Tag Archives: district

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Alfama Steps

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Alfama Steps
“Alfama Steps” — Cobblestone steps wind between buildings in the Alfama, Lisbon.

We wandered quite a bit during our May visit to Lisbon this year. (This was part of a 6-week trip that took us to Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and New York City.) When I write “wandered,” I mean this quite literally — we frequently head out with only the vaguest idea of what we’ll explore. In this case, we knew we were headed to the Alfama district, but beyond that we would wing it.

The Alfama is full of narrow, twisty, and often steep streets — just the sort of place to wander slowly. Roughly speaking we first crossed a section of the lower reaches of the district, and then we turned and began climbing. Along the way, we took many detours. If a side street looked interesting we went that way. I made this photograph in a quiet, out of the way area, where steps led uphill between the closely-spaced buildings.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

A Lisbon Street

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A Lisbon Street
“A Lisbon Street” — A narrow, curving street in Alfama, lined with colorful buildings.

From my limited experience, this feels like a “typical” street of Lisbon’s Alfama district… except that the street is wider than many of the passageways. The lines suggest that it is two lanes wide — though I imagine that when a trolley goes up and down those tracks there isn’t a lot of room for anyone else!

There is a lot in this scene that attracted my attention. The street itself with its pairs of tracks and optimistic center dividing line is one. The stacked and tightly spaced buildings are another. And I love the saturated colors, from the nearly pure white to the many yellow buildings, and the bits of blue here and there.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Alfama Street Art

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Alfama Street Art
“Alfama Street Art” — Detail of street art on a wall in the Alfama district of Lisbon.

This detail of a bit of Portuguese street art comes from the Alfama district of Lisbon. This is the oldest neighborhood of the city, with tightly spaced buildings and streets so narrow and twisting that vehicles cannot pass. It was (and reputedly still is) a neighborhood where the poor are more likely to live — though one can see a creeping urbanization occurring around the edges.

I don’t generally photograph graffiti — the “I am here” initials and other personal marks made in public spaces. But there’s a fine line between that and what I think of as street art. I will photograph the latter. Here the imagery covers of a mundane wall — look closely and you can make it out beneath the paint — and uses wildly exuberant patterns and colors.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel

Monastery of São Vicente de Fora

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Monastery of São Vicente de Fora
“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.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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