Moments from the Iberian Peninsula #2

Now and then you take a photograph that captures the zeitgeist of the moment. Here are some of our favourite images from our recent travels.

Sep 20, 2024

We live and breathe music and art and when travelling love to deep dive into the culture from a local as opposed to a tourist perspective. Enjoy.

This is the second in the series. If you missed part one, you can read it by clicking the link below // Love, Suzy

VIBES

Moments from the Iberian Peninsula

We live and breathe music and art and when travelling love to deep dive into the culture from a local as opposed to a tourist perspective. Enjoy…

3 months ago · 2 likes · Suzy Starlite

In and around our home

Big screen for the World Cup match with Portugal, Samora Correia

Rock ‘n roll

Filming a man playing guitar in a studio — Recording videos in the Supertone Studio, Portugal

A bass guitar with a bow — Recording with Starlite & bow on bass

A cow being abducted by a UFO lamp — Abduction Lamp

Bar do Concelho // reopening night // Samora Correia

We felt a little bereft when our favourite bar closed for a couple of months for refurbishment work so you can imagine our delight - we had to be there on the reopening night.

We had so much fun with our friends messing around - Joe Martini is the man!!

Two men in a bar — The legend Joe Martini - owner of the bar with Simon

Magazines in a bar — Bar do Conchelo, Samora Correia

Ceiling of a bar with ohotos and lampshade

Slightly blurred selfie of ladies laughing — Larking around with Leonor & Cristina

Whicker cactus, coffee machine and bottles in a bar

Man wuth cap and a smiling man — Mário Pimenta - who told us all about Zéze Camarinha ;)

Somethings cooking

Neon Starlite Café sign — All are welcome at the Starlite Café

Two fresh fish with a blender in the background — One Robalo (Sea Bass) and one Dourada (Sea Bream)

Red outside tables with food on top — We made bread, Lebanese style - spot the snout!!

Encostas de Xira sunset na Quinta Municipal de Subserra

We were invited to a gig and sunset dinner at a villa now owned and operated by the local authority. Sadly we didn’t take any shots of the band!

Two cool people - with a lady with orange hair on the left - sat at a table outdoors — Ana Sofia and Josué - an evening of food, wine & music at the palace, Vila Franca de Xira

Praça da República // Samora Correia

Man with bear, shades and a hoody sat in a square with a church tower behind — Artist David Rijo, Samora Correia

Bullshit

Samora Correia is in the heart of Ribetejo, the most central of the traditional provinces of Portugal, with no coastline or border with Spain and known for agriculture and bulls.

The tradition of ‘campinos’ running bulls through the streets and matadors taunting bulls inside bull rings is still very much alive although the latter is becoming less popular. Unlike in Spain, the bulls are not killed.

It’s not our cultural history and therefore will not comment - we chose to include these images as this is our authentic Portuguese experience.

Posters advertising matadors and events in Portugal in a metal fence — Matadors and bulls

A matador warming up on his horse outside — Warming up outside the bull ring (we didn’t go in)

The square outside Bar do Concelho

Two bulls running around sand covered public square with people at the back — Bulls running in the streets of Samora Correia

Lots of people eating outside in a square with table and chairs at night — A massive community picnic in the square for the festivities

A red fire hydrant and a stop sign in the back left — Starlite’s late aunt is called Pam - she is everywhere!

Zaytouna Palestinian Restaurant // Lisboa

We cook a lot of Middle Eastern food at home and needed supplies so we drove the Van of Rock into Lisboa to buy spices, tahini and harissa. Of course, we couldn’t resist a little lunch while we were there.

Zaytouna is fabulous if you like this style of food: a must-visit when in Lisboa. Such a friendly place and the food and wine are delicious.

A sign with menu outside a Palestinian restaurant — Zaytouna Palestinian shop and restaurant

Man sat at counter in a Palestinian food shop

Man and woman at table with a glass of red wine

Kitchen area of a Palestinian restaurant with flag

Delicious Palestinian food and wine — Delicious Palestinian food

Two men in a restaurant — We bumped into the owner again later that evening #smallworld

Man with ace moustache and beard wearing a cap and holding chopsticks in a Korean restaurant — Korean restauran in Lisboa

Musicians

Four people with guitars on a couch — A chilled-out jam session with Bill Griffin and Nick Stephens

Billy Cobham

Our drummer who played on our recent studio album STARLITE.ONE also runs the Porto Drum Show and he invited us up there. We watched Billy perform many of his tracks from the legendary Spectrum album and met him afterwards. Cool guy.