A city where it is impossible not to look at what is beneath your feet is Lisbon, Portugal. The endless intricate patterns of the cream and black cobbles automatically draw your eyes down. Known as calçada (Portuguese Pavements) some, like the wave pattern above and below in Praca Dom Pedro IV Square (Rossio), can even interfere with your balance and make people look as though they are floating above the pavement.
Arch to Praca do Comércio
Belem Wave pattern
Belem Astrological Sign – Gemini
In Belém coloured marble is used with the flat cobbles to create patterns and pictures including a map of the world depicting the voyages that Portuguese explorers made during the Age of Discovery.
The Discovery Map
South-westerlies
Pavement in Bairro Alto
Astology signs in Belem
Pattern
I bet there are lots of ‘bumping into accidents’! Fabulous art work. Thank you so much for sharing it Jude
I guess we need to go back. The stolen purse incident put a real dampener on our last visit but I still have things to see. I’ve got a real yen for the Azores too, and there’s no shortage of these tiles there either. Come to think of it, Madeira had oodles too. 🙂 Great shots, Jude! I love the rooftop one.
Have you been to Madeira? There is a lady who has a stall on the market here who visits every January to avoid winter. I must admit I am tempted. Never looked at the Azores.
Madeira is stunningly beautiful, Jude. I spent my 60th there. The flowers are fabulous but, of course, there’s a bit of rain to go with 🙂 The Azores have rather a short ‘season’ but budget flights now operate there from Portugal. I’m scheming 🙂
When is their rainy season then? And where did you stay? I think the market lady stays in a hotel in Funchal as they do good winter breaks.
Definitely Funchal and it can rain any time but mostly in winter. It’s a green island! Warm rain is ok? X
Warm rain is OK 🙂
The wave pattern makes me dizzy. I wonder what it is like to walk on it, especially with glasses that can distort your depth perception when looking down.
I have a pair of sunglasses that do that, I loathe them for going down steps. The wave pattern was more noticeable as I crouched down to take the photo, but at proper height is’s not too bad!