Santo Aleixo da Restauração village (in the Alentejo) by night - The 26th of August 2016

We reached Santo Aleixo da Restauração in the late evening but we still ventured into the narrow streets that led to the Church, which ended up being the first glimpse of the forthcoming festivities.

The village streets were lit up with colouful iluminated decorations and so was the church. Quite a few people were to be seen sitting around the street Cafés and a rather significant number  inside the church, bearing in mind the size of the village and the fact that it was already fairly late. 

The 16th century Church with its guilded altarpiece looked interesting but I decided I would be back the following day to hopefully visit it thoroughly and take some pictures. 

On the way to Santo Aleixo da Restauração village - The "bifanas" of Vendas Novas; the Cromlech dos Almendres, Alentejo - The 26th of August 2016

As I was on my way to the village of Santo Aleixo in Baixo Alentejo thanks to my boss and his family's invitation, where I would be watching some of the local festivities, we stopped a few times, so as to get acquainted with some of the best known references of the places we were driving by starting with the "bifanas" (pork loin medalions previously marinated and later cooked in lard before being served in soft rolls) of Vendas Novas, which are in fact quite different from the ones we can have anywhere else.

Despite the fact that many small restaurants in the area have placards stating they have the "genuine bifanas" we stopped at Café da Boavista is undoubtedly the one that holds the "secret" as to make the "real" ones and the truth is I couldn't help savoring and photographing those tasty Portuguese cuisine specialties.

Somewhere along the way towards the Cromlech of Almendres we stopped briefly  (at Montemor) and I still had the chance to photograph a few interesting things, amongst which the typical wrought iron "belly" grilled window bars.

Set in a semi-ellipsoidal formation the twin stone circle of around 95 almost anthropormophic quartzite stones is considered one of the largest existing group of structured menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula. I wasn't able to photograph the whole ensemble such was the width of the circle. The location of the Cromlech as well as its equinoctical orientation seem to confirm an intentional relationship with the cyclic movement of the Sun and the Moon.


According to a squeme there should be some geometric carved stones, which we had difficulty in identifying and even photographing because of them having been rubbed out by erosion.


I was impressed with the site and more so with coming across several foreign visitors strolling around the site, especially taking into account the fact that the Cromlech is off the main road, in a rather isolated place at the end of a non-paved lane.



As we were leaving a few more people were arriving, which  led us to believe it was almost certainly because of the sun set.

The latest book I have read ...

Os últimos marinheiros (the latest seamen and women) has been the most recent book edited by Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos I have read. I have unexpectedely become keen on reading these because I feel the information gathered on the various themes is conveyed in a rather interesting and informative way. Having spent my childhood by the sea has had an impact on the way I look at these men and women whose life is intimately connected to it.

This is a rather fascinating reporting type of approach book that blends portraying, informing, feeling and voicing which is definitely worth reading. 

 

 

 

 

"Portugal has 2,830 kilometres of coast, having become the 3rd biggest economic European zone and the 11th worldwide. Despite the coastline there isn't a single meteorological forecast radio channel transmitting any therewith related information. On board of  both a commercial cargo and a trawling ship, Filipa Melo took to the discovery of the latest seamen and seawomen, who confront the sea on a daily basis and do justice to our  agaisnt all odds mythical past".







 

Culture-oriented trip to Madrid - On the way to the Ermita de Santo Antonio de la Florida - The 21st of August 2016

I left the hostal fairly early and walked  along calle Mayor having passed by the well known market and the Town square till I reached the Almudena Cathedral. Streets were still empty with the exception of those in the proximity of the Royal Palace and Campo del Moro where a few people were already queueing up at the entrance of the Palace. 

 

I continued walking further along Campo del Moro heading towards the Sabatini gardens so as to catch the Cuesta de San Vicente and finally Paseo de la Florida, though it took me longer than I had expected.   

Once I reached Principe Pio square I turned right and 500 metres further on I finally came across the elegant neo-classic building which was built between 1792 and 1798.  The interesting thing about its walls and cupola frescoes painted by Goya is that a multitude of citizens bear witness to the Miracle of St. Anthony, in which the Saint resuscitates a murdered man so that he can testify in defence of his own father, who has been accused of the crime. The fact that there were huge mirrors positioned underneath the frescoes, whose picture taking was prohibited allowed us to meticulously look at the projection of Goya's splendourous artistic work.

 

 

Despite feeling tired, mostly because of the extreme heat felt over the weekend which aggravated the blisters on my feet I felt it had been worth flying to Madrid on this culture-oriented adventure.

Note: Photos of the frescoes withdrawn from the net.