how can one resist to a cosy musical concert by virtuoso players?

Purple wild flowers overviewing Slains Castle

Slains Castle is a ruined castle in Aberdeenshire. It overlooks the North Sea from the top of a cliff and it is very close to one of the most beautiful beaches in this county: Cruden Bay. The core of the castle was built by the 9th Earl of Erroll in the 16th century. But Erroll decided to be catholic and because it conspired with other catholics, signing letters aiming at aiding Spain's aspirations in the British Isles, the castle was destroyed. After rejecting the catholic religion, the Earl of Erroll returned to Scotland and built a new tower and courtyard in the castle.  In the 19th century, the author Bram Stocker stayed in Cruden Bay and the castle inspired his novel Dracula.

Pink flowers in Seaton park

Spring in Aberdeen is usually glorious. There are beautiful and colourful flowers everywhere. This picture was taken in the walled gardens inside Seaton park, just a 3 minute walk from my office at University of Aberdeen. Seaton park is one of the nicest parks in the city and it was bought by the council in 1947 for public use. The river Don passes along the edge of the park and there is now a big lake where ducks and other birds rest. The park is used as a pleasant break from work and at the same time as an inspiring place for new ideas.   

Art naif is very colourful!

Photo: Dolores Rey-Vicario

This history of Brazil has been drawn by amateur painters and street artists. They do not pay much attention to techniques, proportions or art currents. They do pay attention to colours, rhythms and smells, which are, in my opinion, the best categories of words to describe Brazil. The absorption of these senses by artists has provided colourful paintings, which are classified as art Naïf (Naïve art). The MIAN is the Brazilian International Museum of Art Naif and presents a big collection of this type of art.

Dark night with bright lights

Photo: Antonio Ioris

 

Eleven million people live in Sao Paulo, Brazil and this is more than the Portuguese population (10.5 million). Such a big city require a fair amount of resources to survive: water, food, energy... If one of these fail there might be a conflict. Water scarcity caused by the lack of rain in the summer triggered a series of adverts on TV on how to best save water at work and at home. This measures intended to avoid water rationing in case the drought was to persist. I was surprised to see that little actions, which I considered basic and which I learnt at primary school in my "prone to drought country", where not yet embedded in a society where 9 million people depend of one only catchment: the "Cantareira reservoir system". Household water use was not the only activity at risk due to drought. The newspapers described that coffee production was going to decrease between 15-20% in Sao Paulo state in 2015. If we can survive without coffee, other products are more necessary, and the production of these are also at risk. Water scarcity and government corruption originated something called "panelaco" - people came to their balconies to beat cooking pans in protest. Let's hope the "panelaco" will be the worst consequence. 

 

For more info, the guardian published an interesting article about the recent drought in Sao Paulo: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/feb/11/brazil-drought-ngo-alliance-50-ngos-saving-water-collapse

 

And, thanks to Antonio, I have this beautiful picture from Avenida Paulista, in Sao Paulo. For a photography lover, it is a torture to travel without a camera. But I found it very liberator as it allowed me to focus more on smells and sounds, and it trained my brain to memorise every image. An experience I definitely advise.

Purple lights at Aberdeen His Magesty's Theatre

I think it is more than time I write a post about His Magesty's Theatre. It is here I satisfy my thirst for culture when I am in Aberdeen. I love the Scottish Opera and the Scottish Ballet, and also the plays and musicals. Other venues (e.g. Music Hall, Lemon Tree or Woodend Barn in Banchory) are great places to listen live music and experimental stuff. But HMT is "la cerise sur le gâteau"!

Very colourful - rediscovering charity shops in Scotland

I have never really looked properly at charity shops until I was back from Paris. If I analyse the facts, Paris might have played a role in my current interest for charity shops. The famous "marché aux puces" (flea markets) which are set in the different "arrondissements" (neighbourhoods) of Paris have an array of little treasures to be found: retro furniture, porcelains, paintings, art deco (and nouveau), lamps, old postcards, photos, clothes, jewelry etc etc. In Scotland, charity shops and antiques shops are the replacements of the Parisien "marché aux puces". In Aberdeen, these have been flourishing in the high street and I am loving it. My last achievement was this retro 60s Royal scale which I found in the charity shop in Cults, just off Aberdeen. It is so cute and it will look great in my modern Portuguese kitchen.