Conflans-Ste-Honorine is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris in France. It is located 24.5 km from the center of Paris.

The commune takes its name from the rambling " Château of Conflans", where the archbishop of Paris commissioned André Le Nôtre to lay out extensive gardens descending in deep terraces towards the Seine. Nothing remains of the Château or the gardens save a monumental stair, descending in matched flights either side of a central niche, which remains isolated at the end of a cul-de-sac, backed by a large block of modern flats.

Last year, I worked in an association called Bâteau-je-sers. It is a boot near the Seine. Responsible of this association is the Priest Arthur. He received every year, some poor people. For me, it was the best experience for all my life to help poor people.

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Photo Essay

Foreign Cuisine in Lisbon

Humans cannot live without food but nowadays cooking is also considered an art. Almost every nation has its unique way of cooking and since one thing I love to do is eat I’m going to take you in a little tour around the foreign restaurants in Lisbon.

Assuka in S.Sebastião (Japanese Cuisine)

If asked to name a typical Japanese food, most people would say either "Sushi" or " Tempura." Yes, those are typical Japanese dishes however, there are many traditional Japanese dishes besides sushi and tempura that can be traced back to just a few hundred years ago.

Another popular dish is Ramen. Ramen noodles originated in China, where all noodles seem to have come from, and are called "Lo-Mein" in Chinese, which means boiled noodles. It is served with many toppings such as, leek, pork, seaweed and negi (a kind of green onion). Japanese food uses a variety of fish and vegetables making it a really healthy food.

In Assuka you can try all sorts of Sushi, but you also can try Tonkatsu (fried pork), Sujyaki (a kind of beef hot pot) and the popular Ramen noodles.

Everest in Rossio (Nepalese Food)

On first appearances Nepalese food looks distinctly dull, however this tends to be a very western perspective as we are used to a huge range of food stuffs.
In fact, Nepalese food is extremely delicious, each family with their own variation of a dish which is given the same name everywhere, Dhal Bhat Tarkari. Dhal translates as lentil soup, Bhat as rice, and Tarkari as curry. Another particularly tasty food is the Momo. Momo is a dumpling usually filled with buffalo or yak meat and steamed, and traditionally eaten with a sauce made from ginger, chilies and tomatoes, but unfortunately you will not get buffalo or yak meat on Everest even tough the Momos are great.

King Du in Saldanha(Chinese Food)

Right now it’s really easy to have access to Chinese food in our country, we just need to go around a corner and we will find a Chinese restaurant. Chinese food is one of the healthiest foods in the world dude to the fact that Chinese chefs (well, the real ones at least) tend to use the philosophy of yin-yang in which everything must be balanced, this makes the food healthy with just the right amounts of meat and vegetables. The most known dishes are the Chow-mein the Chop-Suey and of course the Egg rolls but please note that these were not originally Chinese.

Indian House Tandoori in Saldanha (Indian Food)

Indian food has evolved over centuries and has flourished under the many rulers that India had. Chefs vied with one another to create exotic delicacies for their rajah's. The result is centuries of patronage to the art of cooking and a large repertoire of delicious recipes. We want to share the history and nuances of Indian cuisine so the world may be more intimate with our cuisine. Not all the Indian food is spicy like people think and a big part of it is vegetarian, so if you want to try some great Indian dishes like tandoori, naan or a variety of curry dishes this is a good place to go.

Valentino in Rossio (Italian Food)

Italian cooking is full of marvelous single pasta dishes made with all types of vegetables and pulses. These are also the prime ingredients for many local specialties though countless types of meat dishes abound, as well as fine fish from the plentiful seas around the peninsula, fragrant cheeses and exceptional desserts. But the undisputed star of Italian dining is the famous “first course”, in all its many varieties, including pasta “dry” or in broth, soups, many kinds of noodle soups and minestrones, risottos and timbales. In Valentino you can try all kinds of pasta, from spaghetti to ravioli, passing trough the manicotti and tortellini and we can’t forget of course the lasagna and pizza, the food here is simply delicious.

Skateboarding in the neighbourhoods

As you know, I am a big fan of skateboarding; it is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of photos. No one loves it more than me, especially when it comes to taking pictures of friends or being photographed. During this photo essay I will explain the tricks I like the most with the help of the photos I took with my friends during a super fun skating day.

This one is called “Indy Grab”, and you can see why it is called grab…because the skater is grabbing the skate. This is the basic grab trick, although it requires a lot of jumping skills and also a great arm flexibility to reach out for the board.This framed picture shows you how to do a 360 flip. This trick is considered, among skaters, to be the most difficult street trick that was invented by man. It is a beautiful move when executed perfectly…which is not the case.

Again this framed photograph allows you to see a well done “Ollie jump” over a five stair cased set. The most important thing in this trick is to control the jump in the air, as you can see in the 10th frame, where the skate remains totally parallel to the ground. It is not a hard move, but it is certainly a technical one. The frames help you accompany the movement of the skater.


This one is probably where skateboarding must have started: the mythical “Ollie” on the ground. This is the trick that you jump, and sort of magically, the skate hangs tight to your feet as if they were glued to the board. Every skater must know how to “Ollie”, it is the first trick that I learned and also the one that takes more time to practice.

So far I have taught you how the basic tricks are done on the ground. There are some tricks that are neither basic nor part of the “skater's reportoire” but that’s when my personal preferencescome in. This trick is called Hardflip. As you can tell by its name, it is a very hard flip…anyway; this trick consists in having your legs opened up in the air and the skate between your legs vertically. I’ll tell you why it’s so hard, because if you fail it, you (and by “you” I refer Men) will lose great part of their manhood…if you know what I mean. Have a look.

The Pop Shove-it represents the easiest trick in skateboarding. It was invented way back, when surf ruled the world. The surfers invented the shove-it, and the skaters (always contradicting the surfers) called it and adapted it Pop Shove-it. The trick is mainly described as spinning you board 180 degrees to your front. It is a very gorgeous trick and easily executed by even a non-skater.

The Kickflip. The kickflip is not even supposed to be called like this. Rodney Mullen invented it and first called it “Ollie Flip” but then, certain skaters of other countries,Portugal included, adopted the name kickflip because of its movement. The trick is basically to kick your board down so that it spins by it self under your feet. I have been learning it since I was 12…I’m now 18 and I still can’t do it. For me it is the hardest, and at the same time, the most beautiful trick in the History of Skateboarding.

Nature

When dealing with such a sweeping issue such as “Nature" we can not possibly forget the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we put on the table. Everyone should be aware of the fact that preserving our natural habitat is a matter of the utmost concern.
It seems that modern man’s actions resulted in lots of side effects that put our nature in jeopardy. The excessive number of automobiles, deforestations, the rests from factories led to pollution. Consequently, pollution generated another negative effect that endangers our life: the greenhouse effect and acid rains. Thus, everyone should bear in mind that our life is at stake if we do not protect environment.
I for one consider that the power of nature is all around us. Nature influences our emotions and actions and brings us closer to God. Although there is a vast difference between the mountains, the ocean, the desert and the jungle, all of them are here to teach us more about the spirit of God.
Putting these ideas together, I should say that the notion of nature is undoubtedly relate

d to beauty, happiness and spirituality that is why, each and every individual worldwide is under obligation to contribute to its prosperity.

Gardens of Lisbon

Gardens of Lisbon

This work will try to introduce some of the gardens in Lisbon. There are plenty more to discover such as: Estufa (Fria e Quente), Jardim Botânico ( The Botanical Gardens), Jardim da Estrela, Tapada da Ajuda, Eduardo VII, Campo Grande and so many more.
Enjoy them!!


Serafina Park
Also known as Parque dos Indios, it’s on the top of Serra de Monsanto.
It’s a recent park, which is known by lots of parents who take their children to play there. The children have a place to learn how to drive and learn the traffic signals as well.
On the end of the park, you have a great view over Lisbon.

Gulbenkian Garden

Green, green and more green.
You can read a book listening to the birds.
You can walk all over the garden, see different plants and flowers, and feel nature without leaving the city. The Centre of Modern Art is located in this garden.

Jerónimos Garden

A place by the river where you can play football, walk with the children or lie down and do nothing on a sunny day.Children can ride a bike or skate. It’s a family garden.
These gardens are placed, as the name says, close to Jerónimos Monument, which is one of Portuguese greatest constructions, built by order of the Portuguese king D. Manuel.
Best of all it’s close to Pasteis de Belém, which are delicious.

Jardins Tropical do Inst. Investigação Cientifica e Tropical
Close to Jerónimos you have to pay to visit this garden because it’s open to the public ,but it’s not a public garden. It has, as the name says, tropical plants which are important both economically and botanically.

By Teresa Nunes

Music: Life's Inspiration (Daniel & Hugo)

Life without music is an error - Nietzsche

Music. What is music? It's everything.It's everywhere.Since the dawn of time humans have been trying to communicate with each other but more than that we as human beings have been trying to elevate our spirits beyond the confines of our shells, to surpass boundaries, to become more than just human. Music does just that, it grabs you from within and feeds your soul.You can clearly remember specific moments because of music, you can associate different songs to different periods of time.A beautiful and happy song for your first kiss, a sad and tragic melody for you first loss.A mellow and at the same time relentless rhythm that carries you through the day.
It make us cry, smile, feel good, feel angry, depressed, comfortable, and so on.
Throughout time, music has been created and reinvented; some styles died, others have influenced the creation of new ones. Today, there is an unbelievable variety of genres and sub-genres, some so bizarre that would make Mozart turn in his grave. Nowadays, what was once considered noise, can now be considered joyful music the harshest and most violent sounds, which is the case in Death Metal, can be fully enjoyed; one single note can last for the whole fifteen minutes of the most deep Drone Metal song you can imagine.
Music will always prevail. It is simply put a force of nature, ethereal and invisible existing only in our minds and ears.Nietzsche summed it up better than I can ever put in words so I will leave with this fitting tribute to music and end this text the same way it started.With the melody of words.

“God gave us music so that we, first and foremost, will be guided upward by it. All qualities are united in music: it can lift us up, it can be capricious, it can cheer us up and delight us, nay, with its soft, melancholy tunes, it can even break the resistance of the toughest character. Its main purpose, however, is to lead our thoughts upward, so that it elevates us, even deeply moves us. ... Music also provides pleasant entertainment and saves everyone who is interested in it from boredom. All humans who despise it should be considered mindless, animal-like creatures. Ever be this most glorious gift of God my companion on my life's journey, and I can consider myself fortunate to have come to love it. Let us sing out in eternal praise to God who is offering us this beautiful enjoyment “

Nietzsche 1858"Über Musik" [On Music] (in: "Aus meinem Leben" [From my Life]

Modern Architecture (Spela, Beatriz and Vítor)

We chose modern architecture to be the theme of our group work because we think it’s an interesting subject, once it’s related to arts and to the present-day’s culture. It could also be an amusing way to walk around our city, Lisbon, and a great opportunity to visit pleasant spaces and find out more about them.

Parque das Nações was the first thing that flew through our minds when we were trying to find examples of modern architecture. It's an important melting pot, where we can find contemporary buildings that were specially conceived to Expo ’98; we thought this “turning point” of national architecture should be also our “starting point” for this research.
Thanks to EU and Expo ‘98 was necessary for Portugal to open its doors and windows, and so we did. For instance, the beautiful Gare do Oriente: the train station, next to the world’s fair, designed by Santiago Calatrava. He chose steel painted in white and glass to materialize giant posts that look like huge cubic flowers that seem wide opened to receive the daylight or even the bright moonlight.

The Atlantic Pavilion (Pavilhão Atlântico) is a previous Expo ’98 building too, designed by Regino Cruz and it holds around 20.000 people. The pavilion is becoming an international reference, so we can’t reduce its importance to its revolutionary modern style, inspired in Portuguese historic symbols, such as the 15th century boats that were made out of wood, like the interior ceilings (of the pavilion), not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to create a better acoustic in the room. In the outside we have a more futuristic style; the oval form of the building and its materials, similar to rubber, etc, remind us space ships from science fiction movies.





European Music Awards 2005, Madonna and Pearl Jam’s last tours, or even sports’ events like “Monster Jam”, are some of the international events that took place here and gave this building more notoriety.

Alvalade XXI stadium was opened on 6 August 2003. The official stadium of football club Sporting is a big, impressive building, boasting a splash of colours which are associated with the team: green, yellow and white. A further point that was of interest to us was that the seats are all coloured in a rainbow of colours, so as to have the feeling of a full house for every game.
But this stadium is not only a sporting venue; the 52 000 capacity building, it is also a grand venue for live music concerts. Previous acts that were performed here include U2.
The architectural genius of this building is down to Tomás Taveira.

Marconi building is, in an aesthetic, architectonic and constructive perspective, a great reference of Lisbon.
As one of the new “Intelligent buildings”, it’s one of the best examples of technology, and a multifunctional space.
It was built in 1992, and designed by Raul Martins. Its design is not as simple as it might look at first. This building is well known for its symmetrical sides that look like stairs leading to the sky.

These are just some examples of modern spaces that unite arts (great architecture) with nowadays’ social and cultural needs that we can find in this improved city. We “left behind” some other buildings that we appreciate because of the time and words limit (e.g.: Ponte Vasco da Gama, Pavilhão de Portugal, …). Maybe we’ll tell you more about them next time. We hope you have enjoyed this tour.

Monuments by the Tagus (David & Rui)

The Oceanary

Lisbon’s Oceanary is a museum of marine biology in Parque das Nações, and was built for Expo ‘98. It was conceived to express in an innovating way, the fact that the seas and oceans of our planet form a single Global Ocean.

It’s populated by 8.000 animals.

And plants of over 500 species.

It integrates five main habitats.

Its central tank has about 5.000 m³ of salt water.

Overall, the Oceanary is composed by 30 tanks containing over 7.000 m³ of salt water.

Vasco da Gama's Tower

Vasco da Gama Tower is a steel structure, 145 meters high, built in Parque das Nações, in Lisbon, for the world exposition in 1998. It’s one of the tallest buildings in Portugal.


The Vasco da Gama Bridge

Vasco da Gama is the most recent bridge over River Tagus in the area of Lisbon. It connects Montijo and Alcochete to Sacavém, nearby Parque das Nações, where Expo ‘98 was held. Its inauguration was on April 4th 1998. This bridge is the longest in Europe, with 17.2 Km, 10 of which are over the waters of Tagus estuary. The distance between its towers is 420 meters. The name of the bridge celebrates the 500 years upon the arrival of Vasco da Gama to India.

Monuments by the Tagus (David & Rui)

Monument To The Discoveries

It was built by Cottinelli Telmo and Leopoldo de Almeida, both Portuguese artists, during the Salazar's despotism, namely in 1940.
- However, it was not inaugurated until 1960.
- It stands 52 meters tall.
- It portraits and celebrates the Age of Discovery period.
- Therefore, the base sculpture is a caravel, and aboard are the most prominent Portuguese explorers: Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias, Luís de Camões (although he was a poet, he also took part in a voyage to India), King Manuel I (...)
- The pavement in front of the Monument depicts a wind rose, along with a world map that displays the routes taken by the Portuguese during the Age of Discovery.

Cristo Rei

The Cristo Rei is a religious monument located in Almada. This monument was built in fulfilment of a vow formulated by the Portuguese Bishopric assembled in Fátima on 20 of April 1940, beseeching God to keep Portugal safe from World War II. Salazar, in spite of sympathizing politically with Germany, didn’t want to violate the old friendship with the United Kingdom, which goes back to the XIV century, and preferred to maintain Portugal’s position neutral, in order to avoid the War.

-It was inaugurated in 1959.
-It is 109m high, and it is built on a portico 75m high. On its top, the statue of the Redeemer opens his arms wide, facing the city. The arms span is 28 meters.
- It’s one of the tallest constructions in Portugal – 110 meters.

The 25th April Bridge

It was baptized as Salazar’s Bridge (Ponte Salazar), but after the Carnation Revolution its name was changed to 25^th April Bridge.

- It took almost four years for the bridge to be built.
- It opened to traffic in August 6th 1966.
- Its size: 2278 meters across.
- At the time of its completion, the southern tower foundation was the world's deepest (82 meters).
- It was the first suspended bridge in the world providing both a railway and a road.
- The northern tower pillar was built over a seismic fault. This was found out only upon the construction of its foundations. Because of this, it requires maintenance, from time to time.

Terreiro do Paço (also known as Commerce Square)

- It was where the royal palace was located for 200 years.
- In 1551, D. Manuel I moved from St. Jorge's Castle to this location.
- Unfortunately, this palace (and its library, which contained 70 000 books) was utterly destroyed during the earthquake that took place in 1755.
- Later on, this square was a priority to Marquês de Pombal, who reconstructed it.
- In the middle of the Square stands an equestrian statue depicting D. José I and his horse, stomping snakes (adversity), built in 1775 by Machado de Castro, a distinguished Portuguese sculptor.
- In the northern part of the square, an Arch of Triumph can be seen, and it's the entrance to the "Baixa" - Portuguese word for downtown.
- In 1974 the Carnation Revolution (Revolução dos Cravos) would take place here.

Monuments by the Tagus (David & Rui)

There are lots of monuments by the River Tagus. Our work will try to describe some of them, as we talk briefly about their essential history. These monuments are: the Belém Tower, Belém’s Cultural Centre, the Monument to the Discoveries, the Jerónimos Monastery, the 25^th April Bridge, the Oceanary, Vasco da Gama’s Tower, and the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Let’s start with:

The Belém Tower

- It was built in 1515 by D. Manuel, and until 1580 it was used as a fortress.
- In 1580, the Tower couldn't withstand the Spanish siege, and it becomes a dungeon for the estate. The bastion was increased, in order to provide more room for the soldiers.
- In 1589 Filipe II (the Spanish Sovereign) orders the construction of a parallelepiped building, named "os Quartéis Filipinos" (the Filipine Quarters), which would be demolished during the New State (Estado Novo).

UNESCO proclaimed it World’s Heritage site in 1983.

Belém’s Cultural Centre

Belém´s Cultural Centre is one of the most striking examples of contemporary Portuguese architecture. It houses a centre for shows, an exhibition Centre, and a Congress Centre, plus various areas for leisure and shopping.

Jerónimos Monastery

Its construction began in 1501, on the orders of King Manuel I. It was chosen as the Royal Pantheon and was financed by the gold brought from India. It combines the European late-Gothic and early Renaissance trends. Not only it is of unquestionable technical mastery, but it also has an elegant ribbed dome that covers the whole church. It was also classified by UNESCO as a
World Heritage Site.

Art on the Metro (Jason & Jorge)

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When considering what topic to write about and take pictures of, the last thing you would expect is an underground system.But Lisbon’s underground isn’t just a plain underground for public transport; it also boasts a wide variety of artistic features. Ranging from statues to murals, the art each station has is unique to each location, adding to the enjoyment of the day-to-day rides for commuters, as well as making each station a tourist attraction in its own right.

The question we asked ourselves when we considered this topic was: “Why is there art in the Metro?”. After looking at the Metro website, out of curiosity, we found out that after the Metro was constructed in the 50’s, they decided they wanted to make this a place to shine over the bad atmosphere of an underground system. The way they thought of doing this was to introduce art to the stations, and therefore make the stations an enjoyable place to wait for a train, rather than a depressing one.

The photos we took highlight, what we perceive to be, the most prominent of the stations in terms of art, as well as ones that we personally enjoy looking at the most.

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