Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

If the world was black and white......

@brittarnhild

If the world was black and white.....

 and I was given the power to create two colours......

.....I know exactly what I would choose.

 Blue and tourquise as in the 16th century Turquise and Syrian plates we found at Museu Calouste Gulbenkian.

Turkish born Calouste Gulbenkian was only 14 when he started his art collection. Some years later he did a good deal with four major oil compnies which granted him 5% stake, and this made home a multimillionaire. During WWII he went to live in Portugal and when he died in 1955 the Portugise State inherited his collection in form of a trust.

 One of my instagram friends lives in Lisbon, and when he, in a comment on my blog, mentioned the Gulbenkian Collection I knew it was a place we had to visit. So after the tile museum we took a taxi up there.

And if it is possible to fall in live with a museum, with a collection of art,
well, that´s exactly what we did!

 China, tapestries, books, furniture, paintings, jewelty.........and more. I could move riht into the museum and live on its art for breakfast, lunch and dinner for ever.

Before going back to our hotel we discovered that the museum also has a garden. And what a garden!

But that is a post for another day!

Here is the link to the museum´s website.

 

A History in Tiles

@brittarnhild

 

 "Of the many sights, I´m most awed by the Museo National do Azulejo, housed in the former Convenmto da Madre de Deus. The history of Portugese tiles hangs on the walls......"

 The words are Frances Mayes´, in her book A year in the World, where she writes about the month she spent in Lisbon and Portugal.

The tile museum is situated a little outside the city cnter, or "further afield" as our Eyewitness Travel guidebook says, so without Frances´words I am not sure we would have found it.

We spend several hours here, finding almost more beauty that we manage to take it, we ohhhhhhs and ahhhhs in every new room we enter.
 

 

Along our way we pass a workshop where two women are restoring old tiles.

 

That´s a job I would love to have!

 

Before leaving I buy a book about the tiles at the museum. I want to learn more. About the introduction of tiles from the Moors, about the Spanish influence and about the developing of the unique Portugese style.

 

 

Time is relative......even in Lisbon

@brittarnhild

I am sure you know the feeling. Of time passing too fast when you are having a really good time. Tomorrow is our last day in Lisbon, Saturday our Portugal holiday continues by car out in the countryside, and I have no idea where time has flown.

Or....well, I do have some ideas of course, and as I am looking through Terje´s photos, which I just downloaded, I find more.....ideas of what we have done I mean :-)

Two botanical gardens, two days on the beach (Lisbon is perfect for beach days, 30 minues by train, leave the train, a few steps and you are there.......), bacalao or dried cod in a million ways, coffee shops, restaurant, fado music.......and a few tourist sights.

As a matter of fact we have skipped most of the tourists traps on this trip....well, all of them actually. We do have a museum plan for tomorrow though.

Twice we have queued up for the Elevador de Santa Justa, built at the turn of the 20th century by the apprentice of Eiffel, Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, both times we have looked at each other after a few minutes, shook our heads and walked away for another cappuccino and a pastéis de Belém.

 

Look at these pastries, doesn´t they look yummy :-)
There is a small cafe in Belém, Antige Confeitaria de Belém where they have made these small cakes in more than 100 years. We went to the cafe, but seeing the queue we bought our coffee and cakes nextdoor and walked up the road to Jardim, Agricola Tropical (worth its special blogpost another day)

Last night we went to the district of Bairro Lopes, searcing for fado music. We found, we fell in love and we will go back there tonight (again a special blog post, some day)

 

Lisbon

@brittarnhild

Yes, we are in Lisbon, a city where we have never been before. The thrill of coming to a new place, the first day of walking around, getting the feeling, smell, taste.....oh, I love it.

With cameras, guidebooks and a credit card we set best foot forward and let the day unfold.

We listen to the music,

we look for the unexpected,

and we smile back when we are smiled at.

We see different things,

we point out to each other,

And when we sit down to eat baccalao, the waiter comes over, asking in a very broken English: do you want me to take your photo?

Sure we do :-)

 

 

So, where are we now........

@brittarnhild

I would love to do a guessing game, but then of course it would be too easy for those of you who follow me on facebook, instagram and snapchat........

I am collecting some great tales though, and will blog about them of course.....

.....eventually.