#321 - Farewell to Queen Elizabeth 2

Photos by João Quaresma

Last thursday was called at Lisbon, for the last time the Queen Elizabeth 2, more than a handsome bellhop, this ship is a veritable institution. Completed in 1967, was the last big pack of British design and construction, and represents the end of an era in many respects. Still belongs to a time when passenger ships were built not only for cruise trips, but for transport, and therefore had to be fast to be competitive, unable to compete with the plane, many were reused for cruising. It is also a time when these ships were considered strategic resources of a country, in case they are needed to transport troops in wartime (if the QE2, which was mobilized during the War of the Malvinas / Falkland, in 1982), and why its bid was largely subsided. It is still motor with steam turbines, a system that is no longer used in favor of more economical and compact diesel or gas turbines. And, most evident from the outside, is a time when there was real good taste in that the ships be looking stylish without sacrificing anything on behalf of transporting more passengers and to offices of floating holidays.

The QE2 is not the last ship of this generation in service (among other things, our dear Funchal continues, proud, navigating with the Portuguese flag, as a last resistance of our glorious Merchant Navy before). But it is the most famous and most symbolic. So this his last cruise, after which to Dubai which will serve as floating hotel-casino, symbolizes the end of an era. ~JQ

A big thanks to João Quaresma for submitting this photos and captions, and for his collaboration on Lisbon Daily Photo Blog :)

#320 - Alfama XLVIII

#319 - Today from 6 PM to 9 PM

Av da República

Coner of av da república with Av de Berna

Sunset Av de Berna

Nossa Senhora de Fátima Church

Some store window

Some Lausy door

wall

University wall

Funny publicity at bus station

Moon watch

#318 - Rua Augusta amusement

#317 - Alfama XLVII

#1 of Campo das Ceboulas

#316 - Águas Livres Aqueduct + sky watch

Águas Livres Aqueduct

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Águas Livres Aqueduct (Portuguese: Aqueduto das Águas Livres, "Aqueduct of the Free Waters") is a historic aqueduct in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It is one of the most remarkable examples of 18th-century Portuguese engineering. The main course of the aqueduct covers 18 km, but the whole network of canals extends through nearly 58 km.

The city of Lisbon has always suffered from the lack of drinking water, and King John V decided to build an aqueduct to bring water from sources in the parish of Caneças, in the modern municipality of Odivelas. The project was paid for by a special sales tax on beef, olive oil, wine, and other products.

Construction started in 1731 under the direction of Italian architect Antonio Canevari, replaced in 1732 by a group of Portuguese architects and engineers, including Manuel da Maia, Azevedo Fortes and José da Silva Pais. Between 1733 and 1736, the project was directed by Manuel da Maia, who in turn was replaced by Custódio Vieira, who would remain at the head of the project until around 1747.

Custódio Vieira conceived the centerpiece of the aqueduct, the arches over the Alcantara valley, completed in 1744. A total of 35 arches cross the valley, covering 941 m. The tallest arches reach a height of 65 m, and many are pointed, reminiscent of arches in Gothic style. It is considered a masterpiece of engineering in the Baroque period.

In 1748, although the project was still unfinished, the aqueduct finally started to bring water to the city of Lisbon, a fact celebrated in a commemorative arch built in the Amoreiras neighbourhood. From this period on, construction was overseen by other architects, including Carlos Mardel of Hungary and others. During the reigns of José I and Maria I, the network of canals and fountains was greatly enlarged.

The Mãe d'Água (Mother of the Water) reservoir of the Amoreiras, the largest of the water reservoirs, was finished in 1834. This reservoir, with a capacity of 5,500 m³ of water, was designed by Carlos Mardel. It is now deactivated and can be visited as part of the Museu da Água (Water Museum).

#315 - Another day...no balloons! LOL

According to the news below, I was supposed to have shootet at least 10 balloons in Lisbon this weekend. In the previous post you can see the only balloon that was yesterday in Belém . And today this was the aspect of Praça do Comércio in the morning.

The weather was fine and even in the absence of balloons was fun. :)


"Europe's biggest festival takes hot-air balloons to Belém

The International Festival of hot-air balloons take this weekend dozens of balloons in the area of the Monastery of Jeronimos in Lisbon, with baptism of flight and a multimedia show at night.
According to Sandro Danao, organization, the multimedia show "Festival Night Glow" [technical name in English], present in week-end and lined up dozens of balloons filled with hot air, which will turn the burners with "fire and in a synchronized, where the rhythm of music. "

The show is scheduled for Saturday at 21:30, with an estimated duration of time, and according to the organizer, "will be the largest in Europe, because of the large number of balloons present," the majority of foreign pilots.

The balloons will occupy the entire front of the Monastery of Jeronimos , near the garden of Belém, as of Saturday morning, with baptism of captive flight demonstrations during the day and more direct contact with the pilots and crews.

On Sunday morning, about 10 balloons are at Commerce Square to demonstrate and flight captives, one of the balloons available to users of wheelchairs.

After the event in Lisbon, all of the approximately 50 pilots participating in the International Festival, takes to the Alto Alentejo in Portugal, which starts Monday to contest the Cup of Iberian Balloon." [*]

#314 - One balloon at Belém

I went to see 50 balloons and I just found one! LOL
Maybe I'll post the others 49 in the next days.

#313- Alfama XLVI

#312 - New and old -Opposite sides of avenue

#311- Alfama XLV

#310 - Av. de Roma by night I

#309 - São Domingos Church

São Domingos Church

"Situated right in the centre of the lovely town of Lisboa, next to Rossio Square, the São Domingos Church dates from the 13th century, being famous for having as a relic part of the handkerchief that the shepherd child Lúcia used and part of the chaplet that the shepherd child Jacinta were using when the ‘Fátima’s miracle’ happened, on the 13th of May 1917.

The Church’s construction started back in 1241 and since then the original project suffered several alterations.
Its architectonic style is, therefore, a mixture of the different construction and conservation periods and influences, among them the alteration of the main chapel in 1748 and later the reconstruction works after a big fire in 1954.

This Church served as a model for the Churches built after the big earthquake of 1755, specially ofr its grandiosity and by the Architect Ludovice influence." [*]

#308 - Eduardinho & Magina

These two stores are located on the opposite side of Byzantine bookstore, as you can see from the reflection.
"Eduardinho do Rossio" sells a famous Ginginha, while "Magina" is curiously a "tobacco store - bar!

#307- Alfama XLIV

Alfama with its narrow streets and dark alleys is a great place for dating :)