Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 12 November 2017

Relieved that I got it right,and it is indeed an Aussie Magpie, AQ!  - of course, I wouldn't know if I'd got it wrong.  Like the bit of a clip where they're shouting out for food.  Handsome birds.

Its dull and damp here, and I've just been doing exciting things like paying bills online. Hoping to go out to the cinema later, with my Friend - just trying to get her on the phone, which isn't easy!

Sorry that you had rather a broken night, OG.  So annoying when that happens. You need your Beauty Sleep, right now, to help you to get better.

Got my Friend in the end, and we are off to see "Murder on the Orient Express" which sounds really good. Will report back later.

Meanwhile, whilst I drink my elevenses, here are some more of my pics:

We drove into the centre of Lisbon, a thriving and modern city. It was explained to us that this part was full of very very expensive hotels, used by the wealthy, rich and famous.  There were trees around which made it very pleasant.

We went around a central roundabout several times, in order to admire the layout and this central statue, to a guy who completely modernised the whole city following a devastating earthquake in 1755, which killed many inhabitants and was followed by a huge tsunami which devastated the area to the north of the city, also. There had been a history of earthquakes in the area but this one was particularly bad.

Afterwards, the mayor decided that they would eradicate some of the remaining buildings, and use the opportunity to create a city which would be the envy of the world, based on several European cities where there were wide streets radiating out from a central point. This took years to do, of course, but now forms the basis of the beautiful city today.

He went to town with this glorious statue to himself!

A bit wonky, as our coach went around the traffic!  You can see more of the important buildings, here.

Then the coach dropped us off to explore on our own for an hour - this is the famous Rosario Square and fountain. More of the wave pattern in the paving!

More of central Lisbon:  We wandered around as the mood took us.

The Cultural Theatre.

Busy streets and alleyways - another statue, visible in the distance.

In European countries, I always look up -  they often completely clad their buildings and houses in the most beautiful tiles.

This chap was on his magnificent steed, near to the bus terminals.  We went for a coffee in the street near here, and to use the facilities of a lovely coffee house which had one of the best cake counters I've ever seen -  I did not indulge however, as I'd had a muffin already for breakfast!!

Back to the Square again.  It was very attractive, and the girl who was our guide said that in summer it was very beautiful as surrounded by trees full of blossom. 

A better view of the waves and the fountain, which was like a magnet and everyone was clustering around to have their pictures taken beside it.

I took a photo of a nice couple, (not these two) no idea what nationality they were, but I indicated with signs that I would take some pics of them and then perhaps they could do the same for us!

We were all happy.

More detail of the fountain. Just read on Wikepedia that it was made in France and brought here.

I've just been searching for a pic I took of the trees around this square:  this was the only one I could find with some blooms still remaining and of course, now I've forgotten the name of it!  Apparently they smell wonderful and were planted especially.

(it was not lilac!)

The streets were full of shops and displays, I loved this bakery.

And this booze establishment!  so crammed!  --  I can see now for the first time, that I caught my own reflection in this window as I took the picture...

The lovely street these shops were in - so pleasant, and no traffic.

Winters here as the cattle in the field behind me are back on their Steading ...

I saw Murder on the Orient Express last week.,so won’t say anything Lindy but I will be interested to read your take on it.

Suns out but the air feels damp.

Getting winter tyres put on tomorrow ... drive home with back windows open as the smell from the ones that have been on all summer is a bit ripe !!!

OG - Thanks for the update. You certainly bit the bullet and got on with sorting out your time. Now that you have told all the church folk just exactly what you are both prepared to do, surely they won't try and drag you in to more stuff again. They can't pretend that they haven't been told!

Enjoy the cinema, LINDY' I haven't seen that film so am rather intrigued by your comment, WENDY! Awaiting the review.

LINDY - it isn't plumbago, is it? The bush, I mean, of course.

Walked to town this morning, foot is behaving better. M and S food hall full of shoppers. The rest of the shop was crowded by merchandise. I have never seen so much stuff. It was difficult to move freely. Given the recent poor trading figures, they must be desperate.

Heard this morning from our Danish friends. I'm delighted that they will be visiting here between Christmas and New Year. They start their journey on Christmas Day, will stay overnight in Bremen and sail from Amsterdam on the 26th. I had forgotten that the main celebration is on the 24th December, for them. Danish Christmas involves holding hands and singing traditional songs as you walk around the Christmas tree and their festive meal is either goose or roast pork followed by a rice pudding type dish with almonds, served with a cherry sauce.

Lindybird: Scrolling quickly but slammed on the brakes at the pastry shop!  Yummies aside, Lisbon looks like a lovely and livable city. Oh, and that tree is a Jacaranda Mimosifolia. We have them in SoCal.

OG: Rest of family fast asleep when dealing with mouse - problem solved when I realized I hadn't plugged in the little thing that allows the computer to connect with the mouse (it's wireless). Duh..

Heather: Here they're talking about starting so-called Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving and the "official" start of the Xmas shopping season) early because of concerns about seasonal sales.  Glad you made it there and back with no knee issues.

Off to make bathroom tile decisions; the world will have to sort itself out without me today.

ANNETTE- Yes of course, jacaranda. I knew that plumbago wasn't right and also knew I'd seen these before. It was in Madeira!

Annette - I knew I recognised those Mimosa-shaped leaves in Linda's photo - although Mimosa itself is yellow.  The world is making quite a mess of itself without you today - get back onto it soon!

OH had to take notes at meeting last week as usual person was missing, so he is sitting here typing them up - not formal minutes, just notes.

J tore a sleeve on his jacket today - on a door latch.  Nothing we can do to mend it - a typical V-shape tear.  Just glad he doesn't wear his best one to work.

Annette - Thanks for putting me out of my misery. I had completely forgotten what the trees were, with no hope of help from my OH because he had not paid them any attention at the time. Apparently the smell when they're all in flower is quite special.

OG - Best advice I can give is to do nothing about the jacket! --  My brother had a rather nice sweater once, with a noticeable hole in the sleeve. He wouldn't let my mother mend it, because he didn't like it to look mended, and he said that if girls pointed it out "You have a hole in your sleeve...." then he would just say "Oh, have I?"

Friend and I enjoyed our outing, we saw "Murder  on the  Orient  Express" which I have seen in many forms before, so I knew in advance "Whodunnit".  It has many famous actors in it, as without giving too much away, it's about a group of very varied characters stuck on a train, so lots of chance to put some famous faces amongst them. It stars and was also directed by Kenneth Branagh. 

My Friend said that she enjoyed it, even though she'd heard from other friends that they thought it got boring halfway through. I'm still not sure about it - I did remark at one point that I felt that Agatha Christie wouldn't have approved! It's filmed in a very atmospheric way, and there are some excellent performances from the cast, especially Michelle Pfieffer who played the part which was done by Lauren Bacall in an older film. But there's an awful lot of Kenneth Branagh, EDIT -- and his huge moustache......and some parts of the tale had been slightly changed.

So it's only a 7 or 8 out of ten from me, and I still maintain that none of the films to date are anything like as good as the original book! But that's just a personal opinion.