patrícia furtado

Here we are again, another August spent in Lisbon.

Eight years ago, however, someone thought it would be a good idea to have a holiday in Italy in the hottest of months. And four more agreed. Crazy or not, the five of us landed in Rome and slowly made our way up to Milan, swimming through a crowd of tourists and pilgrims (yes, it was 2000, the year of the jubilee), stopping in Sienna, Firenze, Bologna, Venice, Verona and Lake Como.

I bumped into these photos yesterday, while tidying up the office, and got a bit nostalgic of this awesome holiday with friends.

So I decided to scan them and post them here. Everywhere but Venice on #1. You can guess what will be on #2, can’t you?

- Cookie, I’m bored. Since Pat placed a net over the window, I can’t jump out. And it’s such a nice day outside!

- I know, Muff, I’m bored too.

-I have an idea, lets be artists! I want to do an art installation!

-Great idea, what do you have in mind?

-See that round Ikea paper lamp? That’s so uninteresting, everybody has one… I’m going to personalize it. If I go on that table, I can just reach it with a jump. See? Beautiful!

-Yeah! Let me have a go too! That’s so much fun! There, what do you think? One of a kind!

-Awesome! Think Pat will like it?

When you’re crossing the 25 de Abril bridge, driving into Lisbon, the National Pantheon, also called Sta. Engrácia’s Church, is one of the landmarks that stands out from the gorgeous cityscape.

Beautiful as it is from afar, on my ramblings a couple of weeks ago I found out it’s quite impressive from the inside too.

… when we grow up?

A few of them lose themselves around the Lisbon flea market stalls. Some look empty, some look sad, some look terrified. Some have a doll orgy.

After many years without setting foot on that part of Lisbon, I visited Feira da Ladra again today. A few questions lingered on my mind: Who wears second hand shoes? How much of a market is there for rusty tools? How desperate do you have to be to buy a used vibrator from a floor stall?

“Hey, this bathtub looks huge! And Dad is coming in too! How strange! What are those? Other babies? This is crowded, dudes! Oh, look, toys! I want them all! Hey, what is this pink hat you’re making me wear? Take it off! Who wears a hat in the bath anyway?”

Baby Helena went to the swimming pool for the first time, and loved it. I promise you, though, I’m not turning this into a baby blog anytime soon. But I just couldn’t resist posting these photos.

Birds chirrup in the trees, bees buzz by, and the two maiden cats dream idly on the windowsill. Springtime surrounds them with light, warmth and cheer. Suddenly something draws their attention to the ground. A dazzling and dashing young cat of black velvet fur and bright button eyes serenades them through the gate, and steals the heart of the eldest cat.

Out of reach in her tower, the fair maiden has no choice but to watch the handsome pretender sulk away. Alone again, she dreams on…