Month: December 2019

Street Art in Lisbon

This piece was created in July of 2016 by the Italian artist Andrea Tarli. You can find it on Largo da Achada.
The Portuguese capital is now known as one of the cities in the world with the best street art, and some local artists like Vhils and Bordalo II have works all over the world. Vhils is known for carving faces on façades, while Bordalo II creates art from trash. Following the revolution of April 25, 1974 there was an explosion of political murals, and today artistic graffiti is even sponsored by the City Council, which created the Street Art Gallery by the iconic Glória Funicular.

by Andreas

Fort of São Jorge at Oitavos

 

Merry Christmas from Portugal!

The Fort of São Jorge  is located on the coastal highway EN 247, near the Oitavos dunes, in the parish and municipality of Cascais, Lisbon district, Portugal. It was one of a series of forts stretching from the Tower of Belem close to Lisbon to Cabo da Roca. It is now a museum.

The fort was erected during the Portuguese Restoration War with Spain. It was designed as shelter for a small garrison of a corporal, three gunners and 18 soldiers, positioned to prevent landings on the coast between Guincho beach and Guia beach and thus complement the defence of the River Tagus. It permitted crossfire with the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Guia and the Fort of São Brás de Sanxete at Cabo Raso. The fort was constructed under the direction of António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva.

It was equipped with four cannons, complemented by covered bartizans in the corners and by a covered line for the musketeers.

Although the inscription under the Coat of Arms on the gate specifies the dates of beginning and completion respectively as May 4, 1642 and 1648, scholars believe that a more correct period would have been from 1641 to 1643.

by Andreas

Cill Chriosd

No Scotland journey without a Celtic Cross photo… this shot was taken at Cill Chriosd. Unfortunately I could not take more pictures because it was raining cats and dogs …

Cill Chriosd (Christ’s Church or “Kilchrist”) is a ruined former parish church of Strath , on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It was constructed around the 16th century, replacing an earlier Medieval church on the same location, and was used until 1840 when the Parish church was relocated to Broadford.

by Andreas

A’ Chuith-Raing

I had a wonderful time with great people on a fantastic island. It was exactly what I needed. This is the sunrise from the Quiraing.

The Quiraing (in Gaelic: A’ Chuith-Raing) is a landslip on the eastern face of Meall na Suiramach, the northernmost summit of the Trotternish on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. The whole of the Trotternish Ridge escarpment was formed by a great series of landslips; the Quiraing is the only part of the slip still moving—the road at its base, near Flodigarry, requires repairs each year.

Parts of the distinctive landscape have earned particular names. The Needle is a jagged 120-foot (37 m) high landmark pinnacle, a remnant of landslipping. Northwest of it is The Table, a flat grassy area slipped down from the summit plateau, with vistas of the Torridon Hills and the mountains of Wester Ross. Southwest is the Prison, a pyramidal rocky peak which can look like a medieval keep when viewed from the right angle – the ascent of this is an airy scramble.

The name Quiraing comes from Old Norse ‘Kví Rand’, which means “Round Fold”. Within the fold is The Table, an elevated plateau hidden amongst the pillars. It is said that the fold was used to conceal cattle from Viking raiders.

by Andreas