IT'S PARTY TIME!!!

Exactly one year ago, we serendipitously found ourselves in the laid back seaside town of Lisbon, Portugal. During the day, it seemed pretty much business as usual...

Little did we know, it was the eve of June 13th!... the biggest of the Festas dos Santos Populares (Popular Saints Parties). This one annually commemorates Santo Antonio (Saint Anthony), the keeper of lost things, also known in Portugal and Brazil as the Marriage Saint.
I discovered that Fernando Martins de Bulhoes, later to become Saint Anthony, was a native son, born in Lisbon in 1195 to a wealthy family. In his day, he became highly praised for his sermons and teachings of the Gospel all throughout the Mediterranean.






This day, as the sun went down the city's entire population hit the streets!

Young and old
Food and drink
Music and dancing
Fireworks and friends...

All night long!

With all due respect for the Saints...

Party on, you Lisboans!!!

Tom  :^)