Convento do Carmo

Of the places we went on our morning walkabout, the Convento do Carmo was the coolest thing we saw.  Before we went into the convent, we stopped for a drink (water for me, Coca-Cola Zero for Carol) in the pleasant Largo do Carmo square.  This is the square where the peaceful Carnation Revolution happened in 1974, ending the long dictatorship.  It is quite pleasant, with a beautiful fountain and many jacaranda trees brought from South America to provide shade.

The convent itself was destroyed by the 1755 earthquake.  The decision was made not to rebuild, or to tear down.  Instead, it was to be left as a memorial to the quake.  There are beautiful Gothic arches supporting nothing but the sky, along with a small museum with lots of artifacts from the Bronze Age, the Romans, and even Peruvian mummies.  It was a combination of quick and interesting. . .the best kind of museum!

Don't go for the museum, go for the open air, arched convent.  It's a very peaceful place.

Amazing place, arches still

standing by amazing grace.

A caravel, the Portuguese sailing vessel

 that meant so much to this nation's history.

Incredible that the carved crown

did not break in the earthquake.

The earthquake caught this fellow by surprise.

Definitely out of place, not sure

whether I like this art or not.

Nothing says "religious art" like

a cherubim holding a skull.

I ain't lion to you, I always like

taking this sort of picture.

Why did you include a gross picture

of a Peruvian mummy? It's

Halloween!  I had to!

Ending with the money shot.