When I was a young girl no one in Portugal had heard about St. Valentine. Mom, who was living in England at the time, would send us Valentine postcards and tell us about this funny tradition of the British: on February 14 they would send cards, not only to their lovers but to their friends as well. It was a sort of celebration of friendship, as I remember it, and she, being very popular, would receive dozens of them from friends …
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The hospital emergency is packed. The old patriarch is lying on a bed in a corridor turned into an improvised ward. Most of the patients are elderly people like him. This winter has been harsh, very cold and now rainy and damp, and flu quickly turns into pneumonia…and then the whole bloody list of diseases that came with old age goes crazy: his diabetes, his heart condition…damn old age, he thinks and he closes his eyes and tries to remember happier …
Victim or spy, devoted mother or courtesan, princess or base-born, cunning or naive – Mata Hari is a highly controversial figure in many aspects, but I’m certain everyone would agree that she was a fascinating woman. I first heard about her in my childhood. I remember Granny mentioning her name, and telling me she was a spy who had lived in the beginning of the 20th century. I also got the idea that she was a mysterious character, but over …
(In)equality at home As a teenager, I was acutely aware that women were treated differently from men in many aspects, and it seemed only natural to rebel against it. At home, even if my grandfather was a staunch supporter of working women and always insisted that I should study so that I might one day have a career and be independent, I found it extremely unfair that I was supposed to help Granny in the kitchen and my brother was …
True friends are one of life’s greatest treasures. On the other hand, friends who are false often come as a great disappointment. Between these two types of friends there are many shades of course. As from black to white we find so many shades of grey. As a child, and then a teenager, I had many acquaintances as I was quite popular at school. From a very early age I could tell who were my “real” friends, steadfast and loyal, …
Sometimes I wonder what makes people envious of each other, but the fact is envy is all around us. Some people say the Portuguese are an envious people. There may be many reasons for envying someone, I suppose, but most of all people envy their neighbour’s success. When we see that someone’s life is going well, that they are living comfortably and above all when they look happy, we immediately comment on how lucky they are, that luck is only for …
Thirty two years ago “Last Christmas” by Wham was playing on every radio and the video clip often passed on TV. We loved to watch it – it was colourful and happy, but with a nostalgic feeling of a lost love. All the ingredients for success! And the scenery was magnificent. You may remember the story: as the song begins, we can see a house on a snowy environment and a group of young people arriving – one of them is …
She was sitting at a table of the cafe near her apartment, where she often went. As she sipped her coffee she concentrated on her book, when a voice suddenly startled her: “Would you mind if I sat down?”. She looked up and saw a middle aged man looking at her with a tentative smile. As she didn’t reply, he politely repeated the question. Still surprised, she muttered “Why…yes”. As he sat down she looked at him questioningly. He introduced …
She is going up the subway stairs with her mother. They have been downtown for some Christmas shopping and they are carrying many bags. Outside, the evening is cold, but the smell of roasting nuts – so typical of Lisbon at this time of the year – feels like a warm welcome. In the distance she hears the sounds of the latest Christmas hit “Last Christmas” by Wham. She sings along and her mother cheerfully joins in. They walk home …
The concert hall is full; tickets have been sold out for months. As Sir Elton John sings the last words, he opens his arms, points to the audience and says “Your song!” We respond with a huge cheer. … Back in Mozambique – 1973 I think – my brother Chico one day came to me with a new record. It was by a singer called Elton John and the title of the main song was “Daniel“. As soon as I …