Picto Diary - 26 November 2018 - Lisbon

Above. TIMDT. Praca do Comercio. Baixa, Lisbon, Portugal 26 November 2018.

Estuary, Rio Tejo, to the rear of TIMDT.

Reminds of Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux seen in September. Also estuary (Gironde) to the rear.

Bishop: I need 10 Euro for that Fado CD.
TIMDT:You don't need that. Besides, I'm low on cash.

Bishop: I want to buy this Lisbon tile piece.
TIMDT: You don't want that. It's a cheap knock off.

Bishop: Let's stop at this cafe for a fizzy water.
TIMDT: No. The table cloths are dirty.

Bishop: Let's hire this Piaggo tuk tuk lady for a tour.
TIMDT: No she's asking too much...rip off. — at Praça do comércio - Lisboa.

Above: Guide, Paula, our tuk tuk driver, schools TIMDT on Lisbon. Belvedere of Our Lady of the Hill, Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.

April 25 Bridge was Salazar Bridge (seen in distance in image) when Bishop was last here in January of 1968. Same architect and builder as Golden Gate. I first visited Portugal in January 1968 just following a three day visit to Madrid. I had been released from my two and one half year mission in France for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Following my mission, I took a short trip to the Iberian Peninsula on the way back to the US.

PORTUGAL OCCUPIERS:

Phoenicians
Roman's
Vikings
Visigoths
Moors
Christians
???? — at Belvedere of Our Lady of the Hill.

Interesting. Anything new is interesting. I say new. I saw all this fifty years ago, but remember little or nothing of it. Still, Lisbon seems a secondary place to visit if European visiting options are otherwise limited.

The late 16th and 17th centuries were Portugal's apex. Portugal's great explorers, Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator et al were opening new trade routes to Asia and the Americas, bringing Portugal untold wealth and influence rivaling that of Spain and England. Good times back then, but, downhill since.

TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have visited former Portuguese colonies of Brazil, Macao, Mozambique, and Goa in prior years Reverse order... seeing the colonies first and the mother ship last.

The Reconquista occurred in Portugal as well, though the Moors were out of Portugal a couple of hundred years before they were kicked out of Spain. The Christians of Portugal were no less nice to the resident Jews as they were during the Inquisition in Spain. At one point during the Reconquista 3000 Jews were killed.

Recent history of Portugal is interesting. Portugal's leader for four decades, beginning in 1932 was Antonio Salazar. Salazar was head of country when I was here in 1968. Salazar was a devout Catholic and regular mass attender. He never married. Somewhat of an ascetic, he lived frugally. He governed frugally... and for believers in government social responsibility, his meager spending of government funds greatly disadvantaged Portugal's poor.

Portugal was a neutral country, like Switzerland, during WWII. However, Salazar got along well with Franco and Mussolini. Salazar's control and heavy handed influence over the Church and Portugal's oligarchs, along with aggressive suppression of leftist dissidents kept him in power. Colonial wars in Africa during the '60's undermined his influence. He died in 1970 and on April 25 1974, a people's uprising known as the Carnation Revolution, threw out the fraying Salazar governing coalition.

After 1974 Portugal lost its colonial wars (Angola, Mozambique) its empire collapsed, and 800 thousand immigrant refugees made their way to Portugal. Old Salazar henchmen fled to Brazil. Many who stayed became disaffected with the revolution were generally pro dictator and angry about the revolution, contributing to a polarization of modern Portuguese society that exists to this day.

In 1976, the Portuguese adopted a constitution that separates Church and state. These changes helped to break down an almost medieval class sytem and established parliamentary law. Mario Soares, a former enemy of the Salazar regime, became the new prime minister, ruling as a stabilizing presence through much of the next two decades. Today, Portugal is enthusiastically democratic.

Above: Mural from Atalho Restaurant. Chidado, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.

Meat, any which way but loose.

TIMDT: Melted provolone in little escargot cups.

Bishop: Steak sandwich. Ungarnished.

Shared greens on the side.

Unique. Excellent.

TIMDT seal of approval. — eating lunch at Atalho.

Above: Bishop getting shoeshine. Avenida Libertad, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.

Twice I've heard a local refer to Avenida Libertad as Lisbon's "Champs Elysees." It caused me to wonder if Parisians refer to the Champs as the "Avenida Libertad" of France. Talk about a country inferiority complex. Speaks to the cultural influence that the French have had throughout the west for centuries. Catherine the Great and the Tsars were affected by this influence as well.

Bishop is trending away from the French, going Luddite.

Leather, shined shoes.
Mechanical watches
Cuckoo clock.
Typewriter, ribbons, paper, back up stash at home.
Increased use of cash.

In support of his new thinking, Bishop notes that both US missile defense and Ukranian power grid are analogue and therefore immune from computer hacking. There is something to be said for going retrograde.

Bishop shies from, though doesn't rule out, connecting to Tesla Borg (Bishop talks a good game about being Luddite, but also feels its important to hedge one's bets).

Meanwhile, Bishop looking for gas powered, carburated vehicle with zero electronics. — in Lisbon, Portugal.

Above: TIMDT observes orchids. Lobby. Four Seasons Hotel. Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.

Above: Fado musicians. O Faia Restaurant. Bairro Alto. Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.

Fado (Portuguese national music). Fado. The moroseness and intensity of flamenco and tango. Iberian roots must have something to do with similarities of these three art forms. Fado stands for "fate." The lyrics are about Portuguese adventurers and seamen who, away suffering hardship, pine for their lovers back home. The emotive singing is mostly in a minor key. The singer, usually female, is accompanied by a lute and a guitar.

Dinner:

TIMDT: Sea bass
Bishop: Pork loin with pear

TIMDT approves. — eating dinner with my love at O Faia.

Addendum:

Well said... [deceased officer Romrell]

Wade,
Park City, UT

Above: TWO3 and Tile wanted you to know that your truck made it to top of the hill.

Guzzi,
Park City, UT

A great review, Stephen. You almost tempt me into trying Child and finding out about Jack Reacher (and assure you I shall stay well away from the Tom Cruise interpretation). Thanks!

Cheers - Cheeta,
Vancouver, BC