A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose - Happy Valentine's Day!

Photo by Teemu Salminen

This is beautiful, oh so beautiful...

Magical New Year 2014 from the Snow Queen!

Hello! The year is new...

and this is my Snow Queen or Snowflake outfit.

 I am probably the only snowflake in Helsinki, because there is absolutely no snow outside.

That's ok for me, because I don't really like freezing cold.

But I could at some point consider performing some magic spells and tricks so we would be able to go to for example sledge hill and skating.

This white dress is actually from H&M Kids.

Yes, you read it right, from the kids department  :) 

Actually, if being totally honest...

...the fairies sewed this from magic yarns and gave to me as a Christmas present. 

Yes, they did.

Believe me...

 

...or not ;)

 The Snow Queen is wishing You a Magical New Year 2014! 

Let the miracles happen...

<3

 

 

 

Vesica Piscis and Sacred Heart - How I met Jesus in Lisbon :)

In November I travelled to Portugal with my good old friend J. (With him I for example did last summer the Hansel's und Gretel's Adventures.) Few days before the trip my another friend celebrated her birthday which was at the same time the opening of her art exhibition. They we selling some pieces of jewellery in the place, and this symbol, Vesica Piscis (which among other things is the symbol of Jesus Christ) immediately caught my attention. (To make it clear: I am not Christian or don't follow any religion, though I would consider myself spiritual.) I had to have it and I bought it for couple of euros.

During this trip to Portugal, I started to see the symbol of Vesica Piscis everywhere and I have seen it everywhere since that. 

I for example saw it daily from our hotel room's balcony in this plaza below. 

I saw it in the decorations of the balcony wall. The tail and all!

And half of the symbol even in these parasols right down our balcony.

I saw it (or parts of it) in castles, art galleries, churches, chapels, in nature, in food, even in the plates I was eating from etc...

 I have seen both God and the Devil very near in my life, but I had never met Jesus before. And because Vesica Piscis is the symbol of Jesus Christ, I knew it was time to meet him. And this post is the story of how that happened.

But first, some tourist photos! Starting from the Rossio plaza, the city center of Lisbon. (Part of these photos are taken by J.)

 My friend J enjoying healthy breakfast in Rua Augusta.

Lots of decorated tiles and laundry drying everywhere. These pics are from Alfama.

 

Portuguese men having dinner at the garage :)

J is being a living sign to the castelo de S. Jorge :)

Adorable little girl playing on the street.

These pics have been taken from the castelo of s. Jorge up on the hill.

 

One day we jumped on the train and travelled (about 40 min.) to Cascais, which is nice and popular beach town. Estoril is another beach town nearby, just a bit smaller.

In the beginning of our trip it was still about 22 degrees Celsius, so I was able to go swimming! Before leaving Finland, I packed both bikini and a warm coat. Both were needed. In the evening there was nobody else on the beach, so the whole beach was mine! The local people thought it was too cold to swim in the evening and that I was crazy, but hey, the water temperature wasn't bad at all compared to sea water in Finland even in the summer.

I am hugging a palm tree here!

Some graffiti in Cascais.

We had fish for dinner there, very fresh.

Having morning coffee in the first place we stayed, in Rua Augusta. Decorated tiles are the thing everywhere.

On another day we jumped on the train again and went to Sintra, which is also about 40 minutes travel from Lisbon. Lots of palaces and other beautiful buildings built by aristocracy long time ago.

There are big gardens like from a fairy tale.

Besides Vesica Piscis, swans are another sign given to me lately. Here in the ceiling of the National Palace.

The kitchen of the palace.

Inside the chimney.

One day we headed to the museum of modern art. We decided to walk through the big park (Eduardo VII). When we got there, the place turned out to be very soviet like: never ending straight lines and quite horrible concrete buildings.

The buildings were in bad shape.

Suddenly we found an oasis in the middle of all that. With swans!

Like I told, the swans are another sign given to me lately. White swans...

...but for the first time in my life I also saw a black swan live. What a beauty!

Fruit drinks and a traditional Nata-pastry. I had quite a few of these pastries during my trip :)

Finally we arrived on the other end of the park.

Another nice cafe. Behind of that is a big department store El Corte Inglés. We bought our groceries there.

The Soviet Union thing continues. There was a dictatorship in Portugal still in the 70's before the Carnation revolution, and there are still signs of that time.

What a statue :D This building even covered the sunshine. When we passed this we got chills, hhrrr.

A skateboard park.

...and some graffiti art.

We arrived to the museum of modern art.

And then, downstairs, what did I see! This painting...is made of Vesica Piscis shapes.

...and so is this...

...and this...

...and this.

The artist is either symbolist, futurist, cubist, expressionist or dadaist (or all of these?) Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso (1887-1918).

Nice garden behind the art museum.

These are from the Fashion museum.

These hoods are really scary.

This place was built for 1998 Lisbon World Exposition. Also from here you can see the longest bridge in Europe, over seventeen kilometres.

I found a place to play and take photos with ;)

Then to Estrela park. I climbed to a tree there.

Can you spot Vesica Piscis?

Yes, I am in it.

This pic is going to be on the cover of my book:"How I escaped from a rat race, moved to a tree and lived happily ever after" :)

How on earth did I get here?

And how on earth am I gonna get down?

Didn't want to ruin my white coat, so I took it off.

J had some cute pics of these little duckies.

Basilica Estrela is just opposite the park. Notice Vesica Piscis on the ceiling and Jesus coming out from the center of it, like from a giant vagina.

This little street between Bairro Alto and Baixa Chiado is extremely popular night life place. So full of young people, you coud hardly move at all. Had to use some elbows to get through.

In a bar in Bairro Alto. J looking at the vine menu. We had excellent vino verde.

Having mohitos on the street outside the bar in Bairro Alto, which is the center of Lisbon night life. You could get two Mohitos for five euros. And believe me, they are strong, I couldn't finish it. It was cold in the night, so warm jacket was needed.

One night we also found a very popular (a bit brothel looking place :) Pensao Amor. They have for example cabaret shows, good music, you can dance etc. We saw pole dancing show just in front of our table.

                                   Portas do Sol at night.

Praca do Comercio at night time.

The trams are small. Tram 28 is good for sightseeing. At the same time you'll get the roller coaster ride. It is going steep hills fast :)

One day we went to famous flea market Feira da Ladra, the Thieves market, on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 6am to 5pm, on the hill in Alfama. You'll get there by tram 28. I found here lots of Christmas presents for Nemo.

Famous Brasileiro cafe is one of the tourist attractions.

So is also Santa Justa elevator. This pic is taken from the top.

And of course funiculars are popular tourist attractions. Some hills are very steep.


On another night we were eating at a nice place, this time in Alfama. We had some tapas, like cheese and olives, fish balls etc. and wine. There was a view to the other side of the river, where you could hardly see the Jesus statue in the dark. We were supposed to go to the other side of the river the next day to the Jesus (Cristo Rei) statue.

We were talking about the meaning of this trip and how Lisbon is easy, kind of basic city. Just go about everywhere and there is nice and something interesting. This trip was about some basic things, like eating. And of course about Vesica Piscis for me.

Suddenly I realized what I had just said. I counted the slices of bred in our table. There was five breads left. We had had two fish balls for each of us. There was still one left, because I didn't really like it. I remembered the story of Jesus and the five breads and two fishes. I looked at the fish ball. It was the shape of Vesica Piscis. "Look at the shape of the olives and the grapes on the cheese", J said.

I looked at the Jesus statue in the dark. I knew He was waiting for me.

We changed to a bar nearby. There was a chance to smoke shisha, the water pipe. We smoked and talked and suddenly I realized more. We had just talked about Basic Things. I am having a water pipe in my hand and I am breathing the smoke in. What could possibly be more basic things than water and breathing! Breathing, water, simple (preferably shared :) food and Jesus (which is the symbol of a warm and loving heart for me). Here are the basic things to happiness! Really!

This place was so nice that we came here again on the last night of our staying. It was up on the hill in Alfama near Castelo S. Jorge.

Btw, that lamp (reflection of light) in the top middle in the pic below is the shape of Vesica Piscis :)
Walking back to our hotel from Alfama through the silent city. We felt very safe everywhere. Only some drug sellers were sometimes annoying. Many drugs are legal in Portugal and sometimes we had to run fast, because the drug sellers were hanging behind us assertively and didn't seem to believe that we were not interested in their cocaine. In the end of our staying just one word or just a look and they left us alone, and sometimes even politely apologised for even asking.

Homeless people sleeping in the night. So sad.

The next day we took the tram and traveled to Belem. There is an incredible monastery.

J looked at me and said: "Look up, there are your shapes." :) And there it was, perfect Vesica Piscis fish shape and other symbols too. Several.

 Guess what shape I am seeing in the ceiling?

The Belém Tower.

 Vasco da Gama left from here to his expeditions.

Looks like he is heading to the Jesus statue on the other side of the river :)

The carriage museum is also in Belem.

The famous Pastéis de Belém cafe. This was our "Let them eat cake -day.", because we only had time to eat pastries because many places were closing earlier due the winter time.

Cinnamon and powdered sugar on top. Delicious.

So after visiting Belem we jumped on the boat which took us to Cacilhas which is another city on the other side of the Tejo river. We had been told that we should go there in the evening, because the lights of Lisbon look great from the other side of the river. But when we got to the other side and found the right bus going to Cristo Rei, the bus driver said, that the statue will be closed soon. "You won't be able to see anything".

Then I knew it. I had to come here again the next day. By myself. I had to face the Jesus alone.

Later that night we went to eat to a nice restaurant in Bairro Alto with a view and had more cake for the dessert. I said: "Look at those lines in these plates. If you just continue the lines, what shape will you get? It is Vesica Piscis!" "Ain't that a bit far fetched?", J said. "No, not at all. Because I see it there!", I replied.

When we walked down the hill back to the hotel, what did I see. Vesica Piscis in a tree!

The next day J went shopping and I headed to Cristo Rei and decorative art museum. "What a materialist, I'm going to see art and Jesus, and you are going shopping!", I was joking to him. While looking for the museum, I found some nice graffiti art up on the hill.

Then I saw something very peculiar.

It looks like a bull or buffalo to me. Sniffing that bloody door. Or seeing red but not getting agitated by it. Hey, I am finding lots of symbolism here!

Maybe this was my non-violent bull fight before meeting Jesus. Did you know that killing the bull in the bull fight was prohibited already in the 1930's in Portugal? That was news to me. How progressive of Portugal.

The decorative art museum was near Portas do Sol, where is nice view.

Decorative art museum. Like another palace. I got in for free as decorative art student.

Then rushing to see Jesus. Rua do Crucifixo. I am definitely walking on His footprints here.

 

Then to catch the ferry to Cacilhas.

Then I took the bus 101 up the hill to Cristo Rei. Vesica Piscis on the sign told me I am on the right way.

Finally I was up on the hill. I was approaching Jesus from behind.

Getting closer...

And here, when I was getting closer the statue and stopped for reading the sign, I felt it. The sacred heart of Jesus. Suddenly I felt overwhelming feeling of love in my heart <3

I went to the other side and took the elevator up. And there I was, next to Jesus Christ. There was only couple of kissing/crying couples and me.

The bridge over Tejo river looks like Golden Gate in San Francisco.

 The view was great.

 And of course Jesus was great too, I mean GREAT!


This is what it looks like, when Jesus turns his back on you :)

Here it looks like some people are about to stab Jesus on the back. Or threatening him. Or keeping him away. Obviously these metal sticks are preventing suicidal people from jumping down from the feet of Jesus and probably thinking they are this way going straight to heaven :O

Ok, now I had met Jesus and it was time to leave. But I cannot leave with this stabbing picture :D So:

Up inside the statue is a small chapel. I went there and what did I see? The fish.

-----

On the last day we went to botanical garden.

Unfortunately the butterfly house was closed for the winter. In November some places are closed, but on the other hand in this time of year you never have to queue anywhere.

What a peace and quiet here was.

 Can you guess what shape I see in this tree below? :)

                                                    
       
                                                        This post is dedicated to Jesus Chirst,

           the main character of Christmas time,

                                                           Son of God,
                                                           love's pure light
                                                          Radiant beams from thy holy face
                                                         With the dawn of redeeming grace...

                                                                        <3
                                                              
Congratulations if you made it through here! Bye, and see You soon!

                                                                         <3