VirtualTourist Member a2lopes
| Page Views: 20,577 | Happy travels by a2lopes - last update: May 12, 2008  |
| recent trip to Ghadamés (Libya). Just wonderful |
Presently in Portugal The Lisbon Half Marathon will be taking place in March over a course that takes runners across the 25 de Abril bridge and offers them some beautiful panoramic views over the city. The race covers a distance of 21,097 meters from its start at the toll booths on the opposite bank of the River Tagus to the finishing line in front of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém. Also included in the program is the Mini-Marathon, which covers a distance of 7,200 metres and is open to all those who wish to participate, being essentially more of a social event than an actual competition. If you’re in Lisbon, come and join in this festival of sport, which last year reached a world record number of 36,000 participants. And take advantage of this great opportunity to cross over the 25 de Abril bridge on foot, appreciating the magnificent view that it offers over the Portuguese capital. March 16th http://www.meiamaratonadelisboa.com Holy Week is the most important religious event of the year. Holy Week celebrations are given major prominence in the city of Braga, encompassing various processions, complemented by several popular traditions and wide and varied cultural programming. In Porto and the North of Portugal, in accordance with tradition, the Easter celebration of the Resurrection marks the end of Lent and a return to traditional gastronomy - such as oven-roasted kid, sponge cake, almonds and port wine. Ensure you don't miss any of the events March 15th – 23rd http://www.visitportoenorte.com - http://www.rtvm.pt - http://www.semanasantabraga.comThe Portuguese Motorcycling Grand Prix , a stage on the annual motorcycling circuit for 125 c.c., 250 c.c. and MotoGP, is held on April. If you like speed, don't miss this race, which takes place in the region of Estoril, a world-famous resort, a true cosmopolitan centre with wonderful nightlife and all the infrastructure for a summer centre - beaches, excellent hotels, golf courses, the largest European casino and the motor-racing circuit. Friday, April 11th - Sunday, April 13th http://www.circuito-estoril.pt - http://www.motogp.comBe amazed by the Flower Festival in Funchal , Madeira, April 5th-6th. Streets strewn with floral carpets, and shop windows decked with flowers, create a unique and unforgettable atmosphere in the town. Be sure to visit the Flower Show in Largo da Restauração, where you will be surprised by the creativeness of Madeira's flower growers. http://www.madeiraislands.travelThe Portugal Open is the main international golf competition held in Portugal and is part of the calendar of the PGA European Tour circuit. Contested on Portugal's best golf courses, under a blue sky, it is an opportunity to see well known players. Thursday, April 3rd - Sunday, April 6th http://www.visiteestoril.comThe 18th Estoril Open , the most international tennis event in Portugal, will host some of the best tennis stars from the world tennis circuit along with some young Portuguese talents. April 12th - April 20th Tennis Centre, Jamor national stadium, Cruz Quebrada http://www.estorilopen.net/
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| New 7 Wonders of the World |
|  | Here they are 07.07.07 New 7 Wonders of the World
The New 7 Wonders of the World were announced during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon's Benfica Stadium, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007 - 07.07.07. The New7Wonders have been elected to represent global heritage throughout history (take a look at some history).
The listing as announced in random order at the Official Declaration Ceremony on 07.07.07, are: The Great Wall of China, Petra, Chichén Itzá , the Statue of Christ Redeemer, the Colosseum, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal. More than 100 million votes were cast worldwide. The New 7 Wonders are all equal - there is no rank among the list.
Of course there are some peculiarities related to the "proportional democracy" on such kind of election but... that's the world we live in...
7 Wonders were chosen because the original list of Ancient Wonders, drawn up more than 2,000 years ago, contained 7 and because 7 has been shown time and time again to be the number of things that the average person can remember.
The Pyramids of Giza also were honored by the New7Wonders project as the only remaining of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World.
Bernard Weber, who launched the New7Wonders Foundation to unite the world by honoring our common heritage, announced the organization's next project: The New7Wonders of Nature.
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Lisboa What to say about my lovely town ? (we can not avoid some adjectives to the things we like) Where I was born where I grew up, and where I like to return from my trips and time living outside. "You love a city not for its seven or seventy-seven wonders, but because it has an answer to your special question" , Italo Calvino
I’m proud of being born and raised in my country -Portugal- which I like to live in and to return always after any trip or some time living abroad. Nevertheless, I’ve been lucky to live abroad in so different cultures such as Sweden, Brazil, USA or Malaysia, which make me a more judicious person about “things of life” and the “human nature”. Born in the country of the “ discoveries” and the “discoverers” (the ones depicted in the picture) I dreamed of traveling “all the world” when I was a little boy, not necessarily in a caravel but I always felt the impelling force for the journey and not needed much more stimulus to go and know. Talking about sea traveling -one of the “travels of my life” was in the 70 years old topsail four masted schooner Creoula, an ocean training ship which I partially sail between Lisbon - Azores - Lisbon. Really adventurous to sail a ship of 70 m long. So far I have been to many places in this world, nevertheless, I haven't seen “anything” yet. There are still plenty of places in my wish list, but I have to regret I have no means -either time and money- to know “all the world” as I dreamed when I was a small boy. Moreover, you don’t need to “travel the world” to discover the beauty and the unknown hidden in the small places nearby your home. On top of that life is made of options at any moment and we do have to choose. We have to think on all the important items -family, work, traveling, fun- (not necessarily in this order at each time) and make a jigsaw puzzle with them. But always, I say, always, carpe diem because tempus fugit. And although I have a very messy passport full of stamps more and more I feel like a citizen of the world where the geopolitical divisions and the borders are meaningless.
|  | | Padrao dos Descobrimentos |
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| be attentive - watch your step |
|  | Lisbon Pavement |
where to be "hidden" from the world My niche is here - the mouth of Tejo river (yeah you can call it Tagus ;-) in front of Bugio fortress.... maybe one of the best places in the world ( please enlarge the picture) Along with one of the places I love more definitely one of my favorite poems Ithaca by Konstantinus Kavafis or Cavafis (1863-1933) When you set out on the voyage to Ithaca, pray that your journey may be long, full of adventures, full of knowledge.
Of the Laestrygones and the Cyclopes and of furious Poseidon, do not be afraid, for such on your journey you shall never meet if your thought remain lofty, if a select emotion imbue your spirit and your body. The Laestrygones and the Cyclopes and furious Poseidon you will never meet unless you drag them with you in your soul, unless your soul raises them up before you.
Pray that your journey may be long that many may those summer mornings be when with pleasure, what untold delight you enter harbors you've not seen before; that you stop at a Phoenician market places to acquire the goodly merchandise, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, and voluptuous perfumes of every kind, as lavish an amount of voluptuous perfumes as you can; that you venture on to many Egyptian cities to learn and yet again to learn from the sages.
But you must always keep Ithaca in mind. The arrival there is your predestination. Yet do not by any means hasten your voyage. Let is best endure for many years, until grown old at length you anchor at your island rich with all you have acquired on the way. You never hoped that Ithaca would give you riches.
Ithaca has given you the lovely voyage. Without her you would not have ventured on the way. She has nothing more to give you now.
Poor though you may find her, Ithaca has not deceived you. Now that you have become so wise, so full of experience, you will have understood the meaning of Ithaca. The quest for Ithaca seems impossible but after all Ithaca it is life itself and that is the reason for traveling, go in search for - happy traveling.
|  | | a cup of tea here when the sun is setting.... |
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|  | UNESCO World Herritage Sites visited so farThe World Heritage List presently includes 830 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. These include 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 States Parties Luckily I’ve been to 241 sites so far:
Andorra -Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley
Argentina -Los Glaciares -Iguazu National Park
Australia -Greater Blue Mountains Area -Sydney Opera House
Austria -Hist. Centre of Salzburg -Palace/Gardens of Schönbrunn -Semmering Railway -Hist. Centre Graz -Wachau Cultural Landscape -Fertö/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape -Hist. Centre Vienna
Belgium -Flemish Béguinages -La Grand-Place, Brussels -Lifts on the Canal du Centre -Belfries of Belgium -Hist. Centre of Brugge -Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) -Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai
Bosnia and Herzegovina -Old Bridge of Mostar -Visegrad bridge
Brazil -Hist. Centre Olinda -Iguaçu National Park -Brasilia -Hist. Centre of São Luís -Central Amazon Conservation Complex
Bulgaria -Boyana Church -Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo -Pirin National Park -Rila Monastery
Cambodia -Angkor
Canada -Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
Chile -Churches of Chiloé -Historic Quarter of the Seaport -Valparaíso
Croatia -Hist. Complex of Split and Palace of Diocletian -Old City of Dubrovnik -Plitvice Lakes National Park -Episcopal Complex of the Basilica in Porec -Hist. City of Trogir
Czech Republic -Historic Centre of Prague
Denmark -Roskilde Cathedral -Kronborg Castle
Egypt -Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis -Islamic Cairo -Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur -Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
Estonia -Hist. Centre of Tallinn
Finland -Fortress of Suomenlinna -Struve Geodetic Arc
France -Chartres Cathedral -Decorated Grottoes -Vézère Valley -Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay -Palace and Park of Versailles -Palace and Park of Fontainebleau -Strasbourg - Grande île -Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and Palace of Tau, Reims -Paris, Banks of the Seine -Canal du Midi -Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne -Pyrénées - Mont Perdu -Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France -Belfries of France -Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion -The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes -Port of the Moon, Bordeaux
Germany -Aachen Cathedral -Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady, Trier -Frontiers of the Roman Empire -Hanseatic City of Lübeck -Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin -Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau -Cologne Cathedral -Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg -Classical Weimar -Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin -Upper Middle Rhine Valley -Dresden Elbe Valley
Greece -Acropolis, Athens -Meteora -Mount Athos -Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments, Thessalonika -Arch. Site of Olympia -Arch. Site of Vergina -Arch. Site of Delphi -Arch. Site of Epidaurus -Mystras -Monasteries of Daphni, Hossios Luckas and Nea Moni of Chios -Arch. Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
Holy See -Properties of the Holy See -Historic Centre of Rome -Vatican City
Hungary -Budapest, the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue -Old Village of Hollókö -Tokaj Wine Region Cultural Landscape
Indonesia -Borobudur Temple Compounds -Prambanan Temple Compounds -Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra
Ireland -Arch. Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne -Skellig Michael
Italy -Church and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci -Hist. Centre of Rome, Properties of the Holy See and San Paolo Fuori le Mura -Hist. Centre of Florence -Piazza del Duomo, Pisa -Venice and its Lagoon -Hist. Centre of San Gimignano -City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto -Hist. Centre of Ferrara -Hist. Centre of Naples -Hist. Centre of Siena |
-Monuments of Ravenna -Hist. Centre of Pienza -Arch. Area of Agrigento -Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata -Botanical Garden- Padua -Cathedral and Piazza Grande- Modena -Costiera Amalfitana -Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands -Residences of the Royal House of Savoy -Villa Romana del Casale -Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park -Hist. Centre -Urbino -Villa Adriana -Tivoli -Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco -City of Verona -Villa d'Este -Tivoli -Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto -Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy -Etruscan Necropolises -Cerveteri and Tarquinia -Val d'Orcia -Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica -Genoa- Le Strade Nuove and Palazzi dei Rolli
Japan -Buddhist Monuments in Horyu-ji -Himeji-jo castle -Ancient Kyoto -Ancient Nara -Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Latvia -Hist. Centre -Riga
Libya -Arch. Site of Leptis Magna -Arch. Site of Sabratha -Old Town of Ghadamès
Lithuania -Hist. Centre -Vilnius
Luxembourg -City of Luxembourg
Malaysia -Gunung Mulu National Park -Kinabalu Park
Morocco -Medina of Fez -Historic City of Meknes -Medina of Marrakesh -Medina of Essaouira
Netherlands -Defence Line of Amsterdam -Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout
New Zealand -Te Wahipounamu Park -Tongariro National Park
Norway -Bryggen (old wharf of Bergen) -Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord
Poland -Hist. Centre Cracow -Wieliczka Salt Mine -Auschwitz Concentration Camp -Hist. Centre -Warsaw -Medieval Town -Torun -Kalwaria Zebrzydowska -Centennial Hall in Wroclaw -Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland
Portugal -Angra do Heroismo -Azores -Convent of Christ -Tomar -Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória -Batalha -Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém -Lisbon -Hist. Centre Évora -Monastery of Alcobaça -Cultural Landscape -Sintra -Hist. Centre Porto -Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley -Laurisilva of Madeira -Alto Douro Wine Region -Hist. Centre Guimarães -Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture
Republic of Korea -Changdeokgung Palace Complex -Gyeongju Historic Areas -Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
Russian Federation -Hist. Centre Saint Petersburg -Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow -Architectural Ensemble in Sergiev Posad -Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye -Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent
Slovenia -Skocjan Caves
Spain -Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzin, Granada -Burgos Cathedral -Hist. Centre of Cordoba -Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid -Works of Antoni Gaudi -Altamira Cave -Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias -Old Town of Avila with its Extra-Muros Churches -Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct -Santiago de Compostela -Hist. City of Toledo -Mudejar Architecture of Aragon -Old Town -Caceres -Cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indias -Seville -Old City -Salamanca -Arch. Ensemble of Merida -Route of Santiago de Compostela -Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe -Donana National Park -Hist. Town -Cuenca -La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia -Las Medulas -Palau de la Musica Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau -Barcelona -Pyrenees - Mont Perdu -University of Alcala de Henares -Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture -Arch. Ensemble of Tarraco -Catalan Romanesque Churches -Vall de Boi -Palmeral of Elche -Roman Walls -Lugo -Aranjuez Cultural Landscape -Renaissance Ensembles -Ubeda and Baeza -Vizcaya Bridge, Bilbao
Sweden -Royal Domain -Drottningholm -Hanseatic Town -Visby -Church Village of Gammelstad -Lulea -Laponian Area -Naval Port -Karlskrona -Agricultural Landscape -Oland -Kvarken Archipelago / High Coast -Varberg Radio Station -Struve Geodetic Arc
Switzerland -Convent of St Gall -Old City -Berne -Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn -Vineyard Terraces, Lavaux
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -Giant's Causeway -Blenheim Palace -City of Bath -Westminster Palace and Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church -Tower of London -Maritime Greenwich -Royal Botanic Gardens -Kew
United States of America -Everglades National Park -Independence Hall -Olympic National Park -Statue of Liberty -Monticello +Univ of Virginia in Charlottesville
|  | | Monastery Sta Maria da Vitória -Batalha, Portugal |
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| Keep smiling,keep shining.That's what friends are4 |
|  | Friends Some VT people I really meet out of this virtual world aaaarrgh, Ld Acirfa, Ld adawn412, Ld Aggeliki, At alucas, Ld, Mb, St alusru, Ld, Mb, At, St anand1560, KL Anne-Lieze, St Appleseed81, At, St audrey118, KL, Ld, Lx AussieMadCow, Ld, St AyurinHiro , Ky Backpackermoose, Ld, At, St Balfor, Mb barryg23, Ld beach_dog, Ld, Mb, At, St belsaita, At ,St bernd_L, Mb, At, St bernish, Ld BluBluBlu, Ld BodX, Ld bradbrown, Ld cachaseiro, Ld, Mb, St californiadreamin73, At, St cardesigner, Cd carmela71, Ld, Mb, At, St carmen., Be chiabh, KL chrishc, Ld, Mb, Lx cnango, St Co48, Mb, At, St Dabs, Ld, Mb DAO, Mb, St daphne_b, Be dar76, KL dila, Mb dejavu2gb, Ld dfactor, KL, KS dora_heta, KL Durfun, Ld, Mb, Lx eden_teuling, Mb Elena_blue, St, Be elucas, Mb, St EviP, Lx Fen, Ld film, Ld flyingkiwi, KL FruitLover, St Gammy1968, At, St garry123, Ld Geisha_Girl, Mb giampiero6, St GillianMcLaughl, Ld, Mb gillybob, St gingerbird, Ld globetrott, Lx gone_with_wind, Lx, Oe grets, Ld haldane, Ld ,Mb hanoun , Ld ,Mb Hikerpark, At, St HORSCHECK, Lx, Mb Hosell, Mb huggy93, Ld Igraine, Mb, At, St inguuna, Mb INSULARIUS, St iris2002, Ld jadefrau, Mb, At, St janetanne, At, St jenniflower, Ld jennysTravels, St jessica-b, Ld, Mb jetsetterforever, Ld jo104, Ld johngayton, At, St JulesH, Ld Kaspian, Ld, Mb, St keida84, Ld, Mb KristaB, Ld kristara, Mb krumlovgirl, Ld, Mb lina112, Mb littlesam, Ld, At ,St LoriPori, Ld, Mb, At, St Lyndahall, Ld Mahieu, Mb, St Manyana, Ld, Mb Mardaska, At, St Mariajoy, Ld MATIM, Mb Maurizioago, CC Mavl, St meenoi, KL minanga, KL mittnic, Ld mizzzthanggg, KL mustertal, Ld myfanwe, Mb ,St nhcram, Ld, Mb, Lx novsco61, Cs, CR, Si OH_DK, At, St omran, Tp Orkaena, St outforlunch, At, St p_yenyen, KL, KS Pakistaniguy, Mb paulo_pinto, Po, Cs, CR, Si Paulo&Rosario, At, St, Be petertktan, KL PetraE, Ld poons, Ld, Mb portgrl, Al, Po, Ga, Cs, CR, Si, Cd poupeeAztec, Ld Princess_Emily, At, St razmatac, Ld rebibi, Mb redang, Al, Po, Bj, Cs, CR, Si, Md revontulet, St RhineRoll, Ld ricky52, Ld, Mb ritaz, St, Lx romina78, Ld RonDace, Ld rusket, At, St Saasaan, St saccharinicity, Mb sachara, Mb, At, St salsa_girl, Mb, At, St sandysmith, Mb sara_slo, Cs, CR, Si schlumpf, KL senoritasmile, Mb sinequanon, Mb, At, St SirRichard, Mb sha_stallion, KL sofia_79, Lx, Si soulfisher, Lx sourbugger, Ld St_Vincent, Ld Stephanie, Ld, Mb, At, St sue_stone, Ld suet, Ld, Mb sun-spot, KL, Ld, Lx tere1, KL, Lx, Oe, Al, Po, At, St, Be, Cs, CR, Si tertuliatulia, Cd TheView, At, St TheWanderingCamel, Lx travellingSpirit, Ld, Mb tuna_ank, St VincentJJ, Mb vivalasteph, Ld vondutch, Mb Waalewiener, Ld, Mb, At, St Willettsworld, Ld Willy_wonka, Mb yurijade, KL zuriga, Ld zweiblumen, Mb
Al - Almada, At - Athens, Be- Belém, Bj - Barajas, CC – Costa de Caparica, Cd- Carnide, CR - Cabo da Roca, Cs - Cascais, Ga – Vila Nova de Gaia, KL - Kuala Lumpur, KS - Kuala Selangor, Ky - Kyoto, Lx - Lisbon, Ld - London, Mb - Marbella, Md- Madrid, Oe - Oeiras, Po - Porto, Si - Sintra, St - Santorini, Tp - Tripoli My VT Meetingsin Europesome huge ones EuroVT Meeting Marbella 5-6-7 May 2006EuroVT Meeting Santorini 1-2-3 June 2007in Asiain Africa All photos by a2lopes otherwise stated |
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Comments for a2lopes | | | | |
chiabh Tue May 13, 2008 12:42 UTC my dear friend antonio... thanks for your nice comment on my hp... will certainly keep portugal in mind if i am going to europe... and you will be the first to know... hehe... ~chia | kris-t Tue May 13, 2008 00:54 UTC Thank you, Antonio! Best wishes! Kris | shelnlin Mon May 12, 2008 22:24 UTC Thank you for the lovely birthday wishes and visiting my pages. So nice to hear there is another 'foodie' out there. Do you have any recipes to share? | Carmela71 Mon May 12, 2008 12:03 UTC Thats great news,! Alpha is going to look like a VT home LOL :-) |
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