Fate, a Portuguese guitar, and a Spanish guitar

It is said that Fado music got its name from latin fatum, meaning fate, or destiny.  The singer traditionally wears black and at the Tasco Fora de Moda in the Alfama there were three singers and two guitarists.  The place is so small, when the singer and two musicians come out for their half-dozen song sets, they block the hallway and food can't be served in the terrace.

The songs were melancholic affairs of destiny, love, and loss, and the applause, deservedly copious.  The food, excellent, the service cordial, and the prices ridiculously low.

Who knew these sorts of places are still around?

Largo de Santo Estêvão 9, Lisboa.  18 October 2015, iPhone 6 Plus.

Only the best

Calouste Gulbenkian was born in Constantinople, had a protagonic role in the pre-WW II oil industry, and left his art collection in Lisbon.  From ancient Egyptian treasures, to Della Robbia, to Rubens, to Lalique, his collection is immensely rich; and all in very good taste.  In this second regard, it may only be second to The Frick in New York, but Gulbenkian's far exceeds Frick's in range.

Of Gulbenkian, also known as "Mr. Five Percent," it is said that his standard was "only the best," and it shows.

A place to come back to.

Memorial coin issued for the Alexandreia Games in Macedon during Roman times, sometime between 218 and 250 A.D.  Instead of the usual profile view, Alexander faces us while looking forward and upward.  Out of the 20 surviving coins, with various designs, Gulbenkian got eleven, and The Walters got three.  The games collectors play.  iPhone 4S, 19 October.

A castle in Portugal

Building of the fort of Saint John the Baptist of the Berlengas began in 1651, as a result of Algerian and Moroccan attacks on the islands.  Already by 1655, while still under construction, the fort had successfully defended against an attack by a three-ship Turk squadron.

During the next two centuries, the fort was from time to time occupied by the Spanish (1666), the  British, and later the French during the Napoleonic Wars.  A few years later, the  fort was a forward base for forces loyal to the recently abdicated Emperor of Brazil (i.e., loyal to Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, who was also King Pedro IV of Portugal) during the Portuguese Liberal Wars.

We anchored off at night and were greeted by this sight in the morning.

Berlenga Grande Island, Berlengas archipelago, 14 October 2015, 7:53AM.  Leica Typ 114.

An hórreo in Galicia

Galicia is blanketed with hórreos (from Latin horreum, granary).   Ever so charming, most older homes here had one, and although rarely in use anymore, people keep them because of nostalgia, aesthetics, and status signaling.  We sat for a while in the spectacular one at Quinta San Amaro in Meaño, which has been converted into a reading room, and where the walls have been replaced with glass.

We liked the one at the Pazo Baión winery, which we toured, and which has been moved to the top of the hill, where it stands,  stately overlooking the vineyards.

Peregrinus has been docked at Villanova de Arousa for a week, waiting for a weather window to sail on South to Portugal.  In the meantime, we rented a car and explored the Rias Baixas, Santiago de Compostela, Pontevedra, and Vigo.  The crenellations on the tower at Pazo (palace) Baion are only 100 years old, added by the nouveau riche Galician guy who went to Argentina, got fabulously rich, and bought the Pazo from the counts who built it before Columbus found the New World.  Leica Typ 114, 9 October 2014.

In Brigantia

A second corner of Hispania looks to the Northwest where the city of Brigantia lies in Galicia.  A high tower, an observation point towards Britannia, rises in the city.
      ––– Paulus Orosius,  
Historiarum Adversum Paganos Libri VII,
Anno Domini 417

The Farum Brigantium, built when Trajan was Emperor (AD 98 to AD 117), is 34 meters tall to the base of the light, which still stands, plus perhaps 3 more meters for the now disappeared light housing: 37 meters in total height.  Compare to the first skyscraper, Chicago's Home Insurance Building of 1885: 42 meters.  Brigantia sat halfway across Via XX - Bracara Augusta-Asturica Augusta, i.e., Roman Highway 20, from Braga in Portugal to Astorga in Spain.  Brigantia is now known as La Coruña, and Peregrinus docked at the Real Club Náutico de La Coruña for a couple of spectacular days.  Leica Typ 114, 28 September 2015.

Castillo de San Felipe, El Ferrol

This fort was built in 1557 to protect the Royal Shipyards, and Peregrinus anchored right in front of it for an entire week.  Today El Ferrol is still a major naval base and we saw F-101 Álvaro de Bazán and F-103 Blas de Lezo go in and out right by us.  27 September 2015, Leica Typ 114.

The view while dining in Asturias

At the foot of the Picos de Europa, on the Bay of Biscay, sits the welcoming fishing village of Lastres (Llastres, in Asturian).  Safe harbour, free dock.

The village of Lastres from the deck of Peregrinus.  Top middle: the bell tower of San Roque, which marks every hour.  10 September 2015, Leica Typ 114.

King in Santander?

Prominent metal sign right next to the main entrance of the massive 1925 Banco de España building in Santander.  Denarius was the old 10 —"deni", or 'in tens'— Roman coin first issued by the Republic in 211 BC and last issued under Diocletian in 275 AD; reissued by Eastern Roman Empire as the Denarius Auri;  such long use ended up meaning "money" in the Med: Spanish dinero, Poruguese dinheiro, and Arab dinar.  7 September, iPhone 6 Plus.

Bilbao Sail In Festival

We attended one of the events at Sala BBK.  It was fun to see and hear Mini Transat stars Ana Corbella, Justine Mettraux, and Albert Bargués.  The film on Milan Kolácek's single-minded sailing obsession (and unlikely successes) was awe-inspiring.  

On exhibit were the winning photographs of the 2014 Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image contest.  You can see the entire gallery, and we liked most, but particularly enjoyed this one:

 TP52 Georgia, Bay of Islands Race Week 2014, New Zealand.  

Bilbao in Grey

Bilbao in grey reminds us
of the transience carried off
by time’s vortex; reminds us
of the immortal that has had its start
but will never have an end; reminds us
of the eternal that has not yet begun
and will never end.
–––Azorín

On a grey Bilbao day outside, the Grand staircase inside the Municipal Bidebarrieta Library in the Casco Viejo is full of color. iPhone 6 Plus. 4 September 2015.