Happy new year to everyone, hope that the holiday season was kind to you. For my part, it was another week of great food and better company with family and friends in my hometown of Lisbon. I decided to start off the year with a fresh batch of photos I took during Christmas week on the few hours that I was able to set apart to shoot.
There were a couple of places that I had planned to shoot this time around. First was the Algés Maritime Traffic Control Tower, pictured above. This is one of the most innovative buildings of the type, and it stands out in the area that so far was dominated by old industrial architecture. Designed by Architect Gonçalo Byrne, it was inaugurated in 2001 with the most advanced maritime technologies. Since then I had mean to go and photograph it, but until this year other places had taken my time. Going there on Christmas eve for the sunset was a great choice, as the beach was all but deserted, and a glorious sunset and dusk awaited me. I have another shot from that place that I will show next week.
The second place I wanted to shoot was the newly inaugurated MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology), inserted on the prime location by the Tejo riverside. This extraordinary building will be the subject of many photographs by everyone that visits it, or just passes by. Architect Amanda Levete has achieved the complicated task of creating a building that is modern and amazing, but at the same time melts into the background. It also encompasses the old Tejo Power Station, that was also used as a Museum before, and which is a great example of 19th century industrial architecture, although it was built in 1909.
I'll leave you with a couple more photos taken on Boxing Day, which we don't celebrate in Portugal, but is a great day to walk around town if the weather is good. I was fortunate to spot this man basking in the Winter sunshine, that was a constant this year oddly. Better yet he was leaning on the sculpture that bears the name of the town visible on the other side of the river, Almada where I've spent many great nights at concerts and more commonly eating and drinking with friends.
Below is a shot from Praia Grande, one of the beach villages around Sintra. The sea there is usually cold, and with many waves. But I recommend it for the food mainly, you can get a great seafood meal with a wonderful sea vista.
Next week I'll share my last images from that week in Portugal, and I'm also preparing an overhaul of the galleries on the website. I'll also reveal the travel plans for this year, which should give me plenty more photos to share with you.
Hope you all have a great 2017,
APN
