“Paint Line” — The boundary between two different approaches to painting one building, Lisbon.
I spotted this little architectural oddity somewhere near the St. George Castle in Lisbon, high up in the hills. This is a single wall – it is all the same building. I can only assume that the building is divided into two or more residences and that those who live there have very different ideas about paint! Both are pretty striking. Purple isn’t quite a typical building color, and the worn, layered, and textured quality of the right side is about as different as I can imagine.
Little scenes like this are among those that I’m always looking for when traveling — interesting shapes, architecture, color, texture, and items that reflect that particular place.
“Night Street, Santiago de Compostela” — People stroll along quiet streets in the early evening, Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela was one of two Spanish cities we visited on this trip almost on a whim. We knew almost nothing about it, aside from the fact that it is the endpoint for thousands of Camino participants, who take weeks or months to walk there. We ended up loving the town, with its old central district that is charming and has a different feel than other cities — in part due to the connection to the caminos.
When traveling we walk a lot and often just head out with no well-defined plan, expecting to see and discover things as we go. My recollection is that this was a post-dinner walk — though given Spain’s late dinner our it could have been pre-dinner! This street, with its old stone buildings, porticos, and narrow passages was almost deserted.
“Monastery of São Vicente de Fora” — The Monastery of São Vicente de Fora rises above Alfama, Lisbon.
Unfortunately we did not actually get to the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora during our Lisbon visit — we were merely tempted by the sight of the impressive architecture on this ridge above Alfama in Lisbon. As is our practice, we headed out for a walk on this day, a walk that followed only the most general plan. We knew we wanted to get to visit Alfama, but beyond that we would just wander. Eventually — and, I suppose, inevitably — we arrived at Portas do Solwhich presented this view.
The buildings of Alfama are tightly packed and separated by very narrow streets, many of which would not accommodate vehicle traffic. A small section of such buildings is in the foreground in this photograph, temporarily shaded by the passing clouds. The Monastery dominates the view, as it sits on the hilltop above the district — and at this moment it was in the sunshine.
“Arch, Stairs, and Plants” — Plants line stairs leading to a doorway above an arch, Trogir, Croatia.
Trogir is an intense and fascinating place. The historic old town is on an island that sits in a narrow passage between the Croatian mainland and a much larger island. It was quite crowded during the days and evenings when we visited, not only with those of us who drove (or walked) in but also those who anchored their boats right next the town.
It seems like the whole place is built of stone. The sidewalks/streets are cobblestone, walls are made of stone, and it is by far the most common construction material for buildings. I made this photograph on one of the occasions where we were able to escape the crowds (hint: go in the very early morning) and photograph with fewer distractions.
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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