PT RR - Surprise Group * November 22

Lets continue with RR postcards but these are from the RR in Portuguese. These are all from Portugal and were sent by Nídia, Pedro and Rui.

The photo on this postcard is 31 years old and since 1992, a lot has changed in Casa Oriental, starting with the codfish, which are no longer hanging in front of the house.   

Casa Oriental, next to Clérigos Tower in Porto, was founded in 1910 and began by selling products from the eastern and African colonies. After the 2nd World War, the range of products increased and Casa Oriental began to sell Portuguese regional products: confectionery, sausages and smoked meats, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, olives, wines and liquors. It was after the 25th of April 1974 that cod became the hallmark of the house. 

Currently associated with Comur, Casa Oriental now offers around thirty varieties of preserves, in lithographed tins with illustrations that highlight some events of the last century. 

I must confess that I am not a fan of this transformation, I liked the old grocery store better.

The first time I went to Póvoa de Varzim, my friend Isa showed me this statue and I suppose she told to me who Cego do Maio was. If she did, I completely forgot who he was and why he had a statue dedicated to him.   

José Rodrigues Maio, better known as Cego do Maio, was a 19th-century local fisherman and lifeguard. A hero, for many, even for King D. Luís I, who decorated him for the lives he saved in the sea of Póvoa de Varzim.

 

 

Grutas da Moeda, Coin Cave, is one of the many caves near Fátima.  

Its discovery took place in 1971, by two hunters who were chasing a fox that had taken refuge in an sinkhole that existed in the middle of the forest. Moved by curiosity, they entered and discovered its natural beauty, with galleries filled with countless limestone formations. Names were given to each of the rooms and galleries, suggesting different images. This one on the card is the Shepherd Chamber.  

The visitable extension of the Grotto is 350 meters and its depth is 45 m below the entrance level. The temperature is around 18º C, remaining constant all year. - in: https://www.grutasmoeda.com