If you fancy a distraction from the weather this month then join in with Becky’s (“A life of a 40 something”) March challenge of square photographs with the theme:
March Square | 9th March
If you fancy a distraction from the weather this month then join in with Becky’s (“A life of a 40 something”) March challenge of square photographs with the theme:
March Square | 8th March
dating from 1877, now housing a university department. This once beautiful building, now somewhat dilapidated, is close to the Parque Príncipe (Prince) Real, near Bairro Alto which is a wonderful park though a little tired at the time of my visit in 2012, as indeed much of Lisbon was.
Paula’s (Lost in Translation) challenge this week is Traces of the Past
Paula’s (Lost in Translation) challenge this week is Tall.
Following her idea of a lighthouse I have opted to show this beautiful blue and white striped pepper-pot structure, which is topped by a small glass beacon.
During the 1750s, on a rocky shoulder overhanging the sea, a small fort was erected that was part of the maritime defence of Cascais until the 19th century. In 1762 it was modernized, and began its function as a lighthouse in 1868 after losing its military value.
In the lighthouse museum are gathered representative pieces that illustrate its activity whilst it was a lighthouse, featuring a series of optical devices from the 19th and 20th centuries as well as an audiovisual centre where a multilingual documentary about the lighthouses of Portugal is exhibited.
You really need to wear good sunglasses when visiting this site – the white glossy tiles of the exhibition centre and auditorium throw off a blinding light in the sunlight which quite hurts the eyes! The tiles are laid slightly unevenly so the apparently plain surfaces catch the light and have a subtle iridescent quality.
I have been promising to show this to my blogging friend Jo for a very long time! I hope she enjoys it 🙂
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
Lots of ways to interpret this week’s photo challenge, but my immediate thoughts were of the Byrd’s song which was a hit in the 1965. Written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s the words are taken from the bible (Ecclesiastes). The lines are open to myriad interpretations, but as a song they are commonly performed as a plea for world peace, with an emphasis on the closing line:
“a time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.”
In view of what is happening in the world today, I thought that this was an appropriate response, though I hasten to add that I am not in any way religious, despite being drawn to religious buildings and ancient churchyards like this pretty little chapel on the outskirts of Cascais, Portugal.
TRAVEL WORDS 