COLOURFULWORLD

Monday, 17 October 2022

Monday Mural - Pichiavo & Aryz

I love murals and street art. If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme is for you. Just follow the Linky steps below. Once you start looking you will find murals everywhere. The "Monday Mural" meme goes live on Monday at 12,01AM, Perth,Western Australian time. Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters. Looking forward to your mural finds this week.

Thanks Sami

Two murals in the Kreuzberg District of Berlin, in Friedrich Strasse (corner with Franz-Kluhs Strasse), near Hallesches Tor underground station.

The first one painted by PichiAvo - a duo from Valencia, Spain - Juan Antonio Sánchez Santos (Pichi, born in 1977) and Álvaro Hernández Santaeulalia (Avo, born in 1985), who have painted incredible murals around the world in their inimitable style that blends classic and contemporary art.

In the next building, a mural by Aryz, a young Catalan (Spain) artist, with a wrestling scene in pastel colours.

Both murals were painted for the Berlin Mural Festes in 2019.

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

European Holiday - Portugal 1 - Lisbon & Centre

For other signs from around the world check Tom's blog

July 14th - Jose, Karina and I arrived in Lisbon around 12,30pm after a 3 1/2 half hour flight from Berlin.

These were the first signs seen at the airport while we waited for our luggage.

Sagres Beer

Bolt ride share

Welcome to Lisbon - Hard Rock Cafe

After a late lunch at my parent's house in Cascais (30km from Lisbon), together with my sister and brother-in-law who also live in Cascais, we had a short rest, and then packed a small suitcase each for our 3 day trip the following day!

Yes, we were on the move again, this time by car.

Day 2

We were driving to Carregal do Sal (285km away/about 3h drive), the small town where we lived for 12 years before moving to Australia. It happens to be my parent's birthplace, and we moved there 1 year after arriving in Portugal because Jose was starting a rail project nearby, and as we had cousins who lived there, we decided to settle in that town.

My parents, our daughter Karina and both of us left home about 10,30am, and drove towards the North.

One and a half hours later we stopped in the central town of Leiria, where I had arranged to have lunch at 12,30pm with cousins and a couple of South African friends - a big group of 18 adults and 2 kids. After a most wonderful lunch at Frangus - great food and service, we took a group photo and it was time to say goodbye and get back on the road.

It was late afternoon when we arrived at our final destination - Carregal do Sal - a small town which lies between the more known towns of Coimbra and Viseu, and contacted the owner of the Airbnb to get the keys.

We had requested if it was possible to have an extra bed for Karina, and they left a foldable bed in the tiny lounge of the 2 bed-roomed wooden bungalow.

We experience quite a few hot days and the bungalow just wasn't insulated to withstand that type of weather! Because the windows were low and didn't have mosquito nets, we couldn't leave the windows open at night either when it was cooler, and the fans were quite noisy, ... so needless to say, this was the worst Airbnb we stayed in, in the last 5 or 6 years. But in that area we didn't have much choice, as when I booked I didn't realize that the municipality's Summer festival was on for 4 or 5 days at the same time we were there.

The bungalow was just outside the town and the owner had mentioned there was a small cat that used to come to the property, and they would feed it. And yes, just a couple of hours after our arrival the cat popped by and walked straight in. We would often find her sitting on the outdoor furniture waiting for us to open the door in the morning.

Later I noticed the very young cat was pregnant. Of course on our first shopping expedition I bought cat food and would feed her and leave water for her. I tried to convince my parents they "needed" to adopt the cat, but they didn't think it was a good idea.

When we left, I told the owner the cat was pregnant and to please look after her.

Signs hanging in the bungalow

During the 3 nights we were there we dined at the festival grounds, and then stay and listen to the different music bands.

Walking around every night I would always come across people we knew when we lived there over 15 years ago (I always try and visit when we go to Portugal), and people were happy to see us.

Lights, music, food, friends

Dinner on the first night - Codfish with fried potato chips, goat cheese with pumpkin jam, cream milk pudding

Dinner on the second night - bread with various dried sausages, codfish in cream sauce, more puddings...

We were recommended a new (to us) restaurant in Cabanas de Viriato, just a 15 minute drive from Carregal do Sal.

Delicious food, cheap but oh so much food!! In fact in most restaurants where we ate I found the portions were too big for what we are used to, so a lot of food is wasted...

Octopus with potatoes in olive oil

On the way back we stopped at Casa do Passal, the home of the Portuguese Schindler - Aristides de Sousa Mendes.

He was a Portuguese consul in Bordeaux during WWII and he defied orders from the ruling dictator Antonio de Oliveira Salazar (whose home-town is also about 15km from Carregal do Sal), by issuing visas and passports to an alleged 30,000 refugees fleeing Germany. He was punished by the regime with demotion and then compulsory retirement.

He died in misery in 1954, in Lisbon at the age of 68 and is buried in Cabanas de Viriato.

After his death, the regime "disappeared his memory" - nobody in Portugal knew what he had done to help the refugees, not even historians.

He was first recognized for his efforts in Israel in 1966, where he was declared to be a "righteous among the nations", and in 1986 the United States Congress issued a proclamation honouring his acts. Only in 1987 did the Portuguese Government publicly apologize to his family and posthumously awarded him the "Order of Liberty". In June 2020 the Portuguese Parliament officially honoured Sousa Mendes with a monument at the National Pantheon in Lisbon.

Sadly until about 2015 the family's former residence in Cabanas de Viriato was falling into disrepair , the roof having already caved in. After a protest by the locals, the restoration of the house is underway, thanks to a grant from the European Union and private funds, with a view of transforming it into a memorial museum.

House as it looked in 2014

You might enjoy reading this long article about Sousa Mendes and stories of Jewish people he saved.

Before getting back on the road, we had a last lunch with 2 friends of mine, and we came loaded with more gifts - cheeses, home-made wines, home-made Aguardente (fire-water), vegetables...

Our last lunch: Top - Alheira (Chicken sausage invented by the Jews who lived in Portugal ) and Bottom: prawn patties with tomato rice

The alheira, was originally invented by the Jewish people who lived in Portugal, made with chicken and bread. Nowadays it is no longer kosher and might include pork, game or even be vegetarian.

In the north of Portugal every home preserved pork sausages to see the family through the winter, hanging them from the rafters in meaty coils. Jews – who did not eat pork – were conspicuous for their missing sausages.

“They were seeking refuge from the Inquisition,” so they developed a bread sausage that could fool informers and local zealots who denounced them to the Inquisition for not eating pork.”

We were gifted 2 zucchinis (courgettes) - the size of my carry-on bag :)

L - My parents, daughter Karina, R - Jose and I

Before we drove back to Leiria (to have afternoon tea with friends that had been at the lunch on the way from Lisbon) , I wanted to stop at this swing.

Situated on the other side of the Mondego River, that separates the District of Viseu and District of Coimbra, in Vila do Mato (Tabua), is the Swing of "Bóco" with lovely views over the river. There are a couple of swings with views over the rivers in this area, but no time to visit them all 😏.

In Leiria, we made a quick visit to the farm of our friend John - "Karamba Chilli". He farms and makes chilli sauces, chilli powders, etc. which he sells in Portugal and some overseas countries. I have great admiration for John, he used to be a Civil Engineer, but about 20 years ago he was involved in a horrible car crash and became paraplegic in his early 40's. He later bought this farm and with his wife they have dedicated themselves to growing chilli, some fruit, onions...

We then drove to our friend Bela's house, where we joined her parents and one of her daughters who had recently returned from a teaching job in China for late afternoon tea.

Belas's parents were my parents first friends in Johannesburg and in fact Bela's late grandparents were our "adoptive grandparents" in South Africa.

Bela's daughter, Bela, Jose, Karina, me, Bela's parents and my parents

After tea we said our goodbyes and got back on the road towards Lisbon.

And that was it for our first 5 days in Portugal.

The following day my younger sister would arrive from South Africa at 6,30 in the morning!!

Ready to get back on the road towards Lisbon

Electric car charging stations at one of the petrol stations/service stations on the highway

On the highway we saw the Google Street View car

Monday, 10 October 2022

Monday Mural - Make Art not War

Thanks Sami

Also in the Kreuzberg quarter, just outside the Tor Underground Station, and not far from the Jewish Museum, this mural from American artist Shepard Fairey, aka "Obey" was painted in 2014 and can be found at 28 Mehringplatz, Berlin.

His murals usually have the colours black, white and red and can be described as a mix of graffiti propaganda pop art. (In Sydney he used green in his mural - link below)

The Make love not war mural just across from the Hoodie mural from last week

This one was painted at the entrance of a nearby building.

Obey's mural in Sydney:

https://sami-colourfulworld.blogspot.com/2019/06/mural-peace-waratah.html

Wednesday, 5 October 2022

Monthly Wrap-up - September

Joining Tom for SIGNS - please follow this link f0r 0ther signs from around the world.

September - the start of Spring, my favourite season.

It was a mostly wet and cool month, but towards the end the sun shone and all was well with the world 🌞.

On Saturday 10th we celebrated Jose's birthday (which had been on the 5th) with dinner at a Chinese restaurant with some friends and family. I took a cake to have after the meal and one of my friend's brought Portuguese custard tarts she had baked.

Twiggy celebrated her 16th birthday on the 17th. All she does now is sleep and eat, but she seems content with her life.

A sunny day on one of the weekends saw us doing some gardening or rather weeding....

I bought 2 cans of spray paint and painted 5 pots that were given to us by a friend in blue and turquoise, to go with my garden and house decor.

Friday 23rd - Friends from Sydney travelling around Australia arrived to spend a few days with us. They had been in Perth twice before, but had never visited Rottnest island, and that was on their wish list.

With a very long weekend upon us - Thursday 22nd was National Day of Mourning, for Queen Elizabeth II, Monday 26th we had a scheduled holiday to celebrate Her Majesty's birthday, and because I usually don't work Fridays....I had a 5 day mini holiday.

But being school holidays too, the ferries to Rottnest were fully booked from Saturday to Monday, so for $12 more per person I booked a flight to Rottnest for Saturday 24th.

The pilot's car had a great number plate advertising his business

On the way to Rottnest with my friends

It was a windy day, not the best to be on a tiny plane, but as it just took 15 minutes it was ok. We loved flying over Fremantle and then over Rottnest.

The 19 sqmt (204sqft) island, got its name when a Dutch captain mistook the quokkas for giant rats, so he named the island "Rotte Nest" (Rat Nest).

The island is a diver's paradise, with beautiful beaches, limestone reefs, marine life and of course another great reason to visit is to see the iconic quokka - a tiny marsupial, herbivorous and mainly nocturnal animal, with a population of around 10 thousand on the island. The island was also home to army barracks, an Aboriginal penal colony and a prisoner of war camp.

During WW II, the island was part of the defence of Fremantle port, and military features which include the railway, barracks, concrete lookouts, bunkers and four large guns positioned at Oliver Hill, were then known as the "Rottnest Fortress". Today the barracks and guns can still be visited by train.

Nowadays the island is a much loved holiday destination for Perth residents and tourists.

When we landed we walked 10 min down the road to the "settlement" (area where ferry arrives and where most restaurants are), had a coffee, then bought tickets for the hop-on/hop-off bus that takes people around the island.

It was the best way to see the whole island, and we got off at 4 or 5 main spots to take photos and then caught the following bus.

I won't bore you with dozens of photos of turquoise sea and white sand...so just a few photos so you get the idea how beautiful and special this island is.

Salmon Bay

Wadjemup Lighthouse on a hill in the centre of the island

Geordie Bay

Longreach Bay

Another lighthouse on the island - the Bathhurst lighthouse

Back at the "settlement" where the restaurants and some accommodation is located, the quokkas are plentiful. We saw a couple around the island, but they know where the food is...even though it's prohibited to feed or touch them.

For the first time I saw 2 baby quokkas, one sharing a leaf with mom, and then a tiny one in mom's pouch. So adorable.

Mom and Baby share a leaf

This Mommy quokka with her joey in the pouch

Signs and Sculptures at Rottnest:

The island as seen at the airport

A whale sculpture

A large rock held by a "stiff" chain

Sunday 25th - my visiting friend and I went to see the Kings Park Botanic Gardens wildflower festival, which occurs every September.

A boab tree that was transported from the Northern Territory

Wildflower field of everlastings

Visitor Information Centre covered in flower decals

This years theme was Crochet flowers and 2 mannequins inside the Information Centre dressed in flowery regalia.

The views from the park over the city on one side of the Swan River and the suburb of South Perth on the other side are amazing!

Signs at Kings Park:

When we arrived from Kings Park my friend and I baked a Lemon cake, since we have so many lemons from our tree. It was simple, not too sweet but delicious.

One evening my friend cooked us a Portuguese dinner - with codfish I had in my freezer.

On Monday 26th, we took our friends to Fremantle so they could meet up with other friend's of theirs, and while they had breakfast together we wandered around the port area where I found some cute signs.