Crab Apple Tree & Blossoms - Malus Rosaceae

STRIKINGLY TRUE - FROM MODEL TO REALITY - ST. ANNE'S CHURCH, TALAULIM, GOA.

Strikingly true. From a model to reality. The Museum of the Orient, adjacent to Fundação Oriente in Lisbon, Portugal, celebrates the history of Portuguese exploration with a collection of Asian artifacts. The museum opened in May, 2008, and is located in a refurbished industrial building on the Alcântara waterfront. Browsing around the museum while on our trip in March 2017 to Portugal, I came across a model of the massive and magnificent Church of St. Anne at Talaulim, Goa, located in the Santana district of Old Goa, India, a picture of which I had taken in 2012 while on a visit to the church there. The 17th century imposing church is one of the major architectural masterpieces of the colonial Portuguese Baroque architecture built in Portuguese India.

Spring Blooms

Happy Mother's Day

Today, 13th of May, as we celebrate Mother's Day, it is also the 101st anniversary of the apparition of our Blessed Mother Mary in the Cova da Iria of Fatima, Portugal. It was spring time in 1917. The children – Lucia Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto – reported apparition of the angel and of the Virgin Mary, who the children described as the Lady more brilliant than the sun.

The Lord's Prayer in Polish

Hand-crafted Miniature Violin

Hand-crafted Miniature Violin

 - 1/6 Scale -

 1/4" thick plywood,

- hollow body - 

by Tony Fernandes.

Cell phone Stand

Cell phone stand

1/8" thick White Poly Vinyl.

by TonFerns Creations.

TONY Y-NOT

When I used to DJ in my younger years, my name surprised people (particularly those who are not educated on the existence of Catholicism, Christianity and Portuguese colonization in India). I often got asked "TONY!?! Is that your REAL name?" To which I would respond "Y-NOT?"

Some even asked me whether I only play Hindi music.

Home Sweet Home

Pyrographed Wall Decor

6" x 2.5" - 1/4'" thick pine wood

Tony Fernandes

TonFerns Creations

'CAT-MANTIS' The Praying Cat

I'd call it

'CAT-MANTIS'

The Praying Cat

Riding a motor-bike one evening with my nephew on the scenic route along the Pomburpa Creek in Bardez, Goa, while on a vacation there, way back in the late 1990's, we came across this cat sitting at the base of a cross on the road-side. In the course of coming slowly to a halt, the cat still sat proudly, looking directly into the camera lens, and appeared to be in no hurry to move away while I took this shot, seemingly giving the impression it was guarding the cross from the ravages of time. Such shrines are commonly seen dotted along the river banks, beaches, roadsides and in front of some Christian homes in the villages of Goa.

In the Name of the Father

Starting a Catholic Prayer

with the Sign of the Cross

A Photographic Experience

A Story of the Bangalore City Policeman 

~ A Photographic Experience ~

(Kodak Film, not Digital)!

It was back in the rocking 1980's. My wife and I, with our 3 small children were on a vacation in the city of Bangalore, India. It was pleasant afternoon. We were browsing around in the shopping area along Mahatma Gandhi Road in the heart of the city.  As usual I was in my usual quest and mood for taking photographs. Panning around with my camera I happened to see a smartly dressed traffic policeman across the street in the view-finder. Precisely at that instance the cop must have noticed that my camera was pointed in his direction from that angle. Somehow having caught my attention, he motioned out to me across the street to see him. I crossed the street along with my wife and kids. "Hello Officer", I said. Immediately after that my wife pleaded: "Sorry Officer, we didn't do anything wrong, did we?" As for me, I thought the cop was going to rip the film out from my camera. Without saying anything at all, and keeping a stiff upper lip at the same time, he put his hand in his shirt pocket . And while he did so, I thought he was about to issue me a ticket or a fine or something of that nature. It turned out that he handed me a visiting card instead saying: "I think you are a good photographer." He even let me take a full close up of him.  "Please send my pictures that you have taken to the address on this card." he added. Promising that we surely would, with a sigh of relief, we headed to the nearest restaurant for a cold beer followed by lunch. Back in Goa after our enjoyable vacation in South India, I had the films processed and printed. Conscientiously, and true to my word I sent the policeman his photographs with a short note about our experience, my name and address. To this I received a reply from him in the mail thanking me and saying: "You are really a very good photographer. I've received the photographs. Thank you."

April 1969

One and a half year after I first landed in Dubai,

I flew on by B.O.A.C. 

(British Overseas Aircraft Corporation)

 in a VC-10 Aircraft

to Bombay and Goa on my first vacation.

Here I am holding on tight

to my precious BOAC plane ticket.

Flying executive style in a suit and tie

was the norm then,

with the iconic

BOAC air hand-bags which were

quite popular and seen everywhere.

One Day at a Time

 I am thankful to the Lord

for letting me take small steps,

albeit a few,

and not big strides,

than to have not been able

to take any steps at all.

GOA, GOING, GONE!

Goan Gone Too Far

It's not where you walk...

It's who walks with you.

Thanks to the Lord

I am thankful to the Lord

for letting me take small steps,

 albeit a few,

 and not big strides,

than to have not been able

 to take any steps at all.

Thank You to the OOAK TEAM

Dahlia at 'Bandra Base' Mumbai

Dahlia at the Blue Frog - Bengaluru - India

http://www.dahliafernandes.com/

STRIKING SIMILARITIES OF STEPPED CHURCHES ON HILLTOPS

STRIKING SIMILARITIES

OF STEPPED CHURCHES

ON HILLTOPS

Photos by 

Tony Fernandes

The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição) is located in Panjim, Goa, India. The colonial Portuguese Baroque style church was first built in 1541 as a chapel on a hill side overlooking the city of Panjim. It was eventually replaced by a larger church in the 17th century. It is famous for the panoramic view of the city and a grand stairway to the top of the hill from Praça da Igreja, Church Square, Altinho, Panjim, Goa, India. ~ Photo by Tony Fernandes.

Remembering our visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies (O santuário da Nossa Senhora do Remedios) Monte de Santo Estevão, Lamego, Portugal. 686 steps ending in a shrine built in the rocaille style in the mid-eighteenth century. 

Remembering our visit this day last year to Bom Jesus do Monte. It is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, outside the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount. The Sanctuary is a notable example of pilgrimage site with a monumental, Baroque stairway that climbs 116 meters (381 feet). It is an important tourist attraction of Braga. The design of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, with its Baroque nature emphasized by the zigzag form of its stairways, influenced many other sites in Portugal (like Lamego) and colonial Brazil, like the Sanctuary of Congonhas. These stairways have a remarkable resemblance to the ones of the Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição) Panjim, Goa. India.

Aspiring to Glory   #churches_of_portugal #spires_of_portugal

Shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. From one of the central avenues in Lamego (Avenida Dr. Alfredo de Sousa), climb to the top of the hill up an imposing baroque staircase with 686 steps ending in a shrine built in the rocaille style in the mid-eighteenth century for the worship of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, although it was not completely finished until 1905. The steepness of the terrain accentuates the grandeur of the church and staircase in their setting, enveloped in the mystical atmosphere.

First Full Day of Spring

VERNAL EQUINOX

Dahlia at the Swig - Pune - India

Happy St. Patrick's Day

'TAPPED' at the Music, Food and Craft Beer Festival

http://www.dahliafernandes.com/

The Apostles Creed - Illuminated Calligraphy

CELEBRATING POPE FRANCIS

Celebrating Pope Francis.

               On March 13, 2013, white smoke billowed from the Vatican chimney, and the new Pope was revealed to the world as Francis. Suddenly, the entire Church was newly focused on his namesake, the Assisi man of poverty and of peace - Patron Saint of St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa, India.

               His Holiness Pope Francis demonstrates the joyful faith of Francis of Assisi wherever he goes. Today is the 5th Anniversary of Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church - a symbol of humility and kindness, an Apostle of peace and servitude, a voice of conscience and integrity. 

Please click on the following link to my blog article: 'Habemus Papam' - We have a Pope!

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/…/habemus-papam-l-we-have-pope.…

Illuminated Calligraphy - Hail Mary

Rolling Stone Dahlia in Mumbai at The Quarter - Royal Opera House

http://www.dahliafernandes.com/

Monte Links

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/search/label/Monte%20de%20Guirim

Dahlia at The Quarter, Royal Opera House - Mumbai

http://www.dahliafernandes.com/

DAHLIA - India Music Tour

http://www.dahliafernandes.com/

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Konkani Proverb No. 64

Pottache bukek, kazreachim follam.

Lit. Trans.: For satisfy a hungry stomach, bitter fruit will suffice.

Meaning: In times of difficulty, one can make do with anything at hand.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Proverb No. 63

Proverb in Konkani: "Apnnem moronk zai, apnnem sorgar vochonk zai.

Lit. Trans.: If one wishes to go to heaven, one has to die himself.

Application: If you wish to get things done properly to your own satisfaction, then you have to do them yourself.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverb No. 62

Konkani:  Ek aikonchem burgeachem, dusrem aikonchem zanteachem. 

Lit. trans.: Hear one thing from the child, and another from the older person.

Application: Take everyone's opinion, treat all equally.

FeBREWary

Super Moon twice in a Month

A Blue Moon is the second full moon that occurs in a calendar month. Usually every month we have only one full moon, but occasionally a second one gets in. We already had one full moon early this January. As we all know, full moons are separated by 29 days, while most months are 30 or 31 days long; so it is possible at times to fit two full moons in a single month. This happens every two and a half years or so. Here are photos of last night's Blue Super Moon. Just like the last time this was a feast to my eyes, even though the clouds rolled in and took over the skies intermitently! I'll see you again dear Moon - perhaps once in a blue moon, not once but twice in a month over the backyard fence!