On The Go
Quick picks and previews, taken with the phone or processed with the phone, usually while travelling but also random moments from everyday routine.
A tradition almost as solid as Carnival itself: saving the slow Monday between the busy Carnival Sunday and Tuesday to wander the roads of Trás-Os-Montes.Here a Transmontano Mastiff, one of a pack of five big dogs, guarding a flock of sheep in the pastures of Montesinho. Can’t get more Trás-Os-Montes than this!
#Portugal #trasosmontes #montesinho #fujifilm_xseries #vsco #snapshot #instagram bit.ly/2TeZrHg
Like in a big, funny, messy, deranged family photo!! The cork masked people at Góis. #careto #entrudo #carnaval #carnival #gois #aldeiasdoxisto #portugal #fujifilm_xseries #vsco #snapshot #instagram bit.ly/2C4Xan8
Pretty end of day while roaming the Lousã mountain range. Time to get some rest and get ready for an early rise tomorrow. In the next few days I’ll back to the road to capture more masked traditions.
#sunset #serradalousã #portugal #fujifilm_xseries #vsco #snapshot #instagram bit.ly/2GUCpP5
Every year, on Christmas day, there’s an auction to bid on who will be wearing this red and black mask. Everything’s done in secret so that on New Year’s day, at the early hours when the chocalheiro starts his lonely procession, no one knows who he is until it ends… …or he briefly takes it off for a gasp of fresh air.#portugal #mogadouro #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #mask #chocalheiro #chocalheirodebemposta
On the day of St John Evangelist (Die de San Juan Eibangelista , in Mirandese) the “pauliteiros”, along with musicians, will go to each house dancing, inviting and receiving offerings for the festivities. #portugal #trasosmontes #mirandadodouro #festadosmoços #festadesaojoaoevangelista #pauliteiros
Putting on red masks and red robes. Running down the village’s streets, eating, drinking, doing pranks. #portugal #grijodeparada #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesantoestevao #festadosrapazes #mask #careto
Two unavoidable things during these days: a table set with food and drinks, and plenty of people around it! #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesantoestevao #festadosrapazes #mask #mascaro
Thinking about what tricks to play next?Despite being the day after Christmas (there’s no such thing as Boxing Day here) that tree feels really out of place there.#portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesantoestevao #festadosrapazes #mask #mascaro
Putting the mask back on after a small break close to the end of the day, during the last winter solstice festivities at Ousilhão. Despite being a cold day it gets hot behind a wooden mask and under some heavy robes. #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesantoestevao #festadosrapazes #mask
Every New Year’s day Good and Evil face each other in the streets of the small village of Tó. The dark faced Farandulo tries to reach the immaculate Sécia, having only a young boy to separate them.#portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #farandulo #farandulodetó



New year’s day is filled with activity, and the problem is picking one. The Chocalheiro of Bemposta is definitely the winter festivity with the fastest pace, with the chocalheiro literally running through the village’s houses to wish a good year and gather their offering. #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #mask #chocalheiro #chocalheirodebemposta



Today was the day to return to one of the most beautiful places of Portugal: the cliffs of Douro, with its waters flowing below and birds of prey soaring above.#nature #landscape #dourointernacional #mirandadodouro #trasosmontes #portugal
Spending the slow days between festivities to further explore the outer limits of Montesinho.#nature #landscape #montesinho #trasosmontes #portugal
Wrestling over hay at the very end of the day. A traditional form of wrestling fueled by local rivalry between neighbor villages. #galhofa #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesantoestevao #festadosrapazes





In the Mirandese plateau there are no masks, but the festivities are not that much more religious because of that. The pauliteiros will roam the village, dancing at each house and finishing at the church: the only time of the year they are allowed inside. #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festasdesaojoaoevangelist #festadosmocos #pauliteiros





Still in a similar tone of the winter solstice masked traditions, that was baptized as Festas de Santo Estêvão, but this time the mischiefs, running through the streets and drinking were at an old favorite of mine: Grijó. #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festadosrapazes #mask





Festas de Santo Estêvão (this one at Ousilhao), a religious name for a masked tradition that has very few religious rituals in it, and remains mostly a pagan festivity related with the Winter solstice. #portugal #trasosmontes #wintersolstice #festadosrapazes #mask





Returning to Trás-Os-Montes for me also means football fields, this time revisiting one of my favorites! #nature #landscape #portugal #trasosmontes