Olá! Sejam muito bem vindos meus caros amigos e leitores! Estou na Quinta das Lágrimas. Este lugar tem qualquer coisa, que não sei explicar muito bem, mas prende-me. Talvez pelo silêncio, talvez pela história que se respira a cada canto. Tudo aqui me fala de vidas passadas. Tudo parece falar baixinho, como se o tempo tivesse parado.
Hello! Welcome, my dear friends and readers! I am at Quinta das Lágrimas. There is something about this place that I cannot quite explain, but it captivates me. Perhaps it is the silence, or perhaps it is the history that permeates every corner. Everything here speaks to me of past lives. Everything seems to whisper, as if time has stopped.
I have always been fascinated by history. Not by the great events themselves, but by the people who lived through them. I like to think about them – who they were, what they felt, what they talked about as they walked around here, unaware that one day they would be nothing more than memories, names in books, legends told. Today, they are just remnants of a time that will never return, but which silently remain among falling leaves and in the shadows of ancient walls.
I like coming here. Walking among the trees is like walking inside a living book. It's like stepping into a time machine, but without engines or gadgets - you just have to be attentive and listen to the silence. There is something beautiful, and sad, about these remnants of a play that has already ended, but whose set is still standing. It's as if this place understands me. Here I can hear what is usually drowned out by noise in everyday life. It's a travel through time, but also a travel inside myself.
Hoje não vim para contar a história deste lugar - já o fiz tantas vezes. Hoje vim só para estar. Para deixar os olhos pousarem no belo, mesmo que esse belo tenha qualquer coisa de trágico. E nesse silêncio cheio de passado, encontro consolo, como se essa beleza que dói, nos ensinasse a ver com maior lucidez.
Today I did not come to tell the story of this place—I have done so many times before. Today I came just to be here. To let my eyes rest on beauty, even if that beauty has something tragic about it. And in this silence filled with the past, I find comfort, as if this beauty that hurts teaches us to see with greater clarity.
Olá meus caros amigos e leitores! Hoje venho aqui a este lindo lugar para fazer uma reflexão sobre o que se está a passar em Portugal. O que está a acontecer é que Portugal se está a transformar na Califórnia da Europa! O que está a acontecer é que as celebridades mundiais e os multimilionários de todo o mundo descobriram o encanto e as vantagens de se viver em Portugal! oh yes!!!
Hello my dear friends and readers! Today I come here to this beautiful place to reflect on what is happening in Portugal. What is happening is that Portugal is turning into the California of Europe! What is happening is that world celebrities and multi-millionaires from all over the world have discovered the charm and advantages of living in Portugal! oh yes!!!
After Madonna chose Portugal for a holiday, now other celebrities are doing the same. Recently the Dukes of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, secretly visited Portugal and bought a house worth over 3 million euros. It's the Dukes' first home in Europe. They will be neighbours of their cousin Eugenie, daughter of Sarah Fergusson and Prince Andrew. But they're not the only ones! Oh yesss!
The fact is that Portugal's growing popularity, stunning landscapes, safety, climate and quality of life have boosted the development of the luxury property market. And, you know who the next residents of Portugal are going to be, hint hint, it's a gorgeous man! Oh yess!
The super-rich couple George and Amal Clooney are also looking to Portugal as a prestigious destination and a safe and exclusive refuge !!! Oh yess! I can just imagine walking down the same street where this celebrity couple go to buy bread! hahahaha!!! Or me turning a corner and bumping into Prince Harry cuddling up to his Meghan, eating a Hello ice-cream and singing ‘a cornet(ice-cream) for me, a cornet for you’. This is going to be the craziest thing ever in Portugal hahaha!!!
With all this celebrity madness, you're already realising what's happening to the Portuguese. The price of houses has skyrocketed and now there's no money to buy them, simply because the Portuguese with modest salaries, or even insignificant salaries in the face of these super-rich, can't access the property market and buy decent housing that they can afford! Oh yessss!!
Addendum to this post: I've just learnt that socialite Paris Hilton has also bought a luxury property in Portugal. As soon as I hear about other celebrities, I'll update this post! The luxury property market in Portugal is booming! Oh Yess!
What Portugal looks like to me is a horror film starring big celebrities! And are you aware of all this celebrity gossip? What's happening is that the Portuguese are being driven out of their own country! Oh no!
Olá queridos amigos e leitores,
Recentemente, tive a oportunidade de visitar o Museu Marítimo de Ílhavo. Uma das partes mais marcantes foi estar dentro de um dos barcos que antigamente navegavam rumo ao Mar da Noruega para a pesca de bacalhau. As condições a bordo eram duras e precárias, o que evidenciava a coragem e a resistência destes homens.
Hello dear friends and readers,
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Ílhavo Maritime Museum. One of the most striking parts was being inside one of the boats that used to sail to the Norwegian Sea to fish for cod. The conditions on board were harsh and precarious, which showed the courage and endurance of these men.
Olá meus caros amigos e leitores deste blog, hoje vamos fazer uma viagem pela história de Portugal e pelo mais belo dos seus castelos. A sua história remonta a muitos séculos atrás. Começou por ser uma simples fortificação, evoluiu ao longo do tempo para o impressionante conjunto de edifícios que hoje vos irei mostrar.
Hello my dear friends and readers of this blog, today we're going on a journey through the history of Portugal and its most beautiful castles. Its history goes back many centuries. Starting out as a simple fortification, it has evolved over time into the impressive set of buildings I'm going to show you today. 
Apresento-vos o Santo Condestável - D. Nuno Álvares Pereira - nasceu em 1360 e foi um dos mais ilustres militares da história portuguesa. Comandou as tropas portuguesas em diversas batalhas e numa série de conflitos que culminaram com a independência de Portugal face a Espanha. A mais famosa batalha foi a de Aljubarrota, onde com um exército significativamente menor, conseguiu derrotar os espanhóis, só mesmo por milagre conseguimos esta vitória... mas com a inteligência deste estratega militar e ao mesmo tempo homem religioso, o que nos parece um paradoxo aos olhos de hoje!
Meet the Holy Constable - D. Nuno Álvares Pereira - born in 1360, he was one of the most illustrious soldiers in Portuguese history. He commanded Portuguese troops in several battles and in a series of conflicts that culminated in Portugal's independence from Spain. The most famous battle was that of Aljubarrota, where he managed to defeat the Spanish with a significantly smaller army. Only by a miracle did we achieve this victory... but with the intelligence of this military strategist and at the same time religious man, which seems a paradox to us today!
Hoje, o Castelo de Ourém é um lugar turístico, o castelo oferece uma viagem no tempo. Ao explorá-lo, os visitantes podem reflectir sobre os milagres de D. Nuno e a sua habilidade em vencer batalhas aparentemente impossíveis. Resumindo, o Castelo de Ourém não é apenas um dos mais belos castelos de Portugal, mas um símbolo duradouro da resiliência e coragem dos portugueses ao longo dos séculos.
Today, Ourém Castle is a tourist site, offering a trip back in time. By exploring the castle, visitors can reflect on the miracles of D. Nuno and his ability to win seemingly impossible battles. In short, Ourém Castle is not only one of the most beautiful castles in Portugal, but an enduring symbol of Portuguese resilience and courage over the centuries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I
Como diz a Kelly Clarkson na música "Stronger", o que não nos mata, torna-nos mais fortes e lutadores! Acho que está tudo dito por hoje!
As Kelly Clarkson says in her song "Stronger", what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and a fighter! I think that's all said for today!
Olá queridos leitores compulsivos deste maravilhoso blog😁!! Ao voltar à cascata perdida na Serra da Boa Viagem, transportei-me não apenas para um lugar, mas também para momentos passados. Em 2019, descobri este refúgio natural enquanto fotografava um look. Agora, em 2024, voltei para testemunhar as mudanças, tanto no ambiente como em mim.
Hello dear compulsive readers of this marvellous blog😁!!! When I returned to the lost waterfall in the Serra da Boa Viagem - Mountain range of Good Voyage - I was transported not only to a place, but also to moments gone by. In 2019, I discovered this natural refuge while photographing a look. Now, in 2024, I've returned to witness the changes, both in the environment and in me.
