Yesterday evening I walked to Jardim da Estrela, a lovely park with the tallest cacti I have ever seen, and lots of great big trees. After sitting on a bench beneath a tree, collecting my thoughts and enjoying the view, I walked East and South to Time Out Market, where I saw this poster. My next destination was the nearby Dahlia, where I had dinner. By the time I arrived in my flat I had walked just under seven miles.
Together we joy, ja?!
Let’s joy together!
Visited a tree and was happy to see that it was doing well. The photo that was taken from the greatest distance, is from July. The other two were taken this month. It may be a Bauhinia, also called Orchid Tree, and should look spectacular when it flowers. The growth is obvious and, as if to prove itself, the tree broke the bamboo stick that was put in the ground to steady it. I look froward to keeping an eye on this one.
It rained in the morning but cleared up in time to walk to lunch. Afterwards I discovered a different neighborhood, just following my nose. The light at this point was amazing, as you can see from the two iPhone pics above. And once again I thought that should have taken my camera along. But it was nice that could get these phone pics.
Just received this message and feel like a Alfacinha now:
Heavy rain in your region in the next 24 hours. Strong winds. Risk of flooding. Stay alert.
All is well so far. I live on the fourth floor, which is the third floor according to European counting, and I don’t have to worry about flooding as much as about the roof staying on. Just ventured outside to pick up a few groceries. It’s raining and warm, about 6° warmer than it had been.
After reading A Small Death in Lisbon, which I liked a lot but also found to be rather violent and stressful, I read Murder on the Vine by Camilla Trinchieri, because I knew it would be easy and fun. I learned the Italian expression to be a piece of bread, said about a good person. As a bread baker I endorse this saying, which has so many layers. Bread can be crusty and hard on the outside but soft and squishy on the inside. Bread can be sour and delicious at the same time. Bread lasts a long time and can be eaten with almost anything. It can be depended on.
10 Italian Food Idioms on Bread – Words of Nona:
Essere buono come il pane (to be as good as bread): this idiom is used to describe a caring, loving person with a good heart. Few things are as nice to eat as a well baked piece of bread still warm from the oven; if a person is as good as that, it’s really the best you can get. Another idiom with an equivalent meaning is essere un pezzo di pane (to be a piece of bread).
Speaking of bread, there is a bakery around the corner that is tiny and mighty, the smallest bakery I have ever seen. And yet, far better than most… delicious Pain au Chocolat, great olive sourdough bread, fantastic focaccia, with tomatoes and cheese, or with potato pieces and gorgonzola, or with romesco sauce… A neighborhood that contains a place such as this IS a good neighborhood, just as a person who is a piece of bread is a good person. It’s as simple as that.
Ceci n’est pas une fenêtre.
When is a window not a window?
I came across these “windows” yesterday. They appear to be printed on sheet metal and are quite realistic.
Nod of the head to René Magritte.
