GUESTBOOK

Showing posts with label Lisboa2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lisboa2016. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 05, 2018

A MAN CALLED ARMANDO....

Wandering without a specific destination is one of my favourite hobbies. This gives me the opportunity to sometimes find out either something 'precious' or someone special. This happened to me a few years ago. Rambling in a Lisbon high-class residential district a bit distant from my place, on a somehow steep street, the farther I walked it up, a strange outdoors display was getting closer to me, making me get puzzled by such a big volume of miscellaneous items. I was curious to understand what that was. As I stopped just in front of it and peeped into a very narrow entrance I saw a man working inside a tiny space. He was a shoe cobbler...
We started talking and since then he has become my shoe mender. Perhaps I should say he is jack of all trades, a master of shoe mending.
Inside the store, we see seemingly chaotic shelves of shoe polishes leather cleansers, needles, threads and so many items that are not directly related to his job. Many of them are dusted over from years of quiescence



He does good work and has these pretty birds that I took a picture of in a cage but he often lets them fly out of the cage even outside which is nice. 


Armando is very proud of his activity that has been in the hands of his family for over one century. Last century, his grandfather was already a shoe cobbler and so was his late father.
He has skilled hands and he always tries to do his best  so as to please his customers. Even if he is requested to do something like a chef knife set case....
Super nice guy Armando is... He always provides an incredible service ...

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Monday, June 13, 2016

LISBON CELEBRATES ITS PATRON, SAINT ANTHONY....


I think I can say that Alfama is the most typical neighbourhood in Lisbon and on these day and nights more than ever. It's the time to celebrate Saint Anthony, the patron saint of Lisbon, making the city become like a large-sized festival of colour, smell of sardines and colourful garlands.


Saint Anthony who is said to have been born in Lisbon, became famous for his generosity that inspired the collection of funds for the reconstruction of Lisbon following the 1755 Earthquake: pleas for “a penny for St Anthony” could be heard all over the city, and this custom continued for several decades, to the particular delight of children. This led to the creation of his thrones that were inspired by northern-style, natural-looking shrines, coloured and fashioned with varying degrees of skill. These honoured the saint whom the city continues to celebrate to this day with a public holiday today (June 13).


This year the local government decided to resume this festive tradition and challenged the people of Lisbon to flex their creative muscles and make their own thrones. Anyone could request a throne model for free from the Museum of Saint Anthony, decorate it as they wish and submit it for the competition. Everyone is a winner, as all of the thrones are displayed to the public throughout the festivities. 


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Have a wonderful week