Going Underground

Set of sculptures symbolizing the underground movement in socialist times in Poland (PRL).
(photo shot near the Arkady in Wroclaw)

S. João in Wrocław

Before the first bar (and still sober...)!

We couldn't just let this special day pass and not celebrate it. Claudia some days before had the great idea of doing a "Rally das Tascas", in which everyone is supposed to cruise the city, checking in every bar on the way. So we decided to celebrate the Portuguese (from Porto) holly day in this way, cause there's no way we could find any fresh sardines in here... Instead we had cheap, some times hot, beer! The plan was so appealing that even a Turkish friend joined us.

The Portuguese Gang

"...e ela dizia baixinho: Comé qu'eu hei-de, comé qu'eu hei-de, comé qu'eu m'hei-de ir embora..."

After a whole afternoon eating grilled kielbasa, in the garden of João's dormitory, along with Polish, Spanish & even Hungarian company, the group headed for the city center. Once there, precisely in Literatka, it was time to play "scissors, paper and stone"... It's easy to loose, so you never get thirsty and the beer just keeps coming! After some rounds, everyone is singing popular Portuguese songs, and saying all sorts of "non-sense"! What a night...

Queen Libido

She's hungry for you love... or anything else!

If by any chance you find this woman on the street, run in the opposite direction. Stop only when you have ran 1 km or more, because she doesn't give up easily. She keeps harassing all the men she sees on the street. She doesn't smell. She doesn't really look that drunk. She's mad... Something went wrong in that little head of hers... One thing I can tell you for sure: her libido is not working properly! I was lucky... Only got a kiss on the cheek (even with Filipa by my side...)! Some of the others got some neck licking & ass grabbing (among other areas...)! She might also insist on introducing you beneath her skirt. If you're a male and walk through the city of Wroclaw keep an eye for the Libido Queen! Be afraid, be very afraid...

Only a Polski Fiat...

Try doing that with any other car...

A week of Archaeology and Museums

Reconstructed kurgan

Foundations of Early Christian Apsida

Early Christian Graves in Hungary

The whole "archaeological gang"!

After another long week, here I am again with a report on another trip. As if walking 20km a day, through the Sleza Mountains wasn't enough, I enrolled in a second trip, this time "over borders". Organised by the the Institute of Archaeology and it's professors, this trip consisted of a week of archaeological sites & museums throughout Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. For the value of around 200 zloty's (50€!), the students had a bus taking us every where and accommodation included, for the whole week. Now that's an example, my department back in Porto should follow... First stop, the city of Nitra, near the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. There we went to an "archaeological experimental field" which consisted in the reconstruction of some dwelling structures from several ages. There we also had the opportunity to visit the reconstruction of a previously excavated kurgan, which amazed everyone by the quality of its realisation. Next stop a well known pre-historic site, already in Hungary, but near the border. Among the findings there, there is the occipital bone of the first "humans" in Europe, and one of the first evidences of man made (or started) fire also in Europe. After this, we headed for Budapest, where we had the chance to visit the History museum, which had a very rich, and well elaborated exhibition, comprehending some of the cultures that where present the nowadays Hungary, and also a great exhibition on the Mongols, and it's invasion of Hungarian territory, being Genghis Kan (of course!) it's main symbol. Following the capital it was time for Pecs where we had the chance to visit the main museum and later one one of the best preserved archaeological sites I've ever seen. It consisted of 4 underground levels, beneath an 18 century building, that I can't even imagine how hard it was to dig and later on "musealize"! After some "regular tourism" in the capital, and another fine in the underground (already had been fined there in February this year!), the group headed for Pecs, where we had the chance to visit the main museum and later one one of the best preserved archaeological sites I've ever seen. It consisted of 4 underground levels, beneath an 18 century building, that I can't even imagine how hard it was to dig and later on "musealize"!Next stop: Balaton. A huge lake in the middle of Hungary, where we had a break, and enjoyed the great view and nice Hostel. The Polish ran for the water, while me and Claudia had a beer, and chatted with the nice hostel owners. And this was our last stop in Hungary, after what we went for the Czech Republic, for the city of Brno. After one good night of sleep, and a funny adventure regarding our room key, we visited two more museums, the first mainly pre-history, and the second with a full range of findings of cultures present in the territory of the country until the present day. All in all, a great adventure, a nice opportunity to return to some previously visited places, but now with an "archaeological perspective". I realy wish that this kind of events would be made in my home university in Porto, but "people" always seem to busy for this. Regarding the museums and sites visited, it was great to testify that countries like Slovakia, Hungary and Czech Republic are investing so much money into archaeology and preservation of sites, most of them with the European Union Funds. I wonder, in 21 years of Portugal in the E.U., how much of these funds were applied to archaeology and heritage... It's great to see that somewhere else, people are doing better... I would also like to leave here a big "ZAEBYSCIE!" to all the polish friends I made in this trip! Never met any foreigners who could learn Portuguese swearing so quickly and well. Take care!

Ślęza Mountains In a Week

Ali à direita, com jeitinho, até faz lembrar o Monte da Virgem...

During the week, the blog has been quite inactive due to the fact that I've been visiting the Ślęza Mountains everyday with a some Archaeology colleagues and Artur, one of my Professors here and my Erasmus Coordinator. It ended last Friday, and it was a great experience. We started the day in Sobótka, the village on the bottom where the bus stopped, and proceeded to the natural park, starting our tour along old paths through the mountains. Wild nature, observe and study some archaeological sites, and in some of the days, 20km walks... I leave you here a panoramic shot from the top of the highest mountain we've been on. Take care everyone!

A Resposta

Agora, em resposta: ...ele já morreu, quem o descobriu fui eu!

Após anos a fio, a ouvir a pergunta de quem "ele" é, eis que eu, após aturada investigação no estrangeiro, descobri a sua identidade. Seria esta uma das maiores incógnitas da cultura popular da cidade do Porto e arredores, que desde tempos remotos nos aflige, e nos incita a procurar saber quem é "ele", perguntando de modo sistemático a qualquer transeunte ou conhecido. Caros compatrícios, tenho-vos a dizer que, a verdade é decepcionante: ao que consta, parece que já não será de todo correcto perguntar quem "ele" é, mas sim, quem ele era... Paz à alma deste icon da cultura nortenha!