Obidos is a charming town not too far from Lisbon. It has narrow cobbled streets with whitewashed homes, accented with bright blue or red or yellow detailing, red tiled roofs and spreading purple bougainvillea blooms. It is a tiny town but it has a castle, churches, restaurants and a maze of cobbled alleyways. But that…
Category: Travels 2023
TukTuks of Lisbon – A Splash of Colour
TukTuks appeared in the late 2000s. They are not public transportation but are privately owned, taking tourists around even on the narrowest and steepest streets. It brings colour to the streets of Libon. This is a fun alternative to taxis but they are quite expensive. Some have a minimum charge of 10 euros while an…
Welcoming Green Doors of Lisbon
A green front door reflects wealth, health, and safety, and not surprisingly, a green door works well on the tiled traditional-style homes in Portugal. Pictured here are some of the many facades with green doors that caught my eye in Lisbon. The best part about looking for green Portuguese doors is that you won’t have…
Tuesday Streetart Swans – 28
SOUTHWARK, LONDON Discovered the artwork of Australian Street Artist Jimmy C. in Redcross Way, Southwark. Titled ‘Union,’ this mural blends Aboriginal art with ‘Aerosol-Pointillism.’ It depicts two swans meeting peacefully amidst flowing water.
Navigating Lisbon’s Stairways and Alleys
TRAVEL DIARY: LISBON 1 Jack and I reached Lisbon from Barcelona via Vuelling airlines in approximately 2 hours. Upon arrival, we met up with Tim and Leigh, who had traveled from London. We took an Uber to our Airbnb and true to the forecast it rained the whole day. After putting our luggage down and…
Seats in narrow walkways in Lisbon
Photos taken last October of 2023. Linking this Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge
Wordless Wednesday
Give love whenever you can. The world needs more of that. BRISTOL, UK
Tuesday Streetart Bees and Dandelion – 27
BRISTOL, UK This is a drive by shot of a very detailed mural by Zase in Eastville. Such an attractive piece.
Embracing Barcelona’s Charm: on Our Last Day
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 4: We had no precise plan for our last day in Barcelona except for the Banksy Museum. We headed off from our hotel and went on the direction of the Arc de Triomf which is a memorial arch in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as…
Round Windows
BARCELONA, SPAIN Modern architecture of residential building with big round windows by architect Mario Catalan Nebot. Linked to Ludwig’s Monday Windows
Tuesday Streetart another one by Bronik – 26
EL BORN, BARCELONA, SPAIN This little bar is located in the Born district just near St Catarina market. Bronik is from Peru and was based in Barcelona making graffiti from 2009 until early 2020 when she came to Australia. That is why this is the third mural (I am sure there were more) that I…
Shutter Windows in Montmartre
Four months have passed, and I still vividly remember my first day in Paris when I visited Montmartre. These are the ones I discovered in a quiet spot farther away from Place du Tertre. Linked to Ludwig’s Monday Windows Some small tiles, sculptures and streetart beside the shutter windows.
Go and See It Now
I’m a part of the Melbourne Urban Sketchers group, though I don’t regularly attend as their sessions are usually on Sundays, and Jack prefers to rest on that day. Additionally, I’m an active member of Urban Sketchers Casey, a more intimate group that meets every second Friday of the month, and I make an effort…
Doors in and around the Dali Museum
Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dalí (May 11, 1904 – January 23, 1989), is not only where this iconic artist was born but also a town that reflects the brilliance that defined his work. I have compiled some doors that I saw in and around the Dali Theatre Museum in Linked to Dan’s Thursday Doors…
Tuesday Streetart by Bronik – 25
BARCELONA, SPAIN A streetart by Bronik. Clearly, she is becoming one of my favourite street artist. It is only now that I found out that she is an artist/muralist/streetartist/illustrator from Peru but now based in Melbourne. Gotta search for her work now in my walks.
A walk through Dali’s Mind in Figueres
TRAVEL DIARY: FIGUERES About a 40 minute bus ride from Girona took us to Figueres, the home town of Salvador Dali. “I want my museum to be a single block, a labyrinth, a great surrealist object. It will be [a] totally theatrical museum. The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation…
Two red Chairs
LONDON, UK Somewhere in London I found this shop dedicated mostly on pre-loved chairs. Linked to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge
Doors of Girona
One of the most historic sites in Spain is Girona that lies in northeast Catalonia. The doors in Girona are a mixture of extravagant and elegant ones. … simple, wooden and metal doors … and some mural and graffiti doors Linked to Dan‘s Thursday Doors
Tuesday Streetart Trompe l’oeil – 24
BARCELONA, SPAIN Trompe l’oeil is a technique used in art in which objects are painted their normal size in a very realistic way, to make people think that the objects are solid and real. (As defined by Collins dictionary). I saw this building in front of the Mercat de Santa Caterina in which this technique…
Day tripping to Medieval Girona
TRAVEL DIARY: GIRONA Left our hotel early for Barcelona Nord. I organised this day trip via Get Your Guide. Met our guide at platform 17/18, left at 8:30 and arrived in Girona, Spain, in about an hour. Explored Girona with a local guide, who shared Game of Thrones Season 6 details which was shot there….
Sculptures in Placa de Catalunya
In the heart of Barcelona lies Plaça de Catalunya, a sprawling square graced by an array of public art, making it one of the city’s grandest open spaces. Renowned for its statues and vibrant atmosphere… Its fountains … At the edge of the square is my favourite Font dels Sis Putti, an attractive fountain built…
Laundry day
BARCELONA, SPAIN This is my initial entry for My Vivid Blog and the prompt today is Laundry. I just saw her blog on Brian’s space.
Barceloneta Beach
The Barceloneta Beach is one of the most visited and most famous beach in Barcelona. As we arrived late in the day, we witnessed the staff already in the process of removing chairs from the beachside eatery . Linked to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge
Streetart Doors in Barcelona
In Barcelona, vibrant murals adorn front safety doors, cleverly doubling as advertisements for shops even when closed. Linked to Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge
Park Guell: a fairytale-like experience
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 3: Another place not to be missed when visiting Barcelona is Park Güell: it’s a fairytale-like experience featuring whimsical architecture, vibrant mosaics, and lush gardens meticulously crafted by Antoni Gaudí. Took an Uber to the Carretera del Carmel entrance of Park Güell. We chose the earliest available slot, I factored in my…
Ways to communicate…
In what ways do you communicate online? Migrating to Australia with my husband and one-year-old son left me homesick for a long time. Back then, snail mail was my lifeline to connect with my dad, workmates, and relatives due to the expense of long-distance calls. In today’s digital age, communication is easier but lacks the…
As the sun sets
“Sunsets are the most peaceful moments that nature offers.” – Unknown The word “dramatic” immediately takes my thoughts to the enchanting canvas painted by sunsets. There’s a certain beauty and emotional intensity in the way the sun bids farewell, with a sense of drama and wonder. “As the sun sets, the world becomes a canvas…
Roadtrip: London to Edinburgh then back
Think back on your most memorable road trip. This is a suggested prompt for #Bloganuary Each road trip I’ve had holds its own charm, but the recent journey from London to Edinburgh last November, where my son Tim took the wheel, stands out as the most memorable and exhilarating experience. First stop was Cotswolds. The…
A tiny plaza in El Born Gothic quarter
The Sant Pere de les Puelles Catholic church in the Plaza de San Pedro, or Placa Sant Pere, in the El Born Gothic quarter of Barcelona, Spain. I discover a quaint plaza nestled beside the church, adorned with inviting benches and chairs—an ideal spot for serene moments.
Doors of the La Sagrada Familia
Welcome back, everyone! We’re diving into Dan’s Thursday Doors challenge for 2024. Here’s my initial entry for the year. In 2015, they put the first doors on La Sagrada Familia’s Nativity façade Charity portal. Made by Etsuro Sotoo, the bronze doors with ivy leaves represent lasting love for Mary and Joseph. The doors on the…