Before kicking off my posts about my recent trip, I can't help but reporting about something that happened a few days ago, in Lisbon city centre: a selfie seeker tourist climbed onto the pedestal of the stone figure of a Portuguese king, which stood in a niche flanked by large, ornately decorated horseshoe-shaped arches at a façade of a Lisbon station for suburban trains. Of course the statue didn't bear the man’s weight and it tumbled down over the street pavement.
Today, I went there to take a photo of the façade without the stone statue. I can't express my feelings in words as I looked at it and saw no statue...
The statue represented a king who the Portuguese people refuse to accept his death at a battle in Africa when he was 24. This fact has originated a legend saying that in a foggy morning the king will return. Even nowadays, it's often mentioned when someone believes something that is not likely to be true.
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I saw this story - maybe on Picture This - and I felt annoyed by this tourist. I understand getting a selfie, but to climb on any statue or edifice is inexcusable. Perhaps the Portuguese king will visit this young man in his sleep and scare him.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have you back. :)
Thanks, Benni!
DeleteHi Belita, great to see you. I haven't been around a lot but that is changing for the better.
ReplyDeleteI hope that tourist got fined at least for the damage he did. Some people just don't think.
Hope you are well Hugs, Shayna.
Thanks Shayna!
DeleteIt's a sad fact that these days many tourists, particularly younger ones, have no respect for a country's history and culture. This is a typical example.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you, and unfortunately in Italy we had some bad examples of this type as well...
DeleteHi Mitch, Hi Edoardo! Unfortunately this is one side of the today's world....
DeleteThanks to both of you for visitng and commenting....
Can the statue be renovated and replaced?
ReplyDeleteHi Fatos!I've no idea but I guess it will not be an easy task... it was broken into many pieces...
DeleteThanks!
what a pity...really a big damage ...
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