Martyr's Shrine - Midland, Ontario

The Martyrs’ Shrine is the National Shrine to the Canadian Martyrs. This holy and historic site honours the eight Jesuit Saints who lived, worked, and died here over 350 years ago.

Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia region of Central Ontario.

Our Lady of Fatima Centenary

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Fatima, Portugal

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Fatima, Portugal
In the year 1917, in a mountainous region at the center of Portugal, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, appeared six times to three young children. This year on 13th May,the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, Pope Francis is leading the canonization ceremony for Francisco and Jacinta Marto in Fatima, Portugal, on the hundredth anniversary celebrations of the first apparition of Mary the children experienced, where His Holiness will be joined in prayer by Catholics from all over the world. 

I grew up in Goa, India, during the 1950's and 1960's where the devotion to our Lady of Fatima was popular in all households, in chapels and villages of all churches throughout Goa. Feasts and litanies in honour of Our Lady of Fatima are widely celebrated all over Goa, and popular hymns are also sung everywhere.

In view of this great milestone, our trip to Portugal this year in March was a privileged and significant one, as my wife and myself got a chance to fulfill a lifelong wish to go on a holiday to Portugal along with our 2 daughters and son-in-law, and more importantly for having included in this tour to pay homage to Our Lady of Fatima by visiting the Holy Shrine on the 100th anniversary of the apparitions. We will hold this memory close to our hearts forever and cherish it as long as we live.

In fact, today, I feel that my spirit, belief and devotion in this regard has been rekindled for having lived to witness the centenary. I wish a happy and joyous feast day to all.

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/…/our-lady-of-fatima-and-goan-c

Mother of Mine

MOTHER OF MINE

Dubai 1972 – Airwaves around the world are abuzz with Jimmy Osmond’s ‘Mother of Mine’ and Dubai FM is no exception. The song turns out to be a huge hit for Jimmy, the youngest of nine children in the Osmond clan, who at the time was only nine years old. I thought about my Mum in Goa every time I heard it, and constantly hummed the tune or sang the lyrics underneath my breadth. Two years later I lost my mother. She was my best friend who I miss up to this day. She taught me all that I know and set an example living her own simple life and made my own worth living. Not a single day goes by without thoughts of her good values. She died young. I have outlived her so far by five years. Forty-three years after the song ‘Mother of Mine’ first captured the air-waves, I rededicate my favourite song to all mothers everywhere.

Hope it’s your favourite too.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-6UcfW8q5Q

Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Fatima, Portugal

In the year 1917, in a mountainous region at the center of Portugal, the Mother of God appeared six times to three young children. This year on 13th May, Pope Francis is leading the canonization ceremony for Francisco and Jacinta Marto in Fatima, Portugal, on the hundredth anniversary of the the first apparition of Mary the children experienced, where His Holiness will be joined in prayer by Catholics from all over the world.

In view of this great milestone, our trip to Portugal this year in March was a privileged and significant one as my wife and myself got a chance to fulfill a lifelong wish to go on a holiday to Portugal along with our 2 daughters and son-in-law, and more especially for having included in this tour to pay homage to Our Lady of Fatima by visiting the Holy Shrine. We will hold this memory close to our hearts forever and cherish it as long as we live.

Today I feel that my spirit, belief and devotion in this regard has been rekindled for having lived to witness the centenary.

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/2008/04/our-lady-of-fatima-and-goan-connection.html

A TRIP TO PORTUGAL

Rustic Innovation - Picturesque Goa

PICTURESQUE GOA - Arpora, Bardez, Goa.

Rustic Innovation. Cycling up the ladder of success.

“The ladder of success must be set upon something solid before you can start to climb"

Fatima Shrine, Portugal

Fatima Shrine, Portugal

Fátima is a central Portuguese town that's home to the Sanctuary of Fátima, a Catholic pilgrimage site. The Capelinha das Aparições marks the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children, Jacinta, Lucia and Francisco, in 1917. Other sacred sites include the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, with its golden angels, and the modern church of Igreja da Santíssima Trindade. The Museu de Arte Sacra e Etnologia exhibits religious artifacts.

Powered by the wind

Powered by the wind. 

~ Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail,

and mankind the vessel. ~ Augustus Hare

Convent of Christ, Tomar, Portugal

CONVENT OF CHRIST, Tomar, Portugal

Ornately sculpted, Manueline style, hilltop Roman Catholic convent with medieval cloisters.

Rustic Homeliness

Inner courtyard through an arched

entrance of a house

on a cobbled street in Lisbon. Portugal.

Castle at Obidos, Portugal

The Castle of Óbidos

 is a well-preserved medieval castle

located in the civil parish of Santa Maria,

São Pedro e Sobral da Lagoa,

in the municipality of Óbidos,

Portuguese district of Leiria.

Full Moon over Rossio Square, Portugal

FULL MOON SALUTE

The Moon

Salutes

Our Lady of Remedies

Lamego, Portugal.

Under the Bridges of Porto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8eCp0qywY4

Bridges on the Douro River, Porto/Gaia Crossings, Portugal

The Unique Bridges of Porto

Porto is a beautiful city. It is the second largest city of Portugal. Famous for its colourful houses along the cobbled alleyways, it has long history. It is rich in its culture and most of all famous for its bridges spanning across the River Douro, connecting Porto on the north with Gaia on the south. It is known as the City of Bridges. Apparently the people of Porto and Gaia are equally proud of them all with their given names. The best way to see them is to take a river cruise, bask in the panorama and click away. The appear here from the west (coastal) to the east (interior). 'Ponte' is bridge in Portuguese.

The Douro is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto.

 Ponte Da Arrabida

 Ponte Dom Luis I

Ponte do Infante

 Ponte Maria Pia

 Ponte Sao Joao

Ponte do Freixo

Vila Nova Suspension Bridge

Vila Nova Suspension Bridge near Folhadela,
Portugal

Monastery of Serra do Pilar, Portugal

Part of the area classified by UNESCO as World Heritage in December 1996, the Monastery of Serra do Pilar is the architectural landmark of Gaia. The interesting church and cloisters are laid out according to a circular design unique in Portugal.

The convent built in the 16th century belonged to the Order of Saint Augustine. The church is characterised by a circular shape, a replica of the Church of Santa Maria Redonda in Rome, and is covered by a hemispheric vault with a narrow balcony running its full extent. It took 72 year to complete due to the lack of funding and the political turmoil of those times – with the kingdom of Portugal having fallen to neighbouring Spain. One legacy of that event was the adoption of a Spanish saint for the monastery, Our Lady of Pilar.

Dom Luis I Bridge, Porto, Portugal

The Dom Luís I Bridge is a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. At its construction, its 172 metres span was the longest of its type in the world.

Santa Maria de Vitoria, The Monastery of Batalha

Monastery - Santa Maria de Vitoria, The Monastery of Batalha (Portuguese: Mosteiro da Batalha), literally the Monastery of the Battle, is a Dominican convent in the civil parish of Batalha, in the district of Leiria, in the Centro Region of Portugal. Originally, and officially known, as the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória), it was erected in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota.

The Alcobaça Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal

The Alcobaça Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça) is a Mediaeval Roman Catholic monastery located in the town of Alcobaça, in Oeste Subregion. It was founded by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, in 1153, and maintained a close association with the Kings of Portugal throughout its history.

The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, and, together with the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, it was one of the most important of the mediaeval monasteries in Portugal. Due to its artistic and historical importance, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1989

Obidos, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Elevador Santa Justa (Elevator Lift Lisbon).

The Santa Justa Lift (Portuguese: Elevador de Santa Justa, also called Carmo Lift (Portuguese: Elevador do Carmo, is an elevator, or lift, in the civil parish of Santa Justa, in the historical city of Lisbon, Portugal. Situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa, it connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square).

Lisbon, Portugal

Rua Senhora Glória 100, Lisbon,Portugal

QUAINT STREETS OF PORTUGAL

Lisbon by Night, Portugal

Lisbon by night.

View of Castelo of Sao Jorge

Castle of Saint George

 from Elevador Santa Justa

 (Elevator Lift Lisbon).

Sintra, Portugal

Sintra National Palace, Sintra, Portugal is the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and was a favourite with the Portuguese nobility. The minimalistic gothic exterior of the palace hides a wonder of decorative state rooms and the national palace is a highly recommended attraction while visiting Sintra.

Sintra, Portugal

Sintra Hillside

Sintra is both a town and a municipality in the Estoril Coast region of Portugal. While most tourists will come to visit the town and its spectacular setting, the municipality is much larger. This article is about the town; for other destinations in the municipality, see the listings below. Sintra is only 28km away from Lisbon, and is primarily known because of the Pena Palace (Palácio de Pena), built in the 19th century in an eclectic style by the Portuguese king-consort Dom Fernando II. Close by, the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) is also an important landmark and a popular tourist destination. The town of Sintra itself boasts the medieval Sintra National Palace and several 19th century estates. Sintra and its surrounding mountains (Serra de Sintra) are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a popular destination for day-trippers, and can be easily explored while staying in Lisbon.

Lisbon, Portugal

Igreja Santa Maria de Belem, Lisbon.

St. Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery), Lisbon. The church and the monastery, like the nearby Torre de Belém and Padrão dos Descobrimentos, symbolise the Portuguese Age of Discovery and are among the main tourist attractions of Lisbon. In 1983, UNESCO formally designated the Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém as a World Heritage Site. Construction of the Jeronimos Monastery began in 1501, on the orders of King Manuel I. Chosen as the royal pantheon and financed by the monumental wealth brought back from India, this monumental construction is a brilliant synthesis of European late-Gothic and early renaissance trends.

Sé de Lisboa - Lisbon Cathedral - Lisbon, Portugal

The Lisbon Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mary Major - Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa (Portuguese) ... Official name: Sé de Lisboa. Designated, 10 January 1907.

Christ the Redeemer - Almada, Portugal.

The Sanctuary of Christ the King (Portuguese: Santuário de Cristo Rei) is a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon situated in Almada, in Portugal.It was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, after the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon visited that monument. The project was inaugurated on 17 May 1959, while Portugal was ruled by the authoritarian President of the Council of Ministers António de Oliveira Salazar who gave his final permission for the project. The giant statue in cement was erected to express gratitude because the Portuguese were spared the effects of World War II. 

Lisbon, Portugal, Igreja de Sao Roque, Church of St. Roque

The bland facade of the Igreja de Sao Roque hides one of the most exquisite and decorative churches of Lisbon, and possibly Portugal. Inside the white washed church and adjoined museum are some of the finest examples of Jesuit sacred art and the beautiful chapel Saint John the Baptist. If a tourist was to only visit the interior of one church in Lisbon the Igreja de Sao Roque would be the church of choice.

Lisbon, Portugal

Suspension Bridge across the 

Rio Tejo, (River Tagus) Lisbon.
Link between Lisbon City in the North to Almada in the South.

Rossio Square, Lisbon, Lisbon by Night

View of Rossio Square (Praca Rossio)

Rossio Square is the popular name of the Pedro IV Square (Portuguese: Praça de D. Pedro IV) in the city of Lisbon, in Portugal. It is located in the Pombaline Downtown of Lisbon and has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages. It has been the setting of popular revolts and celebrations, bullfights and executions, and is now a preferred meeting place of Lisbon natives and tourists alike.

The current name of the Rossio pays homage to Pedro IV, King of Portugal. The Column of Pedro IV is in the middle of the square.

Lisboa Antiga, Old Lisbon, Portugal

Street Cars - Trams of Lisbon

The Lisbon tramway network (Portuguese: Rede de eléctricos de Lisboa) serves the municipality of Lisbon, capital city of Portugal. In operation since 1873, it presently comprises five urban lines.

These quaint, old-fashioned trams lurch and screech around the narrow streets of the capital. No visit to Lisbon is complete without taking a ride on one of these classic, pre-war, Remodelado trams. In total there are five different tram routes, which either head east (towards Alfama) or west (towards Belem). This guide will provide an introduction to Lisbon's tram network and outlines each of the five routes.

Lisbon, Portugal

Praça do Comercio a.k.a. Terreiro do Paço (Palace Yard), because it was the location of the Paços da Ribeira (Royal Ribeira Palace) until it was destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Belem Tower - Portugal

Hideaway of the Blessed - O Escondidinho das Beatas

O ESCONDIDINHO DAS BEATAS

The Hideaway of the Beatas

on 'Rua das Beatas' - Lisbon - Portugal

Lisbon - Portugal

Lisbon Marina on the River Tagus

Lisbon by Night

Lisbon by Night

Guantanamera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yiUVSPeWcE

GUANTANAMERA

Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera

Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera

Yo soy un hombre sincero

De donde crecen las palmas.

Yo soy un hombre sincero

De donde crecen las palmas.

Y antes de morir me quiero

Echar mis versos del alma.

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera, 

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera.

Mi verso es de un verde claro

Y de un carmin encendido.

Mi verso es de un verde claro

Y de un carmin encendido.

Mi verso es un ciervo herido

Que busca en el monte amparo.

The words mean "I am a truthful man from the land of the palm trees.

And before dying, I want to share these poems of my soul.

My poems are soft green. My poems are also flaming crimson.

My poems are like a wounded fawn seeking refuge in the forest.

The last verse says: 

'Con los pobres de la tierra'. 

With the poor people of this earth I want to share my fate. 

The streams of the mountains please me more than the sea."

(Background)

Por los pobres de la tierra

Quiero yo mi suerte echar

Por los pobres de la tierra

Quiero yo mi suerte echar

Y el arroyo de la sierra

Me complace mбs que el mar

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera, 

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

GOA, GOANS & GOANESS

GOA, GOAN & GOANESS

Proud of their professions, trade and skills,

religion, status, faith and beliefs.

Down by the River at Chapora - Goa

Down by the River at Chapora, Siolim, Bardez, Goa.

 ~ Water Colours by Tony Fernandes