What a mess...

It's the end of May, and the jacarandas in Lisbon are once again covered with clusters of blue tubular flowers. One of my first memories of being in Lisbon, as a kid, was of walking down the Avenue 5 de Outubro, with the pavement covered with these blue/lilac flowers, that kept falling from the trees as I walked. I remember my mother telling me of its name and of how it was common to see them in some streets in the colonial East Africa, Mozambique, where she grew up (the trees would blossom in the southern hemisphere around December). Ever since than, my fascination with these wonderful trees, brought from Brazil centuries ago, has not ceased, and each jacaranda in the city looks like a treasure to me, bringing memories of happy summer days...

The jacaranda flowers cover the streets and the cars...

Stairs, near Chiado area in Lisbon.

View from the train window, with the huge statue of Cristo Rei visible in the horizon.

This is our most modern train (it even has an upper floor!). It had been a few years since I had crossed the Tagus river by train, that passes below the 25 De Abril bridge.

View to the well known Areeiro tower in Lisbon.

Hello guys, I haven't (photo)blogged as much as I wanted these days, due to the lack of time. I'm glad to know you're out there taking more pictures of life around you. I just found out about pinhole cameras and I suppose I won't get any rest until I get one (although I have forgotten completely how to use film...). Anyway, just posting some more pictures where I've tried to simulate that effect.

Just trying to take pictures at night again... Quite a long way to go yet, until anything watchable is ready...

I've used my ultra zoom camera to get this picture, from my parents home, near Alvalade. This apartment block was posh and fancy in the 1950's, and seriously needs some restoration. But I wonder if it's still possible, as the owners have completely changed the architecture in some balconies, covering some of them with bricks and doing very little to disguise them from the outside...

Wouldn't it be nice to have an apartment in this building? Unlike in Madrid, such doors in the balconies are quite uncommon in Lisbon - as are buildings with such architecture. This one is in Campo Grande, just in front of the park and the main avenue.

São Gabriel Tower, Parque das Nações, Lisbon. I'm so fascinated with skyscrapers - and we have so few over here - that I keep photographing this building ...

You do feel like just sitting in the park in days like these, enjoying the sights...

It was almost a summer day today, with it's 29º Celsius in Lisbon. I took this picture while driving through Avenida de Roma.

I tried to talk to him and to convince him to come down, and he seemed reluctant at first, not knowing if he should. He stayed there for a quite a while, and than just got bored and left :)

I'm becoming fascinated with cats, since the arrival of Mr. Bindu. I saw this one just a few moments ago. The cat is probably from one of my parents neighbours, as he looks to fat and healthy to be stray. He was walking over the fence quite curious.

Meow... This cat's name is Silvestre, and he belongs to one of our friends. I believe he's six and I found him huuuuuge compared to our own little feline...

Shadows over an apartment block, Av. do Brasil, Lisbon.

Summer is not far away now...

The ship was travelling incredibly fast. In two minutes it had passed the Bugio lighthouse, miles away.

This huge luxury liner was just leaving the Tagus, heading to the high sea.

The local townhall seems to be repairing the pavement across the Caparica beaches, before Summer begins.

I felt happy to see so many stray dogs, just like when I was groing up. Most were taking an afternoon snap, like this one, that kept sleeping even with all the noise around.

Lisbon, just across the river... A small ferry connects the two shores, over 2 kms apart.

Many ships use these docks to unload cargo, and that strange mix of industry and traditional fishing activities (and very degraded buildings) still puzzle me.